Helping Kids to Combat Racism

Helping kids to combat racism is definitely part of any modern day parents' "to do" list . As parents we all know, if we think about it, that it is only a matter of time before the inevitable questions about race begin to be raised . Whether you live in a multi racial neighborhood or only see people of other races rather by accident or when you go beyond your regular shopping and recreational areas, your kids are going to meet children of other racial types. As a good parent you will want to be the one to give them the right answers about these differences. Having passed through this phase of childrearing and having bi-racial grandchildren I feel somewhat qualified to suggest a few ways for helping kids to combat racism laid out in easy and logical steps. The goal is to help kids take a positive view towards racial differences and towards the positive role they can take in helping to reduce racism when they see or hear it.

A good place to begin when helping kids to combat racism is to explain that all people, regardless of the obvious differences in their physical types, share a common humanity. We are at bottom all human beings. (If you and your family want to take a religious approach you might want to add that we are all equally God's children). So even if they have seen the different ways people seem to live or the distinct ways people are treated this is not because we are not all equally human, it is because there are still some people who do not accept or want to act on this fact.

As human beings, each person, regardless of racial differences, has his or her own special gifts,abilities and talents. When all of those different gifts are developed equally by their owners the whole world is enriched. But if some people, because of racial differences, never get a chance to grow their talents and fulfill their potential then they and the whole world suffer for it. For the world to work well we need all the parts we have, every single human being needs a fair chance to aid the cause of improving mankind.

In the same way, all human beings, regardless of race, have shortcomings and failings. But even looking around you can see that there are people of every racial type or variation who demonstrate shortcomings, who sometimes don't get it, who seem to lack judgment, who are too quick to become violent, who don't demonstrate restraint or other human traits that might be helpful. Faults, difficulties, errors, are by no means the property solely of one racial type. To a man (or woman) we all have our failings

And here's he point to drive home.. Because we are all human beings with our fair share of both gifts and failings, we all need tolerance, understanding and above all respect from one human being to another. This kind of respect goes beyond what is required by "due process" or "equal protection under the law" as guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution. This respect is at the very most simple every day level of one person to another. We are compelled by being part of shared humanity to treat each other with that most basic respect of person.

Having laid out these facts to your children, in your words and in your actions, don't forget the final point.
Those who treat other human beings with disrespect because of their racially distinct physical features, end by being disrespectful to the entire human race and so in a sense even to themselves. Lowering one human being doesn't lift another, it lowers us all. All human beings need to stand against such disrespect by our words and the way we live our lives.

Hearing these ideas may help your children to understand racism and to deal with it in their own exchanges with other young people. Most importantly it will forever put in their mind a simple logical outline for holding on to their own sense of the reason for and the need to maintain equal respect for every human being.