Blank slate

In the US, I have this t-shirt that I got junior year of high school from the National Conference on Community and Justice. In bold, white letters across the front, it says, “Nobody’s born a bigot.”

In essence, what the shirt is trying to say is that no one is born recognizing the differences between people. No one is born thinking that one group of people is superior to another. No one is born with racist or sexist or heterosexist thoughts in his or her head.

These thoughts have to be put there by someone else.

I was thinking about this sentiment as I was biking back from Savalou today as the kids on the side of the road chanted for money and presents and ran alongside me asking for me to give them my bicycle. These kids were not born thinking that when you see a white person you should expect something from them. They were not born knowing the “Yovo Yovo” song that is found throughout the country. They were not born with the understanding that it’s acceptable to chase after someone down the street yelling for her to give you a present.

Someone put those thoughts there: parents, siblings, other kids at school. Someone taught these kids to draw these lines between me and them.

I’m not mad at these kids who are interrupting my bike ride. I’m mad at the person who led them to believe it was ok.