Video Of Interracial Couple Being Harassed Shows What It's Like To Date Outside Your Race

My morning routine is usually uneventful.

I generally wake up in a good mood, contemplate actually getting out of bed, take a five to 10 minute shower, contemplate getting out of the shower, get dressed and then make my way to work.

There's usually also a five minute window to grab a quick cup of coffee before beginning my day. But on this particular morning, I woke to something unsettling which would set the tone for my entire day, if not the rest of the week.

My Wednesday morning started off like any other day, until I received a text from a co-worker of mine. This was odd, because this colleague rarely sent me texts, let alone at 6:30 am.

"Deeply disturbing," read the text, which included a link to a video.

The clip, entitled "Interracial Couple Gets Harassed On Date," shows a black man and a white woman quietly sharing a meal at a restaurant, when a stranger suddenly begins making racial comments toward the couple.

The man says, "Look at this f**kery in a black-owned restaurant," before asking the pair if they are in an intimate relationship.

He then continues his rant, saying,

You had to go to the lowest rung of humanity? If they are even humans. Like, are you that weak?

By this time, I was fuming, and I was just waiting for the man trying to enjoy his food to lash out at the man confronting them.

Shouldn't your partner's worth be measured by their character rather than the color of their skin?

But, to my surprise, he remained calm and collected despite the stranger's continued belittling.

He went on,

Just the fact that y'all have the audacity to sit in a black-owned restaurant, you know, I had to ask. What's wrong with you? What was it that made you that weak — that you'd get on your knees and bow to this less of a female — that's lesser than a black woman in every way.

After the video finished, I could do nothing but sit cross-legged on my bed, silently glaring at my phone.

It's rare I find myself speechless. But on that particular morning, I literally could not find the words to describe how I felt.

And it's not only because my boyfriend is black, but because we have both experienced a more subtle form of criticism regarding our relationship.

When it comes to dating, I've never had an extensive list of requests for the guy I saw myself with.

As long as the guy wasn't abusive, mentally unstable or just a colossal douche, I wasn't exactly picky.

With that being the case, something I never gave much thought to was race, which always struck me as inconsequential, leaving me to wonder why it would matter to anyone else.

Growing up, my mom made an effort to convey the importance of treating everyone with respect and equality.

She made sure it was deeply rooted and unable to forget. In her mind, it was just as crucial as brushing your teeth every morning and night.

Maybe the reason for my mother's relentless advocating came from personal experience. As a Hispanic girl growing up in the '50s, who was raised in a Jewish household, my mom understands a thing or two when it comes to minorities.

Clearly, racism still exists among many communities. Just turn on the news, and you can easily catch a glimpse of it.

Considering the immense amount of growth this country has gone through, why is interracial dating such a big deal in today's society? Will it eventually subside?

Shouldn't your partner's worth be measured by their character rather than the color of their skin?

After all, love is love. It doesn't discriminate against race, gender, ethnicity or religion. As human beings, we should be mindful to remember that.