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Breaking down those Multicultural Myths

Posted by Leticia, 14 May

Tell me one race, one nationality; one culture that does not seek to protect their young, have life-time friendships or desires a love that will endure the test of time. Read the short stories of Sara, Jennifer, Tiffany, Casey and Betty, and tell me if you know what race they are. Do you know anyone like them? Is your story similar to any of there's? What are the real differences between the races? What if the only difference is the color of our skin? What if?

I've had the pleasure of knowing many people from many cultures and the one thing that always amazes me but never surprises me it how our stories are very much alike. I wanted to share a few examples of things we all face and pose the question...Can you tell what race they are? "Are we more alike than different"?

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I. There is a young lady named Jennifer who went away to college and met and became friends with someone of like interest and mind named Sara. Their friendship began in freshman year and some time during their junior or maybe senior year, Jennifer met Sara parents for the first time. Shortly after the meeting, after the parents had gone back to their small town in a relatively not so small State; Sara confessed that her mother made the comment... "You didn't tell me that your friend was ****" (insert nationality). To which Sara replied, "I also didn't tell you her religion or what her favorite food was either". Sara and Jennifer both laughed because race had never been their issue. They were friends with similar likes and dislikes and truth be told, Jennifer's mom had her own stereotypes and comments of people in Sara's race as well. So, this was just another thing that connected them. Years passed and the roommates kept in touched. When Jennifer's mom passed, Sara was one of the first ones there offering comfort and sharing funny stories of their times together. Four years later, Sara's mom was taken and the girls spent hours on the phone reminiscing about that spring day over twenty years prior when they both realized that their friendship was color blind.

II. Tiffany is your average everyday smart and talented teen-aged girl. She loves her IPOD, movies and boys. She could talk on the phone for hours if her mom would let her. And like a lot of other girls her age, her dad lived somewhere else. The signs had been there for a while. When ever Tiffany would visit her dad, in another state, Tiffany would always ask where were all the people that looked like her. In her town, her race was prevalent and it appeared that whenever she was around people of another race or nationality she wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, she was mad. Finally, Tiffany's mom called and told her dad that Tiffany had been suspended from school because she doesn't seem to like any teachers that were a different nationality than her. They both wondered where this racism came from and what part they had in its development. Could it have been those little comments made about co-workers or the TV shows that they allowed Tiffany to watch un-supervised? Most importantly, what do they do now?

III. Casey and Betty were high school sweethearts. They couldn't wait to finish school, get married and start a family. Unfortunately, life happened and their journey included a stint in the military, two failed marriages to other people, children with addictions and finally a reunion and life together that was the way they'd always hoped for. After twenty-five years together, twelve children (some his, some hers, all theirs), Casey was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Betty quite her job and stayed home to care for Casey. She did everything for him as she had for many of their children. Cooked for him, cleaned him up and read to him. She often sit for hours watching him as he tried to sleep, afraid to sleep herself because he may wake up and go wondering off. One night while she was holding him, he looked at her as if for the first time he remembered everything. She holds him to this day.

Tell me one race, one nationality; one culture that does not seek to protect their young, have life-time friendships or long for love that will endure the test of time. I'd love to share with you the race of Sara, Jennifer, Tiffany, Casey and Betty, but I bet you already know. They are you and me. They are all a part of the human race.

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  1.   SnehaSeeli says:
    Posted: 03 Mar 08

    Wonderful article. I find it's a reflection of who I am and something I see in my son and his friends.

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  2.   Carmen says:
    Posted: 23 Dec 06

    I loved it and in my almost 50 years expierience growing up in a non racist cultur. It made me sade to see the way poeple treading each other here in America. I love every race, but I fall for black man and I stick to it. God's knows and He will provide me with the right partner and no racist can stop it.

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  3.   romeoluvs says:
    Posted: 25 Sep 06

    NextGen doesnt have any probs with peeps and friends of any race. Its just the problem of the generation gone by.

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  4.   sweetest1 says:
    Posted: 18 Sep 06

    I agree with a few different stands on this topic... racism is alive and thriving in the world no matter what anyone says... I date who I am attracted to which happens to be men with dark complexions and believe it or not it runs in my family. While I am of mostly Irish heritage there are mixes of black, mexican, american indian, and italian. I have witnessed racism not only out in the world but within my own family... I just choose not to condone such ignorant behavior.

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  5.   mmw10aday says:
    Posted: 24 Aug 06

    THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE REALITY OF TODAY'S SOCIETY. IN TODAY'S SOCIETY THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SAY THEY WILL NOT DATE A PERSON OF THEIR OWN RACE. WELL I SAY THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE RACIST THE SAME AS PEOPLE THAT REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE OF A DIFFERENT RACE. THE DEFFINITION OF RACIST IS : A PERSON THAT HAS DEGRADING AND DISRESPECTFUL COMMENTS OF A PERSON BASED ON RACE. TO ALL WHO READ THIS I EMPLORE YOU TO LOVE ALL RACES NOT JUST ONE RACE. ALL RACES HAVE VERY INTERESTING AND LARGE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES THAT NEED TO BE NOT ONLY UNDERSTOOD, BUT ALSO EMBRACED. WHEN WE ALL CAN TRULY UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT ALL RACES AND ALL CULTURAL DIFFERENCES THEN AND ONLY THEN CAN WE BE TRULY NON-RACIST PEOPLE.

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  6.   MaxiMouse says:
    Posted: 08 Aug 06

    "We are the human race," Blah Blah Blah, why in the HELL do people come on an interracial website looking for "other" go on and on about how we are all the same when very clealy we want the difference. I am a Black women who wants a White man. Nuff said. I am not about to sugar coat it by saying mumbo jumbo we are all one crap. If I wanted someone who looked like me then I would have it. We are not all the same and thank God for that. Yes we are Hu (color) Man but which Human are we and which Human do we want to spend our lives with. You know my answer.

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  7.   dennis says:
    Posted: 19 Jun 06

    of course we are all one race. BUT it would be a very boring world if we all looked and liked the same...

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  8.   yourman4ever says:
    Posted: 06 Jun 06

    Great article, and having come from two ethnic backgrounds and having been married to a person of a different nationality, and having two children was a challenge, especially in the South, but thank God things are starting to change. If we do not then who will? When its all said and done we are still one family whether we like it or not!

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  9.   LaKay says:
    Posted: 01 Jun 06

    Excellent article, excellent message. The world would be a greater place if this view were shared by all!

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  10.   Bob says:
    Posted: 26 May 06

    "so what race are they?"... The HUMAN race!

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  11.   Sherrie says:
    Posted: 25 May 06

    For the majority of my life, I 've longed to date outside of my race and after finally experiencing an beautiful interracial relation of my own, I learned that, "it's not about the color on the outside, it's about the individual within. We all are separated not by color, but by who we are on the inside. Oprah is a presense, an beautiful example of the individual within in which I reference. She is extremely powerful and has touched people of all races.

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  12.   patrick says:
    Posted: 22 May 06

    All races are equal but different colors

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  13.   jj says:
    Posted: 19 May 06

    so what race are they?

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  14.   Rene9 says:
    Posted: 17 May 06

    I enjoyed the story and would love to share this with others so they can understand what I understand

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  15.   rsctank says:
    Posted: 17 May 06

    Man we need to see this article in more places than just here.

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  16.   Darkvanilla says:
    Posted: 17 May 06

    Hi, I just wanted to say that I always enjoy reading articles like these. It reminds us that no matter how big our egos are; that we all basically the same.Our similarities in desires define the core fabrics of humanity. We have the same desires in life. They are our reasons for waking up in the morning and dreaming. Without them we are nothing and with them we are one; in our common struggle for a better life, love and justice. I only wish the schools would start doing more to promote the human race! If we can bring this light to the world maybe we would have world peace. Not even George Bush, could deny that! Thanks Mika

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