ABOUT CHILDREN: Have honest conversations with kids about racism, ‘the other’ people – Wooster Daily Record

Beverly Theil| Columnist

The news of Asian Americans being targeted for attack, both fatal and non-fatal, by their fellow citizens, has filled the media. Our children see these reports and attacks and are confused.

A man in his 80s is beaten. A woman in her 90s is pushed to the ground. A man going to work is slashed with a box cutter. These are senseless crimes. These victims are doing nothing wrong. Why were they attacked? Because they are the other. They dont look like us.

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This leads me to the following story.

Her name was Margaret. She was a registered nurse married to a doctor she had met at work. They had three elementary-aged children and lived in a major metropolitan area.

Walking home from shopping one day she and her children were surrounded by three men and a woman who cursed them and spit on them,accused them of being killers, told Margaret to take her children back where they came from.

Margaret, a Caucasian, had married a Filipino of Chinese ancestry. The people who spit on them believed they were Japanese. The year was 1942. Margaret was my mothers cousin. Now it is 2021, but it appears some things have not changed.

Anti-Asian racism is still active in these United States. The COVID-19 virus has been erroneously called the Chinese virus. Coronaviruses of various types have been present in humans and animal throughout the world for decades if not centuries. Why then the attacks on Asians?

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Because their physical appearance is different from ours, therefore they are easy to pick out. They dont look like Caucasians or African Americans or Hispanics. This is why during World War II we didnt put those of German ancestry into internment camps like we did those of Japanese ancestry. We couldnt tell by looking that they were German.

Bias and prejudice, even if unacknowledged, against those we dont know is always present to some degree. Basically, it comes down to fear of the unknown.

Explain to your children the racist attacks that are going on with Asian Americans are no less wrong than the racism directed at African Americans. Talk to your children about other races and cultures.

There are books for every age level about life in other cultures. If looking into Asian culture dont get caught up in the movies about the culture. Just as not everyone in the United States is a survivalist, not everyone in Asian is a Kung Fu practitioner.

Talk about the similarities in families, how Asian and non-Asian families eat meals together, take family vacations together, go to parks, etc. Look into Asian religions. Buddhism has two major branches and many minor branches, not unlike Christianity with its many branches. Look at pictures of traditional Asian clothing. The various countries have very different styles. Then compare the different styles of clothing in the United States.

Again, we are alike in our very differences. When talking to your child stress people should be judged by their character and behaviors, not how they look. Are they kind? Caring? Do they help others in ways small and large? Do they protect those they come in contact with? Do they follow the Golden Rule and treat others as they would want to be treated?

These are the important things to judge people by, not their looks, or wealth, or ethnic or racial ancestry. Teach your children what is truly important.

Beverly Theil is a child advocate in Wayne and Holmes counties. She can be contacted at BeverlyVT@aol.com.

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ABOUT CHILDREN: Have honest conversations with kids about racism, 'the other' people - Wooster Daily Record