[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by Southlander

Honey, you just THINK you have no accent!

One word none of my profs at Cambridge (and I do not mean MA) were familiar with - BINGO!

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by pennquaker09

As the product of an interracial marriage (Caucasian dad, AA mom - which you really don't see that often), I can tell you that it's not that bad. Now, that's not to say people don't have their prejudices or whatever. For example, I was visiting and my mom and I went to Whole Foods (in the whitest of suburbs) and my kids were calling her grandma and, I, obviously call her mom. To passersby, it looks like three Caucasian people and an African American woman, so people wonder. The mysteries of genetics.

Anyway, we get stares and hushed whispers, but I grew up with it so it doesn't bother me. I'm proud to be biracial and, you have to have that same mentality about your marriage. Don't be concerned with what other people think.

And, as others have said, you're going to get whatever you put into it, back. If you go there with the preconceived notion that people are against interracial marriage, then you're not going to have the most positive experience.

Penn - you forgot to mention that you grew up in a certain part of town which may not be in OP's budget.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by Threestep

Penn - you forgot to mention that you grew up in a certain part of town which may not be in OP's budget.

Does that mean the racism is better, or worse there, in your opinion?
I think is Southside Birmingham, and probably increasingly in some of the suburbs, it starts to become truly normal, where its hardly noticed. This is more what I'm used to where I grew up. Where it might be something you notice and talk about if you happen to be in a conversation with that particular person. But not the kind of thing where you would even realize or notice much with strangers. Hushed whispers still sounds kind of crazy to me.
But I think the posters are right that if you look for it, you will find it. Perhaps being from out of town is a bit of a benefit in some ways, wherein if that kind of thing is going on I probably don't even recognize it!

[J.J. Burns]

The Chelsea area has really good public elementary schools - we have relatives there. As far as the interracial issue -a very few MIGHT notice but more than likely they won't say anything - and the rest simply don't care.

The tiny Southern Baptist church we attended for a while had interracial couples attending. So even the old saying about Sunday being the most segregated day of the week is becoming less true as the years go by.
I think the earlier responses re; your saying you wouldn't choose to live here result from year after year of negative stereotype reinforcement in the media. As you are concerned that you will be unaccepted because of your marriage, we are, unfortunately, not unaccustomed to being assumed to be hicks and racists because of where we were born by those outside our region of the country.

Alabama is a great place to live. We have mountainous areas in the northeastern part of the state, waterfalls, canyons, beaches, rivers, etc. Welcome to our state! just make sure you buy a house with a good AC unit :-D

[blueskylard82]

I am from Union Springs Alabama and My wife is from Puerto Rico .We have lived in the south for awhile and you would be amazed at how nice people can be.People and times have changed. You will get you stare every once in awhile and but you are moving to a big area. Go there with a open mind and a open heart,you should be fine. I think I should take my own advice,considering moving to north Dakota now.

[AnnieA]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

I actually have a lot of respect for people like this. Fighting against decades of upbringing, but realizing that its not right is something few people can do.

I agree. I have seen this and I think it speaks well of those people and their basic goodness.

[pennquaker09]

Originally Posted by Threestep

Penn - you forgot to mention that you grew up in a certain part of town which may not be in OP's budget.

True.

[jojo-50]

hi, i most definately feel where you're coming from. i'm originally from Manhattan NY. i've been here for Years,and hate this place. i had to come,i was still a minor. and i didn't know racism until we moved to alabma. i know all too well of the still, bigotry of race mixing. my daugther is married to a white guy. i have two BEAUTIFUL grandson,who loves their grandmother,(me)! me and my son,(i don't see him as a "son-n-law"). have a very good rlationship.

whenever i'm out and see mixed couples, i smile. that's one of the reasons i like being a servant of Jehovah. when we have our conventions,i'm so happy. because not only is there ALL race and nationalities together. when even strangers show MUCH love to each other. but you have all sorts of mix races,i LOVE IT! this is hwo God wants it,dispite what many wants to believe.

STILL!... my daugther complains about the nasty looks they get. and i'm sorry,not meaning to scare you. because i understand you can't put ALL in one boat. but many times they were stopped by a cop,they did nothing wrong. i know of many times when they call me to explain what had happen,they were upset,she's in tears.

they said in one instance two cops ,black and white. each cop seperated them. she was asked by the white cop, "how do you know him" when she said they were married,he was like OH!...you are? how long?" what does that have to do with anything. they claimed my kids were pulled over because of a light,(put it was up in the daytime).

another time, they both were coming to my house to pick up the kids. my daugther said,moma,when i seen the cops a couple of yards aways, i KNEW they were going to pick with us. once they stop them,and my kids explain they were tring to pick up the kids. (i live in apartments, 90% BLACK). there's a guard shed at the entrance,the cops told my daugther to get out the car,and go get the kids. they,(both white), mad her husband stay in the car, she was mad and crying.

once everything was over and they went home. my son called me to tell me what had happen when he was alone with them. the cops said to him,..."you look strange up in this neigborhood" he said my mother-n-law lives here. it's to the point,they won't come over together.being in fear of really being stopped. they already catch crap in so-called "peacful" neigborhoods. i told them,you're come out better move to cities like NY. there's not much racial hatred there.

though as i said NOT all cops are bad,and not ALL people here are racist. alabama isn't really a good place to start a family. my children told me,just recently,my sister said to them,she don't think mixed race should make children. yet she claim to be a follower of Jesus. you have many of them here too. claimers of being a follower of Jesus,(who praced love to all), yet haters of anything THEY...A DON'T LIKE! but i'll say to you as i've said to my children. KEEP your head up high, what anyone say concerning your marriage means NOTHING! you two love it, Jehovah and his son Jesus love it. so that's ALL that matters. stick together, because the only small you would be able to trust...is each other. peace

[Tourian]

My wife and I get a few stares but that's it. No one ever says anything to us. I'm a bit of an introvert though and perhaps an agoraphobe? So when I go out to places, especially in large crowds I sometimes think everybody is staring at me, even if I'm by myself. If I'm with my wife and our daughter no one really even cares or they just smile and say what a cute little girl. There are a lot of interracial couples here. My wife never notices anything that I think I do because she's too busy going about her business and enjoying life. Most of the time I think some guy is giving us a hard look and i think there's going to be a problem it turns out he's just staring at my wife's chest. What a relief.

In short: don't be scared. Mixed couples are no big deal around here. If you look for there to be a problem, you will find one.

[dsjj251]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

I agree Alabama gets an unfair amount of derision, but I think some of you guys are way over-reacting. The poster doesn't even seem mean-hearted and is actively trying to find out whether what s/he heard is true, and your answers are to give her the middle-finger. Believe it or not, Californians and San Franciscan get their fair share of stereotyping too, but you fight that by working to clear up ignorances, not telling them they are a-holes.

" From what I have read Alabama schools are some of the worst in the nation, I suppose many other parents go private. "

" Where I grew up it was not southern and I consider VA a mid Atlantic state if anything.I dont have an accent either. The parts that border NC could pass off as redneck/southern though. "

She seems to already have her mind set up about us.