en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/6264990 Comments by MrGoodtime2 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/04/18/voices-from-the-classroom-304/#IDComment624059993 Being an African American male and I walk into a party that is predominately of a different race, the atmosphere of the party depicts on how i react to seeing this. If I recognize some of my friends I will just walk in without thinking about much. But if im already with my friend the way the party reacts nearly always affects me. For instance if we walk in and everyone looks and stares, that always makes it awkward, as well as unpleasant. In one of my friday night adventures me and some of my close friends went in search of a close apartment party. Long story short, we found one, and upon opening the door everyone turned and looked, the music stopped and the only 2 black guys we saw at first had disappeared out of sight. This left us in a real awkward state. Not to mention the owner(girl if it matters) ask if we needed anything, as if to say "leave". Im not saying it isnt normal to look and see who just came in but to stare for like 15 seconds is kind of weird... Idk if it is the fact that I have dread locks that attracts those kind of stares but who knows, I cant read minds. Honestly I dont see why people tend to only go to parties where everyone is the same race. Black students usually have to go way of campus to go to frats an the only reason they find it alright to do so is because we wanna have fun without being looked at funny. I dont see why we call ourselves a diverse school when we go so far as to segregate ourselves. Personally, I dont discriminate, so I love to see more than one shade of women in the room. And knowing most guys of color, racial background is hardly of concern when dealing with women. But seeing how few white people raised their hands during class on the question of whether they would go to an all black party it was a wake up call. I've seen white people at a minority party before and they were easily socially accepted. I really feel like although many white people talk about having black friends they haven't been just immersed in their atmosphere, which is something everyone should try. Its hard to see what people are like throughout the day but everyone has one thing in common when they go out and thats to have fun, who cares what the people look like around you, espescially if you are having a good time. Since we all decided to live in the Penn State community, we should embrace our differences and get together for a great time. Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:58:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/04/18/voices-from-the-classroom-304/#IDComment624059993 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/04/05/voices-from-the-classroom-293/#IDComment614168647 In this scenario in particular I would feel the same way towards both of them. The are both in the same predicament no matter what their ethnic origin. i suppose most people would feel worse for the native american in this case but, I dont feel that way. Whether or not she was Native American or not she has had plenty of time to make her life better, and since she is not living on a reservation she has the opportunity of getting a job that can benefit her family. If Tammy was truly Native American, who knows if she would have even got that job at burger king. Its hard enough to get a job, and being a minority in most areas makes it even more difficult. Its understandable that Tammy grew up poor. It would be nearly impossible to grow up having much when there are so many siblings among you. Although she is doing better than how she grew up most could agree that she could do better. Im not bashing her or anything, my family has no money and it makes me want to do all the better in my life so my children can live better than i did growing up. Also Tammy must be doin something write if through all the complaining her son was doing he never mentioned that they dont eat, so its obvious that food isnt a big problem in their house. Going back to the original question, i dont feel that it is so much that people feel worse for one race over another. It has more to do with the fact that we feel bad for those who are not well off, or those who are struggling. If in the video of the Native Americans struggling in the reservation we saw some white people doing just as bad, nobody would say "oh they dont have it as bad", or "nobody has it as bad as they do". If two races are in the same predicament there should be an equal empathy for both. Having lived in the "ghetto" my entire life I've seen two types of people growing up: 1) those who have seen how they are living and accepted it, and 2) those who have realized that this is not the way they want to live, and do everything in their power to make something better with their lives. From what Tammy was saying it would seem she hasnt given up yet. And like Sam said its not impossible for her to accomplish her goals. And for how hard she works to take care of her kids(walking 10 miles to work!!) she deserves a chance at a better life. And most of the time we dont recognize how many people work so hard in their life without ever receiving a break, but they do not complain. Mon, 8 Apr 2013 03:33:40 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/04/05/voices-from-the-classroom-293/#IDComment614168647 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/03/28/voices-from-the-classroom-286/#IDComment608593976 I like most blacks in class sympathized with our white classmates when Jasiri X came to class. I can see where some of the students felt that he was white bashing instead of just relaying the problems in society. i doubt it was his intentions to hurt peoples feelings like he did but it did happen. although he did bring up some crucial information in how our government was set up and how it operates he could have more clear on his information. He kept saying how it was their peoples fault our the higher up white people. But I agreed with one of the students who spoke in class, he said how it isnt just white people its anyone that has any influence on the government. i want to add that Jasiri shouldnt have talked to the students as they had something to do with all the mistakes made by the previous generations. Why should they take responsibility for anything that happened in the past? It is out of their hands. That being said, I thought that the bases for Jasiri's songs were very historically based and have some potential, its always good to remember the past. I enjoyed Sam's class on Native Americans more though. I have a slight Native American background, but im not close with those of my family members who embrace it. So to see how they are living was startling but believable. In society today nobody ever talks about how the Native Americans are so poor. Only how they own casinos and are rich. I believed this stereo type too because in high school i knew a kid that was loaded and he was Native American. Todays society has almost completely covered up the fact that the Native Americans are living so badly. I dont understand how this country can step over its own people that are living in such hardships to go help someone out in another country. Dont get me wrong, I think it is our job to help out those who cant help themselves, but why cant that same statement be implied when it comes to our own? is it really that difficult to end aid to someone in our own country? I dont see how a select few are giving wealth but the rest are left to suffer. Why do they even have the name "Native AMERICANS" if they are not treated as our equals. although it may be hard to accept for some but i havent seen any white people living in their condition. I hope that the government doesn't have alternative motives for not supporting the Native Americans, but who knows, there are no solid facts on that case. Hopefully our generation can do something about these travesties now that we know more. And learn to accept that history does not have to be repeated but should be remembered. Mon, 1 Apr 2013 02:56:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/03/28/voices-from-the-classroom-286/#IDComment608593976 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/03/22/voices-from-the-classroom-278/#IDComment603425087 Although I have previously heard about affirmative action before this class, I have never thought much about it or tried to figure out what it is. Thanks to Sam's great deal of examples and such involving cases in which affirmative action has occurred, I am more familiar with the topic. Most people argue that affirmative action is wrong and shouldnt be used, but todays society has gotten so lopsided with power that it is needed in some cases. I enjoy how Sam is giving us all these senarios so that we may see for our own eyes where these inequalities exist in our society. At times while we are in class I am blown away cause no one brings up this kinda stuff anywhere else. Its true that the "white team" does get benefits in this country, but it is also important to take in account of what Andrea (batman) was saying. We being the black people have been saying how we need to catch up but dont. Instead we look as ignorant as ever. We are depending on theses affirmative actions and then making ourselves look like hypocrites when we say that affirmative action is wrong. If we want to make this a more economically stable country the blacks need to rise and a people and stop settling for less. Sam is telling us what is wrong with this system but not giving us a solution, mostly because he doesnt have one. I feel that it is good that he didnt give us one because otherwise we wouldnt try to fix it ourselves we would just try to rely on Sam to fix the problem and we would just brush it aside. I have realized through the classes that affirmative action is itself racism because it doesnt have equality. It operates on the basis that everyone is not equal and some people need more help than others. Affirmative action is in place so that other races dont completely feel taken advantage of when they are. It will be hard for America to rid itself of affirmative action if the people rely so heavily on it. This upcoming generation can change that of coarse unless they succumb to greed like previous generations have. I wasnt too surprised when Sam talked about the inequality in people working. I saw it as a kid trying to sell stuff during a fundraiser. It seemed as though the white kids were the only ones to ever win. It didnt make perfect sense but even then I saw that white people had more money than black people, but they wouldnt buy anything from me (a child of darker skin). I didnt hate or envy them, I just made up my mind to grow up and be better. I feel that racism isnt as strong as it was in the past but the fact remains that people dont treat others of a different skin color the same as they treat people of their color. Hopefully we can move past that. And i feel that everyone in this class is starting to realize that it is possible. Mon, 25 Mar 2013 01:14:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/03/22/voices-from-the-classroom-278/#IDComment603425087 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/03/01/voices-from-the-classroom-263/#IDComment590194078 Growing up with a religious background, the only time i truly feared death was when I was young and still new Christianity. No child thinks about dying at such a young age, but churches love to just through it in peoples faces along with the idea of hell. a child does not need to be exposed to those types of fears at that age. I confronted my father not soon after about the topic of death and how i dont want to die. Its obvious your life can be taken at any moment and you fear the unknown. My dad responded saying how you do not need to fear death if you lived a righteous life on earth, for you will receive the gift of eternal life and live in heaven forever. As a child i can still remember how it felt to imagine such a place, I was overcome by a peaceful sensation and I believed that such a place exists. All types of religions speak of some type of place that you go to after death, but whose to say which religion is right? Is there even such a place? No one has ever come back and proved it. i personally don't know, but i choose to have faith that there is. I can understand why people are afraid to die, mostly for the part in which they feel they still have more in life to accomplish. Or maybe they fear there is no place to go after death and do not want to leave their family and friends. I'd like to believe that i will see them again after death so i do not fear being alone. i try to live my life as humble and fruitful as possible so that I have no remorse. And if it came down to laying my life down for another person, even if I do not know them, i would. I've come to a point in my faith where I do not judge the way people live their life, But if I am put in their life, I believe it is for a purpose. I dont want to go to heaven and have God ask me why I didnt help, it would affect my conscious to much. All in all i do not fear death because I look forward to what it brings. In other words peace and happiness, and the hope that I can feel that way with the people i cherish for the rest of eternity. And if there so happens to be such a place then well I guess im just gonna lay in the ground for along time? lol But really for those that feel like you're stuck and fear death, maybe a religion can help calm those fears. Because I would love to think of the idea that there is a better place to go to. Sat, 9 Mar 2013 05:58:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/03/01/voices-from-the-classroom-263/#IDComment590194078 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/07/voices-from-the-classroom-241/#IDComment568273439 There is no clear difference between befriending a lesbian and a homosexual man. They are both attracted to the same sex. Her friend said he wouldnt befriend a gay male because he doesnt want to be associated with that lifestyle. But he turns around in a hypocritical notion by saying he will be friends with a lesbian woman. If he is content with promoting the idea that associating with a gay person makes you associated with their gay lifestyle (which I totally agree with), he has been mentally submersed in this lifestyle for a while now. He probably feels that talking to a homosexual male will somehow make him gay or give other people the idea that he himself is gay. Honestly this is just pure ignorance, and because you are afraid of what society thinks of you and how you feel that this changing society will affect you. how weak in will power must you be to allow someone else to influence you so greatly, by just being near you or knowing you. Being gay is not some type of disease, it doesnt just spread and thats how people become gay, its a choice and people need to understand that. I happen to know a good amount of gay people and I know for a FACT that im not gay and all of my friends know it too. And to promote lesbianism and feel that it is any different from male homosexuality is pure ignorance. What will he do if he finds out his bestfriend is gay? Does that mean he has been part of that "lifestyle" this whole time? I doubt it. Mon, 11 Feb 2013 02:01:51 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/07/voices-from-the-classroom-241/#IDComment568273439 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/31/voices-from-the-classroom-235/#IDComment562259040 I think that Sam was not being to harsh about this subject. He was saying what everybody is too afraid to say, because they dont want to be thought of as mean or inconsiderate. There is no reason you need to abuse your body in that way at anytime. If i was trying to offer someone some advice it would depend on who this person is and whether or not they have a religious background. Life is never so tough where you have to take it out in that way. Even though it is a messed up to think about it one has to remember that there is someone else out there in the world that has it worse than you but still hasnt given up yet. When it comes to eating disorders i feel that it comes from people caring about what the social norm is and trying to meet the standards of what the society thinks they are now. America portrays what the world's women should look like. Now people try to lose weight as soon as possible to look like this when the truth is most men arent attracted to that as well as we want natural self confident women. Dont try to meet others standards but instead be happy about how you look, because there are people out there that will like you Mon, 4 Feb 2013 04:59:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/31/voices-from-the-classroom-235/#IDComment562259040 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment556524555 Racism to me isnt so simple to define, but it depends on the person who says it as well as how the say it. most black kids growing up are taught not to let anyone talk to them in a certain demeanor because they are racist, especially if they are white. And i can vouge for that statement because i lived in a poor area growing up and all the black kids believed it. My dad told us not to look at the color of the skin but the intention of ones heart. I have plenty of white friends and although most of them make jokes that one would consider racist, none of them mean it or are trying to hurt peoples feelings when they say them. Racism comes from when someone has hate in their heart towards a certain race or culture just because they are not their own. It is hard to tell when someone is truly racist nowadays but i have no doubt that it still exists in the older generations. Those who still believe that racism is still right usually dont admit they are racist because it is frowned upon in our society now. But sometimes one can tell if they are in the mist of someone who is. Most people make jokes here and there but someone who is racist makes the joke to hurt someones feelings. some people might give off hints that they are racist but it is never safe to assume that, they could just be getting use to being around people of color. Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:33:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment556524555 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/16/voices-from-the-classroom-227/#IDComment548796987 Growing up in a household where my mother is mixed with Spanish, Mexican, and Native American and my dad who possesses African American and Jamaican; my only recollection of what race was came from my dad telling us what our ethnic background was. I was taught that although the color of our skin may be different, everybody is equal and made the same. It is wrong to treat people like they are less just because they dont look like you. Even though society treats race as a way to separate the people and in short categorize us, somewhere along the way stereo types were allowed to exist in our culture as if it only pertains to that race alone. It is assumed that race depicts the characteristics one is subject to possess, but in all actuality it depends on the environment that we come up in. You can be a white child and everyone is gonna expect him/her to be uppity or proper but if that child grows up in an environment that is ghetto, or they live in a morally broken home; they will show characteristics that reflect that, because that is all they know. Same as if a black child grows up in a hispanic home. He may look black but if you were blind you could swear he is something else. He speaks spanish, loves thres leches, and listens to mexican music. Being of a minority race growing up I learned pretty quick that my idea of race was not shared by everyone. I grew up in a densely white populated area. Although i had some friends we were never that close, I was always the kid that never got invited to parties and I didnt know why. Racism is what my dad called it when i asked why. I didnt resent myself because of the color of my skin, i embraced it. We are all made this way for a purpose. I consider myself mostly black and mexican because when poeple ask what I am its obvious I'm black but I'm too "light" to be completely black. i grew up in a home where it was made understandable that some people are raised not liking anything outside of their race and we accepted that. My family jokes around alot but we are never serious, So when Sam talks in class i find it funny because finally someone wont let the idea of race affect their way of thinking. Race is nothing more than an excuse for man to separate himself from those who dont look like him or come from the same area of the world. although it is easy to characterize some based on what they look like, we all remain the same. As Sam was showing us how we all came from the same place. Not only that but we are all the same on the inside, so i dont even consider race the color of ones skin but the history of ones fore fathers. Sun, 20 Jan 2013 02:49:59 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/16/voices-from-the-classroom-227/#IDComment548796987