Have you had "the talk" with your Black son?

Some people like to believe we live in a post race society and that racism is dead; unfortunately, racism is not dead.  I do not advocate overreacting or scaring our kids or making them overly sensitive or teaching them that our entire identity is based on victimization...we have to tell them the truth.

In an article I ran across today, the author shared 5 of the rules he received when he got "the talk" from his parents:

1. Never Leave A Store Without A Shopping Bag
2. Never Loiter Outside, Anywhere
3. Never Go Anywhere Alone
4. Never Talk Back To Police ... And Never, Ever Reach Into Your Pocket
5. Never Doubt Trouble May Strike Anytime, Anywhere

Read the entire article here  http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-florida-teens-killing-a-parents-greatest-fear/

"One of the things that black parents have done, and rather successfully...is on the one hand talk about a sense of being aware — being cautious — while also avoiding what we call destructive paranoia." 

William Cross, Jr., Author of Shades of Black

What do you think???  Is this really a big deal???  Some people may say this is overkill, but the fact remains that there are still some people in the world, in this country, that will see your son and only see what they perceive to be their stereotyped black kid.  It is sad, but it is true.  But why should this STILL be an issue? I mean, we are living in 2013 and there is no need for civil rights for African-Americans anymore, right???  Well, as Harry Belafonte said in an interview on Monday:

"in the 50's.. everything was quite visible, now all this is underground, you go through so much fighting these 'ghosts'"

Harry Belafonte

Check out the full interview on another blog here:

http://newblackman.blogspot.com/2013/04/reelblack-harry-belafonte-on-post.html