During an interview on his thoughts regarding the use of the N-word in the movie Django Unchained, Marlon Wayans shared that his children don’t see color. Marlon noted that his children have friends that are Asian, white, black, and Latino. “It’s a beautiful thing to see, so they don’t see race anymore,” he stated.
The notion of raising children color blind is not farfetched. Most of us can say that we have met an adult who, according to them, was “color blind.” While some believe strongly in a society in which color has no merit, others might argue that to say you are color blind is to dismiss the importance of acknowledging a person’s background.
Oftentimes our “color” and our culture play a significant role in the person we are or with regards to how we identify ourselves. One of the greatest things about our country is that it is made up of men and women from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds. For those of us who identify with our race or ethnicity we have often learned that sometimes our differences are what divide us instead of what brings us closer to one another. Even so, acknowledging them (our differences) is also a chance for us to celebrate being who we are and to teach our children that their beautiful brown skin (or whatever color skin they have) is beautiful because, while it should not define them, it is very much a part of who they are.
Regardless of what anyone says when they look at them, whether they want to or not, they do see color. We all see color. Perhaps the goal shouldn’t be to be color blind, but to come from a place in which color is viewed as simply being a portion of the various parts that come together to make one whole person. For more on Marlon’s thoughts as well as his take on the use of the N-word visit Black Celebrity Kids.
BMWK – What are your thoughts on this? Do you believe that we should raise our children to be color blind? Are you color blind?