en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/759885 Comments by mattmcgloin https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment70090152 i agree that everyone has some form of racism in them but i think we as the united states should be. after all we are the most powerful and richest country in the world. but i think by being in this position we need to reach out to the countries we are better than to lend a hand when they are i need. it is not our fault that we are better than those people it is just the way it happened but i believe that it does not have to be like that because we can help them out and show them the way and try to give them a better life. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 04:05:14 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/how-am-i-not-a-racist__trashed/#IDComment70090152 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment70088775 i agree with what you are saying. this is definitely a terrible situation but i am not going to cry over it. it really does not affect me so i need to continue going about my day. if it were someone in my family then yes obviously i would be upset and stop things for a while but this is like me seeing someone in the paper die that i have no idea who they are and just shutting the rest of my day down because they died? i truly am sorry that this has happened but it does not bother me because it does not affect me. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment70088775 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/south-park-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment70087527 This is a really good question and to be honest I really do not see a problem with the episode it is just television and I really doubt they meant anything by it. You always see television shows like family guy and the Simpson’s doing things like this so I think we just need to forget about it and just remember that it is just animated television. I think that the writers and producers are always just trying to create controversy. I feel as if you do not like what the show does then just do not watch it. I can easily name a lot of movies that create major controversy that actually had an effect on real life. One that I know of is a movie called Natural Born Killers. This is considered a movie that has been the result of many people killing others because they were so obsessed with it. One example that I am sure everyone knows of is the Columbine shooting. The two students were supposedly obsessed with this movie. What we need to do is start looking at things like this because people look up to movie stars not cartoons. Movies have an effect on much more things in life than cartoons. Kids see something in movies and try to mimic their favorite actor or actress and they want to be just like them. I really doubt anyone wants to be like cartman. Sure this show is a bit much at times but it is made for humor and for people to enjoy watching. It is never directed towards anything of considered to be a bad influence. This is a show that does whatever it wants. It attacks celebrities, athletes, and political figures and we all pretty much laugh and talk about it the next day but once it talks about Muslims everything gets blown out of proportion. If the show was too much for people then we need to attack the network and not the show itself because it is the network that puts the show on the air. I mean I am just shocked that people are offended about this episode. We all had to have seen this coming from the writers. They have been doing this stuff for years and we have never really said much. We should just say wow it is just another offensive south park episode that may have crossed the line, oh well lets just move on. I really do not understand what the problem is I think that it is just a cartoon and we just need to stop talking about the episode and forget about it. south park will continue to do this and really nothing is going to stop them from doing it because people love the show. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:54:55 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/south-park-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment70087527 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment68442957 i am going to have to disagree and say that i am not sure if there can be a step two only because i do not know if there is anyone that is going to stop what is going on over there. we as Americans have many problems already and i do not think we can help because like i said we already have too much on our plate. i really do not see anything happening too soon with this situation and there wont be because too much money is being made and i think when money is being made nothing is going to stop it from happening. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:19:57 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment68442957 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-if-we-got-rid-of-welfare__trashed/#IDComment66687626 i do not think it is possible to cut off welfare. These type of people need some sort of income and with the way the economy is today, if they cut off welfare, where are these people going to find jobs? there would be a lot of people out on the streets and it was cause major problems and i believe even the crime rate would go up. They should not do this just for the fact that some of these families need to provide for their children and that if you cut off their parents it affects their children as well. I do not believe this will happen because everyone already knows what will happen. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 00:40:07 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-if-we-got-rid-of-welfare__trashed/#IDComment66687626 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-women-issue__trashed/#IDComment66686793 i agree with what you are saying. this was made so that women, people with disabilities and veterans and primarily African Americans who were denied employment could have an equal opportunity. i am not surprised that white woman have benefited the most from this. white women control a great deal of the population in the united states and it was considered for many years that they could not do the job of a man and this has helped them greatly. at first i thought it only helped African Americans but now that i know it helps white women too and that they benefit the most i have to say i am not surprised Fri, 9 Apr 2010 00:34:47 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-women-issue__trashed/#IDComment66686793 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66685329 This is a great question to ask students and I have to be honest and say that I really have not changed my opinion and it really has not made a difference to me and I really do not care about what goes on in class. Sam is a great teacher but I just do not have the desire to sit there and listen to things about race and the problems that are occurring today and how we need to fix them and how this is red land and how we stole this land from native Americans. I have to be honest and say none of it really bothers me and my mind has never changed about anything and none of it really bothers me. I guess that it just who I am. I feel like a lot of the things we talk about is just basic stuff and also I feel like we get a lot of facts thrown at us and it really just is not for me. I mean some of the stuff he says I think about after class and it is very bad sometimes when race is involved or what whites or blacks are compared to everyone else but I still have to say that I am the same person I was when I first entered the class. Do not get me wrong the class is interesting and entertaining but I just do not have anything to say and it does not interest me therefore I have not changed my opinion about anything of the subjects we cover in class. I think this class is good because people can just go there and talk about their feeling on different topics each day which is why I think this class is so popular. But I feel like most students leave that class not remembering what even went on in the class today. Maybe Sam is not trying to get us to change our opinions which some may believe he is, I think he is just trying to get us too think about what goes on in the world today in terms of race and slavery among other topics. I do like this class but I just have to say that it is not for me. Do not get me wrong these questions and topics that arise in class are very important and need to be discussed and I am sure that there will people that will be more than happy to sit here and talk about them and discuss them and argue of them but I have to say that it is just not for me because I just think that it does not make a difference to me what is said. I think my mind is already set and nothing said in this class is going to make me feel bad or change my opinion. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 00:25:57 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/i-really-want-to-know-also__trashed/#IDComment66685329 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/how-can-we-ever-win__trashed/#IDComment65372803 i agree with what you are saying. this is a sociology class we are suppose to be able to open up and speak freely about how we feel about race and culture and things like that. these are the things that make me upset when someone makes a comment and then a person of a different race gets upset over it. this is why so many people choose not to say anything thing during a debate or something like that. we need to learn to not take things seriously and learn that everyone has an opinion and you should not become upset over it. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 00:36:04 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/how-can-we-ever-win__trashed/#IDComment65372803 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65370742 i agree with what you are saying. the more i grew up the more African Americans started to come into my neighborhood and town and i thought it was great. it helped me to learn about different ethnicities and different backgrounds and to see if they were different and things like that. i think that it is very important for a child to experience this at a young age because i think that it definitely prepares them for a better future for their social life and it also helps them learn more about other cultures and to see what is out there in the world. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 00:28:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65370742 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65324027 After listening to this man speak I just realized that some people really have problems with determining what their race is and their ethnicity but I do have to say that you can be what you want to be when you are like this man. You shouldn’t feel bad or different because you white and black or white and Puerto Rican, you are no different then anyone else. I honestly believe that would be saying the same thing as someone saying that they are Italian and Irish and they don’t know what they are because they are mixed. Race does not mean anything it is just something we are categorized by and it does not determine who you are inside or you want to be and wit should not make you feel different or embarrassed just because you have some of a different ethnic background than someone else. In my opinion I think you should be whatever you want to be. If you want to say you are white then say you are white and be proud of it or you can say that you come from a Puerto Rican background and be proud of that and stand by that as well. I know when someone asks me what I am I say I am Irish and I am extremely proud of that when I say that and I think we all should be too. We should not be embarrassed or unsure of what we are. We should accept it and stand up to what were are and believe in. I think we need to stop this whole “team” thing that is going on today because we are all different and that is something that we should be proud of and show others. How would the world be if everyone was the same and just ordinary? I know it would be a place that I would not want to be apart of. Sometimes when I meet someone and they say they have this type of ethnicity or they are from this place I find it very interesting and very cool. Lastly I would have to say I feel bad for him just because he does not know what type or race he his or what so called “team” (which is a stupid term to use) but if it were me all I have to say is that he should be what he wants to be and that there is no problem with that because everyone is different and that is what makes the world a special place. Just because Sam talks about mainly black vs. whites does not mean that you have to be apart one of them. Be who you want to be and do feel ashamed or embarrassed of what you are. Thu, 1 Apr 2010 21:48:58 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65324027 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/whats-the-big-deal-with-periods__trashed/#IDComment64113597 I am a man and i have no problems with 'bleeding." It is something that happens to women which is no problem to me. i really do not care about because it really does not effect me at all. I think that if men had periods too that it would not be that big of a deal because when a girl says she has her period the first thing that comes to a guys head is that they can not have sex with that girl. however I would have no problem taking openly about a girl having her period because it is natural and there are many things guys too that are disgusting too so we both have things that happen to us but being disgusted about it is really just stupid. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:28:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/whats-the-big-deal-with-periods__trashed/#IDComment64113597 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64112963 i agree Sam does sometimes skip over Asians but they are no different than blacks or whites. I think it is very difficult to realize who is Asian american and just Asian because we as Americans are not familiar with this type of thing because Asians are a minority. One think most people i hear say about Asians and about who they are would be that they are very smart in Math and engineering. But i do think that Sam should really mention more about Asians and Asian Americans in his lectures just to get off the topic of whites and blacks Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:22:27 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64112963 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64112404 Men do not know about women’s menstrual cycle because we were not taught about that while we were growing up. We were taught about own things such as puberty and having sexual intercourse. There was no need for us to be taught about something that women have to go through as they get older. And I think men do not talk about it because it is not something we really care about or think about on a regular basis. We all have some things we should just keep to ourselves but in terms of talking about it I think that men really do not have a problem talking about it. I would not have a problem talking about it because for one it does not affect me and two because I really do not care too much about it and it makes no difference to me. Men have there own body problems that we need to worry about on a regular basis, things I would rather not get into because I could type all day if I decided to. When you speak of saying that if men would have to use tampons and if they would be free, is just a completely ridiculous thing to say. We as men have to pay condoms so I guess I would have to say if women had penises would condoms be free? This statement you make really makes no sense to me. We both need things for our bodies so when women go out and buy tampons, just think that MOST men are out buying condoms so we are on the same page here. Back to men knowing about menstrual cycles, I think that some may be grosses out about it but the older you get the more you grow up and realize it’s just something that men have to accept. But one thing I would like to say that Sam said to day in class would be that why don’t women talk about men masturbating? If you were to ask a girl to talk about men masturbating they would say that is gross so I think that we are one the same page once again when it comes to our bodies. Being a guy I would say that the reason most men think it is gross is because they think of having sex when women are bleeding and that is pretty gross. Do not take what I am saying the wrong way I am a man and I am just saying what I thin. I do not know too much about the menstrual cycle but I do have to say I would not have a problem talking about it if it came up in a conversation. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:17:38 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64112404 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62868584 i agree with what is going on here maybe not cancelling the prom but i think they should have told them they just could not have came together. i think it would be a huge distraction to the entire student body if the two of them showed up together as they planned to have. i think this is one of those proud to be gay moments and these two were trying to make a big deal about it so i am glad they shut it down. it is what should have happened. it is just too bad that these two got prom cancelled for everyone else. i think they should just have said they could not have came together but i guess they were trying to send a statement to everyone by doing this. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:26:27 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62868584 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/women-and-sports__trashed/#IDComment62867936 This is completely and absolutely ridiculous. Being a football player here at Penn State i do not see how male football players can relate to a woman coach. I am sure she knows what going but i do not agree with her being put in a position to run a high school team. This being a male sport I do not understand how they can do this because for one thing, what about locker room issues. i know if i was a parent i would not want a 40 year old woman in a locker room while my 17 year old child is changing his clothes. Maybe they are trying to make a statement saying woman can do anything which i do agree with in most cases but this is not one of them. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:20:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/women-and-sports__trashed/#IDComment62867936 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62866674 This is a great topic to bring up and this is something that has always been on my mind. I feel as if white people are expected to lay back and say nothing and are expected to hold back and black people feel as if they can do what they want and say what they want simply because they are black. Also I feel that white people care less about what blacks have to say about racial issues and it really does not bother them what black people have to say. On the other hand I feel as if black people want white people to bring up race issues so they can get into an argument and debate about how black people are treated badly. I think black people feel they need to try and make a statement and try to prove to us something when in reality the majority of white people are not interested. One thing that really did upset me the other day was when a white person made a comment on the text overhead and Sam made a comment about it and a good majority of black females in the audience applauded. I feel there was no need for that. You do not see white people doing that because we know that there would be a huge problem and probably an argument and we would be considered racists. I feel that black people try to make a scene when it comes to things like this because once again I think they are trying to prove something to whites and whites want nothing to do with it because it really does not bother us. I think black people need to settle down a little and open up to conversation and stop thing white people are all racists and realize that we have things that need to be said. I think what we need to start doing is white people really need to start saying what they are feeling and thinking about racial issues. Sam as said many times white people tend to lay back when race issues are brought up and I thin we need to say what we feel. I know for a fact that black people will not have a problem bringing up race issues or saying what they feel about it but they need to be prepared for when whites fire back at them. What whites are afraid of is that they feel blacks will snap out or get upset if we say what we feel. What we need to do is start respecting each others comments because these are our opinions and we are entitled to them. The rudeness does need to stop because there are things whites and blacks need to start talking openly about. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:08:32 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62866674 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59667577 this is a very interesting point and i think that they would be huge problems today in America if slave owners saw what was going on. There are African Americans all over the place today and i am not saying that in a bad way or anything like i am not a racist i am just responding to the question but i definitely think there would be war or something especially now that we have an African American President running the free world. I think some people may still see racism being around today and maybe there is but i think that we have come along way and it seems like everywhere you look there is a black man and a white man working together so i do not think it is a bad as some may think. It would be terrible to slave owners. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 02:17:26 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59667577 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59666668 i completely agree with what you are saying. This statement that this female is making is complete nonsense and frankly it upsets me being a white person. Once again she is just trying to find another way to bring racism into account. For as long as i have been here i have never heard of a costume party being run by only whites or a costume party being about making fun of people of color. This is completely false and i think she is seeing way to much when she enters a party. Parties are suppose to be fun not about racism. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 02:11:27 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59666668 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59665246 After watching this video it made me realize that she is right and that these shows rarely have people of color or a different race other than white on the show. First off ill say that these shows are completely fake and all about money but that does not change the fact that they should have a little more people of color on these shows. If I were to have to take a guess at why there is not I would say that possibly the bachelor or bachelorette tells the producers of the show that she is just not interested in falling in love or choosing a person of color or a different race and that the producers just put them on the show so they are not considered by some fans “racists.” I do have to say though there are shows on today like for the love of ray-j and that show with tila tequila had basically only contestants of color. So maybe this is their way of getting their own show because of the possible racism that is occurring in these other shows. But I feel as if people of color or a different race only feel violated by this. I really do not think white people have a problem with there being an all black show. If you were to ask me, I honestly do not care what color people are on a show and I really do not see a problem with it. I really think people are looking too far into this and blowing it way out of proportion. I would watch a show regardless of color or anything sort of race issues. If it is a good show it is a good show there is really no debate about it but I am sure people who always look for race no matter what it is would see a problem. That is becoming such a huge problem today in society that it is almost becoming a laughing matter to me. No matter what it is people always believe it goes back to racism. Whether it is a job or grades or winning a spot on a team, it is absolutely ridiculous to me and I think it is hilarious that people are actually staring to say there is racism in these bogus shows on television. I think we need to start just stop looking for racism all over. We all have equal rights according to our government and we are suppose to abide by that. We need to stop looking at the small things because it is things like this that is keeping us from moving on as a country and it is creating hate all over. I believe it needs to stop because it is not that big of a deal. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 01:58:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59665246 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58735901 i really do not see a problem with us taking their land. i mean, sure it was not good at the time, but did you ever think of where we would be if we did not take this red land in our time of need. we do not know what would have happened if we did not take the land and they possibly became our rulers and we became their slaves. i do not think we should take the blame for this, it was a long time ago and all we can do now is lend a hand to them if they are in need. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:42:26 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58735901