en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/766365 Comments by NicoleFoley http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141161683 It is almost like the fish in the fishbowl situtation. You do not see the water when you in it, but when you are taken outside your environment and you are looking in you finally understand your surrroundings, and truth about life. Prison in essence could be a spritual journey that can lead many to understand the big picture, though they will never be imersed back into the water of soceity they finally get to see the water for what it is. It is amazing that some people will go through society there whole life and live the life they never understand but it takes a few years in prison to realize what they will never have. It's almost apropriate to say that i wish all men spent a few years in prison. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 04:00:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141161683 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141161650 However his outlook on the abesnce of women is completely openminded to the fact that his previous ways were not successful and eneded in heartahce for both parties. When you boil it down the only thing that women and even men want is time. Time spent with one another is the thing that women want. Sometimes even if you're fighting about dumb topics that time you spent together, though a mess, is what they rather want than being alone. Lifers understand the concept of time they have all the time in the world and no time at all. Much like isolation from women, time is also taken away. Days are mundane and repeatative, relationships faulter, and all you have is your mind to think, to realize that living in captivity let's you step back from the world and understand the big picture. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 04:00:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141161650 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141161589 Well I guess now I can say "It's a shame all the good men are either taken, gay, or in prison." As poetic and beautiful as it was it still adds to the concept of the perfect man being unabtainable. Men take advantage of what they have, believe that they can push there women to their breaking point to see how much they can get out of her. I guess it takes complete isolation from something until you realize its worth. You never expect this from a lifer, I would imagine their fantasies of women to be rauchy and disgusting. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:59:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141161589 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/15/social-structure-shapes-free-will/#IDComment130264544 Polyandry is the closest thing that the world has to a women centric world, as discussed in our group conversations. The women is the one who the family revolves around. The three men in this case all partake equally in housework and manual labor. She is the sexual centerfold of the relationships the men revolve around her scheduling for them. They take on parental roles and see no issue in it. This idea is amazing that the jealousy between the brothers does not cause family turmoil. And when considering who inherits the land do they know/care which son is from the eldest brother? In reality they have no way of knowing which child is whos, if there sexual relations are altered frequently. Could jealousy just be a cultural thing? I feel is any of my guy friends had to share a girl they would not accept it willingly. I have a feeling that in this country men can be very proud and protective of their children. Talk shows that center around paternity testing are extremely popular as of late, men want to know if they are the father and majority of the time they feel that there is some responsibility with that title. These men are willing to provide for these children that they are not even sure are their own. We must also consider the underlying relationships besides the marriage. These men are all brothers, their personal relationship may actually add to the family cohesiveness. The fact that these children are still blood related may aid in the mutal caring. As a culture we as Americans may never truly understand how it is to live like these individuals. To us this may seem bazaar and immoral but to them it is a regular tradition that is simply a way of life. As a women I can say this, on a positive aspect that life would awesome because I would worshiped by three men who loved me simultaneously. There would be a man to work, cook, clean and care for the children. Cuddling would be awesome and probably really warm. On a negative aspect I can say that currently have trouble pushing away one man who nags fro sex, I would exhausted trying to keep three men away, the "I can't tonight I have a headache" bit only works every so often. It would probably be more work than its worth. :) Thu, 24 Feb 2011 06:36:51 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/15/social-structure-shapes-free-will/#IDComment130264544 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment127168579 Post 3: Which raises the question are we as individuals, really individual? You are in a room and the teacher makes a comment, mediocre humor at best but a few students find deeper comedy in it and begin to laugh, then a few more laugh, then the whole class is in stiches. You feel that if most people find it funny then so should you, it's the "norm". Are we as individuals, really individual? Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:01:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment127168579 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment127168531 Post 2: The first man in the elevator was obviously embarrassed to begin with and to subside his embarrassment he "slighly" began to turn towards the back wall. The last guy, well I just feel bad for him the experiment seemed to just ahve a lot of fun with him. As confused as his face was he continued to do the hokie pokie around the elevator without verbally questioning why. This could potentially be a bad asset that human beings have. Our ability to following blindly the actions of the majority because you do not want to feel exclusive could cause serious harm. For instance if you are new at a grade school and you see a boy who gets bullied by the majority, you would find yourself in a situation. Do you go against your better judgment and bully the boy you know nothing about or do you befriend him and face the same fate he too endures? Most people do Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:01:11 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment127168531 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment127168377 The programs keeps telling me the comment is too long so I cut it up. Post 1: Conformity is a funny thing. I watched this video and started to laugh , however I laughed even harder when I heard other people laughing in the background noise. Did I laugh more because everyone else was doing it. If it was me I would probably do the same thing however because I find awkward situations to be interesting I probably would have asked questions to justify why I too turned around, such as so does this elevator open on both sides, which typically happens even today. Most people hate embarrassment, which is why conformity happens socially. Being accepted and blending in is sometimes more of a dream than being popular and well known for positive things. Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:00:17 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/conformity-rules-the-day/#IDComment127168377 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/27/americans-gone-wild/#IDComment124415206 I love the line that "the child did not make any threats with the gun." And my second favorite is that "he a suspect and a victim." I'm sorry but a suspect for what exactly? If there were no threats, no discharge, no harm done but a shaken up music teacher there should be no reason to even use the word suspect. As a crime, law, justice major I hear over and over again about the age of 7 being the age when delinquent acts start be considered intentional. The important word being considered. A five year old has just figured out how to tie his shoes, say the alphabet, however the police of putnam county arrested and suspended his young boy because he was in possession of an item he could not even spell, let alone understand it's usage. This poor boy must be horrified as to what he did wrong. It is said that he found the gun in the car of his stepfather. So the boy was curious and took he gun, maybe he has toy guns at home, maybe he wants to be like stepdad, in an admiring way. However the police of putnam county must believe that this child, who's syntax will not allow him to create full logical sentences, has the mind power to create potential thoughts to those of the columbine boys. The fact that this boy is not allowed back into school until the investigation is complete is counter productive. Let's leave a curious growing mind alone in a house that obviously has a gun control problem for days on end when he should be learning and with peers. Next week we'll see on the news the self inflicted death of a five year old who was playing with his stepfathers gun instead of being in school. Maybe the police will "suspect" that the five year old was a depressed (because that happens to five year olds?). The stepfather and mother are the two worth the blame in this situation. This child should not be punished for sins of the father. There is a legal doctrine Parens Patrie that says a parent is responsible for the actions of their minor child and if they decline responsibility it is then the job of the government to care for this child. How can you say this boy is a suspected criminal, he's five! His parents should know now not to leave the gun around. I am the daughter of a Philadelphia Police Officer. When I was around 5 years old I picked up my fathers gun and gave it to him. I was never yelled at so harshly. My reasoning for picking it up was Daddy was getting dressed for work and he forgot to pun this thing on his belt that he puts on everyday. To me a five year old that gun was an accessory like a hat or a watch. However after I was told it was wrong I never touched it again. This young boy knows when he did was wrong, I can guarantee that he knows that. So send the boy back to school, hell metal detect him if you're that concerned, but from my experience he had no idea what he was doing. Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:39:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/27/americans-gone-wild/#IDComment124415206 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68432233 First I want to address the Hollywood aspect of women. Women are portrayed in many different ways, beautiful leading roles can range from having large breasts to having a completely flat chests, being late summer tan, to being as pale as snow. However there is one aspect that most "beautiful" women have in common, they are never overweight. Women in movies are usually slender or muscular or just thin but never fat. It really depends on each person's outlook on beauty. Lets take models for examples. Playboy models have the perfect hour glass shape large breasts smaller waist and larger hips and butt. Fashion models are always tall, slender, flat chested but stll seen as beautiful to many. To say that breasts are a deciding factor is true to a very small extent. If anything it has to deal with weight and fat around the middle. Most girls will probably find a problem in their midsections before anywhere else. Could this be a health issue? Has society put the pressures of weight on females because of health reasons? Possibly but then how do you explain the appreciation for women with anorexic bodies, that is obviously not healthy. Appearance seems to be everything for women, but the fact is that for women who appear to be beautiful appearances is everything. For those who do not fit the criteria for beautiful, they find other ways to prove themselves to society. They may be pointed out for talent, kindness, humor, personality, responsibility. These are the qualities that are overlooked upon first impressions. First impressions are always skin deep. And that is why these other women the ones with quality are deep, not shallow like those who base impression on beauty because they too are beautiful and that is how they are used to be being judged, and how they got so far in society. Society does not like women with quality, women with substance. Women who are comparable to men in quality are seen as less attractive and are sometimes questioned to be lesbians and masculine in gender. Why can't society accept non attractive women with quality as assets. Going through life these girls, and this goes for men too, had to undergo so much criticism and bullying for their difference. They had to work hard for their success and nothing was ever handed to them. These people are the ones with strong personalities, great senses of humor, brilliant ideas and these people are the ones that i would rather spend my time. For pretty people to say that attractiveness is not the most important thing is like a fish saying water is not important. The reason they can voice their opinion is because they are beautiful, and the reset of us hide behind our blog postings objective against them because they would never accept the ugly girls comment,. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:45:10 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68432233 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-if-we-got-rid-of-welfare__trashed/#IDComment65625400 I too am not an expert on the welfare system however I have seen the welfare system at work numerous times and I think because of everything I have experienced with it I personally feel it should be changed. I am not saying we should do away with welfare all together. Children need welfare, their lives depend on it. Similac is expensive their other necessities are too crucial for thier growth, to demolish welfare would kill innocent lives, or cause the overpopulation of the foster care system. The problem here is not welfare or the children it is the adults who are the problem. I live in inner city Philadelphia. I have seen my fair share or WIC receipts and Access Cards as well as the people who use them. Numerous occasions. And only once have I seen someone use it correctly. I was behind her young women no older that 18. She had a jug of orange juice, galllon of milk and a carton of eggs. The cashier rung her up and she pulled out her WIC coupons that entitled her to these items. She had a toddler with her. This was the one and only time i was in favor of the current welfare system. Numerous other times I find myself in KMarts, Walmarts, Targets etc. Well dressed individuals with large gold earrings, jewelry being flaunted. I was once off school, so it was a week day around 2pm, not that this is true but I made the assumption that the people in front of me did not hold jobs due to the time and day which most people work, I could most definitely be wrong. They were buying extravagant clothing, nice new toys for children, one time a man tried purchasing a television. The cashiers rings them up and they whip out their pretty green Access Card. Now please explain to me how these people who may or may not possess a job have nice clothing, large jewelry, and use their access card on things that are nonessential. To say they were humble would be far from the truth, no food, no self grooming supplies were purchased. Just extravagant luxuries that some middle class working families have to pass up. The welfare system is being abused plan and simple. Food, soap, humble clothing, and possibly rent should be the only things allowed for welfare. This then would give the user incentive to get a job so that their humble life can take a step in the right direction. All I have to say is that I hope in the cabinets of those people's homes I saw abusing their Access Cards that their is a least a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk because if there's not, there is something really wrong here. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 21:35:20 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-if-we-got-rid-of-welfare__trashed/#IDComment65625400 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64277724 Asa women I am not big on the feminist movement, and by this I mean I do not complain. I do voice my thoughts about pains, turmoils, and inequalities. Where I grew up I had my mother and my father. My mother worked 8 sometimes 9 hours a day, she also found time to clean, do laundry, cook, help me and my brother with homework play/ attend sports games for herself and her two children. She did everything and because I grew u thinking that women were supposed to be the stronger of the two in the relationship that complaining was not an option because the strong do not complain, they just press on through whatever is thrown at them. As I have grown I realized though that yes, we are strong but why does no one else realize how strong we are. We can fight for voting, for equal pay, for sports teams, and for respect, and maybe one day if we keep fighting, maybe well receive all those things. But their is one aspect in life that will never cease to be a one sided battle with the world against us. Sex. Every 28 days for atleast 30 years our bodies will add another stressor, another obstacle that proves women to be strong. Pains, fatigue, discomfort, bloating, moodiness, and the disgusting bodily functions that go along with it will happen. There is no getting around it, unless, you're pregnant. Ah pregnancy another fine aspect of being a women. For nine months you will vomit in the mornings, you will get fat, your skin witll stretch and scar, you then will undergo the pain of childbirth. But you're a trooper, a champ, because you have to be there is no way of getting around it. Now just sex, is all the about the man. Face it ladies sex only happens when he wants it and when he's done, well so are you, even if you're not...know what I mean. Free condoms. Tons of places throw out free condoms, yes the contraceptive the man is responsible for. You dont see anyone throwing out free diaphragms, or free birth control. In face did you know that Viagra is covered by most insurances and birth control pills are covered by none. Fun fact of the day. Look guys we bleed because we have to, its the way we are. Sure mood swings occur so could you please be a little more understanding. But ladies this is to you, since the dawn of time, creation, evolution, whatever you believe but since then we have gotten the short end of the stick, so continue to be strong because menstruating is the one thing we cant fight, we need to just accept it. But also except that because of this you are strong and that you appreciated by other women who understand that this is life and we must live it. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 01:03:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64277724 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59818361 Agreed. The reason behind theme parties has no subliminal messages that attack minority races. Theme parties occur because obviously up here parties are happening all the time. However after awhile the same old parties get to be boring so theme parties and something to make it exciting. It's basically like a mini Halloween where we dress up like we normally would not and have a fun time with peers. And i agree that there are all kinda of different genres of theme's for parties. But to target white kids as being racist for having them would be wrong to do. Yes there are "ghetto" parties and dressing like "thugs" or "gangstas" can be a topic but again this is not racist movement. White people that live in ghettos dress like this also, I know I live in intercity Philadelphia. I hope you have heard the expression that "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." White kids do not dress like that to make fun of anyone we do it have have fun dressing like we normally wouldn't. I dressed up like a leprechaun on State Patty's and I was at a party with a black man also dressed as a leprchaun. Did I think he was making fun of irish people? Not at all! He was just getting into the spirit of the holiday, and the spirit of the party. Which is exactly why we do it. I recently heard of friend going to a BET vs. CMT party where she dressed like a thug. Now she dressed this way because she was imitating things she saw in the media, on and entertainment channel. Not to make fun of what she saw but to imitate it. Just like the other half of the party dressed like cowboys, they are not making fun of the cowboys they are just dressing like them. Recently, if you are one who understands the social scene at Penn State, the theme parties have been revolving around the show Jersey Shore. These are a bunch of white people, Italians. And we dress and act like them for a few hours so does that make us racist to our own race? There really is no need to read into theme parties they have absolutely nothing to do with racism or prejudice. If anything they are showing appreciation that we have these cultures in our world. Imitation in the sincerest form of flattery. CEO's and Corporate Hoes parties...making fun of highly paid successful businessmen? NO but we wish we were them. Jungle theme's Making fun of indigenous peoples...NO just grasping the essence of adventure. The infamous toga parties...Making fun of first century Greeks and Romans...NO but pretending to live their lifestyle for a night is fun and enjoyable. A agree that it is ridiculous to accuse white kids of theme parties just to make fun of other peoples races. If that;s how you want to see it at least see all the facts then technically but her standards we "make fun" of our own race also. Fri, 5 Mar 2010 01:24:53 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59818361 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-three__trashed/#IDComment58872999 I like that you brought the hip-hop culture into the spectrum. And i also agree that when I look at the man in the video I don't see a thug or a rapper or a sports player. I live in intercity Philadelphia my exposure to those who dress like a thug in excess and for sheer shock value is high. For me the clothes and even the color of skin is not what causes a "threat". Living in the city is a lot of diversity whites blacks Hispanics Asians, its a melting pot in a dense area. So everyone is effecting everyone else. So even the white boys, and girls that live in my neighborhood dress like rappers or thugs. Maybe it is the hip-hop culture that affects how they dress. How people dress does not always correspond to who they are. For myself especially, I have learned to look past the clothes and the skin color and pay attention to how people carrying and present themselves. And this is strictly a survival tactic. If you present yourself with an attitude that says I feel inferior so I plan to rebel then the threat level is a lot higher. So for the man in the video when I look at you I see a well dressed black man, who obviously is doing well for himself being at Penn State and who walks with a pride but who also presents himself with respect. You don’t walk in a fashion that gives off a vibe that you’re hiding something or that you feel inferior to me, I would most likely not feel threatened by you. At home is when I learned that clothes mean nothing in the terms of detecting a threat or not well dressed white boys who follow you or yell things out car windows as you walk down the street are threatening I have come to find. A group of black kids who were dressed in nice school uniforms khakis and polos did not seem like a threat to me at the time until I felt 3 fists hitting me in the back of the head. I was not paying attention to the way they presented themselves if I would have taken the time to notice the threat then I would have ran. But now I know. I don’t consider myself to think of black thugs as threatening. I consider everyone a threat. Walking home late on Friday nights who is to say that the white kid behind me in the Abercrombie polo wont attempt to assault me. No I have learned to weed out the hip-hop culture dressers vs. the ones that actually pose a threat the exterior never matters. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:15:13 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-three__trashed/#IDComment58872999 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57718465 Gay couples take a lot of heat for adoption. To say that one same sex couple would be more equip to raise a child than the opposing sex couple is just ridiculous. Everything depends on the person, on the individual and what kind of person they are. If gays are loving considerate caring people then their qualities may be better then most heterosexual parents. The fact that they are willing to endure the trials and judgments of gay partnership and the rigorous adoption process is an obvious sign that they genuinely wish to care for these children. Now like anything there is always the other viewpoint. There can be negative aspects to both sexes raising adopted children. First two lesbian parents: Raising a girl, the girl may be a heterosexual but may find her sexuality confusing when she is used to two women. In psychology the Oedipus concept suggests that in a early age the child will form a sexual attraction to the parent of the opposite sex. From the beginning the young age this girl may form a sexual attraction to one of her female parents if this concept holds true, only causing more confusing for the child. Also if later in her adolescence she has issues with men and heterosexual sexual relations, two lesbians parents may not have the same insight as heterosexual parents. Now if they were raising a boy then his pubescent years would be even more awkward then they already are. How can two females explain the development of a boy. The same goes for two male gay parents explaining the menstrual cycle to a pubescent girl, or the judgment that this child will receive in life because his parents are different then all his friends. His social life may suffer just because of his parents, and that is not fair to the child who grew up thinking that his home life was normal. These are a just a few topics that make gay parents a touchy topic. Now on the other hand how to single parents raising opposite sex children deal with those same factors. I am sure they face their fair share of struggles with difficult questions too, but why doesn't society look down on them? There is not really a legitimate correct answer for any of these questions. There are so many gray areas, so many areas that are loaded with hypocrisy. But the main concept that needs to be accepted that loving people who want to love, who want to be responsible, who want care for another person are the perfect candidate for a parent, and if they are gay then why does that make a difference when it comes to the upbringing of a child who needs love? Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:07:33 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57718465 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-the-conversation-always-about-black-and-white-people__trashed/#IDComment56559749 I was born and currently live in intercity Philadelphia when I am not here at Penn State. Philadelphia is an extremely diversified city with many different neighborhoods containing a variety of ethnicity. There is definitely a larger Black community than any other minority group. There is a strong possibility that there are more blacks in the city than whites. So this argument about why the conversation always ends up back at the black vs. white debate. Mathematically both black and white neighborhoods are the most abundant and they are relatively close to one another. There are literally, just streets, about 10 feet wide that separate black and white neighborhoods, so living in the city whites are inevitably a part of the black communities and vice versa. I feel that because we are still so much apart of each others lifestyles that in the city the racial arguments always surround the topic of black and whites. Also I personally feel that the most hostility between two races is between blacks and whites. Especially in my neighborhood if there is every an altercation it involves a large group of black teenage boys and large group of white teenage boys. It really is a shame me personally I have one major problem with the whole black versus white situation the attitude that black people have towards whites. I constantly feel that black people are always feeling that white people consider their selves as if we a better than blacks, we're not! And if you are a level headed understanding white person you understand this too. Look i'm speaking on terms of living inside the city, I go to the same schools as you, my parents make enough money but were not wealthy, I live in a row home too. I take the bus I go home to my small row home too. My high school was lets say 60-40 white/black and I had a few black friends who I love so much but then I found myself running into blacks who I would attempt to approach and talk to and they did not want anything to do with talking to a white girl. And that is the one thing that I wish didn't exist. I wish blacks didn't assume that white people have the mindset we are better, i wish they wouldn't physically attack me because I walked through a black dominant neighborhood in a catholic school uniform. We are not flaunting our "whiteness" and just because I try to talk and make friends with you does not mean I feel bad for you, I do not feel bad at all. White guilt occurs for the whites who don't understand your life, and honesty I don't think blacks want sympathy, they want action. So please when I make my action don't assume I'm doing it for brownie points. White people don't hate you, so there is no need to put up that boundary that protective wall, let us in we want to be apart of your life as much as you think that we are just ignorant to what you are going through. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:40:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-the-conversation-always-about-black-and-white-people__trashed/#IDComment56559749 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/avatar-and-the-white-mans-burden__trashed/#IDComment55556748 If we are going to look at this movie through Brooks eyes then I'll try to perceive what he is saying to the best of my knowledge. Brooks states that the "white man" is the one who has come to save this different race. Well first understanding the concept of the movie. White soldiers, yes the white ones are actually the problem the entire movie. They are represented as greedy merciless murders who would perform genocides for a few bucks. One solider is sent in and he learns to understand this culture, his prejudices, his racism (if you want to call it that) dissolves after just a few weeks with these people. To say it is his burden to save this race, I personally believe is a bit misconstrued. The destruction of this race is being caused by the white race. It is not as if the Navi race is destroying itself, or as if another race that is not white is destroying it and they are asking help from the white protagonist. The protagonist is not burden he's just royally pissed off. Going against your own people to save the ones you have come to love is hardly a burden just an act of love and moral fire. Okay so yes, now it seems that I am reading into this too much, but hey Brooks started it. There is a difference between a burden and just the right thing to do. The protagonist was originally involved in the plain to take down the Navi race but acquired and understanding that these creatures were not inferior, or ignorant because they lacked in the technological advances of the white race tat invaded. In fact they were more humane and in touch with their world than the actual humans. If anything this movie should be seen as a "white basher" movie only about three white characters were depicted to be just and humane the rest were heartless and evil. And in the end the white protagonist wishes to completely change his race and become a Navi and abandon his white roots. But once again this is just reading into the movie way too much again. I personally enjoyed the movie for what it was a piece of work by a talented director, a concept that could simply be labeled as a love story/ an action film/ sci-fi/ hidden political scheme never crossed my mind. And I doubt that that even mattered because it made millions in the box office. Burden of the white man, "white basher" film, hidden racism, or a great action thriller however you perceive that fact that just a movie has caused such a debate proves that this movie has done its job. It has intrigued, inspired, entertained and made people think. I loved it eve without digging into its core details. Sat, 6 Feb 2010 01:44:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/avatar-and-the-white-mans-burden__trashed/#IDComment55556748 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/last-name-begins-with-f__trashed/#IDComment54427421 fantastic Sat, 30 Jan 2010 01:34:03 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/last-name-begins-with-f__trashed/#IDComment54427421 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/haitis-calamity__trashed/#IDComment53447329 I agree that there are things that happen in life that are devastating and difficult to understand why. For myself I was raised Irish Catholic so for 12 years of my life I've been fed notions of God and Jesus dying for our salvation. The story of Noah being spared because the Earth needed to be cleansed of its sins. Well I agree with Prof Richards that maybe this is just another sign to help bring the world together. Wars and hate are the norms for many countries in this world including ours. It is an unfortunate and devastating experience for anyone to endure, but from this tragedy the generosity of others has risen from the ashes. Even if you were one of the ones who donated a few dollars, or wore red on the designated day something inside you told you to react to this tragedy. These unfortunate tragedies occur all too frequently but in most cases an overwhelming support group follows. In my own neighborhood there have been two police officers killed, and 4 others were killed in other areas of Philadelphia. These occurrences are close to my heart because my father aunt and four uncles are all philadelphia police officers. When these tragedies happens the neighborhoods gathered together in memorial, fund raising, and prayers. Just driving through the urban residents of the city you'll see many lights in front of houses with blue bulbs as a symbol of their respect and consideration. It is an uncanny thing that human nature allows our behavior during tragedies to become so close knit and considerate. It is times like these that you have to believe that their is something out there, whether a god or a higher power or energy that lives in all of us. Many of you may wonder well if there is a "God" why would he do something like this to all those innocent people in Haiti? Well I'm no priest or prophet but if i could try to answer your question I would say that there is supposed to be a place after this life that is better than any living conditions on this earth. Also if there was no suffering in this world, no pain, no hate, then this world would be perfect. Without experiencing all this pain and devastation we would never appreciate people for their generosity, or if you believe this that we would never appreciate heaven for what it is. So stick to what you believe but know that devastation is balanced out by the generosity and love that is shared by a world that understands when others need them. In times of trouble love brings us together and in the grand scheme of life that is what really matters Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:12:37 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/haitis-calamity__trashed/#IDComment53447329