en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/765498 Comments by j_stark https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment69982499 Because your thinking is based off of situational facts, I do not consider it racist. You are not declaring yourself a superior race or person based off of subjective information, rather you are basing it on your position in the world. You have many more resources in your life than they will probably ever have which is potentially saddening because you have probably met great people who you can relate to once you remove your economic status from the picture. I think a racist thinker is one who, if put in the same economic situation as the other person, would still consider themselves to be superior. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:32:42 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment69982499 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment69979661 The farther removed you are from an incident, the less you feel connected to it. If those were 300,000 Americans that died, we would all feel more compelled to do something because we share a common nation, a common ideal. I don't think this makes us bad people, but it does open our eyes. Even putting it in perspective and relating it back to ourselves makes us realize what we can do and compels some of us to action. It is a very selfish tendency, but it is the result of our ethnocentric thinking. We cannot change how we are raised to think, but we can change the way we respond to this thinking. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:21:23 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment69979661 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69977285 This letter serves as such an eye opener to me. I have never any direct or indirect contact with a “lifer,” but I, probably just like most people, have my own stereotypes and judgments about them. I have also struggled with and gone back and forth with my opinion on the death penalty. The reason I sometimes support it is when I hear of a heinous crime and think the perpetrators to be the lowest people on earth, not considering the chance that they may have the potential to change. Obviously, some people will never change- they do not feel much regret for their horrible actions nor do they feel compelled to change. But this letter proves that some people can. Obviously these people are in prison for a reason. They have committed a crime and are serving a punishment for their actions. In these cases, prison is good for these criminals. They have reached rock bottom and the only thing left for them to do is reflect about what they have done. They cannot take back the crime they committed, but they can learn from their mistakes. Although the whole letter was shocking, the part that caught my attention the most was the part that talked about how upset and frustrated some of the inmates get when they want to help in the midst of a disaster, but feel as if they cannot. I’m sure these disasters do not directly affect the inmates in any way, but they still feel compelled to help. I feel as if this compassion is lacking in many people outside if jail, so it is so interesting to think that it can be found among people inside of one for the rest of their lives, the last place we would expect to find it. The fact that they give blood, donate money, and write letters to those in need is something I would never picture a “lifer” doing. They do not receive any rewards for these actions, only self satisfaction and a way to better themselves. This letter complements our recent lectures about ethnocentrism. We rarely, if ever, consider the life of an inmate, usually because we do not believe them to be worth our time as they deserve to be where they are. However it is interesting to step back and think about what it may be like, especially after reading this letter. Inmates will never escape their associated stigmas, and many of them do not deserve to, but I believe that some of them who have learned from their mistakes and are genuinely different people than the ones they once were when they were convicted are worth talking to and trying to understand. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:13:39 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69977285 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68441671 I really enjoyed Dr. Mulvey's play in class on Tuesday because I believe it highlights an issue that is common among a great number of women, especially around this age. Women in our country are all connected by the ideal standards they are held to by society- thin and beautiful with large breasts. Most, if not all women, have been affected by this ideal in one way or another. This is more of an ideal then a reality but the media and Hollywood portray it otherwise, so much so that women think they have to look a certain way to fit in. To me, the most beautiful women are those who are comfortable, confident, and most importantly happy with themselves regardless of whether or not they fit the beauty standard. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:08:10 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68441671 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/the-tyranny-of-radical-muslims__trashed/#IDComment68440407 I think it's human nature to remember people for their wrongdoings more so than their positive qualities. In the case of Osama Bin Laden, the average American does not know much about the Islam faith and therefore generalizes his horrible actions onto everyone of his religion. Obviously Osama Bin Laden is not a "spokesperson" for Muslims, rather a radical extremist. It is neither fair nor intelligent of us to characterize every Muslim similarly, just as we as Americans would not want to be characterized like members of the Ku Klux Klan. I admit I'm no scholar on the Islam faith, but I know it is a beautiful religion that deserves to be recognized as so. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:55:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/the-tyranny-of-radical-muslims__trashed/#IDComment68440407 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment68438913 Thursday's lecture was one of the most eye opening lectures I, a senior, have ever sat through. Although there are many points Sam made that I don't agree with, I think he was able to get through to a great majority of the class with his creative and fact supported approach. I myself was surprised that I found myself answering "Certainly" to the question that asked if I would join an insurgency, along with a majority of my classmates. Whether or not we agree with everything Sam threw out to us yesterday, one thing is clear to everyone- a great deal of Americans are victims of ethnocentrism, seeing the world through one single lens. I don't necessarily think we're the ones to solely take all of the blame- our media supports the American ideals and our government spins facts in their favor. No one likes to think of themselves as the bad guy, we all like to think we're "number 1"- like Sam said, every country is patriotic and to some degree ethnocentric. But I think a big difference that exists is how we react when we look through another lens and can break out of our ethnocentric thinking. Some people are so stuck in this thinking that they'll never be able to see another point of view while others are willing to learn and leave their comfort zone, finding out that maybe everything they have learned isn't exactly the most truthful. The idea of America as a "Christian invader" was a thought I had never considered before Thursday. We all look to Islam and immediately characterize them like their extremists, who in reality are in the minority. After this lecture I can understand how us Americans, although not all Christians, can be characterized like our Christian extremists- some politicians and high ranking members of the military. As someone who has lost a friend in the War in Iraq, it is difficult for me to think about questioning the war's motives. In my mind my friend gave his life for what he thought our country stands for, not for rights to a foreign country's oil supply. He fought in the army and died helping the people of Iraq. I know many soldiers who have this same mindset, who give up their comfortable lives to join the military to "fulfill their patriotic duty" because they think that is what's right. Watching the video of the soldiers punishing the looters crushed my heart because they, like my friend, honestly believed they were doing the right thing- preventing looting which, in any typical situation, is honorable. They were being right in following their orders, but are they at fault if their orders are tainted with hidden and malicious intentions? Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:42:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment68438913 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment65593023 This person brings up a really interesting point- how often do we really think about Asians when we think about minority groups? I honestly admit that the phrase "minority group" brings blacks and hispanics to mind. I also think I stereotype more against Asians than the other groups, mostly because I know very little about their culture or history and automatically rely on my stereotypes. The history between blacks and whites has been taught to us since we were born so we are more knowledgeable about those two races as a whole. I think I could distinguish between Africans and African Americans better than I could between Asians and American Asians as well, for the same reason of a lack of knowledge. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 19:24:01 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment65593023 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment65590994 I think a big potential outcome stemming from minorities becoming the majority is the impact on politics. If this transformation happens, will the new majority groups be accurately represented in the government? Or will the white male standard still dominate? If the former happens, we could potentially see a change in the way our politics work, with a bigger focus on equality and diversity than we have now. Not to say that politicians of different races will act as proponents of their race, rather that there will be a more diverse voice that goes into political ideas and the making of legislation. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 19:05:43 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment65590994 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment65589704 It is so sad to see the effects of prejudice and discrimination on such young children who are completely unaware of what is happening to their world. Through some source of information, most likely a combination of media and their own observations, they learned that in our society, white represents good while black represents bad. They will have to live in this world for their whole lives. It is a shame that these children have this burden on the growing up and that their full potential may be stunted because of it. They should not be made to feel inferior, especially at such a young age. When the last girl was asked to pick the doll that was most like her, after already stating that the black doll is mean because she is black, you can see the confusion and discomfort in her face. You can visibly see her acknowledging the discrimination that exists against her in our society. It is disturbing to see this recognition in such a young, innocent child who is merely the victim of other people's prejudices. I think it would be interesting to see the reactions of these children all grown up. I would like to hear their thoughts after seeing what we all saw . I am interested to see what they have to say about discrimination and how it has affected their lives, starting from such an early age. I was shocked to hear some of my classmates' responses as well-the majority of those in minority groups preferred to play with white dolls too. In addition, one girl brought up the idea that even in the black community, darker skinned individuals are not considered as beautiful as lighter skinned people of the same race. I was not aware that this stigma existed and it brings a lot more support to the same idea as the video- the whiter (or closer to white) you are, the more beautiful and appealing you are. I put a lot of blame on the media. It continually portrays people in their racial stereotype categories, for example the black man as the bad guy. It's no wonder these children think this way- they are growing up with these images everywhere around them. For a Psych class with a focus on prejudices, I had an assignment to go to a department store and observe the items for sale. While in the girls' doll section, I noticed an overwhelming assortment of white dolls for sale and very little (5) dolls of minority groups. Again, if children are offered only a few nonwhite dolls to pick from in a sea of white dolls, it would seem to them that the white dolls are the most desirable. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 18:54:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment65589704 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64268652 As much as they might object, I think me should be more educated about women's menstrual cycles. My reasoning is that I see menstruation as a natural part of the life cycle. They may disagree by saying it doesn't affect them, but in reality it does- we are all on this earth because due in part to the menstrual cycle. Yes it is an unpleasant time of the month, but from a mature standpoint it is actually a intelligently designed phenomenon, without which we would not have life. Although I don't think men will ever understand it completely unless they experience it themselves, I don't think it would hurt to better educate them, if not just to make the subject more comfortable and less taboo. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:35:34 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64268652 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-world-is-full-of-surprises__trashed/#IDComment64267460 I enjoyed reading this article and I found it very interesting. I also agree with the other people who commented and said it is not hard to believe that this tribe was "lost" for so long- it is not so uncommon for us to learn about new people and hidden cultures, especially given the fact that we used to be a nomadic people. I come from a family with a Jewish mother and a Catholic father. Neither one of my parents has forced me to practice either religion, but my mother always insists that I recognize my Jewish heritage since I am Jewish by blood. For me, it's fascinating to know I have a shared heritage with these "lost" people! Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:23:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-world-is-full-of-surprises__trashed/#IDComment64267460 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment64261771 This article is very frustrating to me. I cannot believe that in today's progressive socitey, people, let alone young adults are being punished for their choice in their prom date's sex. Senior prom is supposed to be one of your best memories from high school. You are supposed to be able to let loose and have fun with your peers and the people you care about. If you choose to be "different" and take a nontraditional date, good for you. You should be able to enjoy it. In the scheme of things, is it really that big of a deal?? We're talking about someone's affection and attraction toward another person, something none of us can control. Personally I think the girl in the slutty dress and the students drinking and doing drugs in the bathroom are a cause for much more concern. The school justified their actions by saying they didn't want the other students to feel uncomfortable. I know students at my prom who brought dates who were severe drug addicts or had been in jail- that makes me feel a little uncomfortable. But it was my senior prom and they had no effect on me- why should I have let it bother me? McMillen has just as much right as any other student to be at her senior prom- if other students don't feel comfortable, they can choose to ignore it since McMillen and her date of choice do not directly affect them, or they can choose not to attend. I greatly admire McMillen for standing up for herself and what she believes in. Like she said, "A bunch of kids at school are really going to hate me for this." She is acting incredibly brave in this situation, more so than many people twice her age. She will more than likely be ostracized and outcast by people who see this issue as "her fault," rather than the fault of the close minded school board. Knowing that she will gain this reputation and still standing by her choice of sexual orientation makes her an incredible advocate for her cause. I still do not completely understand people's strong aversion to homosexuality. I know many people cite the Bible and its "unnaturalness," but in the end, you cannot help who you are attracted to. I just have a hard time understanding why people would want to condemn others based on who they love. This issue reminds me of the civil rights movement in the 1960's and 70's. Unfortunately, I think it is going to take more incidences and people like McMillen to bring about a change. But, like the civil rights movement, I think a gay and lesbian movement will have a similar effect. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:52:28 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment64261771 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59832559 Now that it has been brought to my attention, I do find it odd that big TV networks like ABC and NBC don't include much racial diversity in their popular shows. From what I understand as well, a large portion of the viewership of shows like the Bachelor and the Bachelorette are younger than middle aged. This observation comes as a surprise as our current generation has grown up in a more diverse culture than our parents and we tend to be more open to diversity (not to say anything bad about our parents, just that they grew up in the midst of the civil rights movement). I'd like to know ABC's reasoning, is it that they don't think people would be interested in watching an interracial couple? As we saw in lecture one day, this generation seems to be a lot more open to this idea. Fri, 5 Mar 2010 03:44:00 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59832559 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59812629 This is a really interesting way to think about the progress we've made as a country regarding race relations. I would summarize the former slave owner's reaction into two categories-I think he would either come to understand his past wrongdoings or would stick to his opinions and convince himself that our modern society has gone astray. Either way, he'd sure as hell be surprised. If he were to turn on MTV, he would see African Americans musicians topping the music charts and beating out white musicians for music awards. If he were to turn on ESPN, he would see professional black athletes dominating, excelling at, and setting new records for a number of sports. If he were to even flip through any news channels, he would be shocked to find out that US citizens voted a president who is half black into office. Seeing all of this would surely confuse him and make him rethink many of his previously held beliefs. In this process, he would come to a conclusion- either he was wrong or we are wrong. Hopefully this conclusion would be the former. By seeing how the talents of black people come to view when they are respected and given the chance to succeed, he could come to understand how they are not unlike himself. They are human beings who have the same potential as him, only in the past their potential has been hindered. He would see how African Americans can coexist with not just whites, but every other race, relatively peacefully. Obviously prejudice and discrimination are not completely ousted from our society, but he would see the great amount of progress we have made since his time. In addition he could become part of our accepting society, identify with our new ideals and beliefs, and help us further our progress. However, in seeing the prominent roles that African Americans play in our society today, he could have a more negative reaction. If he were adamant about slavery, which many slave owners were, he might blame us, the people of today's society for allowing this to happen. If he were to stick to his beliefs about blacks being inferior human beings, he would think our country's people had lost touch with our roots and forgotten the justification for slavery. He would most likely not be accepting to living in a society that is grounded on fairness that, unlike in his time, makes efforts to make sure it is carried out. Unfortunately there are people who actually live among us who still hold strong to this outdated belief. I think another interesting thing to think about would be a former slave owner’s reaction to Barack Obama as president… Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:27:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59812629 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59780519 I disagree with this student's idea that theme parties are intentionally poking fun of black people. As a senior who has enjoyed a full four years of Penn State partying, I have never once been to a party like the one she described. I've been to Jersey Shore, anything but clothes, stop light, white trash, "what the f*** are you wearing?, CEOs and corporate hoes, hoedown, and holiday themed parties (to name a few), but never one I would consider even close to fitting her description. Even though some of these themes could be taken offensively if people were to take them literally, I doubt it is their intention. Honestly, we go to Penn State- a vast majority of us are just looking to party in a "creative" way. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 19:48:08 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59780519 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58908400 I think in addition to providing better education and teaching respect for Native Americans, our country as a whole needs to work on changing the way we portray them as a people. We do not have baseball teams and high school mascots named after different factions of any other race, so why Native Americans? Plastering cartoon images of once well respected Native American tribes all over sports paraphernalia teaches our society that they do not need to be taken seriously. By continuing to use these images that represent the little we know about Native Americans, we are adding to our country's ignorance and disrespect of the entire race. Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:49:23 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58908400 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/when-do-we-do-or-say-something__trashed/#IDComment58907014 I don't necessarily disagree with the student who said it's not his place to say something, but I also don't completely agree with him. I can see both sides of the argument- I go back and forth between labeling myself as an introvert and an extrovert. I have very strong opinions but depending on the circumstances I sometimes am not comfortable expressing them. I doubt the student who raised this question thinks the Muslim actors should actually have been treated the way they were. I think in reality he wouldn't feel comfortable raising a conflict with people he did not know, about people he did not know. I don't think he is a bad person for this, just someone who is passive. However, I think that if we really want to move forward regarding race relations, we need these more introverted personalities to step up and say anything, if not just to prove that they disagree with stereotypes but to also be another voice against them. Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:33:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/when-do-we-do-or-say-something__trashed/#IDComment58907014 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/who-could-compete-with-this-woman-on-a-level-playing-field__trashed/#IDComment58900379 I greatly admire Yvrose- her work ethic, determination, skills, and intelligence are incredibly developed considering the environmental context she lives in. Honestly, if we were to compete on a level playing field I believe she would prove to have more real world and applicable knowledge than me, a senior looking to graduate with honors from a prestigious college. Like me, she shows a great propensity for learning. But unlike me, she is under a much greater and different kind of pressure. If I don’t learn certain material adequately, I fail an exam. Although it’s a situation no one wants to be in, it can easily be fixed by studying harder for the next exam and getting a better grade. However if Yvrose doesn’t learn her material adequately, she might not have enough money to eat for a week or two. I believe it is the presence of this pressure that compels Yrvose to work hard. Obviously in the world we live in today, level playing fields do not exist. Ideally we would all be compelled by comparable pressures and we could have a better idea of people’s real and relative potentials. If our lives depended on how successful we were in our jobs like Yvrose’s does, I think we would all work a little harder. That being said, I am not ashamed of where I stand in society. I recognize the misfortunes of Yvrose’s situation and would help her in any way possible if I could. I also see it as my responsibility to take advantage of the opportunities I’ve been handed. It would be a shame for me to let go so many chances that could advance my personal life and my career. I understand that I’m incredibly lucky to have been born where I was and to the family I live with, but I’m not going to feel ashamed about it or sell myself short. I’ve worked hard for everything in my life, obviously in a different way than Yvrose, but still hard. We are in completely different environments and cannot be compared equally, but relative to both of our situations we both work hard and do well. I’ve attended a private high school and an esteemed university, I spent a semester abroad in Europe, and I’ve gone on international vacations. But I’m not one of those individuals who takes their economic situation for granted- from each experience, I’ve learned and taken away a lot. I think this is a better measure to be used when comparing Yvrose and I- how much we indulge in and take away from our experiences. So I propose that, instead of condemning those who are in a high standing, do so to those who are so and still do not take advantage to the endless opportunities provided to them. Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:23:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/who-could-compete-with-this-woman-on-a-level-playing-field__trashed/#IDComment58900379 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57683717 I don't know who I think would be better parents, lesbian or gay couples. We know that women tend to be the more nurturing of the sexes, but that is when you're comparing a woman to a man. Plus, I've seen just as many "bad" moms as I've seen "bad" dads. I think both types of couples would be generally equally good parents. As long as they are inherently good people and have their children's best interests at heart, it should not matter. For the same reason I want to add I don't think straight couples are any better off at parenting than gay couples. Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:29:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57683717 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-five__trashed/#IDComment57682946 I have the same question after Tuesday's class. Like Sam said, who are we to tell someone who they can and cannot love? As much as some of us wish we could, we cannot help who we love. Love is a beautiful emotion and if you are lucky enough to have a happy, healthy, loving relationship, why should anyone condemn you? I understand that people condemn gay marriage because of the way they interpret the Bible. But that's what it comes down to- interpreting. People have different opinions of every passage in the Bible and no one is in the position to say who is right or wrong. But in the end, would God want us discriminating against people whose only crime they've committed is loving someone they can't help loving? Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:22:20 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-five__trashed/#IDComment57682946