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Edited on Tue Oct-24-06 07:03 PM by StellaBlue
I am white and in Austin, and none of my friends (or, as far as I can tell, acquaintances) here think anything about it at all. I know a few interracial couples. I've dated people of several races. Meh. No big deal. But if my father knew, he would be really upset. :crazy:
In East Texas, where I am from, it is definitely frowned upon, by both the black and white community, but not totally, and it is certainly not the cause for social pariah-hood that it would've been when my parents were my age. However, none of the "well-to-do" (ha!) people in my hometown, population 25,000, are intermarried, and I would be shocked to see any of my white former classmates in the local weddings announcements section with their black fiancee. Marrying Histpanics is "not as bad", but still frowned upon, and none of the sorority types would do that, either, unless the person was "Spanish" or at least looked it. I know one girl who married a Chinese guy, which people kind of raised their eyebrows about, but they are both doctors and living in Dallas... so, not such a big deal, really.
There are plenty of interracial couples in my hometown community, however; just the "town leaders" would consider them "white trash", etc. It's also mainly the older people, like over 60, in the community who seriously look down on interracial relationships. My aunt, at age 70, for instance, would have a very 1950s type of response, tut-tutting, saying it's against God's will, etc. And I think interracial couples would certainly get some looks out and about in town, but not harassment. Some of that may be natural curiosity, because it is still definitely NOT in the mainstream, to see a mixed couple. And people always want to look at their children, to see how they look. :eyes:
I know plenty of people there who still use the "n-word". :( But I think, too, there is enough racism to go around. The black community (understandably) mistrusts the white majority. But, in school, for instance, never once did I ever make any racist remarks to anyone, and I have some particularly nasty memories of several of the black girls harassing me on the volleyball court, yelling things like, "Hit the ball, you white bitch", "White girl can't play!", etc. And yet they were never disciplined, or even talked to about it. :shrug:
My hometown is still mostly segregated socially, though. So it's weird. It's only really in high school sports, and especially football, that real fraternization occurs. Everyone sat at separate lunch tables, etc., and I can't think of any interracial couples in high school.
One of my cousins is dating a black guy and is four months pregnant. Another cousin has told her that her "black" baby is not welcome in his home; the rest of the family is wholly supportive and have no problems with it, including her parents and grandparents. They are all working class, farmers, welders, etc. I think it's cool that I will be related to black people. IMHO, this is the only thing that will REALLY do away with racism. We need to get all mixed up. Sort of like how people's bigoted anti-gay views tend to change substantially when they find out someone close to them is gay. If we are all related to each other, invested in each other, then there is no room for hate. I have a feeling that when the baby arrives, the one racist cousin will learn a few things, because he will actually want to see the baby and will grow to love it. He's really a decent guy, just a stereotypical redneck. :(
Anyway, that's the report from my microcosm.
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