You Have to Be Carefully Taught

My youngest grandson is 5 years old, and in pre-school.  He has lived his entire life in conservative areas, first in Arkansas, now in Oklahoma.  I talked to his mother today, and she told me that when he came home from school today, the following conversation took place:

“Mom, Mr. Obama is our President, did you know that?”

“Yes, honey, I did know that.  Did you know that he’s our First President of Color?”

“No, mommy!  He’s not the First President!  And he’s not the President for Color, he’s the President of All of Us!”

A 5-year-old can get that, but Congress, or at least many Republicans, apparently can’t.

Obama is the first President of Color, but to the youngest generation, that doesn’t matter.  What matters is:  He’s President of America.  Period.

Color is irrelevant, at my grandson’s age, because at 5, he has not been taught to hate people who look differently than he does, or who worship differently than he does, or who worship not at all.  At 5, we’re all just People.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Just People.

Think of what a wonderful world it could be, if he were never taught that all people whose skin has a different hue are dangerous or stupid or lazy or out to get him in some undefined way.  Think of what a wonderful world it could be, if he were never taught that his God hates the way other people worship the same God and that they will be punished for believing differently.  Think of what a wonderful world it could be, if he were never taught that all people in foreign lands, or whose parents or grandparents come from foreign lands, want to destroy our country, or hurt his family.

What would the world be like if we never taught our children to hate, or to fear or to be intolerant and prejudiced?  Can you imagine such a world?

It’s hard, looking at the news and beheadings and bombings and riots and protests, to imagine a world without hatred being taught to children.

But I, for one, think it’s worth trying.


Let us teach all children that they are beautiful and intelligent. Let us teach them that they have good ideas. Let’s not discourage them from having friends who are different. Let us live in such a way that they will have good role models. Let us stop Nazi imitators and the KKK. Let us punish them for every crime they commit.


Let us teach that every color in the woods, the beach, in our gardens, or in our skin, is there because of the way light rays bend. Let’s show them that there is beautiful color everywhere in the world. No color is more important than another and no color is to ever be hated.


If you really stop and think about it, what color is Divinity? Caucasian, black, brown, asian, or a blending of colors like my paint palette? What if Your God and or mine has no color? What if God, Divinity is pure energy and is colorless?


What a person is and how they live their lives is what is really important. Good people are not Caucasian, partly good are not Asian and Black people are not bad people.


Black lives matter, Hispanic lives matter, Jewish lives matter, Indian lives matter, Indigenous lives matter, Caucasian lives matter, Middle Eastern lives matter.



Namaste, Barbara





artist pallette

My artist pallette. This is how life looks to me.MultipleRacesChildren

20 thoughts on “You Have to Be Carefully Taught

  1. quiall says:

    My parents never taught me to hate. There are those who are trying to.

  2. sedge808 says:



  3. Heartafire says:

    Barbara, it is interesting that he would say this, I think this is the first who’s role as president would evoke this conversation from a five year old. Such a shame that we are having to instill this in our children as a result of the shabby treatment and lack of respect President Obama has received. It is shocking and an outrage. Thank you for the article.

  4. Dear friend, now if we can keep them from becoming twisted. You are right and what a blessing to have Obama as our President. History will vindicate him and what he has done foe the world. Hugs, Barbara

  5. I feel exactly the same way as you. Thank you for sharing Barbara.
    Warm wishes,

  6. I am actively trying to raise humane human children. Don’t give up hope! We are out there, working for it!

  7. irinadim says:

    Yes, it’s definitely worth trying to teach our children that we all belong to the same species. Just like the many colours of the rainbow make it beautiful, so it is with the many colours of the human species. Great post, Barbara.

  8. What a wonderful world it would be if all of us could think in the same way as your grandson. I wish he remains the same even when he grows up… 🙂 Loved the post…

  9. gillswriting says:

    This simple tale of mother and son conversation should be on the front page of a major newspaper to remind us all, (I am thinking Brits and the still entrenched daily newspaper habit). Think how different we would view life if all the media outlets posted at least one positive story every day in a prominent position. Lovely lovely post xxx

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