The Return

I am trying to get better at writing blog posts. No one reads this blog so it is a fine place for me to place long form things. I am reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" again. It is terrific. However, I had to have a hard conversation with my 13 yr old because of the language in the book. I don't have a problem with the language - but it is hard to explain to your son why certain words are beyond taboo. I am white and thus, I do not always fully appreciate racism, racist words, and racially insensitive things. However, to my mind, there are a number of things going on in this world right now that make TKaM still pretty darn relevant. I mentioned Ferguson to him. He had no idea what was going on. I talked to him (at him may be more appropriate) about North Omaha and how it discourages me as a fairly privileged white person. I don't know what to do to help and feel like I am "in the way" or only helping to be noticed. I thought about the Washington NFL team. I wondered about why that does not seem to change. Why is it even a debate. So, here is what we are doing right now - trying to be more inclusive and thoughtful. We celebrated Hanukkah this week - jelly doughnuts and brisket. We are starting a book club, reading the classics - Great Gatsby (which strangely I had never read) and to Kill a Mockingbird. And I am trying to talk to my son about hard issues when we are alone (usually around his swim practices). That feels like something...