posted on Mar, 12 2005 @ 12:46 AM
Tonight at work, a thought struck me. We, in America, say that we are no longer predjudice, for the most part, but take a look with me at racism in
the south, expecially. It's there if you choose to look.
I was outside reading in my car while taking a smoke break. It's a habbit I've come to love, considering most of the people I work with are too dumb
to carry on a coherent conversation for more than 3 minutes at a time. I finished up a smoke and stepped out of the car to go talk for a moment with
my boss about what all needed to be done before closing. As I walked up to her, I caught a bit of what they were talking about. Inter-racial
relationships. Most of the girls in my area, that I work with, are involved in multi-racial relationships.
They were asking another co-worker what they thought was wrong with it, and, she replied that "she wasn't brought up that way." No biggie, right?
She has a 17 year old daughter who is interested in a guy of a different race. Big trouble, for that family at least.
As I approached them, they all turned to me. "What do you think of multi-racial relationships?" Now, I'd never pondered this question, really. For
me, if I love someone and they love me, then, it's all good. For me, personally, I've never met someone of a different race that I have fallen
totally head over heals with, but, you never know. It could happen.
Well, as I stood there and thought of it, only one statement came to mind. It all comes down to free will. If someone tries to impose their values on
their children, the child will likely retaliate and go the opposite direction you want them too. A child has to choose what path in this life they
wish to follow. My response? "Everyone has to choose the path in life they wish to walk. It all comes down to free will. When we try to impose our
values on another, then they will likely run in the opposite direction out of spite."
Now, her response was quiet shocking to me, who has never really pondered the thoughts that began circling in my mind during that brief exchange. She
would "disown" her daughter for becoming involved with a man of a different race. In my mind, this shows either a lack of true love for her
daughter, or a deep seated hatred. I think, personally, that in this area it is a deep seated hatred.
See, I come from the mountains of Central/Northern VA. The town I live in is fairly small, but we are still close enough to a large city to be
somewhat of a tourist town, mainly people en-route to DC. You would think that this being a major traffic area people would be more open, but, guess
again.
Now, how do I get from multi-racial relationships to racism? Isn't it fairly evident that if a mother is willing to disown her daughter over a black
guy then she is a rasist in some form. I think so. Also, some of the people that I live near think that "black men in sports are using so many
steroids" because they are tougher in most sports.
Anyways, I just thought I would see what other people's take on this is. Is racism so deeply engrained in most people in the south? What is really
the big deal about multi-racial relationships? Isn't it enough that a couple loves each other, do they also have to have the same pigmentation to
fall in love?
Any thoughts?
regs