WWAD- What Would an Anti-racist Do? - Post 1 (there will be too many more)

July 19 (no wifi at our vrbo last night)

I intended to continue writing about adoption, but we are on a family vacation in Oregon, and as is too often the case, I was confronted with “what would an anti-racist do” situation.

After dinner, we stopped at the only market available in Rockaway Beach, Oregon to get some crackers to go with our Tillamook cheese for tomorrow’s mid-day snack, and some beer for an evening nightcap. As we proceeded to the check-out, one of our girls pointed out a hat with a Confederate flag on it. We stood there wishing it was not so. Curt suggested buying it to burn it, but we didn’t dare exchange money for it. I grabbed some other hats to put on top of it, but in doing so revealed another hat with an even larger image of the Confederate flag. We abandoned the hat display and proceeded to the check-out in silence.

As the woman checking us out ran our credit card, I debated what to do, or rather whether I should say something. I had a moment when I worried about making her feel uncomfortable, and then I thought, what would this same scenerio feel like if our family were black? I can’t say I know, but the thought was enough for me to say, “I’m not sure if you are the owner. . .” at which point the woman said, “No, I am not the owner.” So I went on, “if you wouldn’t mind passing this feedback onto the owner, I’d appreciate it. I think it is no longer appropriate to have hats with Confederate flags on them.” Her response was simply, “oh, okay.”

I had so many thoughts as I walked out. I wondered how many white people who do not consider themselves racists have seen those hats and said nothing. Why is that? I asked Curt if he would have said something if I wasn’t there, and he said no. I know this isn’t because he feels any differently than me. It is just easier. Now, I wish that I said to our girls and then the check-out woman, “we will not buy food from a store who is overtly profiting from racist goods.” Why didn’t I? Ahhhhh, why didn’t I? I don’t know.

Every moment does not need to be a political one, but neither does every moment need to be a passive one.