My best friend is black and he is married to a white girl who I've also known for nearly 40 years. We've all gone out for dinner and movies and other outings many times over the years. When we were young the stares people gave my friend and his white wife used to really bother him. Especially since he is a very outgoing guy that has as many white friends as black friends and knows about everybody in town, from politicians to sports figures. But the black/white issue used to really get under his skin. It is amazing the changes I've seen in both him and the public the past 40 years. They very seldom get a second look from the public anymore when we go out. And I haven't heard him bring up the issue of race is many years. I think it's a combination of this country growing because interracial couples are a much bigger part of our society. And I think after a lifetime of this, he's just accepted the fact that there are always going to be those half wits out there who are born racists and general assholes. Hopefully most of them won't pass it down to their kids. But I think there are many less of them now than what there used to be. And that comes from first hand observance.
