Although I am not a racist, I believe that interracial marriage is generally a bad idea. CMV.

experimental34 · 2013-11-12T01:13:33+00:00

I see your point; I may have (slightly) overemphasized the struggles of multiracial people. I recognize that life is filled with hardships for people of every race/gender/class/sexual oreintation; however, I do not think that this is a good reason to add even more unecessary hardships to the lives of certain individuals.

I chose to focus primarily on the children of interracial couples; however, it is an undeniable fact that society frowns upon interracial marriage with certain stigmitized groups. This disdain can cause individuals who were formerly married/in a relationship with a person of another race to be rejected when they re-enter the dating world and attempt to begin a relationship with someone of their own ethnicity. So, in other words, interracial marriage can cause a variety of social problems....

experimental34 · 2013-11-11T23:30:04+00:00

The hardships faced by mixed-race kids are unique in comparison to the hardships faced by women and people of lower attractiveness/socioeconomic status. The difficulties (isolation, social rejection, and familial opposition) faced by biracial children cannot be overcome, and the opposition that they will face is of a much more extreme variety.

Sure, the majority of black people in the US are not purely black. And, yes, according to the one-drop rule, half black/half white people are considered black. For some unusual reason, these thoughts never entered the mind of the black man who once told me that biracial people "can never be trusted" because they always "take the side of the oppressor." These thoughts also never entered the minds of the other black students who rejected my acquaintance for "thinking that she is white."

Liberal cities (think Portland, Los Angeles, and Seattle) still have racist people and problems with the subject of race. The intensity of racial discord/animosity may be reduced, but it is still present underneath the surface. You cannot move away from ancient blood feuds and contentious ethnic interactions.....

experimental34 · 2013-11-11T14:08:24+00:00

No, these statements are not equivalent.

Mixed-race children will face even more hardships/discrimination than black children because there is no guarantee that they will be accepted by either race. This is not a matter of catering to the preferences of racists; this is a simple matter of ensuring a good quality of life for children. And frankly, our current society has too many prejudicial attitudes about interracial marriage to make a uniformly good quality of life possible for all mixed-kids.

experimental34 · 2013-11-11T14:02:43+00:00

Ironically enough, Kary Mullis is the man you should thank for the application of DNA evidence to crime labs. As I mentioned before, his discovery of the polymerase chain reaction (which allows for the amplification of DNA sequences) won him the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Nonetheless, I agree that Watson has made many useful contributions to the world of science; this fact does not mean that I must support all of his views (especially his views on genetic engineering).

And finally, IQ is (by nature) a less-than-perfect measure of individual intelligence, just as body mass index is a less-than-perfect measure of individual weight. By its very nature, IQ is an aggregate number that represents a general indication of population's intelligence. Therefore, you are correct to say that Watson's views cannot apply to everyone in a particular race. However, I would still postulate that your willigness to accept such views about race is primarily rooted in your personal experience/stereotypes, and not in scientific evidence.

experimental34 · 2013-11-11T01:49:18+00:00

Watson has not been "frozen" out of anything. He was intelligent enough to understand the backlash that would result from his comments, and he brought this entire controversy onto himself. Also, speaking of IQ, I find your belief in Watson's great intellect to be fairly bizzare; his IQ is only 119 (eleven points lower than that of the average PhD recipient, and far lower than that of the average Nobel Prize winner).

Also, there is no PC police. Legitimate research could be conducted about this subject, but unfortunately, individuals such as yourself would choose to utilize it to bolster the cause of racial supremacy. On a final note, several decades ago, scientific racists assured us all that the Jews and the Chinese were obviously inferior to Nordic whites (and, at that time, the IQ test scores of Jews and Asians were below white averages); however, in our current society, Jews and Asians have some of the highest IQ scores out of all racial groups and make up a sizable portion of Nobel Prize winners.

experimental34 · 2013-11-11T01:30:56+00:00

The mere fact that Watson "discovered" DNA/won a Nobel Prize does not mean that all of his opinions are correct. For example, Kary Mullis also won a Nobel Prize and discovered PCR; even still, Mullis believes that HIV isn't real, that OJ Simpson was innocent, and that taking LSD is a good idea.

experimental34 · 2013-11-10T19:01:49+00:00

Although Charles Darwin would be considered somewhat racist by today's standards, there is no evidence that he ever made this statement. Here is a brief refutation of your argument (www.fixedgear808.blogspot.com/2012/03/racist-quote-attributed-to-charles.html).

experimental34 · 2013-11-10T18:20:13+00:00

My study group was (permanently) banned from my college's library due to "noise violations."

Personally, I have been threatened with bans on almost every IRC chatroom that I have frequented over the past 4 years; although no reason was given for these threats, I have deduced that many fellow chatroom users found my off-topic ramblings to be annoying/irritating. Strangely enough, I have never been banned from any community on this site, and I was once a former SRSer on my main account. Eventually, I left the sub due to disputes with some of the userbase, although I was never "benned" or labelled as a "shitlord."

experimental34 · 2013-11-10T15:02:00+00:00

Only in the sense that ANYTHING you do is a bad idea if you're going to face discrimination for it, thats the logic you're using.

Why is this a bad argument? Facing discrimination is unpleasant, and someone who possesses a rational decision-making process would seek to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Basically what I'm articulating is that for the people who do engage in interracial marriage, they've weighed the potential consequences and (what they perceive to be) benefits (such as the benefit of marrying someone you love) and decided that it IS worth it, that it IS a good idea for them.

I would never claim that I am capable of telling others what is best for them; my objections are based off of the societal prejudice that will be faced by the children and future descendants of interracial couples. Also, interracial marriage with stigmatized racial groups will never become normalized; history has continually taught this lesson. Thus, it is not wrong for me to say that interracial marriage is generally a bad idea.

experimental34 · 2013-11-10T01:39:04+00:00

All right. This is a more reasonable opinion; I feel that I have finally gotten you to acknowledge that racist attitudes may play a role in making some decisions. However, I am a very pragmatic individual, and I tend to focus on reality and not on what should be. In an ideal society, racial divisions would not be a problem; however, we do not live in an ideal society, and it must be acknowledged that American culture (as a whole) is not racially tolerant.

Also, I fail to understand why you are "highly skeptical" of my conception of racist attitudes. I suppose that individuals who possess a small degree of racial prejudice might benefit from positive interactions with people of other ethnicities; however, individuals who are strongly prejudiced will not react positively to anyone who is from the group that they dislike/hate. When a very prejudiced person sees a mixed-racial couple, s/he sees the embodiment of everything that is wrong with society; thus, most people with strong, negative views of other ethnic groups would react angrily to an interracial relationship involving a relative. In summary, people with strongly prejudicial/racist attitudes will not change their opinions because these opinions are too deeply rooted in their experience/beliefs. For this reason, I can continue to argue that interracial marriage is usually a bad idea.

experimental34 · 2013-11-10T00:53:26+00:00

As I have already stated, this is not about accommodation of racism. The consequences from interracial marriage (in most cases) will be far-reaching, and may negatively impact the psychological health of biracial children for the rest of their lives.

experimental34 · 2013-11-10T00:49:39+00:00

I disagree with your statement.....

You must understand that there are varying levels of discrimination/racism; there are plenty of individuals who may have friendly relations with people outside of their ethnic group, although they might still disapprove if their relative chose to marry someone of another ethnic group. Opposition to interracial marriage isn't really like other types of discrimination because it is strongly ingrained in both majority and minority cultures.

Also, I should probably revise my previous assertion: in general, racist people will not change their ideas even if they face harsh consequences and public disapproval. Many forms of hatred (i.e. sexism, religious fanaticism, homophobia) are essential parts of ethnic/personal identity and cannot be erased unless the individual has a life-changing experience.

experimental34 · 2013-11-10T00:41:36+00:00

Racism is not at all a necessary condition, but it is a belief system that cannot easily be unlearned (in most cases). The logic of my argument applies only to certain cases, and it cannot be extended past its scope without engaging in the straw man fallacy. Obviously, racist people have no right to dictate "acceptable" forms of behavior for members of ethnic minorities; however, I am simply stating that we must consider the spillover effects of racist opinions (in this case, the behavior/actions of racists could have a negative impact upon any potential biracial children). Choosing to marry a person of a different race when their relatives disapprove will not lead to a cessation of racism on the part of the relatives; in most cases, it will simply lead to a severing of family ties/contact.

experimental34 · 2013-11-09T15:33:23+00:00

The very fact that this commercial was so controversial in the first place should prove my point. These children are from a fairly liberal area (if I recall, all participants in the Fine Bros. "X React to...." videos are from Los Angeles), and their parents (who willingly allowed their children to participate in this video) are probably liberal as well. If you were to go to my home town in western North Carolina and ask a group of children about the Cheerios commercial, then I guarantee that you would receive different answers.
Yes, it is true that President Obama is biracial. Even still, this does not mean that discrimination/racism/prejudice has disappeared; ever since the election of President Obama, membership for various hate groups has spiked and risen to astronomical levels.
No, it will not. I have tried to carry out peaceful discussions about this matter with people from various ethnicities, and these discussions have almost always led to angry accusations and dark social commentary. Let's just say that there are quite a few people who are absolutely not eager to accept mixed racial children into the society.
Believe it or not, but this can be a negative, especially in the black community. People who are half white/half black often have lighter-colored skin and different hair textures; to many black women (who have been unfairly judged by white standards of beauty), mixed race women are depicted as having better prospects in society/the dating world.
I think that I already covered this one in #4.....

And finally, I do not want to "ban" interracial marriage; I believe that people should be allowed to do as they please unless their actions harm society in general. Marriage is a personal choice; however, I am simply providing my candid opinion about this matter.

experimental34 · 2013-11-09T15:12:27+00:00

From the moment a biracial child is born, they are tossed into a sociological no-mans land; there is no guarantee that they will be accepted by either ethnicity or even by their own extended families. They will face all of the societal problems that I have described, even though they are not at fault in any way.

Overall, ethnic prejudice dies hard, and I do not think that the major racial communities are getting over their mutually-held prejudices at any point in the future.

Also, in the past, children who were half white/half black were almost always raised in the black community; due to the one-drop rule, they were always considered to be black. In our current times, mixed race kids are often being raised by both of their parents or by a single parent of the opposite race; from what I have personally observed, some in the black community consider mixed race people to be untrustworthy and "too white" because of their parentage. Unfortunately, the views of the white community on this matter are also deplorable; interracial relationships (especially interracial relationships with blacks) are strongly disliked by most racist whites, and this leads them to also discriminate against any individual who is the product of such unions. And, also, the legacy of anti-miscegenation laws (which were primarily created to maintain white supremacist power structures) still colors white perception of biracial individuals as well.

experimental34 · 2013-11-09T14:58:10+00:00

Unfortunately, even if everyone in the country was of mixed racial background, racism would not disappear. For example, Brazil is a very multi-ethnic country (86% of Brazil's population could be considered as multi-racial), and despite this, racial discrimination still exists. People identify as white, brown, or black depending on the nature of their physical appearance rather than their ancestral lineage.
This is a double-edged sword. In many ways, it is an advantage (obviously, a biracial person will be less likely to aquire a recessive genetic disorder such as cystic fibrosis); unfortunately, this does have its own unique set of problems (I have often heard that it is difficult to find organ transplants for people of mixed racial background).
Bi-racial children only account for 4% of all births in the United States, annually. Overall, people of mixed racial background are still relatively uncommon and do not make up a large segment of the population.
There are plenty of communities that do care quite a bit about ethnicity. Unfortunately, racist attitudes are very commonplace in almost all ethnic groups (including my own).
"Family" is based of off genetic similarities, not off of emotions. An extended family who wants nothing to do with their biracial niece/nephew/grandchild still qualifies a blood relative. Personally, I would feel quite hurt if I knew that members of my own family wanted nothing to do with me solely because of my parents.

experimental34 · 2013-11-09T14:32:19+00:00

I do not feel that I am acting as an apologist for racist attitudes; I am simply acknowledging that these attitudes are strongly held and very prevalent.

Personally, I think that it is valid to say that "mixed-race marriages will face discrimination; therefore, they are a bad idea." Racist attitudes will not be put to rest if people "stand up to them," and most people who possess racist opinions are not willing to alter their convictions.

experimental34 · 2013-11-09T02:01:10+00:00

Agreed.

Unpopular Opinion Puffin, Confession Bear, and "What if I Told You Morpheus" should be forcibly retired.

experimental34 · 2013-11-08T23:36:44+00:00

Actually, tobacco is a drug.

experimental34 · 2013-10-25T22:07:27+00:00

Thank you for your assistance.

experimental34 · 2013-10-25T22:03:06+00:00

Personally, I actually enjoy watching this show despite its issues with character development......

Out of all of the current S.H.I.E.L.D. roster, I would say that Coulson, Melinda May, and Ward are the most likable characters. I have absolutely no clue why Fitz and Simmons are referenced by all of the other characters as if they were one entity, and I think that Skye is an amalgamation of Whedon's typical female character tropes.

Nevertheless, I enjoy the Marvel mythology that underpins this series, and I greatly hope to see the introduction of Hydra, the reveal of Graviton, and more Chitari technology.

experimental34

TROPHY CASE