Posted by Teine Samoa {152.163.189.233} on October 26, 2002 at 23:22:06:
In Reply to: Re: Psychologists View of Interracial Marriage posted by Kimberly Walker {134.121.160.173} on October 22, 2002 at 01:46:43:
Hi, Kimberly:)
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree that it has to do with “cultures” and “the way a person was raised.”
Not to take the bull by the horn, but...
Speaking from personal experience, I find that interracial marriages do not water down cultural heritage as some people might think. If anything it has taught me, a Samoan woman, to appreciate where I came from more deeply rather than taking it for granted. I firmly believe that it’s up to the individuals to carry on cultural ties, whether they’re involved in an inter-racial or intra-racial marriage or even chose to remain single. It’s how they apply those values that’s important…
The issue I have with the psychologist’s “tenet” per se is that it comes across as advocating a belief in profound racial differences (albeit his attempt at justification-whoops!) that make deep relationship/marriage across racial lines difficult and unwise.
First of all, when you marry someone it’s obvious to anyone that you’ve chosen that person because you’ve fallen in love with him or her, in which case color or ethnic background wouldn’t matter! Furthermore, any “dissimilarity” you encounter in the marriage, whether they come in small or large doses determines “compatibility.” To me personally, the challenge is in balancing the “two” regardless of the environment you live in…
We live in a world that is filled with people who separate others because of their color, sex, religious convictions, or whatever else that is “different”. I think it would be a wonderful thing if people could become more homogenous in their attitudes towards their fellow man.
Ia manuia la’asaga ole weekend.
Soifua,
Teine Samoa:)