First off, our own president is in an interracial marriage and he managed to get his current job. One would hope that maybe race would play no factor in matters of employment … especially not some college football.
However, UF defensive coordinator Charlie Strong (pictured right) thinks otherwise and blames his not getting a head-coaching job on his interracial marriage. Apparently, strong suggested to Orlando Sentinel that being married to a White woman hampered his chances of being offered the head-coaching job, despite his memorable career that spans over 25 years.
He also said he can’t simply discard this as a vicious rumor because there was another job he had interviewed for at a southern school a few years ago where he says he heard it too many times. “Everybody always said I didn’t get that job because my wife is white,” said Strong.
Well, apparently, he aint the only one. Rumor has it that one of the reasons Buffalo coach Turner Gill didn’t get the job at Auburn is because his wife is white. Much as Gill had more impressive coaching credentials than Gene Chizik, Iowa State coach, Chizik got the job. Reporter Mark Schlabach backs this allegation up on ESPN’s “Outside The Lines,” saying two coaches told him that since Gill is married to a white woman there was no way he was gonna get the Auburn job.
So if you believe this to be true, what about Lovie Smith and Mike Singletary? Both of them are in interracial marriages. Both their wives are White. And both are head coaches in NFL. Can we really point fingers at interracial marriage?
I personally think it would be difficult for a firm to know to whom you are married before the hiring decision has been made unless you know someone within the company.
I think in this day and age, there’s more tolerance for inter racial couples. I think the new issue, are gay partners, and no longer inter racial couples.
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VA_Songbird I think you’re absolutely right. The whole issue of homosexuality is now “The Issue”. Interracial couples are a dime a dozen. Any Athletic Director or NFL owner has to know there are going to be black players, asst coaches, coaches etc, that have white girlfriends and or wives (or both).
And yes gay people have rights as Homesteader mentions, but no more than any other citizen.
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Salsera77, I wish you were a geographically closer to me
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Interracial Couples have fewer problems if the two people are into living a life of solitude. Social butterflies who are an interracial couple invite problems into there lives and some problems more serious than others. If you’re going to be social butter-flies & an interracial couple, you’d better only associate with members of “The Baha`i Faith”.
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May God Bless all , without Prejudice . A Growth is in the workings of times yet to pass . Congradulations are in order for President Barrack Obama . I will show my Respect because he Earned his title . I had a job once and being Disabled . There were many who would not hire me with a Pronounced Limp in my gate . But Discriminating against Disabled was not a law one without means could prove . To tell the Truth , I look back at hard times and I myself was the one to change my life for the better . I Retired at 52 years old with a Pension for life . Everywhere I go , I have a Chauffeur . Match that you people who Boast of intelligence and I respect all others because my Father and Mother taught me that way of life . Love Les
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and to the weak – end warrior , Bigotry shows in many different ways , I saw many in your words : Please feel free to look at the defination of Bum in a Book of higher learning . I do not drink , do you ? You were the one who personally attacked me by my profile title is a Public Forum . Reread your words and help me believe that you are indeed a Bigot in what you write . I was Disabled at 18 and grew daily until Disablity yet again befell upon me . And as we grow older we grow smarter without idle critisism throw at us .
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My Race was determined by God , my nationality bye birth and my Love of Life is a personal choice made bye me and my wife . Who I met on this site . In conclusion : Judging others because they do not spell correctly or form sentences in error .. is another way of Judging , God said ” Judge not for yee shall be Judged ” and I believe in him .
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Hi all,
Issues of identity always arise where a mixed-race individual is involved. I tend to think Obama is in an interracial relationship because he is of mixed-race himself and not entirely black.
We cant entirely rule out the fact that he has Caucasian roots too, now can we?
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Ria , I read what you say . I comment on my feelings as to how I interpret the topics . I can trace my heritage back to my Grandparents . Before that only God would know as they passed years ago . And I never did ask who their parents or grandparents were . But I still Feel that President Obama is the proper way for an Educated person to address our President in a Public Forum . He Earned that title and even a thousand years from now that will be how intelligent people write about him . Please show some Respect where it is Due , Love Les
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“Apparently some of you use blog as a format to voice how you think the race issues are handled in America. A few bloggers it seems you have somthing to prove that you are educated, and to back that up, paragraphs of statistics complete with quotes are plastered to no end. Now I gather in your world that makes you superior to the common man or what every it does for your ego, in the real world social awareness, experience, and struggle is how you obtain another level of education. Black culture is not a percentage, a theory, it’s real like any other culture in this world.’
Vt33 I agree. In addition social science is soft science. My kind of science is ” hard science”.
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I understand in a way why she stated Obama is in an interracial relationship, because if you take a half white-half black person and they date someone completely white, it’s called interracial. But it’s normally not considered interracial if that same person were to date a black person here, cause more than likely, that black person has Caucasian roots as well. This is America afterall, let’s not forget there are black parents who have more european looking children than Obama. Why? Roots.
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I would like to think that an interracial marriage would INCREASE your chances at a job. Seems to me it would be evident that you are open minded and very possibly judge people by the “content of their character” among other positive qualities. Doesn’t that make sense?
Granted, the person making the hiring decision might have biases, but why would you want to work for them anyhow?
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As sad as it may be, I think there is a bit of truth to the allegations… There’s already a negative stigma about black men who date/marry white women and not just within the black community
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There are cases in which this does happen, but we can’t say that an interracial marriage is the reason all of the time. And if you try to say that it is, you better have hella proof to back it up.
That being said, it’s not only Black men in interracial marriages that get discriminated against and even miss job opportunities because of it. This type of thing has happened to pretty much any interracial relationship combination you can think of. Chances are if a person has a problem with interracial relationships, it’s not just towards Black men with White women.
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Comment by babygirlTS on 3 February 2009:
As sad as it may be, I think there is a bit of truth to the allegations… There’s already a negative stigma about black men who date/marry white women and not just within the black community
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True , My Father is Married to an White woman & I’m bi-racial myself My Mother is White & father is Black .
I do notice whenever My Step Mother , I & My Dad are together & a group of Black & Or white ppl see us I notice they kinda swissper about it .
Inter-racial Black & White dating maybe more open now then back in the day , however lets face it Prejudice & racism among both color lines don’t accept A Black man w/ A white woman 100% lets just say they just Toilerated it because its more open .
but me been of Bi-racial mix I notice we aren’t accepted full neither by Both Black & White we are just Toilerated by both because we’re both .
so this maybe true , but funny as it is Black men seem to run to white women whenever they get a little chump change in their pockets they go & get A white girl because they think they’ll make & they thnk they’re troubles are all gone because of that white woman .
& maybe this could be A light for All Black men who only date White girl’s because he thinks his life will be better , FACTS : its not going to if not its worser which should clearly tell his black ass just because your w/ A white woman don’t mean we can’t see your Color ……..lol You’ll always be A Nigga rather your w/ A Black or White woman .
I personally don’t have A issue w/ Interracial dating , I hoever hate when A Black man only dates White girl’s because he thinks hes going to get more out of it & make stupid excuses of why? hes not with A black Woman .
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IR marriages between blk men and wht women seem to sting the hell out of some people!
As a blk man I have a natural and loving jealousy when it comes to blk women being with anyone other than a blk man.
Ok I know some will behead me for this one but I’m I alone? Quite as it’s kept, alot of wht men don’t like seeing wht women with blk men.
Let’s be truthful, with so much bitterness over the history between blk and wht in this country it’s not abnormal that these feelings exist.
Ask a Jew what he thinks about relationships between Jewish women and German men or ask an Armenian what he thinks about Armenian women dating Turkish men and see what their reponse would be!
They would probally tell you that the wounds are too fresh and they just can’t bear it at this time.
There was blood shed and slaughter between these people but there was over a 400 year period of oppression that blks suffered at the hands of white america.
I believe oppression is worst than slaughter, death cant come soon enough for the trully oppressed.
Given the feelings of bitterness, resentment, mistrust and fear, it’s easy to understand the resentment some would feel about the women from their ethnic group being with a man from an ethnic group that they may harbor these feelings against.
Ok enough on that!
We have no way of knowing if Coach Strong being married to a white woman was the reason he didn’t get hired.
Institutional racism is alive and well in America and it aint going nowhere.
One thing about being in power is you can make decisions that are in keeping with your way of thinking.
Everyone knows that in the “Good Ol South” spite for interacial marriages is one of the last hold-outs and it’s gonna take years for that monster to die, it will die but not soon enough.
The south is steeped in tradition and hardcore Southerners are slow to depart from it. If those within the power structure are against IR marriages then they can deny someone a job, illegally!
It may not have been the lowest guy on the ladder that may’ve had a problem with IR marriage, maybe it was the one who controls the cash flow that had an issue with it and “he that controls the cash flow has the final say so”!
The person for their job security can’t and wont come out and say, ” I personally don’t have issues with your being married to a wht woman but our major sponsor has a problem with it”!
We all know institutions that are supported by powerful outsiders have to stay in line and not buck those that provide them with their funding or they risk losing their funding from that source.
I don’t know what made Coach Strong think he would be above that ” unwritten law of the South”! Just because you can marry a wht woman doesn’t mean that you wont face scorn of people in high and low places.
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My Grandparents were Jewish , they moved to the U.S.A. before WW1 , to get away from oppression in Poland / Instead of staying and Complaining about what they could not change [ Shows Intelligence / don’t you agree } . We live in Texas / do you Know of many places in the U.S.A. [ Texas is now second highest in population of the States } anywhere further South ? We married because we wished to Love each other till death do us part . As all things Start in the Beginning . We could not be sure when we started out together , We are sure now . As long as something is not going to go anywhere – Why not Learn to Live with what you cannot change . Or as I read , elsewhere – you can choose to remain in the dark ages . Instead of Beating your Head against the wall in Frustration .GROW-UP Learn to stop and smell the Roses . My opinion would be that the man did not get the job , because the One who hired thought another was more Qualified . History is what DID HAPPEN , life is what will happen – Change has to come from inside each and everyone of us . Dig yourself out of the hole you have dug yourself into and Learn to Breathe the Fresh air , We did and We are Happy Together .
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In Conclusion ; We could care less what others Think as We appreciate their right to choice also . Get a Life , go with the Flow . The Tide has turned . Don’t be Jealous because I , as a Man has found a Woman on this site. And that We were able to find Love together . What’s your problem ? Insecurity in Life , Get out of the middle of the road or get run over . Stop , Look and Listen at RR Track crossings and look both ways before entering a crosswalk . Please help coach Strong to find the Employment Office as many others do everyday , if they seek employment .
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When you start your day walking out the Door with an Attitude / be it correct or be it incorrect . This attitude shall follow you all day , Lighten up give Life a chance to Happen . Open your mind , enter the World as a Person of Dignity – People will Respect you for that . We meet so Many , everywhere who bring us into conversation as we are just another Happy couple / To be found Laughing everywhere We go . Plant a tree at your doorstep to tell your problems to at night as you enter / in the morning ask the tree where yesterdays problems have gone .
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NOPLAYER ; Let’s be Truthful , When we got married / if we were to Worry constantly about who others choose as a Mate . You being an intelligent man / would you see some degree of Cheating on each other if we were to keep judging others because of their choice of Happiness and not keep our minds on Our own Relationship . You Repeatedly talk about a Chip you yourself are carry ing on your own shoulder , Please Remember Everyone has Freedom of Choice in their own Life . You speak of Abnormal / What is Normal ? My wife married Me because I was a Man , there was no other Reason .
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This does happen alot. If your boss is a bigot and they find out you are in a mixed marriage your boss COULD fire you or do something negative jsut because they hate your mixed relationship.
It happens alot.
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I wore a black blouse and a white skirt to my job interview and didn’t get it. DISCRIMINATION!
Haha, sorry cause I know some of you are really heated about this issue but I think he is a bit a of a cry baby. Like Ben Affleck claiming J-Lo ruined his career. Even if it’s true it just seems kind of slimy and childish to whine about.
What did going to the media and complaining about what he perceived as discrimination accomplish? I’m willing to bet all it did was make getting his next job 10 times harder.
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I guess I would need all the facts to form a valid conclusion.
If Mr. Strong’s real issue is the perception of the “Hiring Staff/Mgt” that they denied him this promotion because THEY disapprove of his interracial marriage, I don’t see how running a media campaign would fix this. Is it possible?….. It is very possible for superiors to disapprove but proving it is another thing especially when they can produce a more viable candidate that ended up with the job.
I wonder if he spoke to his wife before making the accusation or getting her opinion. Maybe she was part of the voice behind his public statement.
How I can’t deny that this happens, I’m not so sure that his interracial marriage was the ONLY reason he didn’t get the job.
Can Interracial marriage hurt one’s chances of getting a job?…. I guess so if you boss is not a fan of interracial partnerships.
Shotgun007
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I agree with other posters, like Salsassin, that President Obama is not in an interracial marriage.
And yes, an interracial marriage, heck even interracial dating can disrupt your career advancement. I know from personal experience several times over. It’s getting better, but it’s still out there. However, that said, it can also be a reason FOR career advancement. There are times when a door is opened just because you are black or white and s/he is black or white. Again, from personal experience.
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I believe that yes, in some cases people have been denied opportunities because they were involved in a interracial marriage/relationship. I’m sure that there are some White Men out there that didn’t get that promotion because they had a Black mate/wife. I’m sure that it happens more in the South than any other region. Its the “Good Ole Boy” network, at work yet again, and again.
Just my two cents worth!
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Such occurences take place in everyday life,and for
the most part it’s pathetic and sad,however GLOCK
made a couple of valid points!!,this Strong character needs to see the big picture instead of just one aspect of the situation!.
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