Note: The Icon recently invited members of the Bluffton University Communication 105 class to submit material for publication. The following is the first of a four-part series of "opinion pieces" by Whitney Zumberger, a member of the class. We invite viewer comments on this series.

Teenage Interracial Dating
In a 1977 Gallup poll, 52 percent of teens approved of interracial marriages between blacks and whites. In 1997 teens gave interracial marriages high approval ratings 94 percent between Hispanics and non-Hispanics.

Today's teen population is the most racially diverse this country has ever seen. They have friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, parents of all races. Race isn't necessarily something they think about.

Everyone might not approve, especially older generations. A 2002 Gallup poll reported that the only 30 percent of those 65 and older approved of interracial marriage, while approval ratings increased to 86 percent among 18-29 year-olds.

A study by George Yancey suggests that students who attend racially diverse schools are more likely to have interracial relationships, while those who live in less diverse areas are not as likely, simply because of the lack of racial diversity.

In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 6.8 million which is about 2.4 percent of America's population identified themselves as multiracial. It also reported that nearly half of the country's multiracial population was under age 18.

The growing acceptance of interracial dating exemplifies that the U.S. is embracing the truth of the Declaration of Independence statement that all men are created equal.