Who spends time with a person of another race?

[NaMeaHou]

Not some abstract crap, but who spends time with others of another "race"

This should be more than working with someone or going out with the group for holidays.

Do you spend time with someone of another race?

[dfong63]

1. does my sweetie count?

[DuctapeFatwa]

3. It's not, but if it were my question I would say no, sweeties do not count

For the simple reason that love is such a unique, irresistible, unpredictable and uncontrollable force, that while the eventual effects of many "sweeties" will definitely change social conditions in time, falling in love with a Hutu does not mean that you as a Tutsi are accustomed to spending discretionary time on a regular basis with Hutus you do not happen to be in love with.

Edit to say that my interpretation of the question is more like, who do you call up when you are depressed/elated/need a ride/want somebody to go shopping/eating/to watch movies with, who is watching you type right now, etc, and again discounting sweeties, whether just met new sweeties, or life partner of 50 years with whom you share 800 grand and great grandchildren.

[On the Road]

2. I'm Caucasian -- My Girlfriend is Chinese

My previous girlfriend was black. (In fact, there was a time about five years ago when three out the four people I spent most time with socially were black.)

I also led an English language conversation group for a year and a half, and spent one evening a week with six to ten people from other countries.

[Dirk39]

4. many persons...

Hello from Germany,
mostly people, who came from Africa. Two of my girlfriends were black, I've met one of them in the USA, while I was in Cincinatti for a year. I have a weakness for black women, I guess:-) One of my best friends in school in a small town near Hamburg was, besides his father and his sister, the only younger black in our town with about 30.000 inhabitants.
Greetings,
Dirk

[Karenina]

9. When I make a real connection with someone

with the Spirit of a person, it is impossible to see them in such superficial terms as coloration, nationality, religion, usw. It's the same manifestation as not being able to remember whether a conversation was in Deutsch, Englisch or D'englisch. For others I can throw out an explanatory crumb like, Er ist ein Ballimermeister, to give a clue. I only see an accomplished musician as I sit in sein Spielraum mit keine Sprachliche eingang, nur was ich spiele... Er sagte, die Frau ist schon tief drin. That's cuz I made an effort to LEARN THE MUSICAL LANGUAGE. Wir brauchen kein Wort.

Racism is so stupid. We all live here on this tiny planet and have so much we can give to each other. Leider, our MONETARY VALUE SYSTEM has corrupted and distorted our vision. :shrug:

[glarius]

12. Racism IS SO STUPID!!....Agreed agreed agreed!!!

It boggles my mind how one can make a judgement of someone by the colour of their skin....That's as intelligent as judging them by the colour of their eyes....It just doesn't make any sense!....

[Dirk39]

22. Most absurd thing that happened to me a few month ago...

I know a guy, Paul, who grew up in Liberia and Jamaica (his father escaped from the war in Liberia). He's living here in Hamburg with his sister, Mercy, who is about 23. Both are very religious (christians). I use to talk with his sister a lot, she's an incredible human being, you simply have to love her.
A few month ago, she told me, she was taught that originally all people were white. One guy was commiting a "sin" - I don't remember what he did, but - whatelse do you expect? - it was related to sex somehow. Then god punished this guy by making him black... But he gave those people the chance to improve by becoming real christians...
She seemed to be a bit afraid that I would laugh at her and I didn't want to hurt her, but she really asked me, if I think, this story is /could be true!!!????
Sounds like the kind of story, missionaries told the colonised and enslaved people centuries ago, but we write the year 2003 and it's still alive.
Dirk

[glarius]

23. What a horrible, soul-destroying story....this young woman and many

others like her have possibly had their lives stunted by this moronic belief they have been fed....How disgusting!

[Character Assassin]

40. That's fundamental Mormonism. Almost the same thing as Nation of Islam

http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/africanamerican.htm

BRUCE R. McCONKIE
(of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Mormon Church)

"Those who were less valiant in the pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us as the negroes. Such spirits are sent to earth through the lineage of Cain, the mark put upon him for his rebellion against Cod and his murder of Abel being a black skin.... Noah's son Ham married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain, thus preserving the negro lineage through the flood....The negroes are not equal with other races when the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow therefrom, but this inequality is not of man's origin. It is the Lord's doing, based on His eternal laws of justice, and grows out of the lack of spiritual valiance of those concerned in their first estate."
Mormon Doctrine, 10th printing, pages 527-528.

The NOI is quite similar. Elijah Muhammed developed an off-kilter belief system based on ideas extracted from numerous sources. He created a myth which he called, "Yacub's History."

The myth states that the first humans were a race of black people, whom he called the 'Original Man'. They created white people in a genetic experiment 6,000 years ago. Elijah purported that the whites would rule the world for 6,000 years and then be destroyed at the 'end of their time' by the blacks. He said that Judgement Day means that at the end of time the Gods (blacks) would wipe out the entire white race (Devils) and then establish a Paradise (nation) on this earth ruled forever by the blacks.

The more things change.....

[Dirk39]

43. Thanx for the info...

I guess at least the NOI doesn't have "white" members.
Dirk

[CatWoman]

18. When I was stationed in Germany

I only went out with German men.

[Soopercali]

5. Race and friendship.

My best friend is black, and today we went out to breakfast and did some shopping. Everyone always thinks we're a lesbian couple because they can't imagine why else we would possibly spend time together.

She thinks it's funny ("Why should I give a damn what anyone else thinks?) but it bothers me because I think it's sad that interracial friendship is beyond many people's understanding.

[Nikia]

15. Do you find one race more accepting than the other?

Of your friendship. In the other thread, I talked about my Hispanic friend that I had made at my previous workplace. It seemed that the Hispanics were more accepting of our friendship than the Wisonsin Germanic whites. In fact, it didn't seem like the Hispanics had a problem with it at all.

[newyawker99]

25. Hi Soopercali!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[eauclaireliberal]

6. Don't know

I haven't noticed.

[ForrestGump]

7. Me

Outside of work hours, I spend a fair bit of time every week with persons of African extraction who share common interests. At this point, and for the last 18 months or so, I probably spend more time with them than with anyone else outside of work. I am the only white person around most of the time when I'm with them, a fact that I noted at first but that soon didn't even occur to me at all. I do tend to stand out by virtue of my appearance when I'm with them, I'm sure, but not to them.

My work has also taken to me to places where I am a distinct racial minority, sometimes for extended periods of time (months, years). It can be interesting, that, but I'm so used to it now that it's fairly unremarkable to me and the basics of just treating people with respect go a long way pretty much anywhere.

[NJCher]

8. another couple

We're friends with a couple who are African-American. The things we have in common are that both males are hobby gourmet chefs and the other woman and I are both highly interested in the decorative arts. In fact, she is an interior designer. Both are sharp dressers and are very stylish, as is my husband. I'm the sartorial slaggard of the group. The thing we like to do the most is dine together at new restaurants and go on culinary and wine-tasting adventures.

My husband has a couple of friends who are from Trinidad and who come over here a lot for dinner and drinks. They've been friends for years and years.


Cher

[Kamika]

10. lol you make it sound like its a charity case

I spend time with anyone i feel like, i dont care about their skin color. I spend alot of time with white ppl, not that much time with blacks(altough my best friend is a girl whose father is from Liberia), pretty much time with mexicans and rest with other asians.

yippiekayey

[SOteric]

11. Phtt. My life is filled with people of colour.

One of my 3 closest friends from prep school is of African American descent. She married a fella and moved to Canada 3 years ago, but we still see each other pretty often. I had the hots for her brother for a while many years ago.

Growing up, many of our family's long-time closest friends were hispanic.

My sister-in-law is a Japanese ex-pat, and it was I who introduced her to my brother. Their Italian/Japanese son is affectionately named "Vinnie-Hiro."

One of mine and my brother's oldest and dearest friends is a Tlingit, and I have close and lengthy friendships with 3 other tribes, one of whom I engage in activism on behalf of.

There's a great many more, but these are those of closest acquaintance.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. My partner is of another race; so is my roommate

and so are many of my friends. I spend a lot of time with my partner. :evilgrin:

Sadly, have some repuke friends, and I can only assume they are another race. Does that count, too?

[SOteric]

20. You mean like

Republicans are a race of beings from the planet Moran, near Tau Seti?

[radwriter0555]

28. Aren't republicans a different species altogether?

I coulda sworn....

[Rabrrrrrr]

32. Ooh, that could be true

Perhaps I was wrong to call them a different race. They must be from another planet!

[gracie]

14. daughter in law

My daughter in law is Asian therefore my grandchildren are 1/2 Asian,the other 1/2 Caucasian---Georgeous kids!

[AquariDem]

16. Heck yeah!

I don't know a ton of people, but the ones I do know are of all kinds of colors, including Black (that's me). I think that almost everyone hangs out with someone of a different background.

[HEyHEY]

17. No, I don't like other races....kiddin

Yeah, my buddy is East Indian, another is from the Philipines. Have a buddy from Ivory Coast too.

[arcane1]

19. oh yeah

I have not only had relationships with people of several different races, but have had friendships, social groups, co-workers, etc, from damn near every race. Get along great with all, and they all love me too! :silly:

[Fight_n_back]

21. I live in Berkeley

and hang in the bay area.

My best friend is mixed race (appears black) I tease him that he is the kid from Boondocks grown up.

I am going out with someone who was born in Laos (but grew up in Sacramento).

My professional dealings are rather well rounded if language is not an issue.

Race is a socilogical construct. If a person is burned beyond recognition there is no way to tell their race unless they have an ethnically specific disease.

[On the Road]

24. Hispanics

Everyone's responses here reinforce my impression that Hispanics are more segregated than other groups. Lots of responses on Asians and black folk, but not so much on Hispanic. Hard to believe they're the largest minority.

I'm sure a lot of it's a language thing. But it's more than than. Hispanics still tend to be off the radar in a way that other ethnic groups used to be.

[Blue_Chill]

36. Ahem.....

I'm hispanic and I spend time with all races. Growing up my friends were black, white, asian, arab, jewish, etc etc. We don't think in terms of race too often because all races are included in the term "hispanic".

[Aristus]

26. I try to avoid "Some of my best friends are....." testimonials, but I

trust my fellow DU-ers to take me seriously. My best friend is black. He sang at my wedding and is very close to me and my wife. I love him. He is a blindingly talented guy and a wonderful person.

[radwriter0555]

27. Does that include my friends, family, clients, nieghbors or community

members, social events?

All of the above.

Can't stand a wonder bread world. I like my life with FLAVOR in it!

[VermontDem2004]

29. I don't know

People are usually colorless to me. I never started to pay attention to which teams have black qb's till Rush made those comments, but before they did I would just look at quarterbacks 'The Falcon's QB' or 'The Chargers Qb' 'The Packers Qb' etc. or by names Michael Vick, Brett Farve, Drew Brees.

[VermontDem2004]

30. Why do you care?(to the original poster)

I spend time with people, I think that is all that matters.

[Cat Atomic]

31. Meh- I hang out with people I like. Most of them are from Mexico,

but that's only because I grew up in an area with alot of Mexican immigrants. I also have white friends, black friends, blah blah blah... but I don't think of them that way, and I've never intentionally socialized with someone just because of their ethnicity. Except in foreign countries, where that's sort of the whole point of going.

[DrWeird]

33. If you really want to understand race relations...

try spending the holidays with your black in-laws.

Let me tell you about Aunt Dolores...

[otohara]

34. Hubby is Japanese

from Japan, many of my friends are Mexican - I am 1/2 Hispanic

[ACK]

35. Use to till I moved to Northern VA...

My neighbor she is from Peru and the neighbors behind us are from the Phillipines I think.

Still except for some general neighborhood gathering type events I don't really hang with them. The lady from Peru has a real bullethead racist West VA hubbie. The neighbors behind us are nice enough though.

Use to hang out with a lot of people of a lot of different ethnic racial backgrounds in old neighborhood in the Hotlanta 'burbs.

My neighbors next door were black and the neighbor family across the street were hispanic and my wife's best friend was from South America.

I was more active in my neighborhood back then to be sure.

[Chilly_Willy]

39. Growing up in No. VA

I can't see the point of if we are friends of other races post, this is b/c the only differences I see in my friends are their personalities/attitudes are different considering if they grew up with just a dad, or single mom, or with both parents.

But here goes... I am 3rd generation American and my family was from Europe, my closest friends are Chilean, Scotish, Filipino, Irish, Bolivian, Guatemalan, Spanish, Columbian, Peruvian, Korean, El Salvadorian, and most of my friends are 1st or 2nd generation Americans.

[noonwitch]

37. My best friend is black. We've been friends for 20 years, since college

I work with a lot of black people, too, but I don't socialize with my coworkers on off hours, regardless of their race.

[rppper]

38. i hate labels, but for the sake of the thread....

i'd say half my friends and assosiates are of another race. my current girlfriend is black. i am white as rice....lol. we get a lot of stares...but i just stare back. most people hesitate to make comments within earshot...my size undoubtedly has a lot to do with that. people are people...

[RetroLounge]

41. Hmmm. My kids seem to be aliens, does that count?

Seriously, not as much as in previous years.

Went to college at U of I Chicago and worked downtown Chicago, so hung out with people of many different races.

Then went to grad school and lived on the East Side of Milwaukee which is fairly mixed, race wise.

But the past few years, moved to a suburb that is mostly white, and work in a small company, hey wait, that's it, 1/4 of the company is from India, so yes would be the answer.

But outside of work? No, not really.

[ohiosmith]

42. DO ALIENS COUNT?

Do they have to be from this galaxy?

[Solly Mack]

44. All the time

will there be a test?

[blondeatlast]

45. Hubby is Asian Indian.

[KamaAina]

46. There is only one other haole left in my office

as anyone named NaMeaHou should know, haole is Hawai'i slang for a Caucasian person. (Are you local, NaMea?)

And, she's the executive director, so she's behind an actual door that closes all day, while I'm interacting with my coworkers, who include two native Hawaiians, two Filipinos, a Chamorro from Guam, a Puerto Rican/Portuguese woman, a Chinese, a Japnese (from Japan), a Cuban (whose married name is Wong and who runs our Asian and Pacific Islander employment project!), and (drum roll please) an iKiribati (say 'ee-kee-ree-BAHSS') from the Pacific Island nation of some 20,000 about a thousand miles south of here -- but no other haoles save for one part-time intern.

Before this my previous two neighborhoods were in upper Manhattan, where when I first walked down the street the residents (mostly African American or Dominican) would say, "Look! There goes a cop!", and in Jersey City, the home of storefront mosques. By this point, I notice when I'm not around any people of color (as at certain meetings at the Univ. of Hawai'i).