Only Black or White: No Grey Areas! Race is a Social Construct

Now what I'm about to share with you is an extremely sensitive topic, but as a journalist at heart and one who looks for truth in everything, I do not feel it necessary to hide my evolving and ever blossoming understanding of life as we live in it today. The first half is history based, what I am referring to are my own personal conclusions on a rather big silent race issue, which will come later. Now in my Intro to Human Services Class we are reading from a book called "The Meaning of Difference." Essentially this whole book is about how and why humans have created, separated and categorized people into different classes...race, gender, socioeconomic class, etc., what the so-called [socially-constructed] meanings are of these classes, why these are significant and how these meanings shape our lives' potential. Follow me on this. I am not citing what I am saying but there are sources to back this theory up and if you are the slightest bit of a historian you know this to be true. Now, in the Bible and in Ancient times the term "race" was never used! People belonged to certain ethnic groups, where each had a special/certain culture and language and lived in a particular place. People were known by either who their fathers (ancestors) were and/or where they originated from. Remember old names that would have a first name and be followed by ...of a country. For example : "Joshua of Syria" or "Joshua de Syria." In the Bible and other ancient texts, it is often that you find extensive lists of descendent names before the scripture or text ever mentions the actual person of  the story's focus. "Race" was not formulated until colonization when Europeans conquested Native American lands and divided people into the categories of Mongoloids, Negroids  and  Caucasoids. Race was associated with certain biological/physical features which allowed people to categorize a certain look with certain negative characteristics and therefore assume a position of superiority. This construct was only perpetuated by slavery and later segregation even after World War II. Though up to that point America was preaching "Oh Democracy, justice and freedom for all," in the new suburbias (Levitt Town) being built it was ruled that if blacks were to live on these properties their presence would make the value of the houses go down and pollute the people. CRAZY! Then with these laws come the segregation and division of living communities and read-lining the poorest, blacks communities as 'hazardous.' Now it makes sense that even today, though schools are supposedly or by law, desegregated, our schools and communities are still yet so segregated with the exception of a few phenomenal cities, which even if diversified, most likely lack access to the best education and services there are. I highly suggest watching the documentary "Race an Illusion." It did not help that public policies and court rulings continuously perpetuated these so-called racial differences. It will blow your mind!

Now here's my revelation on the issue of black and white [marriage], as society likes to paint it. I ask that you please be respectful that this is only the opinion of one, though I think my evolution of thought symbolizes a breakthrough and positive progress. "I think a lot of black women's anger when seeing a black man with a white woman comes from all of the pain that we endured that the White Americans put us through...as was shown in the documentary and lived by our grandparents. Honestly, I used to think this way. Not because I wanted to but that's what I grew up seeing and hearing, especially on tv. I have been exposed lots more now to this dynamic (black man/white woman) and I'm proud to say that over time my heart has changed and I am no longer mad or jealous when I see this, but even moreso I have a heart for their children as they may have identity struggles growing up (as our reading "What is Race? What is Ethnicity?" mentioned). They may potentially struggle as they do not wholely fit into the racial constructs/boundaries society created, which did and does not leave much room for those of mixed-decent, and I don't just mean blacks and whites. Not to say "I feel bad for them," but I am now mindful and aware of these things. Black women like to think that our black men want white women because it's a power thing...a move up in society...and this may very well have even the slightest bit of truth to it, (just as people of a lower status may marry one of higher economic status to elevate their living status and opportunities) but who am I to say that LOVE has a color or race? Love is also an abstract ideal. Who am I to say that they're not truly in love? Now the problem comes in when these black men marry a white women and turn around and cast negative judgements on black women and say things like "they're too ignorant....they're too ghetto, they don't know how to love and obey their men." TOTALLY FALSE! AAANNNDDD that makes them no better in mindset than the angry black women. I have seen many many black women (especially Christian women) be sweet, beautiful, loving, obeying and supportive wives to their black husbands and gladly willing to fill their husband's physical desires as well and physical and emotional needs...as I plan to do for mine. First lady Michelle Obama is a prime example. And for some reason...America would like to believe that the president's and his wife's loving relationship is an illusion. WE ARE COMPLETELY BRAINWASHED! Race and political party is everything. As a poll participant I've had several whites say to me over the phone..."I USED to be a faithful Democrat until Obama got in there!" Now what in the world is THAT supposed to mean? "Are you saying to me sir that you refuse to be a Democrat because a Black man who is a Democrat is now in office?" If not, it certainly sounds like it. Have we seriously boiled down to this? Seriously? Everything is only either white or black...no grey areas. Life's not that simple and our brains shouldn't be either!"