I was wondering how I had missed a thread on this topic with 50 posts....I have up above the line a lot today.

I simply do not care what a persons color is...but I AM very aware of it most of the time, as it 'tends' to indicate what culture they consider themselves members of. I do not care, for example, whether the President...or my neighbor... is named Obama, Gonzales, Smith or McGregor. But I do care whether he speaks the basic language of this country and behaves in a cooperative way when speaking to ME.

Race is 'metaphysically' irrelevant, as it IS based, as Mrrzy says, on heritage determined by geography and differential adaptation to sunlight and weather. As we move & travel more, there WILL be more 'browning' or whatever we want to call it. Nevertheless, there will also remain basic culture and language...at least for many, many more generations. France will likely guard its culture and language...as will the Japanese, Brazilians and Iraqis...etc..no matter what the residents LOOK like!

Still, as long as 'racial' mixing keeps occuring faster than cultural adaptation, 'race'...meaning basic identification by color and language...will continue to be an issue in many countries. There simply is no doubt that most people's instinct is to trust, associate with and live near, those who look & especially talk, like themselves...(they sometimes guess wrong, but next time they still play the odds).
   Tiger Woods has been mentioned...he HATES being 'identified' as simply 'black' when his mother was Asian! I see his point....he is a slightly dark-skinned guy of mixed cultural heritage who just happens to be a good golfer...and Obama has a similar story. Tiger's wife is Caucasian...their new baby is quite a mix.

It's time to re-think what we should list ourselves as on forms we have to fill out....even though I am pretty durned pale! (I sunburn so easily...and having one Native American great-great grandmother didn't help a bit!)

Blending of ethnic diversity IS the future of the world...unless.....unless fuel shortages and religious and political feuds keep people from traveling much. Remember...in some places, like China and Japan, there is much less immigration than in the US or parts of Europe.


(I keep thinking of more issues, points, disclaimers and sub-issues...it is VERY hard to stick to one point in a topic like this)


Will various forces "turn the country brown."? Maybe...but not in OUR lifetime...we will have to see what all those resisting 'browning' do as the change progresses.