Race is a Topic

The group of children pictured left are five of the six Scheeres children. The story of these children, and more specifically Julia and David, is told in a memoir written by Julia, entitled Jesus Land. Jesus Land describes the life of the Scheeres family as an adoptive-multi-racial family in 1970s rural Indiana.

The Scheers parents are white, relatively well-off, yet incredibly frugal, and Calvinist. They adopt David when he is three years old out of a feeling of duty. Mrs. Scheeres appears to struggle with depression and is, at best, out of touch with reality in her religious outlook.  Eventually, Mr. Scheeres, a doctor, becomes extremely distant in the childrens' lives and is relegated to the position of punisher. The Scheeres do not show their children affection and the family is becomes deeply disconnected. Througout the book David, and later Jerome- a second African  American child to be adopted into the Scheeres family- undergo physical abuse by Mr. Scheeres.

Throughout this story race is a constant factor. David and Jerome are sent to schools where they are the only African American children. They are made fun of and excluded. Although Julia is white, she also seems to be affected by these issues. She has feelings of resentment toward her black brothers and feels as if she is primarily perceived as the "girl with a black brother." At times in the narration Julia even refers to herself as black, describing the trouble that she and David undergo as being related to "their color."

However, this question of color identity goes both ways. Always optimistic and loving David seems to deal with these issues by either going along with the jokes or attempting to "be white." He cuts a part in his hair and  once tries to put in blue contact lenses. It is clear that David is not comfortable with the physical differences between himself and his family.

However, the issue of color is not just decisive outside of the Scheeres home, but within it as well. Race was not openly discussed in the family (nothing was for that matter though). The Scheeres parents relegate Jerome and David to living in the basement and subject them to extreme physical punishment, while Julia lives upstairs in her own room and is not physically punished throughout the majority of the book. In the narration, Julia is adamant that these divides are due to color, not due to differences in blood ties or gender (although I believe gender and blood ties did play some role).

Yet, race clearly does divide Julia from her brothers to one extent or another. Julia recalls the use of racial slurs between her brothers and herself. She defines herself as the "white child" and her brothers as the  "black children."  She mentions a perceived color divide many many times.

This story, while not directly related to the current situation in Haiti, did make me question a few aspects of American's adopting Haitian children in a new light. When discussing international adoption, it is likely that interracial adoption is also part of the picture. And when discussing American's adopting Haitian children it is likely (although not necessarily always the case)  that some of the children will be adopted by parents of a race other than their own. Like the Scheeres family, a white family may adopt a black child.

Admitteddly, the Scheeres were suffered from more issues than just race issues, but their story is deeply touched by race and their story is not that old. This is not a story of 1880 Alabama, but 1970s Indiana. I have to wonder how much of the Scheeres story could be applied to a family that chooses to adopt a child from Haiti. I would hope none of it, but I know I cannot make that claim for sure.

Honestly, I don't really know what to think about interracial adoption. I want to say that it should be no problem. We should be color blind and all get along fine, but I wonder if this color-blind idea is really possible and I am pretty sure it is not. I think the solution needs to come from open discussion about race and feelings. Racism still is a part of American culture and not talking about it, probably won't make it go away.

I wonder how the story of the Scheeres would have been different if they took the time to talk about race. I suspect, it wouldn't be dramatically different due to the numerous other issues in the family, but it may have made things a little better (or maybe not?).

In all, I think that it is important that in today's world when talking about Haitian Adoption we don't make the mistake of the Scheeres and keep our lips sealed about tough issues. We should talk about the hard things. There is a language to do so respectively and constructively.