We see traces of it on television with celebrities. The majority of us can at least recall one family member who took the leap of blind love, and consequently landed in the frigid territory of other outcasts. Perhaps social clout plays a role in the acceptability of interracial courtship, as some high profile celebrities flaunt their colourful love, suffering way less ridicule.
As recent as the past century, interracial marriage has matured from something that could warrant jail time, to something that basically, instantaneously classifies you as a minority. 1 in 12 marriages as of the year 2012 were of couples of different races. In optimism, we can celebrate outstanding progress, as we have made grand strides from a time when the average joe could die from following his heart. In 2000, Alabama became the last state to lift its ludicrous, and divisive ban on interracial matrimony. The fact that there were, and is legislation in place to govern love, easily makes us look infantile as a nation. As people, our capacity to love acts as a glue that is capable of uniting anyone with any decent person, irrespective of colour or creed. This ability given to us by mother nature shouldn't be trifled with by any law.
Obviously, how accepted it is to date or marry a person of another race, depends on who you are, what you are, your intellect, and where you are. Minorities and young adults were among the most tolerant and embracing of such courtship and marriage. Perhaps the harmful pollutants, in the form of passed down prejudices and hateful coaching of children, are being diluted as time moves forward. Is this an indication that this socially hindering beast is near extinction? -Maybe. But the mind of a child is pristine and malleable, which infers that if they indeed have these negative prejudices, they were taught. Pursuant to intellect, people of higher education seem to accept the idea of a person " marrying outside of their race" more than their less educated counterparts. If I had to submit a guess as to why this is so, I'd say that naturally intelligent people tend to "think outside the box", and hold conflicting views with the at the time norm. It is too probable that intelligent people seek to understand before they load their mouth full of judgments and carelessly fire off. The latter, I would opine, is the more accurate. Because people have much to do with the feel of a state, it might occur to one that there are varying philosophies among the states. The north is typically more socially liberal than the south. Western and Northeastern states showed more occurrences of interracial marriages. It is no need to expound on the stubbornness of states near the bible belt.
What does all this mean? Essentially we should go forth and love unrestricted, instead of being so preoccupied with something that's only about 2mm thick. That's how thick human skin is; it has surprisingly been a formidable barrier between many a people. The vast majority of black women act as though it is a heinous crime for a black man to be romantically involved with a white woman( I've definitely been guilty). But no one should be held to the social letter of the law simply because they possess an open mind, and selects to think for them self. I've seen real life, and current examples of hindered hearts. These are people who may be free, but their hearts are imprisoned. There is a grandfather at this very moment imprisoning the heart of his granddaughter. Naturally occurring thoughts are being swayed everyday.
I have the fortune of having been taught, that as a whole, we are more alike than we are dissimilar. My family remain wholesome, loving, and accepting people. During my school days, my mother dealt with my colourful, juvenile romances without even blinking an eye. Of them, she has met: everyone from the purest of African to the palest of white, and everything in between. Take a look at my family, and it will be evident that we love without parameter, from my grandfather to my brother.
Cheers -D.A.
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