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| Oxnard-Ventura Bahá'í |
Newsletter of the Oxnard and Ventura Bahá’í
Communities
September 2004 |
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"There can be no doubt whatever that
the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration
from one heavenly source, and are the subjects of one God." |
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The purpose of the Oxnard-Ventura Bahá'í News is to provide information about the Bahá'í Faith and activities of the Bahá'í's to those who wish to learn more or attend Bahá'í devotional gatherings. If you have comments or do not want to receive the Bahá'í News, write PO Box 7344, Oxnard, CA 93031, call 648-1222. No donations requested or accepted.
Informational Talks
Saturday, September 18th, 7:30 PM
Friday,
September 24th, 7:30 PM Raising children without Prejudice in their
Hearts: [cont.] -- Help children establish meaningful relationships. If your
child has a friend at school whose family speaks a different language and is
having difficulty fitting in, invite the family over. You could even ask them to
give you a lesson in their language. You can help your children and your
community by befriending families who are of a different culture. Your lives are
sure to be enriched. An easy way of meeting new friends is at a playground. If you are headed for
the tire swing, invite a couple of children to join you. If the children are
having fun together, set up another time with the parents to meet at the park to
play. Most people would be comfortable doing so. |
Sometimes, I will introduce my grandchild to another child and say something like, "Emma loves kittens, do you, too?" If they really have fun together, maybe a play date or birthday party invitation could be extended. -- Create opportunities. Allow children to see people of every race and gender in positions of leadership. When traveling, seek out the museums, churches and historical markers that give a balanced picture of history. Take children to see performers and speeches by people of varying races and nationalities, and rent documentaries about them. -- Use holidays as opportunities for meaningful discussions. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, Black History Month, Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo, Kwanzaa -- use these and other holidays to create opportunities to discuss the historical contributions of various groups. -- Give your child tools. Develop a strategy for dealing with racial slurs and jokes. I've seen older children practice what to say when someone makes a racist remark. It can be uncomfortable to respond, but if they have the words memorized, they can come out more easily. For example, "I'm not comfortable with what you just said," or "Did I hear you right that you think so-and-so is ...?" or "I try not to judge people without knowing them first." -- Become a pen pal. Do it as a family. Discuss with your children ways in which they feel the same and help them develop an interest in the ways they are culturally different. |
These are some ideas that may give children, at an early age, a frame of reference for examining any prejudice and racial injustice they later encounter, and will give them the tools they need to promote justice and foster interracial harmony. Children can be taught to be instruments of change, to help others understand that all people are members of one family -- deserving of dignity, respect and equal opportunities and rights. Give your children the gift of understanding. Their future depends on it. -- Alice Williams Quick lives in Ventura. Copyright 2004, Ventura County Star. All Rights Reserved.
Fillmore CommUnity 1st Saturday of the Month, September 4th. Call Luanne at 524-0683 for details Oxnard CommUnity 1st Sunday of the Month, September 5th. 10:30 AM. Locations September vary. Call Barbara at 984-4390 Ventura CommUnity 2nd Sunday of the Month, September 12th, 10:00 a.m. at the Clubhouse, 3700 Dean Drive. Camarillo CommUnity 3rd Sunday of the Month, September 19th. Call Renee at 383-3904 for details. To learn more about the Bahá’í Faith, contact the Bahá’í House of Worship or the Bahá’í community in your area [link to Contact page coming soon]. Further information is also available at www.us.bahai.org and www.bahai.org. |
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