en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/769266 Comments by alm5467 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/isnt-migration-conflict-inevitable__trashed/#IDComment70086540 I feel that at that time they truly were essentially the same thing as illegal immigrants are today be the fact that there were no laws in place at that point in time means that it did not count for them at that time. I want to say that yes, I agree that what happened in the past with the pilgrims and indians was a negative, awful thing because they put people out of homes and land. I will not argue that it was a terrible thing but I do not know that it is the same because there were no laws in place to stop what was happening. Morally was it wrong? Yes. But Legally was it wrong? No at that point. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:51:07 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/isnt-migration-conflict-inevitable__trashed/#IDComment70086540 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment70084364 I agree with this but I have never taken the time to think about it. I guess it is a little racist of people to think that they are better than a certain country or people of a different country just because they are better off or more financially happy in their lives. I understand that people feel that they are able to help certain people who are unfortunate in where they were placed in life but at the same time it is unfair for people to assume that others are more worthy of help because of their social status. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:42:52 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment70084364 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment70080779 I am truly surprised and delighted by this comment. I know that many of us in this world believe that all people are in prison because they deserve it and because they have done something to be hated for or disliked for. I personally find myself being very negative towards lifers or prisoners who are in prison for life for a reason. I think that they must all be all bad for some reason if they are in prison for a reason. I hate that these people in there are hated because they are "bad" people and and judged because of one act that they did in their life. If I was judged in my life over one act that i did in life then I would not be the person I am today and I also wouldn't be seen in the eyes of people as I am now. As life is now for me people see me as a positive light and something that is all good and loving but as for the people who are in prison for lif e they are judged based on one thing that happened to them in the past and now their image is damaged forever. I cannot imagine if I had doen something out of pure rage or being upset and then in return I was caged in a jail cell for life. What kind of life is that? I can honestly say that i am guilty of thinking that what these people do is worthy of punishment but when you really think about the fact that these people are both nothing but people in general and not animals is a new concept for me. I am guilty of judging these people only by their past and by what they were passionate about at one point in time of their life. After thinking about their position on things I think I have a little more compassion for them because they are real people. Not just people who are all negativity and problems. They were just too compassionate about the wrong thing in life. Does it make it right? No. But does it make it more understandable and relatable? Absolutely. It will foreve make me think about inmates and "lifers" differently now because in the past I never stopped to think about how those people would feel. Now that i am able to see an actual letter from someone who is in prison for life I feel very differently about people who commit such terrible crimes. I would like to extend my thank you to the man who took the time to write this letter and who made me take the time to realize that its not all negativity and there is some compassion in the lives of prisoners who are in for life. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:29:37 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment70080779 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/the-tyranny-of-radical-muslims__trashed/#IDComment68451519 I think this is really reassuring for people of the west because I think that often people characterize muslims under the same category are Osama BIn Laden or Saddam Hussein because we are often quick to judge as a result of them. I know that when I hear about muslim culture those are the first two people I think of. I like the fact that what Sam was saying had some truth to it. I was worried that he was just on one of his tangents to shock me but really if muslims feel that way about the people of their culture that we despise the most then i think that gives me more faith in the muslim culture as a whole. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:45:38 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/the-tyranny-of-radical-muslims__trashed/#IDComment68451519 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-are-we-doing-here-really__trashed/#IDComment68450891 The end goal is to be comfortable with other races and to be able to be happy with all other races. Or at least to be able to openly talk about other races and to not be uncomfortable with others. This class has totally reformed the way I begin to think about other races and the relationships that take place between different races. I think that there will never be a real solution to race issues but if we can being to talk about races in a more informal and relaxed situation then things will be better for everyone. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:39:00 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-are-we-doing-here-really__trashed/#IDComment68450891 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment68450371 I think that the class yesterday was a whole new experience for me to think about. When put in the shoes of Iraqi people it is a completely different idea to consider. i think that yesterday really opened the eyes of a lot of people because no one has ever thought of the fact that the Iraqis may feel the same way we do but that we cannot see this from the eyes of them. By thinking about the fact that iraqi's are just as judgmental of their own people in this war as we are is a whole new concept for me. When Sam said that we look at the clips of men blowing up things in Iraq or being jerks to people that are originally from Iraq and think that this is totally the wrong perception of America and American soldiers that maybe when we here in the United States are seeing only the bad of Iraqi people and that they truly are fighting for a cause that they believe is good just like we feel here in the United States. I think that I totally see the point of view of the people in Iraq now because not Sam has made me see it through their eyes. When Sam talked about their perspective and how we as American's would feel if we were being attacked for our natural resources that is when I got that we were totally infringing on their life and their way of living as they know it. I would be the first to go out and fight if others were invading the United States so I completely get that people are out trying to fight us. Do I support it? No. But do I understand it? Yes. The fact that people are completely attacking the christian faith was also very scary to me. I never stopped to think about the number of attacks on the christian people of the world. I personally am a Catholic Christian and to think that the very thing I believe in is being jeoparadized is very scary to me. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:34:37 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment68450371 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66850210 I feel that there is not really a step two. In order to change something about the way the world of slavery works would be to stop everything we as people in the world know. Sam has told us that in virtually everything we buy there are slave made parts, and yes that's awful but how do we stop it? Do I feel bad about it? Yes. Do I wish it were not that way? Yes. But just me feeling that way doesn't help the cause. There needs to be a movement. A world attempt to stop the issue, but that will never happen because most of the time the fact that goods are slave made is not advertised to the world for this exact reason. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 18:32:55 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66850210 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66848409 Honestly, I have never been more disgusted in my life. The fact that people get pleasure out of stuff like this is sickening. This says to me that our world is a sick, sick place where we're housing people that can have such awful fantasies and the fact that the Japanese game makers are fueling this desire makes me want to throw up. i do not think that it affects me more because I am a woman because I know that any male would - or should - feel that this is terrible as well. I will say that as a woman I feel targeted in a way because you do not see men being targeted in these games. To be honest I feel that it is just stimulating a major problem that already exists in the world. Rape is already very prevalent in all places of the world but for people who think that it is stunting the growth of that problem, I would say that they are very, very wrong. If you are dangling this fantasy in front of the faces of people who clearly find that satisfying then eventually these people are going to get bored and strive for the real thing. By allowing these people to indulge this much into the world of rape you are only making the problem more acceptable in their eyes. If rape is so mainstream in the world now that there is video games about it, that says to me that it will become more widely accepted by the world. I think that violent video games do nothing for a person who is susceptible to feeling some type of way about rape or shooting or killing or stabbing. For those that say it is a release to these people, I say, you are wrong. It is only entertaining the part of these people that have the capability to do these terrible, terrible things to other people and what happens when that violent part of them gets bored with just games? Then what happens? Then what do they turn to? The answer is that they are going to turn to starting to attempt the real thing. It may start off slow but eventually it is going to become a problem. And you know what? That's because they have learned these things from video games. They know how to do it and what the progression is because they did it from the comfort of their own home while sitting on their couches with a controller in hand. I guess people really will do anything to make a buck, and that is sad to me because in the process they are taking the rest of the world down. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 18:21:11 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66848409 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65676008 I would say that you are whatever you identify yourself with. I do not care if your skin color is black, white, brown, or purple. I feel like whatever you culturally identify with is what you are. I say you tell people exactly what you tell yourself. If you see yourself as a hispanic person, but others look at you like you are just another white boy then you say to them, "no, actually I'm hispanic". It's like Sam said when he was talking about his friend who had a black skin color but identified as a white man. I say live life as who you are, not what you look like. Sat, 3 Apr 2010 01:13:11 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65676008 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/is-quality-the-question__trashed/#IDComment65675039 I would have to agree with that idea. But I also think that the idea of affirmative action is if the two parties have the same qualifications and credentials then the person of color would get the job, or the spot in the university. At least this is how I perceive this law to work otherwise I'd tend to agree whole heartedly with the fact that we are lowering our standing in society as a country because we are not giving the best we can give to the development of our programs. Sat, 3 Apr 2010 01:05:09 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/is-quality-the-question__trashed/#IDComment65675039 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/whats-the-big-deal-with-periods__trashed/#IDComment64292311 I do not think that it is a gross thing to talk about periods. Maybe in some venues it is uncomfortable to discuss but I believe that that is because it has to do with the private parts of women. I am kind of confused by this post because I do not think the issue was ever that women were unhappy that they get periods because if they did not get them then they would be either pregnant, menopausal, or infertile...all of those things aren't something that a college student would want. Embrace having periods... they are a good thing. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:51:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/whats-the-big-deal-with-periods__trashed/#IDComment64292311 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64291309 I feel that this is an accurate thing that Laurie is saying and I have never taken the time to really think about why women are so secretive about getting a period, or as Sam and Laurie may call it, bleeding. Although I really have no desire to make my monthly bleed a public affair I do think it is interesting that no one ever talks about it and that is is seen by men as unnatural or disturbing. The fact is that it is totally natural and not THAT disturbing. I feel that it may have a negative connotation because it is not just bleeding but bleeding from a woman's genitals so therefore that makes it a private matter. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:40:37 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64291309 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64290658 This clip actually shocked me because I would have thought that children would have picked the baby doll that was within their race more often than the white baby doll. I would have thought that black or brown children would choose the black or brown baby doll and that white children would choose the white baby doll. I was very surprised that the black or brown kids chose the white baby as the one that they they liked the best, mostly because I would think that the child would choose a baby that resembled their parents or someone they looked up to but maybe this is just a result of stereo types and who they think is more privledged or better off. I think the real issue that needs to be addressed is that these children are so, so young and they are already making the connection between being black and white and what that means to society as a whole. That is where the main problem lies in our United States culture, is that if there was education for children when they were youngerthen maybe race wouldn't even be a factor in our society. If we could educate children at a pre school age then maybe by the time they hit elementary school they would go through the "you're different than me" stage and start what Sam refers to as "the stages of a racist" earlier so that when they eventually get out in to the real world then things will not be as shocking and as different or diverged as they currently are. I feel that we are beginning to bridge the gap between the races but the first step to finishing that bridge is to start confronting the issue earlier in life, or as Sam says, bring children to the race table, so that hopefully, eventually, being black, brown, white, purple or green is just that, a color, and not an issue at all. I grew up in a town that is largely fifty fifty when it comes to race, half black, half white, so that was reflected in my high school and middle school as well. But because it was not in my elementary school, when both races and socio-economic classes joined, I as a white person was absolutely culture shocked. I can now say that as a 19 year old woman, having gone through seven years of schooling with both races together that race is the farthest thing from an issue to me but knowing what I know now, I wish that I had been more educated about the fact that race was nothing but a color. And clearly the children in this study are programmed to think what society subconciously does, and that to me is sad. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:32:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64290658 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/is-anyone-else-getting-this-stuff__trashed/#IDComment63082701 I think that Laurie's book was very insightful for people to really see what it is like through the eyes of different races as well as the mannerisms of people when they get caught in a tough situation dealing with race. The perspective that she took in the book was very interesting and i like that she was able to give people another outlook on race relations of people of other races. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:39:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/is-anyone-else-getting-this-stuff__trashed/#IDComment63082701 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63081940 I am actually very struck by this comment because I found it very rude and offensive when people from both races said anything bad because I feel that we are supposed to be college students... granted that can mean a lot of things that are taken to be rude or offensive but it also means that we should all be able to figure out the time and place for this negativity to occur. It is somewhat acceptable when you are out with your friends or in a setting when it is a joking manner, but to do it in a class that is very free and open is only asking to have that privilege restricted. Ok, now that I am done with that rant, I will go on to say that this comment brings up a very good point and I feel that this could be because it is almost as if white people feel that they deserve whatever ridicule they get from people of color because of their past with them and black and brown people still hold a prejudice against white people for what has happened in the past so they still take actual offense to the stereotypes that they are given. I think is is funny the way that white people just kind of chuckle at what people say about them in a way it is as if they feel they deserve whatever they have gotten or that it is an accurate stereotype. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:32:34 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63081940 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63080555 I guess I am confused about the question that the girl in the video has proposed because why would we just erase that whole thing from the history books? That does not even make any sense when what we're trying to do it move past that... I feel that to erase that period of time from history would be to completely disrespect the black and brown people as a whole. It would be more beneficial to learn about that time period so that children can learn the issues of our past and see how far we have come since those days of oppression. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:19:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63080555 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-this-racist-really__trashed/#IDComment61536674 I feel that this man is being very racist in this idea that he is presenting to the world. How can he classify all black basketball players as "gun carrying" and as people who disrupt the crowds? Why is he bringing outside stereotypes into the sport of basketball when in fact all he is trying to do is just create a whites only basketball league? What is not racist about any of that? Nothing. That is the answer to that. Absolutely nothing. This Moose person is just someone trying to cover up his racism with dumb reasons as to why his ideas should be put into action. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:07:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-this-racist-really__trashed/#IDComment61536674 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment61534711 I feel that this is absolutely terrible to do to someone. This woman is doing nothing but try to support herself financially and she is then being criticized for what she wears as a result of her religious background. If the person who was hiring her thought that this woman's image was going to be an issue for his or her business image then that person should not have hired her in the first place. Have these people never heard of freedom of religion? She is not just wearing the scarf as an accessory, if that was the case then they could just tell her to remove it, but you cannot fire someone based on their religion...if that was going to be an issue it should have been addressed long before she was hired. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:51:51 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment61534711 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment61533732 I completely agree with what is being said in the video. Although I have watched the Bachelor and the Bachelorette series on television a few times in my day I never really took in the fact that there wasn't really any men or women of color on the series. I think I took more notice of the fact of when there was people of color rather than when there was not people of color on the show. I think that that is the main issue that we have in our society today. The presence of color in everyday life should not shock white people, yet still it does. Why is this? I feel that this is because there is still that old school mind set that people should end up with and marry someone of the same race. This mind set is not appropriate for this time and age especially when there is so many inter racial relationships in the world and especially in the united states where reality shows like the Bachelor and Bachelorette are aired. Because ABC, the station that runs the shows is one of the big four cable companies that has more influence over the public as a whole and sometimes people do not respond as positively to couples of color as they do to people who are not of color. The companies would be differently affected by the type of audience that they were attracting if they were to include black and brown people in these types of shows. The people of the net work are not intentionally singling out people of color they are just trying to make money by going toward a safe demographic. Maybe if there was more color integrated into reality television shows on major cable net works then this would be able to be changed. The whole concept makes me laugh really. I do not actually think that white people are more apt to be ok with putting themselves out there on network television than black and brown people are but they are sure making it look that way to the United States television watchers. I feel that maybe black and brown people feel as though they will not be accepted into the television culture as people who are white have on the Bachelor and Bachelorette television shows. Now The show has set itself up for viewers to be surprised to see people of color on it. With this division of color America is creating more of a racial gap than it should. I think that also the show might have a lot to do with the preference of the actual bachelor or bachelorette and if they are only having a white man or woman as the main person then I would think that if it is as closed minded in the world as we think it is then they would ask for and prefer someone of the same race. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:43:55 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment61533732 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/when-do-we-do-or-say-something__trashed/#IDComment58907808 I agree with these statements about when it is "your place" and not your place. I was kind of taken back by that comment in class on Thursday. I understand that your parents teach you to be respectful of people and their property but by not sticking up for the person who is being put down or degraded that is in return disrespectful and I guarantee that that particular person's parents would be upset by the idea that their son or daughter did not stick up for the other person if they have such high standards and morals to teach their children to respect all others and their property. So if your parents are teaching you to be respectful to others you should take that into consideration. I feel that people could use that as a crutch as to why they do no stick up for others. I feel that if you really respected others then you would see it from the perspective of every one else. The people who did not speak out were just scared to speak their mind or did not care enough to speak their mind and I do not know which is worse. I think that by not speaking up you are just agreeing with the people who are discriminating against others. I feel that if i was in the position of the bystanders I would have to say something because I do not condone this behavior and I do not think it is right for people to do the same. The man who stood up for himself when the man behind the counter said he was not American was my favorite because he was the one who really hit home to the rest of the customers when he said that his son was in the United States Army. If someone who's son is out in the middle east fighting for his country against the same type of people that this man behind the counter was turning away. This concept is very baffling to me that people can actually think that it is not their place to say anything in such a situation because it is the place of every one to stand up for what they believe in. I have more respect for the people who spoke out in agreement with the clerk than the people who pretended to see nothing. Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:42:31 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/when-do-we-do-or-say-something__trashed/#IDComment58907808