Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site abnjh.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!akgua!whuxle!spuxll!abnjh!lute From: lute@abnjh.UUCP (J. Collymore) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Interracial Dating Message-ID: <865@abnjh.UUCP> Date: Thu, 27-Sep-84 17:26:30 EDT Article-I.D.: abnjh.865 Posted: Thu Sep 27 17:26:30 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 2-Oct-84 01:42:27 EDT Organization: ATTIS, NJ Lines: 45 I have taken quite some interest in the discussion that has begun on interracial dating (ird) on the net. I would like to thank Greg Skinner for sharing some of his (and his family's) experiences with us on the net. There was also another fellow who mentioned his experiences, also, who I'd like to thank. It's nice to know that I'm not alone. I believe that in the U.S. and Canada, IRD is considered by many (particularly those of us over 25) to be a taboo subject. In my own personal experience I have found over the years that the only place one will get almost no hassles IRD is in Hawaii. A sad but true fact. For the rest of us, there are all the usual problems: people (including "friends" sometimes) staring, unseemly looks or remarks, people avoiding you, tunrdowns for dates because "mommy and daddy would be VERY upset" (as if you're asking for marriage instead of a date), friends trying to "talk you out of this counter-productive interest," etc. No, it is no picnic for the most part. I'd like to think that things were as easy, and natural as a fellow said just a few days ago in this newsgroup, that (and I am paraphrasing here) IRD is (or should be) a non-issue and it doesn't even need to be discussed. I hate to tell you though, get your head out of the sand! Not discussing a subject that has broken many hearts, will not make it go away, or make the world and easier place to live in, or make people re-evaluate their attitudes and responses on the subject! Only from confronting and discussing the issue can the beginnings of change take place. Maybe I am wrong, but the world seems only marginally more agreeable to IRD than it was when I was first starting to date as a teenager in the turbulent late 60's (in "liberal" New York State). I hope someday soon I will be able to feel freer to share some of my experiences in this area with you (they have not all been bad). But until that time I encourage the rest of you to discuss this issue so that eventually this subject does become a non-issue. Jim Collymore p.s. If you haven't yet realized it... I'm black. "I have a dream...that some day my children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character..."