St. Louis Post-Dispatch Go! Magazine hadn’t seen this one coming when they ran the story “The 7 Best Places To Smooch” – Inflammatory racist reader comments. The comments had nothing to do with the story itself but this photo of a black man kissing a white woman that went along with it. Here are a few of the sampled comments:
“Haven’t read the story but don’t like to see blacks and whites kissing.”
“This doesn’t surprise me at all. Libs take every opportunity they can to shove miscegenation in our faces. Now that TV has to show blacks in every commercial, notice that they are always posed beside a blonde woman. Not a brunette, a blonde. Its done for shock value. Sickening that a once proud newspaper would resort to this. Joe Pulitzer is turning over in his grave in shame.”
… and those are just the subtle ones…
The couple on the above cover is a real couple and not just models. Chris Spencer and his girlfriend Emilee Murphree have been together for 2 ½ years. And seeing how their interracial kiss made many in St. Louis queasy had made Chris angry at first…
According to a Gallop poll of 2007, 77% Americans claim to approve of interracial marriage. But do we really approve of such relationships if a mere photo of an interracial couple kissing can make people have hot flushes? What was the real issue here? An interracial couple kissing? A black-white couple kissing?
All Chris had to say was: “This is one of the first times it’s slapped me back to reality that people like this exist.”. So much for our “beyond race” nation!
Sweet blog. I never know what I am going to come across next. I think you should do more posting as you have some pretty intelligent stuff to say.
I’ll be watching you .
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I have been reading the comments posted by everyone and I must add mine. I was raised in Oklahoma, considered by a lot of people to be “redneck”. I began dating in high school and the majority of the guys I went out with were from other races than my own. The first time any eyebrows were raised was when my boyfriend was Black. Nobody cared about the Hispanic/Latinos, the Asians, American Indians, etc. My father disowned me, my mother asked me if I was just doing it for the shock value. I was never raised to be racist and my parents never displayed any racist tendencies so I didn’t understand this reaction from my own family. I ended up marrying this man and had 2 beautiful, well rounded children with him. I now live in the Los Angeles area and am divorced. I continue to date Black men but I have to say, there is just as much racism here in the big city as there was in redneck Oklahoma, maybe more. Point is, racism is everywhere. People are just more careful about how they display it. Don’t be fooled by statistics. It’s a lot more common than we think.
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I just think that we need to grow up.!!!!!!!! Who still cares what other people think, you have to do what you think is best for you, and what makes you happy.
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The question was “should it matter?”
The answer is NO!
The more this shows in St Louis and elsewhere, the better.
When the love of my life (a beautiful black woman who died 8 years ago) and I went out, we usually got severe racist reactions from black men like “Oh hell no sista! Why you with this white trash?” lol..racism knows no color.
Print more photos like this .
All the time. Love conquers all.
This is too easy.
Give us a hard problem to discuss.
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Yeah, I hate to tell the truth but anyone 60+ and ESPECIALLY WHITE AND MALE in the Southeast USA is still as racist, bigoted, ignorant and bizzarly elitist as they were 50 years ago…so we’re still waiting on that generation to die off unfortunately.
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Telling the Truth is sometimes Hard to do , when you are Generally speaking . I am Caucasian , Male 61 years old and glad I live in Southcentral USA / Texas to be sure . openstone69 ; Fortunately – Still alive and Well , been Married over two years to a Beautiful Ladie , I met on this site . Your Ignorance is showing / Pass the pipe and don’t Bogart that joint .
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The reactions to this article only underscore how much work America really has to do. America purports itself to be the greatest nation on earth. How can that be so, when there is an immense socioeconomic gap bewtween blacks and whites? Whites suggest that racism has ended due to the ascension of Barack Obama. However, even he has said that one black President does not make up for 400 years of oppression. Blacks are still largely underrepresented in medicine, business and yes, politics. There is no way that America can become the greatest nation on earth until it confronts the ghosts of it’s past. The fact that there is such intolerance of interracial dating tell us that this self-reflection has yet to take place in America. Whites say that slavery is over and we should simply move on. Oh really? Is it that simple? The degradation, humiliation and murder of black during slavery has had profound modern-day impact. All of these stereotypes are directly traced back to this time. The fact that slavery has taught millions of young black males to hate themselves to such degree, that they make up more than 90% of the penal population. Moreover, what about the millions of unprosecuted lychings of blacks that took plce during the Jim Crow South? Are you telling me that kind of systemic mass murder does not represent the most egregious crimes against humanity? Are we suggesting that this is to have no modern-day impact on African-Americans? It would be outrageous to suggest it didn’t. So this is where the ignorance and prejudices of today emanate from–slavery. Until America confronts these ghosts from it’s past and properly addresses them, this will never be the greatest nation on earth. Not when I, an African-American medical student cannot walk into a jewelry store and be followed around it’s confines. America has work to do.
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America has a lot more work to do BUT even when that work is done there will still and always be those who have no concept of how races developed and buy into that myscegination(spelling) mess. My question is for all those (the majority) 77% why do we become so enraged at their foolishness. Let them think what they think. They are in fact being left in the dust to rot in terms of social evolution. Just laugh. I think it’s more affective.
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Hey poddoc07, does the fact that 90% of the penal population is black have anything to do with thier own behavior and their own decision making? Or is truely that these men are somehow acting out of frustration of events 180 years ago? I could never understand this arguement my friend – it totally takes the responsibilty away from the man himself that commited the crime – as intelligent as I believe you are from your study as a medical student surely you can see that a man has a choice how to live his life and conduct himself in this world.
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
Poddoc. Thank you for sharing. While I know I will never understand the feelings of a black man – I must respectfully disagree with your premise. My people were mass murdered by the millions. And not 150 years ago. Only 60 years ago. I feel no self hatred even though my people are constantly maligned to this day. I do not for one moment hold the sons and daughters and grandchildren of those mass murderers repsonsible for what their parents and grandparents did. I am in charge of my life. As are you. Who is holding you back? I suspect from your handle you are a podiatric student. What downtrodden man could hold that highly honored position? If you are going to blame your anger on those who judge you, then you will never be free. And freedom is the most precious item God gave to us all.
God bless.
And print let’s more pictures of lovers kissing.
The world changes one perosn at a time!
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In our case / Two people at one time .
We also see change in others Daily .
Our relationship is because we are Grown Adults / knot child with closed minds .
Happiness comes with Time , Believe .
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bighoss 101, I understand where poddoc07 is coming from, I believe. He references the disproportionate number of blacks in prison (as opposed to others) as a by-product of the desperate conditions caused by years and years of being oppressed, not only socially, but also economically. Being on the “bottom rung” of society for so long can give a person (or group of people) a very bleak outlook. Desperation and illogical thinking easily become the norm under such conditions. It’s easy to hold a person accountable for making the “right” decision when they don’t have the disadvantages (educational, social, economical and otherwise) that African Americans did. It would be difficult enough to have ONE of those disadvantages, but ALL of them together? Now, don’t get me wrong – I TRULY BELIEVE that everyone is accountable for their actions, no matter how stressful the situation is that they act out of, but it’s EASIER to make the “right” decision when you are afforded more advantages.
As for the photo and the reaction to it, we give life to the racists of the world by being shocked and offended by what they have to say about it. Take this into consideration: Let’s say a racist white man calls a black man the N-word….now, the black man has a choice. He can be angry about what was said to him and react in a manner that shows his anger, or, (my personal choice) he can IGNORE the comment! By ignoring it, he acknowledges that the reason it was said in the first place was offend. If the black man doesn’t “play along”, there’s no offense, is there? Words are only that – WORDS. No blood is shed, no bones are broken. The only injury is MENTAL, and that, only to persons mentally WEAK enough that such things would hurt them. If we are not offended and enraged by the comments of racist people, the whole reason that they make them in the first place is eliminated. They would have to find new ways to offend, because the old ways don’t work anymore. THAT is the only way that we will affect change in this age-old battle; by not being offended by something that is intended to offend. WE hold the power, NOT THEM. Think of it this way: It’s illegal to physically enslave another person in this country. But there’s no law against MENTALLY enslaving someone. We don’t have to “play along” in someone’s attempt to mentally enslave us. A person told me a story about training elephants…..he said something about the fact that an elephant can have his foot chained to a stake in the ground for years, where it can only go around and around in a circle. But, when the chain is removed, the elephant still walks around and around that stake, even with no chain attached to it’s leg anymore. It’s MENTAL. We (African Americans) are not slaves anymore; don’t let someone’s WORDS keep you chained to the same old reactions. Another analogy is that of a puppet and Puppetmaster; if the Puppetmaster wants the puppet to raise it’s hand, he pulls the appropriate string. Let’s cut the strings, folks. Don’t suffer racists anymore.
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openstone69, thank you for being so brutally honest and candid.
MichaelMN, sorry to hear about your better half passing away 8 years ago.
I think we need to see more photos of Black Women and White Men kissing on the covers of Magazines quite frankly. It is oh so accepted for black men and white women to date now, because of the media being extremely one sided. I think we need to see different examples of interracial couples..period.
The reactions to the cover are basically expected in my opinion. We’ve come a long way, but still their will be those that tend to disagree and refuse to accept change.
Shotgun007
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All I see is 2 people thats enjoying kissing each other. If I’m in public with a hot guy I’m dating (who cares what race he is) and I want to kiss him, then I’m going to dam well do it. Without regards to what anyone is thinks or cares.
But I grew up in an area where mostly all races date each other. And its everywhere. The majority white guys where i live are not afraid to approach a black woman if interested. People just need to grow up and move on with their lives.
I’m diff not going to miss my opportunity for love by thinking ignorantly. Every guy no matter if your (chinese, spanish, white, or black)
have to first show me respect before thinking they can date me.
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I dated a white guy once and it was the most carefree time of my life. I actually enjoyed myself more with him than any other man I’ve dated.Its because I opened my mind/heart and found that the outer experience means nothing. I was shocked that the black man in another IR couple was digusted by us even though he himself was doing the same thing as I. There will always be a double standard and difference of oppinion. That’s what makes us individuals(free of speech).)Yet love is love, beautiful/ quite rare and if you’re blessed to find it -hold on tight. Smooches for All
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damn come on its the 21st century not the turn of the century
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Yet…we here in the good ole’ U S of A have elected to put a mixed race President in office to run our country…just gotta wonder what kind of response his parents received from society back in the day?? Amen for open hearts & minds!
Peace
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I like the term smootch! LOL
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Had the cover featured a white man kissing an Asian woman, or a woman of any other races, would there still be such an outrage?
When it comes to dating white men are as selfish and hypocritical as it gets. They want women of every race all to themselves, and will typically give non-white men (especially East Asians)the most hell they can if they are with a white woman.
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I am glad i stumbled upon this discussion board. I have to put my two cents in. I am glad to say that I am not bothered one bit about a black and white dating. You cant help who your attracted to. And you cant help who you love. Why does the color have to be a factor? I get so irritated at people hating and rolling their eyes about mixed couples. If someone is offended or disgusted at this, then they have bigger fish to fry so to speak. They have hatred in their hearts and should b worried about their own problems rather than trying to create more. I will say that I am dating a black man and I am a white woman. My family hate it and have disowned me. I do not care because I deserve to be loved and with a good man. So far so good! I adore this man and same for him. He does so much for me and his actions back up his talk. I think it is so sad for people to discriminate and be prejudice. Its pure sickening. I am strong enough to deal with the simple minded ones and not let them affect me. I have to answer to God on judgement day and as long as my heart is clean, then the hell with who dont like me with my man. They are the ones that lost something. I didnt lose a thing… i gained the world!
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omg. i get so sick of people saying well he is black so he is no good or on his way to prison. not everyone that is black is up to no good. they mess up just as anyone else does. im white and id go to prison for a felony quick like. If someone was stealing from me right in front of my eyes for something i work my a** off for, hell yeah, id give the idiots one hell of a beating. and btw, if being ignorant, judgmental, hi on the hog was a crime, 98% of all white people would be in prison. what about that.? YE WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE…. NOT POSSIBLE IS IT? LOL
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omigosh! I am in a particular university and from India. the white males are just after me for liking a white girl.
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