Racism

Racism My father who is now 65, used to always tell of the story, of when he was a little boy, living in the south was not easy for any African American especially when going downtown on Saturday’s shopping with his grandmother and grandfather. He explained that he grew up in the south during segregation, and African Americans were always mistreated for the color of their skin. He used to always remind us of the story of one Saturday he was sick, didn't feel good, and felt very weak on a hot summer day, and his grandfather took him on his horse down town to get some medicines. He said he went into the Pharmacy and they had a lunch counter where only Caucasians were allowed to seat and eat their purchased, while he was waiting for his grandfather to purchase some things, he told us that he got hot and weak and sat down in the last chair at the counter and put his head down at the counter. He stated that a few minutes later a waitress came by and said hey boy what are you doing you can’t seat her, and by the time he was getting up he say his grandfather coming around the corner, apologizing to the waitress saying sorry, I am so sorry it will never happen again. He said his grandfather scolds and fusses at him the entire way home. He stated he hated every time he was made to go there with his grandparents or for his grandparents. To the fact that once he turned 18 he moved to Virginia where he met and married my mom, but returned to his home town in Plymouth, North Carolina to assist with caring for his grandfather. He to raised his family in the small town of Plymouth, and due to the fact that this long time family own Pharmacy was the only one in the town, he would always drive 20 minutes away to Williamston to get all of his prescriptions filled. My classmates and friends parents would always take them there and they would tell us about how good their hand scooped ice cream was. My sister and I would always ask if we could go he would always say take us other places to get ice cream. it was like he was making us suffer for something that happen to him over 40 years ago. Not only did this affect by father mentally but emotionally as well. By the time I turned 13 my mother had to sit him down and tell him look you can not hold a grudge on that one lady, and hold your children against it, they did not have anything to do with it. She told him that he would have to be the bigger person and the person who said that to you probably doesn’t even work there anymore. So I will never forget on Sunday after church, my dad took us to this store and brought the family ice cream. We were all shocked and amazed but were glad that my dad was able to forgive. A couple of years later my dad help to open a farmers market, and this family mostly the older members were some of my dad’s most faithful customers every week, they brought produce from my dad. In India In India the children there also faces Childhood racism, discrimination with child labor. Many children in the lower class or minority are forced to work long tiresome hours, in unsafely working conditions with little or no pay. Mostly poor boys and girls the ages of 5-14 are placed to work in mines, gem stone polishing, brassware, agriculture, plantation, carpet industry, and fireworks industry. “Many children face physical, mental, sexually and emotionally abuse. Young girls are easily targeted in Delhi and NCR who have been physically and sexually assaulted while young boys are physically attacked and many are suspended from jobs without prior notice or reason.” It is really difficulty for these children to escape this horror due to the fact that they are born in this caste system, and usually the cast system you are born in is the one you will die in due to religion. There is a group of people that are advocating assisting children with their rights, and to aid them with becoming educated, healthy and better living conditions.