Over by the nig**r man, Mommy ....

[jwirr]

8. Yes, that child is being indoctrinated but because of you she met a smiling friendly man who she may

remember and someday begin to question her mothers sanity. I am 70 years old and I came from a family that had some very questionable values and you may have heard that same words in my home at one time. But because of what was happening around us my generation began to question the ideas of our parents.

Some of the things that happened were as simple as my grandmother pointing a black man out in a city we were visiting. Her intent was to scare me but it had the opposite effect - I was curious. There was also the influence of the entertainment world. I loved the songs of Nat King Cole. In sports there was Ali. All of this made my sister and brothers start to think. My youngest brother read the book "Black Like Me" and shared with us. We were evolving.

By the time of MLK we were convinced enough to start arguing with out parents and we just ignored our grandparents except for my grandfather who told us about his black friends when he was young. Our other grandfather had actually befriended a black hobo who wanted to stay in our grove for a night. He ended up having dinner with the family and sleeping in the house where he was safer.

Today I am the proud auntie of three black nieces and three of my grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren have black heritage. My parents lived long enough to be proud of that fact also.

So you may have done much more than you think with the smile you offered to that child in the store. I hope so.