Growing up in Nashville in the 80s, everything was pretty much black and white. In middle school the one clique where people crossed those racial lines was the jocks/cheerleaders. Especially the wrestlers. I remember going to a a jock party at someone's house when I was in seventh grade. Mixed couples slow danced to the S.O.S. band and other popular R&B music. I felt like I was in a different world since mine mainly consisted of rock or new wave music and, well. I wasn't a cheerleader. I was still trying out for school plays. Of course this all changed when a friend of mine (who was also not a cheerleader) was accused of fooling around with black guys. She was read the riot act by the black girls at school and ultimately shunned by everyone.

I thought about that party after reading a story in today's Dallas Morning News (reg. required) that asks the question of whether race still matters to Generation Y. To me it's a no brainer. Of course it does. That said, pop culture reflects a different reality. From the article:

"Popular television shows such as The Real World and Grey's Anatomy show diverse casts mixing and mingling on-screen. Teens are exposed to the hottest R&B and hip-hop artists on VH1 and MTV. And in this Internet age, access to other cultures, trends and styles is only a few clicks away.

Pop culture serves up a 'multiracial, multicultural nirvana,' says Charles Gallagher, a Georgia State sociology professor, contributing to an impression of the younger generation as the first 'post-race' generation – one where race doesn't matter."

The article argues that some teens today believe racism is no longer an issue because they listen to hip hop (if they're white) or see more people of color playing doctors or lawyers on TV. It's a fairly thought provoking article. My favorite line:

"Dr. Gallagher, who studies white attitudes toward race says teens believe they can cross color lines through consumerism."

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