JC

What’s with all of the experiments lately? I guess this is what we like to do, huh? Change people’s races…throw a white person into a black household — all in the name of really opening up everyone’s eyes, right? Well, Dr. Phil’s show today centered on racists — and trying to figure out how to reform them. I didn’t get to watch it, but my mom gave me the heads-up. Thanks mom! These were the three segments:

A New Opportunity: Charlie admitted to using the N-word and was raised to think ugly, hateful things about African-Americans. How will he do when he spends two days with a black family? “My eyes are open now.”

Living a Lie: Dave was raised to believe that he was white. When he found out the truth at 26, his whole life changed. In an effort to heal from the pain, he went public with his story. Now, his family wants nothing to do with him. What can he do now?

Playing the Race Card?: Cene, 18, says she’s proud to be mixed, but her mother accuses her of acting “too white” and not identifying enough with the side that raised her. Should Cene have to choose?

In the last segment involving the mixed woman, Cene, it seems like Dr. Phil actually gives okay advice. Cene embraces her mixed heritage:

“I don’t define myself based on one particular race,” she says. ‘I don’t want to gravitate toward either one because I know I’m both. I think if you’re mixed, then you should be proud of it.”

But her mother, Monica, takes it personally and feels bothered that Cene is at times, uncomfortable in black settings and wants Cene to know that she is merely trying to prepare her:

“But I think still the problem is, I want her to know when she’s out there meeting people and her mother can’t protect her anymore, that there is still prejudice in the world …”

Dr. Phil interrupts. “But that’s a whole different issue.” He turns to Cene, “You’re just saying, ‘I don’t want to pick a team. I am who I am.’”

He tells Monica, “That’s the reality of it, and that’s what you’ve got to support.”

And oooh! Essie Mae was on the show too??!?!? Carmen, your favorite person!

And a couple of our favorite trends were definitely a part of this show…another example of discussion about race (and painful discussions at that) revolving around ONLY black and white issues. Way to keep black/white relations as tense and conflict-ridden as possible! (sarcasm) And we are also noticing another trend — so many stories lately about people figuring out their “real” identity as older adults. I think it’s our present-day twist on the tragic mulatto storyline. Make sure to read Dave’s story — he’s mixed and his parents lied to him when he was a kid by telling him that he was white — but with a skin disease that made him darker! What a doozy (see the part about: “It’s because they were hot”)?!?!? My god.