Comments on: “A black man can’t be president”

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:42:30 +0000

Did you ever find out what spurred her comment?

I just found this blog last week and have been reading all the past entries. Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your family. I’ve always been a little afraid of small children, in part because I’ve had so little experience with them. But your wonderful descriptions of the ups and downs of parenting, and especially of what an amazing daughter you have, make think I may want to try parenting one of these days.

I’ve also been fascinating by interracial adoptions ever since I started studying African American history. I know in the 70s black social workers called it a cultural genocide–I really appreciate you detailing the daily interactions that you have with your daughter to show that interracial adoption can be a success.

By: Daddy, Papa and Me

Daddy, Papa and Me — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:53:01 +0000

A “Personal Primary”

This primary season has had a much more personal impact on our family than have any before. Impacts that intersect race, gender and sexual orientation. As a family of two fathers raising an African American daughter and with the…

By: ashland

ashland — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 01:06:45 +0000

I think that she might have heard some1 say it… children are known for repeating what they hear….

By: Silph

Silph — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:01:01 +0000

allie, i hadn’t thought about that.
isn’t it neat when others point out possibilities that we hadn’t thought about?

By: Trey

Trey — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:55:27 +0000

Evie,

I checked my junk comments (sometimes things go there that shouldn’t) and couldn’t find it there.

I don’t moderate comments, I just let them post if they pass the spam filter. Not sure why yours didn’t go through .

Post again!

By: Evie

Evie — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:05:08 +0000

Commented on Friday and no post. What happened?

By: Trey

Trey — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:37:20 +0000

I agree kerry and allie, it could be that. I know children at this age (and some adults) can make large generalizations from single experiences.

So it could be that. She didn’t make the connection though that there were female presidents either (she wants Hilary Clinton as president), but who knows what kids see and don’t see .

It could definitely be as something as simple as that.

Or even she overheard a conversation between two people discussing whether the country is ready to vote for a black man and extroplated that to mean they ‘can’t’ be president.

I hope she talks to me more

By: Kerry

Kerry — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:04:09 +0000

I was going to say what Allie did. It’s still heartbreaking that it was said, but maybe not as sinister as it first sounded.

By: allie

allie — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:44:52 +0000

Just a different point of view…

she may not have needed to get the idea from anywhere – it may just be from her own frame of the world. Example: My daughter’s doctor is female. My doctor is female. My daughter’s specialist is female. Coming out of one appointment, she turned to me and said, “Mommy, why can’t boys be doctors too?”

It’s not that they can’t, she just assumed so since she hasn’t seen any.

By: landismom

landismom — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:23:53 +0000

Wow. That must have been really difficult for you. I think you handled it well (ie–not pushing a discussion, but not just letting it go by, either). I’m sure, as you say, it will come up again.

But how awful, to know that she is listening to that external voice already.