Racism in my family

[BlackVelvetElvis]

My 16 year old niece is going to the prom with one of her friends who happens to be black. Her dad and his family are acting like it's the end of the world. They are afraid people will "talk". What BS.
My niece is politically very conservative but when she feels something is wrong, she says something. She is promoting a "day of silence" for gays and lesbians at her high school.
I'm glad she sees through the bs and is doing the right thing. I'm proud of her.
Maybe there is hope for her to escape the dark side.

[murielm99]

1. She sounds like a great kid.

The day of silence is a neat thing to do. I went with my daughter to her old high school to help the GLBT group break the silence at the end of the day.

We had a great time. I was impressed by the number of straight kids, of all ethnicities, races, etc., who were there to support the GLBT kids.

[Sandpiper]

2. Where does niece live?

Out of curiosity.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

5. I'll just say a small town.

I don't feel comfortable disclosing someone else's info here.
If it were me, no big deal.

[Sandpiper]

9. My reason for asking is

In my own experience, things like this seem to be a bigger deal in small towns/rural areas.

In the small town where I grew up and went to high school, interracial dating was a HUGE deal, and this was in the early 1990s.

[Reverend_Smitty]

3. People will talk?

where does she live 1960's Alabama? I'm truly amazed that people are still that racist anymore

[BlackVelvetElvis]

4. These people live in the 60's.

Probably still into "states rights" crap.
Don't be amazed. This type of stupidity is everywhere.
I think her father and his parents are afraid THEY will be whispered and talked about, not her.

[Archae]

6. My parents are racist as hell too.

Not the "KKK" type, rather they are the "I don't want THEM in my neighborhood" type.

[jojo54]

7. Your neice is a great person

but the KKK is still a very dark reality. It's a damn shame that racists can't remember the fact that we're all decendents of foreigners! And it's a bigger shame that the first ones here, the American Indian, are the ones herded into small sections of what once was their land.

I hope you neice keeps fighting 'cause she is the future of this country. But maybe you can try to convince her to be more liberal? We need someone like her on our side.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

8. I'm trying by example

She seems to see through alot of the bs that the rw hands her.
What gets to her is the good in people she interacts with; it overshadows the propaganda she hears. There is hope!