I hate racism, truly, I have a daughter of mixed race and a black stepdaughter and a black wife, not to mention relatives of various ethnicities from indigenous australian to maori to cambodian, and I know all too well the bitter ugliness of racism. I'm passionately outraged by it, I hate racist people (whether fueled by hate or ignorance - don't care) and I hate the history of institutionalised racism. I used to work for an organisation focussed on repairing the exclusion and discrimination of ethnic minorities and their cultures (especially indigenous australians), improving their inclusion at schools. Very passionately anti-racism.

However, I'm also very passionately interested in ethnic diversity and the cultures of the world, they're kind of connected really. Much like someone might love dinosaurs or big cats or cars, I love hominids and humanoids. I also like dogs, I like hominids and canids. They're my two favourite animals, my two favourite things, my two favourite topics.

I have a blast talking with like-minded dog enthusiasts on the internet, comparing breeds (or more often types, the topic of breeds is kind of amateurish since all breeds are modern fabrications and largely useless... but I don't need to geek out on this right now) and their qualities. The variation, the adaptations to the different lifestyles dogs can lead and have lead through history, how their roles have shaped them into the animals they are and how they differ. I find this so fascinating.

I'd find a similar investigation into human ethnicities equally fascinating, possibly more so. But it is such an incredibly sensitive topic, and I get why, but I just wish there was a way around it. I'm so intrigued when the olympics roll around to see the people of west african descent dominate the sprinting while the people of east african descent dominate the long distance. That sort of stuff is so interesting to me. I'd even like to be free to say "Oh I think these ethnicities are the best, I like them because blah blah blah" but obviously this would be seen as extremely racist, even though none of my top 5 ethnicities would be my own, and it's really coming from a totally innocent place just like a 10 year old telling you about his top 5 favourite dinosaurs.

The reason I'm here is because I love skyrim, and a big part of the reason I love skyrim is you can escape into a fantasy world where you're able to compare races, guilt free. It's an escape for everyone but for me it's an escape from that particular hell.

Anyway, I'm not even asking for a solution here or to be excused and allowed to talk about my favourite ethnicities and why I like them, I know the damage has been done and it's just too sensitive a topic. I'm just venting and ranting, it's so hard being passionately interested in a topic layered in so many raw nerves. Not as hard as being a discriminated against minority, though, I'll give you that.

I seriously doubt ethnicity in itself is any actually meaningful contributor to African athletes being so prominent in professional sports. A simpler and more believable explanation is that these people usually come from very poor backgrounds, where being an athlete is one of the very few realistic career prospects you have.

no i don't think it makes a person racist for being interested in other ethnicity. I think this is an example of how over zealously people seek racism and dole out punishment leads to more misunderstanding than it does healing. True racism is about hate and bringing another person down because of their heritage.

If people were half as sensitive as they are now, and half as insensitive, we'd all be a whole lot better off.

There's nothing wrong with having an interest in ethnicities, and it doesn't make you a racist at all. Racism is when you start to condemn and speak lowly of other ethnicities as if they're inferior and lesser humans. Prejudice, judging people by their ethnicity, or calling them more or less desirable is racist, and not very nice at all.

I can see your concern, and I share your same beliefs regarding racism. It is one of the worst, disgusting, vulgar things we humans came up with. This is how I see it in regard to your question:

As long as you don't think people not of the ethnicity you lean more towards are somehow inferior because of their ethnicity and treat them as such, you're not racist. As long as you treat them all equally and fairly, you're fine.

For example, suppose I fell in love and married an Asian woman. Does that mean I view all non-Asian women as beneath the Asian woman I married? Not at all. I believe they all deserve to be treated with the same equal respect as anyone else, regardless of heritage.

Like the others said, it's when you start treating people of other heritages as inferior to yours that makes you a racist.

I find it funny how a large part of your post is vehemently denying you're a racist, like you're afraid of being mislabeled as such or something.

Anyway, this is a pretty forum-sensitive topic so we should tread carefully. But to answer your question; IMO it doesn't make you racist. To me it just seems like you're interested in anthropology.

For myself personally, I too have favorite ethnicities and my #1 happens to be my own. I don't think some races are superior, but I strongly believe we as humans are all different (and I don't mean the "you're special" kindergarten way ). Way I view it all ethnicities have their strengths and weaknesses, I just happen to prefer some traits over others. Furthermore I can understand others have other "favorites". Anyway, I don't even know if I qualify as racist but I simply shrug it off if someone accuses me of it; couldn't care less.

EDIT: Oh and an important thing to add to this is that with like with every generalization, there are exceptions. Not every East African is a good marathon runner and not every Hungarian is an alcoholic six fiend. just kidding we all are

As a discriminated against minority in America (Tints are the majority of the world) & an Olympic hopeful; I would like to say that I'm truly honored by your interest in the original culture & biology of my ancestors with such enthusiasm.

There's nothing wrong with it; just expect the misinformed & ignorant to be extremely sensitive on the matter as always.

Also be careful with throwing up your anti racism flag because those are usually the racist ones.

Seconded.

It seems you're into Anthropology which is basically the study of different human cultures around the world throughout the ages. It's a very good field to get into.