We Are "Supposed to Be"...

I totally forgot to write about the class from last Tuesday, which is very strange because I found that class to be one of the most interesting classes since we started. One thing that struck me as very interesting is that there are expectations for every race, gender, and social class.

Okay, I must admit I knew this already... but it was kind of one of those things you "knew" but you didn't have any concrete evidence that people really felt that. Take race and culture for example. In the "bible belt", as so many people love to call the South, it is not exactly "accepted" to marry a person of another race. Now, I don't know where in the bible it says that this is wrong, I just know that from the time I was old enough to understand the concept of race, it was made clear that different races didn't marry. I was talking to my roommate the other night, who is dating a guy of another race, and I asked her if her parents accepted their relationship. Even if we were still high school and the thought of marriage wasn't so prevelant, the fact that my parents accepted the guy I was dating a huge thing for me. She said that her parents loved her boyfriend and that race, where she is from, is not a big deal like it is here. And to be honest, I don't think the fact that some people in the south would rather not have their child be in an interracial relationship has nothing to do with descrimination and racism. Honestly, in my opinion it is about the fact that people in the south have most likely been raised in the south. Therefore, their culture has made it clear that interracial marriages and relationships are unacceptable... not morally, but just socially.

My aunt was talking to me about interracial relationships the other day as well. She said that the reason she doesn't agree with the mixing of the races in relationships, romantic relationships, is because as a teacher she is exposed to the negativity the mixed children can get from other students. I wasn't quite sure I understood what she meant so she explained and then I completly understood. In the south, because that is the only place I have witnessed interracial dating, sometimes when there is a mixed girl she is confused on which race she wants to date. Often times, one racial group or even both will shun the mixed child because they are not truly the full race they are. And it is really sad that there are some people who are really that shallow and only look at race, but there are some people who do. When it comes to raising a child in a society such as the south, being a mixed child can be difficult. I have never seen anything different about the children I went to school with that were mixed. I always thought this one girl named Dina was the prettiest girl I had ever seen. She was mixed with caucasion and African-American. I loved her skin tone, her hair, and especially her eyes. Everything looked it was the color of cocoa and I loved it! So for me, the interracial thing is not a problem in my eyes, but I find it strange that there are some people within different cultures who view the mixing of races as wrong.

One more thought before I stop. It bothers me that there are Christians in this world who truly believe that being married to a person of another race is morally wrong. I haven't heard or read anything in the Bible that says it is wrong to date a person of another color. Those "Christians" are giving other Christians bad names because it makes the rest of the religion seem as if they are racists. I don't doubt that the Christians who believe that it is wrong to interracially date aren't Christians, I just believe that they should do some more reading in the Bible and find out the real truth. I think I'm going to go... other homework to do! I hope this next class is just as interesting as last Tuesday!