I’m happy to say that nobody in my family ever really code switched.
The closest was my WW2 vet grandfather responding to my disdain for nuking Japan with the higher amount of civilians killed by firebombing… but in a non-racist matter-of-fact kind of way. My disdain never stopped, but I did learn that there is no such thing as a moral or just war; only some sides are more moral and just than others, and each create hell on Earth trying to win it.
I don’t have much contact with the family I have left, but I did get into things with my 85 yr old landlord the other day. Can’t remember what started it but I did say that us white people are pretty arrogant. She came back with a statement saying that she just wants everyone to stop talking about race altogether 'cause discussing it just causes problems.
She’s got an adopted First Nations daughter and 3 FNs grandchildren but doesn’t seem to be able to see the bias in how they are treated (ie: followed around in stores by staff, etc) or her/our complicity in the systemic racism that continues.
I ended up just walking away and now thinking maybe I should move … because I lack the patience to deal with that shit.
I’m happy to say that nobody in my family ever really code switched.
The closest was my WW2 vet grandfather responding to my disdain for nuking Japan with the higher amount of civilians killed by firebombing… but in a non-racist matter-of-fact kind of way. My disdain never stopped, but I did learn that there is no such thing as a moral or just war; only some sides are more moral and just than others, and each create hell on Earth trying to win it.
I don’t have much contact with the family I have left, but I did get into things with my 85 yr old landlord the other day. Can’t remember what started it but I did say that us white people are pretty arrogant. She came back with a statement saying that she just wants everyone to stop talking about race altogether 'cause discussing it just causes problems.
She’s got an adopted First Nations daughter and 3 FNs grandchildren but doesn’t seem to be able to see the bias in how they are treated (ie: followed around in stores by staff, etc) or her/our complicity in the systemic racism that continues.
I ended up just walking away and now thinking maybe I should move … because I lack the patience to deal with that shit.