Definitely one of those questions that throws you off guard - like "why is the sky blue?", or "why is the grass green?" - things you accept and take for granted each and every day.
I recognized the moment as one of those that would mold and shape him for the rest of his life. I told him to go and get one of his color books and some crayons. And when he returned, we sat together as I tried to explain it so a four-year-old could understand.
I asked him to take one crayon and color the entire picture with that one crayon. He did, and when he was finished, I asked him if he liked the picture. He said no, that he wanted to put more colors on it. I explained to him that was the way God wanted things too. I reminded him of all the different colored flowers, each different with its own colors and smells but yet the same because it was still called a flower. We talked of all the different trees - the different heights, greens, and sizes - all different but yet the same because they were still all trees. I told him people were the same, just like his crayons. They were all made of the same thing, but some were a different color. That when God looked down on everything that he had created, he didn't want to see just different colored trees, flowers, animals, and fish. He wanted to see different colored people too, but yet he made everyone the same on the inside. I also told him that he was never to treat another person bad just because they were a different color than him or acted different than him. People were different because God made them that way, and he wanted everyone to love each other.
He seemed satisfied with the answers he got and scampered off to explore the rest of the day's adventures planned in his little four-year-old world. Oh, for it to be that easy with everyone!
Racism and prejudice are diseases. Why do people feel threatened by someone who is a different color or who has different ways? In this day and age, racism should be a thing of the past. This is America - "the land of the free". But are we really free? People are prisoners of their own beliefs, and they pass the hatred and bigotry onto their children who pass it on to theirs. Another vicious cycle that can be broken if only we open our minds and hearts. How can there ever be world peace if we keep racism and prejudice alive?
As far as I'm concerned, there is only ONE race - the HUMAN race. Respect is the key word here. Respect people for who and what they are . . . NOT who and what YOU think they should be! Be proud of who you are and what you are, and let others do the same!
What color is God? Asked the child with skin so fair Is he white like me? Does he have light hair?
Is God dark like me? Asked the child with skin of golden hue. Has he hair that's dark and curly? Are his eyes black or blue?
I think God is red like me, The Indian boy is heard to say He wears a crown of feathers, And turns our nights to day.
Each one of us knows that God is there, In all the colors above. But be sure of this, the one color he is, Is the beautiful color of love.
So when your soul goes to Heaven, When your life comes to its end, He will be waiting, and his hand to you Will he extend.
There will be no colors in Heaven, Everyone will be the same. You will only be judged by your earthly deeds, Not your color or your name.
So when your time comes, And you see God in his Heaven above, Then you will see the only color that counts, The beautiful color of love.
~ Arnold (Sparky) Watts
There's not a world of difference Out in the world tonight Between this world of people Red, Yellow, Black, and White But instead of riding a rainbow of love We are still fighting with prejudice gloves Of anger With something to claim But nothing to gain so
Why can't we be color blind You know we should Be living together And we'd find a reason and rhyme I know we would 'Cause we could see better If we could be color blind.
Somebody's just assuming He's up to nothing good 'Cause he's not like the others There goes the neighborhood What kind of world are we living in When we judge a man By the tone of his skin It's crazy 'Cause he has a heart Like you have a heart and . . .
It'd be so fine To be color blind To open our eyes And see color blind
I know this world would be a better place The only race would be the human race All of those barriers would be erased Why can't we be color blind?
