Rude Awakening

I was never raised to treat someone differently because of where they lived, how they looked, or what their ability was. I was to treat people with kindness and love...period. I'm not saying that I didn't tease people or not play with people when I was younger, but what I am saying is that I didn't see myself, a white person, better than anyone else. When I got older and I would be around my black friend or my Indian friends, I would see and hear the way they were treated differently and I would cry. I didn't understand. I still don't understand. I watch videos, took history classes and such so I "know" some of the history, but I don't understand because I wasn't raised to discriminate and hate others. Actually, I was told to never hate because it is such a strong and ugly word. Watching and listening to these videos brings me back to those feelings of sadness and wanting to cry because it's not how I was raised. Racism, racial inequality, social injustice, colorism, and all of the sorts...just needs to stop. We need to come together as a society and hold each other up high and support one another...not kill and hate each other. As a mother and grandmother, it begins at home to teach the little ones to be kind to all and help your neighbor.