looks like the line thats been danced around is that its not racist to not be attracted to another ethic group as long as its just attraction or not, the primal hormonal response. it is racist if you are attracted but refuse to admit it or follow up on it because of their race. also, it is racist to refuse to date people based on ethnicity if it is not because of the aforestated reasons of attraction. ( not repeating my opinion, just sort of trying to find the consensus of whats been said so far by the thread posters as a whole, by majority)
like the wonderful miss evvie said, our primary sense of attraction is formed very early on, so we can only modify it so much. if it is something that you are born with or gain very young a person cant really be called racist, or any anti-ist for going with their basic imprint (you know some folk that are catholic would never actually date a jewish person, but dont have any beef with them as a different example). the line that defines it as racism is when the person takes that basic imprint and applies it with a broad brush to a group other than their own as a negative. i.e. i am white, and was raised around white people, so all other ethnicities are ugly.
with many things (and i dive back into my own thoughts and opinions here) in human behavior i find that what makes it positive, negative or neutral isnt the what (not dating another group) but the why. now, in my life ive dated outside my ethnicity pretty damn broadly, and have fought hard against anti-caucasian racism applied against me. ( hey just because it isnt a thing with major consequences in life doesnt make it less real).
i accept a certain amount of "damn crazy ass crackers" thrown my way since america has yet to balance out the injustices of the past. (and lets be honest, is 30 or 40 years enough time to even forget, much less forgive?) again, that kind of behavior is just a simple reaction to the experiences and imprints of youth.
the same people who made disparaging remarks in that bent didnt hate me, wouldnt have assaulted me or denied me work because i am white, though in most cases they certainly gave me an extra hard time for dating or being friends with their family members. did that make them racist? not in my opinion. there were a number of white parents/family that objected to me based on other things such as religion, my earrings and long hair, etc..
i still find myself befuddled by folk that declare "i will only date/have sex with people of X race". the last 20 years or so i hear it more often from people saying it about a race other than their own. not because they are so single minded, but because i cant help but think of how many opportunities for passion, sex and love they are missing.
i mean really? the subtle, earthy wonderment of darker skin tones is a piece of magic. the differences in hair texture is a symphony of tactile music. even the varying silkiness of the skin itself is a feast for the fingers and lips. they are no less joyful than the pinks and reds and olives available among so-called white folk. while i prefer monogamy at this point in my life, the amazing and glorious variety of the human form still bespells me at times. i always just end up sayin "huh. well more for me" when i run into the more single minded folk
like the wonderful miss evvie said, our primary sense of attraction is formed very early on, so we can only modify it so much. if it is something that you are born with or gain very young a person cant really be called racist, or any anti-ist for going with their basic imprint (you know some folk that are catholic would never actually date a jewish person, but dont have any beef with them as a different example). the line that defines it as racism is when the person takes that basic imprint and applies it with a broad brush to a group other than their own as a negative. i.e. i am white, and was raised around white people, so all other ethnicities are ugly.
with many things (and i dive back into my own thoughts and opinions here) in human behavior i find that what makes it positive, negative or neutral isnt the what (not dating another group) but the why. now, in my life ive dated outside my ethnicity pretty damn broadly, and have fought hard against anti-caucasian racism applied against me. ( hey just because it isnt a thing with major consequences in life doesnt make it less real).
i accept a certain amount of "damn crazy ass crackers" thrown my way since america has yet to balance out the injustices of the past. (and lets be honest, is 30 or 40 years enough time to even forget, much less forgive?) again, that kind of behavior is just a simple reaction to the experiences and imprints of youth.
the same people who made disparaging remarks in that bent didnt hate me, wouldnt have assaulted me or denied me work because i am white, though in most cases they certainly gave me an extra hard time for dating or being friends with their family members. did that make them racist? not in my opinion. there were a number of white parents/family that objected to me based on other things such as religion, my earrings and long hair, etc..
i still find myself befuddled by folk that declare "i will only date/have sex with people of X race". the last 20 years or so i hear it more often from people saying it about a race other than their own. not because they are so single minded, but because i cant help but think of how many opportunities for passion, sex and love they are missing.
i mean really? the subtle, earthy wonderment of darker skin tones is a piece of magic. the differences in hair texture is a symphony of tactile music. even the varying silkiness of the skin itself is a feast for the fingers and lips. they are no less joyful than the pinks and reds and olives available among so-called white folk. while i prefer monogamy at this point in my life, the amazing and glorious variety of the human form still bespells me at times. i always just end up sayin "huh. well more for me" when i run into the more single minded folk