Society itself is racist. We keep perpetuating racism by reminding ourselves and our kids that it existed.

For instance, my boy is in Kindergarten and with Martin Luther King Jr day behind us and black history month ahead, their class, along with the whole school, is getting more than an earful on what racism is.

Up until 2 weeks ago, the black kids in his class were simply known to him only as classmates. He would play and learn with them, just like any other kid in his class. When we would ask who such and such was in his class, he would non-nonchalantly say "The girl with red hair" or "The boy with the brown skin". They were simply identifying traits that helped him convey who was talking about. He was neither friends nor enemies with the black kids, just the same as other kids in his class; they were just as other Kindergartners would see each-other... kids.

Roll on the MLK and black history month and what do I get? A kid being educated by his school that he HAS to like the black kids in his class. He now insists on liking him, just because he has black skin.

Before this, he had ZERO concept of what racism was and would never have thought twice about it his WHOLE life had he not been influenced by a racist society that continually re-enforces division through celebration.

In the same token, if we, as a society, could stop perpetuating this idea of a racial divide for two generations ( just speculating ), then we could spend more time in schools teaching our kids how to think critically rather than teaching them to like someone because of their skin color.