The little girl whose birth brought "anger, disappointment and fear"

[MADem]

121. Mmmm hmmmm!

It's not a comfortable feeling to look around and realize that you stick out like a sore thumb--or like "the nail that sticks up" (which the Japanese say should "get hammered down&quot .

There are more and more swirly families out there these days, and that's a good thing. Those of us who live in neighborhoods where there's all sorts of people in all colors and ethnicities are often brought up short when we find ourselves in enclaves that are monolithic in their racial make up. For example, if you go to Northern Maine, it's very white up there, save the native peoples -- who live on a reservation. The people are nice enough, sure--but it's noticeable. There are communities in the American southwest that are almost exclusively Hispanic, with a Mexican cultural tradition. Look at Ferguson, MO--that town has been in the news because of an imbalance of power that resulted in a teenager getting shot in the street. Two thirds black, but the minority whites are holding all the power--and they aren't being very nice to people of color, either.

You can't blame parents from worrying that there are bad actors out there, who might not view their swirly kid with the same joy and love and pride that the parents have. That protective instinct kicks in, as it should.