As you may remember, because of restructing of the schools (as well as renovations), I was in high school for five years, starting in eighth grade. My first year of high school was actually my older brother's last year. Although he's only three years older than me, he was four grades ahead of me because I started school late. I got to know some of his friends, and they didn't treat me like some little kid just tagging along. By that time I was 14. As a matter of fact, none of the older kids treated us any differently, which was nice.
In elementary school, I encountered the occasional spate of racism from students, but high school was different. White students didn't have a problem with me. Other black students did. Because my friends had always been white, that's who I hung out with for the most part. A few of my cousins were in the same grade that I was in so sometimes I hung out with them, but whenever all of us were with other black students, they made fun of me. They picked on me for the way that I talked (they said I talked white, i.e. intelligently) and they called me an Oreo (black on the outside and white on the inside). I remember crying about this and going to the school counselor. I couldn't understand why they would do such a thing. I was just minding my own business, not bothering anyone. I chose not to hang out with them because they used the excuse of being black for very ignorant behavior. My mama raised me better than that. Luckily, as my eighth grade year progressed, the bullying stopped, but to this day it still hurts.
Oh no - talk about cruel. Kids can and do the most cruel things to other kids. Unfortunately, they grew up into adults that are still doing the same thing. Why can't we people just let people be people!! The world would be a pretty boring place if we all thought, talked, and looked alike I'm sorry you had to deal with that, but maybe it helped make you a stronger person today.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Shelly. I promise to never make jokes again about your cracker friends. Would you believe TW never met a black person until she started working in NY? Her HS was loaded with Latino kids that she got along with. A black woman at work once told her she was the only non-rascist person in the office because she didn't go out of her way to treat her any different from her other co-workers. TW walked to the bus station every night with her and used to feel bad cos all the black men would try to hit on Bridget very rudely.
ReplyDeleteOh Michelle I'm so sorry to hear this. It is so important to have a sense of community with your own people. I love Cathy's comment about crackers. We make cracker jokes all the time. As Irish we're the whitest whities on the planet and we find the jokes funny. I hope my great-nephew doesn't have to hear the word Oreo at any point in his life. 'Twould make me fighting mad indeed.
ReplyDeleteThey hoomanz children iz crewel, speshly wen they haz pawrents wat sayz meen things too. It seemz it duzn't matter wat their skinz color be, they be boy or gurrrl, dey haz a diffrint langwij, way of dress, or enything diffrent iz sumthin to mayks fun of. I duzn't unnerstand why they edumacayshunz playces duzn't teech em how to be better n that?
ReplyDeleteThis is why I like you. I like what you're made of, Michelle.
ReplyDelete