en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/765061 Comments by clj5090 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69947325 I am very thankful this man wrote this letter for everyone to read. It actually opened my eyes and got me thinking that judging people based on the stereotype for prisoners is not always the best idea. I have had friends who have been in and out of jail for small things such as drugs, child support, and numerous smaller things in comparison to murder. This man seems like prison has changed him for the better and I do strongly believe that if he were to get the opportunity to be placed back in society that he would accomplish great things and be of help to people in need. However, as great of a man as he may seem... he took somebody's life who had a family and friends. Those people will never get their loved one back and he has to pay for his consequences. It is very unfortunate that he has to spend his life behind bars when he actually is a good man and could make a difference, but I know that if someone had killed my family or friends I would pray to God they never see the light of day again. After reading his letter, it is obvious that not all prisoners are horrible people full of hatred. It is actually shown in many shows and studies that quite a few people have a life changing experience while in prison. I wonder though, if he knew that one day he would be free, would he be the same person he is today? Would his views on certain things have changed so drastically? Im not saying he was a horrible person before prison, but to be able to kill someone says something about yourself in my perspective. I do not doubt that if he had the opportunity to go back and change what he did, he would but as I said before you can not change the past you have to learn from it and move on no matter what the future holds. It kind of shocked me to hear the story about the two inmates who hated each other yet were one day comforting another in a time of pain. I do not think that all prisoner's are cold hearted people but I do believe if they did something to be in their for life, that is their path that God chose and they have to deal with the consequences of their actions. It may take certain people and experience such as the ones of "lifers" in order to truly appreciate life and not take each day for granted for you never know what tomorrow or hours from now may bring. I found the letter to be inspirational in the sense that if a man knowing he will never be free again can change, then why can't people who are free and have thousands of resources do the same. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:11:24 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69947325 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68394467 I agree with this girls statement in that being a women is more than just physical appearance. A lot of people strive to look like victoria secret models or celebrities yet a lot of people have never seen these people in person up close or when they just wake up with no makeup on. They may appear perfect or that their breast and asses are perfectly shaped and formed but that is not the truth at all. I saw photos of jessica simpson, kim kardashian, and other famous people who look NOTHING like they do when they appear in magazines and particular shows. There is more the a women then fake nails, fake tan, fake hair, fake eyelashes, etc. We are all beautiful in our own way and there really is somebody for everybody. Not everyone likes big boobs and a big ass and a really skinny waist. I have to admit that after this class and seeing the play it made me realize that having or not having breast is not the end of the world. I am a small b cup and I have been saving up for plastic surgery to get a boob job once I am done with college. My mom thinks it is foolish of me to want something just for men. However my reasoning is not that case at all...I want them for my own good not because a boyfriend or a friend told me I should. People with big boobs will never understand why small chested people want them and people will small boobs will never understand why anyone would not want big boobs. Personally I feel like a lot of girls dress for other girls. I know on numerous occasions I asked my boyfriend what I was wearing the day before just to see if he actually noticed. He couldn't even remember what I was wearing yet all my girl friends could have told you from head to toe and earrings to necklace what I had on. If the problem is girls making this image of a women then how come we can't just accept who we are? I ask myself that question every day when I think about getting breast implants because even though I know there are better things in life to worry about, I still want them. When I had gone to my doctor for a check up we got on the topic of me wanting breast implants. He gave me this odd look and said why would you want them? I said because I do. He responded and said I am going to be honest with you and tell you that the first thing I noticed when you walked in the door was your eyes, do you really want people to be drawn to you by your breasts when you have beautiful eyes. I said no but it isn't about other people, it's about me and the way I feel about myself. He said as my doctor he supports whatever decision I make but he thinks that breasts are only a fraction of what I have to offer. Although I know what he is saying is true, I can't get that "women" image out of my head that has surrounded me my whole life. What I said may contradict other things that I said, but even though I feel women should not have to look a certain type of way, it is just something out culture has embedded in us. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:36:52 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68394467 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66826458 This is a question I ask myself every time he says something that he thinks is so important. I feel like Sam's intentions are not to change people's views but to inform them and educate them on what exactly our world is, was and will be like due to race. It amazing how much you realize you do not know until you take a class like Soc 119. If Sam was boring and not sincere about what he says, there would be no point in even having a class like this one. I don't think he tries to brainwash people in the sense that he wants all of us to think his way but he does want us to feel some kind of way about the video clips and statistics that he shows us. Being honest though, lately I feel like the class has become a little repetitive and boring at times. Im not exactly sure how someone could say that none of their opinions have changed from hearing Sam's lectures. Some lectures such as the one about Indians is something that not many people know about or even think about but when it is brought to the table and people are forced to hear about it then it should make you feel some kind of way. Yes it was not directly our fault but it still happened and any person with some sense of sympathy would feel guilty for what happened. My roommates and I all take this class together and every day after class we talk about what was said and come to conclusion that we all have different opinions about certain topics and the lecture didn't change our opinion it just opened our eyes to the way other people view the issue. This class has taught me that race is something that will never go away and will be a part of every person's life and all we can do is talk about it to help better the situations we are put in. I never knew before this class that it was offensive to say colored people. I always tried to be politically correct in what I say just so that people would not take what I say in the wrong way. Overall the purpose of this class is to educate people. It is not to brainwash people or change your opinions it is simply to be open minded and learn about how other races view the world and issues as well. One thing I will take with me for the rest of my life is just knowing how much racism stills exists in the world today and all the products I use or own that are made my slavery. The video we watched in class about the chocolate made me cringe to even think that I am eating someone's flesh. It's something I may have heard but never really knew much about or took the time to look into but when it was presented in front of me I could not help but to think a different way about a lot of the things I own. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 16:19:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66826458 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment65570367 I agree with Sam and everyone else who thinks this is one of the most disturbing videos we will see all semester. I was shocked to see how many black children picked the white doll. I guess I wasn't so much shocked they picked the white doll alone but I was shocked at their reasoning as to why they chose that particular doll. To hear that little girl say that white people are the nice dolls and black people are the "bad" dolls. To hear that little girl say it looks bad because the doll is black is enough to make many people wonder what was said or seen in these children's lives that would make them believe something like that. The look on the girls face when she had to choose which doll looked like her after she had just said the black dolls were "bad" brought tears to my eyes. For children so young and innocent to be exposed to racism already makes me wonder what it will be like for my children in the next five to ten years. As a white person, I guess when I was younger I never really thought about what color doll or even race in general. Where I am from everyone got along and my best friend was black. I saw everyone as equal people and didn't realize that racism actually existed probably until I hit middle school and was exposed to new people and a new environment. It really is sad to see a child believe that her own color is bad. People are beautiful no matter what race they are and I don't think that this issue will ever be stopped if our future kids and the children of today's day and age are already exposed to racism and believing that white people are more powerful and beautiful. Like I had said before, my best friend all throughout elementary school and into middle school was a black girl. The color of our skin never came up once in a conversation or anything. As I got older and started to see the racism and hear the stories I finally had asked her why her family had moved from Bronx, New York to a place like Lebanon, PA where there wasn't much to offer but farms and schools. Her mom had said because she did not want her children growing up to be the "typical" black family. I really to this day do not know what she means by that in saying "typical" but it was shocking to me to hear her say something like that. She wanted her kids to grow up in a white environment where they wouldn't be exposed to sex, drugs and gangs. I guess it's mothers like her who make their little children believe that a white doll is better then a black doll. Do we blame the parents for the way those kids think or society? Fri, 2 Apr 2010 16:09:32 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment65570367 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64252564 I found this video to very true and inspiring. I never understood why something so natural has so many people cringing to the thought of it. A period is natural for all women and we were the chosen sex to have such a thing maybe because we are more understanding and worthy of such a great gift. I could understand if a period was there for no reason at all, but all females have a period in order to be able to get pregnant and support a life inside of us. I find it to be a beautiful thing and maybe one day when some of us actually have children including men, will we be thankful for a period? Is it the maturity level that keeps people like the ones in high school, middle school and even college "ignoring" that a period exists or thinking anyone who is bleeding is disgusting? It's a natural as peeing, shitting, burping, and vomiting yet no one seems to find those as disgusting as a period. Sam made a really good point in class when he said would it be weird or gross and would people talk about it if he had said he watched his wife bleed from her finger? If our "periods" came out of our nose instead of our vagina would people be talking about it all the time? I would never choose to have a period as a women but if it gives me the beautiful opportunity to say that I carried life inside of me then I will gladly take having a period over not having one. I must admit to hear Sam say something like he likes to look at his wifes period or blood in the toilet is a little disturbing, there are people in this world who like things FAR worse then something like that even though Sam was only saying that to make a point. One thing I absolutely cannot stand is when guys say that girls are being bitches or a moody because we are PMSing. That's such bullshit!! If were being a bitch to you, it's probably because you did something worth me being a bitch and I would be a bitch regardless if I were PMSing or not. What about when guys are dicks or are moody? Is it ok for us to say you guys are PMSing? Yes there are symptoms that come along with being a women and have a menstrual cycle but honestly not everyone suffers from them. There are a lot of different pills and methods of birth control or hormones that keep women from having such severe symptoms. The main point to this whole lecture and arguement is that it is a part of life, it happens to all women (mostly all) and it will never go away. Grow up, get over it and realize there are a lot of other disgusting things in the world that are openly talked about each and every day. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:32:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64252564 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment63066333 I disagree with this statement 100%. Just because people have themed parties does not mean that they are gearing towards a specific race or making fun of them. At Penn State and most other schools, I believe it just a way to have fun and change up the party scene for once. Sometimes it may even be because it's easier to get dressed for the night and it doesn't really matter what you look like since everyone else will look the same. If themed parties seriously do come off to people of color as a way of making fun of them, then how are white people supposed to feel when all you see or hear about are "black" parties. Honestly, I have been to a party where I am the only white girl besides my friend I went with and I felt like everyone was looking at me like I didn't belong or fit in. Themed parties may sometimes come off as "Racial" but I feel like they are not mean't in a derogatory way or even in a racist way. Some people may have them to make fun of another race or group of people but to say that most themed parties are towards black people or another race is too broad of an accusation. In my perspective a themed party gives people chances to feel and dress like other groups of people that maybe they necessarily would not associate themselves with. I do not have the most firsthand point of view about themed parties because I have only attended a few but from an outside point of view and from listening to what friends have to say or even people I do not know they never seem to be "racist." If it is true that most white people have parties and they are racist then why do white people have "white trash" parties. Like I had said before there are people in the world and here at Penn State that are racist and do go to those parties and those parties such as "Jersey Shore" or gangsta parties but to generalize all white people is extreme. I also find it hard to believe that no black or colored people here in Penn State have not ever had a themed party or gone to a themed party. If they were your friends then would you be ok with it since you know it isn't mean't in a racist kind of way? As I have said in the beginning themed parties are mainly to get away from the regular party scene such as bars, house parties, frats, clubs, etc. I don't think a majority of people go out to a themed party with the intention of being racist towards other groups of people. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:11:22 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment63066333 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58739907 I do believe that the system has a lot to do with how much money a person has. I have an example of how money can buy you a lot and not literally. I went on vacation to Daytona Beach over Christmas break this year with my boyfriend and we met a guy who worked at a high end clothing store. He dressed rich, looked rich and his car explained it all. He drove a brand new BMW. He was Italian and Egyptian. His father is a manager of the Continental Airlines and is loaded. He was telling us a story about how he got 3 DUI's but by getting a good lawyer he got the charges down to speeding tickets. He said he paid 40,000 dollars every time for a lawyer. That proves that if you have the money to pay for a good lawyer or at least a decent lawyer then it really doesn't matter what race you are. I do not think the system is entirely racist as people presume. Money and location has a lot to do with who is incarcerated. If people live in a bad location where most of the popularity is black, obviously more black will be in jail and the same goes for white and brown people. I do not deny that the numbers may make it seem like the system is racist but that is a statement that can't ever be proven. All judges are entitled to make the case turn out as they feel the evidence suggests so whether part of their decision is based on slight racism or the actual crime itself is beyond me. Racism will always exist in every aspect of the world... in the work force, government systems, schools, etc. No situation is ever fair and it seems like whenever the outcomes are different between two different races its automatically "racist". I don't know if I am a little more biased because I am white but I feel like people use race as an excuse for almost everything and sometimes it just gets annoying. It is just proven that white people are the majority here in the United States so therefore people are going to assume we are racist if we make comments or decisions about black or brown people when it may in fact be on their actions and not just about what color they are. Income has a huge role in presenting cases in the judicial system because obviously if you are given a lawyer by the state because you can not afford one, it is not going to be the best lawyer out there and they will not get someone the best outcome that they possibly could. I worked for a lawyer and unless you paid him well, you were not going to get the best results. As I said before, money can buy so much and not just in terms of material things. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:20:01 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58739907 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-five__trashed/#IDComment57645611 The subject of gay marriage vs love will always be one that will never be 100 percent agreed upon. I am catholic and I have always been brought up in the church, attending every Sunday. Now, for me to say that I truly follow all the things that I am supposed to as a Catholic, I do not. We are all sinners and that is the way it was supposed to be. I have sinned and broken many of the commandments but at the same time there are certain ones that I will never fall to. One being gay marriage. I have no problem with gay or lesbian people, I have a problem with the idea of calling their "marriage" a marriage. I believe the word marriage was made in the church and it should always stay that way. Some people argue that they are not homosexual and do not have a religion but will one day call their "marriage" a marriage. If this means we need to call two people coming together in love wanting to spend the rest of their lives together something different for non religious, religious and homosexual people then I believe that is what should be done. God created Adam and Eve to reproduce and create future life and followers of God. If two men and two women were supposed to be together then why are our reproductive organs made to fit the opposite sex? Matrimony was created in the church and should remain in the church. My roommates were a little disturbed that even after the lecture I disagreed with Sam on the subject of LGBT people, mainly just gay marriage. No offense to Sam, but we are not the same people and we all have the right to believe what we want and for you to say we are "wrong" is wrong of you. He made good points but I am strongly associated with my church and will continue to believe the things I have and always will be taught. I do not disagree that two women or two men can love each other but as I said before the word marriage was made in the church and therefore should not allow gay or lesbian people to marry. The same way people "just can't believe people do not agree with gay marriage" is the same way us who believe it is wrong, disagree. What makes what the LGBT community/ believers/ supporters right in what they believe and the people who do not agree wrong? It doesn't. No matter how you look at it, the word marriage was made for a man and a women and it should continue to stay that way for all time. Call it something else and it wouldn't create as much controversy and arguments. Again, I do not have a problem AT ALL with people who choose to love another man or another women. That is there right to decide and their will but I disagree that they should be able to get "married." If gay marriages become legalized then the meaning of marriage for many religious people will not have the same values. Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:52:02 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-five__trashed/#IDComment57645611 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/animals-vs-humans-vs-welfare-cheats__trashed/#IDComment56515463 To call humans "animals" is completely out of line. He could have chose a million other ways to get his point across without calling people "animals". The whole issue of welfare and food stamps is one that causes many arguments. I personally live in an area where housing is most likely not the most expensive and very cheap in the actual city. I do not agree that people on welfare or food stamps are "animals" but I do feel at some point the system needs to be adjusted. There is two sides to the issue in that some people honestly do need help and others are just simply taking advantage of the opportunity and are lazy. For an example of why some people truly do need help is that Obama told a story about a women who got cancer and because she was so ill she ended up missing too many days of work. They fired her which left her with no money. Her nine year old daughter told her that she would eat relish and mustard sandwiches for how ever long so that her mom would not have to spend money on food and could use it all towards her medical bills, etc. There are people who are ill or just came up in the wrong situations that need assistance and I believe those people deserve it. Now, on the other hand I have an example and a real life story about people who are too lazy to either get a job or stop spending on ridiculous things that are only "wants". I have an old freind who is 1 of 7 children. There is nothing wrong with big families but when you are a single mother, have trouble keeping any kind of job and all the children have different fathers, it may be time to reconsider your actions. She was a wonderful loving mother, but she made a lot of wrong choices. She couldn't keep a job and when she would lose her job it would take her a long time to even remotely think of getting another one. Her 5 and 7 year old children barely made ends meat when it came to new clothes or food. A majority of the time they lived with their grandmother because the mother could not afford dinner. The reason this is controversial is because those children did nothing to deserve to be in that position. As Sam said, it was the luck of the draw and they happen to be dealt an unlucky hand. I do not think people on welfare are "animals" AT ALL but I do think some people take the opportunity for granted. If the government is trying to change the welfare and food stamp program, calling these people "animals" is not going to make them want to go find a job or another source of money. All systems have people who will abuse and misuse them. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:58:42 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/animals-vs-humans-vs-welfare-cheats__trashed/#IDComment56515463 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/avatar-and-the-white-mans-burden__trashed/#IDComment55430836 I can understand where Mr. Brooks gets his idea from but I find it hard to believe people truly think that because most movies have white protagonist, that it is trying to say something about black and brown people. I saw Avatar and I absolutely loved the movie! Not once while watching it or even after watching it did it cross my mind that there is always a “White Messiah.” I do not agree that white people make movies with the intentions to make us seem like our race is trying to save the world. I also do not think that white people do not see this just because we are white. There is no evidence to prove that white people feel their needs to be a white person running the world and leading people. We have a black president running our country. Not just black people voted for him…because if that were the case, he never would have won. I do not think the movie would have been any different if the protagonist was Black, Asian or any other race. The plot and the moral of the story would have been the same. I would love to know what the producers who made the movie would have to say about people feeling their movie was trying to portray that there are only “White Messiahs.” I believe Brooks read way too far into the movie and did not just take it for what it was. I think the movie was trying to tell us how we are destroying our planet and the potential future of our country or and world. It was mean’t more to entertain. It was 3D, it had a love story and it had special effects, and all some people can get out of it is that it is trying to say that white people always save “villages.” I personally thought this movie was stupid when I first saw the previews. I refused to actually see it until my mom told me it was an excellent movie. Going into it, I had no clue what it was about except tall blue people who looked really funny. I didn’t think it had an underlying meaning that would create such critiques and controversy. Now that I am aware people feel this way about the movie, I almost feel obligated to watch it again to see if I notice things I did not notice the first. Even if I do watch it again, I do not think I will ever feel like it is trying to say that native people need a “White Messiah” to lead them. I cannot deny that white people have been given an upper hand in society as far as power but that does not mean this movie was trying to portray that a “White Messiah” is necessary by any means. Fri, 5 Feb 2010 02:53:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/avatar-and-the-white-mans-burden__trashed/#IDComment55430836 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/i-guess-it-pays-to-learn-a-bit-about-other-people__trashed/#IDComment54399417 What happened on the plane and at the airport is not surprising. At all. I think it was a really stupid idea for the boy to wear such things while traveling on a plane, especially in todays society. We are all paranoid when it come to traveling by plane. After 9/11, it seems like the minute people see something "out of the ordinary" they panic. I can't deny that I would have felt a bit uncomfortable and worried. It is not something that a majority of people have even heard about, including some jewish people. The thing that shocked me the most was how understanding both sides were. The grandma and the boys Rabbi were understanding of how odd this practice is to people. They even said it would have been a wiser choice to have waited until he got off the plane to put those things on. They are aware that this kind of practice is not very common in many areas around the United States. I would have thought that it would have brought about a huge controversy. I understand that it is protocal to do the things the security and police did, but I feel they took it a little too far by putting them in handcuffs even if it was for just a few minutes. In doing so, it made them seem like criminals and that they did something wrong. I have no problem with people following their religion very closely but to wear something that could come across as wires that may potentially be bombs on a plane, seems a little unreasonable and that boy was not thinking clearly about his actions. A lot of people in America are not very diverse in their understandings of other religions than our own. When we see things that are unfamiliar to us, we automatically think that it's not right or it makes us feel uncomfortable as I had said before. Religion is a topic that never has an answer as to what is right and wrong. It is hard to convince people to believe what you believe but the least we can do is understand other religions and realize that we have the right to believe, follow and practice whatever religion we choose. Im not really sure how I would have acted in this situation if I were those kids. I don't think I would have been so understanding and calm as the boy was. It almost seems that this is not the first time he has had a mishap when he uses the teffillin and prays. This situation just proves how skittish our country has become and maybe if we all have a better understanding of race and religion, we would not have these problems and we can truly become a "United" States. Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:23:37 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/i-guess-it-pays-to-learn-a-bit-about-other-people__trashed/#IDComment54399417 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/last-name-begins-with-i-or-j__trashed/#IDComment53882358 Monday Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:21:39 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/last-name-begins-with-i-or-j__trashed/#IDComment53882358 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2009/11/the-solution-to-the-race-dilemma__trashed/#IDComment53396803 What is the world coming to? If we can't get over a simple skin color, how will issues such as world peace, abortion, gay rights etc, ever be solved or at least tamed? It is almost hard to believe that people would go as far as to whiten there skin which to me, makes them look sickly. Then again, why do some white people use sunless tanner when it leaves there skin looking blotchy and orange? I agree with the person who wrote this reply in saying that God created all of us in his image and likings to the person we were meant to be. There is no need to spend money on changing a skin color when in reality it will never change who we truly are. It amazes me that professionals and celebrities such as Sammy Sosa may be using such creams to change the color of his skin. He was great in what he did and very well known so by him changing his skin color, he is only setting an example for other people in the world that "white is beautiful" when in reality that is a matter of opinion. There are so many other things in the world people should be spending money on then creams to change the color of their skin. For example, the disaster in Haiti... if people can spend all this money on changing the color of there skin, why are there thousands of people dying from starvation, disease and God knows what else in a country that people would do anything to have one dollar. However, I will admit that I have gone tanning whether it was for prom or before I go to a place that I know my sensitive white skin would basically fry if I had no sun before. It almost seems like people want to be the opposite race of what they are whether they are black, white, indian, asian, etc. If everyone was white and looked the same, how would we know what was truly beautiful? Beauty is a matter of opinion and without the many different skin colors, the world would be boring and needless to say, pale. I blame the media for a large part in the fact that people believe certain skin colors are "beautiful." They depict certain hair colors, skin colors and body types to be beautiful when really beauty cannot be defined as a whole. Has anyone ever noticed that a majority of people only believe that pale is beautiful on females? You rarely hear about people saying that pale males are so called "beautiful." It seems that darker skinned males have been more popular through the recent years then white males. I really hope that one day people can be happy with who they are. As Kofi Annan once said, "We have many different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race." No matter what color we are, we should be trying to make a difference in the world to things that actually matter and not things that will only last our own life time. Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:50:58 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2009/11/the-solution-to-the-race-dilemma__trashed/#IDComment53396803