I had a beautiful reminder of how people on every side of ... everything ... can work together.
"If I cannot pray with Rick Warren, I realize, then I am not worthy of being called a Christian. And if I cannot engage him, then I am not worthy of being called a writer. And if we cannot work with Obama to bridge these divides, none of us will be worthy of the great moral cause that this civil rights movement truly is."
- from Andrew Sullivan's "Taking Yes for an Answer"
A principal in South Carolina brought in two Santa's - one black and one white. The students were segregated for their pictures with Jolly Old St. Nick based on their race. The school is predominantly black. I think her intentions were in the right place (wanting the children to have identify more with such a popular figure), but it blew up in her face. Of course, would there be complaints from white parents if their kids came home with a picture of them with a black Santa? Children of color in America do this every year. Hmmmmm
I'm brainstorming some ideas for my favorite Tara on how to help promote breastfeeding to Haitian women. Sadly, Western culture has quite an influence on Haiti. Sad, but they know that American women feed their babies formula ... that we see it as inconvenient to always have your baby with you ... that the smartest and richest do not breastfeed. They battle the same stereotypes and misinformation there - breastfeeding is not seen as vital to health and emotional development. So, I'm thinking/praying/thinking/praying/thinking/praying about how some of us here can be supporting the women there and those that are teaching and assisting them. Sending amazing gorgeous baby slings? Videoing real American women wearing and nursing their babies? Showing the painful realities of health and developmental consequences when a baby is not breastfed extensively? Duct taping baby to breast immediately after birth? It's right there. It's free. It's truly a magical advantage within Haiti. Yet, it's frowned upon. Ugh. Ideas? Anyone?
Last, but not least, I'd like to unveil the two most kickin' gifts we got for the kids this year: Square Up and Set.
Have yourself a little holiday chuckle, on me.
Happy Weekend!
(photo by Marcelo Gerpe)
4 comments:
We love Set!! Did you know there is a facebook application? It is highly addictive, though. Do not go there unless you have a colossal amount of time to waste.
Loved that Andrew Sullivan article.
Yes, the breastfeeding thing in Haiti is mindboggling, especially since formula is so expensive there. On my first trip to visit our son, I was still breastfeeding my daughter and had to pump while I was there. Then I gave the bottles to the nannies to give to the kids. I think they thought it was the weirdest thing they had ever seen!
I do think that a photo compilation of American women breastfeeding would be very effective. They are so influenced by this perspective that only poor, poor people breastfeed, and that it is "sophisticated" to bottle feed. I think they really have a hard time believing that so many of us do it here. (Not because what we do is a reason for them to breastfeed, but because the stigma is based on faulty ideas in the first place)
Taz has a birthday in Jan. I just ordered him both. Thanks!
Have you thought about a mission trip to Haiti. Your kids could visit their birth parents and you could offer English classes to young mom and educate about breast feeding. There. I planned your life.
It's not unreasonable to expect a third world country to be 30 or 40 years behind in thinking. Hence the Haitian outdated breastfeeding practices. With educating, they'll come around - just like we (mostly) did.
No black person in their right mind would live on the North Pole. Santa can only be white.
segregated Santa pictures... hmm... like you said, her intentions were probably right, but wow. that's interesting. I've never seen a black Santa except when Michael finally let Darrell wear the Santa hat on The Office.
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