The New York Times on line, March 17, 2015, has a link to a video that is a “must watch” for all of us, not only grandmas among us.
As described in the Times, “In this short
documentary, parents reveal their struggles with telling their black sons that they may be targets of racial profiling by the police.” To this Grandma, this short documentary shows even more, how hard it is to be a parent and brings up the issue of how to act and what to say when questioned by those in authority, whether the child feels it is wrongful or not.
The author of the article, who also created the short documentary, Geeta Gandbhir, is an editor and filmmaker whose work has won two Emmy Awards. She recently co-directed the film “Remembering the Artist Robert De Niro, Senior.” The producer, Blair Foster is an Emmy Award-winning producer, whose films include “Taxi to the Dark Side” and “Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown.”
The purpose of the specific problem addressed in the video is to bring it out in the public. Yes, it will tear at your heart, but it will also open your eyes. And, it seems, that is the intent of the New York Times giving it wide distribution. Geeta Gandbhir writes:
“For generations, parents of black boys across the United States have rehearsed, dreaded and postponed “The Conversation.” But when their boys become teenagers, parents must choose whether or not to expose their sons to what it means to be a black man here. To keep him safe, they may have to tell the child they love that he risks being targeted by the police, simply because of the color of his skin. How should parents impart this information, while maintaining their child’s pride and sense of self? How does one teach a child to face dangerous racism and ask him to emerge unscathed?”
“This Op-Doc video is our attempt to explore this quandary, by listening to a variety of parents and the different ways they handle these sensitive discussions. In bringing about more public awareness that these conversations exist, we hope that someday they won’t be necessary.”
Please watch it through the credits. The parents who spoke show pictures of their sons, who easily could be any of our sons or grandsons.
Parents of different races and creeds to whom I have personally shown the video say they too have this conversation with their children, how to act and what to do if you are stopped by police or those in positions of authority, even if you think you have been wronged. Conversations about how to act in circumstances of being questioned or addressed by those in authority, whether it be police or school officials, should happen with all children.
Parenting is the hardest job we have in life and this short documentary shows one of the hardest parts of the hardest job, a gift from those parents in the documentary bravely willing to publicly share their deepest concerns and good advice as parents of Black sons.
Yes, we need to pass this along as intended by The New York Times printing of it on line.
With little joy,
Mema
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