Son was called a monkey by a Hispanic child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - I’m just collecting advice - this all came up because I was listening to
npr in the background and they were covering the Kansas young republicans and they mentioned that one person referred to black people as monkeys. My son goes “‘ mom xyz called me a monkey”. I said “ really? What do you do?” He goes “ nothing. I just ignored him”

Here’s a blog post that I just dug up that touches on this issue and that you might find helpful. Be warned in advance that the author (who is African American) makes reference to the “n” word in it.

https://www.oneikathetraveller.com/when-he-called-me-negrita.html

Read the article..."monkey" does not fall into this category. In any event, if the U.S. is becoming a latin American country, I want out. I am (a black person) obviously am not seen as worthy in this cuture.

A little dramatic don’t you think? We’re talking about a nine year old.

White people have racism, Black people have racism, Latinos have racism, Asians are racist. The White racism has been the worst because they were here first and some of them want to keep power and now Trump is very open about it.

Racism is more open in other countries and many bring it here. It’s not the viscous kind like the KKK or the Deep South in the 50s. It’s more like Asians don’t want their kids to be friends with non-Asians. Latinos have beefs with other Latinos from neighboring countries. Black women with a White parent used to complain that they weren’t accepted in certain Black communities.

Some Latinos don’t think the Black community is not doing enough about ICE abuse. They are deporting while some of these immigrants are waiting for a court date or something simple as an expired document.

It doesn’t serve any purpose to claim one is worse than the other. This name calling is in all elementary and middle schools. Parents need to go a better job in taking preventative measures instead of waiting for it to happen.

-we black people didn't tell advise anyone to be in a deportable status here, there is no negro community-wide conspiracy to transform people into illegal aliens (oh, and by the way, an "expired document" means you can be deported.)
-Latinos seem to be able to actively resist arrest (by federal law enforcement) and are encouraged to do so by the liberal masses, and are sympathized with when ultimately all their resisting and carrying on doesn’t work, but black people would never be able to get away with this--we would get shot while resisting and scolded by the public for not respecting law enforcement. So no, we can't help you "resist" (and who said we wanted to anyway?)
-why is "not helping" against ICE seen as racism? That doesn't make sense. Follow immigration law and all will be well. Yes, we African Americans do not have an immigrant background, we have never been immigrants, and their may be some resentment of that, that all of this ICE stuff is not impacting us at all.

"all of this ICE stuff is not impacting us at all" say that to the Black Chicagoans who had their doors busted down and children ziptied naked just because they had Latino neighbors. Don't think that the white supremacists are coming just for us, we're stronger together.

Signed,
A Latino who also wants to see African Americans not get shot by law enforcement.

P.S. Just because the law says that someone can be chained up and sent back to where they came, doesn't mean it’s moral. See: the Fugitive Slave Act.

wth? Equating chattel slavery to illegal immigration has to be the gnarliest lapse of logic I’ve ever seen on dcum

If you can't see the moral parallels and a broader point about the difference between what is legal and what is moral, then maybe you're the one with a gnarly lapse of logic.

Moral parallels and broader point? Did you pass Algebra 1? The fugitive slave act seeks to restore a human being as property to another human being. Returning a person illegally staying in a foreign country is not that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught 3rd grade for 8 years old. Children called other black children monkeys. I moved onto to middle school in pg county in a school that is heavy populated with Hispanics and African Americans. The Hispanics once again called the black children monkeys and the black children called the Hispanics illegals. I couldn’t take it that school and left mid year…. But anyways, it could be about race or it couldn’t. We don’t know the context and neither do you. You have control of your child though. What do you want to teach them and how? For my African American children, I let them know words that some people use to be funny or insulting when it comes to the color of peoples skin and let them know that they are never to use them. Cracker, N word, Karen, monkey, etc.

So the Black child gets called a monkey, but you think the Black kid should be the one who's taught about racism, and you yourself witnessed Black children being called monkeys, but golly gee, who knows what really happened?

Ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope the intent was monkey as in silly or doing gymnastics moves. I recently heard a father refer to his daughter as a monkey, she loved to hang upside down and flip on any bar she could hang from.

Or the context could have been racist. It’s hard to tell. I know some children are very accurate reporters of details, others not so much.

Please contact the teacher for clarification. She maybe able to clarify based upon the child’s past behavior.

If this was meant as a racial insult I am sorry you and your child have to deal with this.

Children now have alot of access to media via YouTube, internet, etc and pick up throw out terms without understanding by how truly demeaning words can be. It is one of the many downsides of youth and technology.

No it's not. As someone said above, it is never appropriate to refer to a black person as a monkey. And, sorry, I don't have to have patience with immigrant racism. It is the responsibility the newcomers to figure out how to not be offensive, and they will learn the hard way of they bring their biases from their home country here.

Why is it never appropriate to refer to a black person as a monkey?

[Anonymous]

Tell the teacher, have their family’s a**es dragged into the office and accused of racism, they’ll never do it again (unless they are with their own people). That’s how people learn American values.

[Anonymous]

Good for OP deciding to report it. If the child doesn't know, consider it a lesson learned. It's not okay, innocent or not. And to the point noted that some are fully oblivious to U.S. history of race relations, even more reason to make sure the incident is underscored as fully inappropriate to prevent that child from becoming one of the ignorant adults of tomorrow who will try to hide behind the excuse of I didn't know/how was I to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good for OP deciding to report it. If the child doesn't know, consider it a lesson learned. It's not okay, innocent or not. And to the point noted that some are fully oblivious to U.S. history of race relations, even more reason to make sure the incident is underscored as fully inappropriate to prevent that child from becoming one of the ignorant adults of tomorrow who will try to hide behind the excuse of I didn't know/how was I to know.

Are they oblivious because race relations are completely unchecked where they are from? They have never had to think about the words they say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good for OP deciding to report it. If the child doesn't know, consider it a lesson learned. It's not okay, innocent or not. And to the point noted that some are fully oblivious to U.S. history of race relations, even more reason to make sure the incident is underscored as fully inappropriate to prevent that child from becoming one of the ignorant adults of tomorrow who will try to hide behind the excuse of I didn't know/how was I to know.

Are they oblivious because race relations are completely unchecked where they are from? They have never had to think about the words they say?

Yes boo yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, I’m not saying it’s great for a Latino kid to call a black kid a monkey. I just wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that the kid meant it in an insulting or racist way. There’s a real possibility—a likelihood, in fact—that the kid didn’t make any connection between “monkey”
and OP’s son’s race.

I’m just not ready to crucify a 9 year old from a different culture over this. My suggestion would be to explain to your son that his friend likely doesn’t know any better and encourage him to talk to his friend about it directly. I don’t think a teacher needs to be involved.

You are a tool. F857 you.
WHAT OTHER EXPLANATION COULD IT BE?

If he called him a llama face sure. But you good and damn well what monkey refers to. Cultural or not.

NP I clearly must be stupid but I haven’t heard blacks called monkey. I’ve heard Asians call other Asians monkeys.

You’re either ignorant, a liar, a moron or all of them combined. Not a good look.

[Anonymous]

I am the poster who was first to suggest that the OP consider the context and cultural background of the 9 year old Salvadoran offender when deciding how to proceed.

My comment was initially well enough received—OP thanked me for it—but when I later suggested that for all we know OP’s son didn’t even know himself that what the Salvadoran boy said was racially offensive when said to a black person until he overheard it while his mother was listening to NPR she didn’t appreciate that comment one bit.

Instead, she reported me to Jeff for merely suggesting that a black child isn’t born with the innate knowledge that he should never be called a monkey.

As I understand what happened, OP was listening to NPR. Her son was in the room with her. NPR reported on what the disgusting Young Republicans were saying. The report mentioned the monkey texts. OP’s son heard the report and said a boy called him that at school. OP asked how he reacted. He shrugged and said he ignored it and went back to his play dough.

That, standing alone, does not tell me that OP’s son even knew it was offensive. It’s not like OP responded to my comment with “of course my son knew! I’ve explained it to him!” Instead she simply reported me to Jeff.

I’m also the poster who wrote that my kids didn’t know that “gypped” was an offensive term until I explained it to them over dinner when one of them used the term. Once I did that they never used the term again.

My point is just that these things need to be taught and discussed in good faith on all
sides to be properly understood. If every time anyone dares address a topic pertaining to race they are vilified and immediately labeled a racist themselves we are never going to get anywhere.

Eric Holder famously said we are a “nation of cowards” when it comes to talking about race. He was absolutely right. And threads like this illustrate why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good for OP deciding to report it. If the child doesn't know, consider it a lesson learned. It's not okay, innocent or not. And to the point noted that some are fully oblivious to U.S. history of race relations, even more reason to make sure the incident is underscored as fully inappropriate to prevent that child from becoming one of the ignorant adults of tomorrow who will try to hide behind the excuse of I didn't know/how was I to know.

Are they oblivious because race relations are completely unchecked where they are from? They have never had to think about the words they say?

Yes boo yes

So why are we told all the time what an awful racist place America is? Is it because people don't like a taste of their own medicine?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who was first to suggest that the OP consider the context and cultural background of the 9 year old Salvadoran offender when deciding how to proceed.

My comment was initially well enough received—OP thanked me for it—but when I later suggested that for all we know OP’s son didn’t even know himself that what the Salvadoran boy said was racially offensive when said to a black person until he overheard it while his mother was listening to NPR she didn’t appreciate that comment one bit.

Instead, she reported me to Jeff for merely suggesting that a black child isn’t born with the innate knowledge that he should never be called a monkey.

As I understand what happened, OP was listening to NPR. Her son was in the room with her. NPR reported on what the disgusting Young Republicans were saying. The report mentioned the monkey texts. OP’s son heard the report and said a boy called him that at school. OP asked how he reacted. He shrugged and said he ignored it and went back to his play dough.

That, standing alone, does not tell me that OP’s son even knew it was offensive. It’s not like OP responded to my comment with “of course my son knew! I’ve explained it to him!” Instead she simply reported me to Jeff.

I’m also the poster who wrote that my kids didn’t know that “gypped” was an offensive term until I explained it to them over dinner when one of them used the term. Once I did that they never used the term again.

My point is just that these things need to be taught and discussed in good faith on all
sides to be properly understood. If every time anyone dares address a topic pertaining to race they are vilified and immediately labeled a racist themselves we are never going to get anywhere.

Eric Holder famously said we are a “nation of cowards” when it comes to talking about race. He was absolutely right. And threads like this illustrate why.

Kids don't running around calling each other monkeys. This kid picked that work for a specific reason. We know why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who was first to suggest that the OP consider the context and cultural background of the 9 year old Salvadoran offender when deciding how to proceed.

My comment was initially well enough received—OP thanked me for it—but when I later suggested that for all we know OP’s son didn’t even know himself that what the Salvadoran boy said was racially offensive when said to a black person until he overheard it while his mother was listening to NPR she didn’t appreciate that comment one bit.

Instead, she reported me to Jeff for merely suggesting that a black child isn’t born with the innate knowledge that he should never be called a monkey.

As I understand what happened, OP was listening to NPR. Her son was in the room with her. NPR reported on what the disgusting Young Republicans were saying. The report mentioned the monkey texts. OP’s son heard the report and said a boy called him that at school. OP asked how he reacted. He shrugged and said he ignored it and went back to his play dough.

That, standing alone, does not tell me that OP’s son even knew it was offensive. It’s not like OP responded to my comment with “of course my son knew! I’ve explained it to him!” Instead she simply reported me to Jeff.

I’m also the poster who wrote that my kids didn’t know that “gypped” was an offensive term until I explained it to them over dinner when one of them used the term. Once I did that they never used the term again.

My point is just that these things need to be taught and discussed in good faith on all
sides to be properly understood. If every time anyone dares address a topic pertaining to race they are vilified and immediately labeled a racist themselves we are never going to get anywhere.

Eric Holder famously said we are a “nation of cowards” when it comes to talking about race. He was absolutely right. And threads like this illustrate why.

Kids don't running around calling each other monkeys. This kid picked that work for a specific reason. We know why.

You don’t know that. You simply don't. You

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure how to say this in an inoffensive way but I’ll try . . .

It could very well be a cultural thing without any ill intent. Latinos simply do not have the same, shall we say, sensitivities when it comes to these kinds of things. They will refer to others in Spanish by references to race, weight, and other physical attributes and mean nothing of it. If your eyes are even slightly slanted, for example, your nickname will often be “Chino.” I could go on.

All I’m saying is that you really shouldn’t place much stock in what a 9 or 10 year old Salvadoran kid might say. It’s just a different way of thinking than native born Americans are accustomed to.

Poor excuse. African American mom who empathizes with OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure how to say this in an inoffensive way but I’ll try . . .

It could very well be a cultural thing without any ill intent. Latinos simply do not have the same, shall we say, sensitivities when it comes to these kinds of things. They will refer to others in Spanish by references to race, weight, and other physical attributes and mean nothing of it. If your eyes are even slightly slanted, for example, your nickname will often be “Chino.” I could go on.

All I’m saying is that you really shouldn’t place much stock in what a 9 or 10 year old Salvadoran kid might say. It’s just a different way of thinking than native born Americans are accustomed to.

Poor excuse. African American mom who empathizes with OP.

It’s not being offered as an excuse. It’s being offered as a possible explanation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure how to say this in an inoffensive way but I’ll try . . .

It could very well be a cultural thing without any ill intent. Latinos simply do not have the same, shall we say, sensitivities when it comes to these kinds of things. They will refer to others in Spanish by references to race, weight, and other physical attributes and mean nothing of it. If your eyes are even slightly slanted, for example, your nickname will often be “Chino.” I could go on.

All I’m saying is that you really shouldn’t place much stock in what a 9 or 10 year old Salvadoran kid might say. It’s just a different way of thinking than native born Americans are accustomed to.

Poor excuse. African American mom who empathizes with OP.

It’s not being offered as an excuse. It’s being offered as a possible explanation.

The explanation sucks and those with insensitivities need to try a little harder to not be a-holes in this country.