Mentoring

Yesterday I was listening to The Michael Baisden show on the radio and the topic of the day was people of different races mentoring kids of a different race. An example was a white male mentoring an african american boy. Many of the listeners was very upset by this thought. They claims that a white person would not do a good job mentoring a young african american boy mainly because the white man does not know anything about african american history. That they didn't know the struggles that the boy might face during his lifetime because they where both from 2 different walks of life. MAny of the listeners who called in were single mothers of young men. These single mothers say they would like their young children to be mentored because they don't have a stable male figure in their lives. In which is an excellent idea that more single women should consider.
Personally I do not have any kids but I am child of a single parent. I don't think I really needed a mentor because my mother was such a strong influence in my life. A women can teach her daughter to be a lady but a mother can never teach her son to be a man. I completely understand why a single mother want her son to a strong influential man in her sons life to teach him to be a strong,loving,responsible man. In my opinion a strong man is a strong man regardless of races or their background. From what I have seen children really don't even notice race until a parent shows biased toward one race or another. Sometimes the media effects how children see other races. The definition of mentor is an influential senior sponsor or supporter. That means to me some one who will give a mentored person the support and guidance they may need to grow up to be a responsible adult. Many people main concern was the mentor would not know the child of the other race the history of their people. Its sad to say some african american people do not know all about their people or the history. As a parent if you want your child to know anything about history then as a parent should teach them themselves.
Any person would take out time from their daily life to mentor and give advice to a child that they are not related to should be honored. It takes a really special person to take a child under your wing and in your heart. I believe any person from any races can be a excellent mentor as long as they have the child's best interest at heart. A person from another walk of life maybe be able to help a child see something in a totally different way because they are so different hope that everyone could open their hearts and mines to other possibilities. The world is such a big place yet people minds are so closed minded
Thanks
Love Ur S3lf 1st