This week, in Claremont, New Hampshire, a group of white teenagers hanged an 8-year-old biracial boy. In America, in 2017. Thankfully, he survived.
As a mother of a biracial son, this incident hit me hard. That innocent child could easily have been mine. I am acutely aware of how society views my son—not out of paranoia, but because these horrific events can and do occur.
Although we live in a diverse neighborhood in Los Angeles, racism is omnipresent. As a Black woman, I’ve always been aware of this reality, but becoming a mother has made the awareness even more intense. My son is just 4, and he hasn’t started school yet, but when he does, my ability to shield him will diminish drastically. It’s a terrifying thought, especially after hearing about this hanging incident, which occurred without any adult supervision.
Such events likely unfold in schoolyards and playgrounds across the nation, yet they rarely make headlines. I struggle with how to explain these harsh realities to my young son, who is too little to grasp the full scope of the issue. But to explain it to an 8-year-old? That child is aware of being different but may not understand how that difference can affect his treatment by peers. We should not have to tell our children that they might face harassment or worse simply because of their skin color. Especially not in 2017. Yet, here we are.
What’s more alarming is the response from the police chief, who downplayed the serious implications of this crime by stating that the perpetrators are just teenagers. “We don’t want things to follow kids throughout their life,” he remarked. This is white supremacy in action. When white individuals commit crimes, they are often infantilized. They are seen as “good kids” who just made a mistake, as if hanging a child by the neck is mere roughhousing.
If the roles were reversed and these boys were Black, the narrative would be starkly different. When Tamir Rice was killed by police, he was viewed as a threat—a 12-year-old child with a toy gun. Michael Brown was labeled a thug for being an 18-year-old shot multiple times. Trayvon Martin was merely a boy in a hoodie with Skittles but was portrayed as dangerous and subsequently murdered, while his killer walks free.
Conversely, these boys who attempted to hang an innocent child are treated as if they made a harmless error. This double standard is deeply embedded in our culture, showcasing how society protects white males at all costs. The police chief has made it clear that, due to the minors involved, no additional information on charges or prosecution will be shared—a move that casts doubt on their accountability.
As a result of this incident, the victim’s family feels unsafe and is considering leaving their community. They are the ones forced to flee, while the perpetrators face little to no repercussions. It’s a heartbreaking reality that racism transcends barriers. Racism doesn’t care about individual merit; it simply targets Black and brown individuals.
It pains me to think that I will have to explain to my 4-year-old son that some people might not want to be his friend or, worse, may wish to harm him because of our skin colors. Since November, it seems the situation has worsened, with acts of violence becoming more frequent and white supremacists feeling emboldened by current societal conditions.
This isn’t an inherent issue; it’s learned behavior, taught and perpetuated. Those of you in positions to influence young minds must step up. White individuals, it’s your responsibility to confront these issues within your communities. Children’s lives, including my son’s, depend on it.
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In summary, the systemic racism that allows such heinous acts to occur must be confronted. We owe it to our children to create a safer world for them, free from the fear that their skin color might make them a target.