The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-07-07
: :y2 I33SNH2I CROCKETT

daddy grew up an AME. went 10
Baptist college. ultimately joined
the Methodist Episcopal church
and is now looking FOR a Unitari-
an church!
But in spite Of what we consid-
cred very convincing arguments,
the Catholic Sister al the school
ultimately settled the question to
their childhood satisfaction. She
so wisely advised the older child
To wait until you get bigger" So
our daughter reports. Il guess I'll
wait until I'm bigger TO become
. Catholic" And her brother says
"Otay with me. too"
That has not ended the matter.
however. for in fairness 10 all,
we think it our duty 10 begin
ROW to teach them about the diff
ferent religions. We have begun
by having them study that most
interesting and fascinating little
book for children 'and adults
also), One God" by Florence NJ
Fitch $500 at JAW Bookstore IN
Detroit.
But back 10 the subject OF pref
udice IN children The present
war propaganda has caused our
children 10 do much talking about
the Japanese-whom they insist
until corrected. on calling by that
derogatory word. "Japs" Then
conversation runs the gamut oi
the newspaper horror pictures ol
japanese cruelty which somehow
has filtered through 10 their child.
ish consciousness But 10 us their
worse fault has been their mimic
conception Of how japanese ap.
pear to them IN the comic strips
and movie shortS-and. hence. how
real japanese must look. They IL.
lustrate this by putting their
thumbs in the corners OF their
mouths. stretching their mouths ur
and out and exposing their teeth
while their fingers push their lit
tie eyes up 10 create Slantlng ef.
feet. Then they announce with 4
certain pride Of accomplishment
Mother, that's how the Japs
look"
or course. we ended This exhibit
ton promptly and effectively! We
probably were all the more severe
because we were thinking Of those
illustrations Of coal black. kinky
headed. big-eyed. puffy-lipped and
grinning men. women and chill.
dren which our newspapers and
funny books present each week &c
thousands Of white children and
adults in America as true exam.
pie OF how their Negro fellow-clt.
liens look.
But here again our corrective
methods did not end Fortunately
we have several Japanese Amer.
can friends. We invited them e
our home and made il point Il
have our children around. Our
children now have seen In oul
home three Japanese-Americar
adults. At first our son insisted
they must be Chinese. We eX.
planned that they were not Their
each child talked laughed anc
played with our guests TO his anc
her hearts content.
AT breakfast the following morn,
ing. our son said, Daddy. those
people didn't look like Japanese.
His sister. the older. added before
we could reply. But they were
cause mother and daddy said they
were: didn't you. mother"
Have we convinced them tina
everything they hear or see mus
not be taken at face-value? Car
they actually feel that the Japa
nese they do not know also look
act and talk like human beings
Must the hatred our armed forces
were taught 10 feel ba also visited
upon our little ones Who. IN turn
will pass II on 10 their playmate,
al school and 10 their children
when they are grown? And. Anal
~. how can We ever be, sure tina
we do not pass on 10 our younC
some Of the bitterness that &C
cepted patterns in our nations
life have placed deep within oul
own hearts?
Each OF us parents must answer
these questions sooner or later
But, meanwhile. all OF as mus
sometime wonder how the all
wise Solomon and his colored wifi,
would advise so-called minority
group parents in America today e
rear their young ones 10 stand w
and be men and women.
A "short-pants union" has been or.
sanized IN Londonderry Fire ~
Young men, mostly IN me Professions
class who v1sh 20 '4bolnh stupid con
VAntsoa N dresa ana behavior"