en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/763034 Comments by kazcov16 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/creating-terrorists__trashed/#IDComment68610365 The case of the woman in Russia seems more like an outcry of extreme pain and mourning for her lost husband. Sometime vigilantes are supported and glorified, Batman anybody? But these unrealistic portraits make only for good movies, where in real life, real people use rudimentary and barbaric means of making their voice heard. The problem is that many of these voices are saying different things. I am naïve in believing in world peace, and feel hopeless in its coming in my lifetime, and then I feel guilty that I do not believe in the cause which would leave me feeling satisfied in this world. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:02:48 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/creating-terrorists__trashed/#IDComment68610365 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/creating-terrorists__trashed/#IDComment68610308 So our violent past as a country is being challenged by independent radicals who are interpreting and carrying out what they feel is the solution to the problem. It is so sad, yet easy for me to say, that people want to hurt others and I do not have the answers for why they do. It is easy for me to say this because I have lived a generally sheltered life, free of violence. Although, there are so many who have suffered at the hands of those with greater wealth and power, at no fault of their own. I can only imagine the anger and resent which festers in the individuals which have been oppressed. This is not a justification for the actions of terrorists but an attempt to make sense of their choices. I believe that is a crucial element in the gap in global conflicts. It is easy to react, usually irrationally, to the choices of one radical individual. When one commits a wrong onto you, an immediate reaction is far from wise. Sometimes we must look deeper to why the perpetrator chose to carry out this plan. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:02:21 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/creating-terrorists__trashed/#IDComment68610308 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/creating-terrorists__trashed/#IDComment68610249 There is a wealth of misunderstanding in our global conflicts. Unfortunately, many of us do not know what we are “fighting” for. Like many of the other students who have commented, I rarely have thought about these conflicts from the “enemy’s” point of view. When I envision the enemy, I picture a Middle Eastern man, usually with a beard. It is terrible that I have created this stereotype in my head, because there are clearly many faces and peoples which commit terrorist acts. This video was very disturbing. It is so sad to see things like this happen in our world. I feel guilty and lucky to live in a country where I do not fear for my life or freedom on a daily basis. I feel that terrorists embody very passionate but distorted goals. I am not even sure what their goals are. I am unsure of why they hate western culture and influence so much but then again I do understand why. We sit in class and hear about all the wrongs our country and Europe have inflicted upon the world. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:01:52 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/creating-terrorists__trashed/#IDComment68610249 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment67030251 I was unsure whether I was bothered or indifferent to the response the female gamer from the UK had to the Japanese video game. On one hand I was annoyed that she would play the game, I thought she was a sicko for lack of better terms. Why would any emotionally healthy individual enjoy engaging in digital rape? These are the questions we are asking society. Pretty low. There are some pretty messed up people in this world. Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:04:28 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment67030251 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment67030092 For instance, all those crazy war games, why would you want to shoot and kill “the enemy” in a gruesome way, you would never kill someone in real life, this sick fantasy and the intensity of interest some gamers have confuses me and I would love to receive a rational response for why people choose to play these games. If you are really that interested, enlist in the army and you may have your chance in the line of fire. These graphic games offered in Japan allow people to carry out fantasies which are not socially acceptable. I do not understand why they choose to play. I would never want to play a game like this but I do agree with Sam, I could definitely see a few guys sitting around, drinking some beers and playing this game. It would be labeled a “joke” but none the less it is a display of pretty gross behavior. Who created this game? Where did they get the concept for a game like this? Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:04:02 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment67030092 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment67029924 I am not exactly sure how to react to this blog. My first reaction was one of shock. I am not an avid video gamer nor do I enjoy video games but I realize that they are very popular. My boyfriend loves video games, he plays “Call of Duty” an several sports games. These games begin to annoy me after he plays for hours and I have seen how it captivates him and his friends. Too many times I have gone to a friend’s house to find at least one of the boys in front of the television or the computer playing some kind of video game, but never ones like these. Even though I was initially shocked to hear about these featured games, I was not completely surprised. I know this may sound contradictory but people in this world have some pretty messed up fetishes which can be carried out in the anonymity of video games. I am no psychologist but have heard how rape and the idea of it gives the aggressor an obvious control over his or her victim, this type of power seems addictive to some. The video game world truly puzzles me, why engage in activities that most would never dream of. Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:03:27 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment67029924 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65658916 I believe that our daily experiences are so varied and rich in diversity of individuals that we cannot denote ourselves in a fixed stage. All in all, I am extremely thankful for my childhood experiences and interactions with different peoples and cultures. I can owe most of my gratitude to my mother who values travelling over many other things. I had seen much of the world before entering middle school. These travels across the globe gave me a first hand look at the variety of cultures which our world holds. We all think we are “right” and that we do things the “right way” when in reality it takes the conglomeration of all our practices to make the go round (corny and untrue metaphor). Fri, 2 Apr 2010 23:56:23 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65658916 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65658694 We took a vacation to the Bahamas together and I finally got my chance, I got my hair braided. For the rest of the trip Tina and I referred to each other as sisters because our hair matched. We were not ignorant to the fact of our physical differences but ironically far more mature at a young age to realize that these differences do not determine the love you feel for a friend. Like many others have stated, the innocence of childhood should show us that racial issues become far more volatile and hurtful as we enter adulthood. I wonder why this innocence ever leaves us. To talk about the stages Sam provided the class with…I find it problematic that they seem to ascend as if leaving racism behind must follow this type of path. Rather than look at these “feelings” as stages I believe they should be regarded as different frames of mind, and even more so that we cannot even generalize them into these broad categories. Why does the humanitarian stage seem to be the “highest” or least racist? Fri, 2 Apr 2010 23:55:57 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65658694 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65658557 I, like many others, am happy this question was asked. Although I grew up in a predominantly white community, my first friend (which became my best friend for very many years) was black. I was so young and although was aware of the obvious (that she was black and I was white) race never played any part in our relationship. I am so fortunate and grateful looking back on my relationship with my friend because I feel that it helped to cultivate me into a more accepting person subconsciously. When we were younger I acknowledged our differences but never linked it to racial attributes. Frankly, I was jealous that Tina (my friend) would get her hair braided; I always wanted my hair to look like hers. It would take her sister Rosemary 6 hours to braid her entire head and I would sit right next to her while we watched movies the whole day. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 23:55:31 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65658557 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64293100 This new experience was scary, overwhelming and foreign. Much like it may be for men. I cannot call their reactions ignorant, just lacking. I do not mind that my brother does not want to talk about periods and if he did I would be a little worried. If I am not feeling well and it happens to be mother nature’s doing I feel secure in sharing that without fear of persecution but do not feel it necessary to give too much information. I feel the same way about other natural processes. I do not generally tell people when I file my nails or complain about hunger, I just do something about it in my own time. So once again, I appreciate Sam’s viewpoint on the natural and unique process women go through. He spoke with a passion which I am sure opened the eyes of many college males. Although I still prefer to keep some things to myself. In response to the one video blog that a girl in our class left, “If guys had periods would tampons be free?”....I would predict that tampons would not be free. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 04:01:00 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64293100 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64293073 This may be completely fabricated, and I may be the only one experiencing these feelings, but none the less, this is my experience. I think that one reason for why menstruation has become a topic infrequently referenced is because as a whole, humanity has made several advancements in disconnecting themselves with nature. This is found in several aspects of our daily lives. Tampons. This is probably an element of the menstruation cycle which makes guys squirm. In theory, or I guess reality, I can understand why. There isn’t anything natural about sticking a condensed piece of cotton into one’s body. I genuinely admire Sam’s empathy for his wife’s natural processes and I try to empathize myself. I try to think or recognize how a man may form his beliefs or discomfort with speaking about periods. The closest I am able to come is when thinking about my first period. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 04:00:36 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64293073 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64293032 I found that Sam’s intro to lecture on Thursday left me feeling perplexed or perhaps torn is a better word. Since I am a woman, I experience this whole menstruation thing. It’s a pain in my ass, and since being blessed with nature’s gift, I have found it generally uncomfortable to speak about. I completely get where Sam is coming from, that this occurrence is natural and even more so, the process responsible for allowing our creation. Although something has happened through the passing of time, many natural processes have become socially taboo to speak about. And I say this with confidence because I experience discomfort when it comes up. If I am sitting on the couch with one of my guy friends and a tampax pearl commercial comes on, for a few milliseconds…things get real weird. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 04:00:10 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64293032 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63485304 I sometimes feel hopeless when dealing with these thorny issues, but I realize that apathy is a terrible conclusion to come to. Although I am one individual, collectively many of us are able to come together to better the world in the future. My white guilt is not something which consumes me but something I must take acknowledge Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:16:02 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63485304 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63485265 The entire notion of white guilt is very complex, too complex for me to tackle in my lifetime. It is a feeling which I live with and I am sure many white Americans live. I feel that white guilt still has a place in society today due to the extreme difference in quality of life between the United States and other world nations. The developing world suffers terrible hardships in terms of living conditions as well as individual rights; many of these rights have been suffocated due to the actions of the United States and more specifically, white people. Many third world nations are in the palm of the mostly white corporate, global market which runs of capital. This is why so many nations are forced into unhealthy labor practices Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:15:43 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63485265 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63485229 In response to the young woman’s on the flip camera I must first acknowledge what a great question she had. Many of the history books, if not all of them, I was exposed to were of white history. We learned about slavery but never necessarily reflected on it. I grew up in a predominantly white community so as a child I never really questioned these teachings. I ask this question to those who grew up in predominantly black communities, did you learn only about white history as well? And if so, what were your reactions to those teachings at the time? I feel that if I were black and exposed to history which left me absent and unrecognized, I would say something, or at least make it known that this type of history was one sided. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:15:21 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63485229 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63485196 I completely understand and empathize with the notion of white guilt. I, a young white girl, frequently find myself uncomfortable in race relations conversations especially when I am the minority. I fear saying the wrong thing, or offending others even if I feel my beliefs are not racist. This fear is an attachment to my white guilt, my knowing that in the past many of the wrongdoings upon other peoples have been done so by the white population. Although, I do not agree with this feeling that goes on within me, I did not harm any peoples of color, nor did my family. I am a first generation white American, my family comes from Scandinavia. So, this statement may not be entirely true, but at least in the Americas my family has never been a part of or witness to racism. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:15:04 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63485196 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment60078721 I am so sad to hear about what has gone on in California, and all over the world in terms of racism. I am such a sensitive person that frequently I cannot even stick around to hear the painful stories of others because they will infect my life with sadness and grief. Racism is an ugly monster which some cling onto, for what reasons, I do not know. All I may say in efforts to appease some is that unfortunately this world has always and will always wrestle with the notions of good and evil. There are some people in this world who are not good, they do not want to be and never will be, their oppressive nature is out of your and my control. We are only in control of ourselves, this is why I strive to live each day with the most positive outlook I can. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 18:18:05 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment60078721 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment60078642 If someone has something to say, say it to their face, and if you don't you are probably aware of your ignorance and the irrationality your statements hold. I feel at a loss, upset and hopeless when situations like this arise, because unfortunately it only takes one person’s ignorance to divide millions. I whole heartedly agree with Sam’s wife when in her book she claims that race relations must be dealt with person to person. It is only on the individual level that we can learn each other’s stories and struggles, and even make peace. I am fully aware of how difficult it is to do this, that one negative experience with someone of another race than your own and you may be back to justifying your reasons of dislike to those other than you. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 18:17:16 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment60078642 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment60078595 In a way I feel that we are de sensitized to the effects our words and actions have upon other people. A perfect example of ignorance was displayed in Sam' class this past Thursday with the website which allowed us to send in our responses without knowing one's identity. Within seconds, manipulated a situation which could have been genuinely productive to a circus. I must admit, the first few comments may have been comical, but enough is enough. Once ONE person said anything remotely racist, I felt divided. The class was visibly divided, blacks were upset as well as whites. And what made this division more unsettling to me was the fact that no one knew who was saying what. Everyone was able to sit in class and did not have to own up to their words. I feel like similar things are going on at the UC campuses. The perpetrators are hidden, anonymous and scared! Sat, 6 Mar 2010 18:16:48 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment60078595 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment60078542 This is terrible. I have been genuinely unaware of the racist actions which occur within our own country. I have always felt that the United States has been a country which has progressed the furthest in terms of establishing equality for all peoples, regardless of race or ethnicity. Although, one of the major differences between our generation and that of our parents is a level of compassion. Many of us have not had to experience the hardships which our parents and ancestors did. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 18:16:13 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment60078542