Friday, October 16, 2009

Interracial Relationships Making Headlines

Okay, dear readers, you have all probably gasped, sucked your teeth, shouted a few "no he didn'ts," and rolled your eyes several times because of yesterday's news that a justice of the peace in Louisiana refused to issue an interracial couple a marriage licence, citing concern for the future offspring of such a union. Maybe you didn't read the story, but suffice it to say, it feels like a throwback to life before the Loving decision.

Now before you go deciding that America is so backwards and behind, check out this Politico story about New York City politician, Bill de Blasio who actually found that his African-American wife (he's White) and Mixed children were an asset in his campaign for New York City public advocate. Being in an interracial marriage apparently marks him as a progressive and in tune with issues affecting and important to minority voters.

So maybe Louisiana is an isolated incident? Maybe America is ready to accept and even champion love across the color line. Apparently NBC is ready to push the envelope as Gabrielle Union and John Cho get to be a hot and heavy couple on the new drama series, FastForward. I actually haven't seen the show, but Sky Obercam over at Clutch Magazine wrote about their "Bumble Bee" romance and what it means in terms of progress on television. (I admit, I much prefer the term "Bumble Bee romance" to interracial relationship.)

So what do you think people? Do we get out our poison pens and picket signs and head to Louisiana? Or do we throw our support and praise behind people like Blasio who are putting their families front and center? Where do you think America is in accepting interracial relationships? To be honest, I often forget that I fall into this category, it is such a non-issue in my life. But I have worked hard to get here. I chose a neighborhood where interracial unions are commonplace. I'm now attending a church where multiracial families are a huge part of the congregation, and most of my friends are some sort of colorful. So I basically live in a multi-culti bubble. So, tell me please, does it need to be burst?

I'm listening.

Peace.

4 comments:

Tere Kirkland said...

Yeah, heard about this yesterday.

No JOP in Orleans parish would have refused them their license. This man from Tangipahoa must really get off on being able to tell people he won't marry them.

Louisiana is one of the most racially mixed states in the country, both historically and to this day. I'm glad the ACLU LA is getting involved to show the rest of the world how serious this is, but I'm afraid all people will remember is one closed-minded old man with an offensive attitude.

In his experience "most interracial marriages do not last long."

I wonder if he's ever researched demographics on how many non-mixed marriages end in divorce? I think he'd be a little surprised at the high percentages across the board.

Okay, I'm babbling, but as far as I'm concerned, if a couple loves each other, they'll make it work, no matter what the difficulties. Hell, if they don't love each other, it's still their right to make their own mistakes and learn from them.

Kay said...

There's also a couple on this season of The Amazing Race:

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/bio/brian_and_ericka_15/bio.php?season=15

They did a cute, "Zebra Power," hand sign, by interweaving their fingers together, on one episode.

Professor Tharps said...

Tere,
You raise some really good points about LA being really diverse. Prolly a lot of folks up North don't think of it that way.

Mama K,
Thanks for the info. Zebra power? hmmm.

Anonymous said...

Lori.
I saw you on Tyra today concerning the "good hair" topic. You were excellent. You articulated the "black hair" experience very well. I was very pleased that you went to "root" of the phrase 'good hair. History is so often ignored out of fear of finding the truth or our pure laziness on many of our parts.

I must get your book concerning Black hair. When you made the statement about Black people not being De-programmed after the slavery experience caused me to think about Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary's book, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. She explains how black people have never received therapy or a deprogramming after enduring the trauma of slavery and then, 100 more years of lynching and JIM Crow.

Thanks so much for your words.

Rico Rivers
Dallas, TX
972-639-4442
Ricoinnorthmemphis@hotmail.com