*Editor’s note: Elephant Journal articles represent the personal views of the authors, and can not possibly reflect Elephant Journal as a whole. Disagree with an Op-Ed or opinion? We’re happy to share your experience here. 

Whooo! Talk about an article you don’t want to present at a KKK meeting!

National Geographic has just published some pictures that are sure to make any white supremacist get the willies. These gorgeous photographs of real people are Nat Geo’s prediction of what Americans will look like in the not-so-distant future: 2050.

Let’s see, that’s only 36 years from now, which means I will live to be surrounded by these  faces if I make it to 79.

As a straight up white girl, I’ve always been envious of those with any shade of brown skin and light eyes. In high school the two hottest chicks—by far—were both a blend of East Indian and German: Rita Singh and Astrid Pujari. They were so stunning, I can still remember their names 30 years later, and neither one ever spoke a word to me.

Even so, I have mixed feelings about racial mixing. Not in the sense that it’s in any way objectionable—we are the only country to spawn a race of glorious mutts and as one of them (German and English, which isn’t all that mixed by today’s standards, but still enough to get me booted to the back of the line in another century, I suppose), I dig it. It makes us special, unique—it gives us flavor.

But it does sadden me to see ancient faces disappear.

I was watching an episode of Breaking Bad last night (okay, binge watching an entire season), and there was a scene when Walt hops in a migrant worker truck with a bunch of what  I assume were Mexicans. One of these guys had a countenance you just don’t see anymore; he looked like the last of the Mohicans.

Like any species that becomes extinct, there is a sadness associated with it, even if it happens for great reasons like cultural evolution, increased awareness and acceptance, and universal compassion.

Regardless of my, or anyone else’s thoughts on the subject though, this is where we’re headed, and maybe eventually we’ll have created a new ancient face that is distinctly American, and which will represent a culture where inclusivity ended up being something we didn’t just preach, but practiced.

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Editor: Renee Picard

Photo: Pixoto