This post is from Ignatius Sancho – he repeatedly tried to post this information on Steph’s blog but was abused, gagged and then ridiculed.
Firstly I’d like to thank Charlie for giving me this platform from which to rebut the assertions made by Stefania Harris, over at Steph’s Blog. I was drawn to her site as it appeared to discuss a very pertinent subject – is America ready for a black President, or indeed a woman President? However I found the post itself to be impertinent.
Steph veered off on a bizarre tangent about interracial relationships and marriages, my eyebrow was first raised at this remark:
According to a Gallup Poll on interracial dating in June 2005, 71% of respondents approve of black men dating a white woman, which at first seems progressive, but the same survey also suggested that 34% of white American women claimed to have dated a black man. Forget the fact that this survey was only based on the answers of 1,116 respondents, this is obviously untrue – it’s statistically bullshit!
Untrue? Statistical bullshit? I am not sure how she is able to arrive at such a conclusion from that, it seems quite clear to me, according to the survey 34% of white women have dated a black man in the US. Sounds about right.
However she did not stop there, I began to get the impression that Steph did not approve of interracial relationships, and sadly I was later proved correct. She goes on to claim that marriage figures give a more accurate idea of how many white women date black men, quite sweet really, did she think all white women, meet, fall in love and then marry their one and only boyfriend? She continued her bizarre rant:
In England and Wales, only 1% of all married women have inter-ethnic marriages (less than the number of women who describe themselves as Lesbians) and less than 1 in 1000 married white women is married to a black man.
Firstly, black people only account for 2% of the UK population, that means that whatever percentages we are going to be dealing in they are going to be low. About 3.5% of people in the UK are lesbian women. That means that there are more lesbians in the UK than black people, so her silly remark doesn’t actually make any sense, in fact you could call it “statistically bullshit!”
Marriage isn’t the best indicator of interracial relationships, or any relationships for that matter, as fewer and fewer people are getting married in Britain today. Just as the 2001 census shows once again. So looking at the marriages stats isn’t the best way of determining interracial relationships, particularly for black men.
According to the 2001 census (again!), 50% of black men aged 16 or over were unmarried at the time of the census, 50%! Anyone who knows anything about the black community won’t find that surprising, but it clearly shows that one cannot use marriage stats alone when it comes to the relationships of black men.
So how does one find out just how many black men are in mixed race relationships?
There is plenty of evidence of this, one only has to look. If you live in an area that has black people you will have probably noticed it every day whilst riding the bus, shopping in town or out drinking with friends. You are just as likely in the UK today to see a black man with a white woman than with a black woman. I really cannot understand why Steph hasn’t seen it for herself, where does she live? According to recent statistics 50% of black men have a white partner. That’s right, 50%, half, one in two, i.e. for every pair of black men you see, statistically speaking one of them is in a mixed race relationship! It really cannot be any clearer than that. So her statement:
Fact: interracial relationships are extremely rare.
Is clearly absolute rubbish, black men dating white women is pretty much the norm. Either she has purposely twisted the figures or was confused because of the low percentages. Either reason doesn’t look good for a woman of reputed intelligence.
But it was Stefania Harris’ next remark that really surprised me, this sounded more like it came from some kind of BNP propaganda:
The number of mixed race children proves that very few white women conceive to black men.
It does nothing of the sort, in fact it proves categorically that mixed race relationships are thriving. As I said originally before she altered my comment on her website:
That is woefully inaccurate, in many areas of the UK, mixed race children out number black children in schools.
Anyone with half an eye on the 2001 census would know this, why? Well because 2001 was the first year that mixed race got its very own group on the census. It had to, it is now the third largest ethnic group. As this article shows it will be the largest ethnic minority in just a few years:
On current trends, mixed-race babies will soon outnumber those born to black couples in Britain. The last census showed that people of mixed race make up the third-largest minority group behind Indians and Pakistanis. But with half of them aged 16 or younger, they are the fastest growing. In time, people of mixed race will become Britain’s largest ethnic minority.
To see just how fast it is growing one only needs to look at the 2001 census, isn’t that right Steph? Perhaps you missed that page? Although it has been mentioned before in the press:
In some cities the proportions are even higher. Some 11% of schoolchildren in Lewisham, south London, for example, are mixed.
Precisely as I stated in my original comment on her site, which Steph initially scoffed at, then oddly later removed that remark! I was quite offended by her turn of phrase, “few white women conceive to black men”, what a very odd thing to say, almost as if she believes that black men are infertile, or at least less fertile with white women than white men. Clearly though this is not true, probably some old wives tale that she heard from her mother. The fact that this ethnic group is growing so fast means that there is nothing wrong with the black seed and white wombs are proving fertile ground; much to Steph’s chagrin I am sure.
Her parting shot did not surprise me:
I wouldn’t date a black man because I’m not attracted to them – and that’s probably true for most white women – but a lot of white women, as well as white men have a strong negative reaction towards interracial relationships
She didn’t hide her abhorrence very well, but again I found it a very odd thing to say, “and that’s probably true for most white women” but it isn’t is it? As the statistics show.
As for the negative feelings, I can only assume that she is assuming everyone agrees with her, because the prevalence of mixed race relationships clearly shows that most people don’t mind them, well I am not surprised really, afterall she deletes the comments from anyone who disagrees with her and flatly refuses to acknowledge them so of course she believes her opinions are right, she has nothing else to compare them to.
“Make human nature thy study – wherever thou residest – whatever the religion – or the complexion – study their hearts. – Simplicity, kindness, and charity be thy guard – with these even savages will respect you – and God will bless you.” – Ignatius Sancho
Good advice then and now, I hope you take heed Steph. The Blackman is nothing to fear.
Ignatius Sancho,
Stefania Harris,
Steph’s Blog,
Black,
Blacks,
Mixed Race,
2001 Census,
Census,
Interracial,
Barack Obama,
Hilary Clinton
