Comments on: My Cross-Cultural Kissing Habits May Be Getting Me in Trouble http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/ Stereotypes in Advertising, Intercultural Communications, Multicultural Parenting Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:29:00 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: shoss http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/comment-page-1/#comment-2538 shoss Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:59:53 +0000 http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/#comment-2538 I'm shocked to know that it was still illegal only so recently, but you also may recall a few weeks ago that a Louisiana judge denied a license to an interracial couple (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/interracial-couple-denied_n_322784.html) although I believe he is facing losing his license for doing it. I was (full disclosure!) sent a book to review "Your Intercultural Marriage" by Marla Alupoaicei. While I haven't read the full thing (shame on me as an interculturalist for being a little resistant to digging into it as a Jew--the book is through a more Bible/Christian lens), there is a whole chapter on "A Biblical Look at Intercultural Marriage" which sites instances of interracial marriage in the Bible. And, since our laws are enforced "Under G-d" this should be a non-issue, right? Thanks so much for visiting and sharing your perspective. What state are you in? I’m shocked to know that it was still illegal only so recently, but you also may recall a few weeks ago that a Louisiana judge denied a license to an interracial
couple (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/interracial-couple-denied_n_322784.html) although I believe he is facing losing his license for doing it.

I was (full disclosure!) sent a book to review “Your Intercultural Marriage” by Marla Alupoaicei. While I haven’t read the full thing (shame on me as an interculturalist for being a little resistant to digging into it as a Jew–the book is through a more Bible/Christian lens), there is a whole chapter on “A Biblical Look at Intercultural Marriage” which sites instances of interracial marriage in the Bible. And, since our laws are enforced “Under G-d” this should be a non-issue, right?

Thanks so much for visiting and sharing your perspective. What state are you in?

]]> By: tree http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/comment-page-1/#comment-2537 tree Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:36:51 +0000 http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/#comment-2537 One other thing I should have mentioned is that inter-racial marriages were "illegal" according to our state law, until about maybe 12-16 yrs. ago when it was put before the voter as a state constitutional amendment. It barely squeaked by at 51% vs. 49%, but it did pass. When we went before the county clerk in 1975, he didn't say a single word to us, but you could tell he "disagreed" with what we were doing. Also, I will give him "credit" though, because he did give it to us. One other thing I had wondered about though was if he would have given it to us if I was a "Black" male and my wife was "White." According to stats in a newspaper article about inter-racial marriages back several yrs. ago, it stated that there was only 1 inter-racial marriage performed in our county (the biggest city in our state) in 1975, none for yrs. before that, and then it's gradually grown since then. I doubt those stats, because we know of at least one other couple that was married close to the same time we were. One other thing I should have mentioned is that inter-racial marriages were “illegal” according to our state law, until about maybe 12-16 yrs. ago when it was put before the voter as a state constitutional amendment. It barely squeaked by at 51% vs. 49%, but it did pass. When we went before the county clerk in 1975, he didn’t say a single word to us, but you could tell he “disagreed” with what we were doing. Also, I will give him “credit” though, because he did give it to us. One other thing I had wondered about though was if he would have given it to us if I was a “Black” male and my wife was “White.” According to stats in a newspaper article about inter-racial marriages back several yrs. ago, it stated that there was only 1 inter-racial marriage performed in our county (the biggest city in our state) in 1975, none for yrs. before that, and then it’s gradually grown since then. I doubt those stats, because we know of at least one other couple that was married close to the same time we were.

]]> By: tree http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/comment-page-1/#comment-2533 tree Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:56:33 +0000 http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/#comment-2533 I believe in "inter-racial" kissing ... even in public. My wife and I are an "inter-racial" couple and have been married almost 35 yrs. and live in "The South" (of the USA). She's like a sweet brown mocha and I'm like ... well, something "old and sour," but we get along with each other quite well and, since we believe in "The Good Book," we believe we have the possibility of spending forever together ... and actually look forward to that with hope. We've really had some interesting experiences. I used to think "racism" was a "white man's problem," but ... not anymore. It can be so pervasive and insidious that we don't even see it in ourselves at times. Besides, there are a lot of other types of "prejudice," besides just on the basis of "race." We probably all prejudge at times, no matter how open and fair we try to be. If we ever feel the urge to go throwing stones at other's faults, we ought to take a really good look at our own self first ... and then put the rocks down and walk away. I believe in “inter-racial” kissing … even in public. My wife and I are an “inter-racial” couple and have been married almost 35 yrs. and live in “The South” (of the USA). She’s like a sweet brown mocha and I’m like … well, something “old and sour,” but we get along with each other quite well and, since we believe in “The Good Book,” we believe we have the possibility of spending forever together … and actually look forward to that with hope. We’ve really had some interesting experiences. I used to think “racism” was a “white man’s problem,” but … not anymore. It can be so pervasive and insidious that we don’t even see it in ourselves at times. Besides, there are a lot of other types of “prejudice,” besides just on the basis of “race.” We probably all prejudge at times, no matter how open and fair we try to be. If we ever feel the urge to go throwing stones at other’s faults, we ought to take a really good look at our own self first … and then put the rocks down and walk away.

]]> By: Gori Girl http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/comment-page-1/#comment-2506 Gori Girl Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:18:50 +0000 http://interculturaltalk.org/2009/10/29/my-cross-cultural-kissing-habits-may-be-getting-me-in-trouble/#comment-2506 I think many basic customs are easy to censor - if you know the difference between your own culture and the one you're operating in. How you eat, how you greet other people, give gifts etc - some of these differ wildly by culture. If you know what the differences are in these sort of things, then I think it's only polite to make the attempt to be sensitive to others' feelings and interact with them in a way that makes them most comfortable. With all the caveats I wrote about in my blog post. ;-) I think many basic customs are easy to censor – if you know the difference between your own culture and the one you’re operating in. How you eat, how you greet other people, give gifts etc – some of these differ wildly by culture. If you know what the differences are in these sort of things, then I think it’s only polite to make the attempt to be sensitive to others’ feelings and interact with them in a way that makes them most comfortable. With all the caveats I wrote about in my blog post. ;-)

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