Today I came across the CBS “Notes to Self” series, letters written by people of note to their younger selves. I am writing in Arizona where Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has instituted a program for young student to lean American Civics a program I have advocated for years. The segment that was broadcast today on CBS Morning show was from Tyler Perry, actor, writer, producer. I have never seen his movies. Honestly the demographic they were marketed to I wasn’t considered a part of so while they drew in a constituency they also, subtlety discourages other constituencies. The series “Notes to Self “ transcend those ideas. Except for the disparaging word about a teacher who improperly reprimanded him, I was in complete simpatico with the American Child emotions, hurts, strengths, love ,belief in God that his letter expressed. I’m a teacher. I know somewhere in his history he also had good teachers who didn’t harm him. I know I have reprimanded and when I reprimanded I did so without noticing the complexion of the children involved but the harmful behavior towards other students. I do not see complexion in teaching. I do not see complexion in praising. I do not see complexion in teaching or loving children. Beautifully reassuring in Tyler segment I saw parts of my light complexion , working class neighborhood in a childhood with the same strong women and men not hurting us as much as protecting us through growing up. I heard the same fears I had, I felt good by the same reassurances, I thrived in the same encouragement. I found came to realize that IS America. That is how we want our citizens to live both natural and immigrant. We want those values. Tyler spoke to African Americans by name, thus some of the other complexion may tune out because that is exclusionary. I wondered if it would be enlightening to hear that a Caucasian child went through the same experiences, felt the same hurts, overcame the same trials, had the same achievements with joy, found the same solace in God? I wrote a novel “Irish White Light” a bit about that. I opened the book with the fact that Newton not only discovered gravity but found white light broke into all colors. My birth last name is White. I use it hyphenated with my marriage name, Davis. When I taught classes at times I would feel the reverse prejudice of those taught to fear the name “White. I wasn’t one of those they had to fear. I learned prejudice that way, against my name. I also through my studies in America earned of why “white” cam for some to be a detested name. I wasn’t a part of that history. My family wasn’t a part of that history. Tyler’s letter proves we as American children post WWII we were and are greater than that. We were raised with civic values of parents who transcended all of that .Yet here it is. I went one to listen to the other “Notes to Self” segments in the series. I am going to post them to make it easier for you to hear them. They are good. They are heartfelt. They are from American citizens. I noted that the soldier who fought talked of soldiers who defend America and the photos seen were not of a certain “kind” of American, they were of all complexions. Live or Die our children follow the same paths. I know the history of having ones complexion attempted to be made invisible but isn’t it time we started seeing Americans instead of “good guys and bad guys by color? We should let our children learn from the letters and feel emotions they all share in growing up in America. Enjoy the series.
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 19:15:19 +0000
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