Be the Change
We've told the story of how a girl at Alice's elementary school made "Chinese eyes" at her and asked how she sees out of eyes like hers. She then went on to tell Alice that all Koreans are murderers. We don't face direct discrimination often, but the indirect can be just as harmful. What we face on a very regular basis is the staring; the unhelpful hostess; the retail clerk that follows you through the store. This is real. This is my life. Being part of a mixed family opens ones eyes - thank you very much.
This isn't about this one particular girl or Alice's particular school. This is an issue everywhere. It's an issue for all of us around the world. It's an issue to shine a light on; especially with the events of New Zealand last week still fresh in our minds.
We do not need to insult, intimidate and harm each other based on race, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender or any other attribute that makes us different from the majority of our culture.
What we need is compassion and curiosity. What we need is to hold the true lessons of our religious and ethical traditions in our hearts and to actually live by them. We are all equal. We are meant to love one another. As parents we need to teach our children these things and we need to keep divisive, rhetorical and polarizing shit off of our televisions. When this happened to Alice we told her "she must be a very confused girl to say something like that. How sad for her."
We want to wonder why our kids are bullying each other? Look no further than our television sets and the language and topics of conversation we choose to engage in at home. Bullying and racism aren't new. But we don't have to accept it or just say "kids will be kids."
Want change? Then be the change.
~Kristine Sperling, co-founder
#organicforeveryone I makes3organics.com I @makes3organics
