Interracial relationships, To be or not to be? Options

[JerseyBoy]

I'm an Irish boy from New Jersey. Let me tell you southerners dont have the monopoly on being brought up racist. Its even a bit thru the white ppl there i.e callin Italians wops etc. Since we grew up together that was mostly good natured. The H.S. I went to had race riots and girls that dated a black man well lets just say "Once you go black you never go back" wasn't thier choice. We were taught if we only dated ppl the werent lily white because we had some kind of self worth issue. I joined the army and had my eyes opened and broadened my horisons. At the moment I've been getting things together with a woman who is mostly Mexican/Native American. Were not a couple but I thats my aim. I hate to say as a teen I wouldn't have given her a thought. I wish I had learned sooner because shes a smart funny and beautiful woman and I wonder who I may have missed out on as a kid.. I really got get my thoughts together in less words....