en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/762912 Comments by flippyfloppies https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-health-care__trashed/#IDComment70066950 I think that healthcare should be available to everyone in certain circumstances. Obviously if someone is gushing blood, a hospital should simply treat them regardless of their legal status. So I think that's a yes in the case of emergencies. Perhaps in other instances that are non-life threatening, the person can be put on a waiting list or something...I know that sounds selfish after I typed it. If I were the immigrant at the hospital, I'd probably get pissed off if I was on a waiting list. It's just that if we as a society start providing all these services free of charge to anyone that walks in the door, people are going to start to get the idea that they don't have to at least try to come here legally. Because they will be able to have all the amenities of a citizen no matter what. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 02:36:16 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-health-care__trashed/#IDComment70066950 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-people-who-can-only-afford-hard-work__trashed/#IDComment70064517 You brought up a really good point, and I think that the person that posted the video posted an interesting question. It doesn't seem right that hard workers should be turned away from this country just because they can't afford to come here legally. The problem is that I can't make up my own mind on the issue - part of me thinks that there is something wrong with people coming here illegally, I guess just because of the fact that they can evade taxes and kind of live under the radar of the government while the rest of us don't have that option. But then the other part of me is saying that obviously they're coming here to live a better life and provide for a better future for their children, and what's so wrong about that? Who am I to tell them, 'No, you can't try to have a better life'? My great-grandparents on both sides of my family came to America through Ellis Island, and if someone had said that to them I wouldn't be here. So I guess deep down I do feel that immigrants should be allowed to stay here, regardless of their legal status. Julia3, I thought you brought up an interesting solution in granting immunity of deportation as a reward for doing the jobs that no one wants. I think it's a good idea. Obviously if the immigrants have jobs and are working hard they are benefiting society in some small way, they're not just laying around doing nothing. Speaking of which, I'd like to have a small rant if I may: I never understood the argument against illegal immigration in which the person complains that immigrants are stealing our jobs. As if they're doing the work that you would be doing if they weren't there. Really, how many Americans would be willing to go out into the fields for 9 or 10 hours and pick fruit? Whose jobs are the immigrants stealing? They're doing the things that no one else would do, and they're getting paid much less than most people would be willing to work for. Sorry about that. Anyways, the one drawback that I can see in rewarding workers with immunity is, what happens if they can't find a job? Or if they get injured and can't work? Or if they've raised a family here and get laid off? Are we just going to ship them back to their homeland? I don't know, just something to think about. But you brought up a good point in saying that we've all done illegal things. I mean, 420 was this past week for Christ's sake. It's downright hypocritical to excuse yourself from doing illegal things but then say to those crossing the border that they're expected to not break any rules. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 02:26:06 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-people-who-can-only-afford-hard-work__trashed/#IDComment70064517 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/the-tyranny-of-radical-muslims__trashed/#IDComment68456992 We really are all the same. It seems to me that most major religions are very peaceful - Christianity, Buddhism, Islam. Isn't the whole point just to be a good person and try to live a good life? Have good karma? It's a shame that words of bin Laden have been misconceived here in the US to represent the beliefs of all Muslims. Growing up, I probably speak for most Americans in saying that what I knew of the Middle East I learned from news and radio clips. I was 10 when September 11th happened, and for all I knew everyone in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan was a radical terrorist. I wasn't old enough to consider why they might be angry or process the fact that not all Muslims are like that. The lecture on Thursday definitely helped. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 01:42:01 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/the-tyranny-of-radical-muslims__trashed/#IDComment68456992 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment68447046 You took the words right out of my mouth! I didn't live in the Middle East or anything, but Sam did invoke some pretty strong feelings in me and I think that's interesting that a lot of other Middle Easterners feel that way too. His energy was contagious, I actually thought it was kind of entertaining to watch him run all over the place. I think it's interesting that you called it his best performance, because it almost did feel like a performance, but it certainly was a fucking incredible one. This video is awesome too! Best lecture this semester. I'm thinking the person that posted the original comment just doesn't get it. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:00:28 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment68447046 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment67289749 I agree a lot with what you said in your above post. While I do believe that the game they showed in the video was wrong and disgusting from an American's perspective, people in Japan might feel differently. One of the first things I thought of when watching the video, besides how much the sound effects were unnecessary, was whether Japan had ever undergone a women's rights movement in history before? American society in general probably has a negative gut reaction to those types of video games because since the 1910's and 20's an increasing number of women in society have grouped together to have equal rights and their voices heard. It's actually gotten to the point now that in most colleges more women are enrolled than men and less and less women are becoming 'stay at home moms'. So obviously because of the effect that feminism has had on our society we WOULD think that those types of video games shouldn't exist. I thought that the British couple on Skype brought up an interesting point when they said that they didn't view the game as wrong because it is a form of escapism. The woman brought up the point that there are plenty of shooting games around the world too, and they don't seem to be getting as much as a negative hype. I'm not a video game person, but I have a few friends that play I guess what would be considered violent games. And they aren't violent people. The point is that while the whole idea behind that Japanese video game was vulgar, so are video games where you have to kill as many people as you can to win. JHudak brought up a good point in saying that instead of banning the video games, it would be best just not to buy them. The game companies understand that sex and violence sell, and so they're providing what they know people will buy. If you ban one particular kind of video game, where do you draw the line? Eventually, someone's going to be offended even with non-violent games. It might make the situation messier to have the government interfere and create laws banning certain types of games. In the end, who cares what games people play in the comfort of their own homes? Americans might view the games as vulgar and disgusting, but we probably do some things that the Japanese view that way too. The only precaution I have is that I hope people know where to draw the line between fantasy and reality, and that random people don't go out and decide to rape random women in subway stations because they got fired from their jobs. Sun, 11 Apr 2010 18:41:15 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment67289749 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66906815 I agree, I think that the LGBT class was the most interesting and well-taught class of the semester, maybe because it stands out as being different than simply race relations. A lot of the stuff Sam says is common sense stuff that I probably knew deep down but hadn't been brought to the front of my mind. I kind of wish I could ask the guy in the video, "Has this class had simply NO effect on you?". True, it's not like I have a lightbulb moment every class, but there are a few times that I leave feeling a bit more enlightened about the world around me. And I feel that that's a good sign that the class is having an effect on me. I wonder if the guy in the video feels the way he does because he already knows everything we've talked about or because he refuses to open his mind to it...hmmm... Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:46:22 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66906815 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66902858 I'm just gonna reply to your post because it's lengthy and looks good to reply to =]. Even though I haven't missed class much all semester, I was taking a nap yesterday afternoon and just decided to not go to class...and I'm so pissed I missed it. Even though slavery is such a depressing topic and the video you guys watched sounded terrible, I really wish I would've seen it. I was aware of the reasoning behind Walmart's low prices beforehand, even though I can't remember where I learned it from. I make it a point NOT to shop there, even though I have done it a few times. Which actually makes me recall this Walmart commercial I saw on TV the other day: this whole commercial, maybe some of you have seen it, basically was saying that Walmart has low prices because they drive their 18 wheelers efficiently. They were saying that they pack up their trucks to the brim and make trips the shortest distance possible. Maybe they're hoping the public will have less of a guilty conscience shopping there if they think that's why the items are so cheap? Ugh, thinking about it just makes me shudder. I wish I could've chimed in and been like, "Yeah, or maybe you have Rollbacks because slaves make your goods!" But anyways... If I were in class yesterday, I probably would've eaten the chocolate the first time it was passed around. What can I say, I like chocolate?! But eating the second piece probably would've been nearly impossible. I wasn't aware of fair trade symbols on the packages, and I will definitely look into them in the future and make sure I only buy chocolate with the stamp on the package. I liked where you were going with your idea for the second step: that everyone needs to be educated about it. Education. I don't know how this would go over, but I almost think they should make a class either in high schools or colleges that would be mandatory and would teach the students about current issues around the world like slavery, genocide, and AIDS. It would open up the eyes of a lot of people, and at least would produce some informed citizens of society. And I agree with your statement that money is power. Corporations and businesses don't think with their hearts, they think with their wallets. If you want to make a difference with how they do business, you have to hit their wallets hard: take a stance and stop buying their products. If enough people do it, hopefully something will happen. I need fifteen more words so I’m just gonna add this concluding sentence in: word to your mother. Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:19:07 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66902858 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/is-quality-the-question__trashed/#IDComment65613949 I agree with your post. You brought up a good point when you said that it's not like they're just picking people up off the streets and plopping them in emergency rooms; the people who are positively affected by AA still have to go through the same rigorous training and workload as anyone else. And true, it might sting a little if you are in the majority and don't get into the med school of your choice, but at least someone of color would be given the opportunity...if AA didn't exist they would have a much lower chance of getting in. You also brought up a good point in saying that AA diversifies companies and corporations. Perhaps the lingering racism that is still present in society can be squashed out a little bit more if future generations are raised looking up to higher education and the workforce and seeing a variety of colors and cultures - and not just white people. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 21:01:15 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/is-quality-the-question__trashed/#IDComment65613949 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/how-can-we-ever-win__trashed/#IDComment65127891 I agree with you in that I think it would just be a whole hell of a lot easier if everyone were in the Humanitarian stage. But I disagree with how you defined it...I don't think that people in the Humanitarian stage are blind to color. I don't think people can ever really be blind to color, that's like saying 'Oh I didn't realize you were a woman/man' or 'Oh I didn't realize you had two eyes and a mouth'. Color is just another part of what makes us who we are. I think that being in the Humanitarian stage means being able to move past JUST seeing color, being able to look someone right in the eyes and seeing them for who they are deep down. Maybe this is what you were trying to say. And I don't really understand why the person in the video felt offended by the LL Bean catalog. Were any white people offended by the video we watched of Chris Rock making fun of white people? I wasn't... Thu, 1 Apr 2010 04:52:24 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/how-can-we-ever-win__trashed/#IDComment65127891 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64760687 I'm going to have to go with klpski and disagree with you on this one here. It's not the government's job to make everyone feel happy and wanted. It's the government's job to protect the nation and provide services based on who needs them. This is why we have the census in the first place: to try to take an accurate as possible snapshot of America so that representatives are equally distributed and so that social services are available in appropriate areas. I realize that people of mixed background might be confused in filling out the census form, but I'm pretty sure someone in the video said that people can check off whatever boxes are applicable to them. So if your circle-member was confused, she could check off the White box and the Mexican box. I thought that the two white women interviewed on the street said something interesting in the video. The one on the left mentioned that she could technically check off the White box and the Native American box because she has a hint of Native American blood in her. I've thought about it and for such people confused about which race to pick from, I think it makes sense if they pick the race with which they find themselves associating the most. This could include partaking in cultural events or connecting with whatever your personal ethnicity is. For example, I'm white. I'm about 25% Croatian, 25% Ukrainian, and a whole lotta small other percents of things like French, German, Scottish, PA Dutch, and so on. If I had to fill out a form that asked me specifically what background I was, I would just forget the other small parts and say I'm half Croatian and half Ukrainian. I could say I'm Croatian and French - but I don't associate with my French background. I do however, go to Croatian BBQ's, know some Croatian jokes, paint Ukrainian Easter eggs for Easter, and celebrate Russian (Ukrainian) Christmas. Therefore, those are the two backgrounds I associate with besides being just white. I think this is a fairly easy way to choose the most prominent race in your background and could possibly be a good idea for people of mixed ancestry. I also think it would be interesting to know if any African-Americans in our class refer to themselves as Negro. When the video brought it to my attention, I was a little offended too. Although I have to admit, I probably would not have noticed the term if I was filling out the census before seeing the video. Yes, the term’s outdated, but if there are people who still consider themselves Negro than it should probably be included on the form. Personally I think some people are over-reacting a bit to a simple piece of paper. Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:54:32 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64760687 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/flip-the-script-for-a-moment__trashed/#IDComment64222536 Looking back on it, Sam talking about periods in class caused an uproar with me as well. It's not like I never talk about it - actually when my roommate and I are on our period, it seems like that's all we talk about. I'm fine talking about it with someone who knows what I'm going through (i.e. other girls). I just think it's kind of awkward talking about it with guys because they would probably find it gross. I know this sounds crazy and male-exclusive as I type it, but that was my initial reaction in Tuesday's class: Sam shouldn't be talking about this because he's a guy and doesn't know what it's like to be on a period. Thinking about it in retrospect, this idea just seems crazy. Why has our society evolved so that it's taboo to talk about private matters such as girls' menstrual cycles? My friend also just mentioned that it also seems taboo for girls to boast about their sex lives in public. It seems like a rite of passage for a guy to lose his virginity; if he's a virgin, there must be something wrong with him or something. On the other hand, if a girl has slept with multiple people she's considered a whore. Why does our society hold girls and guys on two different standards, and why is it ok for guys to boast about their sex lives while girls are supposed to keep quiet? Sam has a good point in saying that it's essential to question the world we live in, whether it's our own beliefs on religion, politics, morals, or just the world around us. I always thought my math teacher was weird for saying this, but whenever he showed us a theorem or equation in class, he would always show us the proofs because he said we should WANT to know why a certain equation is known to be true. At the time, I never really cared, but looking back on it I realize that he was just saying we shouldn’t let people tell us what we’re supposed to believe and what we’re not, we should determine that for ourselves. I agree with what you were saying about girls’ weights too. For some reason, it seems okay for guys to tell others how much they weigh, even if they weigh 150-175 pounds. I realize that guys tend to be more muscular than girls and so that muscle mass just tends to weigh more. But if a girl were to weigh 175 pounds she would be looked down upon. Fashion magazines and the media definitely do not help this issue, if only enforce into young people’s minds that they need to be near-anorexic to be considered attractive. Why do we let others in society dictate to us whether we’re beautiful or ugly? Shouldn’t we be able to feel that way ourselves? So, basically Sam, while I thought your remarks were way off on Tuesday and kinda on the border of disgusting, I do have to admit that they’ve made me think more about the society we live in. I guess if you were trying to get us to question the world around us, you succeeded, at least with me. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:23:00 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/flip-the-script-for-a-moment__trashed/#IDComment64222536 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment63962455 Somebody else said something similar to do this above and I agree: Usually when I think of the word 'Asian' my mind jumps to someone of Japanese, Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese descent. I usually forget that Russians, Indians, and Pacific Islanders are Asian as well. I'm also sorry to admit that despite the fact that I have Asian or Asian-American friends, I usually assume that an Asian/Asian-American is foreign until I hear them speak to determine how well they speak English. I often find myself surprised when an Asian-American opens their mouth and speaks with no accent. I guess it's true I'm ignorant when it comes to Asian/Asian-American matters, but that's probably because I'm not Asian or Asian-American. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:02:06 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment63962455 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/native-hawaiians-ever-think-of-them__trashed/#IDComment63735771 Wow, very well said ajn156! You brought up stuff that I hadn't considered really. I think it's true, but very sad, that Hawaiian natives are forgotten simply because they're not connected to the mainland. It seems like their story gets lost over the Pacific, and I think it's a good idea that they will finally be able to be officially recognized and have their stories heard. And I find it very ironic that 'the greatest nation in the world' has a large number of its population living in extreme poverty. I'm sure that the Sioux pushing their car to the gas station or the Hawaiian natives forced to live under a tarp don't feel they live in the greatest nation in the world. If that were me I'd feel abandoned and pissed off to say the least. I'd want all the people vacationing on the beach to know that Hawaii isn't the paradise most people mistake it for. So I think it's a good idea that this bill will get sent to the Senate! I disagree with the argument stated in the article, “Opponents of the legislation say it would give Native Hawaiians special treatment at the expense of other taxpayers”. …Weren’t the early European settlers given benefits and privileges, or rather they took them, at the expense of the natives? I’m sure that while funding may be expensive it won't break the non-native Hawaiians’ pockets. They’re not going to be homeless as a result of their taxation, so I really don’t see what the big fuss is all about. It just seems that they're being greedy about their money. I also hope that the government doesn’t devote some shitty little uninhabited island for the natives to live on, much like how Native Americans were pushed off of their homeland into tiny little reservations. It would be a shame if the situation turned out that way, that the natives would be shoved into a corner so white people wouldn't have to worry about them...haha seems I'm going through a bit of the revisioning stage myself aren't I? Anger at the white man! Grr! Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:06:32 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/native-hawaiians-ever-think-of-them__trashed/#IDComment63735771 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-happens-to-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment63031058 I think he's probably just confused especially with the overhead text responses. When Sam gears questions solely to white people or solely to people of color, this kid just probably is unsure of which side to pick. He probably knows a bit of both cultures, if one parent is white and the other puerto rican. So he can answer both questions and yet isn't sure if they really pertain to him or not. I wouldn't take it as complaining. And I don't really think things are so cut and dry. My friend is half mexican and half native american, so while both parts would be considered 'someone of color', it's not like she can just pick one race over the other. She is half and half, both parts at the same time. I think this is an issue that doesn't have a definite, black-and-white answer. The answer is a shade of gray. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:29:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-happens-to-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment63031058 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63028995 I agree with some of what you said but disagree with some of it to. First, I disagree that the history we were taught in elementary and middle school focused on the wrongs of white people. Like you said the sentence after, we were never really taught how the early settlers treated the Native Americans. We were taught that they were buddy-buddies. And in learning about slavery, I never recall learning how truly cruel some of the slave-owners were to their slaves until maybe high school. I remember the books glorifying the nice white people that helped all the slaves on the Underground Railroad. I guess we were taught the stories that we would later find out were completely wrong – like Christopher Columbus and whatnot. And the rest of your blog I completely, hands-down agree with. We can’t start drilling it into kids’ heads that instead of a nice Thanksgiving the pilgrims actually committed genocide to the Native Americans. Five-year olds could not take that. I think learning truths like that comes with maturity and a loss of innocence I guess. People need to be able to make decisions on their own to be able to formulate opinions about the world around them. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:18:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63028995 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62716532 I don't quite understand what you meant in the last sentence, "There was not much said that represented the stereotypical whites' perception of the white, but rather what whites thought colored people thought of them". Now, I'm white, and for me to not agree with this makes me feel like there's something goin' on with the white team that I don't know about. My text message didn't make it up to the board, but my response was that whites have certain privileges that others don't have. I'm not saying this is how things should be; all those stats Sam showed us disgusted me. But my point is I can swear that I did not think 'How would someone of color WANT me to respond?" I did not respond how I thought people of color think of me, I responded how I see other whites around me. And I agreed with a lot of the white responses up on the board. In many cases, being white is merely a lack of pigment, in the sense that we are all human beings, the same deep down inside. However, being a white person in society does have its benefits, a greater chance of getting a job, a house, a loan at the bank, etc. How were the responses only scratching the surface though? What more do you see in white people that wasn’t said? Halfway through my response I just realized you continued your post below, and you do have good points saying that some of the comments made by people of color were offensive. I also agree with you when you said despite their social standing, many whites do work their way possibly even further up in the world. However, I think that despite how much some may not like it, perhaps the 'stereotypes' that filled the board against us are not so false. Whites on average are richer than blacks. That's a fact. And while I'm sure you are not resting on your laurels, I doubt you are paying your entire Penn State tuition without any help. I’m not. That being said, I think almost anybody who comes to Penn State main campus has a family that is fairly well-off, whites and blacks included. I’m not trying to single you out personally, if I came off that way I certainly didn’t mean to. I’m just trying to get you to realize that while you may have worked hard to get here, a lot of things were probably given to you that would not have been had you not been white. Sometimes you have to step out of your skin and see the world from another’s perspective. Easier said than done, I know. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:05:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62716532 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59675357 Same! I agree with a lot of what you said. I think the typical slave-owner, but then again maybe even the abolitionist would be shocked at how successful some black people are in today's society. It does seem like Beyonce and Jay-Z are dominating the pop charts, and I can imagine that people in the 1800's couldn't even fathom anybody but whites being successful. Can you imagine what would happen if they were to know that Barack Obama would be our President over 100 years later? I think nearly everybody would have a heart attack! I guess looking at it this way, our country has come a far way from what it once was. It's true that discrimination and racism are still pertinent issues in modern society, but thankfully things are much better than they were in say, 1850. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 03:25:26 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59675357 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59673600 Pretty much what everyone on this blog is saying, I agree that I thought this post was a little out of the blue in what it was asking. I never saw any of the theme parties here on campus as racist, and I think it would be wrong to say that mostly white people throw them. Of the few themes I've heard of, maybe one of the only ones that COULD be interpreted as racist would be CMT vs. BET. I guess this could be racist towards African Americans, but then you'd also have to consider it would be just as equally racist toward white people that listen to country. I'd like to hear an opposing viewpoint on this issue! Thu, 4 Mar 2010 03:11:03 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59673600 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59672405 As sad as it may be, I agree with a lot of what you said. I've never seen the Bachelor either, and so I've never really noticed the demographics of the show. But I guess ABC would be considered a station that is geared toward an older audience, definitely an older audience than that which watches MTV or VH1. One of the first things that came to my mind is that it’s possible the producers of the show probably make most if not all of the people on the show white just to be politically correct. I understand the reason behind why they are doing it, but it sickens me all the same. I guess the producers feel like if 'the bachelor or bachelorette' were a person of color then certain viewers would complain or stop watching? I guess there are certain people out there that might get offended, but I can't imagine anyone getting so mad that they would stop watching the show. Still, this sort of thing always bothers me about TV shows like this. It's all just a game of 'Let's see how many viewers we can get' because the people that make the shows are so greedy. I watched American Idol for one season and couldn't watch anymore because of all the fake drama and predictability. Anyways, sorry for the big rant. I guess my point is that whoever makes this show is just trying to get money and they think the best way to do this is by having almost all white people on the show, and it's pissin' me off! I agree with what the previous person posted though, in that I think it would be interesting just to poll the demographics of the viewers of shows like American Idol or ANTM. My guess is that more people of color would watch ANTM possibly, but I'm not sure if Randy Jackson would be such a reason for people to watch American Idol. After reading this blog and thinking back to my American Idol days, I think the show did a good job of hosting a variety of different singers. While most of the people were white, there were plenty of people on the black and brown team too: Jordin Sparks, Ruben Studdard, Syesha Merchado, CHIKEZIE! But anyways, I feel like thinking about this issue will probably help me pay more attention to it when I watch TV in the future. Thanks Alyssia =) Oh P.S. – While not geared toward TV per se, my roommate brought up a good point when I told her about this blog. If you think back to all the Disney movies of our past, there weren’t too many non-white Disney princesses either. Sure there were Jasmine and Pocahontas, but didn’t that ‘Princess and the Frog’ movie feature the first African American Disney princess? And that just came out a year or so ago. That seems like a pretty long time since Disney was created to feature the first African American main character! Thu, 4 Mar 2010 03:00:37 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59672405 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-five__trashed/#IDComment58917057 I just had an interesting flashback - the other day my roommate and I were discussing equality in America, and she had a pretty interesting point. She said that she thinks eventually, and I don't know how many years this would take - there will be an equal society in America. Judging by the statistics seen in class, the rich just stay rich and the poor just stay poor, so I don't know if this is a good guess or not. But I think America is making the slow, gradual trudge towards equality. Hopefully we will reach this point in society someday. I guess I can dream, right? Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:23:47 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-five__trashed/#IDComment58917057