en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/765437 Comments by jpm5107 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/south-park-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment69970348 Muslims especially fundamentalist take their religion very seriously. When a TV show from the Western world pokes fun at it in any way of course they are going to be angry. South Park is known to make fun of various groups such as Catholics, homosexuals and various others. In the United States most of us are open minded about it because we know that it’s not serious and they are just trying to get a laugh. People from the Middle East don’t see it like that and take it personally. I’m not surprised if it creates such controversy especially since the United States is already hated over there. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:19:37 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/south-park-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment69970348 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69969587 This might not be the same at other prisons but at least it is somewhere. I believe in the death penalty even though most people in the class don’t. It is a huge ethical debate that is always discussed. If a person commits such a horrible crime that they are put in that position they don’t deserve forgiveness especially if they take an innocent persons life. Something that Sam said in class about prisoners who were convicted but later proven innocent really intrigues me. I was at a Pearl Jam concert a few summers ago and they brought people who were wrongfully accused on stage. It really opened my mind into America’s judicial system and the problems it has. The prison system in America is full of people like this and their stories need to be told. This letter really opened my eyes. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:13:04 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69969587 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69969557 I never visited a prison before but I would like to after hearing Sam’s experience and reading this letter. I don’t know anyone in prison serving any amount of time and I have never served time myself so I might not have the best insight on this subject. I think it’s easy for me to say how I feel without having any feelings for criminals. If I ever committed a serious crime and was put in prison I would not expect any forgiveness from people outside prison. I think it’s great that Sam and his wife spend time with these inmates and get to know them. Prisoners should have some outlet to the outside world and have their thoughts and opinions shared. In the letter he speaks of the bonds prisoners share and human feelings they have. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:12:51 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69969557 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69969514 This letter really opened my eyes. It gave me a rare insight into an inmate’s everyday life and true feeling after realizing he is never getting out of prison. I don’t feel bad for these lifers who are born again after serving time but at least I now understand what it’s like to have your life taken away from you. I’m sure families and individuals who have been affected by criminals don’t feel forgiving even after reading a letter like this and they have the right to. These criminals are serving life in prison for a reason. At one point in their life they made a bad decision and now they have to pay for it. It is a good thing that they realize what they did was wrong and are reflecting on it, that’s what prison is for. I think students should visit these prisoners and get to know them as real people not animals locked up. These people have feelings just like us and want to share it. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:12:33 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment69969514 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66895535 I’m sure I’m with the majority on this one who believe this game is disturbing. The fact that someone would create such a game is beyond me. How someone could play this game and enjoy themselves shows me how much the world is changing. I’m glad that this game has been taken off the shelves. There is no way you could compare this type of game to shooting games. I know that people say that they promote violence but raping a girl on a train in my opinion is tad bit more offensive. I never heard of this game to now and I hope that children in the United States never play it. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 23:26:35 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment66895535 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65098780 When I grew up I also was surrounded by a lot of people from different ethnicities and culture. It definitely helped me learn more about them since I was so young and innocent. As I grew up and went to high school and college I met a lot of people who didn’t have the experience I had and seemed not as up to beat as I was when it came to different cultures and people. I don’t know if it was because I was at a young age and had different experiences then others but it seemed to help me meet others who were different than me. Thu, 1 Apr 2010 00:36:02 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment65098780 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65098015 I guess you could say you have the best of both words. You are basically playing on two teams when it comes to race. I believe it is up to you and how you feel about your race. If you feel more Hispanic since that is they way you were raised you should feel Hispanic. Just because you have some white in you doesn’t mean you have to relate to it unless you want to. I have European heritage in both sides of my family and I look white all around so it’s a lot easier for me to choose a side. It’s not a bad situation your in, just relate to whatever race you feel more confident with. Thu, 1 Apr 2010 00:29:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65098015 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment65097174 I am not surprised at all that whites will soon be the minority in this country. The influx of Hispanics among other ethnicities into this country over the past twenty or so years has changed the makeup of this country. The racial divide that some whites might feel is an interesting topic to think about. It will also be fun to see what this country will look like a hundred years from now if this trend continues. Overall I do not feel uneasy about whites being the minority in this country. I doubt the United States will change tremendously its hierarchy of whites holding positions in politics and in the media. Barrack Obama has become the first minority president and more minorities are holding higher positions but if anything it is improving the United States image around the world. On that note I believe the United States will always be considered a “white” country no matter what race has the majority of the population. Something the article brings up is how older Americans who are mostly white will react to the climbing population of Hispanics and Asians. Will they change their support for schools or programs just because it is helping a culturally different group of people? For me I will always support the youth of America no matter how different it is. I also believe my parents and those older than me for the most part will not change. Even though whites will soon be a minority they are still a part of this country. I am sure some whites are afraid of the future in this country. They were always the dominant race population speaking in this country. Not everyone likes change especially if it may cause such dramatic changes. Will whites be able to see benefits they never saw before since they are a minority? Will whites think more about race then ever before? Only time will tell. Right now the United States is still a white country and we are not a dying race. There are so many people in our country that being a minority doesn’t mean you are part of a small group. When you look across the world whites are still just as prominent as others. To answer Sam’s question I do not feel any concern. I doubt Hispanics are formulating plans on taking over the country and putting down whites who have been the majority for so long. As I said before I’m sure other whites do not feel the same way as me and take this as a threat. To be honest I see this as a good change and something that will benefit our country. Hopefully whites will learn to accept the change and learn about other cultures in the process. Thu, 1 Apr 2010 00:22:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment65097174 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64275869 This video was pretty disturbing to me. It’s sad that these children have these feelings about their own race. I am not too surprised though since in today’s culture whites are plastered all over popular media. It’s also important how these kids are being raised. Their parents are most likely the ones feeding them these thoughts. If they were raised in a household that promoted their own culture it might be different. When we watched the video about the two white girls who sang songs with pro white sentiments it was their parents who raised them that way. I think this will only get worse unless kids are taught about race relations at a younger age. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:43:00 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64275869 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64274950 The reason guys don’t want to discuss menstruation is because as natural as it is its still a private thing. It’s not that its disgusting to us its just kind of awkward to talk about. The only aspect that is talked about is the way girls act when they are on their period. Once in awhile when a girl is acting angry or annoyed I always here the “she must be on her period” comment. You can educate guys all you want but it’s still something that should be private. You can say I’m being closed-minded but I doubt a lot of girls want it to be a topic of conversation all the time. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:32:57 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64274950 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/flip-the-script-for-a-moment__trashed/#IDComment64273696 There will never be a complete answer that everyone agrees on when it comes to social problems. There are too many people in the world with their own beliefs and opinions. You can answer all the questions you want when it comes to race and you will always get different answers or thoughts. Asking questions is the biggest tool you can use when it comes to race relations. By sitting down and discussing what you believe about blacks, whites, Asians and others can open your mind to amazing things. When I went to the race relation’s discussion it gave me an insight to what others think and it was all because questions were asked. It lets people say something that they have been holding down for a while and finally feel the need to let it out. I can see why some people choose to ignore discussing race issues. It seems that these people are usually white or are the ones who aren’t being persecuted. I think they are too afraid to speak their mind because they don’t want to say something wrong. Something else to think about is how people interact when they are with people of a different race. If it’s a group of white people the discussion of race is going to be more open I believe. My discussion group was all white and people were not holding back about what they felt. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few black people were present the conversation would go a little differently. Before I took this class I was closed minded about discussing how I felt about other races. Over the semester I have realized that the best thing to do is to be open -minded and let others know what you feel. I wouldn’t say I was afraid but I never found the reason to discuss race since it never really affected me personally. I know that racism still exist but on a different level then it was in the past. Just because it’s not as prominent in some respects doesn’t mean we should keep silent. I know that racism and hate will always be around. There are too many people in the world for everyone to get along. Some of us choose to ignore and let life go on. Others stand up and speak out. To me it’s a loosing cause since you cannot change everyone’s mind. But if people want to do it let them do it. I don’t mind discussing race but I’m not going to walk down the street and go up to a black person and start a debate. Rallies are the best way to get the word out there and should not be silenced. Thank god our country allows free speech and enables both KKK and Black Panther marches to happen. Both sides of the race spectrum should be able to have their time to shine. Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:20:29 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/flip-the-script-for-a-moment__trashed/#IDComment64273696 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63084032 I think most black people show more emotion because the comments that were rude had some racist flair. I didn’t really see any comments targeting whites. Maybe since there are more whites then blacks they feel targeted. I don’t think it’s a color thing on why they show more emotion about comments. I don’t really notice it anyway. Overall I think that the text in wall is a great thing for the class especially the poll questions. Some kids are idiots and write some rude comments but it is a small price to pay. I wish that it could identify who sends the message in. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:51:26 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment63084032 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment63082393 I do not see the harm that would be caused by allowing these girls to be dates at their prom. It’s the 21st century you would think that people would be more open minded about these things. Its not like being gay is not mainstream in today’s culture. The school is making a bad name for themselves and ruining senior year for a lot of students. By cancelling the prom they are putting a target on these girls for abuse from other students. I am not surprised this is taking place in Mississippi. It seems that this state is always involved with some sort of racism or segregation dispute. I remember watching a HBO special called Prom Night in Mississippi that followed a high school who segregated their prom between blacks and whites for decades. In the end the prom was desegregated but not attended by most the white students. I think if this happened at a school in the north gay couples would be more welcomed at a prom. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:36:23 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment63082393 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63082190 As a white person I do not feel any guilt whatsoever for things that happened in the past. Its not like you can choose to be white, you are born that way. Do you think someone who was born into a royal family feels any guilt for what they have because of it? Most likely not. Slavery was a horrible thing that happened over one hundred years ago yet most blacks still refer to it when it comes to racism. My ancestors were not even in this country when it happened. A bunch of ignorant people who just so happen to have the same skin color as me decided it was a good idea and because of it my race always gets a bad reputation. Black people have to realize not all white people are racist. We also aren’t all rich and have everything given to us. Other than our skin color and culture we are the same people. History books have more then just white history in them. When they highlight slavery its not like they put a positive spin on it. I don’t get a sense of white pride when I read about it. It helps me further understand what happened. History is always written by the victors and I guess in this case white people are the victors. I think the best way of understanding each other is by real life situations. You can read all the books you want but it wont help you know what its like to be a black or white person. The world will always be filled with racism and hatred. People don’t like things that aren’t normal to them. That is why white people mostly hang out with white people and black people mostly hang out with black people. Its not that we don’t hate each other its because we feel more comfortable around people who share the same background and culture. I think a great way of thinking about this is by taking Sam’s example of the handicapped and how people without disabilities think of them. Since I don’t use a wheelchair I really don’t know what its like to be them or how to act around them. Black people should do the same thing but for white people. You don’t know who we are because your not white. If you were white I am sure you wouldn’t feel any guilt. One thing that I think white people always get labeled for is that we think we are superior to everyone else. This is very untrue. There are whites who are just as poor and in need. They didn’t get a leg up or any special attention. When my ancestors arrived in America they were not given a job and a house. They had to work their way up. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:34:34 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-to-do-about-white-guilt__trashed/#IDComment63082190 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59991637 It is kind of odd that most contestants on The Bachelor are white. I guess once in awhile they will throw in a token minority to please people but its usually only one cast member and they barely make it far in the show. Something to look at is the race of the bachelor. The guy is usually white, good looking and makes a decent living. I think the producers of the show want to match him with someone of the same background. If you watch shows such as Flavor of Love and For the Love of Ray Jay the cast is mostly black and brown with one or two whites. In these two shows the “bachelor” is black. I doubt it’s a coincidence that the bachelor is the same race as most of the contestants. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 04:46:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59991637 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59990441 The question presented is pretty interesting. I’m pretty sure we all know that the slave owners wouldn’t be too pleased if they saw Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies” music video or Ryan Howard in a baseball highlight. I think overall slave owners would not believe how far blacks have made it in America n such a short time. I’m sure they would do a double take if they saw Barrack Obama as our president. There might be a few who take back what they did after seeing all the things blacks have accomplished. The slave owners would be in for a huge shock. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 04:36:27 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59990441 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-this-racist-really__trashed/#IDComment59814711 I have to agree with Sam on this one, this guy is a complete moron. Who in their right mind would want to watch a bunch of white guys play old school basketball? I remember watching old clips of basketball games in the 1950’s and I couldn’t bare it. Back then there wasn’t even a three-point line to shoot from. Don Lewis is trying to segregate the most universal game in the world. Young kids of various races and ethnicities all over the world play basketball on the streets and in gyms. I doubt white American players want to play the “traditional” way of basketball. Everyone knows that the NBA is full of black and brown players. It doesn’t detract from the game in any way. These players went through the same paths and obstacles of the white players who play the game. They can shoot just as well as white players and can pass just as well. I’m sure if you ask American white players if they would want to play in an all white league they would say no. They want to play against the best and with the best. Just because some white players aren’t as fast or can do tomahawk dunks doesn’t mean they should play by themselves. Another thing that angers me about Don Lewis is that he claims he is not racist. Of course he is. He is segregating blacks and whites and trying to get away with it. If he weren’t racist he would be fine with the way the NBA is run. He is basically claiming that whites don’t have the skill set to play with blacks and that blacks have a physical advantage. He cannot face it that whites are not the best at basketball and needs to make his own league. Its not like a black ice hockey promoter is trying to make a black only hockey league. In my opinion the “Moose’s” main goal is a traditional type of basketball league. If this is the case why can’t blacks play also? Black people can play “white ball”. Not all of them play fast pace and disregard the fundamentals. You also can’t blame the actions of a few black players on the whole league. Not all black players carry guns and start fights with fans; he is generalizing a lot of people. All in all I can’t see this league being successful at all. The NBA is supported by black and white fans across the country. People are use to the fast pace of the game and enjoy it. Why would people want to watch a bunch of white people run up and down the court and shoot lay ups wearing short shorts? To make it worse the league name is ABBA. That screams white supremacist in my eyes. Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:48:24 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-this-racist-really__trashed/#IDComment59814711 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/question-on-discrimination__trashed/#IDComment58901067 Of course people of the same color usually hire each other more often then someone of a different color. People always feel safer when they are with people they can relate to or share the same characteristic. A white CEO who has an education from an Ivy League school and has always been surrounded by white upper class is going to choose someone exactly like him. On the other hand I’m not sure if a CEO of color would hold the same feelings. I think black people would give have a fairer set of mind when it came to hiring people of different races. My team (white) usually always wins when it comes to getting a job. I’m not saying whites are always guaranteed a job when people of colored are involved but they definitely have an unfair advantage. Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:31:15 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/question-on-discrimination__trashed/#IDComment58901067 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58900293 I think when most kid’s think of Indians they refer back to Thanksgiving and them sharing a meal with Pilgrims. They usually aren’t taught about the Trail of Tears or the forceful relocation till high school. When students read about what happened in textbooks it is usually sugar coated and not really as truthful as it should be. In movies Native Americans are usually portrayed as savages and always confronting whites. I think the only thing we can do as a society to make up for what happened is educate students at a young age. Books can only go so far though. By showing them video clips or taking them to current reservations it might open their minds Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:22:59 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58900293 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58898765 I feel no guilt or responsibility for what has happened to the Native Americans over the past 150 years. My ancestors were not even living on this continent when the relocation of Natives took place. Just because they lived in a house that might have been on Indian Territory doesn’t mean they supported the genocide of Indians. When they arrived on Ellis Island they didn’t receive a notice letting them know that they were trespassing on Native land. Genocide and relocation of people has been taking place since the beginning of time. Whenever there is not enough room for two civilizations to live in one will always try to make room for themselves through force or diplomacy. In the case of the Native Americans the whites were expanding at an alarming rate through the advancement of technology and population. Of course the whites could have tried to be diplomatic and make room for everyone but the culture of the Natives was total opposite of the whites. White people also knew that they could easily force Natives out of their land if need be since they always considered themselves a superior culture. When I attended grade school and high school I was always taught about the Trail of Tears and the unethical relocation of Natives. Of course my teachers sugarcoated most of it but we still knew what took place. I guess we were too young and naïve to understand how devastating it really was. I can see why some people support further education Native Americans but that will only go so far. What happened has happened and there is no way it can be reversed or apologized for. The video we saw in class about the horrible conditions remaining tribes are going through on reservations was eye opening. I knew about the alcoholism and low income but I was still surprised at their everyday life. On the other hand there are tribes that made the best of it and actually are better of then most whites. Certain tribes have set up Casinos on their reservations and make a decent amount of money. In my opinion what happened to the Native Americans was awful. Do I feel like it was my responsibility? Not at all. My ancestors didn’t even live in this country when it happened. Just because I might live in a house that was on Indian Territory doesn’t mean im guilty of anything. I’m not saying what the United States did was right but if it didn’t happen most of us wouldn’t be here right now. You could say that only the fittest survive and that the whites are the king of the hill. What the United States did has been happening for centuries and will continue to happen as long as global expansion continues. It is inevitable. The only thing we can do now is further educate our white society on what really happened and the way of living Natives live today. Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:06:50 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58898765