June 7, 2020

Perhaps the children will save us.

In the comments to yesterday's post, "Las Vegas is back," Browndog said:
We had lunch at a restaurant for the first time on Friday. It felt good, but the creep factor was still prevalent. Large room with few tables, wait staff in masks.

As we were leaving a couple families with small children came in. It was that moment it felt normal.

Hearing the laughter of children gave me a sense of warmth and normalcy.
ADDED: From "'Defund The Police' painted on D.C. street as tensions among protesters flare":
Nile Joyner-Willey, 4... she sat on her father’s shoulders, wearing a rainbow-colored tutu. She held a Black Lives Matter sign as her father, John Willey, 37, who lives in the District, gently bopped her up and down. This was the first day the family had attended the protests and the first day that Nile’s parents had talked to their daughter about racism.

“Why are so many people taking my picture?” she asked her mother.

“Because you give people hope,” answered Krystle Joyner, 34. “We’re doing this for you.”

28 comments:

exhelodrvr1 said...

"the laughter of children"

Exhibiting their white privilege

Temujin said...

Children's laughter is the universal salve. It is the universal sound that we can all agree on. It's the sound of humans, naturally being humans, before we wreck them with our abuses or prejudices and collectivism. Before we teach them who to hate, they are wonderful. Well...most of them.

We had the same experience here by my home in Florida. We'd been mostly couped up for weeks. Though we've seen our neighbors and been to a couple of friends houses, and stores. We've been home for 99% of the time. Last week our neighbors family escaped from Pennsylvania. And for 5 days we heard the laughter of kids next door, playing, swimming, just...being kids.

It brought things back to life.

MayBee said...

I taught an in person yoga class for the first time since the shut down. It was outdoors and people were spread wide wide wide apart, so I had to be pretty loud. And I couldn't get close to any of the students. But it felt so good to see people again.

PB said...

The children were such a help in China during the cultural revolution.

iowan2 said...

Perhaps.
We celebrated a granddaughter 10th birthday at Oliver Garden. Her favorite place. I don't think they were at 50%. Party of 8 so they allowed a reservation. When we were called to go in, only one group of 4 was waiting, and on the way out, no people waiting.
We did have a fun time. Lots of great sharing of stories, laughter, and teasing. Just like we are used to.
Inertia is in play. People crave normal, and shop owners are desperate for revenue. Turn the cash first, hopefully they can hold things together to pay down short term debt, and start turning a profit quickly. Question for the experts. Is turning a profit racist? Feels racist. Prosperity is racist.
To bad.
President Trump is showing the way to the light. Solutions involve the govt removing impediments to prosperity. Allowing you to keep more of what is yours. knocking down senseless rules and regulations. Promoting self sufficiency.
Those people looking to govt to improve their life, will be perpetually disappointed.

Temujin said...

PB- that's what I meant when I said "before we wreck them".

MayBee said...

It bothers me greatly to take a walk in the park and see the playground equipment yellow taped off like a crime scene. But at least kids are playing in the grass and the stream.

Fernandinande said...

The Children™ are our future - nasty, brutish and short.

mikee said...

The children are asymptomatic carriers.

Howard said...

So freedom now is to be able to stuff your face at some shity chain restaurant in the company of other Mass consumers. I have not been cooped up for a single day during the pandemic I don't know what the f*** you people are talking about what a bunch of pussies. we regularly see our grandkids all we do is to follow proper PPE protocol. I'll admit that throwing a football is out but we do kick the soccer ball shooting our bow and arrows and rock climbing in the park.

jaydub said...

Howard: "... we regularly see our grandkids..."

I'm assuming your grandkids don't get a vote. Sad!

JES said...

I hugged my grandkids yesterday for the first time in three months with big, long heartfelt hugs. Everyone commented on what big smiles we had. It felt good.

MayBee said...

Remember just before all this happened the idea that the children were in a special new COVID danger from a Kowasaki-like manifestation?

Anyway, I wouldn't bring a child to these protests. Between rocks, huge crowds, COVID, and teargas how safe can it be? I would say any parent bringing their child and getting their picture all over the news is doing it for *themselves* and not the child. ISTM black little girls are being used by parent propagandists a lot. Can we get Michelle Obama to meet with the little girl?
(I remember when it was racist to tell black people their babies and children were cute because you were implying they don't grow up to be cute. Does anyone else remember this?)

(I am feeling very bitter today)

Craig said...

Black children serve as excellent Instagram props for white narcissists at these rallies.

ga6 said...

No, they are doing it to make themselves feel good.

Lurker21 said...

She held a Black Lives Matter sign as her father, John Willey, 37, who lives in the District, gently bopped her up and down.

If we could just get the police to go back to gently bopping, we might not have to abolish them.

tcrosse said...

Here's the 1964 version

Lucien said...

But the little white girl doesn’t deserve to be innocent because black children live under the constant threat of being gunned down by the police. Loving White Children is Violence! (Next thing you know, those parents will want to get her into a good school district.)

mikee said...

At an otherwise serene Nixon for President rally in 1968, having been stationed at the front of the rope line for three hours, as Tricky Dick Milhouse Nixon exited his car and walked up to the podium, I ended up having my head shoved under the candidate's suit, into his sweaty armpit, as he reached over my 9-year old self to shake the hands of actual voters. It wasn't a nice experience. I laughed vengefully the day he left office.

I tell that story to point out that children often do not fare well at political events. Glad this young one got away without such an experience.

Mary Beth said...

Fernandinande said...

The Children™ are our future - nasty, brutish and short.

6/7/20, 7:09 AM


I can't wait to steal this.

rcocean said...

I don't think a 4 y/o child, or any child, truly understands politics. They shouldn't be used as props.

n.n said...

The People and our Posterity. Pro-Life... It's normal and Constitutional.

JAORE said...

So the happy child is a good thing. Take your kid to a protest. What could go wrong?

Suppose, just suppose, a few assholes in that peaceful protest started throwing rocks, water bottles and molotov cocktails at the cops. ,In defense the cops responded with mace or tear gas.

My, isn't that sound of a child screaming in pain a lovely sound? Life affirming even.

FWIW, I have seen video of a six year old that was maced. Granted it was at night and from days ago when the confrontations with police were more expected. It was from a protest that devolved into confronting the cops.

MSNBC showed it as an example of poice brutality. I saw it as an example of child abuse.

n.n said...

The children were such a help in China during the cultural revolution.

One-child (State's Choice).

JackWayne said...

If they’re black they’re doing it to raise a victim. If they’re white they’re doing it to raise a guilt-ridden wreck.

James Graham said...

Is there any place or anything less interesting than Las Vegas?

Perhaps the people who go there?

Inga said...

“(I remember when it was racist to tell black people their babies and children were cute because you were implying they don't grow up to be cute. Does anyone else remember this?)”

No

ken in tx said...

People who talk about the innocence of children are indulging in idealized wishful thinking. Human beings are not born innocent, not biologically, nor theologically. You do not have to teach children to lie, steal, cheat, hit, bite, or be selfish. They do those things quite naturally and someone else has to teach them better. You have to teach them to be truthful, respect other people and their things, take turns, control one's impulses, and share. The cheerful sound of children's laughter while kicking around a ball, would sound just as cheerful while kicking around the skull of a tribal enemy. Although the 'Natural Goodness of All Human Beings' is not a tenet of any Christian denomination, many mainstream churches act like it is.