Fearlessness is a Privilege

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This re-working of the old familiar story of Red Riding Hood speaks to the stories I heard from mothers of young black children, mostly boys, but not exclusively, who had to have “the talk”.

The focus on the “bad guy” in the fairy tale is of the unknown stranger with ill-intent. The woodcutter, the authority figure, comes to the rescue (the fireman with the axe, the policeman with the power, all to help).

In contrast, “The Talk” frames the person in power as the one to be concerned about, the one to be deferential to, the one to be careful of, the one to watch out for. This is, despite all the denial, is the fallout of inherent, systemic racism, and the assumption of our safety and our lack of fear when we are out is really only reserved for those who are connected to power and privilege in our country. A huge question for all of us is “Where are we going?” What do we want for our country?