[John O]

Boy, do you need to read some history.

I never found that era of history to be of interest. I was using it to demonstrate the sloppiness of the article. Maybe I should have used the south in the early 1900's. I know that several states had laws against interracial marriage etc? The point is: Preference does not make a species.

[Doctor Stochastic]

What is your definition of "species"? What is the transitive closure of your definition. Is "species" a property of an individual entity?

[VadeRetro]

I know that several states had laws against interracial marriage etc?

There are laws against speeding, too, but I saw it happen once.

[Right Wing Professor]

I never found that era of history to be of interest. I was using it to demonstrate the sloppiness of the article.

As a pot might demonstrate the rich black hue of the kettle?

Interracial marriage was not the issue. Slavers used to rape their female slaves in order to get them pregnant with mulatto children, which fetched a higher price.

It's a mistake to confuse what the article calls preference - i.e. behavioral barriers to mating - with human decision making. Behavioral isolation is hard wired into animals, whereas humans can choose with whom to mate.