Childhood Experiences of Prejudice

To the Editor: 
I’ve recently read that many southerners felt persecuted because of their political beliefs. I feel this is an excuse to hate. Look at the Charleston church massacre and Charlottesville.
I lived in the Deep South when I was 8 until 12. My family moved there from New York City in 1959.
I learned a valuable lesson from two life experiences. Experience one involved public busing.
My town then started in the summer a new bus system and to promote it businesses gave out to the public wooden nickels to use. Being a kid from a big city, I knew how to ride buses!
I talked my friends into riding with me one day. When the bus arrived we got on and being a kid I went to the best kid seats, the ones in the back over the wheels. To my surprise, I was the only kid to do so.
I looked at my friends who were still up front with all the other shocked white riders. The black riders in the back looked amused.
The driver came back and asked, “Boy, what are you doing here?” I answered “Riding the bus.” He asked “Are you a Yankee boy?” I said “Yes.” He told me “These seats are for the negroes.” I responded, “Why do they get the best seats?”
This caused my immediate departure from the bus. When I told my father about it he said, “Son, one day you’ll know why that happened.”
Experience two was at the movies. My friends and I successfully snuck in, bought some popcorn, and went up to the first row in the balcony. This was the best spot because a kid could put their foot up on the rail, place popcorn on a knee, and shoot it out into the projection light where it would fall, looking like snow.
Good fun, until I got a tap on my shoulder and heard, “Boy, what are you doing here?” I answered, “Watching the movie.” He told me, “Son, these seats are for the negroes.” Again, I respond “Why do they get the best seats?”
This also led to my swift and physical removal from the movie. Again, I told my father and got the same answer.
Later in life, I did get the answer. Bias and prejudice are taught to young people by adults who should know better. Apparently many adults are products of bad parenting.