The proliferation of the effect of white supremacy on non-whites amazes me each day. Over the past month or so, I've heard comments by intelligent, supposedly learned individuals that have saddened me so.

In one instance two mature ladies, one white Cuban the other white Puerto Rican were talking about their grandchildren. The Puerto Rican woman talked about how her new grandson looks like his father with his beautiful blonde hair. She went on to mention that it was too bad that he didn't get the blue eyes also. To most, that may appear to be no big deal but think about it. In either subtle or maybe even not so subtle ways, this blonde-haired child will be treated more favorably because of his hair color. The grandmother will, of course, deny it, but it will happen.

Then, just yesterday, one of my well-degreed colleagues, a Black American woman in her mid-thirties commented to another Black colleague on how beautiful hair was since she had it "straight now." Wow, that reminded me of several instances I've seen when a woman's 'makeover' includes straightening her naturally curly hair. I know of Asians who display the same self-hatred and acquiescence to the Eurocentric standard of beauty. When will the madness stop?

If I could, I'd take all the children in the universe, give them a hug and tell them how beautiful they are. Each and every one of them --- the darkest ebony Black skin, pale almost transparent skin, wide noses, kinky hair, short, tallest of tall, fat, skinny as a stick, long hair bald, slanted eyes, blue eyes, brown eyes --- all of them.

It just burns me so when children are fed those messages of self-hatred. It's time to stop it. If nothing else, it's my personal mission to diffuse it when I can by telling every child --- especially children of color --- how beautiful they are. It's a small gesture but prayerfully it will be mirrored by the children I come in contact with so that seed of self-love will be planted and grow.

© 2006 VANESSA BYERS, Vanessa: Unplugged