In my opinion
By: Ty Schwoefferman | Columnist
For The University of Oregon Daily Emerald
It is a common condition for those with no knowledge of self. The virus is spreading rapidly at the University. Beware of its major symptom: An uncontrollable sexual desire for the opposite race.
Are you are drawn to the crowded bars that play tasteless hip-hop music, like Taboo or Tsunami? Do you go to every black student union dance even though nobody invited you? Did you root for "Buck Wild" to win Flava Flav's heart in every episode of "Flavor of Love"? Do you dream about one day having a beautiful mixed brown baby? If you have any of these symptoms, call your local love doctor. He or she will know what to do.
I'm no love doctor, but I see too many black men or women making bad decisions when they get into unhealthy relationships with white men or women. But don't get it twisted. Both begin the relationship for the wrong reasons, which are based entirely on false stereotypes. They will say things such as, "I date white women because they are easier than black women," "I date black men because I want a brown baby," or "I date white men because they treat me right." Of course there are some exceptions to the rule; I myself know of a few relationships that work. The overwhelming majority of these relationships start with questionable logic and little thought about the political implications.
The Stevie Wonder classic song "Jungle Fever" sheds some light on the subject. He suggests to disregard race when you're in love. "She's gone black boy crazy, I've gone white girl hazy, ain't no think'n maybe, we're in love." You might think that I've gone crazy because I disagree with Mr. Wonder's optimistic message. The only thing I do agree with in his clever song is that most people don't really think before falling in love. Jungle fever spreads mainly because people don't think about all the racist American stereotypes.
But, realistically, I don't believe that a black and white couple in America can work.
My initial reaction to any interracial couple holding hands is that "something isn't right." I can't help it, but I have a strange uncontrollable reaction to the sight of an interracial couple when I see one. When the couple is in my sight, my mind justifies it with general stereotypes that attempt to explain reason why the two might be together: "That black guy is just dating around and it must not be serious," "It's about time that she got a white man," or "That white girl is just dating him for the fashion statement." These are just a few thoughts going through my head.
I do believe that the black and white combination is possible under the right conditions. Meaningful relationships might work in another country where social standards and cultural values are different. In America no interracial couple will survive as long as negative prejudices exist in the general public's conscience. There is just too much conflict to deal with outside of the relationship, such as the constant onslaught of negative prejudice from your peers and family. America has a violent history caused partially by the fear white men have, which is that black men will take their white women from them. An interracial relationship will be directly or indirectly challenging stereotypes that have a history of violence.
Are you aware of what happened to the 16-year-old black boy Emmett Louis Till in Mississippi? Carolyn Bryant claimed that he had said some unspeakable words to her (flirted), and aggressively asked for a date. Today, though, most people believe that he just whistled at the store clerk. Four nights after the incident, on Aug. 28, 1955, he was kidnapped from his uncle's house, taken to a shed and beaten unmercifully to his death. The murders also choked him with a barb wire, cut out his eye and ear and shot him with a .45 caliber gun. Before he was thrown into the Tallahatchie River by Carolyn's husband Roy Bryant and his half brother, they tied his neck to a cotton gin fan so he would sink to the bottom. Both of the white men were acquitted for the murder by 12 white jurors.
To understand this kind of lynch mob mentality better, watch the most popular racist film in American history, "The Birth of a Nation." The film signifies the powerful racist influences in the American conscience. I'm convinced that some white Americans believe in the movie's political portrayal of the black man.
The interracial taboo played a role in the midterm elections, and arguably decided the Congressional race in Tennessee. In October, an ad sponsored by the Republican National Committee featured a white girl making a flirtatious advance toward democratic competition. If elected, Harold Ford would have been the first African American Senator elected in the south since reconstruction. At the end of the commercial a blond, white women winks and whispers "Harold, call me." The ad made an implicit appeal to deep seeded racial fears about black men and white women. The ad is a clear example of how little has changed in America's race conflict.
In conclusion, I believe that stereotypes in America are so entrenched in our society that I see no way to sustain a true black and white relationship harmoniously.
I like how Ty Schwoefferman completely disregards the role black people who are opposed to "jungle fever" play in making these couples' lives unbearable; it's all white people's fault. Moreover, he writes as if there have been no significant changes in American society since "Birth of a Nation" and Emmett Till's brutal murder.
Given the high rates of black endogamy in this country, which exist for all sorts of reasons, Schwoefferman doesn't have to worry about large numbers of black men and black women getting infected with this fever.
What race is that guy, presumably the author of that piece? He looks like Tiger Woods? Is he talking about his parents' relationship or the fact that as a S. Asian, he can't get a date?
An interracial relationship/marriage that is built on racial/sexual stereotypes (lies), a subconscious desire to "get even", or a latent feeling of racial inferiority has a very good chance of failing (and probably should before children are brought into the picture) because the couple involved are not well balanced and issue free to begin with.
This is not true for all "interracial" couples and it's wrong for Mr. Schwoefferman to insinuate this.
I did a little research and discovered that he is indeed directly biracial. He shouldn't feel the need to trash ALL interracial couples because some enter into these relationships with the wrong intentions. He wouldn't exist if his White father and Black mother hadn't come together. If he's doing this to seem "officially black" or please the Afrocentric types he needs to seriously stop it. He should be proud of his BIRACIAL roots regardless of how he self-identifies and not in essence diss his own Mama and Daddy for God's sake. They brought him into this world and he is a product of their love for each other. I obviously have no idea if his parents are still happily married or not. If they aren't that's still not proof that all IR relationships/marriages are doomed. If they are - he's a fricken hypocrite - and maybe he honestly feels they are the exception to the rule.
Growing up, in elementary school, I was always the the token black boy. There were always four classes in my grade... two english, two spanish. There were plenty of whites and latinos. A few negro girls. But, I'm pretty sure I was the the only negro face running around n the playground from my entire grade. Julian Aaron maybe, but, i'm not sure(sorry Julian if i'm just stupid). But, that's besides the point. What's important is that I was always the black kid in elementary school. But, that was only in elementary school. Once we moved on to 6th grade, there were whole new swaths of black guys running around offereing new definitions of what it meant to be black. I didn't care then, though. I never hung out with any of them and plus there were few enough of us that we never really tredded on each other's turf. Plus, West Sylvan Middle School was a closed circuit. The outside world had little baring on this playground for the city's priveliged youth. The only thing that started sneaking in to our closed off community was the radio. Kids would eagerly wait for their chance to hear the latest Nelly cuts or debate the merits of 2pac's changes v. Puffy's Mo' Money, Mo' Problems. A few people wondered why I didn't know more about the Refugees... but, I'd just remind them that I never listened to the radio(unless I was on the school bus) and they'd leave me alone.
Then came high school. This is when the school district opened enrolment to the rest of the city. We had blacks flooding in from all kinds of neighborhoods... coming from all over the place. All competing with the black definitions that i'd grown comfortable with. But, don't fool yourself. The school was probably still 90-95% white. What's important is that i went from being "the only black guy they knew" to being "the whitest black kid they knew."
I didn't know what to make of this at first. It made me uncomfortable. I didn't know what it meant to be black. I still scoff at the idea that the color of my skin or the lives of my ancestors should somehow dictate the manner in which I carry myself or the music I listen to. But, i didn't want to get into all that. Instead, i just joked it off by stealling all the best characteristics of my negro brethren. "of course i can jump... i'm black." "don't worry about it, you'll never be able to dance like this... your too white" "yes the lady's love tall, dark and handsome."
But, now i don't know. Its true, i'm not all black like the other boys, mommy. Don't you remember I'm half white too. That seems to be something my siblings ignore. They fall behind the rationale that the rest of society can't see their white half, so they're forced to ignore it. But, I don't know. I guess for the moment i'll take it as a complement that i'm 'the whitest black guy.' Culture and stereotypes be damned, i'm being true to my biology.
Still, this has got to be the stupidest subject, people going on about ethnicity. Seriously people, bring up something that matters or at least thats real... Tamu Schwoeffermann.
“We register voters at concerts, homecoming events, highschools. Wherever young people assemble is fertile ground for us. We are registering new voters, and also challenging them to be the change on Election Day,” said Irene Schwoeffermann, BYV! national coordinator.
Schwoeffermann notes that a real connection is made with the youth once the volunteers educate the individual on the significance of the 435 House seats up for election. She adds, “We explain how the elected officials will have the power to influence issues that impact their daily life. Matters like a college grants or the cost of gasoline in their state. They get the picture when you connect the dots.”
Graduated with an accounting degree from University of California, Berkeley 1978
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I did a little research and discovered that he is indeed directly biracial. He shouldn't feel the need to trash ALL interracial couples because some enter into these relationships with the wrong intentions. He wouldn't exist if his White father and Black mother hadn't come together. If he's doing this to seem "officially black" or please the Afrocentric types he needs to seriously stop it. He should be proud of his BIRACIAL roots regardless of how he self-identifies and not in essence diss his own Mama and Daddy for God's sake. They brought him into this world and he is a product of their love. I obviously have no idea if his parents are still happily married or not. If they aren't that's still not proof that all IR relationships/marriages are doomed. If they are - he's a fricken hypocrite - and maybe he honestly feels they are the exception to the rule.
Methinks the kid is just pissed off at his parents and acting out to hurt them. Maybe he grew up wishing that his parents were of the same "race" and resolves it by speaking out against IRRs. Similarly to the male children of physical abusers that grow up to hate women because of what they saw their mother go through. It's quite a psychological contortion but it makes sense if he is struggling with feelings of self-acceptance.
Joined: 05 Apr 2006 {Posts: 300 } Location: Chatsworth, CA
Posted: Fri 17 Nov 2006 05:48 Post subject:
Agreed. Adolescent rebellion, line two.
Next thing the kid'll do is join the Nation of Islam. Don't laugh, I've seen it happen.
sagascend wrote:
zsana wrote:
I did a little research and discovered that he is indeed directly biracial. He shouldn't feel the need to trash ALL interracial couples because some enter into these relationships with the wrong intentions. He wouldn't exist if his White father and Black mother hadn't come together. If he's doing this to seem "officially black" or please the Afrocentric types he needs to seriously stop it. He should be proud of his BIRACIAL roots regardless of how he self-identifies and not in essence diss his own Mama and Daddy for God's sake. They brought him into this world and he is a product of their love. I obviously have no idea if his parents are still happily married or not. If they aren't that's still not proof that all IR relationships/marriages are doomed. If they are - he's a fricken hypocrite - and maybe he honestly feels they are the exception to the rule.
Methinks the kid is just pissed off at his parents and acting out to hurt them. Maybe he grew up wishing that his parents were of the same "race" and resolves it by speaking out against IRRs. Similarly to the male children of physical abusers that grow up to hate women because of what they saw their mother go through. It's quite a psychological contortion but it makes sense if he is struggling with feelings of self-acceptance.
I have nothing against the young man. I guess he is just going through a rebillious period. That's the only explanation that makes sense to me given his ethnic/"racial" background.
Joined: 10 Mar 2006 {Posts: 235 } Location: Atlanta
Posted: Sun 19 Nov 2006 16:51 Post subject:
This kid seems deeply upset at his parents. I'd say it was just a phase, especially since he has a truly lousy sense of history.
(I teach at an HBCU, and my students keep insisting that nothing has changed in America even though they're all aiming at careers that would have been truly difficult to get into 50 years ago. They mostly don't seem to have this young man's problem with interracial relationships, though.)
Posted: Sun 03 Dec 2006 19:05 Post subject: This is silly.
Very Silly. Not EVERYONE is OBSESSED with the interracial issue like some of the people on this forum are. I have a question:
why even post anything on the form at all, if you are so against interracial relationships. Is it all interracial relationships, or just those between white and black people?
p.s. - I don't feel like being attacked like some of the others were for posting an opinionated reply.
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