en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/768257 Comments by Dlj13 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-people-who-can-only-afford-hard-work__trashed/#IDComment69923980 This is a really good question but its hard to back up either view. The reasoning behind this is whether you pick hard work or having money one most of the time cancels out the other. People that have money aren’t the people that necessarily worked the hardest; that money could have came from family just being heir to money. Likewise the people that work hard and struggle to put food on the table seem to be the ones that deserve the chance to start a new life. But they know that there is no way they could save enough money to be able to get a chance to have that new start they hope for. Just like this girl has said the hard work should be enough. Thinking about it that could be a good policy, a display of hard work that shows why you should be deserving to come to this country. Possibly a small amount of money that can be affordable to everyone to pay. Other than something along the lines of this I don’t know what could be done so it’s fair across the bored Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:10:27 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-people-who-can-only-afford-hard-work__trashed/#IDComment69923980 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment69468137 This is a really good point and it’s something that I have thought of before but after awhile didn’t put anymore thought towards. I agree fully about family passing away, if any of my family would have been in that 300,000 I would really need some time to morn there loss. It is never easy to lose someone regardless if they are ready to go or not. As far as morning after those people have been lost people do definitely hurt and feel for the families that lost someone. Almost everyone can sympathetic not so much with an event that wiped this amount of people but the feeling of losing someone they love. These people are the ones who with out a doubt have no problem sending money to a foundation to help those families that may not have the money to bury their loved one. The reason why people move on so quickly is exactly what she has said. We don’t know these people directly so only a certain amount of care goes them. Everyone has their own situations and problems to handle and there isn’t always enough room for things that aren’t affecting you directly. That sounds horrible but this is what seems to be conveyed by people. Whether its right or not, since we are all humans and a loss this big isn’t anything to should be pushed to the side. Even as I’m writing this I feel bad that I haven’t done more for the ones lost in Haiti. I’m also not speaking for everyone only what I have experienced myself. Talking about Haiti reminds me of New Orleans and what they had to go through, and still are. When Katrina struck everyone was taken back that something this massive happened to our homeland. Yes many people did help and a lot of natives of New Orleans would have been a lot worse off it people hadn’t donated to help. But it’s been how many years now and parts of the city still looks as it did the day the hurricane struck! That’s ridiculous and these images aren’t shown anymore because its old news now. We shouldn’t let anything like this become old new until the majority of the destruction is repaired. It doesn’t matter if other disasters have occurred, you can’t just push it to the side. People are still struggling down there and I don’t know if there is still aid going there or not but its truly sad to see these places suffer just because we are basically tired of hearing about them. Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:45:27 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment69468137 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68300616 Being a guy I don’t really have a preference when it comes to white. I would any color, shape, size that isn’t matters to me. As much as it’s been said it really doesn’t solely depend what a girl looks like on the outside to me. I am a kind of guy that wants to get to know the girl first, not just pursue you because you have a nice body. If that’s all that mattered no one would have a long lasting marriage because we all will eventually get old and might not look as good as we did when we were in college. All I’m saying ladies is just live life as who you are and there will be someone waiting to accept you for you. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 01:31:59 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68300616 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-are-we-doing-here-really__trashed/#IDComment68296116 Ha-ha death, Sam cracks me up at the way he talks about death as if it’s nothing. Although he is right of course we will all die one day. But death isn’t really a subject that everyone is comfortable talking about. But to touch on what he is saying, I think that the point of race relations is to get everyone involved in what problems are happening in and through all aspects of life. Meaning that a race relation has an effect on more than just racial issues, it can be intertwined with things such as the war. This is what we talked about today and how it is seen through the Middle Eastern people’s eyes. Sam asked everyone to imagine as if they we were middle eastern ourselves. By doing this it allowed us to think as one. Once we did this Sam asked us questions such as what we want out of life. People said things like health, peace, and family the normal things pretty much that every human being wants out of life. Now he asked how would we feel if American soldiers came here and decided to take the oil was under the homes and lives? Right then the room slowly went silent, this wasn’t only because of the realization of how we share the same mentality but how there is more damage being done than we are shown. It hurts somewhat to think about how many people are being killed for oil! When Sam gave us the amount of civilians that we’re allowed to killed in order to get one terrorist, it didn’t process in my mind right. Wait did I really say ALLOW to kill? Ok I thought so, those words shouldn’t even be anywhere near each other. No one absolutely no one should be allowed to kill another person is my first point. Secondly the number is 29, that’s about a classroom at an elementary school. I can honestly say I have no idea what the end goal is. I think that what Sam and others like him want to do is first make the world aware of all the issues concerning race and how they branch out to almost everything in the world. Then once the attention is on that, it then time to expose publicly what hardships have happened to all of the race and ethnic groups. This will put everyone on the same page and if this action is put to use the right way we may see what the big picture really is. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:45:36 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-are-we-doing-here-really__trashed/#IDComment68296116 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66726659 I believe that there absolutely has to be a step 2, because it isn’t right for anyone to have to live this way. Also to be able to beat someone and getting away with it as if it never happened. When a person works for a company then they get paid for their work. Otherwise they can go somewhere else and make money. To address the second question, as of now I’m not sure if anyone knows the second what the step is. I think the reason nothing has been done is because these major companies will lose money if these works will have to be paid. Also that this isn’t occurring in our back yard so we can’t stick our nose in there business. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 04:44:59 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66726659 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66708625 This is a great question; and my friend and I had a conversation about this today right after class. It turns out both of us had been going back and forth over whether this class has changed people’s opinions. I’m not sure exactly sure what Sam said but in the first week of class he said something along the lines of. “I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind, but I am trying to look at situations in another perspective. In my opinion he has achieved this goal, I have definitely opened up my mind to other people that I didn’t know much about, and lifestyles that were opposite of what I thought. For example Native Americans, I had no idea at all that they live so poorly. I’m right next to a lot of other Americans that have been blindsided about what is really going on. Since native Americans aren’t in the news or being mentioned for winning something, to me I thought they were just working and living like the rest of us. To be completely honest the last time I heard about Native Americans was in my 12th grade history class. We were going over the camps that Native Americans were put into. Also how white settlers were trying to assimilate them in American culture. A process to phase out all their history, traditions, and beliefs that were taught to them. I really didn’t know they were in such poverty, and the suicidal rates they have! That is crazy and sad; these high rates mean that these people’s lives have really become nothing. It sounds harsh but it speaks for itself. Another situation I didn’t know about was the difficulty for gay and lesbian couples to adopt children. My thinking was that since this lifestyle had been started to be accepted that everyone and almost everything would see this and be open to it. Sike I was definitely way off with that thought. As I learned more about how the couples raised their kids, it became evident that they were just as capable as straight couples to raise children. It also doesn’t mean that the child will follow in there parents footsteps and be gay or lesbian. In my opinion these kids might have a better life experience, and will live life to the fullest. They will be the ones that truly know how to live life to the fullest. Also being able to accept everyone for who they are. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 02:44:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66708625 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65424913 The feeling of confusion is something that no one wants to have to feel. And the fact that he has been placed in different categories doesn’t help, and it’s hard to just choose 1 side. Because you don’t want to neglect the other half of who you are. In this guys case I would put him with the same category as he said Hispanic. Also how he identifies as being on the black and brown team, because of the common thread of sharing the same experiences. Hopefully this guy will eventually be able to just give a straight answer when asked what is your cultural back ground is? Fri, 2 Apr 2010 03:43:35 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65424913 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment65417739 This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this video, I saw it once before in high school. It was an after school program that I was in called African American Support Group, a program to help us with school work as well as challenges of being black. While we watched this video everyone’s mouth was hanging open and the only thing you could here was gasps as the kids kept picking up the white doll. It blows my mind that so many kids didn’t want the black doll. I thought that they would automatically pick the black one since it looked like them. The worst part of that was when they were asked why they chose the white doll. They answered saying “the white one is nice and the black one is bad”; I was thinking is this what they really think? Or is it what they have been taught to like. I can’t bring myself to believe that these little kids had low self-esteem at this age, so they must have seen experiences where the black doll is seen as bad. Then they chose the one that looked like them which was the bad one. It was crazy how at first the little touched the white doll and she had to second guess herself and it is seen in her face. It was easy to see that she wanted to pick the white doll. To see the black children think they are ugly and bad is just terrifying. It’s hard to wrap my head around how our society can have such an effect, even after fighting oppression. When Sam said in class how each black person at least felt this way a little bit, that was shocking and sad to hear. Some of the black kids in the world really aren’t proud to be black and have such a strong history that they should embrace and not turn their backs on. That seems to be the start of serious identity issues, and an experience like this is what has lead some black people to use whitening and bleaching creams. In their mind why not change my skin black is bad and white it good. As soon as Sam pulled this clip up I felt a chill remembering all the feelings and pain from seeing this once before. But now it was different I now was able to sit back and watch others reactions to it, since I was in my own world be shocked just like everyone else. I’m glad that the class is filled with many different ethnicities because not everyone responded the same. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 03:17:12 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment65417739 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64148966 I understand exactly what is being said here, Sam does group Asians and Asian Americans with brown a person which doesn’t seem to make much sense. Today when he asked all the black people to raise their hands there was so much hesitation from all the black people in the room. Me as well as other black people in the class have no idea what the difference is between black and brown people are. My black friends are all different shades and trace their ancestry to many different places but I still consider them black because that is what they are. To address the second part of this video blog, I really can’t tell the difference 100% between Asians and Asian Americans. I use to think you could by the way they dress, which is wrong but it seemed to work for a little while. I then realized anyone can where anything they want and it isn’t going to show what your ethnicity is. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:33:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64148966 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/whats-the-big-deal-with-periods__trashed/#IDComment64147718 Wow I have never heard a girl say she was bleeding knowing that everyone was going to find out. Whenever I’ve heard about women menstruating it always seems to be so secret but some girls make it so obvious when they pass them under the tables mouth the word tampon so no one can see what they’re trying to say. It caught me off guard that this girl talks about her period in such a positive way. Being excited that she will one day be able to produce a child. In other situations I’ve heard periods referred to as the worst thing ever and girls wishing they didn’t get them. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:18:40 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/whats-the-big-deal-with-periods__trashed/#IDComment64147718 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64146746 That’s kind of weird to think of men menstruating, but anyway this question must be a joke. I’m not trying to offend the girl in the video, but if you think about it doesn’t make sense. Almost nothing in the world is free men and women need clothes and would save a lot of money if they were free but they’re not. So tampons aren’t an exception to the expenses that we all have. I’m not sure about other guys but when I first learned about sex and things like that, myself and group of guys went into a room with a male teacher and he told us everything. About what happens during sex and other basic things. I’m guessing since we are guys he didn’t feel it wasn’t necessary to talk to us about girl and them getting there menstrual cycle. Before I learned what it was, all I knew was that once in a while girls would get kind of moody and their stomachs would hurt. Guys would stupid games and yell out PMS and girls would either get really mad or walk away looking embarrassed. It wasn’t until middle school and some of high school when I learned about a woman’s egg and how it gets released and why it happens. Also about pads and tampons, and why some bleed harder than others. At first my jaw dropped when I found out what women go through and was just thinking they go through that there whole life! It was definitely something that caught me off guard, and as I got older I heard girls talk about it and it was just another thing. I felt uneasy and slightly disgusted with this and I would not say that if I hadn’t already heard a girl say that it is gross that she bleeds. When Sam started talking about his wife’s period every feeling from sitting in health class learning about menstrual cycles came rushing back. The way he talked about as if it was so cool and wanted to see it! That is a little much for me and I could tell by the girls around me that they didn’t agree with him repeatedly saying “bleeding”. I had a chance to read a few other blogs, and someone said that there roommate made a comment saying “they don’t give out free condoms so why would they give out tampons for free?” But if you’ve been in the hub this semester or fall semester they have, and you can take as many as you want. Can anyone answer why they wouldn’t give out free tampons? Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:07:20 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64146746 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment62891358 Wow hanging a noose in a school library, that’s a shame why do people fell the need to participate in behavior like this. As I scrolled through some of the responses I did see people saying that this could have been a joke. Are you kidding me, nooses were used to hang African Americans some of the time to scare away from the town. Whoever did this is very bold and disgusts me, and if the reporter is right and it was a black guy he should be ashamed to call himself an African American. He is setting his own people back in time. Also destroying everything person and event that helped to bring us where we are now. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:55:40 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment62891358 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62889064 This is a great topic to speak on and I’m most definitely willing to share my thoughts. By the way I am all for the text response, because it allows people to add in their little two cents since everyone isn’t able to get the mic or talk on the flip cameras. Although as seen in class it can get kind of tense when controversial comments are put up. And we all know who it effects the most African Americans and yes I am African American so don’t think I’m trying to hide behind this blog. I also have things to say when things go up that I don’t agree with. That wouldn’t make any sense for me to just sit there and act like nothing was said. Although the texts are anonymous it is just seeing something offensive that I as well as others automatically become defensive, but I can’t speak for everyone else but I personally have experienced racism and it isn’t something I take to lightly. I also have been pondering why when comments on through texts or people asking over the mics about white people they have much to say? To me a rude comment is still rude regardless of what race it was directed towards. I have heard Sam talk about white people tip toeing around black people but I am now realizing that it is sometimes true. My thought is that they don’t want to be labeled as being racist. I don’t totally understand this concept; just say what you are feeling you shouldn’t let others put you down. I feel like an elementary school teacher saying that, but it’s the only way I can get through to people. I’m also coming to the conclusion that white not all white people see rude comments as being that way. Instead shrug or laugh it off and go on about their business, since they’re not as prone to racism as African Americans are. I’m not trying to offend anyone but white people need to step it up a little. There is no reason that white people should be afraid or become timid when asked about African Americans. Also when a joke is made let it be known that it’s not ok for you to be spoken to like that. Until this initiative is taken nothing will be changed and things could possibly take a turn for the worst. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:37:35 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62889064 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-three__trashed/#IDComment58589061 I know I’m probably not the only one that is thinking this but, most of us really just don’t care. As bad as that sounds it’s the truth, what was done to the Native Americans has nothing to with us. I am actually feeling this right now as I am typing, thinking about how I am in a way sick of hearing about it and I don’t care. Which might be coming from the thought that was put in my head about we are all to blame. It’s making me want to distance myself as far as possible from any situations concerning Native Americans. Although another part of me does feel hurt for the Native American that have live in the horrible conditions that they do. If people would really get motivated enough I’m sure there would be a change in what is going on in the Native Americans reservations. Until people can take the focus off themselves and see what is happening in their own country nothing will be done. Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:52:33 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-three__trashed/#IDComment58589061 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58587024 I agree 100% with this guys statements, being African American like the one girl in class said, we were brought here and had no choice in the matter. I understand that Native Americans were wronged by the settlers that came here and took their land and ruined a lot of people’s lives. I’m not trying to sound heartless but I can’t help what happened what’s done is done point blank. No matter what is said I don’t think I am to blame once so ever I real no guilt. Regardless of all the things about the land we own being red land belonging to the Native Americans. I do recall Sam mentioning the only way to make things right is to give the land back to the Native Americans which isn’t going to happened since there would be no where for everyone to go. So I personally don’t know what can be done now! Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:31:13 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58587024 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58582456 First I have to start out with that is crazy how that experiment worked out. I understand why though because in movies, TV shows, and advertisements this is what is being shown, so this is image is what is known. When you’re shown something repeatedly it’s going to stick in your mind. This is especially true for young kids and seems to be accurate for the kids involved in the experiment that was held. By watching TV is how the majority of kids learn what they know now. One major thing taken from TV is behavior, when a child sees a child on TV yelling, kicking, and screaming when they don’t get what they want. So the child puts this to the test to see if they too can get away with it. This is when a parent/guardian needs to step in and correct the situation. By explain to them depending on the age that it is just a show and it acting, or simply saying you know how to act and I don’t want to ever see you behaving that way. When I thought more about this video clip it made me think about the lack of teaching about African Americans. I can’t say that this is taking place all over but growing up in Central Pennsylvania and being African American I wasn’t exposed to my history I got most of it if not all from my family. This falls into the same category as Native Americans are portrayed as Indians and that’s it, almost as if they aren’t even real people. Just people running around with feathers on their head and weapons like the girl in the clip stated. There is still a lot of things that people don’t know about Native Americans like Sam has said in class. Such as the massive genocide that took place on the Native Americans and a lot of them were forced to assimilate with the American culture. Along with this genocide some kids might not have learned that America was discovered before Columbus. My final thought is that I agree with this girl when she talks about everyone becoming more educated about Native Americans. These teachings should most definitely start at a younger age. I’m not saying that they need to learn about the genocide right away. Teach what really happened with the Native Americans losing their land once white settlers came to America. Teaching also doesn’t have to stop once kids leave the classroom, parents should also take the initiative to teach their kids if they things at school are being contributed incorrectly. Parents are the ones responsible for making sure they are well rounded and become educated the right way. I really don’t understand America sometimes we are so quick to help and tell other countries they should be ran. Look at us though we hide and manipulate the truth to make it look good to others. This is possibly why we have so many problems now a day? Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:13:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58582456 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57722490 I strongly agree that there is no difference between 2 men or 2 women raising a child. Regardless of who is raising the child they will get the same amount of love if not more from there adoptive parents. Although they are of the same sex one will naturally feel a pull to step up and be more caring, nurturing, and loving than there partner. Vice versa the other partner will be like the dad and want the child to possibly be involved in a sport and be the one to play games and will be more aggressive. These traits are the same as if were a man and woman. I think it is a good idea that gay and lesbian couples have been allowed to adopt in certain states. It's giving them the chance to be able to have a family that includes children. That’s not right to deny someone to have kids just because of their sexual preference. People may think that the world isn’t ready for these couples to be adopting children. Some think that a child shouldn’t have to deal with the hurt of others talking about their parents. In my opinion it might make these children stronger in a way because they will most likely have to deal with others passing judgment and ridiculing them. New things aren’t suppose to be easy, when new things that aren’t the norm come about people tend to get on edge and aren’t sure how to react. The first reaction is fear, and how this new thing will affect their lives. Someone has to be the guinea pig in this situation, by putting it to the test it will show how communities will react. As time goes on more and more couples will want to adopt children, and people will pretty much be forced to accept these families. Of course not everyone will be accepting to this just like anything else. That’s why it’s good that more and more men and women are trying to adopt, it shows how serious this topic is to them. These people also can serve as a support system for one another when it comes to getting this adoption law passed all over. I really think that people need to realize that it is 2010 and this isn’t the 1900’s when people didn’t speak out as much. Now however we have people speaking out for gay rights and are putting in the effort to see a change. It annoys me when people show hate towards gays it has absolutely nothing to do with them. These men and women are just trying to live their lives just like you and me. We all deserve equal rights, and to be able to express them. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:57:48 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57722490 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/all-that-is-solid-melts-into-air-including-our-words__trashed/#IDComment57450842 Language is something that I never gave that much thought towards because it was always just been there. It’s crazy to think that a language can just disappear like that. Until now the only language I knew which was known as the language of the dead was Latin. Although after reading this article and seeing that clip it really hits me how crazy it is that languages disappear and never reemerge. That might sound dumb but it in a way blows my mind that something that has been around for so long can just be gone like that. This occurred by just one person passing away. The thing that I’m stuck on is that did this woman not have any relatives that she could teach this to, so that this wouldn’t have happened? I understand that maybe her death wasn’t known prior and it was sudden. But she was an older woman that has been around speaking this same language, so how did no one pick up on it? Just think if this were to happen to the English language, in the future there could be another dominant language that pushes English to the side and eventually fizzles out. That’s crazy it will be right there next to the Bo and Latin language. Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:13:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/all-that-is-solid-melts-into-air-including-our-words__trashed/#IDComment57450842 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-three__trashed/#IDComment57448706 I thoughts are that being “Bi” is a choice and doesn’t necessarily mean the person is confused. They just happened to like certain things about men and different traits about women. I have a friend that identifies as bi and I spoke to her about it one time out of curiosity. I asked her how do you know that your bi and she said she feels a pull from both its like her whole being can’t choose one or the other. I think the problem that people sometimes with being bi is that person isn’t put into a specific category of straight or gay. People just want to know where that person stands and it’s not always understood that in the middle where they are is actually where they want to be. Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:57:14 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-three__trashed/#IDComment57448706 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-the-conversation-always-about-black-and-white-people__trashed/#IDComment56579516 The point I’m trying to make is that when a situation flows down to the issue of black verses white is something that will almost never be avoided. Really it shouldn’t be, because unless there is a common ground found things aren’t going to change neither side is willing to bend to the other. So it looks like these discussions are going to last until the end of time. .......All together my post is 450 at least Im still unsure of how this posting works Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:36:38 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-the-conversation-always-about-black-and-white-people__trashed/#IDComment56579516