en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/758849 Comments by marg33 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment69842259 I agree with you as well because I have witnessed so many people being racist at times, and I cant lie that I have been racist at times as well. I feel that when people are really racist it is so disrespectful. I also agree about the openess to admitting about being superior. I agree in some ways i am superior to some people but I dont go around acting like it or telling people I am. I feel that people have this inner feeling of being superior to people and never admitting to it. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:08:13 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment69842259 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/tent-cities-in-haiti__trashed/#IDComment69837453 I completely agree with this response. I feel that people in Haiti have been hit the hardest. I never knew how many people died or any of that. I agree that when anyone smiled or looked hopeful it really made me inspired that even though they have been through the worst times ever and going through this disaster. I also wish I could see someone in the US that would be happy to receive a tree I don’t think I would ever be able to witness that here. I wish that people would be able to be happy here with having the small things in life matter over the huge things like money being the most important powerful resource. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:31:12 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/tent-cities-in-haiti__trashed/#IDComment69837453 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69836340 There always are reasons for people to act in the way they did and reasons for certain actions that people do. There is always a reason behind something, and it usually does have to do with suffering especially when you commit a crime. The criminal is usually suffering from something. And everyday people suffer, I know that people don’t feel any compassion for criminals but in actuality there are people suffering every day and there are always ways to help out people that are suffering. This man talks about just doing anything for someone that may need things in life more than you do and being able to give that to people. I feel like there have been times in my life when I would put others before me. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:24:03 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69836340 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69836311 Even though all of these men were hard criminals that were doing serious times they still have emotions and feelings. I know it is a good reason to feel some type of sympathy for them, but he lost his little boy and there was nothing he could do. When people are young they go through immature stages in their life and I think for everyone there is a time in your life when you see something that changes your way of thinking or makes you grow up very fast. Or even seeing something that makes you understand the world you live in. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:23:57 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69836311 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69836257 When I began reading and knowing that this man didn’t graduate high school he wrote really well. That is besides the point of the letter that this man wrote. It was such an eye opener to me to read what this man was going through in prison. I was imagining the scene in my head and I could see the two men crying and even though they didn’t like each other they were still there for one another. That shows me that no matter what when I am in time of distress or when something horrible happens to me or my family I know there will be people that will always there. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:23:28 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69836257 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69836219 Every time I think about prisoners especially “lifers” I don’t ever feel sorry or any type of remorse for them. I feel that if they did the crime they need to serve their time, and whatever your crime is you have to pay for the consequences of what you did. As I read more into the story that this man was telling, I started to think more and more about people that are in prison. How it might change a person.Or what they might go through in prison and not being able to get in contact with their family. I really started thinking about everything that this guy was talking about. I just don’t understand that if these men that are in prison have a family and kids to take care of, why commit such a crime to put you in prison for life. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:23:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69836219 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-are-we-doing-here-really__trashed/#IDComment68312787 I feel that the reason there is race relations and this class is to open your eyes and your views on life. Many people aren’t familiar with diversity and coming to a campus that is so big and there are so many different groups that you can get involved with and help you expand your horizons on diversity really helps as well. I feel that many people don’t take advantage of all the different groups we have at Penn State and everyone just sticks with their own race most the time. I grew up in such a diverse suburban area that when I got to Penn State it was like a culture shock to me of seeing not much diversity. I feel that being able to have the race relations project is great, because you are able to sit in a room with people you have never met before and talk about things that everyone wants to talk about but never thinks its ok to discuss. So I feel that the end goal of having race relations and a class like this is to open up people eyes to what is really out there and how people should be able to experience this once in their life. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:16:59 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-are-we-doing-here-really__trashed/#IDComment68312787 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68311863 I am not a man and I can’t speak for men. I have a lot of guy friends, and I think that men do conform to what society wants them to be like. I feel this way because all guys try to fit in just as much as women do it is not just as talked about. I feel that men want to look like the models in the magazines, that’s why they have male models as well. I haven’t met a guy that didn’t care about how they looked they might not ask each other how they look. I have many guy friends and they always ask me how they look before they go out. I don’t think it is a big deal for men to want to look good when they go out, they shouldn’t just throw anything on and not care about what they look like. The only difference is women obsess about how they look and men don’t. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:07:51 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68311863 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68310405 The play that was performed in class was very good and it was put together really well. The actors were good, the script was great and it just touched on the points of the subject of women perfectly. I don’t look down upon getting plastic surgery if you need it. I feel that when you have extremely large breasts and they start to strain your back it is completely acceptable to get surgery to reduce the weight that is pulling your forward and hurt your back. About 8 years ago my mother got a breast reduction because she is a caterer and she is always standing up on her feet and she began to have such bad back problems that it was affecting her work. So she decided to get a breast reduction, and while she was getting this done, she decided to get some other things done as well. I don’t really think it is a big deal to get plastic surgery, but the reason the girl said she was going to get it done was unreasonable. She said she wanted to get the plastic surgery to fit in, so her boyfriend would like her more, things like that aren’t really reasons for your self. I feel another instance when plastic surgery is more acceptable is when you have a crooked nose, or a deviated septum which blocks your air way of breathing through your nose. I don’t think it is anyone else’s business for when people get any type of plastic surgery done. Even though people should be able to do whatever they want with their bodies, I feel that the media really puts these images into women’s heads. They put images into women’s heads that they should look a certain way. The media says women should have bigger boobs, long legs, flat stomachs, a perfect butt, and a waist that is smaller than a child’s. In reality a body like this is unrealistic and for all women to end up looking the same is not what makes anyone different. I know that I am arguing both sides, but I feel that plastic surgery isn’t a bad thing, but it is if abused and done for no reason. I think that what Heidi Montag did to her body is disgusting. She had 9 surgeries done in one day, which she didn’t even need. She completely distorted her body to not even look like herself. I think that in the play that was put on in class, the reason the one girl wanted surgery was for no reason but to fit in. When the other girl tried to get her to not do it and she was giving her legitimate reasons not to and she didn’t care and still wanted to do it. I just think that before women go in to get surgeries done, they should just think about what they are doing to their body and if they really want to do it. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 02:53:17 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68310405 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-if-we-got-rid-of-welfare__trashed/#IDComment66686926 I think if we got rid of welfare things would be more chaos then it is now. I feel that people do take advantage of being on welfare though. I think people should only have to go to on welfare when they really need it, not because they are “lazy.” I don’t really think it’s a legitimate way to get food and everything else. I feel like people use welfare as an excuse, not a way to provide for their family if they cant receive a job do to whatever the bad circumstances are. I just feel like people in the United States can work around being on welfare. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 00:35:35 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-if-we-got-rid-of-welfare__trashed/#IDComment66686926 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66682479 This is a very good question and from the beginning of class Sam’s intention was never to change anyone’s opinion, it was to get us to think about things that you usually never think about. I don’t really think my opinion has changed but I have definitely started thinking more about things that Sam brings up. I feel that Sam is a professor that I never had in college and he doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks and just says things that people think about all the time. When Sam brought up the talk about bleeding and women getting their periods you never actually sit down and talk to your guy friends about your periods its not a topic of conversation, but in reality guys started to react to it in different ways. I brought it up in front of some of my guy friends and they told me that they don’t really care that much about it. That women should be able to talk about whatever they want whenever they want just like men are able to. Everything Sam talks about in class are things that people always want to talk about but never want to be the person to bring it up. I feel like class has been very redundant and it goes in a circle over and over again. I don’t think peoples opinions are changing because it is very hard to change someone’s point of view about things but people can certainly think about it more. I think race relations is a really good topic and doing the race relations project is worthwhile because you never really get to talk about certain things with complete strangers. I think every student at Penn State should have to attend a race relations project at least once before they graduate. I feel that it is very important for students to understand and be able to discuss things that people always think about but never really say. I thought it is very interesting to learn about other people’s views and opinions on things that are brought up everyday. I also feel that if your from an area that is not diverse and you want to be able to learn more and expand your knowledge about race relations that you should definitely take a course like this. I think it was such an eye opener for me, and I really enjoyed talking to other people about their views on real life experiences with race relations. I think having a professor like Sam really helped me think about things I never thought about before. I went to a very diverse high school and even still I learned about things I never ever thought about before. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 00:08:17 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66682479 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65428106 Coming from a town that is so diverse, I have so many friends that are multiracial. Everyone in my high school is all different races and you would never know what race they were. I feel bad for this boy because he doesn’t know how he should be categorized in society. I am from a diverse family, my father is Italian and my mother is Russian and Polish. I am white, but the diversity in my family is that I am half Jewish and half Catholic. I feel like growing up in a family having parents with different religions were a really good upbringing and it really made me who I am today. I feel that I am very multicultural and it really helped me find out who I am, and I feel that growing up in such a diverse community and going to a diverse high school really helped me. I honestly feel that race doesn’t make a person who they are, it is just the color of your skin. I also feel that there are many stereotypes that people give races, and that is why people act different being different races. I feel that when people have all of these stereotypes they conform to what society thinks of those races. I wish that people would just be able to realize where to fit in the society. I understand where this guy is coming from though because he is really confused of where he fits in to society. It is not a good feeling to not understand where you come from or even understand where you belong in society. To look at peoples skin color and to assume they are something when they are something else is pretty messed up. In the beginning of the semester Sam talked about how you cant tell someone’s race by just looking at them and when you do your usually wrong. I thought when Sam brought about 13 kids up and put them near each other and asked the guy with the 4.0 GPA to put the kids in relation to their skin color from lightest to darkest. When we found out what races they were it was a complete shock. I was sitting there not even understanding how off people could be from guessing someone’s race. The other night I was out and a girl came up to me and asked me if I was Arab. I am Italian, Russian and Polish not even close to being arab at all. I have dark hair, dark eyes and tan skin. I never thought I looked Arab but this girl and her friends did. I was in complete shock though because I really didn’t get that people would actually go up to you and ask you if you were a certain race. For this boy I think that he shouldn’t really care about really fitting into society but more about finding himself and where to fit into society. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 03:55:38 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65428106 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment65061287 I don’t really know statistics and never have. I haven’t ever really thought about it until I read this article and realized wow in the next two years white people will be the minority. To me it really isn’t a big deal, but for others I am sure it will cause controversy. In my eyes I probably won’t see a change in anything because of the town I live in. It is already very diverse in itself and I have never had any problems. But in the world people are going to notice the change and not be happy with it. People today are mixed with all different things. Like Sam said in class you can’t ever tell what someone’s nationality is just by looking at them, you never could. People are going to have a lot more of interracial blood in them. People come to the United States all the time to live here and raise a family, no matter what there is going to be mixing of races anywhere you go. Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:11:35 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment65061287 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64064331 I agree with him. I think Sam doesn’t really talk about Asian/Asian Americans a lot in class. He usually only talks about black/brown people and white people. Personally, I can’t point out the differences, I never know who is actually Asian or Asian American. I don’t want to sound racist or anything, but I feel like there aren’t that many ways to figure it out. I feel like there aren’t really many differences in Europeans actually from Europe or White American people. I don’t know how people can make that differentiation between the two. I know this might sound a little insensitive but they all kind of look the same, so how can you actually distinguish the two. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:04:31 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64064331 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64063357 Guys will always think when girls are in a “bad mood” or being a “bitch” we MUST have our periods. I just don’t understand why men always think it’s ok to call us bitches when we have our period. It doesn’t make much sense. I feel that if people talked about it more freely and just discussed things like this it wouldn’t be a big deal. Men can talk about whatever they want in front of girls and we might think it’s a little gross, but we listen and we will talk about it, its nature it happens. Men just have to realize that and get over it. I guess periods are a very strange conversation topic, but if more people started discussing it maybe it wouldn’t be looked at by a “strange” topic. I have to agree with Laurie when she talks about all the pain we go through, that men really don’t understand. I think the pain when I get my period is like the worst pain I get and I know that’s a fact for many other women. I just think men should try to understand what women have to go through. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:56:53 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64063357 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64063316 I feel the way Sam was talking about periods was a little more in depth that anyone ever really talks about or hears about. I don’t think finding blood on a toilet seat is “art” I feel that people should understand what women have to go through, but to actually see blood from someone else in a place that blood shouldn’t be is a little gross. I know that Sam just wanted people to think about this and really understand what women have to go through. I don’t really understand why conversations about periods are hard to have with people. I know it’s not a normal conversation for people to have on a day to day basis but when a girl says I have my period and a guy hears her he gets all weird and freaked out. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:56:38 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64063316 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64063303 I don’t really understand why men are so appalled by the fact that women get their periods. I mean it is kind of gross what has to happen for a women to get their period, but I feel that it really isn’t that big of a deal. I actually have had this conversation with some of my friends before, and there were guys present for this conversation. Some of my guy friends were really disgusted by this conversation, but one of my guy friends is from a family of all women and he understands what women have to go through. He has been one of my best guy friends since middle school, and he used to not understand the whole “period” thing, but I guess since he is mature he understands it now. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:56:28 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64063303 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment62824739 I feel that no matter what there will be people all over this world that act like ignorant, arrogant people and it is not right. I cant believe that it was alright for this group of kids to have a cookout like that. I don’t understand the point to it. I guess I will never understand why people will go out of their way to make fun of people for their race, how they look, sexual orientation, like seriously who cares. People just worry about themselves and how they come off to people because that’s the only real thing that matters. You shouldn’t sit there making acquisitions about people and having this cookout is one way of being that way. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:41:36 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/this-is-getting-to-be-too-much__trashed/#IDComment62824739 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment62824024 Reading this article made me sick to my stomach. I don’t understand what is happening all over the place. I don’t really understand why people care if someone wears a scarf to work especially a scarf that is a part of a religion. I don’t understand this, because they must have interviewed her to hire her and I feel like if the scarf is a part of her culture, then she was probably wearing it during the interview as well. I feel that this is a shady story and there are facts that are not included because it really doesn’t make any sense. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:35:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment62824024 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62822457 When you attend the local pool in my town you will be shocked to see how many same sex partners there are with children and no one says anything it is not like they are not allowed into the pool. I just really don’t understand how people can still be so ignorant and judgmental in the world we live in today. My views on the people in this town that are making this decision are not very educated to what is going on in our society. I feel with this decision that was made, will hurt more people in the town not just the kids from the high school. The kids in her high school are now going to be even meaner than they were originally, which is going to make her life even worse. I am just disgusted by this decision and I don’t understand. I know I may sound a little redundant but it just doesn’t make sense to me that people are still like this in our country. It is disgusting to this to high school kids, I have a feeling that the high school kids wouldn’t really care if she brought her girlfriend. I feel like it’s always about the adults in a town and they are the ones that actually care and think it’s offensive. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:22:39 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62822457