en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/5375644 Comments by Martinique52992 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/12/07/voices-from-the-classroom-220/#IDComment513974731 What made the Mexican themed party offensive to me was that it was Mexican themed. I’m not Mexican at all and still found that highly offensive people because why did it have to be Mexican themed. I don’t understand the significance of it being a Mexican party. That in itself to me is mocking the culture. There are several different themes they could have chosen for this party. They are having a party where things are most likely going to get out of control and they are associating that with Mexican culture. It is very offensive. To dress up in traditional Mexican clothing and partying mocks their culture 100%. They are several different things they could have worn. It could have been a color themed party and they still would have had as much fun. Then to top it off with the signs is just disrespecting Mexicans completely. That’s highly inappropriate to say about anyone. It also promotes a stereotype of Mexican people. All Mexicans must wear sombreros and ponchos. All of them must mow laws and be drunks. The whole celebration as a whole is offensive because it has nothing to do with Mexicans. It degrades the culture completely and that is what makes this so offensive. To relate this issue to me being African American, I would have been offended if they called themselves slaves and wore shackles. Or if they decided to paint their faces black. Things like that are just not ok to do. It shows that you don’t have any respect for the people, the culture, and even the struggle these people may have went through. I do think it is a big deal and it should get this much attention right now. However I do not think the girls should be punished for this because at the end of the day it is their right as American citizens to have this party no matter how degrading it may be. They did not commit any crimes here by having this party and posting this picture. Being an African American I see racist remarks all the time and it is not ok but what can you do. People have the right to say what they want and you can too by telling them “hey what you said was offensive.” We can only make people aware of their offensive behavior and hope that they change it but other than that there isn’t much we can do. Those are just some of the ignorant things that happen in society and we have no control over it. So was the Mexican themed party the sorority had offensive? Absolutely. Should they be punished for it? IN my opinion, no they should not. Sat, 8 Dec 2012 21:53:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/12/07/voices-from-the-classroom-220/#IDComment513974731 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/12/01/voices-from-the-classroom-215/#IDComment508201048 I guess you can say I felt a bit empowered to talk about how a woman should be pleasured. Although I was well aware of the different things said in class about a woman reaching her climax it made me comfortable to talk about it with friends. I actually had a discussion about it on Friday night with a group of friends and we shared both the male and female perspectives. The males really didn’t understand the point in stimulating the clitoris. They figured if the girl is moaning and “scratching backs” then the penetration must be enough. I had to explain to them that it is possible to climax from penetration however it is not always guaranteed. I think sex should be viewed from a woman’s point of view 100% because the man is always going to orgasm. It doesn’t take much skill or knowledge to make a man orgasm however with a female it is very strategic. If men viewed sex as being about pleasing women I think everyone would have much more enjoyable sex. I found it very interesting that guys don’t really understand how much it takes to get a woman aroused. I guess its just one of those things we assume men should know but they may not know because they don’t experience it. Men are always ready to go at the drop of a hat and it really is genetic which I think is pretty funny. Now I do think it is very important to talk about this with your partner because men and women should understand how each other work. Men should understand that foreplay and things like that are very important when it comes to a woman’s arousal. There’s nothing wrong with women teaching men a thing or two in the bedroom. This way both people will be on the same page. I also found interesting that everyone dresses to please the opposite sex even when they don’t realize it. I know women get dolled up and go out to have fun; they are clearly trying to look good and attract men. But even when women just “throw things on” we are still somewhat dressing for men. Women may put on comfortable clothes however they are still stylish or still pretty fitted. This still attracts men because it is drawing attention to your body regardless. So I thought this was very interesting because I throw on jeans and a shirt but my jeans are still usually fitted. In a sense I’m still dressing to attract men without even noticing it. Overall I found Thursday’s class very interesting and it made me realize a lot of things I just look over everyday. Mon, 3 Dec 2012 00:47:38 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/12/01/voices-from-the-classroom-215/#IDComment508201048 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-210/#IDComment492861535 I really enjoyed this lecture today. It opened my eyes to a lot of things. I never knew there were actual stages where people could be classified by their acceptance of their race. But when you think about it, its makes sense. I really liked the way the lecture was structured because it was very easy to understand and also very relatable for me. I grew in a predominantly Dominican neighborhood called Washington Heights where there were only two blocks that had black residents. However I attended elementary and middle school in Harlem, which is a predominantly African American neighborhood. So I wouldn’t say my surroundings were diverse because it was made of hispanics and blacks. But I knew that diversity was important and I always wanted to be meet new people regardless of their race. As a child and even into young adulthood I have always been proud to be African American. I know about my culture and am well aware of other cultures. I would say I am at about stage four because I am very accepting of other cultures however I am still very proud of my own. But my actual group of friends is not diverse at all. All of my close friends are African American except for one, which is Brazilian. Being from such a diverse place like New York City you make friends from different cultures. The summer before college I worked at American Apparel, which is a clothing store, that is all about the average American. They take pride in saying that their clothes are fully made in the United States. The store is located in Soho, which is a very prestigious neighborhood as well as a tourist attraction. A lot of celebrities and wealthy white people live in that area. While working there I had the opportunity to make friends w. my coworkers who were white, Asian, Hispanic, and African American. This was the first time I was in an environment that wasn’t just African American and Hispanic. I loved my job though, seeing my co-workers everyday was definetly a highlight of my day. Even now being in college I think it is very important to have friends of different cultures. You learn new things and can appreciate things for what they are. I think culture is a beautiful thing and everyone should embrace it. Although diversity is important it is also important to remember your own culture and never forget where you came from. I would consider myself at level four because I am open to people of different cultures but my actual group of friends is not diverse at all. All of my close friends are African American except for one, which is Brazilian. Sat, 17 Nov 2012 02:33:23 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-210/#IDComment492861535 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/24/voices-from-the-classroom-193/#IDComment475279864 I think it is definetly true that a lot of our beliefs are based on misinformation because personally a lot of mine are. I don’t think it is our fault that our beliefs are built this way because it is what we were taught or may have experienced. In today’s society we are constantly being told what to believe and how to make decisions. It is all part of conforming to society in order for it to work as one. If people have too many different beliefs then there could potentially be chaos. Also the media shapes our ideas and beliefs everyday. For example news channels have to get high ratings in order to keep airing so Fox may focus on crime because that’s what people like to hear about. People like to know what is happening in their neighborhood so a person may think there is a lot of crime in one area because that is where the reporters go. This probably isn’t true, there is crime everywhere but that is how the news channels get their ratings. I also think that people fear the unknown. People do not like change therefore if something is out of the ordinary it usually is something we stay away from. This is letting fear dictate our beliefs. That very thing that we are afraid of may help us out. One great example of a belief is religion. People believe in a higher power however there are no hard core facts to religion. But we still see religious people today because that’s what they were taught. So I would have to say our beliefs are highly influenced by things we are exposed to and taught. In class it was very surprising to see that each year, only 100 children are abducted by strangers. I am a big fan of shows like Law and Order, which is a show that deals with a lot of child abductions by strangers. So I would think that they are more common but that’s how the show gets their ratings. This is an example of how a show that I watched curved my beliefs system. I don’t see anything wrong with having different beliefs whether they are based on correct information or not because that is how you learn new things. When you are exposed to new beliefs it helps you grow and mature as a person. I’m very glad Sam decided to talk about this in class because I never thought about why I have certain beliefs. A lot of things I did not even realize were my beliefs until I took some time to think bout it. Overall I think our beliefs make us who we are. Mon, 29 Oct 2012 03:52:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/24/voices-from-the-classroom-193/#IDComment475279864 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/16/voices-from-the-classroom-188/#IDComment469358225 After the exercise of “who’s land it is today,” I left class feeling really sad. I knew all about the Europeans pushing out Native Americans and how harsh it was. I had a teacher in middle school that was a historian and curator so he would always tell us that what we were taught in history class only touched the surface of what actually happened. He focused on African American history but he was also well rounded in Native American culture. He taught us that Native Americans and slaves often looked out for each other because they were treated so badly by Europeans. They connected with each other and often had relations. He also pointed out how us Americans make a big deal about the Germans killing the Jewish during the Holocaust but what about the mass wipe out of the Native Americans. In a sense we Americans did the same thing the Germans did. But they don’t teach us this in our history books. They make it seem like the Native Americans just disappeared. I had no idea that there were still Native Americans in America. It is pretty sad that they put on reservations. Just placed on land with no resources or any chance to live. For a nation to be built on American pride and call ourselves true Americans, it is pathetic how we treat the REAL Americans. They have been stripped from everything except their culture. They may not have physical wealth but they are extremely wealthy as a culture. And in order for them for survive in this society we ask them to leave that culture and conform to a capitalist culture that is all about the individual. If I were Native American I would be against conforming as well. When you think back to their roots they never had capitalism. They worked based on a trade system where both parties would get some type of good in return. In their culture money has no value so it is basically impossible for them to get ahead in society. This encourages depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and violence. For Native Americans to still be experiencing hardships from the 1400’s is very saddening. During the exercise I agreed that the land should go back to the original owners and even their children if they wanted the land. I just feel like they are entitled to that land because it was taken away from them. When it came down to the grandchildren I wasn’t sure because several years had passed and now there is a new family there. Since the original owners never came back to reclaim their land whoever was on it now shouldn’t be forced off. In the end a family would ultimately get displaced. Sun, 21 Oct 2012 19:39:17 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/16/voices-from-the-classroom-188/#IDComment469358225 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/10/voices-from-the-classroom-184/#IDComment464013591 My biggest personal decision I ever had to make in life was to come to college or get a job. I would say it was based on invisible strings completely because in today’s society you do not really have a choice of not going to college. As the times change there are more test that you have to pass in order to prove yourself. Education is one of them. If you think about it through out school you constantly have to prove yourself through several test; test showing your skills and what you have learned. You even have to take placement tests to see where you stand with everyone else. In middle school I had to take a standardize test called the TACHS exam to get into a Catholic high school. And even to get into college you have to take the ACT or SAT. So throughout life you have to constantly prove yourself in order to get ahead. Before it was a big deal for people to get a high school diploma. A lot of jobs would not hire people who did not have a high school diploma. Over time this has changed now it has become part of the norm for everyone to have a high school diploma. If you don’t have one people wonder what happened in your teenage years that stopped you from getting one. Now getting some type of college degree whether it is an associates or a bachelors is almost mandatory to get a decent job. Some jobs don’t even respect an associates degree. The societal norm has become for people to receive a bachelors degree. And even higher positions required a masters degree. For example high school teachers have to have a masters degree or be working towards one and that will detect your salary. The more education you have the more qualified you become and the more money you make. I do have the freewill to not go to college but my chances of getting a good job will be very slim. I also wouldn’t be educated in my field or qualified. I would have to start at the very bottom and try to work up which may not even work out for me; whereas if I have an education anything is possible. So I would definetly say my decision was based on invisible strings controlling me because in order to survive in this society you have to conform to the social norms. I also did not have a choice because my mom pretty much told me from a young age that I was going to college. She went to college but dropped out because she had me so she wanted me to get the full experience. Mon, 15 Oct 2012 03:59:50 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/10/voices-from-the-classroom-184/#IDComment464013591 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/07/voices-from-the-classroom-177/#IDComment457902951 When it comes to the question of do we have a responsibility to help people who were born less fortunate I say absolutely. I think it is our duty as a society to help each other. As Americans we should want to see our fellow Americans succeed as well. Everyone is chasing the American dream so why cant we help each other make it there. I’m from New York and being from a big city with several people constantly moving around, homeless people often get ignored. A lot of people judge homeless people and say that it is their fault that they are homeless. People assume every homeless person is on drugs or made the wrong decisions in life. However some people have gotten laid off from their jobs and can’t afford a place to live. Some people don’t have any family to turn to for help. Homeless people are viewed as something disgusting, almost as if they are not human. All because this individual may have had some unfortunate events in their life they are looked down upon. As advance as America is there should be no reason that these people do not have any resources. I view this as our responsibility to help them so we can be a greater nation. Helping people who are less fortunate than us would bridge the gaps between us. It can be something as simple as giving your time, maybe volunteering at a soup kitchen or donating clothes. The less fortunate does not only have to be the homeless but also batter women and foster children. The one percent that is at the top controlling the nation does not care about individual people. They work to keep their own kind in that one percent. How could a nation be controlled by one percent of its population? There’s no way anything could or would be distributed equally. I think they know it is their responsibility to help their people but they choose to turn their backs. They try to teach us that with hard work you will make it to the top but not when you have a group trying to keep you out of the top. They make it about the individual so it becomes an issue of “survival of the fittest” but how can the people become “the fittest” if they are born at a disadvantage. If that one percent at the top is constantly throwing obstacles at the less fortunate, how can they overcome that? It is really sad that a nation so great like America can turn their back on their own people. Do we have a responsibility to help people that are less fortunate, yes because they represent us. Mon, 8 Oct 2012 02:41:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/07/voices-from-the-classroom-177/#IDComment457902951 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-174/#IDComment452522179 I agree 100% that men dictate what women should and shouldn’t do. Its in our nature to try to impress the opposite sex but women have to constantly prove themselves in society. Women are expected to be flawless. If the slightest little thing seems to be wrong on a woman they are automatically scrutinized for it. For example a woman choosing to shave or go natural. As a society we have convinced everyone and ourself that this is what women look like, smooth skin, long hair, and a nice body. However, I am always mindboggled at the fact that what men view as beauty today, is not what their idea of beauty was 30, 40, 50 years ago. It has constantly changed causing the idea of what women think is beautiful to change as well, eventually causing a change in womens clothing choices, makeup choices, hair choices, diets, etc. Women get scrutinized for being too fat then scrutinized for being too thin. Its a constant battle with society to look desirable. This shows that men only care what women look like because no one is interested in getting to know the woman. They are judging her strictly off her looks, without any concern for personality, or in the case of the young woman from Ohio State, no concern for her story as to why she looks the way she does. This makes it more difficult for women to get jobs titles that men would normally hold because men only see one image of women. We are constantly in the spotlight and therefore care what people think of us. I feel like I am being judged everyday so I should look a certain way to meet that standard and Im sure other women feel the same. I completely respect the woman from Ohio State who doesn’t shave because of her religion. It takes tons of dedication and courage to step into society and not care what people say. I think its an amazing value to have because women should be able to love our bodies the way we were given them. I would like to think I personally shave by choice but I guess it ultimately stems from the western culture. After realizing this will I not stop shaving, no but I commend the women who go against the grain. Mon, 1 Oct 2012 02:48:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-174/#IDComment452522179 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/20/voices-from-the-classroom-171/#IDComment447203031 I think hip hop and art can bridge the gap between the east and west because it puts everyone on the same level. Often times people get stuck in their own world. For example I use to think hip hop music was solely distributed to the United States. But after doing research I learned that it’s all over the world, that not only Americans listened to hip hop music. What I love about hip hop is that it is a culture. It is music, art, dance and fashion all wrapped up into one. Its something all people can relate to, whether they are from the east or the west. It is a culture where skin color does not matter; anyone can have a good time. Anyone can listen to the music. Because hip hop is such a huge culture it has the power to be influential to people all over the world. Hip hop music has the ability to send messages and tell people stories. It is also an outlet for people to express themselves and make people aware of what is going on in the world. It’s a culture where you can be comfortable in your own skin free of judgment. All of these are reasons of how the east and the west can join together, bridging the gap. Things that normally would define us like color, clothes, location would become so small because we have one main thing in common and that’s hip hop. Music from the east can teach the west what’s happening in their world as well as their culture and vice versa. Hip hop could potentially bring many cultures together and open a lot of people’s eyes to the world. Although there are several language barriers, making music with different people from different cultures can eliminate the gap. One thing you notice is that there’s music in every culture. People love music, which makes it easier to put a message in a song. It is also more entertaining than watching something on the news or reading it in a newspaper. Music allows people to be free and to have different perceptions on everyday life situations. It becomes therapeutic for individuals and keeps people open-minded. Today you see many hip hop artists touring and performing the world for millions of people. Artists are also making crossover albums in many different languages. Successful artist from other countries are also coming over to the United States to further their fan base. Networks like MTV helps artists get exposure and publicity by playing their songs for viewers. Hip hop, art, and music all play a huge role in connecting the world. Its shares values, cultures, and customs for everyone. Mon, 24 Sep 2012 01:44:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/20/voices-from-the-classroom-171/#IDComment447203031 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/12/voices-from-the-classroom-162/#IDComment442141717 I would like to think that I see everyone for who they are but sometimes I don’t. I don’t know anyone that is in a wheelchair or mentally challenged so I have never had to be around them. I know I definetly notice differences like a wheelchair. When I see someone in a wheelchair I automatically just want to get out of his or her way. I guess I just figure they have somewhere to go. This in itself shows that I see the difference because a person without a wheelchair could be in a rush as well but I don’t think to move out his or her way. Or maybe the person in the wheelchair isn’t in a rush at all. I guess I would have to actually know someone in a wheelchair to break out of that habit. I view mentally challenged people differently as well. I automatically feel some kind of sympathy for them. I try not to look at them too much because I don’t want to offend anyone. I’m very open minded in the sense of liking things that are different however I don’t think I would hang out with people who aren’t fully functional. I don’t know I’m just not comfortable enough to look past the differences. If people did look past differences I think things would go a lot smoother in the world. If I were handicapped I wouldn’t want anymore to pity me or treat me differently. I understand that handicap people are normal people just like me however not being around it makes things a little uncomfortable for me. It is important to acknowledge people’s differences because it’s an identifier. As much as individuals who are handicapped say that they would like to be treated equally as those who are not handicapped, I do not believe they would fully be content with that. On a daily basis, one “normal” person will not always hold the door for another “normal” person, they won’t necessarily try to move out of their way (as I had previously stated), they won’t censor certain actions or words/phrases, and they most definitely will not be more cautious regarding certain things. If handicapped individuals had to deal with these issues that “normal” people deal with, and how they treat each other, they wouldn’t be happy. It is one of those “you don’t know what it is like until it happens to you” type of situations. At this point, the way handicapped people are viewed isn’t something that anyone can control at this point. It is as if we are conditioned to look and treat handicapped civilians differently. In order to change this, I believe that we would have to dig down to the root, and that’s basically impossible, nevertheless this will always be an issue and it is jus something that must be tolerated. Mon, 17 Sep 2012 03:34:26 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/12/voices-from-the-classroom-162/#IDComment442141717 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/07/voices-from-the-classroom-161/#IDComment437619151 Being an African American woman I think the term “colored people” is highly offensive. It really takes us back to the time of the Civil Rights Movement when everything was labeled “white” and “colored.” Civil Rights leaders have worked hard to break the barrier of color however there still seems to be people out there who see color. In the past African Americans have called white people negative things as well such as “crackers.” I’m sure anyone would take offense to being called a cracker today and to me it is the same as calling someone a “colored person.” If you want to reference people who are not of white decent then you should say “people of color.” This includes not only African Americans but also Hispanics and whoever else identifies with the group. Something as simple as rearranging the words can make the biggest difference in the world. The term “people of color” acknowledges that you are a person first just as the person who is using the term instead of your appearance first. It says I am a person and I am also of color. I think it’s really sad that people aren’t taught the difference and how to be politically correct because it offends people even if you do not mean to. That to me says that a lot of people are stuck in their ways and can’t see people for who they are. I’ve been a victim of racism several times before but I have ignored it. I just think of it, as people don’t know any better. I guess that’s what Sam was referring to when he mentioned having tougher skin than others. Also on Wednesday when Sam was discussing how wealthy parts of Africa was before slavery, two guys behind me had a few ignorant things to say. One guy said how could Africa have ever been wealthy when they are so poor now and what made it worse was that Sam was answering his question just as he was asking it. Its really sad that so many parts of Africa that once were so lavish are starving today. What’s even sadder is that people only know Africa for being poverty stricken not a place, which once thrived in society. Some parts of Africa are still very wealthy and beautiful today because they weren’t destroyed from slavery. I think its up to us to educate our peers because one of the most powerful things a person can have is knowledge. However you cannot force someone to learn something they are not interested in. Mon, 10 Sep 2012 02:33:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/07/voices-from-the-classroom-161/#IDComment437619151