en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/1116046 Comments by Blueskies21 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-8-lesson-14-affirmative-action__trashed/#IDComment85212224 7/6/10 As I was watching the lecture I started thinking the same thing. My parents have helped me with little things in the past, but for the most part, everything was on me. This makes me wonder how I should approach this topic with my future children. Of course I’m going to want them to succeed, but do I want them to benefit solely from their last name or whom they know? We all know the saying “you’re supposed to want better for your children” and I know that I too felt left out sometimes and I wouldn’t want my children to feel as such. But it makes me wonder how much I should help them. Tue, 6 Jul 2010 23:48:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-8-lesson-14-affirmative-action__trashed/#IDComment85212224 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-8-lesson-14-affirmative-action__trashed/#IDComment85211612 7/6/10 I think this was a great lesson and was something we could all relate to. Nepotism is a great thing and I certainly am thankful that it has helped me in the past. However, I have not received that much help from my parents and I got my job on my own. When I was in high school I worked as a waitress in a small restaurant. The owner had hired her nephew to work as one of the bus boys. He never did his job and was always talking to the waitresses or the cooks. He never got in trouble and the owner babied him. We all hated working with him because we had to pick up the slack and basically do his job as well. He definitely wasn’t serious about the job and knew he could do nothing and still get paid for it. I wish I could have it that way. Many people who ended up working there (who were in high school) got the job because they were related to the owners, or they knew a waitress. I also know of a girl from my high school that got into Harvard even though she didn’t deserve it. She skated through school and was very smart but never applied herself. Almost everyone on her father’s side attended Harvard so she is a legacy and thanks to all the donations her family makes to the school, she gets an easy in. That would be nepotism at it’s finest. This is showing people that if you are lazy, but know the right people, you’ll make it in life. Another topic of interest was the issue about the schools. Being an education major, this is something that gets discusses quite a bit. When we talk about how to better schools that are underfunded or not meeting AYP standards, there is always a debate on how to handle the situation. Some believe that those schools should hire younger teachers since they are more able to relate to their students and have new and fresh ideas. I have been told countless times that if you want to “better” the education of students then you need to place an older, more experienced teacher into the classroom. I somewhat disagree with that. Older teachers tend to be stuck in their ways and continue to use their teaching processes, whether or not they work. I know of so many teachers who don’t really care anymore because they have tenure. That is not what our schools need. Education is so important and I think that if more students had access to better schools and better teachers, they will be so much more successful. Poor funding should not be an excuse – all students should have an opportunity to succeed. Tue, 6 Jul 2010 23:43:16 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-8-lesson-14-affirmative-action__trashed/#IDComment85211612 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-7-lesson-13-immigration__trashed/#IDComment84607948 7/3/10 I agree - I’m sure the process is not an easy or fun one, but it needs to be done. We have immigration quotas and laws for a reason. Illegal immigration is not acceptable and, I too wonder where we draw the line. I have no problem with people immigrating to the United States, but it needs to be done legally. I have a few friends who immigrated here and some had to wait multiple years for everything to be cleared. That to me seems more responsible, they did everything that was asked of them and waited their turn. I know those families wanted a better life for themselves and their children, but they entered here legally, and I don’t think there is any excuse as to why people can’t enter legally. Sat, 3 Jul 2010 19:58:40 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-7-lesson-13-immigration__trashed/#IDComment84607948 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-7-lesson-13-immigration__trashed/#IDComment84606285 7/3/10 I think it was extremely important that Dr. Richards mentioned a few times that illegal immigration is not a Republican issue or a Democrat issue; it is everyone’s issue. It is also an issue that will always be around. I get the idea that we need these illegal immigrants for the free market, and many business owners are grateful to have them around. But what exactly does the free market do for me? How does the free market benefit me? Illegal immigration is ILLEGAL. Many immigrants go through an extensive process to become legal citizens. If thousands of people go through this process and enter the United States legally, why can’t everyone else? There are thousands of legal immigrants in the United States so it is clearly doable. In my english class a few years ago, we were having a debate on the topic of immigration and if the U.S. should post street signs, banners, billboards, etc, in multiple languages. Half of the class agreed that new immigrants would feel more comfortable and would be better able to adapt if they saw their native language all around. The other half of the class argued that this is America, and our native language is English, therefore, everything should remain in English. Does posting signs and such in multiple languages encourage these new immigrants to learn English, or does it encourage them to continue using their language, since there really is no need to learn English? It was an interesting debate to have and I could see the pros and cons to both sides. One student said that her grandparents immigrated here from Romania and the town in which they live is basically all Romanians, and of course everything is in their native tongue. She expressed that due to this, her grandparents have no idea how to speak English and know nothing about the United States; because of that she said that she does not consider her grandparents to be Americans. They did not assimilate or even try to assimilate into the country in which they immigrated to. I believe everyone has the right to come here for a better life, but it needs to be done legally. We are all human and should be treated as such; we all want a better life for ourselves and our children. In a previous soc class we discussed immigration and talked about how majority of illegal immigrants are those who overstayed the length of their visa. We also talked about how the increase in illegal immigration causes an increase in pollution and poverty. From all the discussions I’ve had on this topic it seems like there are more negative aspects when it come to illegal immigration. Sat, 3 Jul 2010 19:41:52 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-7-lesson-13-immigration__trashed/#IDComment84606285 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-7-lesson-12-multiculturalism-lgbt__trashed/#IDComment83193519 6/29/10 Like you I have been cheering my entire life. When I younger we had two boys who wanted to try out for the team, and the guys on the football team would call them gay at every practice we had. When we went to competitions I too, saw boys in bedazzled costumes, even when they had the choice of something more masculine. You could definitely tell their mannerisms were not like “normal” boys, and I’m sure they knew that as well. When I went to cheer camp there was always about three homosexual boys on other teams and the girls would always so “so and so is one of the girls”. The boys would always tell us how they knew from a young age that they were gay. One boy even said, “I tried out for the cheerleading squad – not the football team, if that wasn’t a give away, I don’t know what is.” So in the end, I do believe that people know from a young age if they are indeed gay. I do not think we have a choice when it comes to our sexuality. Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:33:38 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-7-lesson-12-multiculturalism-lgbt__trashed/#IDComment83193519 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-7-lesson-12-multiculturalism-lgbt__trashed/#IDComment83190582 6/29/10 The topic of China and how we as Americans should learn Chinese is nothing new to me. I have had several teachers in high school as well as college make comments about China, and how they will eventually be in charge. Being able to read and communicate in Chinese seems like it is becoming more of a necessity. I wish I had the interest and the will power to learn Chinese. I was discussing class selections with a friend of mine last semester and I was a little taken aback when he said he was going to take Chinese. This friend of mine is big into politics and confessed he wants to be president one day, so it actually seems like a smart and strategic move to me. The part about couples (straight and gay) holding hands was really good. My friends and I are always in the city and it is not uncommon to see gay men walking down the street holding hands. I never think twice when I see two lesbians holding hands, but there are two people in my group of friends who will always point things like that out. These two guys will announce to our group when they see a couple of the same sex holding hands, like its something we’ve never seen before. Maybe that is out of the norm for them, and they feel the need to point it out. Like Dr. Richards said there is nothing different about a straight couple holding hands and a homosexual couple holding hands. I certainly don’t think people choose to be gay. I think that comment the student made about it being easier to be black or brown instead of being gay was a really interesting comment. I totally agreed with her comment. A student who is black or brown does not need to hide behind their skin color or explain their skin color. On the other hand, I know of several people who have to explain why or how they are gay. Just as people have no control over their skin color, they have no control over their sexuality. I’m almost positive that every gay friend of mine expressed they knew from a young age that they were gay; proving that being gay is not a choice. It didn’t really make sense when Dr. Richards said that most gay people who have gay parents will remain in the closest because they don’t want others thinking they are gay solely because of their parents. If I were gay I think I would feel more relieved having gay parents. It seems as if they would have an easier time coming out the closet, and I’m sure gay parents would be more accepting to the situation. Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:23:31 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-7-lesson-12-multiculturalism-lgbt__trashed/#IDComment83190582 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-6-lesson-9-stages-of-racial-identity-people-of-color-stages-1-4__trashed/#IDComment81461057 6/22/10 I totally agree with your comment. We heard about the bleaching creams in class before and I knew they existed. I was not aware to what extent they were used though. I think it’s sad to hear how many girls wish their skin were lighter or how they wish they had straighter hair. It seemed like the one girl felt ashamed, or as if something was wrong with her because her skin is darker than that of her mother and siblings. I think if more people started to accept themselves there would be less of a competition to achieve lighter or darker skin. Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:28:55 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-6-lesson-9-stages-of-racial-identity-people-of-color-stages-1-4__trashed/#IDComment81461057 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-6-lesson-9-stages-of-racial-identity-people-of-color-stages-1-4__trashed/#IDComment81459371 6/22/10 I really enjoyed this lecture. I thought it was really interesting how the girl (who composed the video A Girl Like Me) included an experiment based off of the Brown vs. Board of Education case. Seeing how many children chose the white doll as the doll they would rather play with was a surprise. I would think that the children would rather play with a doll that resembled them, since it would be more relatable. I still don’t get why the kids chose the white doll as the “nice doll” and the black doll and the “bad doll”. I feel that if I were black I would much rather play with a doll that looked like me. I definitely thought the numbers would have been much different now, compared to what they were before. At the end of the segment the woman asked the young girl which doll is the bad doll and she pointed to the black doll, then the woman asked the child which doll “looks like you”. The child seemed to hesitate and looked somewhat ashamed as she pushed the black doll forward. You could tell she was associating herself with being bad. It is amazing how children associate good and bad with skin color at such a young age. I remember watching some talk show a few months ago and the one host was talking about how she took her kids to a toy store and her daughter, who is white, picked out a Barbie doll of the new Disney princess, Tiana. She proceeded to say how she and her daughter received stares and one person even asked, “Why is your daughter playing with a black Barbie doll?” I don’t know why other people would care what color doll a child plays with. Going with what Dr. Richards said, I’m guessing the little girl didn’t see color, or see color as an issue. Maybe this will serve as a reinforcer and children won’t have to see white and black as good and bad. The clip we saw about the mugging and beating of the elderly woman did not seem to be an act of racism in my opinion, but rather an instance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That man would have done the same, regardless of who walked through the door. I don’t think it had anything to do with the elderly woman being white. I do, however agree with the white man’s response. I think it is wrong to leave out the fact that the attacker is black. Saying the man is black is not wrong, it is not racist; it is just providing a detail to narrow the search as to who the attacker was. Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:19:57 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-6-lesson-9-stages-of-racial-identity-people-of-color-stages-1-4__trashed/#IDComment81459371 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-5-lesson-8-stages-of-racial-identity-white-people-stages-3-4__trashed/#IDComment80857379 6/18/10 I agree with your comment on the white guilt. I don’t understand why anyone would feel guilty because of his or her skin. I can understand feeling sympathetic for those of other races but for one to actually feel guilty because their skin is white is absurd. There have been times when I see others being discriminated against and of course my heart goes out to them, and I do genuinely feel bad, but there is no reason for me to feel guilty because I am white. No one asked to be born white, or any race for that matter, so why should we feel guilty? No one, regardless of race, should feel guilty because of their skin color. Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:37:16 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-5-lesson-8-stages-of-racial-identity-white-people-stages-3-4__trashed/#IDComment80857379 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-5-lesson-8-stages-of-racial-identity-white-people-stages-3-4__trashed/#IDComment80855104 6/18/10 The first thing I wanted to comment on was the twins at the beginning of the lecture. Wow, that was excessive. I cannot believe that people would brainwash their children into thinking like that. When they made the comment about the Holocaust and said that there were not that many Jews around back then, I wanted to punch them. How could anyone say that? It’s a shame that parents teach their children to hate at such a young age. I feel bad that these girls are so young and have so much hatred inside of them. The parents obviously instilled these views onto their children at a young age, and it makes me wonder if the twins will instill the same views onto their children. What is going to happen when their parents aren’t around and they have to think for themselves and make their own decisions? They are going to get a big reality check when they get older. I also thought the commercial for the furniture store was a little ridiculous as well. It seemed unnecessary to put the race aspect into the commercial. I can see some people laughing at this commercial, while others probably got offended. It went hand-in-hand with Dr. Richards was saying about storytelling and how some people will say “this asian cut me off” or “this white woman cut me off”. The fact that the person was male or female, or whatever race, was not a vital piece of information to the story. I thought the commercial was pretty stupid and including the race aspect into was not needed. Another thing I wanted to touch on was how white people are told not to see color. No one ever told me how to approach race or how to discuss race. White people always have to watch what they say, as to not offend anyone. When Dr. Richards gave the example of sitting at the race table with whites and those of mixed races, and the topic of race emerges, the whites usually sit back in silence. That silence gives the impression that they don’t want to say anything because they are racist. In my opinion it seems like no matter what whites do, we can’t win. If we don’t make a comment then we are thought to be racist, if we speak out and make a comment about being white, we are still going to be labeled as racist. Even if we stand up for, or make a comment about other races, they will more than likely respond with, “you’re not black, brown, etc. you don’t know what it’s like” and those people, then in turn, normally label us as ignorant. It’s a lose-lose situation. Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:18:36 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-5-lesson-8-stages-of-racial-identity-white-people-stages-3-4__trashed/#IDComment80855104 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-5-lesson-7-race-and-ethnic-inequality__trashed/#IDComment80316186 6/15/10 I totally agree with your comment about whites talking in a group versus whites talking in a group with black or brown people present. I know when I talk with my white friends we can say whatever we want, and we never have to worry about offending each other or such. Its almost as if there is no filter when a group of white people are talking to each other, but when you throw a black or brown person into the mix, things change, and people certainly censor what they say. I’m sure some may due it to avoid conflict, but I’m sure majority of us due to unconsciously. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:14:15 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-5-lesson-7-race-and-ethnic-inequality__trashed/#IDComment80316186 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-5-lesson-7-race-and-ethnic-inequality__trashed/#IDComment80315870 6/15/10 This lesson reminded me of all the little details I do and do not think about that effect my life. I always think about my height and how I wish I were taller, I know it ultimately doesn’t effect anything, except possibly my self esteem, but it is something I think about daily. However, other things such as being right handed or being white are things that I never really think about. Being right handed might not make a big difference in my life, but being white, certainly effects my life. Being white, I never feel out of place when I’m out in public. When I am out with my black and Middle Eastern friends, people stare them down, and I feel invisible next to them. It also makes me feel bad because I can tell people are judging them based on their skin color and making false accusations about them. At the same time I feel like since I am white I am automatically labeled as a racist or ignorant, and nothing could be further from the truth. I have a plethora of friends who are not white. There are also times when I feel like other races clump whites together and assume we are all the same. If people took the time to get to know an individual instead of assuming everyone within that race are all the same, I think there would be less hatred in this world. If you hate my personality that is one thing, if you hate me because you think I’m a racist, or because my skin is white, then that is unacceptable. Another thing that got me thinking was the clip about the California street sign. I’m sure there are people who look at those signs everyday and don’t notice anything wrong with them. At first glance I didn’t notice anything wrong with the sign either, but then the pieces of the puzzle began to fit, and I realized how demeaning that sign actually is. It became evident that the sign is basically depicting Hispanics. Majority of Hispanics move to California or Arizona after crossing the border, so we know that the sign is intended for them. It makes me wonder how not a single person questioned the sign before they were dispersed throughout the state. I thought it was crazy how the man Carlos was interviewing flat out said the signs were directed for wetbacks after the cameras were off. This man repeatedly said the sign was used to depict any normal family, but then managed to say in a matter-of-fact tone, that they are indeed used to express wetbacks, or a Hispanic family. How could someone, especially a political figure, know full well what these signs are displaying and not take them down? Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:13:22 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-5-lesson-7-race-and-ethnic-inequality__trashed/#IDComment80315870 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-4-lesson-6-race-and-ethnic-inequality__trashed/#IDComment79179900 6/8/10 I agree with your comment. Prisons nowadays are way too overcrowded. There are many inmates who have made mistakes and have learned from them. If they take responsibility for their mistakes and plan to better themselves they should receive help. Many inmates are in prison due to the use of illegal drugs. They serve their time, and once out, they continue to use drugs. The drug problem is not resolved. A rehabilitation program might be more beneficial. If there was a way of divvying up the hard criminals from those who have committed a petty crime we might help solve some problems. Tue, 8 Jun 2010 21:09:32 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-4-lesson-6-race-and-ethnic-inequality__trashed/#IDComment79179900 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-4-lesson-6-race-and-ethnic-inequality__trashed/#IDComment79143053 6/8/10 The topic of wealth really got me thinking. There are many factors that allow an individual to succeed, but luck is included in those factors. When Dr. Richards asked why the people of Haiti are so poor, I couldn’t really come up with an answer. They obviously don’t choose to be poor, I’m sure plenty of them work their butts off to provide for their families. I’m sure many parents send their children to school, and value an education. So why are Haitian people so poor? It’s almost as if there is an invisible ceiling – they can only get so far in life. It makes you think, is hard work really all it takes to succeed? I say no, because while hard work plays a huge role in one’s success, luck plays another huge role. People may have a fantastic job and work very hard at it, but unless they know they right people, they may not be able to advance or receive a higher salary. Sometimes success or wealth is all about whom you know, and whom you network with. I’m sure we all have friends who have never worked a day in their life, and mommy and daddy hand them everything. I believe that luck plays a huge role in life, and how far we can get in life. Of course there are plenty of factors that will allow an individual to succeed, but having a little luck, makes the process a whole lot easier. I also enjoyed how Dr. Richards discussed the invisible strings that we all have. It’s pretty remarkable how many outside factors shape us, who we are, and the choices we make. The people we associate with, the school we attend, and where we live all affect us. They shape our behavior and our decisions. Every free decision we make is ultimately shaped by these invisible strings. There are elements that are out of our control however, such as our family, skin color, and our nationality. We can change certain aspects about ourselves but we will always have these strings. If I grew up in a different neighborhood, with different parents, and decided not to attend Penn State, I’m sure my decisions would be extremely different, because my complex of invisible strings would be entirely different than they are now. Another thing that got to me was the GI loan. It was disheartening to hear that many black soldiers were denied this because of their skin color. About seven thousand veterans did not receive money that was rightfully theirs. That is just absurd. I cannot imagine how different our country would be if all those black veterans received the GI loan and went to college. If those veterans went to college I’m sure our world would be more equal and blacks and whites would be on an equal playing field. Tue, 8 Jun 2010 16:56:53 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/06/week-4-lesson-6-race-and-ethnic-inequality__trashed/#IDComment79143053 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-3-lesson-5-social-inequality__trashed/#IDComment78741893 6/4/10 I agree with your comment about the schools. It’s common sense that those who attend a wealthier school will do better than those who are in a poorer school. They are provided with better technology, up to date textbooks, and ultimately a better education. Why would anyone want to share his or her wealth with another school district? I wouldn’t want to give my hard earned money to a school that my child(ren) do not attend. Naturally I want my children to have the best. Being an education major, this is a topic that I am passionate about. I think that in order for schools for to be on the same level, they need to have equal funding. Schools with high drop out rates or those who are not meeting AYP need to employ the best teachers to bridge the gaps. Sun, 6 Jun 2010 01:27:47 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-3-lesson-5-social-inequality__trashed/#IDComment78741893 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-3-lesson-5-social-inequality__trashed/#IDComment78720078 I thought it was interesting to learn that the wealthiest immigrants are from Africa. I’ve never really thought about this topic before. It does make sense though, if you are from Africa, you obviously need money to get a visa and need money to get into the United States. There have been several times when people assume I’m rich, and I have no idea why people would think that. I also enjoyed the section about sports and what type of people dominant those sports, and what kind of body types one needs to excel in those particular sports. It’s fascinating to think about how race is somewhat interconnected with sports. When I think about running track, I don’t necessarily think about a Korean bringing home the gold. When I watch hockey I don’t see many black players on the ice, it is a predominantly white sport, whereas basketball is more recognizable among the black race. I do think this is largely due to family income and where they live. If your family has a higher income you have access to better equipment, training sessions, better coaching, etc. Hockey is an expensive sport, so naturally people with a lower income will chose not to play this sport. Those who live in poorer neighborhoods probably don’t have access to a hockey rink, but I’m sure there are plenty of parks around, all of which have basketball courts/nets. Also, I think children are able to make connections between race and sports. For example, basketball is composed of mostly black players, so white or Asian American kids don’t have many players to look up to since no one is “like them”. When children notice that no one in a particular sport looks like them, they feel like they are not allowed to play or excel in that sport. I work in a kindergarten and first grade classroom and I remember an instance when one black student told me how they got to play hockey in gym class, and I could obviously tell how excited he was about it. However, he told me that, “black people don’t play hockey”, and it upset me because it seemed like he has this idea that he is not allowed to play hockey engrained in his head because of his skin color. Maybe he was afraid that he wouldn’t be good at the game. Socio economic status and cultural influence play a large part in what activities or sports children partake in. This shows that children are able to pick up on stuff like this. If Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant decided to play hockey instead of basketball I think that more children would have someone to connect with and hockey would no longer be seen as a white sport. Race, however, ultimately has no effect on how someone performs. Sat, 5 Jun 2010 20:21:08 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-3-lesson-5-social-inequality__trashed/#IDComment78720078 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-3-lesson-4-ethnocentrism__trashed/#IDComment78072527 6/1/10 I agree with the idea of the factory-farmed meat being absolutely disgusting. Factory farmed meat is so unethical. I very rarely eat meat and when I do I try to buy organic items and free-range chicken, but like everyone else said… it’s pretty expensive. There is no way that people will stop buying meat, but if the general public was more informed about what happens to our meat before it ends up on our plates, we might be able to cut back on the purchasing of factory farmed meat. If the public was more informed on this topic maybe they would start to purchase their meat from local farms. Tue, 1 Jun 2010 18:41:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-3-lesson-4-ethnocentrism__trashed/#IDComment78072527 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-3-lesson-4-ethnocentrism__trashed/#IDComment78069809 6/1/10 I was really interested in the topic of Iraq. My boyfriend is in the marines and just returned from his second tour (Iraq and Afghanistan). Majority of my friends are in the military and most of them are deployed. They all say the same thing about Iraq – it’s basically a barren wasteland in most spots, everything is in ruins, and the kids walk around the desolate areas alone in search of food. It was a country filled with poverty. It was interesting to see how similar the pictures my boyfriend took were to those we saw in the power point. Some friends told me that the Iraqi people hated the Americans and wanted the soldiers gone, but others told me a different story, of how the Iraqi’s (especially the children) were intrigued by the Americans and enjoyed having conversations with the soldiers. I was told by several people that the children in Iraq were so fascinated and curious about the American military members and would watch with wide eyes as a humvee drove by on patrol, but if the children ever got too close to a soldier, a family member would be there to pull the children away. A friend of mine has told me that he has seen several stonings close to his barracks. I cannot imagine having to watch that or even hear that. He said that every time someone is stoned, the men throw the rocks and the women stand behind to watch. He also told us that these acts of stoning are somewhat of a sporting event, everyone in the town comes to participate or watch. Stoning has been around for hundreds of years and it is a form of corporal punishment. It seems as if the embarrassment from being publically stoned would be enough of a punishment in my opinion. I personally could not sit there and throw stones at a person until they died, it seems inhumane and kind of heartless to me. The part about the extreme Christians got to me. Some of the things these men and women were saying were completely absurd. I went to catholic school for about ten years and I was never once told that I needed to convert everyone I met. I believe that in the world of religion people should be allowed to worship their own God and believe in whatever makes them happy. Doesn’t Christianity teach that you are no better than those around you? Maybe these extremists never got that message. Seeing those children participate in “soldiers in training” was outrageous and a little creepy. I cannot imagine doing that when I was their age. It seems like the “higher ups” are brainwashing these young children into believing something other than what Christianity really is. Tue, 1 Jun 2010 18:15:47 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-3-lesson-4-ethnocentrism__trashed/#IDComment78069809 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-two-lesson-2-intro-to-race__trashed/#IDComment77146022 I agree with what you had to say about the whitening creams. I cannot grasp why anyone would want to alter their skin in such a way. I have many friends who tan excessively, and not only is it unhealthy, it makes them look absolutely ridiculous. Why is it so hard for people to accept themselves and be proud of their skin color? I mean not many people are perfectly happy with themselves; we all want to alter things about our bodies, but bleaching your skin seems a little drastic to me. A large number of white people go tanning or apply bronzers to achieve a darker look, while darker skinned people use all those creams to attain a lighter complexion. Doesn’t that show us that there is not one ideal skin color? Wed, 26 May 2010 04:32:08 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-two-lesson-2-intro-to-race__trashed/#IDComment77146022 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-two-lesson-2-intro-to-race__trashed/#IDComment77061028 One thing that caught my attention during the lesson was the slide that asked which of the four people was black, Latina, Asian, and white. I initially thought the girl in the pink was all four, but I kept second-guessing myself. It was obvious who the white people were but I thought the guy in the back has to be Asian since India is in the country of Asia. This proves that you cannot judge a person solely based on their skin color. I really enjoyed watching the one student divide up the other students into designated racial groups. He divided his classmates based on each individual’s skin color, which is what I probably would have done if I were in his shoes, but unfortunately that is how most people would categorize their peers – by skin color. When I was looking at the line of students I had an idea of how I would group them, but there were some students that I could not place; I wouldn’t even be able to guess where their origins are. For example I never would have been able to guess the one student was half Algerian and half Bangladeshi. It was interesting how he grouped the so called “white guys” at the end when one guy was Palestinian, and the other had origins in Turkey and Greece. I personally would not consider the Palestinian student as “white”, but other people might disagree, so that makes me wonder how else could that student be categorized. Skin color is not the only factor when it comes to categorizing the population; we have to look beyond that. I might categorize someone as white when in reality they are really Middle Eastern. There were students who looked as if they were closely related, yet we found out their origins could not be further apart. On the other hand, there were students who looked nothing alike, but we found out that they are closely related. The way Carolus Linneaus categorized race was somewhat humorous to me. He was in fact a white man, so naturally he placed himself at the top of the list, making him superior to everyone else. If Linneause was of a different race I’m sure he would still place himself, and his race, at the top. It is also funny how he described blacks as lazy, negligent, and crafty, and he described the white race to be gentle. The white men enslaved the blacks, sometimes in violent matters, that does not seem kind or gentle to me. These black men and women had to endure strenuous labor around the clock, and had to cater to the needs of their white owners. Why would the white men pick these “lazy” people to enslave? Tue, 25 May 2010 16:26:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/05/week-two-lesson-2-intro-to-race__trashed/#IDComment77061028