en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/765014 Comments by jtwomey https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/south-park-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment69989151 It is really difficult for me to empathize with the people who are threatening to kill people over this. I honestly can't think of a similar situation where a cartoon would want to make me kill someone. Maybe I am the weird one here. Who knows. But institutionalized theocracy has done some very odd things throughout history and it's really not even worth trying to justify the actions of extremist groups anymore. If southpark hasn't offended you at some point you haven't watched enough episodes. I think people need to grow some thicker skin... but maybe that's the easy thing to say here. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:54:52 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/south-park-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment69989151 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-health-care__trashed/#IDComment69987388 I think it depends on the situation. In my opinion, the most reasonable healthcare system would have “socialized” or “universal” (depending on what political party you are) for large scale, life threatening procedures while the day-to-day stuff should get covered by the private stuff. I think that would alleviate a lot of the downsides to either system done by themselves. I think this is exactly what should be done with illegals. I don't feel the need to burden the taxpayers with an illegal's nonemergency care, but are you really going to turn someone away and let them die because they can't afford the are? Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:48:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-health-care__trashed/#IDComment69987388 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment69985131 When someone close to you passes, it is painful. It hurts. You don't grieve because you “should” grieve or that its expected for you to grieve. You had a strong emotional connection with that person and you just realized that person is no longer alive, and thats a very strong emotionally disturbing feeling. You do not choose to feel it. You just do. If you need to take time off it's not a vacation out of respect its time you need for the sake of your psychological welfare. So, asking people to get upset over deaths in some other part of the globe is a nice ideal. It is nice to feel respect for other people. But it is also insincere. There is no one in Haiti or China I have a strong connection to. I can feel bad and donate money and time after these disasters but am I really that emotionally shaken? Honestly, not really. I think people that say that but do not know anyone there are really being insincere. I am not saying that I do not care. But, my life is going on with or without me. It's selfish for me to worry about my exams while people have recently died? Really? If I don't care about my exams I fail my classes and this entire college experience becomes pointless. I have a lot of pressure to do well and I do not have the luxury of being able to slack off so I can exaggerate how bad I feel about people dying hundreds of miles away. People die every day. Around 115 people die in car accidents everyday in the United States. In the time you have taken to do your race relations homework this week, a couple people have tragically lost their lives. Are you really immediately emotionally devastated? A resounding theme I have seen in this class, especially in comments on this blog, is how people should or should not “feel bad.” Can someone explain to me how “feeling bad” helps or solves any issue? I really started noticing it during the native american discussions. People were discussing why everyone in the United States should “feel bad” because they are staying on native american land. Conversely, some argued that their ancestors were not in the United States at the time the land was taken so they did not, in fact, need to “feel bad.” Is that situation tragic? Sure. Are there important issues here that should be resolved? Sure. IS there something we can do? Maybe. Does that thing need to involve “feeling bad?” Why? This has got to be some of the most misguided discussions I have ever seen in my life. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:42:05 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment69985131 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/creating-terrorists__trashed/#IDComment68452721 I think we could have avoided this situation a little bit. There has been a lot of anger towards the americans because iraqi's see specific tragic events like civilian tragedies and decided to retaliate. I saw a talk a while ago that had a good idea on how this war should have been handled. Unfortunatly I do not remember the name of the person who was speaking. He said that the war should have been multinational in a different sense, where the Americans do what the do best, destroy enemy combatants, and other people send a force specialized in rebuilding and counter insurgency takes over after. People wouldn't be able to take anger out on the second force due to animosity towards the first one. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:57:47 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/creating-terrorists__trashed/#IDComment68452721 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-occupied-territories__trashed/#IDComment68432145 I think the arabs have a fairly legitimate complaint in regards to this situation. If my understanding on this is correct, which it may not be since I have not taken a history class in a while, Israel was formed under shady conditions from the arabic perspective. After WWI the balfour declaration esentially created a state in the middle east for western zionists. I can see how animosity is created in situations like that. If the United Arab Emirates was just like “hey we're gonna go ahead and take Florida OK?” a lot of americans would be pretty pissed off. At that to the fact that it was formerly the Ottoman empire in WWI, which was on the losing side of the war. I am sure that contributed to a lot of anger too. So the end result was a whole bunch of wars with the West siding with Israel and the Islamic world siding with Palestine. While I am sympathetic to the cause of the palestinians, I am fairly certain this situation could have been handled more peacefully. Now, that Israel has been inhabited by the Jewish people for so long they are considered that natives of the country. So, I believe the palestinians should have their home land returned. However, they can not simply kick everyone out. The people in Israel are mostly native borns now, why would they leave? Some of the extremists are calling for straight up genocide. Obviously, people like this have been getting in the way of the peace process for decades. That is why I only see one solution to the issue. Compromising to a two state agreement would be peaceful and allow both the Jewish and Arab people to live in Israel. I think a big thing getting in the way are the extremists on both sides. Some of the westerners are unwilling to listen to any of the arabic people. Some of the middle easterns are unwilling accept the israelis on their land. Each side is polarizing each other. They become farther to the extreme as the see the other side doing the same, preventing a rational solution. Even when Egypt tried to reach a solution, it was ostracized in the Islamic world. That was viewed as a huge step towards peace, which it was considering Egypt's historical willingness to go to war with Israel throughout the mid 20th century, but there is a lot left to be done. Firstly, Islamic fundamentalism need to stop being institutionalized by middle eastern governments. Having religious leaders with legitmate power really destabilizes the region in my opinion. They have too much authority over people without any checks, leading to a lot of corruption. But, I do recognize this might not be feasible. Hopefully things get better. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:44:34 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-occupied-territories__trashed/#IDComment68432145 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66885139 Oh my, Japan. This is kind of messed up. But, to be honest, it is really not fair to vilify the Japanese for this. I doubt it is that huge of an thing there. The section of the video game store was a general porn game section, not specific to “rape games” or whatever you would like to call that genre. It also said the developer was shamed into pulling the last game with the subway station. Some of the comments here make it sound like this is a rampant disease spreading all over japan turning innocent children into horrible sexual predators or whatever. It is also not fair to solely blame japan for this kind of behavior. If you have ever been to a website like /b/ on 4chan, your faith I the rest of humanity will be just as washed away fairly quickly. I think a place like Japan has the unique position of being technologically advanced, economically successful internationally, but maybe a little lagged behind socially as far as gender relations. I think this possible for this to be able to be legal, commercially successful product. This issue raises two questions for me: Clearly some people have some fetishes that they are willing to spend their money on. At what point does something go from being acceptable to society (as far as something sexual can be) to being evil and deviant? Also, what role does a federal government have in regulating and censoring media, pornographic or not? As far as the sexual taboos, I can see both sides. I personally think it is wrong to make a porn centered around raping a girl on a subway train. But, clearly, some people do not. If that is their thing, who am I to tell them it can not be? Sexuality is not something that can be altered or successfully repressed. Maybe it could be helpful for them to explore whatever fantasies they have in some bizarre video game instead of letting it build up to the point where they are considering doing it for real. The “girls” in these games are temporary zeros and ones, not real people who could become psychologically scarred for life as a victim of sexual violence if one of these people let their deviancy (for lack of a better word) get out of their control. Are these games extremely distasteful? Yes. Are they hurting anyone? I do not think they are. As far as government censorship, I am always reluctant to recommend a type of media. Age restrictions are one thing, but outright banning something on the basis of subject matter? I do not like the precedent that sets up. These games are crass and obscene to the point of absurdity but there are legitimate pieces of art in literature and cinema that do deal with themes of sexual violence. If these games should be banned, Should those be too? How do we define those outside of these? Fri, 9 Apr 2010 22:15:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66885139 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/flip-the-script-for-a-moment__trashed/#IDComment64279883 Ethnocentrism is specific to culture or ethnicity but I do agree with the general principle. It is important to examine our own values and be honest and unbiased about our life and values. I grew up raised in a very conservative religion and accepted it without question until the church I belonged to had a couple controversies in which I was prompted to reexamine my values and my upbringing. I saw a lot of biases in myself, my peers, and my church leaders. This is maybe a controversial example but I think I am a better, more free person now that I have seen this. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 01:27:25 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/flip-the-script-for-a-moment__trashed/#IDComment64279883 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment64278537 I think in some ways white people's hands are tied because of this concept of white guilt. As mentioned over and over again in lecture, there is a societal norm that white people are reluctant to even mention race. So making an insult based on race from a white people is very very taboo, while a racial insult made by a black person is less controversial. I think this is an annoying social convention. I like Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle stand up but at some point it gets old. This is why we need to revise our core values. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 01:12:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment64278537 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/is-this-just-a-few-bad-apples__trashed/#IDComment64275766 It is really difficult to see why this bill has caused such a hugely impassioned and borderline violent response from the right. Increasing taxes is hardly unprecedented and in my lifetime has never evoked such a bombastic hyperbole of a response. People have been so absurd about exaggerating the impact of this. The entire country is not going to disintegrate because of this. Even if we are going to take the stance that state's rights constitutional are being violated, this is hardly the first time that a questionable policy has gone into place. While we are on the subject of the right, wing does anyone remember wire tapping? The country did not go absolutely crazy over this even though that seems to me a little more indicative of a suspiciously powerful government. Let us keep going with this. Who were those wonderful gentlemen who wanted to amend the Constitution to permanently ban gay marriage? That is somehow a federal issue but this is not? Abortion? Stem Cell research? Gosh, shouldn't these things “be left up to the states?” But we're not really here about health care, are we? We are holding signs threatening violence, yelling out racial slurs. We are not here to hold rational mature discussions on budgets or the economic impacts of tax rates. We are just inexplicably infuriated. “Fucking idiot liberals and their communist agenda” (Actual direct quote from an acquaintance of mine). So lets throw bricks into some windows and call it civic activism. So where is this magnificent magnitude of malice coming from? Could it be bitterness about the election? When Obama took office I saw a somewhat similar outcry of infuriated paranoia. Not to be too critical of conservatives; if one more liberal had told me they wanted to move to Canada in October 2004 I might have thrown up. So conservative politicians and media have been simultaneous trying to prevent Obama from doing anything and criticizing him for not doing anything ever since. This was a politically bad one to let past the goalie. Politics has become a competition. Or, perhaps, this is misguided McCarthyism. Ever since Hillary Clinton even thought about considering maybe running in the primaries for the 2008 election the right has started bringing back “socialist” as an insult. They haven't slowed down since. Why would they? Socialism sounds evil enough. Well, when socialism isn't throwing peasants into the gulags and threatening democracy across the world, it can also be found residing in many of our economic policies. If we are defining socialism as any slight deviation from pure laissez faire open market capitalism, we have all been dirty freedom-hating commies since the industrial age. Interstate highways? Department of Health? FDA? Labor unions? How can we even live with ourselves? Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:41:53 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/is-this-just-a-few-bad-apples__trashed/#IDComment64275766 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/1880__trashed/#IDComment58886456 You said bringing pollution was a bad thing. To an extent it is, but oil drilling and refining is and has been an integral part of our economy for a very long time. I do not think that is a valid reason to view this as a bad thing. If we stopped drilling for oil, we'd run out. If we ran out, our society would stop, in a very literal sense. So, we should just be glad this community can benefit from this so greatly. This will have a huge impact in a lot of people's lives for generations. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:05:42 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/1880__trashed/#IDComment58886456 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-three__trashed/#IDComment58883433 My first impression of your physical appearance? You dress well. I would guess you are somewhere in the middle class based on that. The style of dress would make me think you live in or near a city. You have an athletic build so I would guess you played a power-oriented sport like football, wrestling or track. I really don't see the thug or drug dealer look that you were talking about. I hope you don't honestly assume most white people would automatically think that about you just because you're a black male. The thug look is more doo-rag with extra baggy jeans and white t-shirt. Though, I feel like most people who actually dress like that are middle schoolers who listen to too much 50 cent, where I grew up anyways. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:37:05 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-three__trashed/#IDComment58883433 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58873633 Your reasoning for not taking the blame is that you have not been in the country long enough for you to have had a hand in these issues. Your family has not been in the country. Realistically, many people in this country haven't been here long enough either. I'm a white person, and even that means the blame usually falls on me for race related-wrong, I am only third generation on either side of my family. I have not been in the country long enough either to legitimately accept blame on any of these issues. There is no one alive today that has committed the atrocities and forced displacement and genocide from the 1800's. Even with people who did have ancestors here, it is unlikely that they had a direct hand in anything. Let us even consider someone who's distant ancestors did have a hand in it. Why should he or she accept blame for something they did not do? I do not feel responsible for the racist or homophobic ramblings of my grandpa, why should they feel responsible of relatives generations and generations ago? So who, today, should accept the blame? Who should “need to feel bad?” Just the people who personally killed or displaced or did something negative towards native americans? I do not think if we just sit and get really angry at whoever these people were a century ago that our societal issues will disappear. It is not important who today is to accept blame today. This issue is my issue. It is also your issue. It belongs to everyone who considers themselves an American. On the first day of lecture concerning Native Americans a lot of people, from varying ethnic background, asked why are they getting “blamed” for this. Since they had nothing to do with it other than that they live here. Well, as Sam noted, we live on land that was originally native american soil. So, if it matters that much who to “blame,” it is every landowner in the united states. But why does that matter? How does assigning blame help anyone anywhere? Blame is not going to advance us as a society. We need to look past such trivialities and look at the real issues here. We need to look at the success and failure of communities, differences in income, crime rates, suicide rates, education levels, and poverty. We need to figure out how to relieve some of these differences and help some of the people in these tragic stories without destroying their culture. These issues are self sustaining and will continue to ruin lives of innocent people if nothing is done to alleviate things. Blame does not enter into the equation. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:20:21 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58873633 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-six__trashed/#IDComment57708170 Lesbians are more accepted by society because society is still somewhat dominated by men. And, of course, men are more open to lesbian interactions than gays. This effect seems to translate from men to women. Women are always more open to trying lesbian things, even while they are straight, because they know it is appreciated by men. This effect, as far as I know, does not work in reverse. Women are not as turned on by gay men sexual interaction so it is not encouraged by men or women. That is why lesbians are more accepted by society in modern times. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:18:13 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-six__trashed/#IDComment57708170 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/another-reason-why-gay-marriage-matters__trashed/#IDComment57707493 Immigration is sticky enough of an issue without taking into account these issues. These are two separate issues that need to be resolved independently. It is a very unfortunate consequence that there is so much cultural inertia and stubbornness in our society that neither will get resolved in any timely fashion in the near future. There is so much resistance to both of these issues that it is likely many more cases like this will be suffered by unfortunate families. The first issue is immigration. People do not like the idea of new people coming into their country for a variety of reasons. I am reluctant to completely blame cultural ignorance fear and racism as the root of an issue but I do honestly feel that is a large factor. People see other people's culture in their their hometown and are excluded from it, and feel threatened. People seem to have a hardwired cultural phobia and these families are the ones paying the consequences. The other is gay lesbian and trans gender rights. Again peoples dislike of a type of person or lifestyle is effecting policy decisions and hugely and adversely effecting many people's lives. Religious objections to gay marriages are just results of institutionalized bigotry. People are uncomfortable with people different from them and they are now unnecessarily trying to prevent their happiness. And now, these people are having their lives destroyed. That lady is losing her lover but more importantly those children are losing their mother. Well, one of their mothers but still having two parents taking care of them is extremely important. There are unnecessary difficulties in all of their lives now. Peoples immaturity are costing people their wellbeing. People are being denied their right to happiness because of a bigoted system of immigration and gay rights. We are not allowed to discriminate based on color gender creed race or religion. Why is is not acceptable to be bigoted towards homosexuals? How can we stand here as a society and accept this as our status qwo? This is an embarrassment to our culture that is based on freedom. The same people who preach american values and wave the flags and support the troops are themselves destroying the lives of their countrymen. A fellow american is in love with a foreigner, and they have a family. So why can't they both stay in the country and live their lives and contribute to society here? Why do we want them to leave? Why do we want to destroy a family? Do we want those kids raised by a single parent? What is wrong with people? If people were truly american they would celebrate our country's cultural diversity and accept this family with open arms into our society. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:11:04 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/another-reason-why-gay-marriage-matters__trashed/#IDComment57707493 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57707227 Are there differences between gay and lesbian couples in the context of raising children? Yes, I think so. Male and female minds work slightly differently and these differences come out in childraising. However, I do not believe that this means that either should be held from raising a child. With all the overpopulation and available adoptions, disqualifying mature able parents from loving and raising an otherwise abandoned child seems absurd. We should let them both adopt children both for the sake of the couples and the sake of the children. It would be better for the entirety of society in my opinion. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:09:11 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57707227 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/all-that-is-solid-melts-into-air-including-our-words__trashed/#IDComment56547166 It is sad to see elements of someone's culture dissolving into extinction. However, we are living in an age of global interaction and easy international communication. We can mourn for the memories and a system of communication that has brought many people together. On the other hand, we can celebrate how it is becoming easier for even more people to meet and be brought together over growing international networks. Culture and Society is changing as it has always been, not crumbling around us. Brand new cultures and traditions are constantly being created but unfortunately others are fading into the past. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:21:35 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/all-that-is-solid-melts-into-air-including-our-words__trashed/#IDComment56547166 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-the-conversation-always-about-black-and-white-people__trashed/#IDComment56545272 I agree with her explanation. Throughout my life, race relations has been explained to me colored with imagery from the civil rights movement. My school always celebrated black history month with some assembly about black people overcoming oppression. My high school prided itself on racial diversity, yet it was almost all white and black people. Our hispanic and asian population was very low. Despite our mascot being the “Indians,” I still do not think I have ever personally met a Native American. I don't think two races really represent "diversity." So to me, when racial discussions come up, my mind defaults to black and white, because thats what my life experiences has lead me to. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:06:40 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-the-conversation-always-about-black-and-white-people__trashed/#IDComment56545272 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/animals-vs-humans-vs-welfare-cheats__trashed/#IDComment56542873 It is bizarre to me that someone with such a lack of sense could be popularly elected to far into a state government. Yes, comparing children on welfare to stray dogs will offend some people. Doesn't require some sort of political sense to be able to be elected at that level? I would be more upset if I lived in or anywhere near South Carolina. However, I do not, so this is whole situation is pretty amusing. Maybe this guy being the alternative can save the disgraced governor's political career. Hell, I'm sure there are some conspiracy theorists thinking he's taking a fall for him. But as funny as I think this is, it is still a little disturbing. These sorts of comments are ones that I would normally associate with my racist Grandpa or my friend's drunk uncle. He should know by now that the only acceptable outlet of these kinds of comments is on random youtube videos or 4chan or some other corner of the internet where social conventions and standards of society are inexplicably absent. Unfortunately for him he made this statement on very public record. On “The Daily Show,” John Stewart literally thanked him and the entire state of South Carolina in their continual dedication to providing him with material. While I don't like wishing people the end of their careers, this man has no place in public decision making. I do not believe this was just an unfortunate choice in metaphor. He was comparing poor people to some stray half starved cat nursing its litter under some random porch. How can this man genuinely have the entire public's interests in mind when he's concerned about the poor “breeding” too much? What ideals is he dedicating his career towards accomplishing? Exterminating the lower class? Starving low income children out of the school system? Maybe if they only give food to the high achieving children we can finally accomplish what No Child Left Behind set out to do. Maybe we'll just become Spartans and punt the weaker babies off the cliffs so they don't dilute our society with their inferiorities. I don't think the idea of putting restrictions welfare is preposterous. Actually, I like that idea. However, I do not think this is man has visions and ideals I can agree with. I hope the republican party puts up a little better effort in candidate selection in their next South Carolina election. If that State goes blue I think they should just disband the entire party. That would be more embarrassing than one hundred red Massachusettses changing their state animal to the elephant. Then they can secede from the union again out of shame instead of anger towards the north. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:47:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/animals-vs-humans-vs-welfare-cheats__trashed/#IDComment56542873 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/negros-of-the-world-unite__trashed/#IDComment55550027 I agree. I think the small statistic of people who associate with the term 'negro' would be able to figure it out if 'african american' or whatever was their option instead. As the end of the article stated, the census helps shapes the times. It would not be generally accepted if I used the term negro in normal conversation, I do not think it should be acceptable for them to use the term. Of course, the census could just also include spanish translations of the categories and bypass this issue entirely. That might be cheating, though. Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:41:47 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/negros-of-the-world-unite__trashed/#IDComment55550027 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/negros-of-the-world-unite__trashed/#IDComment55549452 Right. It is especially important in conversations such as affirmative action. Legislators need to be able to objectively see statistics concerning race versus income, education, test scores, etc. I do not think trying to ignore race and sweeping our differences under the rug will necessarily make our country better. Acceptance and avoidance are different things. We need to have this data in order to make a lot of decisions. In a heavily hispanic community, maybe printing things in spanish will really help people in their life. Even in less important things, these help. If you were advertising your company you would want to know what your audience demographic is in a specific area. Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:34:21 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/negros-of-the-world-unite__trashed/#IDComment55549452