Spread Love, Not Hate

Just in case you were wondering, this is the definition of racism.

rac·ismˈrāˌsizəm/Submitnounprejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.

However, this behavior is taught. You are not born with the idea to hate anything or anyone that is not like yourself. I don't hate any race. Now I can't understand some of the cultures and traditions that other nationalities have and things like that but that's just my own issues with not choosing to learn more about the world we live in. I choose not to live my life in a closed box any longer. I'm 32 with two kids now that need to know more about this world. I encourage my kids to explore the world the way they want to see it. Get on the computer and look up a new country every day. Look into the culture and the traditions that they have and come back to me with what you've learned. They enjoy it. Even over the past week of spring break, they kept it up and even wanted to make a tri-fold board with the findings of the week.

Now, this is what this blog is really about. I currently have box braids in my hair. I got them done about three or four weeks ago. Personally, I love them. It keeps me from having to do my hair as often and it allows my natural hair time to grow out and get strong. Where we live, we have a mix of the culture around us. On the other side of that, we have a good group of retired white people everywhere you go! Clearly, they don't get out much or don't watch enough TV outside of watching Fox News or CNN because when they see me with braids in a bun, bright red lipstick and hoop earrings, they stop pushing the buggy and stop the speed on the scooter they are riding. They will stop and stare at me for a few seconds then say something along the lines of "Oh, is it tight?" "How long did it take?" "How did you get it up in a donut like that?" I normally just sit there and look at them for a while before I answer. I do that because if I answer as soon as they are done talking, my answer will be rude. I have to take a deep breath and say to them yes, it's tight and it took about four hours. The donut, as you call it, takes about 10 minutes in the morning if I want it to last through the entire day.

But here is the kicker! I've recently moved into a new house and we now have a yard and a lot of yard work to do before we get hit with days of rain. My other half and I go to stores like Lowes or Home Depot at least three times a week getting what we need. There was an older couple walking down the same area we were in grabbing some grass seeds and stuff. The older gentlemen stopped and said to me, "Don't forget to call the city to get those big pieces of trash out of your yard." I was like well we do have some things from having the floors and stuff done sitting in the yard, I guess I better get on that. However, when it came to me that there is no way that a man of that standard lived in the same neighborhood as we did, I knew he thought I was someone else.

I said to him, "Wait, how do you know about my trash in the yard?"

He said, "Didn't you guys just move into the house on some street?"

I was like, "Ummm, no, not us."

He said, "Oh, well you have a twin running around here!"

I looked at my husband and said, "Oh wait, because I'm a black female with braids he thinks we all look alike!" That's what it is!

PSA! Dear white people, we do not all look alike at all! We are different in our own way just like you are! I don't walk up to every white woman with the "can I speak to your manager" haircut and say, "Hi, Susan!"