Americans can be very hypersensitive to anything that even hints at racism,and for good reason. As a country born on the principles of equality,most of us strive not only to practice tolerance,but to teach it to our kids. So the reaction of the dad in the following story won’t surprise you,but his kid’s response will.
A friend of mine was sitting outside at a kid’s birthday party when he thought he heard his 6 year old son say the “n”word. He immediately stood up,grabbed his son,pulled him into the corner of the yard and said,“Where did you hear that word?”
The boy was shock and afraid as he looked into his daddy’s angry eyes. “I don’t know,”he whimpered.
“Who taught you that word?!”his father asked again.
“I don’t know,Daddy.”
“That is a horrible word! We never say that word! Do you understand me!”
“Okay,Daddy.”the boy said on the verge of tears.
“I want to know who taught you that word,”the father asked one last time.
“I don’t remember.”
“Did you learn it at school?”
“No.”
“Where did you learn it?” The father was intent on getting to the bottom of this. Somewhere his son had been exposed to bad language. Somewhere a piece of his son’s innocence had been stripped away. He had to get to the bottom of it.
“Where did you learn it!”
“I don’t remember,Daddy. I thought Snickers was just a candy bar.”
I’m glad to see our younger generation being taught tolerance with such intensity,but that poor child will never enjoy his favorite candy bar the same way again. And honestly,I’m not sure I will either.
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