en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/7157312 Comments by Penn_State_Nate http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/09/painful-narrowmindedness/#IDComment692778654 I agree with you. This was quite funny, but when you take a step back and look at it, it’s quite depressing. I really hope that the campaign to reject this man from joining the party was only by this one group (Americans Against Hatred) and not a coalition of other people from the community. This poor guy was just trying to join a group of politically like-minded individuals and was shunned for his religion. I doubt highly that many members that voted against him took the time to hear his story. Do you think this gentleman got a chance to plead his case again? What do you think about his willingness to continue the pursuit of membership to the Republican Party? Do you think other people would be as willing to accept that kind of rejection? I know for certain that I wouldn’t…I would immediately move on to a party that accepted me, and hopefully believed in some of the same things I did. Sat, 3 Aug 2013 00:54:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/09/painful-narrowmindedness/#IDComment692778654 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/09/painful-narrowmindedness/#IDComment692775149 This is almost too ridiculous to believe. The xenophobia is so profound that it’s almost incomprehensible. These two people believe in almost all the same things, have the same virtues, goals, lifestyles, the only thing that separates them is religion. They even have the same color skin, for God’s sake and my guess is that they are from the same geographic region. Some people are so closed-minded that they are just completely unwilling to accept others that are “different” in any way. It’s sickening really… Also, did the politician not realize how ironic the name of his party was? I mean, this man was rallying people against an individual because of an “assumed association.” It is individuals like this that have given the Republican Party such a bad reputation. It’s one thing to be traditional or conservative, buts it’s something else to be a hypocrite and a bigot. This is especially true when it comes from an individual that professes to denounce hatred, while spreading that very thing throughout his community. I’m perhaps more shocked that the campaign against him was so successful. 158 to 11 is pretty impressive. I mean, clearly this man wasn’t given an opportunity to present his case. At least, I hope not. If he was able to plead his case to the voters, and was still denied entry into the party, then the problem is even worse than I had assumed. If the slander campaign was very well orchestrated and the Muslim gentleman was not given an opportunity to present his case, then I could see why these numbers are so shocking. If some is spreading information that a terrorist wants to join the organization, then likely no one will accept him. (Regardless of how desperately they need votes) This is especially true if the information is coming from a Legitimate-sounding organization like “Americans Against Hatred.” Sounds pretty unbiased right? Think again. Though people who are unwilling to check the facts about our Muslim Republican here, are probably equally unlikely to check facts about the “Americans Against Hatred” political group. If the Republican Party wants to continue to be relevant, they need to adapt to our new global society. They are losing minority voters and discouraging new minority members from joining their ranks by continuing this type of bigotry. I’m not saying this is a problem only for Republicans, American Society as a whole need to be more open minded and stop judging people based on incorrect preconceptions. I really dislike the fact that this problem is so large here in the United States. I just wish people would stop being dumb… This is a particularly egregious case, and I’m sure it was edited in a way to maximize the impact, but the facts still remain that this man was discriminated against because of his religion. Sat, 3 Aug 2013 00:46:13 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/09/painful-narrowmindedness/#IDComment692775149 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/15/voices-from-the-classroom-106/#IDComment690451638 I completely agree with you. I think that the hardships the black and African-American community has had to endure has certainly influenced their belief system. This has resulted in faith from the church and between each other within that social group. I think that these communities help reinforce the views of the group as a whole and probably discourages new concepts (like evolution) from gaining much traction. Do you think education has anything to do with these beliefs? I argued in my post that there are other societal factors which contribute significantly to Black and African-American belief in creationism as opposed to evolution and I think lower education levels and a lower quality of education in black communities may also be to blame. Now I'm not saying that people in these communities are "stupid" or anything like that, I'm merely stating that because the education was different and the social groups who influences individuals within that community may contribute to the disparity in these numbers. What are your thoughts? Tue, 30 Jul 2013 15:31:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/15/voices-from-the-classroom-106/#IDComment690451638 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/15/voices-from-the-classroom-106/#IDComment690446838 I believe that African-Americans are less inclined to believe in evolution because of the high membership of the African-Americans in churches and mosques. Because of their religious beliefs, blacks and African-Americans are probably less likely to believe in evolution and more likely to be creationists. Devout Christians, Muslims and religious people in general generally have the belief that God created everything and because of this faith, they refuse to believe in evolution. There have also been studies done that reveal that less educated individuals are more likely to be religious and more educated individuals are more likely to be atheists. This means that people with lower education accomplishments probably believe in creationism, whereas higher educated persons believe in evolution. I know this sounds racist, but the statistics we have learned in this course show incredible differences in education between different races. It stands to reason then, than if on average Africa-Americans are less educated than other races, they will be more inclined to believe in creationism rather than evolution. There are other factors to consider here as well. Because the black and African-American community has had many difficulties on a societal level throughout history, they have probably sought comfort in the church and found peace in their faith and in their religious community. That being said, they are likely surrounded by people that have similar views and beliefs systems, so the development of new concepts (like evolution, for example) are less likely to take hold in these groups. Through sticking together to endure hardships they have likely maintained their belief system and are therefore less likely to adopt evolution over creationism. There are certainly exceptions to these rules, and I by no mean intend to stereotype. But generally speaking I think that these factors have contributed to the statistic Sam mentions in this lecture. There are a multitude of societal issues that create these disparities and I’m sure there a great deal that I don’t cover here. But overall I’m convinced that the greatest contributing factor is that black and African-American communities are generally more faith-based than other groups and because of this, their opinions and beliefs about evolution and creationism have been greatly influenced. There is certainly nothing wrong with having religion and faith in your life. If anything, our society would probably be better off if more people were that way. (As long as it doesn’t get too extreme.) So the fact that Blacks and African-Americans believe in creationism more than other groups is no big deal. I could honestly care less what people believe, as long as it doesn’t negatively affect other groups. It is certainly interesting that there are such drastic disparities in the statistics between various groups of people within the same geographic region. But I believe that culture, faith, education, and history play a major role in these disparities. Tue, 30 Jul 2013 15:24:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/15/voices-from-the-classroom-106/#IDComment690446838 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/25/what-do-you-think-about-this/#IDComment689213620 Omar, you are absolutely correct and I totally agree with your point. I'm not sure this woman was being as hostile as you lead on though. She wasn't claiming that all Muslims were savages, but alluding to the fact that the people involved in Jihad are savages. Don't get me wrong, this message is very deceiving and is not in good taste. It's certainly offensive to others. But she's not out there saying to "Kill the savage Muslims!" She's merely stating that Jihad should be defeated and that she supports Israel and thinks others should as well. In my view, this certainly falls within the First Amendment. Now, had she actually tried to incite violence or some such thing then I would agree that it should not be displayed. But she has an opinion, it's offensive maybe, but not hurtful necessarily, and she should be allowed to display that on a billboard if she wants. Poor taste, yes. But within the law... What are your thoughts? Mon, 29 Jul 2013 01:29:41 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/25/what-do-you-think-about-this/#IDComment689213620 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/25/what-do-you-think-about-this/#IDComment689210391 !While I do not condone the message, I certainly support her right to free speech. If the Westboro Baptist Church can legally protest at the funerals of soldiers and the funerals of children at Sandyhook Elementary, then this woman should be allowed to advertise against Jihad. If the signs said nothing about Israel, but instead only stated to “Fight against the savages, end Jihad” then this would probably not be big deal. After all, most people including Muslims believe that acts of terrorism or (Jihad) is/are committed by savages. However, this woman is making it political by saying that people should support Israel. This message clearly contains multiple fallacies and makes a great deal of assumptions. Israel is also guilty of committing savage acts against Palestine. It’s not as though they are completely innocent in all of this. Also, this message leads the reader to believe that “The Muslims” are the bad guys, and not just a small percentage of the Muslim population that commits egregious acts of violence against civilians. Hopefully people are smart enough to see through the BS contained in these messages. And hopefully they didn’t spark any new violence. I fully respect the First Amendment, but I wish people weren’t so unaccepting and closed-minded. Honestly, they could have easily come up with a message that was less hostile and would have probably achieved greater impact in doing so. I suppose this does create a dialogue, however, so if that was their intent then perhaps their add campaign was a success. After all, the National TV coverage the signs have received have been seen by many more than they ever would have if they had just simply put up the signs in New York. Perhaps this was a genius way to get their message out to the world? Either way, I fully support their right to say it, I just wish people had a little more sense in HOW they say it. One last comment, if Muslim groups had posted up signs supporting Palestine how do you think people would have reactied? Would it have been more or less controversial in New York City? I think there is probably a great deal of animosity left over from the 9-11 attacks towards Muslims, but I haven’t visited there in awhile so I’m not sure if that’s the case or not. What do you all think? The whole thing is pretty sad if you think about it, I wish they would have put up signs to foster peace between the two sides instead of supporting one side over the other. Clearly in the past 7 decades that method has not worked out very well. Why don’t the just put on signs that say “Stop the killing, let’s make peace for Israel and Palestine”? Mon, 29 Jul 2013 01:22:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/25/what-do-you-think-about-this/#IDComment689210391 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/14/voices-from-the-classroom-248/#IDComment683503089 I agree with what you're saying. Islam has definitely taken a log of flack for the activities of terrorists. While only a small percentage of Muslims are Fundamentalists and even fewer of those are extremists and militaristic the entire religion gets a bad name because of the overwhelming negative press coverage. This reminds me of the Christian Invaders lecture a few weeks ago. The same things that give Americans a bad image are the same types of things that give Islam a bad name. negative publicity. So what is the solution to this problem? How can we foster an environment that is conducive to peace and understanding? Everyone would benefit from such a situation. But this is certainly a paradigm shift that will take decades to fully employ. There are way too many factors contributing to the negative image that groups hold for each other. Hopefully through education, understanding, and the assimilation and exposure to various ethnic group we can overcome these negative stereotypes. Sat, 20 Jul 2013 03:00:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/14/voices-from-the-classroom-248/#IDComment683503089 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/14/voices-from-the-classroom-248/#IDComment683399089 This is a great question, so thank you. While I don't necessarily subscribe to the general negative feelings toward Muslims, I understand why some people do. I have known tons of really nice Muslims and the practice of Islam in no way means that someone condones or subscribes to an ideology that embraces violence. But many people, especially Americans, fear the unknown. In some places there is little to no exposure to other cultures, and even less exposure to Muslims specifically. This certainly drives xenophobia in many parts of the nation that are less diverse. While I know that many Muslim stereotypes are completely inaccurate, I have to say that I understand why people have negative feelings toward them. I know this is a contentious statement so please allow me to explain. While Islam is not necessarily a violent religion as a whole, there is a great deal of publicity and violence in the Muslim world. Many of the terrorists groups in the world today (though of course, not all) are fundamentalist Islamic groups that preach hatred and murder. These groups get a great deal of press and their acts of terror are broadcasted all around the world in a matter of minutes. When you have a large population that lacks exposure to Muslim groups, they will naturally see this and will slowly begin to believe that is the religion that is at fault, not that specific group within that religion. The exact same thing is true if you flip the perspective. If you can recall Sam's lecture on "The Christian Invaders." He spoke at length about how the perception of America in the Middle-East and in predominantly Muslim countries is driven by negative press coverage, YouTube videos, etc. It drives their xenophobia just as the same thing drives xenophobia toward Muslims in America. It's truly sad that this is the case, because Islam has extremely devout, pious, devoted, and caring people all over the world. Everyone would benefit if more people took the time to understand them instead of believing everything they see on television and in the media. Hopefully one day, people will understand Islam better, and hopefully the incidents of violence from Fundamentalist Islam group will not persist. Because as long as it does, and as long as the world must live in fear of an attack, then these stereotypes and negative connotations are likely to prevail. Every time a Muslim Terrorist picks up a carving knife and hacks a soldier on a crowded street in London, or commits some similar act of violence, then global communities fear of them is reaffirmed. It’s tragic that so few bad apples can have such a tremendous impact on the perception of the entire religion on a global scale. It’s absolutely sickening, and hopefully one day it will stop because some of the greatest people I have me have been Muslims. Sat, 20 Jul 2013 00:10:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/14/voices-from-the-classroom-248/#IDComment683399089 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/28/voices-from-the-classroom-260/#IDComment681976277 Hey cbwafi, I completely agree with your views but I don't think it's fair to antagonize people for their individual beliefs. I mean, it's not hurting you or me right? So I say to heck with it. If you want to believe that Overlord Zoltar came down a few thousand years ago and put an apple in a garden with a snake and then did some human making / rib swapping clone-type stuff and that's how we all got here, then so be it. I don't care. I mean...I'm personally going to think you're an idiot, but by God (<-- Now I'm doing it) it's your choice to do so and I can't say a darn thing about it. Just don't preach it to my kids in a public school that is run by the government and my tax dollars and we'll have no beef. Ya dig? Thu, 18 Jul 2013 02:11:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/28/voices-from-the-classroom-260/#IDComment681976277 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/28/voices-from-the-classroom-260/#IDComment681973827 Some scientists retain creationist ideals despite many facts and evidence that point to the contrary because that is how they were raised. Faith and religious views are taught from a very young age so it can be so engrained into ones character that it never goes away despite the level of education one reaches or the other factors that can influence one’s life. Also, there is a great deal about our universe that remains unexplained, so these scientists may still believe that there generally is a God and perhaps the evidence was just put here as a test for our faith. Don’t get me wrong, this sounds ludicrous to me, but who am I to question their beliefs? I think this all boils down really to cultural norms and what people have been taught to believe from a really young age. Religion and God, in general, are extremely powerful concepts that are held near and dear to many people. These beliefs are often held closer than family, friends, or anything else in life. This is not a paradigm shift that is easy for anyone that has been brainwashed (though I know this could be perceived as a contentious term to describe faith) Anyway, there are some deeply held beliefs about creationism and the church (Or scientist that have faith in the church) cannot deny creationism without denying EVERYTHING else in the bible or any other holy book. Basically, if that portion is false then every other portion could be false. No one is willing to risk the destruction of the faith, and so it just perpetuates itself. As long as creationism is not being taught in public schools, I really don’t care one way or another what people believe. I just don’t want views to be taught that are not based on solid evidence or historical facts and science. That’s like incorrectly teaching things because your “faith” tells you that’s right even when everything else points to it being wrong. Thank God we have a separation of church and state so that these things are not being taught in our public school system. Can you imagine what other developed countries would think of the United States if everyone were taught to believe something so major that has been disproved by nearly every scientific study that has taken the challenge? That being said, I think it is very important that people are allowed to believe whatever they want and should be able to do so in peace and without ridicule. I also believe that people have a choice in who they believe and who they don’t so if you don’t like that some scientist believes in creationism, then don’t believe it. If you don’t like a scientist that talks about evolution, then don’t listen to him. That’s the bottom line, everybody just let other people do, think, say, believe whatever they want as long as they aren’t hurting anyone else. Thu, 18 Jul 2013 02:05:26 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/02/28/voices-from-the-classroom-260/#IDComment681973827 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/25/im-wondering-how-i-would-see-things-if-i-walked-in-this-mans-shoes/#IDComment680013617 I completely agree with your statements above. Things like this just drive the war on and on. People in these countries hear about this type of persecution and decide it’s time to pick up a weapon to fight us. The vicious cycle just goes round and round. Hatred begets hatred I think, and violence is the same way. I also can’t believe that there are people in the U.S. that are capable of these acts of torture. There is absolutely no excuse for this, and I hope that these problems do not persist. I imagine there are more strict procedures after the release of the photos from Abu Ghraib in Iraq… There should be a full investigation into each case and the justice system should work just like it does in the states, or at least as close to our system as possible. And what REALLY needs to happen is we need to get out of there and let them govern themselves. Sun, 14 Jul 2013 23:29:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/25/im-wondering-how-i-would-see-things-if-i-walked-in-this-mans-shoes/#IDComment680013617 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment675051514 I agree with you completely. It's kind of hard to judge how we define what is and what is not socially acceptable. A great example is the Dave Chapelle show. I think it's completely hilarious, but some people think it is outright racism and has done a great deal to damage for race relations. I disagree with this assessment, however. I think that lowering the tension by finding humor and achieving a mutual identity as human beings is important to reducing the problems with race. Do you think that this is the case? How do you think humor can reduce the amount of tension, and do you think it is helpful or hurtful to race relations? Sun, 7 Jul 2013 06:05:38 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment675051514 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment675050243 Blatent and disrespectful comments, insinuations, stereotypes, jokes, etc. with the intention of discrediting or disgracing another person or group because of their race is pure racism and is never a positive thing. Jokes that lower racial tension and play with all races equally, with the intension of creating laughter without hurting any group is not in my definition of what racism is. Actually, I think this type of behavior can help race relations by lowering tension and talking about things in a joking manner. By doing this, people are able to laugh at one another and at themselves. This can help people find a common identity and bring people from different races closer together. If more people could find this common ground there may be a lot less "actual" racism in the world. Finding a common identity and creating humor that transcends racial differences is a great way to help reduce racial problems that we face today. Dave Chapelle is one example of a comedian who has made jokes that all races find funny, even though they are certainly "off color" they bring peole together more than they divide us, and that's exactly what we need. Sun, 7 Jul 2013 06:01:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment675050243 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment675050208 With such broad definitions of what racism "could" be. It makes it difficult to define what is considered socially acceptable and what is not. The important thing to remember is that you should always take people's feelings into consideration, no matter what. I know Sam talks about how white people are so extremly cautious to remain politically correct, as if to discourage it. I don't disagree that this is maybe something that needs to be changed (The constant focus on the importace of it, and how this focus results in a loss of candid, engaging conversation that matters) But I do think that being polite is still very important, and considering people's feelings is never a bad thing. Especially when this can be done in a way in which people are not offended. Sun, 7 Jul 2013 06:01:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment675050208 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment675049955 My definition of racism is the thought than one ethnicity or race is superior to another race. It also depends greatly on the context of the situation. As you point ou,t there are certain scenario's in which is is considered socially acceptable to make racist jokes. A comedian in a comedy club may be able to get away with a lot more than a person out on the street. The relationships of the groups involved in the conversation is also important because a pair of freinds are able to joke with one another, but the same joke between two strangers may incite some serious problems. I think another way of defining racism is when one race is subjected to humiliation or defamation by another race. Something said, or an act that negatively impacts another party because of race is certainly an act of racism. Additionally any hate crime that stems from race is also certainly racism. Sun, 7 Jul 2013 06:00:54 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/23/voices-from-the-classroom-233/#IDComment675049955 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/29/voices-from-the-classroom-212/#IDComment672136599 I don’t think there is a group of people that I “hate” because that is such a strong word. But I do strongly dislike people who are intolerant of other cultures. People who are racist, hypocrites, judgmental, bigots, closed-minded, or prejudiced are the group that I dislike the very most. I can say that I “hate” ignorance in all forms and I believe there is a great deal of it in the United States nowadays. Xenophobia runs rampant here, and I see no end in sight. I hear comments like “Well, I think we should just fly some bombers over to (insert Middle Eastern/Central Eurasian country here) and turn it into a glass parking lot”. Comments like these make me lose faith in humanity just a little bit at a time. People that profess to be superior to terrorists generally make these comments. (Though the terrorist desire the same exact thing to happen to America.) It’s incredible irony, so I am always sure to point this out to them. These types of people are where extremism and fundamentalism is bred. It’s funny, because many of these people hate Muslims, hate Arabs, hate people different from themselves, and they hate these groups for the same reason that extremists or fundamentalists in those groups hate them. It’s like they have the exact same mentality and it all stems from intolerance and ignorance. Either that, or just an absolute CERTAINTY that what they believe is right, and what others believe is wrong. I’m a believer that the human race is a beautiful thing and we should cherish and love one another despite our differences. Everyone has something worthwhile they could contribute to the world, but not everyone chooses to do so. I’m just tired of hate and conflict. Instead of holding contempt for one another because of differences we should try to embrace those differences to expand our perspective. People should endeavor to understand one another, or at least be comfortable with one another even if they can’t understand something about each other. There aren’t that many humans in the universe if you think about it. Even though 7 billion sounds like a large number, it’s a small number if you take into account the size of the universe. Why would people try to find reasons to hate each other when we’re all in the same boat really? We may not agree on the same God, but whoever’s “God” made us, that “God” made ALL OF US. And if someone else doesn’t believe in your God or in God at all: WHO CARES? That’s on them. None of your damn business. So this is who I “hate”: people who hate. It’s just not worth it. Get over your differences. Embrace the fact that you’re lucky enough to have this life, and stop worrying about how other people choose to live theirs. Tue, 2 Jul 2013 12:45:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/29/voices-from-the-classroom-212/#IDComment672136599 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/29/voices-from-the-classroom-212/#IDComment672107332 Okay Omar, you are clearly very angry about the situation there. But I have to ask you, at what point will this hatred cease? When Israel is destroyed? Is that fair to the families of those that live there? What would become of them? This hatred and contempt between the people is fueling the problem. How about a peaceful resolution? Is that so incomprehensible? Are the people on both sides of this fight so incredibly proud that a peaceful resolution can not be found? I mean, think about it. No one is happy with the current situation. NO ONE. Everyone is equally guilty at this point of furthering the conflict. It's just become this perpetual, exhausting tit for tat at this point. Get over it...Stop hating. Work to find meaningful peace that lasts so that the children of both cultures do not have to endure more hate, more terror, more death. It's sickening. This conflict represents the worst humanity has to offer...on both sides of the conflict. Tue, 2 Jul 2013 11:40:00 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/29/voices-from-the-classroom-212/#IDComment672107332 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/31/voices-from-the-classroom-237/#IDComment671094043 I completely agree with you that it's important to make judgments based on things that are not superficial or external. There are so many more important things to look for. Disposition, demeanor, context, content, and the way a person carries themselves are what is important. External factors are so unimportant, really. A persons race, religion, skin color, sexuality, or anything else are completely terrible ways to form judgement or evaluate another individual. What do you think? Sun, 30 Jun 2013 13:37:27 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/31/voices-from-the-classroom-237/#IDComment671094043 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/31/voices-from-the-classroom-237/#IDComment671093089 I think this really depends on the person more than anything. For me personally, I always judge someone based on the content, their demeanor, the way they hold themselves, disposition, etc. Though there are certainly people out there who judge more based on skin tone, how someone speaks, ethnicity or whatever else. It’s sad that there are so many people who judge on superficial characteristics instead of the actual substance that someone brings to the table. People can be very closed-minded and will believe that stereotypes are true for everyone and will enter a conversation with a certain perception that has already been forged (usually in ignorance) The question here is how do we stop this from happening? Or can we stop it? I’m hopeful that one day we can rid the world (or at least the United States) of prejudice and racism. It’s always been around though, so the paradigm shift will be extremely slow. There are still people in the U.S. that are highly educated and are still xenophobic. I think that as the world gets smaller and more accessible with a growing middle class in developing countries, and more frequent travel, more exposure to world wide news, etc., that people will become (hopefully) increasingly understanding and less judgmental on subjective unimportant factors. It’s really important for people to all be equal. The human race has so many incredible members, and each person can contribute tremendously if they are given the chance. External factors should not make a difference in how someone is understood. Everyone is capable of bringing something valuable to the table and so they should not be judged for existential reasons. There again, I believe that with greater exposure to more races and ethnicity around the world, there will be a lower probability of xenophobia spreading around the world. There will still be troubled spots where conservative beliefs are in place (like the Middle East or other cultures) Where it may not be as easy to spread open minds, but hopefully it can one day be achieved. So to answer your question, it is absolutely and fundamentally more important to hear what you’re saying instead of seeing what race or ethnicity you are. As I mentioned before, it is much more important to hear the content instead of jumping to conclusions based on physical characteristics or factors that are beyond a persons control. If we all work hard enough we can make racism and prejudice dwindle in the next generation or so. Education and exposure to difference cultures, ethnicity, races, religions, sexualities, etc. will help people to have a more open mind and will make the world a safer and more harmonious place in the end. Sun, 30 Jun 2013 13:34:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/01/31/voices-from-the-classroom-237/#IDComment671093089 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/04/05/voices-from-the-classroom-291/#IDComment666200063 I completely agree with you that America’s education system needs more attention. There really is a lack of skills that must be addressed or this problem will never go away. When I say problem, I don’t mean the “problem” of immigration. But rather the problem of American students entering the work force without the necessary skills to be productive citizens that can help to advance American society in some way. You’re absolutely correct when you say that students getting out of high school are unprepared. There are some serious flaws that need to be addressed, and they need to be addressed soon. Many of this stems from a problem with budget and our National Leader’s priorities. Defense always outweighs education and important social programs that in the long run may prove to be even more important than defense spending. Do you agree? Sat, 22 Jun 2013 12:37:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2013/04/05/voices-from-the-classroom-291/#IDComment666200063