A chance to explain: Inter-racial marriage

I am Southern, I am originally from North Carolina and moved to northern Florida (where all the Southerners live) as a boy. But we were never bigoted, my brother married a girl who is half black, half Hawaiin and they are still married 30 years later.

I moved to New England about 25 years ago and I have experienced much more racism and bigotry in this part of the country than I ever did down South. And some time ago I showed statistics from the FBI that showed there is a much higher incidence of hate crimes based on race in the North than in the South.

Check and see for yourself, it is true.

So, don't stereotype the South.

 

I, of course, can only speak on the area in which I live... a small part of the south, Western Kentucky.

Regardless of how the rest of the south is, it saddens me to see the bigotry and ignorance where I live, especially in the Baptist churches. I have had people I know, less than two hours after leaving a Sunday morning service, attempt to indoctrinate me into beliefs such as "the white man being the chosen ones of God" and other such heresy.

 

Hey there, I live in McCracken county. I go to a small church, and see no signs of bigotry or racism. If I ever did, such as a person of a different race trying to join the church, either the person opposing membership based on race would be disfellowshipped, or I would belong somewhere else.

 

I grew up in Mississippi in the 50s and 60s, so I do not need to stereotype the South. It was exactly what is was, a segregated, bigoted at every level of society, from the state and the local governments, to schools, to local businesses. I saw it and experienced it, and any idiot could tell it was wrong.

 

I think you are too quick to take offense here. If I have offended you, I'm sorry for that, but I'm not sure you understand what I am saying (if your comments are directed to me). Let me ask, what do you know about anthropology? Your multi-racial family may have exactly the same culture as a so-called "pure white" family. Culture and race are two very different things.

Many American black families are in a culture identical to many white families. However, there are subcultures within both white and black populations. Have you ever met anyone, white or black, from South Georgia? Or the hill country of Kentucky? Or rural Colorado? These are all somewhat different sub-cultures. Would you say the hip-hop culture (actually a sub-culture, including both blacks and whites) is identical to the culture of your multi-racial family?

 

Hey, small world! I am thankful that in my own church no such bigotry seems to exist as well.

I see you go to East Baptist? A friend of mine and his family used to attend there years ago.

 

Culture and race are two different things. You can't assume that there is a "white culture" and a "black culture" based on race. That is very offensive.

You know, I'm so colorblind that I forgot to mention that my daughter is engaged to a young man who is half-black. He doesn't by any means belong to a different culture! She loves him for the content of his character, not the color of his skin.

If I found out that members of the church I attended were bigoted and racist I would go to the pastor and complain, and if it wasn't addressed, I would find another place to worship so fast it would make your head spin.

 

That is ridiculous, some schools hold "Black Culture Days". Here is an article about a church preserving Black culture.

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ren/lifestyle/84140807.html

These are statements from African Americans, not white folks.

 

Arguing about race and culture totally misses the mark. The central point has to do with showing dignity and respect to each of God's creations. It has to do with letting the love of God shine through you to others.

There was a time in history about 70 years ago when a certain individual thought his race was superior to others. He became leader of a nation and the rest resulted in one of the greatest crimes against humanity in history. There is no room for such garbage in this nation, and certainly not on this board.

 

And I just pointed out that race was not the issue. The issue is respect for human dignity and a love for everyone of God's creations.

 

Maybe I am blind to the whole "white culture" and "black culture" thing because up here in the Pacific Northwest we look at people as people, and don't judge them based on their skin color.