I'll have some Cheerios with a side of equality and understanding, please.

Have you seen the cheerios commercial?

You know, the Cheerios commercial.

If you haven't, I suggest that you watch it and then watch this: kids reacting to the Cheerios commercial.

Actually, I don't suggest it. Rather, I beg you to watch the above video.

The commercial I'm talking about features a mixed race family. For the record, I'm not sure that I find this be a "statement". I rather find it incredibly normal. It's about time that media reflect the real people and families that we see everyday.

Unfortunately, not everyone feels this way. The comments on the YouTube page for the commercial were so hateful that they had to disable and delete them. I know, I know, "Katie, YouTube comments are always ridiculous". I won't argue with you there. But thousands of hateful or trepidatious responses to a freaking Cheerios commercial are far too many for my liking. Let's discuss.

During my senior year of high school, we had a conversation in my sociology class that made a strong impact on me at the time. This discussion has become more deeply rooted in my mind and has gained relevance over the years. I think of it often, and frequently tie it in to appropriate conversations. Here is the gist of it:

We had been talking about issues of race and racism during class for a few days when a boy spoke up and insisted that racism no longer existed and that we should just stop talking about it.

...

He was a white, seventeen year old boy from Orange County. (I will now, quite generously, chock his opinion up to naiveté). I, being the outspoken person that I was am when it comes to civil rights topics, piped up loudly and wielded my weapons of mass ignorance destruction. The rest of the class soon followed, many of them as confused as I was about his belief, others still insisting that racism had gotten much better and questioning why we have to "make such a big deal about it" (that is a post for another time).

As the class got out of control, our teacher started shouting over the top of our yelling (which is always a fun game, right?). The students continue to get louder and the lone voice of the poor teacher starts to crack as his face turns red and the class finally recognizes that he is about to pass out and quiets down because they realize that none of them knows CPR. Good times.

When we all quieted down, our teacher finally got his turn. I am not sure if he knew that it would be a life changing moment for one of his students, but I felt it as soon as he began. He spoke slowly and sternly, almost incredulously, as if he couldn't believe he was having to explain something like this.

He explained the following: that as long as we have to debate a topic, discuss how and to what degree it impacts others, then it still exists.

Then he said, "we will know that something is no longer an issue when we do not need to discuss it anymore".

This sentiment has stuck with me for the past seven years and I am sure that it always will. What an astute thought.

It is difficult to comprehend or call to mind something that used to be an issue that no longer exists. Two examples I will give you are 1) smallpox and 2) fear of the British government exercising its power and reclaiming control over what would become the United States. Weird, I know, but good examples nonetheless. These used to be very real concerns. There was a time that people could likely not imagine not having to worry about these things. I am sure that in the thick of it, they dreamed of a day when these would become a nonissue. Neither of these performed a magic act and disappeared, but they no longer need to be discussed or debated in present terms. They have become a nonissue.


Now, back to today. The reactions of these children to this Cheerios commercial are incredible. They are incredible not just for what they do, but for what they do not do.

The kids, by all accounts, like the commerical when it is shown to them. They smile or laugh and then enjoy explaining the plot and the message. Then the kids are told that a lot of people are angry about this commercial.

Their reactions are as follows:

"Why?"

"Why?"

Yep, you guessed it. "Why?"

With more prompting, they are told that people are specifically angry because of the parents. Again, they ask the children if they know why.

This time, confusion.

Even some moments of serious seven year old thinking.

Finally, the producers chime in and tell the kids what they're getting at: people are "angry because they're mixed race parents".

That's when we get some of my favorite reactions.

Shannon's look has a very "you've gotta be kidding me" vibe about it.

Asher goes for the classic, "what the heck?" look.

And Marlhy is not pleased, even appearing a bit upset, 

that anyone would even suggest this nonsense.

For the duration of the video, the kids display not only how smart they are, but they basically write a handbook on tolerance and acceptance and build a neon sign that says "don't worry elders, we're going to get it right this next go 'round".

You've got to watch the video and be moved to tears by these incredible kids. Okay, you don't have to cry, but if you're anything like me, you will. 

But back to the point I have been getting at. These kids, even when prompted, saw nothing wrong. There was no issue. Period. The only issue they seemed to have was that anyone else would have an issue with it.

How amazing to see that there are people in this country who can react so differently to this video that generated such hateful thoughts and words in others. I will bet that most of us immediately took note that there was one white parent and one black parent. Even if our reaction was positive, we still took notice. When asked about the commercial, adults would likely mention race. But to these children, even when prompted, it was not even worth commenting on. It was normal. It was a nonissue. 

This is what my sociology teacher spoke of. I cried as I realized I was witnessing something that I never thought I would. There are so many nuances in the topics of race and racism that I could never dream of covering here. But in this limited scope, in this spectrum, for these children, a black dad and a white mom with a beautiful daughter was a nonissue. Just as it should be. 

(To clarify, I do not use the term nonissue in a way that ignores or discredits. I would never want to overlook the history of racism in this country. I would never discredit nor dismiss the centuries of experiences endured, the great work that has been done, or strides that have been made. Rather, I use nonissue in this case to gloriously exclaim that exercising hatred or hesitancy toward a mixed race family is, for these kids, obsolete).

It must be said that their parents are doing a great job raising smart, loving, and inclusive children. But I am also amazed because, as we know, parents are only a part of the influences on a child's life. I am in awe that these children have grown up in communities and schools that have not tainted them. When I try to imagine the home/school/community environment necessary for a child to have no reaction to this circumstance, even when prompted, that gives me hope.

We have hardly scratched the surface of eradicating the injustices and inequalities that exist today. And I know that the eradication of one thing will leave an empty space that will soon be filled by a new issue. I understand that this example here is the tiniest cross section of the next generation in a very specific circumstance. But I will not let that dim the spark of hope that I feel. These children embody the hope that many of us have for future generations. The hope that they will not have to endure the burdens of our generation; that some of our biggest struggles will someday become a nonissue. 

Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right. - Proverbs 20:11