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	<title>Comments for Caramels On Maple Street</title>
	<atom:link href="http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/comments/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com</link>
	<description>adventures of mixed-race parenting in small-town New England</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sat, 02 Jun 2012 03:46:56 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Comment on about caramels on maple street by Ladybohemia</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/about/#comment-322</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ladybohemia]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 02 Jun 2012 03:46:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaple.wordpress.com/?page_id=2#comment-322</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Brian found an amazingly talented woman to marry, and the kids are gorgeous.  I always knew he&#039;d have a beautiful life, despite his total lack of innocence . LOL]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Brian found an amazingly talented woman to marry, and the kids are gorgeous.  I always knew he&#8217;d have a beautiful life, despite his total lack of innocence . LOL</p>
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		<title>Comment on The Curious Case of the Black Princess Napkin by Ladybohemia</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2011/08/29/the-curious-case-of-the-black-princess-napkin/#comment-321</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ladybohemia]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 02 Jun 2012 03:22:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/?p=559#comment-321</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wow.  That must have been so painful for you as a mother, knowing that one day your daughter will be aware of how insidious, under-handed racism is still alive and well in America, the supposed &quot;melting pot&quot;.  As a Caucasian woman, I am ashamed of my white sisters on a daily basis. Ignorance is ugly,and I&#039;m so sorry.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wow.  That must have been so painful for you as a mother, knowing that one day your daughter will be aware of how insidious, under-handed racism is still alive and well in America, the supposed &#8220;melting pot&#8221;.  As a Caucasian woman, I am ashamed of my white sisters on a daily basis. Ignorance is ugly,and I&#8217;m so sorry.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Out of the Mouths by Ladybohemia</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2011/07/08/out-of-the-mouths/#comment-320</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ladybohemia]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:36:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaple.wordpress.com/?p=326#comment-320</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[LOL  Your Rose is just the sweetest.  Love the wisdom of children.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>LOL  Your Rose is just the sweetest.  Love the wisdom of children.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Out of the Mouths by Out of the Mouths &#171; Mixed American Life</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2011/09/07/out-of-the-mouths-2/#comment-319</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Out of the Mouths &#171; Mixed American Life]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 May 2012 07:51:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/?p=609#comment-319</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[[...] on caramelsonmaplestreet.com Rate this:Share this:FacebookTwitterMoreRedditEmailStumbleUponLinkedInDiggPrintLike this:LikeBe the [...]]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>[...] on caramelsonmaplestreet.com Rate this:Share this:FacebookTwitterMoreRedditEmailStumbleUponLinkedInDiggPrintLike this:LikeBe the [...]</p>
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	</item>
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		<title>Comment on A Leaf Falls On by bookbutterfly</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2011/10/14/a-leaf-falls-on/#comment-318</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[bookbutterfly]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 20:21:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/?p=768#comment-318</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I really like your writing. I laughed so hard. What did you say to the UPS guy after he said that? 
I guess you probably groan about having to &#039;educate&#039; people on racial diversity all the time - but you are, by your very existence and living in that house, busting open that guy&#039;s single story of black women and where they &#039;can&#039; live.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I really like your writing. I laughed so hard. What did you say to the UPS guy after he said that?<br />
I guess you probably groan about having to &#8216;educate&#8217; people on racial diversity all the time &#8211; but you are, by your very existence and living in that house, busting open that guy&#8217;s single story of black women and where they &#8216;can&#8217; live.</p>
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		<title>Comment on The Curious Case of the Black Princess Napkin by bookbutterfly</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2011/08/29/the-curious-case-of-the-black-princess-napkin/#comment-317</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[bookbutterfly]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 20:15:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/?p=559#comment-317</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi there, 
This is my first time on your blog. I really enjoy your writing, and this post. Which is why I&#039;m posting  almost a year later. :-D

  While I don&#039;t have a daughter, I have two caramel sons, and live in a similar setting in Europe. I&#039;ve been in similar situations and have learned, that you should not second-guess yourself. You saw what you saw and felt what you felt. Valid and legit. 
Do not let yourself get beaten up over these things, because I bet napkin-mom didn&#039;t lose any sleep over it that night. The best way to avoid eternal self-analysis about what you could&#039;ve said/done is to just say something.
I also find that the direct approach is always best. Coz as Judy wrote above, napkin mom just doesn&#039;t get it that what she did was not ok, and lines up perfectly in the category &#039;racist&#039;. I recommend staying polite and friendly.

This is how I would have played it:

Me (pointing at the napkins): So what&#039;s wrong with those napkins there?

Napkin-mom: Nothing, I... (as she realizes who you are and what she just did)

Me (cutting in): Right. I see. Didn&#039;t expect that from you. Well, let&#039;s see if we can stash these in the take-home/ goody-bags for later.

Then the ball is in her court, to defend her actions. 

If the kids didn&#039;t notice, then it isn&#039;t your job to teach them racial diversity. But napkin-mom sure could use some training.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi there,<br />
This is my first time on your blog. I really enjoy your writing, and this post. Which is why I&#8217;m posting  almost a year later. <img src='http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':-D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>  While I don&#8217;t have a daughter, I have two caramel sons, and live in a similar setting in Europe. I&#8217;ve been in similar situations and have learned, that you should not second-guess yourself. You saw what you saw and felt what you felt. Valid and legit.<br />
Do not let yourself get beaten up over these things, because I bet napkin-mom didn&#8217;t lose any sleep over it that night. The best way to avoid eternal self-analysis about what you could&#8217;ve said/done is to just say something.<br />
I also find that the direct approach is always best. Coz as Judy wrote above, napkin mom just doesn&#8217;t get it that what she did was not ok, and lines up perfectly in the category &#8216;racist&#8217;. I recommend staying polite and friendly.</p>
<p>This is how I would have played it:</p>
<p>Me (pointing at the napkins): So what&#8217;s wrong with those napkins there?</p>
<p>Napkin-mom: Nothing, I&#8230; (as she realizes who you are and what she just did)</p>
<p>Me (cutting in): Right. I see. Didn&#8217;t expect that from you. Well, let&#8217;s see if we can stash these in the take-home/ goody-bags for later.</p>
<p>Then the ball is in her court, to defend her actions. </p>
<p>If the kids didn&#8217;t notice, then it isn&#8217;t your job to teach them racial diversity. But napkin-mom sure could use some training.</p>
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	<item>
		<title>Comment on To the Place / I Belong by Tanya Jarrett</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2012/02/22/to-the-place-i-belong/#comment-312</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tanya Jarrett]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:23:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/?p=1141#comment-312</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Oh, thank God... my brother and I were wholly normal. My mother will sigh in relief. (Some 30 years later...)]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Oh, thank God&#8230; my brother and I were wholly normal. My mother will sigh in relief. (Some 30 years later&#8230;)</p>
]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Comment on To the Place / I Belong by Ben Ox</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2012/02/22/to-the-place-i-belong/#comment-279</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Ox]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:50:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/?p=1141#comment-279</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What a great piece!  Thanks for sharing!]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What a great piece!  Thanks for sharing!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Comment on To the Place / I Belong by Karen</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2012/02/22/to-the-place-i-belong/#comment-278</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Karen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:48:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/?p=1141#comment-278</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sweet! Now he sounds better, doesn&#039;t he? Home... That place where we&#039;re loved and accepted for who we are... That refuge from the world just outside our door... Or maybe, for some of us, just that little slice of heaven lying beside our loved one. Peace.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sweet! Now he sounds better, doesn&#8217;t he? Home&#8230; That place where we&#8217;re loved and accepted for who we are&#8230; That refuge from the world just outside our door&#8230; Or maybe, for some of us, just that little slice of heaven lying beside our loved one. Peace.</p>
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	<item>
		<title>Comment on To the Place / I Belong by caramels on maple street</title>
		<link>http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/2012/02/22/to-the-place-i-belong/#comment-277</link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[caramels on maple street]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:19:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://caramelsonmaplestreet.com/?p=1141#comment-277</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Thanks, Martha -- and yes, we listen to a lot of music along these lines. They&#039;ve loved the soundtrack to &quot;Annie,&quot; Irish folktales, Ella Fitzgerald. But right now, Denver seems to be the soundtrack of their lives. And it&#039;s not just the racial identity of who&#039;s coming through their speaker; it&#039;s a broader sense of hearing and feeling rhythms/beats/sounds that are unique to black culture. I might not feel so anxious to establish that if we were living in a different environment. But alas . . .]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thanks, Martha &#8212; and yes, we listen to a lot of music along these lines. They&#8217;ve loved the soundtrack to &#8220;Annie,&#8221; Irish folktales, Ella Fitzgerald. But right now, Denver seems to be the soundtrack of their lives. And it&#8217;s not just the racial identity of who&#8217;s coming through their speaker; it&#8217;s a broader sense of hearing and feeling rhythms/beats/sounds that are unique to black culture. I might not feel so anxious to establish that if we were living in a different environment. But alas . . .</p>
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