Mixed Pairs

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and we got to talking about interracial dating. It's actually a subject that's been brought to my attention quite a bit over the last several months and I decided I would blog on it. I grew up with absolutely no prejudices concerning people's race or their ethnic background. The kids I hung out with were Italian, African-American, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian. I never thought of them as anything but people just like me. The color of their skin or their physical features didn't serve any purpose other than to make them different from me in the way they looked. I had absolutely no concept of racial prejudice or even an idea that people could and did look down on other people because of their physical appearance. Disliking someone because they were from a different race of people was a totally foreign concept to me. Of course I grew up and learned that people did think that way, but I couldn't change my thinking, and I didn't want to. People are just people. Where they are from and how they look serves to make them different from me and thus interesting to get to know. Now, relating all this to dating, since I have no problem with people of different races why would I have a problem with having a relationship with someone from a different race? In fact, I find that I am most attracted to people that are not like me and guys who have dark skin, dark hair and dark eyes are simply gorgeous. Looking at all the guys I've been seriously attracted to there is only one in the whole bunch that could be labeled "a white guy". My friend says I have jungle fever; I say I have good taste. The thought never occurred to me that it would be odd to be attracted to someone of another race. In high school and beginning college I was convinced the man I would marry would be someone who was dark-skinned and dark-haired (won't mention the eyes because one of the best looking African-American guys I ever laid eyes on had beautiful green eyes!). I never thought it weird that people of different races dated each other or even married, but apparently I'm a little odd because I keep running in to people who do. What's the big deal? So they look different, who cares? Why is that a problem in a relationship? I've heard the argument that mixed marriages or relationships are harder to deal with than non-mixed ones, but so what? If you really love someone why does it matter if they have a different skin color than you? How does that affect the relationship between the two of you? I know you will have to deal with prejudices and people thinking things, but that's the same for a lot of people depending on where you are living. I would like to hear an argument from someone that truly justifies a ban on interracial relationships. What could you possibly give as a good reason for that? Aren't people just people no matter what they look like? Is there a ban on ugly people marrying non-ugly people? Should people with blond hair not marry those with brown? Where do you draw the line on what is and isn't a good idea to mix? What about geography? Does that make a difference? Should you not marry someone who is not from your country? Or should you not marry someone who is not from the same culture as you? Most people would think this was ridiculous because it happens all the time and is accepted. So what makes race so different? I would have to guess that deep down those who object are really prejudiced in their own way. If you saw no difference in the humanity of all people then why would you object to something that is considered normally human? I can imagine that there must be some sort of fear of criticism from family and friends, a fear of what people might think, and perhaps even a fear of the unknown and unfamiliar. But are these really good excuses for labeling interracial couples as a bad idea? I would hardly think so but perhaps I am not seeing the whole picture or I am missing something. If anyone has any thoughts on this I would love to hear what you have to say. It would be interesting to know others' views on this topic.