She can't understand that we grew up in a different time, and that informs our thinking. So she feels like she failed to pass on her way of thinking, when she never really had a chance against modern society. And that's something that all parents of all races must deal with, I imagine.
Oh, yeah. I had my head-butting moments with my dad into my 30s before he finally conceded defeat on trying to plan my life for me. Not to the extent that you have to deal with, but it was all uphill trying to have an adult relationship with my father for a long time. My brother still bumps into it at 58, because he never got a college degree and my father has just that little bit less respect for him than he shows me and it chaps my brother's ass. Dad's 86, at this point, he ain't changing.
his failure during Katrina was "failing to put things in context."
OMG I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
No seriously, your failure was EPIC FAILURE.
The context was "this time people are watching so I shouldn't dick around".
I can remember a shouting match with my mother over going to catechism classes when I was a senior in high school and going to a public school for the first time since kindergarten. It ended with me asking if she was afraid I would marry a Protestant and her answering that, yes, that was her fear. And then I yelled that I was going to marry a Buddist!
Later, I thought it was very funny, but she didn't.
Much ma to all.
It is a generational thing as much as it's an Indian thing. I went through it with my folks over being gay, but it just as easily could have been over dating another race.
Brownie needs to STFU on all things NOLA. I wish frogs would fall out of his mouth when he tries to speak. I'm in the Lower Ninth right now, and reading those words here... It's a good thing I can't choke him with my mind.
Try anyway, smonster. You know, just in case.
And then I yelled that I was going to marry a Buddist!
Buddhists are nicer than Baptists.
ETA: I'm only saying that because I was one.... Baptist, that is.
Trust me, if minds could kill, Michael Brown would be dead long before now.
My parents got married in a race-charged environment. My father got shit from his friends for marrying lighter than himself. My mother's entire family was expected to marry lighter, but she was the only one that didn't. Marrying outside of their race wasn't ever a social or familial consideration I don't think.
There was a point where I assumed my mother would want me to marry black, but by the time I brought it up, she said she would take any race, as long as I got married. I have no idea how my sister and I have such similar world views that are different from my parents, but to their credit, they pretty much catch up with us every time we push it.
