• Home
  • rainbow flagA Welcoming Congregation
  • Safe Congregation SealKeeping Safe
  • Capital Campaign
    • Contact: Capital Campaign
  • DONATE/REALM
  • TUCWomen
    • About TUCWomen
    • Join Us
    • Events
    • Contact
  • Contact
  • Instagram

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport

10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - Ph: (203)227-7205 Sunday Services: 10:00 AM

Unitarian Universalist Association
  • Calendar
    • Calendar
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • ZOOM Instructions
    • Tips For Making Videos
    • Event & Space Reservations
    • TUUCWSocial Email List Ground Rules
  • Welcome Visitors
    • UU Orientation
    • Directions & Services
    • Special Ceremonies & Dedications
    • Our Congregational History
    • Our Faith
    • What is a Unitarian Universalist?
    • We are Unitarian Universalists
    • How did you become a Unitarian Universalist?
    • History of the Flaming Chalice
    • UU History in 8 Minutes
  • About Us
    • Our Mission Statement
    • Our Vision Statement
    • About Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Getting Involved
    • Board of Trustees
    • Governance
    • Healing and Resilience Task Force
    • Congregant Celebration
    • Pastoral Care Chaplains
    • Our Welcoming Congregation
    • Photo & Video Galleries
    • Links – Beyond Our Walls
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • Events & Space Reservations
    • Pledging
  • FAITH FORMATION
    • Faith Formation for Children and Youth 2022-23
    • Welcome to Family Faith Formation
    • This Week in Family Faith Formation
    • Faith Formation Age Groupings 2022-23
    • What to Expect on Sunday Mornings
    • OWL Information at a Glance
    • Youth Ministry
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Soul Matters
    • Keeping Safe
    • Faith Formation Registration
  • Social Justice
    • Welcome to Social Justice
    • Advocates for Prevention of Gun Violence
    • Beardsley School Committee
    • Immigration and Refugee Committee
    • KIVA Microfinance Committee
    • Racial Justice Committee
    • Westbridge Coalition
  • Music Program
    • Music Choir Schedules
    • Evensong
    • Our Minister of Music
    • The Music Committee
    • The Bell Choir
    • The Choir (Women and Men)
    • Special Projects Choir
    • Once & Again Singers
    • Children’s Choir
    • Teen Choir
    • The Chamber Choir
    • Sight-singing Classes
    • Cabaret
    • Voice Classes
    • Love Is the Spirit
    • Tune My Heart To Sing
    • Support Our Music Program
  • Sermons & Poetry
    • Minister’s Messages
    • Sermons – Audio
    • Sermons – Video
    • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
    • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
    • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
    • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
    • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
    • Intern Minister’s sermons
    • Guest Minister’s sermons
    • Poetry & Readings
    • Communications from Your Ministers
  • Live Stream

To the Bone: Reflections in Black and White by William Ayers

August 25, 2010 by Jenny Klein

A child’s question: I am riding an early morning bus in New York City with my son Zayd, five years old and just beginning to read. The bus is packed with commuters, the mood a resigned grumpiness. Only Zayd is bright-eyed and chirpy as we groan down the avenue toward school and work. “Poppy,” Zayd says in his large outside voice, turning to me expectantly, “What’s a kike?” A hush falls as two hundred eyes lift and, in the sudden silence begin to sizzle, laser-like, into my head.

“What?”

“A kike. What’s a kike?”

I freeze. I seize up. I buy time: “Where did you hear that word, Zayd?”

“I read it,” he replies proudly. “See?” He points to a stab of red graffiti slashed across a rear window. “I HATE KIKES,” it reads—all upper case—and it is punctuated with a swastika.

“A kike,” I stammer. “A kike…” I search my erratic mind. I pursue my elusive courage. And then, miraculously, the crowd recedes, and there is Zayd with his basic trust intact, his childish hope undiminished, alive, his deeply human sense-making engine firing on all cylinders, and I know I must respond simply but honestly, for his sake and for my own.

“Kike,” I begin in a clear voice,” is a word full of hatred. It is a word full of violence, a word used by people who want to hurt Jews, like the word ‘nigger’ is meant to hurt black people. It’s a lying word, because it says that some people are more human than others, that some groups are superior to others, that some are less than human. Some people, filled up with hate, might call you a ‘kike.” It’s the kind of word we should never use, the kind of word we must always object to and oppose.”

Zayd’s face never loses its open and intent concentration. “OK,” he says simply. “Should you cross it out?”

What a thought! I drag a magic marker from my backpack, walk over and obliterate the stain. “OK,” he says again as I turn to face a smiling crowd, a few thumbs up, and an audible collective sigh.

Filed Under: Readings Tagged With: readings, To the Bone: Reflections in Black and White, William Ayers

  • Minister’s Messages
  • Sermons – Audio
  • Sermons – Video
  • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
  • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
  • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
  • Intern Minister’s sermons
  • Guest Minister’s sermons
  • Readings & Poetry
  • Communications from Your Ministers

     The Unitarian Universalist
     Congregation in Westport
     is a member congregation of the
     Unitarian Universalist Association

      CLICK HERE if you have any questions      about The Unitarian Universalist
    Congregation in Westport

Congregational Hours: Tuesday - Friday
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Summer Hours:
July & August until after Labor Day:
Tuesday - Friday 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

CLICK HERE to contact the web master

CLICK HERE to opt in to receive
the Weekly Congregational Email Blast

Copyright © 2023 · Visit us at The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport - 10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - All rights reserved.