Race

I've just finished reading 'The Colour of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother' by James McBride.

I didn't like it. It was an incredibly frustrating read. I get what he's trying to do but it's the protaganist that killed me. It's about a white Jewish woman who marries a black man and has 12 kids. It's the story of her living in a black world back in the day where interracial marriages were scorned and tells of all the race, religion and identity crisis that her and her kids encounter.

Sounds interesting, right?

I thought so too until I started reading it. Then I just started to feel angry at this white woman - ignoring her own whiteness and her children's questions about who they are. Choosing to keep them segregated. Granted, she drilled the importance of education into them but ignoring questions of race and identity and telling them all they need is God absolutely infuriates me. Hats off to her for her persistance in living in a black world as a white woman. And a Jew at that. For dealing with the racial abuse and encouraging her kids to ignore it and concentrate on their education. She herself had a tough upbringing - boo hoo. But hating on the black bourgeoisie? What, black people can't have a high life too? Not explaining to her children why they are black and she is white? Telling them they're a human being as an answer to the question 'why am I black?' Unforgiveable.

Speaking as a mixed race person myself, I just find this behaviour unacceptable. The questions that mixed race children have are completely understandable and I think that the answers to these questions are vital in the development of one's own identity.

I was raised very much in a white world. I grew up in a white neighbourhood, went to predominantly white schools and I have never received a 'rascist' comment in my life. Well, I have had only 2. I was called a 'Paki' by a stupid little white boy when I was 7 aNd then when I was 19, I was called a white girl by a black girl. I was able to laugh them both off easily, because, well - look at them! Pure ignorance right there!

Despite the fact that I grew up in a white world, I have totally embraced my black side and fiercely defend it. I have friends from all over the world. My friends in London aren't predominantly of any race. That is the beauty of living there.

I dunno, I read this book and I just felt mad. In so many ways, the mother is incredibly selfish because she denies her children the right to know who they are and where they came from, all because she doesn't want to have to deal with her own past. I have to say, I did soften a bit at the end though. But I would NEVER do that. If I were to have kids, they are gonna be seriously mixed! But I would never deny them the knowledge of discovering who they are.

NEVER.