Inter-racial relationships, so what?

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It seems to me that most people are aware of the undesirable things in life. Part of those undesirables has to do with our differences as people. It’s bad enough when someone is killed or maimed for life because of the color of their skin, their cultural or religious beliefs, but also to be attacked because of their open-mindedness to the differences of other people seems even more outrageous.

This piece is not about all the things many of us try to heal, racism, bigotry and ignorance, but dealing more with how these things relate to inter- racial relationships.

There was a time when I was a youngster when if, for example, an IR couple walked passed a group of people, they got really nasty looks. Sometimes, even nasty things were said to them. What I can’t figure out is why the need was felt by others who didn’t know these couples, to feel as though something was wrong or even amoral about them being together. Were they doing something wrong?

My perspective on IR is pretty simple having grown up with different races and traveling to different cultures. It’s also simple because we are all human beings with feelings and have families that love us. I understand that different cultures have different values sometimes, or one value may be more important to that culture than another culture. This to me is the beauty of it. In Thailand or the Philippines, people have darker skin than I do and speak a different language also. This to me is the beauty of it. A Filipino child, when meeting an adult for the first time, will take the adults hand and put it to his forehead as a sign of respect. A Thai will bring their hands, palms together, towards their nose area in a “Wai” to show respect. A Muslim may bring his right hand over his heart when meeting a fellow Muslim. This to me is the beauty of it.

The IR couple, over the course of some time, has the opportunity to learn many of these and other cultural differences from the one they love. Do we see the beauty in that? The opportunity arises for better understanding of not just his/her culture, but a better understanding of us as individuals as well. This to me is the beauty of it. If a child is born out of love between an IR couples, what could be more beautiful? The child is blessed, not cursed, to be the child of two human beings that love each other enough to have a family regardless of skin color or eye shape. The child will grow up knowing twice as much about people and culture. And the tolerance level of this child as he/she grows into adulthood will be quite high. This to me is the beauty of it.

You love whom you love, not just for who they are, but also for whom they may not be. This is a choice we have in life. But that’s what choice is and should be embraced. So, when we see that IR couple walking down the street, let’s try to see the beauty in it.