My son Edwin is a white Black Nationalist. I'm proud of him. He was born to a slave mother and a father who was a member of the Black Power movement. He knows exactly what it means to be black.

But now that he's nearly six, Edwin seems to be discovering his African heritage.

Last year, at age three, he proudly told a reporter: "I'm a Black Panther."

Now, in a recent episode of his show, a new character appears: a black maid, who is constantly scolding and criticizing the children's father, for example, telling him that he's not man enough to control his wife.

The scene was an uncomfortable one for me. I didn't know how to explain to my son that the role of the maid -- the one who works hard to support and protect the dominant class -- is one that has been played for centuries by people of African origin.