Are people who oppose interracial marriage racist?

[Lyric]

Poll question: Are people who oppose interracial marriage racist?

Simple question.

[Cary]

1. Other than really insane wackos like Nazis and KKK, are there any such people?

Hard to believe if there are. I would have hoped 99.9% of us would be beyond such stupidity.

[ComtesseDeSpair]

2. And gay marriage?

I would hope that 99.9% of us are beyond such stupidity as opposing gay marriage as well. Alas...

[Lyric]

3. Sure there are. You'd be shocked.

I grew up poor in rural West Virginia. I have not stepped foot in my maternal grandmother's house for almost eight years because she refused to welcome my younger sister's black husband and their biracial children (not to mention my own same-sex partner.) Grandma isn't in the KKK, and she has never much cared for politics--she's just a bigot. A bigot who makes great cookies, donates money to the children's hospital, and seems like the sweetest old lady you'd ever meet, but a bigot nonetheless.

Just because I don't WANT my Grandma to be a bigot doesn't mean that she ISN'T one. Racism is still alive and well in America, and it's not confined to the Neo-Nazis or the KKK, either.

[alsame]

34. Last summer, I was at a friend's backyard barbeque and heard

an educated woman in her early 40's tell her 17 or 18 year old daughter that interracial dating was wrong and that 'people should stick with their own kind'. This was in New York.

So yes, there are still people who feel this way and yes, they are racists as far as I'm concerned.

[Lyric]

37. My grandma is kinda like that. HER comment was that

she opposed black people and white people marrying because "of the children." Her excuse for barring my parter was because she "just didn't know if she could have THAT in her house."

:eyes:

She was so worried about how it would negatively affect "the children" that she shunned her own damned grandkids--including my own little boy.

Unless and until she apologizes to my sister, myself, and our kids, we will have nothing to do with the woman.

[alsame]

49. I'm sorry that you have to deal with that in your own family. But

if you ever speak to your grandma again, you can point to President Obama as an example of a bi-racial child! He didn't do so badly, huh?

[WeDidIt]

17. Yes, tehre are people who are neither Nazis nor KKK who believe this

to this day.

[jody]

4. No more than people who oppose inter-faith marriages a.k.a. mixed-faith or inter-religious marriage

[Lyric]

6. Religion is a choice. Race is not.

Opposing interracial marriage for ANY reason = racist bigot.

[jody]

15. I stand by my statement. n/t

[Lyric]

22. Yawn.

You just committed the intellectual equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and saying, "NYAHNYAH! I can't hear you!"

[jody]

27. You ignore bigotry, "One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or

politics and is intolerant of those who differ."

Racism that you cite in the OP is just one form of bigotry.

[uppityperson]

52. OP is not talking all bigotry, just racism.

Religion isn't a race. If you want to start a topic on bigotry in general, or against religions, do so. This one is about racism.

[jody]

56. LOL have a good day. n/t

[uppityperson]

58. LOL at bigotry unless it is the one you are working against?

No. Bigotry is bigotry but racism, sexism, religionism, sexualorientationism, are different types in the larger "bigotry" category. This one is about racism.

Hoping you are staying warm and healthy this winter. Happy holidays too.

[mondo joe]

23. Religion isn't a race.

[jody]

25. What a brilliant observation. n/t

[mondo joe]

35. So racism applies to interreligious marriage how?

[jody]

36. See #27. n/t

[mondo joe]

40. The OP asked about racism, not about bigotry.

Bring opposed to interreligious marriage is bigoted, but not racist.

[jody]

43. But opposing interracial marriages is bigoted. n/t

[mondo joe]

45. Right. Racism is a subset of bigotry. But all bigotry is not racism.

[jody]

47. I simply contrasted bigotry re interracial marriage with bigotry re inter-religious marriage. n/t

[uppityperson]

53. What about people who are bigoted against cats!?! They are bigots too!

[jody]

55. Another brilliant observation. n/t

[uppityperson]

57. Cats are another race, I am against people marrying cats!

[Solon]

5. You know, if this were a serious poll, and people voted no, the mods would tombstone them...

Too bad even they don't think Gays deserve equal treatment. :(

[Lyric]

8. Oh, but it IS a serious poll.

I see people claiming that it's possible to oppose same-sex marriage without being a homophobe. Obviously, I'd like to know if people think that the same is true for another inborn human characteristic--race.

The numbers in that other poll literally made me sick to my stomach.

[Jamastiene]

64. Skinner is stepping in now, so maybe things will get better.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8006676&mesg_id=8008036

[FrenchieCat]

7. As a product of an interracial union,

and as the mother of a daughter in an interracial marriage,
I don't ponder that question.
I'm just thankful that strides were made by those that came before me
to make it legal.

[Lyric]

9. Indeed. As the sister and sister-in-law of an interracial couple

and the loving aunt of two BEAUTIFUL biracial boys, I wholeheartedly agree with you.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

76. The question wasn't meant to be pondered. It was meant to prove a point about gay marriage.

I'm also the product of an interracial union (Latino and White), and my niece is mixed race (Black and Latino/White).


Get this... my father, who is white and married my Latino mother, was against my brother marrying an AA. He's a racist fool. Needless to say he detests gays.

[Sebastian Doyle]

10. GOD MADE ADAM AND EVE AND HE MADE THEM WHITE GOD DAM IT !1!11!11!!!!1

IF HE HAD MEANT FOR DIFFRINT RACES TO BE MERRIED HE WOULD HAVE TOLD MOSES NOT TO MERRY THAT ETHIOPEAN WOMAN... NO WAIT A MINUTE!!!1!!!111!1 WHITE POWER !!!!1111 STOP THE GAYS!!!!!1!!!! RACIAL PURITY AND SEXUAL PURITY FOREVER SIEG HIEL !!!!!!!!!1111!

[verges]

38. Yvonne DeCarlo was Ethiopian? Who knew? nt

[Sebastian Doyle]

42. Maybe it was his second wife? I'm sure he had more than one (like most of those Bible dudes)

"And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman" (Numbers 12:1)

[verges]

51. My mistake.

Yvonne DeCarlo was Miriam.

I never read Numbers.

[dipsydoodle]

50. And Merle Oberon

was Anglo Indian as it turned out. That was kept from the American public throughout her film career.

[dipsydoodle]

11. I read a post the day other along the lines

Let's set some traps.

[Nightflurry]

12. What a Contrast to the other Poll

I wish I were surprised.

[Lyric]

13. I don't know if anyone would dare vote "No" in this one.

But they sure dared in the other one, didn't they?

Kinda telling.

[Nightflurry]

14. That's because we're ok to hate.

There's no social stigma to hating gay people, but there is a social stigma to hating racial minorities. Why? Hell if I know.

[WeDidIt]

20. Atheists and anybody in the GLBT community

Those are the groups where it's still okay to hate and oppress.

[mondo joe]

21. If you vote the wrong way in some polls related to race you'll be banned.

That doesn't happen in analogous polls about gays.

[WeDidIt]

30. Wouldn't happen in some polls related to some religions, either

Shows you just how "progressive" some people on DU really are.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. I answered the question in your topic

but that is different from the question in your poll.

So if I could I would change my answer to NO.

[Lyric]

18. Actually, the question in the subject line is the one for the poll.

Sorry for the confusion--let me edit it.

[dipsydoodle]

26. That was I meant in #11 above.

Kinda like the hand deceives the eye - lock onto the wrong subject line and you'd give a different answer than maybe the one you'd intended.

[Occam Bandage]

19. Now? Certainly. In 1930? Well, that's a different question.

It's easy for uncritical thinkers to support the status quo without realizing what that support means.

[-..__...]

24. What about cultural reasons?

As an example... it's rare in this country to see a person of Indian descent dating (or married), to a person of a different ethnic background (white, black, asian, etc).

My understanding is that interracial dating/marriage is taboo amongst those of Indian heritage and family members will put enormous pressure on children and siblings not to have romantic interactions with those outside their race.

[Lyric]

28. I was speaking of legal opposition, but

I would say that in that case, it would depend entirely upon whether or not it was race that was the primary motivational factor, or culture. Would a black Ethiopian child raised from birth in India by an Indian family be barred from marrying an Indian girl? I can't say that it seems likely, to me--it would probably be fine, so long as the cultural/religious values were the same.

[Sebastian Doyle]

29. They also still believe in "arranged marriages"

So that might not be the best example.

[AngryAmish]

33. I have not noticed that about Indians

Is it Indian from India? Or Native American?

I hate people who say I know of one counter example therefore your assertion is untrue. But I have not noticed that about Indian folks (from India). Certainly not from American Indians.

[dipsydoodle]

41. Good point.

In the UK, we'd refer to Indian's from the sub-continent as being Asian - same applies to Pakistan and I guess Sri Lanka too. As far as I'm aware Hindu's ,Sikhs , and Mulims don't inter-marry for cultural not legal reasons. That's quite aside from a similar situation within one or more of those have a caste system.

[-..__...]

44. That would be people from India.

I can understand the confusion though.

[wyldwolf]

31. Is a mother with a child in a redneck town racist for not wanting her son or daughter...

.. to have an interracial relationship? Maybe, maybe not. She could just be protective.

[Lyric]

39. You narrowed the question too far. Does your proverbial mother oppose

interracial marriage, period? If she DIDN'T live in redneckville, would it bother her?

If yes, she's racist. If no, then I'd say that she needs to get the hell out of redneckville, for the sake of her kids. Nobody should have to choose their life relationships based on whether or not someone else might kill them or hurt them over it. Trust me--gay people know this all too well.

[wyldwolf]

46. you're right. And I see your point

[Julian_the_apostate]

32. Excellent point

If a pastor held these beliefs--opposing interracial marriage--this would be an absolute deal-breaker for a speaking/blessing gig at Barack's inauguration, but it it's okay if the pastor hates fags--oops! that's too Fred Phelps, how about: likens gay marriage to incest and pedophilia. Just like ole' time religion: that's good enough for me, ay Barack? Just so you know, I strongly supported Barack Obama, sent money, voted for him, etc.--I'm no Puma at all, but he's stepped into a huge pile of shit on this one.

[marimour]

48. DO you mean for themselves or at all? I voted no.

I voted no, but that depends on whether they would never date/marry someone of another race or they oppose anyone from being able to do that. If its the 2nd scenario then Yes they are racists. If its that they only want to date other white or black people, then no, I wouldn't consider them racist. Racism is a hatred of another race or the belief that you are better simply because of your race. Not wanting to be in an interracial marriage is not IMO.

[uppityperson]

54. Only reason I can see to vote no is if someone doesn't believe there are races beyond human race.

kick

[vadawg]

59. i think context is important so i voted no

personally i married outside of my culture, but i would prefer my daughter to marry within it. i guess its just a cultural thing

[LostinVA]

60. The four who voted "No" -- they have NO PLACE on DU need to be TSed

edited: because I was listening to Haruka and typed the wrong thing.

[vadawg]

61. lol all hail the soup nazi

whats the point of posting polls and asking questions, when people answer them only to be threatened and calling for pizzas. May as well have you email me what you want to hear and then ill spew it back.

[LostinVA]

70. There are these little things called the "DU Rules," which you agreed to

Racism isn't allowed on here. Skinner just TSed three homophobes about an hour ago who did something similar. I don't need to email you anything -- you should kn ow and follow the rules. Don't like 'em? Leave.

[vadawg]

73. once again

so having an opinion on something that is different to what you believe is racist. Once again i will reiterate context is eveything, just because the majority of people here believe that anyone whould be able to marry whomsoever they want, that dosent mean that everybody else on the planet agrees with them. Also i am giving personal experience that some cultures dont want their kids to marry outside of their ethnic grouops for a multitude of reasons and racism isnt always any part of those wishes.

[tekisui]

77. That sounds very racist.

Enjoy your stay.

[Sultana]

62. Que?

Do you mean the four that voted "NO"?

[LostinVA]

69. Yes

[Jamastiene]

65. You meant "no" right?

[LostinVA]

68. Yes -- I['m getting so confused!!!!!

[dipsydoodle]

74. You might possibly not understand

that a line was later edited from the post. Whilst the answer to what remains should be yes the answer to what was removed would equally have been no. It caused some confusion. See post #18. Some of the no's preceeded that due to ambiguity.

[Jamastiene]

63. Of course, it is.

To try to stop a loving couple from marrying each other simply because of skin color is definitely racist.

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LostinVA]

71. No, it's not "context" -- it's racism

It's those pesky rules on DEMOCRATIC Underground.

[Jamastiene]

72. It's racist.

There is no other way to spin it.

[apocalypsehow]

67. Yes it is, and that's how I voted. Everyone should PUBLICLY announce how they voted since there's

not the honesty here to either make all poll votes public or provide a disclaimer.

[mmonk]

75. Yes. What other reason could they have?

[IndianaJones]

78. it depends. nt.