The law forbidding interracial marriage was terminated in 1967 by Loving vs. Virginia, but apparently it does not apply to the interracial couples that want to get married in Louisiana in the 21st century.

The number of interracial marriages in the United States has had a drastic increase since earlier years, but for some reason black-white marriages tend to be the most controversial in the public eye. Americans are more willing to accept white-Hispanic or white-Asian marriages because of the similarities in skin color and social status. But why does our physical appearance matter more than moral character?

Many black-white couples are facing negative reactions from society, making it hard for them to have a regular relationship. They have to deal with disapproval from their own race, pessimistic reactions from family and friends and the ignorance of society as a whole. Why is interracial dating so controversial? If it’s not racism, what is it then?

Most of the negative views of interracial relationships and marriages come from our parents and grandparents who lived in a time of racial and ethnic turmoil and still have old scars and beliefs that have not yet healed. Ignorance, I feel, is the main reason to why they are not accepting interracial dating. To state that it is biblically wrong shows that one has no knowledge of the Bible. The Bible never once says the word “race.”

It is unequivocal that interracial dating is not easy. Is any relationship easy – interracial or not? But dating and marriage are not about pleasing others. It is about being with the person you love and want to spend the rest of your life with. Race is not an issue when love is concerned. Factors like trust and love are what are important.

Thus, why is society making it harder on interracial couples? How many interracial couples have been on the receiving end of many offensive stares when walking down the street? Why do people care? It is an issue of concern only to the couple. If one chooses to date a person of another race, why should our society be bothered? It is an issue that needs to be dealt with by the individual people involved.

Society is simply wasting its time by interfering with the couples’ relationship. It is wrong and unethical to make it hard for them. If a couple is in love, let them be happy. Those who repudiate interracial dating and feel that it is wrong need to attempt breaking down the color barriers that exist so highly in their lives. We were not put on this earth to criticize people on the way they feel, but to venerate and respect them. If two people can love each other, what difference does it make as to their roots and color?

As the Bible states, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres.”

People come together because of common interests, goals and, simply put, true love. There are no rules to this love. In some cases, outside influences, pressures and stereotypes can be more destructive on a relationship than the actual ethnicity or color of the partners involved. But with the commitment and dedication that two people may share together, there is no force that might separate them.

I think society’s view on interracial relationships and marriage is something to be concerned about. I share a dream with Martin Luther King Jr. I hope that all people “will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

To me, this says it all, and the faster we get over the past (however, not forget it) the closer we can get on with a new society that does not let its history negatively affect the present. Society must be educated on this topic so it is not blinded by ignorance. We live in America where we have the freedom to do as we choose. You don’t have to marry or be in a relationship outside of your race. But if I choose to do so, and I’m happy, then stay out of my business.

Anastasia Spytsya is a senior Russian translation major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].