2004-04-22 - 9:55 a.m.
The ignorance of people never ceases to me. I should be used to it, but I am not. Let me explain what I mean & what provoked this observation.
Zora isn't biracial, but the fact that her father is African means she is bicultural. Some of my family members will say stupid things, showing their ignorance.Here's how one conversation went:
Relative:"Where is her (Zora's) dad from again?"
Me: "Tanzania."
Relative:"Where is that at?"
Me:"East Africa."
Relative:"Well if her dad is African how can she be light-skinned?"
Me:"Actually Zora's paternal Grandmother is lighter than her."
Relative:"But that doesn't make sense."
Me:"What? Does one have to be extremely dark skinned to be African?"
Relative:"Well......yeah."
Another example is this morning. Zora was about to have a real runny diaper, so I took off her pajamas(didn't want them to get dirty & wrapper her lower half in a towel, leaving her topless. When my sister saw it, she picked up Zora and said(as if she was speaking for Zora): "Mommy, don't have me naked like I'm some African." I did not like that comment at all. My reply:
"Number one, technically speaking she IS half-African. Number two, get your facts straight. What you said is WRONG and ignorant." She just rolled her eyes and walked out the room; I don't think she even understood what was wrong with what she said. And to think: I am going to have to combat statements like that all the time!
