en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/759693 Comments by Furrbaybay https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/stories-for-uplift__trashed/#IDComment70678542 With all the things in this world that want to make you not believe in humanity, a lot of things in this class really show you what kind of good people can do in the world. As far as the first video, I cannot imagine even giving an act of kindness like that. Me and my buddy have a good relationship with one of the lunch ladies in the dining commons. We see her everyday, and it's really a pleasant part of our day to talk to her and what have you. But put in the position and giving her one of my kidneys? I would like to think that I would have the courage in my heart to give a kidney up, but that's even a little unnerving to think about. I applaud this man for just that, his courage. This isn't something fake that he did to get recognition from people, this was his kidney. The love and commitment that his actions must have taken is unimaginable. It's easy to give a kidney to your dad, uncle, or spouse. This guy probably goes to the grocery store once a week, and still has the kind of relationship with this woman to save her life. This is an outstanding man, and an outstanding story. Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:40:47 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/stories-for-uplift__trashed/#IDComment70678542 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-people-who-can-only-afford-hard-work__trashed/#IDComment70677598 I honestly feel like they really do need to do it legally. If we need a passport to go to other countries, vacation there, live there, etc. that they should as well. The problem I have isn't that they want to come here and work and make a better life, it's that all of this is happening without regulation. The government is doing it's best (we think) to regulate immigration. It's not that I don't want Mexicans, Cubans, or whoever in this country, because it's not about race for me. But where does it stop? How many people are we going to let in before we say enough's enough? I just think on that day we're not going to be prepared to stop the influx at that point. It's easy to debate about this topic sitting in State College and not having to fight to keep my family alive. There's no doubt in my mind I would do whatever I had to in order to get into this country. But, at the same time, I have to follow all the rules in the world in order to keep my freedom in this country, so I don't think that it should be any different for anyone else, although that's probably a really narrow-minded way to look at this topic. Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:32:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-people-who-can-only-afford-hard-work__trashed/#IDComment70677598 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/south-park-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment70676714 I really do not understand why this is such a big deal. South Park, Family Guy, The Simpsons, they all make fun of pretty much every topic. Religion, celebrities, republicans, democrats, it's all fair game. I know Family Guy and South Park especially make fun of christianity. In South Park, Jesus was part of "Imagination Land" for crying out loud. And priests brought little boys as pets to satan's halloween party. If you think that they didn't get backlash from Christians for that then you're crazy. It's just that when a Muslim group makes a threatening comment that people jump to the violent Muslim stereotype. The fact that this group is actually this upset about it is pathetic, but do we really think that people are going to get hurt over a South Park episode? Tom Cruise hasn't come out and threatened the people from South Park, neither has Kanye West. In this politically correct age it's these comedy shows that really have had free reign so far. I was actually surprised that they decided to censor it after the threat. These guys have done some pretty (debatably) offensive stuff over the years, but one threat from a radical group I guess would shake my boots a little too. It's just a shame that people cannot partake in the comedic side of things like that anymore. Half, if not more, of comedy is making fun of someone. Sometimes that's someone who nobody likes, sometimes it's someone who everyone likes. Either way, most of the time the people poking fun really have no issue with the topic, they're just making entertainment. Unfortunately now I suspect that more South Park episodes will come into question because now people know they can challenge the leaders over at Comedy Central. I'm definitely more liberal on the subject, so I don't think that there should be so much censorship on t.v. I think movies and shows shouldn't have to be edited so much for content, whether it be language, violence, etc. But I guess when it comes down to it it's not worth having social upheaval just because someone has to take something so seriously. Maybe all of this is just because we're still relatively young. I would hope that my views don't radically change when I get out into the "real world," but maybe that change is inevitable. I know both my parents hate South Park, as do a large majority I would imagine. I think that our generation is going to have a completely different outlook on things when we hit our thirties and forties. Hopefully by then we won't have something as harmless as this come back to bite us by then. Maybe that's too much to ask. Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:25:25 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/south-park-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment70676714 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69335914 This piece is of special importance to me because I had some experience talking and meeting people in prison when I went with my church. I was a lot younger at the time, so it was kind of scary going to see people in prison that I knew had done some bad things. But, at the same time, it was one hundred percent an eye opening experience. I completely relate to everything this man said. I'm not saying that all prisoners, especially lifers, have the same experience, but it definitely seems that they can have some pretty similar ones. The guy I talked to was in for armed robbery and attempted murder. I didn't ask him what his sentence was but it's safe to assume that he wasn't getting out any time soon. Had I met this man at church, or at a baseball game, or anywhere else other than a prison I would have thought he was the nicest man in the world. He talked about his wife, his kids, what he used to do to relax on the weekends. It was hard for me to imagine a man in prison having a family, and doing all the things that my own dad does. But at the same time it was hard for me to imagine THIS man in prison, or doing any other the horrible things he was in there for. It got me thinking, even though what he did was wrong, maybe he was doing those bad things out of desperation for this family. Maybe all of the stereotypes we give prisoners are just excuses because we ourselves have never been in the position that they have. The struggle every human being undergoes while trying to lead a good life but also make a good life cannot be judged by those of us on the outside. One horrible decision or act of desperation from these men has locked them away forever. We all make bad decisions in everyday life. Whose to say that one of our bad decisions someday won't land us in jail? Does that make us bad people? I don't think so. I think there are bad people on the street and good people in jail. That being said there are also bad people in jail and good people on the street. It's not that our justice system is flawed, it's just human nature that's at fault. People innately do bad things, whether by accident or on purpose. Not that it's an excuse to hold up a convenience store or steal a car, but just because someone does something wrong doesn't make them a bad person. One bad deed may not define a man, but unfortunately it can condemn him. Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:58:34 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69335914 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68074196 I agree with this. For men it's not about looking like you just dropped out of an abercrombie magazine. It's more about your level of masculinity. Out-drinking everyone, going to the gym, and even the music you listen to or the clothes you wear can win you girl. Whether that's right or wrong isn't the point that's being discussed, but I think the point that comes out of it is the fact that, regardless of the methods, men still conform just as much, if not more than women. The reason I say that is because guys also have to have a good personality too. Let's be honest, if a girl looks good it doesn't really matter how annoying she is or what her interests are. She could like the worst music and have the shortest temper, but guys will still put up with her. If a guy comes off like a dick then there's no way girls are going to be attracted to him. That's why everyone spits out all those overused lines from romantic movies. That's conforming too, and guys do it all the time. Regardless of how much conforming each sex does, I don't think it's such a bad thing. When taken in moderation it can actually make people strive to be better, more functional people in society. Notice I said moderation. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:21:35 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68074196 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68073373 Of course men conform to society. It may not be as much to look like other men as it is to impress women. I have never actually desired another quality of a male celebrity or model, however there is thought that goes into what I wear to class or wear out on a weekend. I think a big part of that too is why men work out. Sure, it's good to stay in shape and stay healthy, but come on, a lot of that is to impress women. What I found interesting in class was when a lot of the women were saying things that had to do with prominent women in society. Whether it was an actress or just a abercrombie model, that's what girls want to look like. I felt as if they weren't exactly trying to impress men but just trying to become the person that all men want. For men, at least in my opinion, they're more trying to impress a certain girl, or at least a certain group of girls, not the entire population of women. Don't take that out of context, of course everyone would want to be the best looking person in the world, I'm just saying that's the vibe that I got from class. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:14:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68073373 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/want-to-learn-chinese__trashed/#IDComment67477143 I understand the logic behind learning chinese in school, and I do not want to come off as saying that everyone should learn english because america speaks it, but when it comes to the global economy I don't really see the point in saying it is a necessity. Sure, maybe China is rising fast and will soon overtake us on the global scale, but I think english is still the dominant language in the world. For decades now other countries have been scrambling to learn english for whatever reason, whether its so they can trade with us or to ease the language barrier, whatever. The point I'm trying to make is that this is what the global economy is now. China learns english, and if we want to give them due diligence and learn their language that's fine. But where else are you going to use it? Chinese people can learn english and use it in business, travel, etc. Where else are these kids going to use the chinese language? I'm not belittling the language or saying its useless, but if you're not a business major that's going to be traveling to china then there really isn't any reason you are going to ever need it. I know a kid that took a year of chinese at my high school and he said it was miserable. To require that of every high school or college student just in case they might need it seems to me like a serious waste of time for both the students and teaching institutions. If a college of business at a university wants to require that their students take chinese to graduate I don't see a problem in that. But what about Japanese? What about other leading economies? I'm sure this is coming off as incredibly short sighted, but I think an objective look would show that requiring a language just because it's used in the business world is ridiculous. We're already trying to learn how to be good business leaders in the real world. Learning a whole new language just because someone thinks it is necessary to function doesn't seem right. Until China far and away surpasses us as the dominant country on this planet I think we will all do just fine staying the course. It's nothing out of disrespect, it's nothing about race. But knowing an extra language take a hell of a lot of time to conquer and there are plenty of other things we could be using our resources for. However if I was required to learn Mandarin to graduate from Smeal I sure wouldn't argue, so I guess it's up to the people smarter than me to make important decisions like that. Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:15:40 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/want-to-learn-chinese__trashed/#IDComment67477143 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66133153 It is ridiculous how much crap is out there to be bought. I am not a hard core women's rights activist by any means, personally I think they go too far sometimes with all that they do. But I cannot imagine walking through a store and seeing this kind of thing actually on the shelves. It obviously would never be seen in America, god knows there's so much censorship in this country we do not have to worry about that. But the fact that any culture would find this acceptable is preposterous. Racist, sexist, and prejudice things run rampant in the news, in comedy, even in sports. But how could this occur in a child's game? Making a joke out of something as serious as this cannot be taken without reply from the people of Japan or people from somewhere. Some things in this world make you trust in humanity, and some things make you doubt what the hell people are thinking. I understand people have to make money but you would think they could find a different way to make their quick buck. I don't feel any other way about the people who made this game then to call them cowards. Tue, 6 Apr 2010 00:48:26 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66133153 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66130531 I think a lot of people got turned off by the bleeding thing, whether they know it or not. I sit in class with a couple of friends and to a man they were all appalled at the comment Sam made. I can understand where everyone is coming from when they get mad at the stuff he says, especially women. But at the same time I feel like people take a lot of the stuff he says the wrong way. The thing that I always remember when he makes one of his "Sam" comments from out of left field is that he really is just trying to get us to think. Whether or not he is being honest about not trying to force his beliefs on us is irrelevant. The fact is the points he brings up and the stories he tells us make every person in that room think a little differently about things than we have before. If the classes are getting more provocative it is because he knows he can challenge us with heavier topics. I'm sure that a class on race relations is far from the easiest thing he could be teaching. But with all the travel and experience he's the right man for the job. I haven't regretted going to one class this semester because of the challenges and ideas he throws out there. There are times when he will make a comment or two that makes you kind of chuckle out of ridiculousness, but taking the good with the bad I think he brings good to the table. I've never really had a teacher or professor that has been as brash, flamboyant, but also as open minded. I think I would enjoy the class a heck of a lot more if we did not get graded, because of the vague test questions, but nonetheless it is one of my favorite classes. Hopefully the classes do not get dull in the last month but for me personally, there hasn't been a dull moment as long as Sam has a room full of kids and a topic to discuss. Unfortunately I know I am in the minority of people who feel this way, judging by the people that get up and leave after some of the comments the man makes. I truly think if people opened their minds a little more to not necessarily the comments he makes, but the ideas behind it, that what he says would be a little better received. Maybe I'm just too open-minded, and maybe I'm not thinking well enough with the mainstream, but I don't see what all the fuss is about because he brings up bleeding or homosexual comments. Tue, 6 Apr 2010 00:38:36 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66130531 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64844620 I found the video a little disturbing, as I am sure most people in the class did. However, I think there are a few underlying issues that lended themselves toward some of the black kids picking the white doll. The fact is, however unfair, that most models seem to be white. Along the same lines, most dolls are white. If a kid is playing with dolls that are ninety percent white, which doll do you think they are going to pick when asked to choose? Those kids were too young to determine race or anything close to it. Obviously when the girl asked which one was the bad doll and they pointed to the black one was the critical point in the video, but again, I think "bad" was a loaded word. The child did not mean "bad" as in will be more likely to be in jail, or commit a crime. It simply meant the one they would be less likely to play with. I understand the nature of the study and the findings, I just feel like the girl directing the study loaded her questions to make the responses ones that would shock people. There is obviously a certain level of shock to the choices the kids made, and I am not arguing with that. I just think the study could have been less of a shock. Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:52:59 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64844620 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment64843248 I am not sure why it matters that whites are about to become the minority. Does it really matter that blacks, hispanics, or asians were or are the minority? Sure, in the years after slavery and segregation it may have mattered because it was easy for white people to put down people of color. But in the past twenty years has it really mattered who the minority is? Black people have come to dominate sports, asians have become leaders in the business world, and white people have just kind of done what they've always done. So what if statistically white people are not producing as much offspring as the other races. I wasn't aware that this country was so driven by race. If it's ignorant then it's ignorant but it gets on my nerves when all of these statistics come up about where white people are concerning other races or how black people are underrepresented. We hear stories all the time about steps black people are making in society. Whether it be government, business, or pop culture. If this is a sign that the white man is fading in our society then that's pretty much just how it is and there's nothing we can really do about it unless we want to have white breeding clinics. It's not like it's a bad thing that there may be more people of color than whites in this country Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:47:31 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment64843248 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64841908 I found the comment that the white women made very interesting. The fact that all white people are grouped together doesn't seem odd until you consider the fact that every other ethnicity has to go through piles of paperwork just to figure out what they are supposed to classify themselves as. I think that if there is no space for Hispanic that whites should have to fill out their ancestors country of origin. As I understood it, the government is just trying to find out statistics for cultures and races that are present in the United States. Why not then apply that to people of European descent? If you're looking for statistics concerning blacks, hispanics, and asians, what are they trying to say about the white population? I feel like this is why all of the statistics are somewhat unbalanced concerning white people, whether it is unemployment, income, or whatever you want to measure. If you have one large, unorganized, category stacked up against a bunch of very specific categories, the inflated category is always going to look..... well, inflated. When we talk about white guilt, this has a lot to do with it. I personally feel slightly uncomfortable when Sam puts up a statistic that shows whites being ridiculously higher statistically than any other race. Whether it be a good or a bad statistic, it seems like every poll shows whites at eighty-some percent with the next closest being somewhere in the twenties. I think if you broke down the white race at all, maybe even just into middle, eastern, and western european, you could see a little more balance in the country. Obviously the government is not worried about some college kid feeling uneasy because of a poll, but hopefully the point is all the same. I think it could also help white people realize their past a little more as well. I can still remember when my parents pulled out our family tree (I was like eight so they actually made it into a cute little tree), and I was blown away by the magnitude of the history that was in front of me. I remember that to this day, and probably will for a long while. I could finally respond when people asked me my heritage. Although the census won't be taken for another couple years, and maybe people are overanalyzing it a little bit, but I think all the hell that has been raised will actually be cause for some reform in the next census. No one likes looking bad, especially the government, and especially when it concerns race. I think they will make some significant changes by the time the next census rolls around, and then we all will have something new and exciting to complain about, luckily. Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:40:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64841908 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63407018 I agree with that fact that a white person would feel extremely guilty walking through an indian reservation. However, wouldn't a white person feel equally as guilty walking through a group of blind, disabled, or deaf people. The fact that they're native american I feel does not have as much to do with it as the fact that they are poor or addicts or whatever the case may be. I understand that they may have not been in that situation if our white ancestors had not kicked them out, but I feel like the white guilt has more to do with their current situation and not how they got there. It's the needle of depression almost that gets to us when we see people that are less fortunate. The saying is always true that there is always someone who has it worse off than you, but never do I actually feel thankful for my fortunate circumstances. It is always just feeling terrible that there are people in this world that truly have to fight every day for what they get. It’s not like it’s our fault that someone is poor, or that it is current day white people’s fault that Native Americans have such poor living standards. This is one of the few times in class that I think that Sam’s views may be a little off. I am sure that he was or used to be very involved with Native American life, so he may have a better understanding of how they are oppressed and what should be done about it. But I just feel like there is too much emphasis on what has happened in the past. I really feel like, to a certain point, people do have a choice in how to live their life. Just because someone if raised catholic does not mean they will always be catholic. Just because someone is raised by racist parents does not mean they will be racist. And just because a native american is raised by an addicted parent, does not mean that they will be into drugs. Obviously there is a much bigger chance that this will occur, and I am sure there are hundreds of examples of this. I just feel it isn’t right to say that either all white people feel guilt or they are sociopaths. Sometimes people just don’t feel guilt because they haven’t done anything wrong. I see myself as a very open minded person that can be objective in all situations. Whether a misguided person is white or black, they are still wrong. If you oppress someone, you’re wrong. Maybe I am a sociopath and just don’t see the world as I should, but I don’t think race has anything to do with intelligence, social status, or financial stability. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:51:16 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63407018 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-world-is-full-of-surprises__trashed/#IDComment62436921 While the tribe may not have been lost, maybe it's historical and cultural roots went unnoticed. The fact that a Zimbabwe tribe is jewish was kind of the mind blower for me. After being on this earth for almost twenty years, I've learned not to judge someone by how they look, but if you would have sat one of these people in front of me the last thing I would have guessed was jewish. And I don't think that if they survived this long without disappearing that it will be all that hard to keep their tribe going. I just think that it is great that they haven't abandoned their cultural roots or ancestor's ways. Over the past two hundred years America has changed greatly, probably a hundred times more than this one little tribe. They haven't all moved away, but instead held strong to the way they were brought up and the things they believe in. It's pretty inspiring to look at, when most kids today are changing their clothes or their hair just to support the fad of the day, that these people can hold on to an entire way of living for centuries. More power to them, and hopefully we can all take a little something from this story. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:55:14 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-world-is-full-of-surprises__trashed/#IDComment62436921 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/women-and-sports__trashed/#IDComment62435728 I think that it is a huge deal that she is a woman and coaching a football team. The fact that a school board would even consider a woman for this job is outstanding. I wouldn't have thought this possible in the present day society. Football has taken over every other sport as far as popularity, revenue, and fan interest. Not that a woman shouldn't have been considered for the job, but it is pretty surprising that a school and a community was willing to embrace the notion of hiring a woman for the head football coaching position. As a former football player however, I do not know how I would react to my school hiring a woman as our head coach. It's going to sound prejudice, but I don't think that young men will respond well to having a woman coaching them. We were all brought up with our dads teaching us about sports, and all of our coaches were all men. I just think it'll be hard for eighteen year old boys to respond respectfully to this woman. It is definitely a different situation, and I wish her all the luck, but I don't know if it will necessarily work out in her favor. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:47:04 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/women-and-sports__trashed/#IDComment62435728 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62324786 As much as people always talk about gay and lesbian right, and what we should do about them, I can honestly say that it isn’t very often that I actually think about the topic of love when concerning gays. Even though I am one hundred percent for gay and lesbian rights, it seems that, at least in my head, the notion of intimacy and love does not usually come into play. I think it’s because all of the political nonsense that goes on that it gets lost in the fray. I have gay friends that are completely just like me. They shouldn’t be treated as different people or given different or sub-human rights. The fact that a school would cancel prom is absolutely insane. First of all, and even if you are completely prejudice, you are ruining a senior prom for an entire class. Now, for those people who aren’t ignorant, I don’t know what people are actually thinking when they deny people rights like this. I’m not sure how I would honestly react if I saw a gay couple dancing at prom, but I know that I would never want to cancel prom or not let them enjoy everything that I was enjoying just because it was different than what I was doing. Surprisingly to me it actually angers me that this kind of stuff still goes on in the world. Historical oppression and prejudice are taught in every history class in every school in the country. Yet people are still finding “reasons” to kick groups of people around. Whether it be the way they were brought up, the region the live, or just because they innately do not like a certain group of people it is sickening to read about and see. This is just an article on a webpage, I can’t even imagine dealing with this first hand. My high school wasn’t really as diverse as some schools are and there weren’t many if any kids that were openly gay. I guess when you’re fifteen or sixteen something like that might scare you into keeping it a secret, especially if the repercussions are something like an entire school function getting cancelled. This is the entire problem with the gay/lesbian issue. If people would just accept it then it would become a part of our culture and it wouldn’t be such a taboo issue. I know that is a big if but all society needs is one person or one law to come and take the first step and hopefully the rest would just landslide. I’m probably thinking about it so simply because it doesn’t completely effect me but all things the same it shouldn’t be that hard to at least fight for leniency with something as silly as a high school prom. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:32:39 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62324786 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment61543175 To be totally honest, I think this is just more of a fact that maybe people of color aren't exactly interested in putting themselves on display like this. I feel like black woman are more likely to want to be on a reality show like The Real World or something like that with more drama. Most of the black women that I know do not like to sit and pout about some guy that turned them down. They seem to be stronger and more willing to move on and have fun with the people around them, hence the Real World reference. I don't think it really matters if there are white, black, or asian girls on the bachelor because no one takes the show seriously anyways. If they were playing for real love and it wasn't all just a hoax then it might matter to have a little more equality. It does seem like there are more white girls than black on tv, which is a shame but at the same time you will always find inequality of race in every profession. I think that this is one of those things that really doesn't matter and should just be cast aside. There are specific departments in every network office that make sure affirmative action is being met and justified. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:55:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment61543175 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment61542139 I agree too. This is pretty damn shocking that the company that is probably one of the most representing of our generation is practically throwing out an entire culture. I wouldn't be surprised if their profits go down in the coming months after this incident. But the thing that surprises me most is the fact that they threw out a woman for such a stereotypical item. If you lined up all the stereotypes in order of most used, I would think this would be one of the ones at the top. I would think she would be able to get quite the reimbursement if she took this to court. It is terrible that people of a different culture have to worry about this kind of thing when applying for a job. I couldn't imagine changing my look or my attitude just to maintain a living. Even still, if a company as a whole felt that way about my way of life, I would not want to work for them anyways. I would find a completely different job with people who actually respected me. This is definatley going to make me think twice before walking into this store and purchasing something from this company. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:47:57 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment61542139 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment61540889 This themed party controversy is getting way too old. There is no reason for any person of any race or culture to ever get upset about what people decide to theme their party. Black, brown, and white people alike all dress "ghetto" and flaunt the baggy jeans and baseball caps. The fact that this campus as a whole got upset about it seems like they're just playing the race card. The noose thing is really messed up, but at the same time this kind of thing happens all the time at colleges. Maybe not with a noose in a frat, but racial slurs are thrown around every weekend when kids are out drinking and carrying on. Unfortunately when the shit hits the fan it has to come down on an entire college instead of the few groups which are actually dishing out the slurs. It's hard to stand back and look at this objectively because it is such a touchy subject, but I think the problem on this campus is going both ways. Obviously there are some idiots, as there will be in any college atmosphere, who have stupid viewpoints, but at the same time the black people here aren't always right. Sometimes the race card is warranted, such as the noose incident, but sometimes it is just excessive. If I complained every time a black person made fun of me because of some white stereotype I wouldn't have much time to even write this blog entry. And what happened to an all white fraternity? Or a "Miss White Penn State." I never understood that. Not that I think there should be one, but what is the point of having a fraternity that is selectively for African Americans? There are tons of politically correct answers to throw out there, but to me it only creates more separation between races. I wish there was a right answer for all of these racial issues, but they are slightly unnerving problems that may never get resolved in our lifetime. While the discussions in class are enlightening and outside of the box, I would like to hear from an Asian American or Native American as to what they see between blacks and whites. There is too much resentment and history between these two races to just say that you have an objective and unbiased opinion. And the list of unwritten rules that are a part of the interaction between the races is growing with every instance like the one at this college campus. I just hope that this kind of scandal does not occur on our campus, because with forty three thousand undergrads, the tension that would surface may just be unbearable for the university. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:38:24 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment61540889 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-this-racist-really__trashed/#IDComment59264727 I think you hit it right on the head with the Miss Black Penn State example. I was trying to think of a way to represent what I was thinking and that was perfect. I do not always understand why sometimes a school's standards are lowered to fill a quota for a racial group, but if white players are truly underrepresented in a league I think they should have an opportunity to play somewhere else. However, they are only underrepresented because they cannot compete. That's why they have Canadian football and the minor leagues; to develop players and have a place where the less talented can still do what they love. Something similar could be brought up in basketball, but there is no reason for a racial restriction. This guy isn't just anti-black, he's anti-immigrant and pretty much everything else. I feel like he got snubbed earlier in his life after being brought up by racist grandaddy in a town no one's heard of. I can only imagine what is going to happen to this guy's precious antique store when people hear it. It is scary that people still think this way though. But it is stories like these that people can use as examples of how not to act, because this guy just looks stupid. Mon, 1 Mar 2010 22:58:15 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-this-racist-really__trashed/#IDComment59264727