Dear Teeny and Sprout,
I hate to tell you both this, but the world the two of you are growing up in has become increasingly more divisive, even in my own lifetime. More specifically, it seems like in the past few years, relations between the races has become nearly a war, maybe not in our community, but in the country as a whole. I've held you while watching reports of riots and shootings where the only motivation was the color of someone's skin, and I'm sorry to have brought you into a world like this.
I'm not writing to give you a news report, though. I'm writing to encourage you. In these days of racial tension, it seems like everyone is allowed to be proud of who they are except white people, especially white men. Despite this, I want you both to know that you have much to be proud of, and I hope you always will be.
More important than the color of anyone's skin, you come from a line of God-fearing people, some who did incredible things for their faith. You are the descendants of pilgrims and pioneers, and their ambition runs in your veins. Our family has crossed oceans, climbed mountains, and forded rivers to find our way to the present. We have escaped slavery (because that is what serfdom really is) and found our way to new opportunities. Just like any other family, we have our share of black marks, but I am less concerned with them than I am with what the following generations did to correct them.The same young man whose father owned slaves, married a Native woman and fought for our country's freedom. His brother freed those slaves. Their grandsons and great grandsons fought to free them all.
You are the descendants of German nobles and Scottish serfs, of Irish farmers and Welsh coal miners. Never let anyone tell you that you have no right to be proud of your heritage, because you have just as much right as anyone else. Pride in who you are does not have to equal hatred for who anyone else is.
I hate to tell you both this, but the world the two of you are growing up in has become increasingly more divisive, even in my own lifetime. More specifically, it seems like in the past few years, relations between the races has become nearly a war, maybe not in our community, but in the country as a whole. I've held you while watching reports of riots and shootings where the only motivation was the color of someone's skin, and I'm sorry to have brought you into a world like this.
I'm not writing to give you a news report, though. I'm writing to encourage you. In these days of racial tension, it seems like everyone is allowed to be proud of who they are except white people, especially white men. Despite this, I want you both to know that you have much to be proud of, and I hope you always will be.
More important than the color of anyone's skin, you come from a line of God-fearing people, some who did incredible things for their faith. You are the descendants of pilgrims and pioneers, and their ambition runs in your veins. Our family has crossed oceans, climbed mountains, and forded rivers to find our way to the present. We have escaped slavery (because that is what serfdom really is) and found our way to new opportunities. Just like any other family, we have our share of black marks, but I am less concerned with them than I am with what the following generations did to correct them.The same young man whose father owned slaves, married a Native woman and fought for our country's freedom. His brother freed those slaves. Their grandsons and great grandsons fought to free them all.
You are the descendants of German nobles and Scottish serfs, of Irish farmers and Welsh coal miners. Never let anyone tell you that you have no right to be proud of your heritage, because you have just as much right as anyone else. Pride in who you are does not have to equal hatred for who anyone else is.
Love Always,
Mommy
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