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		<title>gdp's Comments</title>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<link>https://www.intensedebate.com/users/764807</link>
		<description>Comments by Romulus66</description>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Christian Invaders - the turnaround</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment69762029</link>
<description>This lecture was very interesting, though I had a hard time putting myself in the mind set of an Arab student after seeing the video on the terror attacks. That video put me more into an ethnocentric mindset of us vs. them. A mindset that was hard to shake as the lecture went on. Also I would be interested to find out how Sam knows what information Arab students have access to. Did he talked to a sample of students from that area? Did he pick out those specific videos and news reports because it would support his argument? And the idea that all members of our military are Christian is silly.   </description>
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:51:23 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment69762029</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : How am I not a racist?</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment69742149</link>
<description>I think at you stated it right there. The difference is really the mindset in which you reflect. You came back from those third world countries with the realization of your political and social position in the world. When you see that you have more power to effect change does not mean that you think you are better than anyone else or worth more than anyone else. You can find that difference in those third world countries as well as our own. Those that have their basic needs met and have extra time or money will always have more influence than those that do not.  </description>
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:42:18 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment69742149</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Letter from an Inmate</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69738039</link>
<description>What would you do with unlimited time? All of your basic needs are met without any effort from you: food, shelter, water. And there is no possibility of material advancement, no new computer to strive for, or a new house, or a more prestigious career. Your human interactions are limited to a handful of people that can either be a good influence or a very bad influence. What would you do? How would you evolve? Why would to get up in the morning?  This is not the first time I&amp;rsquo;ve heard of lifers and the amazing impact all of the above question have on some of them. In one of my other classes my professor talked about a guy that has been in prison since his early 20s. For one action he will be in prison for life, no matter how much he changes, develops, is remorseful of his actions, learns the emotional and spiritual consequences of that event, learns right from wrong, he will never get out. I know how much I have changed in just the last 4 years, imagine how one mistake at a bar brawl or a street fight can cost you your life out here and replace it for a life in there.  For this particular lifer I wonder where he learned to write so well? Is it the hours of reading in the prison library? Could he have been an amazing writer all his life thanks to an influential parent or teacher? In another life if he had not been sentence to life in prison would he be a great writer or would he never learn to write or read? Is the reason he can reflect and analyze with such an unbiased eye only because he is stripped of all forms of life? I think that if you got several lifers to write their own section of a book about life in prison, you could have a best seller. Or at least a book that every Soc of Deviance professor would want to read.    I was especially struck by how he views major events. Events that have a huge impact on us have just as much impact on them. How did imprisoned New Yorkers feel about September 11th, compared to the greater population of prisoners? Many Americans signed up for the military after that event to channel the pain and anger they felt after the World Trade center and Pentagon attacks, what outlet is there for those that are incarcerated?  The difference between us out here and them in there is that for better or worst they are insulated from it. The tragedy of 9/11 the celebration of the first black president, they can only watch, not participate.    </description>
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:28:01 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69738039</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : What might be the second step?</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment67701730</link>
<description>Step 2 might be to stop purchasing chocolate products that are not marked as slave free (Sam had a few options on the PowerPoint for coffee mostly). Another question asks how people can eat chocolate after seeing that video, and Sam&amp;rsquo;s 1st step was for us to &amp;ldquo;feel something&amp;rdquo;. I think that if that feeling is strong enough and you think it will help, stop eating it. It&amp;rsquo;s my opinion that if too many people stop eating chocolate (without a defined movement) the situation for slaves will get worst. Chocolate makers will want to make up for the lost profits with cutting costs. With a defined movement (enough people sign on to not purchase chocolate for this exact reason) something might happen.  Another option could be forced anti-slave laws on the companies who purchase chocolate. These companies would have to prove to regulators that the components of their products were not touched by slave labor. This regulation in turn would require the companies to inspect and apply pressure to their suppliers. Some negatives to this idea: we have seen the willingness of companies to move overseas to increase profits or avoid regulations. Meaning we will lose the jobs these companies currently supply and the tax revenue. Another drawback is the possible behavior of the supplier, even if the companies go along: the supplier may go to greater extremes to hide their labor practices.  A final option would be to lobby and/or give support to the government of these cocoa producing countries to crack down on slavery. Offer incentives for these governments to take over cocoa production and the employing citizens&amp;rsquo; o harvest it. Lobby them for harsh punishments for slave owners, etc. Offer to train their officers in tracking down groups of slaves. These governments could give outside groups that are interested in exposing modern slavery more support. Or more people could advertise in these countries about the warning signs of a slave recruiter, education is one of the key ways to fight modern slavery. If unemployed workers were aware of these scams and some of the warning signs they may be able to avoid it.  In the end the second step is really up to the individual person. The first step, feeling something, accomplishes little in terms of preventing slavery. It is the second step that will impact slavery (if at all). You can take it as a personal step (stop eating chocolate or purchases only certain products). Or you can get involved with a subculture dedicated to one or more of the many suggestions above. The thing to understand about the group solutions is that it takes a lot of people and a lot of money to accomplish. And no it is not our governments&amp;rsquo; responsibility! If this is your movement, you pay for it- private groups and private industry should take the lead on these issues.    </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:20:37 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment67701730</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Isn&#039;t a person&#039;s qualifications an issue?</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/is-quality-the-question__trashed/#IDComment66214043</link>
<description>When people talk about Affirmative Action one of two definitions pop up in their heads: 1) equal opportunity for all, no matter what your race or gender; or 2) preferential hiring and promotion based on race or gender. The impression I got from Sam&amp;rsquo;s last lecture (Sorry Sam if this is wrong) is that he was pushing for the second definition. And that it was a means toward closing the starting gap we see between minorities and the majority.  In your example you talk about the qualifications of medical professionals (which is definitely on the extreme end of this topic). When you look at Affirmative Action of Doctors, I think you will find it (at least I hope) more in terms of acceptance into pre-med college and medical schools. Doctors have to go through residencies where the hope is, anyone that can&amp;rsquo;t keep up and give the best care possible will be weeded out (no matter race to gender).       </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 6 Apr 2010 13:24:35 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/is-quality-the-question__trashed/#IDComment66214043</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : I really want to know also...</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66211053</link>
<description>I think it depends on who you are. I&amp;rsquo;ve been studying sociology for the last four years (scary how short that time feels now&amp;hellip;) and I have gone to Sam&amp;rsquo;s class every Tuesday and Thursday of this semester not with the goal of changing my opinions, but with expanding them with new statistical information and first hand accounting. (cause that is what the class is, Sam&amp;rsquo;s personal experiences with travel and race relation discussions and outside source statistics) I get the impression that he is not there to convince us of anything, but to get our minds to think about issues that may not ever cross our minds. When I sit in class, I look at his argument and see how that lines up with my own ideas and opinions. And if they don&amp;rsquo;t line up, I look for the weaknesses and the strengths of each side. And that either strengthens my original opinion or weakens it into a new direction.     </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 6 Apr 2010 12:57:14 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66211053</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : This is totally off the hook</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66209845</link>
<description>My first reaction was horror, plain and simple. That some mother, father, or relative would allow their child to play this game is a tell-tale sign that they don&amp;rsquo;t know how to raise their children. And that these children are at risk of becoming a plague on our society (aka they will commit violent crimes against women in the future). That being said, what can we learn (or what questions can we ask) about society through this example? The most obvious idea is that maybe society&amp;rsquo;s sexual norms are too strict? The idea that someone would even come up with this game is important to note.  Should the women in china start pushing for more control? I can&amp;rsquo;t imagine a single mom that would want their daughter raped? Should the mother&amp;rsquo;s push for more disciplinary power, maybe but I don&amp;rsquo;t have a huge knowledge about modern Asian family structure. Or is this kind of violence directed in a sexual way a result of their one child policy? It has become a fact that in China there is a preference for male children because they can pass along the family name. Has this preference finally created a large enough gender imbalance that we are now seeing more problems in other areas of society (for example in crime statistics)? I don&amp;rsquo;t have answers to these questions, and I have a feeling no one ever will unless so serious outside research is done.  As for the English couple that has no problem with the game after it went viral on the internet, I am torn. On the one hand I am disgusted that they would think this type of game falls within the normal lines of their moral boundaries.  On the other hand I see them and their statements as a reflection of a society that values freedom and freedom of expression. When you value freedom of speech, that means ALL speech, not just the stuff the majority finds acceptable. There will always be those that pressure society&amp;rsquo;s boundaries for good or bad. It is my opinion that this type of &amp;lsquo;free speech&amp;rsquo; in the form of a video game is reprehensible and disgusting.  But there has to be an audience! This is what makes the entire story so scary, is that for profit organizations push the boundaries of society as long as it is profitable, more than one or two people have to be buying these rape games or they would not exists. Mother&amp;rsquo;s have to be allowing their children to buy and play these games. Father&amp;rsquo;s have to stand by and watch as their impressionable child is exposed to violence. It is not governments&amp;rsquo; job to censor in this case, it is the consumer! The Japanese people need to send a clear message that this material is not welcome in their society.  </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 6 Apr 2010 12:45:43 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66209845</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : How Can We Ever &quot;Win&quot;?</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/how-can-we-ever-win__trashed/#IDComment65176833</link>
<description>I totally get what she is saying, but Sam brought those examples up to illustrate the stages people go through. For example with Jesse Jackson: it&amp;rsquo;s not that he identifies himself as a black man. It is that his highest priority is his race and other members of his race. So when he went to talk to a dominantly white area to talk about class he was showing that he has matured enough in the stages that he is willing to speak and work with a dominantly white crowd about an issue they both have in common. What makes him a pseudo-communitarian and not a humanitarian is the facts that if something had happened in that area to the black community (a high profile case) he would no longer behave like a spokesman for all races. He would only be a spokesman for blacks. He would not treat those whites as partners in the class struggle or the race struggle but a member of the opposing team. His highest priority is black vs. white. If you would put a humanitarian in his &amp;lsquo;position&amp;rsquo; he would not take sides according to race, but rather on the merits of the case.   For the llbean catalog, first of all it was not suppose to be a joke (so I&amp;rsquo;m not sure why you expected to laugh), it was to illustrate the immersion stage and just how far people in this stage will go. We watched the video with the black man wanting to exterminate all whites, that was to illustrate how someone in the immersion stage looks at people of other races (especially those they see as their competition or inferior to them). The llbean example was to show how that same individual (those in the immersion stage) might react to someone of their own race who is not conforming to their standards. In this case it was a historically white dominated brand (the clothing that is sold is seen as white people clothes). But they are advertising with black models, showing that anyone (no matter their race can wear llbean clothing). When can go a step farther and say that there is a black man dressed in so called &amp;lsquo;white man&amp;rsquo;s clothes&amp;rsquo; next to another black man who is in the immersion stage. This second black man would think that the guy wearing the &amp;lsquo;white clothes&amp;rsquo; is not truly a black man, that he was trying to be white.  Finally the idea of can you win, the answer is yes. When you finally get to the humanitarian stage you have won. It is the balance to understand and interact on a positive level with all races. Though Sam has brought up a very important issue and that is many people get stuck in some of the lower stages. Those at are stuck perpetuate the need for race relations, cause if we were all humanitarians race or ethnicity would make much difference.    </description>
<pubDate>Thu, 1 Apr 2010 12:33:58 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/how-can-we-ever-win__trashed/#IDComment65176833</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Those Dolls Say Alot About Who We Are</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64821834</link>
<description>This video was hard for me to watch. But it is the perfect example of how powerful socialization is. Children are not just socialized by their parents, but by community members, and peers, and the media (in all its forms). These kids don&amp;rsquo;t realize the implications of what they are saying. This is why it would never work with grown-ups, they would be too aware of the social meaning behind the choice. These kids are showing us that race relations are not hidden from them, as much as we want them to be innocent. And this is more subtle than racism, it is our beauty standards and our media coverage of events.   </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:11:19 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64821834</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Nothing About the Census is Easy</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64820220</link>
<description>Is anyone else sick of this being an issue? It&amp;rsquo;s not like the Census is trying to be racist nor is the question a hot topic. The categories for &amp;lsquo;What is your race&amp;rsquo; are not created by the Census Bureau they are created by society. It is the Censuses duty to poll the country in the most accurate way. If that means putting a word that the younger generation sees as offensive in order to accurately count the older generations we should not be complaining. It&amp;rsquo;s not like Negro is the only category some one of color can put down. And as the older generations die out, there will be less need for this term.  </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:57:10 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64820220</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Native Hawaiians.  Ever think of them?</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/native-hawaiians-ever-think-of-them__trashed/#IDComment63730623</link>
<description>While this initiative looks pretty on paper, I&amp;rsquo;m not sure if it will solve any of the problems they listed. Giving a native group governing power does not seem to have helped the Native Americans or any other group this has applied to in terms of social issues. Poverty, alcoholism, wealth, education, etc are issues for all minorities (really for all races to certain degrees). A very important point in the article was about what the native people will actually get from our government: land? Money? Trade agreement? All of these issues need to be carefully considered before this initiative can go through. And what about the people currently living on the land?  </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:25:57 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/native-hawaiians-ever-think-of-them__trashed/#IDComment63730623</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : What to do about &quot;white guilt&quot;</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63643733</link>
<description>She brings up an interesting idea about changing the history books. But how would we change them while maintaining historical accuracy? We all know that history is written by the victors; therefore we are taught about slavery and civil rights and race issues from the perspective of the union and civil rights activists. They won the war. They dictate the lenses that the future generations see historical events. You would not teach your children or your grandchildren to reject your views- tell them to hate minorities while dedicating your life to combat such bigotry. My current understanding of white guilt makes me think that it is the current race relations and political correctness that is the major factors perpetuating white guilt.   </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:44:49 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63643733</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Is this just a few bad apples?</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/is-this-just-a-few-bad-apples__trashed/#IDComment63642168</link>
<description>In any group there are going to radical supporters that are fired up enough to break our ideas of a peaceful protest. Those calling the representatives the n-word or shouting anti-gay statements are not think peace. Some of these individuals may already have racist or anti-gay views, and with the growing stress of a non-representative government (I&amp;rsquo;ll come back to this later) these views can increase. Unfortunately I think we will much more of the behavior depicted in the Huffington Post article, people are increasingly angry over not just the health care (which is different than health care reform).  I have been following the situation in Washington and many of the reaction by citizens and lawmakers. What I have noticed is that there is huge a divide and very little constructive dialogue going on between the two. I want to start with the town hall meetings that occurred last year. Here is PA we had a more subdued series of Town Hall meetings (no one got arrested), but it followed the national trend: Arlen Specter attended one town hall meeting where he took questions that were not pre-approved. At this meeting he made it very clear that he does not have to take time out of his schedule to meet with constituents and that he was only there to let us know why we are wrong in our views. He then attended a town hall meeting where he would only take pre-approved questions that in no way challenged his views or actions. It is situations like these all round the country that ignited outrage, elected officials that talking down to constituents and only attending these meetings to let us know that we are wrong and they are always right.  Now let&amp;rsquo;s go to the next major event, the information coming out before the Christmas Eve vote. We finally hear about the size of the bill 2700+ pages and, by their own admission, the legislators have no intention of reading the whole thing or how much it will cost. I don&amp;rsquo;t know about you but that is a huge red flag, that the law that my representative is supporting and asking us to support he has NO idea what all is in this bill. Even the president who is signing a part of the bill today has not read it either!!! Speaking of the president, he was elected by many based on his promise to reform Washington politics promising transparency (aka no close door meetings/deals) and no pork-barrel spending. This health care bill violates both of these promises.  I am very glad that this year is a midterm election, my hope is that much of the anger and outrage many Americans like the Tea Party are feeling will be funneled into the election and not toward the violence/civil war that is depicted in the picture.        </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:29:44 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/is-this-just-a-few-bad-apples__trashed/#IDComment63642168</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Fired for a Scarf</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment62394111</link>
<description>When I first read your response, I thought of those waitresses in Vegas that can be fired for gaining weight or having any physical disfigurement. Their main function is waitressing, but because the old adage &amp;ldquo;sex sells&amp;rdquo; is so powerful in places like Vegas they specifically categorize these waitresses as models so they can hire and fire with discrimination. And this does go beyond weight; it also includes sex, religion, disabilities, etc. My guess is that you would agree to Hollister, Abercrombie, and other store like them changing the title of sales associate to model. After all they are required to wear store merchandise (that of course they must purchase first with whatever discount the company feels like giving). As for this specific situation, I do not agree with their actions. It was a blatant infringement on her rights and action needs to be taken swiftly and harshly in all cases were discrimination of this kind is found. That is until they change the job description and title of their sales associates.    </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:28:34 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment62394111</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Prom or No Prom:  Just Don&#039;t Let the Queer Students Dance Together</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62390611</link>
<description>I have a couple questions about this situation: Is her date not a student at her high school? Why did she go to the administration to ask permission? At my high school (which is quite large), the only time the school knew who we were bringing to the prom was when that person did not already attend our school. In that case that had to be placed on a list so they could check with the rest of us. Second of all, wearing weird stuff to the prom isn&amp;rsquo;t unique. Who cares if she wants to wear a tux (and why did she even bring this to their attention in the first place?), I mean if your parents are ok with the outfit, it is a big event for them too, then it shouldn&amp;rsquo;t matter what you wear.  </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:59:52 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62390611</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : This Is Getting to Be Too Much</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment62389363</link>
<description>I&amp;rsquo;ll be honest; I&amp;rsquo;m not very impressed by the actions and statements made by the students in this case. It may be because of the reporting with every individual spoken to in both articles being Black Americans, giving us a one sided view of the situation (there are no whites, Asians, Latinos, or international students). Both representatives for the school where not only Black Americans, but they were also ranking members of a minority group or studies, which is another level of bias. Don&amp;rsquo;t misunderstand me, the professor was quite well spoken and I agreed with many of the statements that she made, the student leader of their African American group was not as impressive.  The professor pointed out the historical meaning of the noose, pointing out the need to educate the greater population of students the nooses latent meaning. And we are not just talking about white students! We are talking about black students too, since the video reported that it was in fact a Black student that hung the noose in the library. This individual may have been an international student; individuals that are from other countries don&amp;rsquo;t have the background Americans in general grow up with. This could also be attributed to the public school systems lack in educated their students about history (math and science are seen as more important and have therefore taken over the time and effort originally place on the liberal arts). We can only hypothesis until more information is released on about who the individual was that hung the noose and what his motives were (the current hypothesis is that it was a prank).  As for the ghetto party, it seems to be unclear what the problem really is; it sounds like it was a black fraternity that had the ghetto party from the video. But when you look at the news article they describe the ghetto party as &amp;ldquo;an off-campus &amp;ldquo;Compton Cookout&amp;rdquo; Feb. 15 to mock Black History Month,&amp;rdquo; but they do not follow with any cooperating facts to suggest the participants were mocking anything other than Compton and rap culture.  As for the so called &amp;lsquo;teach-in&amp;rsquo; that was only really addressed in the video the student claims that his group walked out because they were dissatisfied that it was the chancellor who came up with the idea of a teach in and that it would be conducted by officials. The fact that the teach-in was not a student organization or grass-roots initiative appeared to offend this guy. He came off arrogant, as if anything not initiated by students is not worth their time. What was the most confusing was that in the next sentence he criticized the Chancellor for not taking a more active role in educating and supporting the student body about this issue. Well I have a clue for him, that is why they created the teach-in stupid.   </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:49:22 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment62389363</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Inequality Class: Question One</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment59355532</link>
<description>While I&amp;rsquo;m not aware of the specific steps taken by the researchers Sam cited, I do know that when you are creating an experiment like these you are very carefully in accounting for those kinds of discrepancies. Apples to Apples really mean the situations are exactly the same. The store, the people involved (employers and applicants), law enforcement precincts. I think you brought up a good point that there may be a difference between urban and rural areas. But the statistics are still significant.  Another interesting study that I have seen, involves urban areas and employment. In urban areas, where there is neighborhoods known to be very poor, employers are discriminating against applicant based on address. When they get an application if the applicants address is in one of these poor (usually black) neighborhoods they will not get a call back. When confronted many of the employers cited poor education in these areas (applicants can&amp;rsquo;t speak proper English) and that the area is known for gang participation. When conducting that experiment it was very important to compare Apples to Apples.  </description>
<pubDate>Tue, 2 Mar 2010 13:33:45 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment59355532</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Native Americans: Question Five</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-five__trashed/#IDComment59354429</link>
<description>I&amp;rsquo;m having a hard time understanding the second part of her question, I understand that she wants to strive for equality between her race and others but how to Native Americans come into play? I am sure the experiences of the non-white community are much different than my own, but I think we can all agree that equality is a struggle we all participate in and strive for. There are many types of struggle and racial struggle is probably one of the hardest to overcome right behind economic. I could understand if the second half of her question was that she felt guilty that current Native Americans have not been brought up with her on the equality scale, but it seems like she is saying that she is guilty for their past struggle (during colonization). And that somehow her striving for equality is stepping on the memory those Native Americans that lost their land and lives to colonial warfare. I have been reading a lot of the comments to this question and most people are stuck on the idea that the land was stolen from people that we can touch and make amends to today in our time. Which seems very strange, I can understand wanting to institute programs to get the children of Native Americans out of poverty. Going to a reservation casino instead of a private casino to support Native Americans, to impact the lives of those currently living; but not putting more burden on an already difficult race relations issue such as equality. It sounds like people are taking too much burden for things that happened in this country before many of them even immigrated here.</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 2 Mar 2010 13:20:47 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-five__trashed/#IDComment59354429</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : When Do We Do or Say Something?</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/when-do-we-do-or-say-something__trashed/#IDComment59204353</link>
<description>I think there are many social situations where it would be unacceptable to say something. While I agree that the scenario we saw in the video was the right place to stand up and say something or walk out, this is the only situation in which Sam&amp;rsquo;s lecture is relevant. Here is an example I know that everyone will remember: During a speech to Congress Obama was interrupted by one of the members yelling &amp;lsquo;you lie&amp;rsquo;. While in his opinion, the statement made by Obama was false and he felt it was an injustice that people receive false information- this was not the place or time. In response that congressman was required to publicly apologize and was ridiculed by his opponents as well as the media.  Another situation would be the classroom. When a professor makes a statement that either offends you or you don&amp;rsquo;t agree with, you can&amp;rsquo;t interrupt the lecture you have to wait or not say anything. Or when you are the lowest member of a firm, just because you see an injustice does not mean you have the power to impact that situation. Intervening in someone else&amp;rsquo;s affairs could cost you your job. In the store situation the customer always has the most power, they choose where they spend money and which establishments they recommend. The customers were not only willing to help her, but also had the power to do so.       </description>
<pubDate>Mon, 1 Mar 2010 13:18:37 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/when-do-we-do-or-say-something__trashed/#IDComment59204353</guid>
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<title>Race Relations Project : Inequality Class:  Comment</title>
<link>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-comment__trashed/#IDComment58649344</link>
<description>If you ever study the sociology of deviance this question was answered a very long time ago by a man named Goffman. He observed different types of stigma and the way societies handle these different categories. The most important when talking about race and criminal records is master status and labeling; a master status is a characteristic that is known evokes automatic assumptions about a person. When being considered for a job or trying to reach into a different social group, you pass can either help you or harm you. When an employer sees that an applicant has a criminal record, he makes other character assumptions about this person (untrustworthy, thief, lazy, unintelligent) these labels will influence everyone this person comes into contact with. Ever wonder why the statistics for returning criminals are so high? Part of the problem is that our judicial system is more concerned with punishing, rather than rehabilitating. And the other part is because of the labels and road blocks we place on people getting out of prison, forcing them back into the subcultures that got them into prison in the first place.  So I agree with him when he says that once you make a mistake it is hard to get out of the hole. And I think this is especially true for Blacks when the media releases crime statistics based on race, and not preparing that audience on how to interpret and analyze the numbers.   </description>
<pubDate>Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:54:14 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-comment__trashed/#IDComment58649344</guid>
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