I just can't seem to express my feelings about this dollar bill that our Grandson Jaden handed me the other day. He is six years old and just loves life, but has no concept of the value of money. He can, as it turns out, read. And read quite well, but just as he knows what money is but doesn't understand it's value, he also lacks the vocabulary of an adult. And thank God for that! When he handed me the bill, he wanted to offer it to help pay for his dinner at the pizza place he likes. He pulled it out oof his pocket with a struggle and when he finally wrestled it free, he held it up high in the air and proclaimed "Here GrandPa, this will pay for it".
I told him to put it back in his pocket and save it for later and that is when he read the scribbles on the bill left by some idiot. He asked, GrandPa, what does "nigger" mean? Before I could react, I caught myself because I could see the word clearly scribbled across the back of the bill. You can see the bill here in the blog. I didn't want to show it, but I think it illustrates my frustration. I grabbed the bill from him and asked him to forget about it. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it or scare him or scold him for saying it. You see, young Jaden is black,
the wonderful son of our daughter Brandy and an African American father. He lives in a world, as far as he knows, that is devoid of color, race, religion or any of the trappings of us adults and our
prejudices. He simply does not know his ethnic history yet and has no clue that there are people out there that would harm him because of his skin color. Personally, I can't believe it myself, but they are still out there, like a disease that won't go away. I flipped that bill over and read the front. It had one of those "Where's George" bill tracker stamps on it. It came to Hawaii from a guy in Auburn, Nebraska. Doesn't mean he wrote on it, but he has tracked over 8oo bills according to his profile. Then I noticed something even more repulsive. There, over the serial number was a rubber stamp, so perfectly matched to the green ink on the bill, that I did not notice it before. You can see it on the bill's face. It says "STORMFRONT.ORG".This is a massive White Supremacist website dedicated to ignorant fools who believe in such things. Here, just a few short weeks ago, we were jumping for joy that Barack Obama finally got into the Whitehouse and now we are reminded that the road is a long road, but a road that we must finish building. I am doing it for Jaden. Who are you doing it for?
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6 comments:
Brother, this scares me so much. Have you read "Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War"? If not, pick it up. It's really an easy read, and so interesting, and so eye-opening to the real scary nation we live in. It makes me sick to my stomach to think that there are people in this country that would even THINK to write that, let alone actually WRITE that on a dollar bill. I am enraged, appalled, and utterly embarrassed that as an American, I am lumped under the same label as that jackass. You are right, though....I will never give up this fight. We just simply can't.
Love you,
Louisa
Wow. I think the most disturbing aspect of this is that it went all of those places before it reached your hands. What did you do with it? Toss it? Or black out the ridiculous language? Also disturbing that no one had done so previously... I wonder if there is anything that you can do to find the person who wrote it from the track George thing... not really sure what I'd do if I found him...
Stevan, I want you to know that I am the one who marked this bill for the www.wheresgeorge.com website, I did not place any of the other marks on it. I am deeply sadden by the fact that one of my bills was defaced by a racist. I am truly sorry this happen to your grandson and yourself.
Wow. I think it is really spectacular that Michael has taken the time to remark on a bill he originally marked! This is a positive example of what can happen even in the midst of a bad scenario - here people who may never have known each other before are able to commiserate and come together in the shadow of an ignorant act. Thank you, Michael! And thank you Stevan for providing the opportunity for me to witness this exchange! I hope everyone has a warm Thanksgiving!
As "Georger" Myself I am pleased but not at all surprised that Michael would step up & say something.
In the few years I have been "Georging" & the other "Georgers" I have met all have been kind,loving,Thoughtful people who would never tolerate this type of behavior.
What happened to UR grandson was Horrible & inexcusible. Here we R in 2008 almost 2009 & this type of behavior still exists. What a shame.
I would like to add my reactions to the dollar bill story. I was rasied in the segregated South. As a southern boy I was taught the ways of racial prejudice, black jokes, and using the 'n' word, Gratefully, as I grew older I recognized the inhuman demoralizing effect of such behavior on everyone. I know racial hatred still persists in the world and each person needs to stand up and stand against mistreating other people just because of their race, color, or creed. Respect is a much needed value for us all to use and teach in and through our lives.
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