en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/761516 Comments by klm5255 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69482565 One thing I was surprised about though is that he did not mention what he thinks about the person he killed and how the members of their family feel. He said that they feel compassion and sympathy for each other, even though they have all done something to kill someone else and make someone else’s family feel this exact way: powerless. I was interested in hearing how he deals with what he made somebody else go through, because they all seem to be so sympathetic to each other when the situation occurs. It was just very surprising to me to hear that all of these, what I thought to be barbaric men, come together to comfort one another. I always thought of murderers as people who can not fit in with a community or group of people, whether that be in jail or not. Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:30:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69482565 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69482554 They make them out to be serial killers who are just on a rampage against whoever it is they are killing, whether it be women of a certain look or whatever. It was interesting to read this letter and to hear what a murderer, contrasting to my belief, actually sounded like. You just never believe that people in jail have any feelings at all other than rage and anger, let alone compassion. If I heard that somebody’s’ son had died in jail, I would not think that somebody who hated him would comfort him; I would think that he would make him feel worse, maybe by making jokes about it. It is hard to believe that people like that have real feelings and it almost makes you feel really bad for them, knowing how hard the feelings are that they probably have to live with every day of their lives. Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:30:43 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69482554 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69482529 This letter was one that I found very touching and also surprising. First of all, I have never known anyone that was in jail other than for drunken fights for no more than a weekend. But from what my perception was of people who went to jail for murder charges, I always had some preconceived notion that they are either cold blooded murderers or sick people who just find some sick, diluted joy in murdering people. Always when I think of people in jail for murder, I have a tendency to forget about the people who accidentally killed someone in a fight or something like that, which is still bad, but it does not mean that they are just sociopaths who have taking a liking to killing people. The media does not help in playing a role in what people think about murderers. In movies, shows, and even documentaries, they show murderers as people who are absolutely crazy. Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:30:31 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69482529 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment67310139 I think Sam’s class is probably the class where I have learned the most information simply by just listening and not scribbling down notes just to pass the test. Also, the class is so interactive, it is easy to pay attention and although the topics may seem like common sense, it makes it easier to get involved and really hold an opinion over the topic. I have really learned from the way that Sam does not hold back at all. He is not worried about being politically correct and addresses the stereotypes the way people think of them but seem a little bit too afraid to say, so I think the class has really taught me a lot. I don’t necessarily think I can sit here and list of things that have changed an opinion for me or what has made a difference because I think a lot of what goes on in Sam’s class is of value and use in the real world. Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:26:52 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment67310139 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment67310102 After the people actually said where they were from, it was amazing to me how wrong the student was who grouped them and I think it really taught me that you cannot just look at somebody and think you know really anything at all about them. Just because we think people might look the same does not mean that we are in any way correct, I’ve found. It just makes me think harder now when I see someone who does not look just like me. It has also opened my eyes up to a bunch of different cultures and different ways of thinking. Not only Sam’s class alone, but more the discussion group I have found very useful and I feel like that has taught me a lot. Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:26:36 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment67310102 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment67310075 I think this is a question that a lot of people in the class have actually thought about and it is one that we talked about in our discussion group. This class is one that was really an eye opener for me. I think a lot of what we talk about during class is stuff that we, as students, do already know, but maybe things that we haven’t thought that hard about before. I don’t really think that anything in the class has necessarily changed an opinion that I have had, because I think that I went into the class pretty open minded however, it really has opened my eyes to things that I never even really thought about before. For instance, something that really was interesting to me and made me look harder at others was one of the first days of class when Sam lined a bunch of people up in the front of the room and took a smart student from the class and asked him to group the people into who he thought were most alike. Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:26:25 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment67310075 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66428289 Although it hasn’t been proved that violent videogames is causing violent behavior, it has been shown that there is a strong correlation between the two. If violent videogames is causing children to believe violence is okay, can you imagine what it make the children believe who play the games where they can be violent with women, objectify them, rape those in power over them and grope them and lift their skirts? It seems like it would just brainwash the minds of young kids so that there is no hope in the future for a society that is gender equal and not so male dominated. It just seems like we can never make progress in social issues such as these when there are games like this promoting the issue. Wed, 7 Apr 2010 17:45:28 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66428289 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66428269 It just shows men going to seek revenge over women in power so that men may exhibit their power over women. Secondly, this game seems like one that would only be used by rapists and sick perverts so that they can stimulate their distorted thoughts and behaviors. Now, I know that there are shooting games and problems with violence videogames which is also a problem, however I think that this is just taking it to a whole new level. At least those violent games can be played by boys and girls. I know girls could play this game as well, but I mean come on, what kind of girl would want to rape another girl? It’s sick. Also, I feel that the violence in the videogames is still a problem that we have not quite figured out yet. Wed, 7 Apr 2010 17:45:16 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66428269 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66428223 I think these games are completely and utterly sick. First off, if what goes in on the game cannot be shown on the report, than there has got to be something seriously wrong with it. I think that the only people who actually want to play this game have got to be sick and perverted people. I cannot believe there is a game that promotes stalking, rape and harming women who fire them. There is so much that is wrong with that that it is hard to figure out what to say first. They are allowed to grope, stalk and rape women, yet they are not allowed to show genatalia. That just seems ridiculous to me, like why choose to draw the line there? It is almost laughable to me. Now, I am not some extreme feminist, or really a feminist at all, but I do believe that society needs to draw the line somewhere. Although we are a male dominated society, it is not okay to objectify women as a form of entertainment. First off, the concept of the game that you can go rape women who fired you is ridiculous. If that does not exhibit the idea of male domination in our society than I don’t know what does. Wed, 7 Apr 2010 17:45:03 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66428223 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64690707 It was very interesting as well to hear that the reason for this is because a lot of these kids feel detached from their culture. The one girl said that she knows she is from Africa, but she knows that Africa has so many different cultures and she does not know which one she is supposed to celebrate. She does not really feel any connection to them. These children seem to just go along with the ideas that are being projected in society that white people are good and black people are bad, and they said even though they know they are not right, these ideas are being thrown at them and they have to just run with it because they do not know where they came from. They do not have any other messages telling them how to behave or how to celebrate their African culture. They only know what they see in our society. Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:59:09 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64690707 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64690662 These little kids want to associated themselves with the white doll and even know they know they look like the black one, they still associate that doll with bad things. It makes me wonder how they view themselves then when they are around white children, or even how they view other black children around them. It seems as though the majority of people hang (from where I am from) hang out with people who pretty much look the same as them. Even on campus it seems as though people from the same culture are around each other, so I am curious as to why the black children want to play with the white doll, but in real life, you do not see black children wanting to only play with the white children. Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:58:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64690662 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64690650 I thought that this video was very interesting. Before watching the clip, I originally thought that children would just choose the doll that looks most like them. As a kid, I know that I would have chose to play with the white doll but I always thought that was because it looks most like me, so that is what I relate to. I never once thought that black kids would also choose to play with the white doll. I thought it was very fascinating that 15/21 of these children who were in the experiment not only chose the white doll to play with, but they also associated the black doll as being bad. It is weird to think that children so young have ideas like that already. It was very interesting to see the little girl who chose to play with the white doll, said that the black one was bad, and then when asked to choose which one looked like her, she seemed a little hesitant to choose the black one. Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:58:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64690650 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63520808 I feel this is why white people seem to sit back on race conversations because t hey may say something that gives them the title of being the racist one. It seems contradictory and hypocritical to me however, for someone to put a label on a white person as rude or racist for stating an opinion when that is solely what our society is trying to get rid of. The race discussions are set up to achieve an understanding with one another and get a gist for what other people’s experiences are and by only allowing certain people to say some things and not others is not helping in moving us further towards a more just and equal society. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:45:13 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63520808 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63520690 I think that a prime example of this is in Laurie’s book when she told the story about how Sam was viewed as the racist white man. There was no other mention of people of other races making a comment and being viewed at the racist black man or the racist Chinese man. People only seem to think that white people could make such a rude comment because they believe that white people believe themselves to be superior or the dominant race or something. All in all, I do not really understand it to be honest. I do not understand how one person could say something and then when it comes out of the mouth of someone of another race, it is completely offensive, rude and ignorant. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:45:03 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63520690 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63520656 I think that this is a very interesting topic and one that I do not really know a whole lot about. I have felt in the past that people of other races are able to say things without feeling nervous, rude or ignorant, but if white people say it, it seems to be such a problem. I also feel like this problem goes a little bit into the white guilt topic. It seems as though white people know that there is history that they may have a reason to be guilty about, however, not a lot of white people seem to know their direct link to that history. They do not know if their ancestors were involved in holding slaves, or maybe even freeing them. They just seem to know that something bad went down and they need to feel bad about it. This whole idea also relates back to the discussion on how in race discussions, white people sort of sit out and sit back and just listen to what other people have to say until they realize what will be acceptable to say and what not to say. I do think that some things are viewed as rude when white people say things rather than people of color. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:44:42 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63520656 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62247589 I honestly cannot believe that there are not laws set up against this kind of discrimination. This is a perfect opportunity for this school to really open up young kids’ eyes and make an impression on them and let them know that it is okay to be homosexual. This is a whole new generation coming up that could really make a difference in our culture and this school is stopping that from being possible. This seems like it is a huge opportunity for them and they are choosing to be ignorant instead of doing what is right. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:30:50 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62247589 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62247571 That seems pretty hypocritical if you ask me. It is sad to think that schools are teaching a young girl like this that it is not okay to behave in the way that she is. They are shaping kids’ minds to believe that homosexuality is not right and that girls should wear dresses and boys wear tuxedos. I think it is very extreme to go as far as cancelling their prom. I mean really, is it that big of a deal? I think that it is also sad that that they are so openly blaming her for the cancellation of prom. I would think that in a high school environment, she will be brutally criticized, bullied and maybe even in danger of violence due to her being the main reason that they cannot have their prom. I do not know why it is such a big deal that others might feel uncomfortable when the school is so openly ostracizing her. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:30:44 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62247571 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62247541 Wow. I think that this story and article are utterly ridiculous. It is insane to me to think that we have not come this far as a culture to allow somebody to take another girl to their prom with them. It is one thing for fellow students that are immature and stupid to make fun of them but the adults that are agreeing to this just seem completely out of line. So what is the girl wants to wear a tuxedo? I do not understand how that in any way affects anybody else. If she does not want to wear a dress, why should she have to? I do not see how it matters if the situation makes other people feel uncomfortable. I am sure that it makes this girl feel uncomfortable to wear a dress and yet, nobody is fighting on her behalf. Up to this point, I have believed that as a culture we have been coming a long way with homosexuality. It is all over some of the most major shows on television now. It is hard to believe that some people are still so ignorant that they are unable to accept other people’s differences, especially when these schools tend to teach that others differences should be embraced. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:30:33 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62247541 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59430101 All in all, it is sort of poking fun at a certain group of people. I think that the Jersey Shore parties are more socially accepted because there are not a lot of people who seem to really act like the Jersey Shore cast does around the campus, but when there is a party that is poking fun at black people, there is a large group of black people who are going to be offended by it. By dressing “ghetto” I do not think that white people are saying that that is how they think all black people are, just like by dressing like people from jersey shore they are not saying that all people who are Italian or from New Jersey act that way. I think it is important to realize that it is all in good fun. Tue, 2 Mar 2010 22:41:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59430101 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59430062 In fact, most of them required girls to dress up slutty and had some connotation to women being hoes. Although themed parties may be aimed at stereotypes, I do not believe that is should be taken in an offensive way. I think these parties give people a chance to dress up and act as if something they are not. Themed parties seem to be something a lot of college kids do. It was not something I experienced in high school and I am sure I won’t after college. I think that this is time where it is about having fun and if students want to have a Halloween every weekend, they are able to do that. I do not think that this Compton Cookout party should be treated that much differently than Jersey Shore parties. Tue, 2 Mar 2010 22:41:44 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59430062