en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/762343 Comments by syw107 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/tent-cities-in-haiti__trashed/#IDComment69966133 I think that it is great that the Haitians are still optimistic and living day by day even though they were hit with an earthquake. It shows that these people are closely tied and work together as a community to help each other survive. The people show a lot of courage by making something out of nothing. It is interesting to see how these communities have formed each with entrepreneurs selling almost everything. Even if after seeing their country go through an earthquake, people carry on with their lives. It is very impressive response to a natural disaster. Instead of depending on help from the government, they take the initiative to rebuild their own communities. In the video, I found it really cool that the tent cities were actually full of commerce with trade in anything from food to electricity. The people are extremely innovative and know how to make a living. If Haiti were better developed with schools and education, these people could contribute greatly to world comers. This video has really opened my eyes to what Haiti is really like and how any help would benefit the country. The earthquake may have set back the country, but the people have become closer. This is important when you deal with natural disasters and other unfortunate events. Having your country destroyed to rubble is one of the worst things that could happen. Not alone, the country was already extremely poor before the Earthquake. This makes me think about inequality and how Haiti has been exploited for so many years. A country with such rich resources should be well off. Instead, they have been put at the “bottom of the hill,” with tough obstacles to surpass. This has happened with multiple countries across the world and I feel that is unfair. I sometimes questioned Sam in class whether our help would make a difference. I finally understand that any donation helps especially if it is used toward rebuilding communities. It depresses me when I see the children in the video clip sit around and have nothing to do. Those children live harder lives than any of us. I feel really spoiled when I saw the children be content being crowded in a tent watching a fifteen inch screen and still enjoying the moment. I am confident that with help Haiti can get back on its feet and eventually have an environment for their people to live in. It is great that Sam is putting in so much time and effort into this cause. With help, the tent cities will be reduced and small communities and cities will be able to thrive. Although there is a lot of work needed, it can all be done. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:43:29 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/tent-cities-in-haiti__trashed/#IDComment69966133 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/want-to-learn-chinese__trashed/#IDComment68085589 Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, why would you not want to learn it? Being bi-lingual is one of the most valuable skills a person could have. Students should take the opportunities of foreign language classes while they can. Parents and teachers should urge their students to take foreign languages because they benefit you greatly especially in the business world. Today, globalization has brought countries closer and more and more interaction with other countries is happening every day through business transactions, politics, etc. It is good that schools are now incorporating Mandarin into their school programs. In China, many students go to Sunday school to learn English, this shows that both U.S and China recognize the importance of learning each other’s languages. I am currently taking Mandarin and plan to minor in it. Although some may think it is a difficult language with weird symbols and characters, it is not. People have the wrong impression of Mandarin Chinese just because it is foreign to them. The language is actually straight forward and easy to learn especially if taught at younger ages. Imagine learning English from a Chinese person’s perspective. English is thought to be way harder to learn than most other languages. The language has so many technical rules that make it extremely difficult to learn as a second language. English has so many broken rules that do not make sense if you actually examine the language and how some rules contradict others. It is not surprising that Spanish and Chinese have become more widely taught than many of the other languages. These two languages along with English have proven to be widely used among the populations of the world. I do not agree with the people who say that English is the “main language of the world.” That is so narrow-minded. There is no main language and any language you learn is beneficial. Also many people think that only business major benefit from learning Mandarin Chinese, but that is completely wrong. For instance, over the summer I worked at a doctor’s office for an internship, and one of my duties was to handle the patient calls. Surprisingly I was able to put my Mandarin skills to the test as many of patients were Asian and spoke Mandarin only! Because I learned Mandarin, I quickly became a valuable resource to the office for Asian patients. Knowing the language expands your opportunities in where you can work. It may not be the “future language,” but it will definitely be evident that people who are fluent in Chinese will see the benefits of it. Sam is not the only one who I have heard recommending Mandarin Chinese as a language. I have heard from many job recruiters say that they would recommend learning Mandarin Chinese and it skill that they look for in resumes. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:59:08 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/want-to-learn-chinese__trashed/#IDComment68085589 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66477079 This video game has taken violence and sexual content to a whole new level. It is disturbing that a video game with the main theme as rape would ever be invented. The main problem is that children are drawn towards games with violence. In some cases, they cannot tell the difference between real life and a video game. With technology advancing, video games are becoming more realistic every day. I agree that video games with violent and sexual content are not a positive step toward humanity, but what about movies and music. This kind of stuff is all over the media. All these forms of media contribute to pop culture which influences younger generations. Because of pop culture, people have become desensitized to things such as violence, drugs, and sex. It was interesting to see the woman that they interviewed was not offended towards the rape game and how they could spark curiosity and interest to try it out. I find that even more disturbing than the game itself. It is scary to think that people who actually play this game could share similar fantasies and commit these crimes themselves. To answer Sam, I do not think I would play this game with my friends even if I was boozing. I would rather play strategy and sports games. There is a strong stigma against rape and it is not something I fantasize. Point and shoot games are also a problem because they support gun violence which is a problem in the real world. Everything has a point where it is just too much and becomes morally wrong. Although, many would not support this game, there is always a select crowd that shows curiosity for such games. I do not know anyone who would think rape as a joke or a game, but for those who do; they clearly do not understand the seriousness of it. Children who are exposed to violence and graphic details through video games need to be monitored and educated by their parents that in life there are consequences to criminal acts. Exposing children violence and sex could lead to disastrous outcomes in the future. Currently there is a rating system in place for video games, but I feel that they need to do a better job on censorship and prohibiting certain ages to play such games. I feel that the Japanese government should prohibit game creators in making these games. They have to take responsibility for having these games leaked out. If anything they should be limited to keeping their games within their control so it does not leak to the internet. Though a very different culture from ours, they should still have a sense of what is right and wrong. Wed, 7 Apr 2010 22:54:44 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66477079 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment65385500 Sensitive racial terms are offensive to their respective races, but I do not think that people should be offended by the choice of the census to use the term “negro.”In my opinion, racism or prejudice is determined by intention. Does the person intend to offend a person of a different race? In many cases people confuse the meaning of words, using them in the wrong context. Sometimes it is the fact that the word used by one generation is outdated with the current generation. “Negro,” is a word of the past, and because of that has a bad connotation to it. However, in this day and age, people should understand that is just means you are African American, not a slave!!! If you are really racist you would use the other n-word. People are too quick to pull the “offended” card without assessing the situation or context of the word and how it is used. Classifying race is a very difficult thing to do. On the other hand, I can see why people can get angry from the term “negro.” In the best interest of the census, they should not have questions/answers that could possibly offend people. From class, Sam explained how there is endless possibilities for the number of ethnicities there is out there. It is extremely difficult for the census to address this. For the census, the best they can do is to capture the general picture by using the generalizations. While generalizations are what we want to move away from, the people who make up the census questions cannot individually question each person. In the video, people were questioning why they did not have an extensive list of ethnicities for them to choose from. In my opinion, the census is for Americans. This means that the census is trying to get demographics for the American population which is made up with a lot of races. The terms they use cover the general region and the race that you descend from. That is all. It has nothing to do with being racist or neglecting one person’s ethnicity. The census does the best job they can do to include everyone without intentionally offending them. If the census actually had to accommodate everyone’ preference in labeling, it would be pages and pages of ethnicities to choose from. The information that they use to derive questions/answers from has been researched and is very accurate. It is impossible for the question to have answers that apply to everyone. To prevent any problems, the government should update and make clear as well as acceptable racial categories. Whether or not the census accommodates to your preferences or not, you should not take anything that might seem offensive personally. Fri, 2 Apr 2010 01:21:28 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment65385500 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64122239 Being an Asian American, I do not feel that I belong in the “black/brown,” group nor the white group. Sam does not really cover much about the sociology of Asians. I feel that it is important because Asian influence is increasingly growing in America as well as the world. Asians have their own characteristics, culture, and history. Asians have a different view on race relations as they do not share the same history, hardships, or experiences as other races. As many can see, not a lot of people understand Asian people. This is because in America, Asians are one of the smaller minorities and people have not put as much attention into understanding Asians as much as other races such as black people. This is a problem because it feeds the stereotype of Asians being “foreigners.” Originally, just as other immigrants from Europe, Asians came to America as immigrant seeking opportunities. Asians have established themselves in America for a long time now and yet they are still considered “foreign or immigrants.” The Asian culture is very different from American culture, and contributes to why Asians are viewed as foreign. Some parts of the Asian culture are considered taboo in America. When people hear for example, “in Asia, people eat dog,” many Americans will feel that it is extremely weird and because it goes against traditional American values, people will distinguish themselves from Asians. The differences in culture heavily impact the image of Asians with Americans. For those who are interested in learning more about Asians, I encourage you to visit a Chinatown in any major city. Chinatown can offer anyone the cultural experience of an Asian American. Many people are confused to as who is an Asian American and who is not. Although Asians share very similar physical characteristics, so does every other race. I agree with Sam, that people really can distinguish what an American is like when you travel outside of the country. Being in a different country really opens you eyes as to how you view people. I personally cannot tell the difference between an African from Ghana compared to an African from Nigeria. However, I can definitely tell the difference between an African American and an African. Distinguishing Asians Americans is the same. Asian Americans share the same American culture as any white person. You can tell by the way they talk, act, dress, etc. People have to look pass the physical characteristics and realize that the American culture we live in is multiracial – not just white. I also wonder what people think of Asians. I have found that people stereotype Asians harder than other races. Maybe this is because people do not understand them and use stereotypes as guidelines. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:50:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64122239 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62665347 When Sam introduced the text-based questions, I immediately knew there were going to be people who took it seriously and people who were going to joke around – knowing that they would not be caught due to the answers being anonymous. To my observations, I saw “sophomoric” statements towards both black and brown people and towards whites. Even when Sam announced to keep it appropriate, people still continued to make more comments and laughed it off as a joke. Racial jokes are based of stereotypes, and when people use them as jokes they can be very offensive. Does this contribute to the stereotype that white people are ignorant? Or are we all ignorant? Rudeness indeed cuts both ways, the problem is that white people have already an established stereotype that automatically makes them look racist, whereas black and brown people are freer to express rude comments. The whole point of the race relations class is to help us understand each other and break the race barriers. It looks back to how race relations have developed what it is today. The rude comments that goes back and forth clearly shows that the tension between whites and black/brown people is very strong. I also question the comments made towards white people. What can you say about them? That they are trailer trash or make fun of their athletic ability. You can say that they are rich and stuck up…but is that nearly as severe as the racial slurs made toward people of color? I feel that the comments made against white people are less offensive because in the end white people have always been the more privileged and being the majority compared to the other races. I understand that white people get upset about these comments but I feel that it is less about race for them and is more about their image being made fun of. When a black or brown person is insulted by a white person it goes back to how white people have treated people of color. This is an especially difficult situation because it is unfair for both sides to not receive the same level of “ignorance,” but at the same time the comments made towards black and brown people are very different from the comments about whites. For instance, when calling a white people a “cracker,” most whites are not offended and the word means nothing to them, on the other hand calling a black person a “porch monkey,” can be extremely offensive and you can expect them to be angry and react angrily. All in all, people have to realize that this class is about improving our race relations with one another and try to move pass stereotypes. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:46:51 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62665347 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-this-racist-really__trashed/#IDComment60876299 In recent years, the population of professional white basketball players in the NBA has drastically fallen. The players in the sport are mostly black. There are even a higher percentage of international players than the percentage of white players from the U.S. Although, there is major difference in percentages, I feel that the NBA is not racist in terms of fairness for all players to have an equal chance to get into the professional sport. Just as other sports have evolved, so has basketball. It is a sport that requires not only skill, but athleticism. It may be a stereotype that black people can run faster or jump higher – however it is clear that black people have dominated the sport in the past couple years. The recruitment process from high school to college to NBA does not discriminate against any race. It allows the best players compete for the limited spots where only the best can get in. The whole point of the NBA is to exhibit the top players at the highest level of competition. If you cannot make the cut, it is not because you are white, but because you are not qualified for this level of basketball. The NBA is not the only league. There are plenty of professional basketball leagues that allow players who fall short of the NBA to compete and get another shot at a later time. These leagues are open to many players who still want to pursue a career in basketball. I feel that creating an “all white” league is extremely racist and unfair. When a league only accepts a certain race it is considered discrimination. Even though white people are underrepresented in professional basketball, it does not mean that a person such as Dan Moose can create an only white league. Also he is saying that white people play fundamental basketball, whereas black people do not? Just because some sports athletes grew up in the city playing pick-up games or “steetball,” does not mean that they do not play without fundamentals. Basketball is not just about fundamentals. You can coach a player to have fundamentals but it is how a person uses them with their athleticism. I feel that if you are creating a league such as this one, you should promote white players to play in it rather than require “only white players.” Just as Duke has a bunch of white guys on their team whom are fundamentally sound and play good basketball, does not mean they discriminate against black players which they have had on their team. Basically, there should not be a league where only a certain race can play. Instead, the league should encourage white players to play and continue improving their skills as basketball players. Even though white people are underrepresented in the professional basketball leagues, it should not suppress them to not pursue their dreams of becoming one. Tue, 9 Mar 2010 23:20:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-this-racist-really__trashed/#IDComment60876299 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/men-and-women-were-really-this-different__trashed/#IDComment58388800 Two weeks ago, I was watching National Geographic’s show called “Taboo.” On this particular episode, they were explaining the taboos of love, and one of the examples was people who prefer dolls over real people. Just like Roxxxy, the show hosted two men who looked pretty normal, but had dolls as girlfriends. I found this very odd because it is hard to believe that dolls could replace a living human being as a partner in life. However, to those who are in “doll relationships,” it is completely opposite. The people who were talking on the show explained that they did not know how to talk or act around women so they decided to use dolls as girlfriends. They were also tested for some sort of mental/psychological condition. I found it interesting that they are much like gays and lesbians, in terms of the brain/hormone development. However, not all people who purchase these dolls have this condition. I think that some people who may be interested in these dolls could be sex addicts or curious to what it would be like to have one. Some people also might have a fetish for this sort of thing. A sex toy like Roxxxy is probably geared towards men who cannot fulfill their sexual needs. Obviously, this kind of toy is not viewed as the normal thing to have. Is it okay for men who cannot find real partners to rely on a doll to replace them? For some, Roxxxy is an escape from the reality of finding your partner in life. This would be viewed as unnatural and weird. To the world, I feel that this sort of invention would only come from the U.S. This is because in America, you are “supposed” to not be judgmental or prejudice against any sort of people. Whether it is race, religion, or sexuality, we are in a society where you can be who you want to be. If you want to have a Roxxxy then you can. But in some other countries, cultures would probably see this as unacceptable and sick. I am not shocked to see that someone would actually invent an artificial human sex toy because just like Roxxxy, there are plenty of other odd/weird inventions that have come from the U.S. It is interesting to see the development of technology and how it is used. A couple years back “Old School,” the movie had guys playing with a blow-up doll, now it is robotic and silicone. This is taking the sex toys to a whole new level. This is not just your average product you see in the sex shop when you go in to buy a gift for your partner. 7,000 dollars is a steep investment especially when it is a sex toy. I find it amazing that 4,000 have already been pre-ordered. While Roxxxy may please some men, I am curious to see how some women react to “Rocky,” the male version. Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:36:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/men-and-women-were-really-this-different__trashed/#IDComment58388800 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-two__trashed/#IDComment57540987 Sex vs. Love. To men and women, these two words have different meanings to both. Men and women think very differently when it comes to finding partners, having sex, building relationships, and they way you act towards others of the same sex. I find this be an interesting question because I have always been confused about the way girls act. For guys, I feel that you can be great friends between each other and love each other as friends, but there is always that line that you do not cross otherwise it is considered “gay.” For example, in the TV series “Bromance,” and the movie “I Love You, Man,” are exaggerations of how guys can become very close and share a strong friendship. A lot of time I hear guys using the word “gay,” and not in the right context. Guys will be like, “he’s gay,” or “that’s gay,” when in fact whatever they are calling gay does not have anything to do with being gay. I believe that guys are so concerned with their image about being straight and masculine, that anything that is not the latter is considered gay. Guys are always boasting how many girls they have had sex with because it is “manly,” and they feel more comfortable knowing that they are anything but gay. On the other hand, women are completely different. Just like you said in the question, you love your roommate to death but wouldn’t have sexual feelings for her; women can be more sensitive towards each other than men can. The differences in how girls act with each other are greatly different from how men act. For instance, many times I will see girls ask each other if they want to go to the bathroom together, or maybe say “love you,” at the end of a conversation. This sort of behavior would not be seen with men, and again would be considered gay. In my opinion, girls are just more open to be affectionate and emotional towards both sexes. This does not mean they are bisexual, but just shows how different they think. Men can share “bromance,” but they will always try to be manly especially in front of women or even other men to show their masculinity. I guess you could draw the line that friendships with the same sex could bring many emotions such as love, but to cross the line into bisexuality, you would have to be direct about it. Just as if you and one of your good friends that is the opposite sex may start out as friends, and later on feelings for each other might arise; you would have to tell them straight up that you wanted to take it to the next level. For friends of the same sex, you would also have to confront them about your sexuality and how you want to cross the line. The line between sex and love is defined on the actual feeling towards the other person, sexual or loving. Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:54:29 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-two__trashed/#IDComment57540987 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/animals-vs-humans-vs-welfare-cheats__trashed/#IDComment56242832 After Harry Reid made his comment about “light-skinned, and non-negro dialect” Obama, here comes another politician who makes a comment about people on welfare being animals. What are these guys thinking? How can they make such ignorant comments when they represent so many people? No wonder his Democratic rivals are targeting him – he made a total ass of himself. I would not be surprised when election time comes, and his hopes of becoming the state’s highest seat are shot down by the votes of the people. When people hear these kinds of comments, it goes against anything Bauer ever had to say in his campaign. He can say that he will do this and that, but in the end he is still the person who announced to the public that he believes people on welfare are stay animals. Not only that, he also does not want them to “reproduce,” implying if they don’t “feed the stay animals,” then they will die out and there will be no one on welfare? That is just ridiculous that a politician can openly say that he rather have these people starve to death in order to fix the problem of welfare. When he calls people on welfare “animals,” he is also saying that he is above these people. Whether on welfare or not, these people are human beings just like him. Andre Bauer is essentially stating that those on welfare are unequal to him. Obviously, Bauer’s mother also did not teach him that there are those who are fortunate and those who are born in tougher conditions. People on welfare do not choose to be welfare. If those on welfare could break the barrier of making a living and having a successful life then they would. However, there are circumstances that hold them back that they themselves cannot control, which is the whole point of a welfare system. There are some who take advantage of the welfare system by being lazy; however most of the people on welfare need it in order to afford the very basic living expenses. He is not even discriminating against another race or religion, but is discriminating against ALL people who are on welfare. He is very close-minded in terms of how he views these people. When I think of people on welfare it is usually those who have been devastated by the economy, those who were born into poverty, or maybe those who have not had the same opportunities growing up as others did. This apology is embarrassing and he should realize that he offended a lot of people. In my opinion, this guy should not have anything to do with politics. It is close-minded people like him who do not pay attention to inequality. We need politicians who work toward total equality and at the same time fix the welfare situation where there are less people dependent on it. Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:23:10 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/animals-vs-humans-vs-welfare-cheats__trashed/#IDComment56242832 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/avatar-and-the-white-mans-burden__trashed/#IDComment55135937 When I first saw this movie, I thought that it was too long, too much character development, corny, and just not up to par with his previous films. However, after viewing one more time, the concept of the movie really hit me. I believe that this movie conveys the message of race and human nature very well. After reading the article from Brooks, I feel that the movie is very much like the story of “Pocahontas,” and “The Last Samurai.” Both of these stories have similar plots of humanity’s ignorance toward preserving nature and cultures. Brooks is correct that Avatar is just a futuristic version of these stories, but in no way does the movie try to use the message of the “White Messiah.” Yes, in Avatar they use yet again another white person to be the hero that saves a race, but there is no evidence that the other race in the movie needed a white person to save their people. In my opinion, the movies that use white character heroes are symbols of how white people are now very regretful for the pain and harm they have caused towards other races such as Native Americans and African Americans, which are the races that are resembled in the “Navi People.” In reality, the world has had many leaders of color who have proven themselves to be heroes to their people. I see the concept of “the white messiah” as very…stupid. This is because there definitely have been leaders that are not white, which makes them more impressive. White people historically have been more privileged. Leaders who are not white, such as Martin Luther King, faced hardships that a normal white person did not and still became a leader of their people who is greatly respected. In the same example, during the civil rights movement, African Americans did not need a white person to step in, but one of their people to step up. A leader is much stronger if he comes from the same culture and lived as one of their people, not just step in and start to love and respect the culture—as the story of Avatar, The Last Samurai, and Pocahontas depict. Brooks is looking at the movie in the wrong perspective, rather than correlating the themes and concepts of the movie to stereotypes, he should view the movie as a reflection of history. It allows the viewers look back to how colonization and imperialism have changed the fate of many races. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -George Santayana When I watch movies with sensitive concepts about race, I reflect upon the history and the course of events that made us conscious about race relations. This movie may have similar concepts of old fables, but takes place in the future allowing viewers to experience a similar event that happened in the past. Wed, 3 Feb 2010 04:34:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/avatar-and-the-white-mans-burden__trashed/#IDComment55135937 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/racism-looks-pretty-good-on-this-side-of-the-atlantic__trashed/#IDComment54123582 I am a sports fanatic. I love all sports and watch ESPN all day, every day. This is the first time I have seen anything like this! I am so outraged that there is racism in sports, soccer especially. Soccer is an international sport. It is the largest sport that is shared by so many different countries and yet there is still racism. I was never aware that this was occurring in the stadiums during the games. When did racism become so insensitive that your own fans yell racist comments during the game? No wonder those players walked off the field, they must have been furious after all the remarks clogged up their head. More inexcusable than the behavior of the players is the language and racism exhibited by the coach; coaches are in leadership positions in the sports world, much like government officials, and to make such racist comments sets a bad example for the players and the fans. I applaud the players for ignoring and keep on playing, but there is a breaking point where a human being can only take so much hate. If I were in their position, I would have left those teams a long time ago. As a human being you have pride, and to be disrespected to that extent is intolerable. I find it interesting that the history of Europe deals a big part of current racism there. Immigration was a huge factor for the United States to become diverse country. Although there still mild racism in the United States, I can tell that it is still a major issue in Europe. Europe has never experienced a wave of immigration as large as the one that the United States has until now, when people from “dark-skinned” countries have begun to move to Europe. White people have been the most dominant race in Europe throughout most of history, so it is understandable—but still not an excuse for their behavior—that whites feel as if this is the first time they are losing hold of their power. To us in America, the behavior of these fans is appalling and disturbing, and to think that it is a norm overseas seems medieval. Although we still believe that we have a long way to go to come to complete racial equality in this country, the situation in Europe is a reminder of what we have truly accomplished. The FIFA president has done the right thing to start fighting racism within stadiums. Although enforcement by the police may help to quell racism, I think that president of FIFA should make rules strictly prohibiting any type of behavior that would affect the performance of the players. Not only does it create an uneasy atmosphere, but it is the next step for European society. People will have to learn how to respect a global sport and the players who play in it. Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:02:15 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/racism-looks-pretty-good-on-this-side-of-the-atlantic__trashed/#IDComment54123582 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/last-name-begins-with-w__trashed/#IDComment53869881 holla Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:02:23 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/last-name-begins-with-w__trashed/#IDComment53869881 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/is-that-negro-or-negra-harry__trashed/#IDComment53443029 Race is an issue our “politically correct” society is constantly attempting to either criticize, cover up, or solve for good. Although we are a long way from eliminating racial stereotypes and preconceived notions, the election of Barack Obama as the United State’s first black president is indeed one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind. However, when educated and respected members of our very own government make insensitive remarks that exhibit racial intolerance, it is not only insulting to the minority group they target but also to the rest of the American population. As a Senator, Harry Reid represents the American public, which is racially diverse but also growing to become more and more open to both social and ethnicity issues that have been faced with prejudice in the past. Reid is an arrogant and narrow-minded man for speaking out; he cannot make statements generalizing the opinion of the public based on his own thoughts when he represents so many people. Secondly, making a comment about Obama’s race that differentiates him from other black people by calling him “light-skinned” and “speaking without Negro dialect” is doing an injustice to Obama himself. He is a black man and he admits this openly, so I’m sure he does not appreciate being set apart from his own race and is proud of his ability to become the first black president. The people of the United States did not elect him because he is black; Obama’s qualifications and leadership abilities enabled him to be elected, not because of a skin color or his lack of Negro dialect. Race has won over gender in the race for the presidency—perhaps the next step in the complete equality of our country is a qualified woman as the president. Who knows what the intolerant and “insensitive” comments will surface when the day finally comes? In my opinion, Harry Reid is speaking for himself and what he thinks. Even when we live in a diverse country with people of all races, there are those who are still stuck in the old days. That said, our generation grew up going to schools with diversity programs which make us more aware of racism and discrimination. I think what he said was very discriminating even though he did not mean to sound racist. He definitely has not caught up with the new diverse world and is stuck in a white man’s world. In the present and for future years, everything is globally-oriented and social norms are becoming much more liberal; therefore, we need to treat physical differences not as characteristics to place our world in hierarchical order but as traits of each person’s individuality that should be celebrated rather than criticized. Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:57:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/is-that-negro-or-negra-harry__trashed/#IDComment53443029