i need to come respond with a level head. I posted angry and let some words fly that I shouldn't have and I apologize to melaninmama and whoever else I pissed off. Like Savir said, I need to forget emotion for a second and think. My opinions, for the most part are as I stated before: that there's nothing wrong with interracial relationships and that if you think there is you are a racist, but racists are still living breathing people with thought processes and rationality. They came to their opinions and rationalized them and this is a very complicated process, which shouldn't be fuck you'ed so quickly. It takes lifetimes to accumulate such opinions. Melaninmama was right when she said I don't know her, and I don't know what it's like to be black (but she doesn't know me either and shouldn't say the fucked up shit about me that she said, but enough). So in an effort to be more cooperative, more understanding, and learn a little more about you and your opinion before I say 'fuck you' again, I ask a few questions (see bottom) <P>One of you asked, when a white person marries a black person, what has this white person done for the black family? Now, this is a very general group: the black family. There's a lot of em. You're a damn genius if you figure out how to better the lives and reputation of such a large group of people, whether you're black, white, or neither. I personally know of only a handfull alive today who have done so. Now I'm not black, so that makes me no expert when I speculate that this should not be a requirement to start a relationship with a black person. But I can name one thing this white person has done for the black family: they joined one. They have vowed to help build one. It's a white family now too, but so what? It's a family, and half the members are black... er the members are half black. Anyways, it's a loving family and that's a beautiful thing. I'm not even trying to argue that love is colorblind, but interracial love does happen, whether you like it or not (I know you already know this, I'm not trying to talk down to you, okayplayer?).<P>Maybe for you, love sees some strict-ass racial boundaries or it doesn't but you prefer the companionship of only your own race, and that is your business, but I think if you have a problem with the members of your race and the opposite sex dating outside your race and therefore depleting your sexual resources, that's your problem, and yours alone. Someone marrying outside their race, regardless of the circumstances, can not be held responsible for the poor state of other families, or the inavailability of other men/women of their race. For the record, they're also not accountable for racism, poverty, a faulty criminal justice system, or any other form of oppression against his/her people (but you already knew that). A black man who marries a white woman is not (at least in any case I know of, but I'll keep my peeps peeled) marrying "one of the oppressors." Any white woman who marries a black man has to be against all that oppressive shit or they just wouldn't click like that.<P>No one on this board has tried to insinuate that the black family is not important (that would be foolish, not just wrong), or that the criminal justice system in this country is fair. It's fucked up. You've got to be a fascist or a naive motherfucker to disagree. Mumia is in prison solely because he's black and he spoke up about injustice (that and his brother happened to be in the wrong place at the right time), and fucked up is an understatement. And he is only one example of a racially biased court system. I am 100% against racial injustice of any kind, and I include intolerance for interracial relationships in that category.<P>Is it so hard to understand? Try to put yourself in my place. I'm a very racially mixed individual. Here I am in the middle of a discussion in which some of you are saying that people like me should not exist. You say you're proud to be black. Well I'm proud to be mixed, not confused by it. Yes, I've experienced racism against me by folk of all races. I've been called spic, juero, whiteboy, coconut. When I was 12 years old I was turned down by a girl who liked me, because her father wouldn't let her go out with a non-Japanese boy. Now that was just little kid shit, but the pain was real, and it was because of her racist father. What i'm sayin is, I know what racism is. So naturally, I can't stand by and listen to you say that a man can't date a woman if he's black and she's white. Are you to tell me that Lindsay would have been any less Japanese if she had been my girlfriend?<P>Now I haven't had the below questions answered by the people I seem to be arguing against, but the opinion seems to be this: "Blacks dating whites (all non-blacks? and would this include dark Latinos? and either way, where do we draw this line?) is wrong because blacks need to support black unity and strengthen our community by creating a positive black family." So now it's okay for non-blacks to date anyone of any non-black race, and it's only okay for blacks to date other blacks? Let me draw you a diagram:<P>***********************************************************************<BR>whites(all peoples of European descent) latinos asians american indians indians(from india) australian aborigines peoples of the middle east polynesians melanesians micronesians philipinos eskimos<BR>______________________________________________<P>blacks<P>***********************************************************************<P>and that brings me to my questions:<BR>These should all begin with "In your opinion,"<P>1. Is it okay for a white man to date an asian woman?<BR>2a. Is it okay for a black man to date a white woman?<BR>2b. If your answer to 2a is "no, because he should be a positive force for black unity," or something along those lines, then answer this:<BR> Why can't he support unity among blacks and unity among others as well?<BR>3a. Is it okay for a black man to date a non-black, non-white woman?<BR>3b. same as 2b.<BR>4a. Is it okay for a black woman to date a white man?<BR>4b. (you figure out what 4b is)<BR>5a. Is it okay for a black woman to date a non-white, non-black man?<BR>5b. (why not?)<BR>6. Is it okay for a Kosovar man to date a Serbian woman?<BR>(I know you're all gonna jump on this one and say, "No, because Kosovar men should support Kosovar unity! The only times Serbs mention equality is when it benefits Serbs!".... okay, okay, that was a bad joke, but damn... at least I can still play, Okay?)<BR>7. Is it okay for a Jewish man to date a German woman?<P>Please give sound reasoning for any answer and why different questions may have different answers and also only reply if for any of the questions you give "no" answers.<P>P.S. Melaninmama, if i'd known you wanted to "go south on me" I would have been much nicer to you at first ..... (i'm kidding! can't anyone take a joke?)