In trying to explain the importance of this moment to Jackson, I came across a dilemma. Do I mention the racial history of our country? Do I even go there, when he doesn't?
I decided that yes, I should go there. While I love the fact that his world-lens doesn't involve pre-judging people based on their skin color, I also want him to understand the history of our country, good and bad.
So this is what I said.
"In our country we have lots of people with different colors of skin. You and Daddy and Ryker and I have white skin. Barack Obama has black skin. And people with white skin haven't always been very nice to people with black skin or other colors of skin. This election is SO IMPORTANT because we have never let anyone WITHOUT white skin be President."
He looked at me like I was crazy. "Why?"
Good question.
[This touching moment quickly derailed into him naming every color he could think of, followed by "skin" - as in "gray gris skin oooorrrr purple skin oooorrrr red rojo skin." He also determined that our cat has black skin and is African American.]
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