Somethings will not be tolerated...

In the past 4 1/2 years I have gotten a few looks.  People wondering if Wyatt belonged with us.  A random guest at Animal Kingdom thinking he had walked away from his family because he didn't look exactly like the rest of us.  But, I had never felt any negativity.  I had never felt hate.  Hate because he was different from us.  If anything the people in my life who may have had a small streak of life being black and white have been changed by him.   

In the year 2013 it is absolutely amazing to me that people are so ignorant.  That they not only would judge a person based on their skin- but a child.


                    Today was my first experience with Racism.

   Being a white female I have never had to deal with this.  I was raised in a house that was very open and loving.  My parents grew up in the days of steel subdivisions and different water fountains.  My mother is about as accepting as a human being can come.  I like to think I learned my tolerance of all people from her. 
          Today I found someone I will not tolerate.
                      The bigot.
                          The racist.
                              The hateful woman who pointed out my child.

I hate that I cried in public. 
I hate that I really wanted to smack her. 
I hate that I felt such anger towards a stupid old woman who wasn't worth my emotion.
I hate that the manager had to come in.
I hate that my son witnessed this. 
But even more I hate that this type of Hate still exists. 

For 2 boys I love with all of my heart to be singled out- pointed at- yelled at and lied about by a total stranger because she did not want them in a play place.  "you two- you do not need to be in here" saying they were too big, that their feet were too big (can't make this shit up), that they needed to go out and that we were terrible parents for letting them go in there.  That they were "stomping" on the other children.  Pointing at them as if they did something wrong and after I stood up for these boys and she came at me. With hate in her eyes, I realized no matter what I say it doesn't matter.  When the manager came in who is also black she treated him no better than she treated the boys. 

It was clear what her problem was.

She must have told me 5 times she was 76 years old.  That I was not as smart as her because I was too young.  That I was setting a terrible example for my kids and I needed to be a better parent.  She told me I didn't have a brain in my head - to which I walked over to her and told her I have delivered two dead babies because they didn't have brains and I would not have some old bitty speak to me that way.

I hate that it came to that.
I hate that I cried.
I hate that I corralled the boys and left.

Thankfully to be followed by the manager who apologized and a complete stranger who spoke to me and then asked to pray over me.

 Her words were perfect..she asked God to grant me the peace that passes understanding for a situation like this and a woman like I had been confronted by.  She asked for him to remind me that I am the best parent that I can be and that I make the best decisions for my children.  That He is the only one who will judge me.  She prayed that I would not let my day be ruined by this woman.
   
     The kindness of a stranger, the love of God, is still here. 

The few people who are not worth the pain, not worth the anger are those who sometimes stand out. 

I hate that the boys had to see this hate today.  

I really hope if anything they can remember the kindness of the stranger who stopped to pray over me. 

After today my eyes have been opened.  As much as I try to keep my children in safe places where they will not be treated based on the color of their skin, I realize that is impossible.  I will only be able to do what my mother has done for me.

Teach them tolerance.
Teach them the love of God. 
Let them know that our differences are what makes us who we are.  They are important and a part of us.  And I will remind them from time to time that not everyone views life this way.

I pray that as time goes on people like this woman are fewer and far between. 
Of course after we left she was parked next to us and getting in her car.  Wy said - there is her - that mean one.  She started to open her mouth.  So I looked at her and said - "You are a bigot and you are a 

racist.  There is a special place in Hell for people who would treat children the way you do"- interestingly enough she didn't deny it. I guess I wasn't telling her anything she already didn't know...