How many White people here have had a Black person to dinner or as an overnight visitor?

Question

Many claim they do not see color in people, the real test is amongst your friends, how many people of color actually spend quality time with you?

Lilo, I can empathise with the world because amongst my friends are whites, blacks, chinese, arabs, native Indians, asians and I play golf, dine and have them over to stay. Fortunately I work all over the world. I notice there is always a reticence here in America, by most Whites, to befriend people of my colour and have me stay over, purely because of my colour. These same people however work with me, are prepared to lunch with me and would gladly say they haven't got a racist bone in their bodies. We all know by the answers we get here about the Arab/Israeli issue that their racism is just below the surface and every opportunity they get it comes gushing out. I am glad you gave me this opportunity to offer further detail.

Answer 1

I have a mixed variety of social and ethnic groups amongst my friends, because I have travelled all over the world. I class myself as being fortunate. Sometimes with people it is not a case of avoiding people with different ethnic/social/cultural (or otherwise) backgrounds but more a case of who they actually get to mix with on a daily routine. For example someone in a major city may well get more chance to work and play with a wider variety of people than someone in a country backwater. That is not to say that racism doesn't exist or that racism doesn't cut both ways, but I am sure I am not alone in feeling I am in no way deliberately racist and just as likely to have a black man as a friend as a white.

Answer 2

I do not select my dinner guests on any basis other than a feeling that they will contribute to the conversation or the pleasantness of their company, except when I invite people to dinner for busines purposes.

Therefore, I do not have a scorecared or quota system for my guests.

I have had many "black" people to my house for dinner, either in small settings or in larger parties. I have also had other persons who do not appear to be primarily caucasian at same or similar events.

I also share tables with people at restaurants either in accord with a pre-planned event, or when we encounter each other on site.

I have also shared dinner at other peoples houses as a guest.


If you are looking for a racist, perhaps you should pick up a mirror.

Answer 3

My son's friend is black and has been over for lunch/dinner many times. His parents and I are friendly but I don't know them well enough to call them friends.

I understand what you mean though and it is something that I will carry in my heart.

Making new friends is awkward for me regardless of race. I moved to my town 4 years ago and the only people I know are parents of kids my son knows. Just acquaintances.

Answer 4

Hey man this is a question of stupidity. Have you spent any time in the armed forces? If so you would no that there fopr the most part color is not an issue. I still keep in contact with all my friends I have served with.

Answer 5

To answer in order: I have, and it was a family of visitors for several days while their power was out. The second question: Does quantity take the place of quality? I would not care to sit and "sort out" the races and ethnicities of my friends and acquaintances. I think you should focus on the quality of your relationships rather than the quantity and color. One's life should be colorful in many ways.

Answer 6

My family is real good friends with Clark Terry,a great Jazz trumpeter. He's been to our home. A black doctor saved my brother's life and we've stayed friends for years. And back in the days of desegregation we even sold our home to a black professor and his family. I see people as people and I mean it.
I am not giving this lip service.

Answer 7

Had dinner with 3 black people and two white people 3 nights ago by choice. Had a mild crush on two of the black girls. I'm white. We all had great laughs- but not because they were black or white, it was because they were nice and funny.

Answer 8

None, but that is only because there are not that many where I am. We have been or are still friends with Turkish, Hindustani, Indonesian and Syrian people, and we have shared meals with mosty opf them.

I live in the North of the Netherlands.

Answer 9

My foster sister is a 'black person.' She's slept at my house, eaten meals with us, and tells her siblings to 'give white people a chance.' My dad went to her old school's talent show in the heart of Anacostia. He was certainly the only white person there and was warmly received. The talent show was the best he'd ever seen, dad said. (He once worked with a crew of folk who told him he was really black under his skin!)

My son was recently selected for a pilot tv show for kids. He was one of three white kids out of 150 black kids filming the opening segment. For part of it, the moms were included, and I was dancing on a sidewalk in residential downtown DC. As we were leaving, my son said, "Mom, do you think white people are more uptight than black people?" I asked what he thougt, and he said OHMY GOD YESSSS! We tried to think of all the white people we knew (besides ourselves) who would've danced on that sidewalk and we could only come up with one person - and when we were talking about it - she said I WOULD"VE DONE IT!! and we said - we know! Interestingly, even tho she seems very very uptight to everyone who meets her - she's the quintessential yankee - she took years of dance and she has always had black friends.

Answer 10

I'm the only white chick in my neighborhood. Some people are friendly and some are not. Is it because of my race? No idea!
Good question, tho.