Kids on Race: Davionne, 6, views interracial friendships negatively
Editor's note: Tune in to AC360° tonight for the next part of the special series at 8 and 10 p.m. ET.
This week, CNN is going in-depth as part of the AC360 special "Kids on Race: The Hidden Picture." Soledad teamed up with Anderson for the project, talking to some children who had some provocative opinions on race.
This morning on "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien," Soledad profiles Davionne, a 6-year-old African-American boy who struck researchers with his overwhelmingly negative opinions on interracial friendships.
There was no question about how he felt on mixed friendships. He told the tester that kids cant play together if theyre not the same color.
"Why cant you play together if you dont have the same skin?" the tester asks.
"Cause your mom might not want you to play with that friend," Davionne replies.
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Post by: Soledad O'Brien Filed under: Kids on Race • Race in America |
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Has the reporter consider that the leading questions and prompts were making him answer a specific way? Or that he truly didn't grasp what she was asking? Or when she asks questions about race to a 6-year old, that he's never even considered that his friends are different than him?
I blame racial tensions in this country on the media. When we have an incedent that might be racially motivated the media should help people understand what has happened not make it worse by telling only part of the story.
I am not clear why it is assumed that Davionne is speaking about his own mom in his answer. Isn't it possible that Davionne is commenting on something he may have heard from a child or mother of another race?
I was born in the 40's and about the same age of Davionne when traveling on a train saw a man hanging from a tree with flies/bugs all around him while families were setting under that tree have a picnic watching. I saw some of the worse times in the USA. My Father explained to me that these were actions of sick uneducated people. A teacher said your not born racist your taught racism. She had us visit a nursey in a hospital then a gravesite. She explained hate is only in the middle of life as babies have no problem with who is next to them and dead people have no problem as in heaven we're all equal. As a 13 year old we we're allowed to have boyfriends but my Dad said it was ok to have a crush on President Kennedy as I thought he was cute.