gdp's Comments

Race Relations Project : What about people who can only "afford hard work"?

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:59:19 +0000

I'm a little confused, and baffled... are you trying to say that it was unfair that immigrants took the jobs that high schoolers usually held at the beach in the summer? Unfair, you say? In the perspective of a business owner, you must think of what kind of employee you want. You outlined many reasons why owners would prefer immigrant staff over high school staff. But then you say that Americans are more driven and hard working than "these people". While you perceived that you worked harder than any of the immigrants at your summer job, it must be put into perspective. The immigrants probably were working more in the long term than you, just there for the summer, so why bust their ass? Also, it's the least of our concern that high school students are having trouble finding jobs. We're a bit more concerned with people's careers than someone's summer job. Also, I'm sure if your friend with the lawn mowing job integrated the immigrants into the business, it wouldn't have failed. I just think you have a very one-sided view of this controversy and should definitely devote some time towards changing that. Anyways. I completely understand why so many immigrants come to this country illegally. It's very common for a father in Mexico to come to the US to make money to send back to his family, and hopefully eventually bring them to the US. So it makes sense that one would immigrate here illegally, because it's not sensible to go through the legal process without assurance that a better life lies in America.

Race Relations Project : Letter from an Inmate

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:12:43 +0000

Like many others have expressed, I really enjoyed this post and was glad to see the Rockview lifers come up in topic again. What struck me within the first few sentences was how eloquently this man writes. It's a beautiful mix of simplicity & complexity; easy to understand yet sophisticated and elegant, which is a style that most writers strive for. Anyways, I'm sure he's attained his writing skills over time, which of course, he has a lot of. That's one of the things about prison that really intrigues me, that many inmates attain an education they probably never would have if they weren't convicted. I remember watching a segment on TV about a nonprofit, I believe in New York, founded by an ex-con that provides services to newly released inmates in helping adjust to society, get a job, etc. The founder said that many, many inmates earn advanced degrees during their prison time; some even have PhDs upon release, yet they need just as much assistance as any former inmate in adjusting to society. I'm sure most people have seen Shawshank Redemption (one of my favorite movies!), and know the theme of "not surviving on the other side". Can you imagine what it would be like to live in a prison for several decades, fully accustomed to a structured lifestyle, then being released on parole? I'd be scared shitless! What do I do now... getting a job will be near impossible with my criminal history, and with the degrees I earned in prison I could get a real job and legitimately turn my life around. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. I think there is a dire need for service agencies that assist ex-cons, because if the purpose of their imprisonment was to be rehabilitated, they deserve a chance to start over. Anyways, this might be kind of silly, but I truly think there should be a reality TV show focused on lifers. I think it would be terribly interesting and would alter societal perceptions on prison life. Maybe that'll be a project of mine in the future, because I think as we all have realized, there are a lot of things we could learn from lifers.

Race Relations Project : Christian Invaders - the turnaround

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 01:10:58 +0000

I enjoyed yesterday's lecture mainly because it covered a topic I unfortunately don't know too much about. When Sam asked us what we know about Arabs and Muslims, how long we could talk for if we spit out everything we know, I was thinking "hm... probably about 10 seconds". Which is embarrassing. The lack of knowledge I have about anything going on in the Middle East or past relations between the US and the Middle East is, again, embarrassing. So I appreciated this lecture because it was a fresh topic compared to what we've been discussing in prior classes. So I notice that many people are getting all hot and bothered that Sam portrayed the war in Iraq as a Christian Invasion (typical Christian reaction). Which shows how many people failed to understand the point of the lecture: Arab Muslims in the Middle East see Americans as coming to 1) take control of their resources and 2) spread their religion. Which, as we saw, is the result of misrepresentations of American culture that Arab Muslims are exposed to. Just like the misrepresentations of Arab Muslim culture that we are exposed to. I must admit, the main reason I enjoyed yesterday's lecture was because I left feeling one of my strongest beliefs was completely supported- that religion is TOXIC to our world. I don't mean religion in it's entirety... in fact, I'm thankful for the morals that have developed in societies that stem from religion and prevent mass chaos of murder and so forth from occurring. But I do believe that when the duty to convert people is an important characteristic of a religion, that is when things go downhill. There is no reason for masses of people to follow the same religion, because religion is between oneself and his/her God(s). The goal of religiosity is completely, 100% selfish- to assure one's life and afterlife will be pleasant. Again, I do not believe there is ANY reason for a religion to have as many followers as possible. Perhaps when a religion is founded, recruitment is necessary to spread awareness of it's existence, but no need for WORLD DOMINATION. I would be interested in learning why religions like Islam and Christianity honor the idea of converting as many people possible, because I don't know. What I do know, is that there's nothing I hate more than people trying to push their religion on me. I DESPISE missionaries. And "despise" is putting it lightly. Especially when there are missionaries on campus, who trick you into conversation by asking where Chambers Building is then changing the subject to the Holy Father. If there are any missionaries out there reading this, let me tell you something- I don't follow a religion not because I've never thought about it, or live under a rock. If I wanted to begin following a religion, I would seek out the information myself. So if you really want to be useful in your work in life, post some flyers onto a community board and start a 24/7 information hotline. Because that way, if there are people who are slightly intrigued by your religion, they can easily contact you for more information. Anyways, back to my point on religious conversion, I don't know who these missionaries in Iraq think they are to go into a Muslim country and attempt to spread their religion. Seriously? Do you really think if Muslim missionaries were to come to your door and try to talk you into loving Muhammad, you would go along with it? I just DON'T GET IT. I really don't. And thanks to these radical Christians in our country, Arab Muslims in Middle East have a completely skewed perception of Americans and see us as a threat. So basically, I blame religion for that. Sorry if that offends people, but.... you can't exactly deny it.

Race Relations Project : Women

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:04:58 +0000

I completely agree with what this girl is saying, and I was thinking similarly in class on Tuesday. There is no single standard of attractiveness and femininity when it comes to the female body, and this is reflected in Hollywood today. Kate Hudson for example, has a borderline concave chest. Yet she's absolutely stunning and exudes sensuality and femininity. On the other end of the spectrum, Sara Ramirez (Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy) is extremely curvaceous yet equally stunning, sensual and feminine. The thing that these curvy and curve-less women have in common is their mindset. They're comfortable in their bodies, embrace their womanhood and it consequently emanates from their presence. When we stop questioning our "flaws" and appreciating what we have, we begin to carry ourselves differently throughout the day. Like when you buy a knockout dress and wear it out for the first time, you walk like you own the world. Being able to appreciate our bodies will have the same effect, and it is very, very noticeable to people who walk by. When I walk through campus or downtown, I can pick out from a crowd a woman that really is comfortable and confident in her body, and she's always the most womanly and feminine female around. So what do I think feminity is? The confidence to work "what our mommas gave us".

Race Relations Project : This is totally off the hook

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:40:58 +0000

Good call... you're right, I didn't know the actual statistics of reported rapes in Japan. Actually, I was mostly thinking of Japanese brothels, which as we read in Disposable People are common (yes, "extremely common") and many Japanese men prefer the youngest girls possible. And while it may be a matter of opinion, I consider men paying to have sex with a young girl who is far from wanting to be there as rape. So anyways, I just wanted to clarify what I was basing my knowledge on, because it wasn't manga.

Race Relations Project : Want to Learn Chinese (Mandarin)?

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:28:22 +0000

I don't think the point of this post is to say that Mandarin is to become the future language. The point is, in the future job market for global industries, or just businesses that have international partnerships, any job candidate who can speak a foreign language will have a great advantage over those who cannot. Even though it's true that English is the primary language used for business interactions, and the Chinese adhere to that, it's obvious why an American fluent in Mandarin would be beneficial. Think of it this way.... for an American company that wants to land a huge deal with a Chinese company, having a Mandarin-speaking employee as a correspondent is arguably their greatest strength in securing the deal. I just think that it's ignorant, and ethnocentric, to stand back and assume there is no need to learn a foreign language because English will always be the dominant language for international relations. Especially in today's job market, we need every unique, desirable quality we can get to secure a great job.

Race Relations Project : This is totally off the hook

Tue, 6 Apr 2010 20:03:15 +0000

Although disgusted by these rape video games developed in the Japan, I can't say I'm surprised. In context, it was only a matter of time before this type of game came along. While I don't know what the social feelings about rape in Japan are, I know it's EXTREMELY common in their society. So like Grand Theft Auto emulates a common occurrence in American society, thievery, and the "bad-ass" feelings associated with it; it makes since that Japanese game designers would come up with this plot line. My brother is a game designer and from him I've learned that today, consumers prefer games that are realistic, but have the gamer engaging in some awesome/dangerous/taboo acts ranging from superhuman powers to murdering other characters in the game. Anyways, I think this idea that realism is enticing in the gaming world, explains the development of this rape game. As we read in Disposable People, brothels are commonplace in Japan. And there have been loads of Manga comics that portray graphic sex scenes and rape. Culturally speaking, the rape game makes sense in Japan. But I'm glad that the games were taken off the market.... hopefully they can be controlled on the internet too.

Race Relations Project : How Can We Ever "Win"?

Fri, 2 Apr 2010 15:43:20 +0000

I think the whole concept that was presented by the LL Bean catalog is one of the main obstacles toward people reaching equality, or at least the humanitarian phase. It is a lose-lose situation, because white people, having a "similar-to-me" mindset, would be much more comfortable with black people who dress like them than those who dress differently. In fact, regardless of skin color, we are always more likely to feel comfortable around people who portray an image similar to our own. For example, us college students tend to share a basic "uniform": jeans, T-shirt, flip-flops or sneakers, sweatshirt, etc. Is it untrue to say we would feel slightly uncomfortable around a student who wears a 3-piece suit to class everyday? So then to turn to people of color wearing "white" clothes- what message do people perceive from it? Is this person trying to be white? Are they trying to gain approval from the majority? Do they simply enjoy wearing khakis, boatneck sweaters, and loafers? It upsets me that people of color do have to consider what message their attire portrays more than white people do. I am a true believer in the power of dressing nicely, that 1) it makes the wearer more confident and 2) people see you in a more respectful manner. And at this point in my life, mainly because I'm in a college setting, I don't see many people who are really put together when I'm walking to class. And when I do, I always notice them. In this sense if I were to see a girl or guy of any color dressed nicely walking down College Ave, I'd instantly have respect for that person. And their skin color has nothing to do with that perception- I just think it's great that there are people who aren't lazy bums and roll out of bed and walk straight to class. Overall, I've never thought about how people of color perceive other people of color who dress "whitely". Just like we all have equal rights as individuals, we all have the right to our own taste in fashion and our racial identity should never create barriers to that.

Race Relations Project : Nothing About the Census is Easy

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 20:09:14 +0000

Definitely agree. I think if they are going to ask people to identify themselves as Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, Mexican, etc., WHY don't they do the same for European countries that people have heritage in? I'm sorry, but I don't believe that there's a bigger difference between Guatemala & Mexico than say, French & German. In fact, the more I think about it, the more angry I get. I was filling out the census last night (well actually, I was filling out my friend's census for her since she and her roommate hadn't done it yet), and the feeling that comes over me when I get this question is basically disappointment. How boring and sad is it that out of all the other races listed, I have to check off "white"? It's like eating pasta with nothing on it. Bland. White. I hate that! I would love to be able to check off Irish and German, cause that's my heritage. My friend's heritage is Japanese, so I could check her off for that, but I'm stuck with that damn "white" box. It just goes to show how deluded the world is to the concepts of "race" and "heritage"- in different situations, heritage will constitute as race or skin color will, and that is not ok. Seriously, if they're going to put our race as "white", that technically could excuse other races being described as "yellow" or "red". And that's not OK. I really don't know why they can't replace "white" with something that's not a color.

Race Relations Project : The White Minorities

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:05:12 +0000

I agree that being part of the majority doesn't mean we hold our heads high with the idea that we are STRONG WHITE PEOPLE. As we've discussed in class, most white people don't even acknowledge the advantages they have due to their skin color. So the fact that minority births are fast-approaching the majority, to me, is a prime example of "not news". I don't think anyone is surprised at this change in our demography, nor are we "concerned" about it because most of us were raised to accept all colors of skin as equal. Sure, some of our grandparents would be disgusted, but that's due to generational differences and they'll be dead soon anyways so no problem there. Personally, my friend-base growing up included very few minorities and I'm so glad that my children in the future will have the opposite experience, most likely.

Race Relations Project : What's the big deal with periods?

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:41:27 +0000

I agree that using the term "bleeding" was probably caused the disgust reflex in a lot of the students in class. But what I think men don't know, and should know, is that the fact that just because we females have periods, doesn't make it less gross to us then it does to men who don't experience it. Any female who argues that periods aren't at all gross is kidding themselves. Sure there are great things that come out of having a period, like the ability to bring a little baby into the world or a valid excuse to get out of gym class in high school. And have you ever noticed that men are more likely to faint when they see their own blood? Us girls will never have to worry about that. But the bottom line is, periods are still unpleasant to talk about. What bothered me in class the most was that I felt Sam was violating his wife's privacy by describing her period to the class. To the men reading this: how would you feel if your significant other went around talking about your masturbation habits? Or your erectile dysfunction? These are both arguably as natural as a woman's menstrual cycle, but still very private matters that I'd think you'd rather keep to yourself. All I know is that reading the second half of Laurie's book for the final will constantly remind me of yesterday's class... not in a positive way.

Race Relations Project : What to do about "white guilt"

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:25:11 +0000

I agree with this poster that guilt and responsibility are independent of each other. Which is why i hesitate to use the word "guilt" when I think of the horrible things white people did to black and brown people in the past. In my mind, guilt is a shameful feeling regarding something I have control over. Responsibility is the basis of guilt. So when Sam asked if anyone would feel not a smidge of guilt about the situation with Native Americans, I hesitate because I don't believe guilt is the word to describe what I'd feel. I would say I empathize for them. But for me to feel legitimately guilty focuses the responsibility on me, which obviously, is inaccurate. And while I'm not proud of what my white ancestors did in the past, I'm not about to feel guilty about it to the point where I feel bad about the privileges I receive as a white person. Yes, I acknowledge my privileges, and I understand the unfairness. But I think that beyond that awareness, it's best to leave the past behind and replace guiltiness and shame with empathy. I think its very plausible that guilt and shame are the main reason racial issues have reached a plateau. Based on how I see things, the concept of changing history books to eliminate white guilt is iffy. It's difficult to achieve awareness of racial issues without triggering white guilt, since it's a natural reaction. But I don't think changing history books to include the genocide of Native Americans would do much for race relations today, because white guilt still exists in response to black oppression in our nation's history which has been included in books for decades, for all I know. I think the process of confronting white guilt is more advanced; the fact that college students and adults still have trouble with it shows it is a task that even fully matured minds struggle with. Bottom line is, some things cannot be taught to developing minds... they more so are learned through experience in life.

Race Relations Project : What happens to multiracial people?

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:00:35 +0000

I definitely think Sam's referral to people as "white" or "black and brown" has stirred some confusion and thoughts in everyone's minds (his main priority, right?), regardless if we are multiracial. I'm still not sure who he is referring to when speaking of "black and brown"; in my mind, I associate "brown" with light-medium tone black people and "black" with the very darkest black people. So then I wonder, does he see Asians, Hispanics, etc as falling within the "brown" category? I don't think that's very accurate. There are tan white people that just came from the tanning salon (and one too many of them might I add) whose skin color surpasses that of a Hispanic's. This just goes to show that our perceptions and beliefs regarding the topics we discuss in class more stem from our experiences in life than the color of our skin. My best friend is Italian and gets a tan that matches lighter skinned black people every summer, but she hasn't shared the same experiences of oppression, stereotyping, etc because of it. I think in class we've really reinforced the racial categorizations with skin color, even though we know they are inaccurate. Perhaps we should try to find a more accurate approach.

Race Relations Project : Prom or No Prom: Just Don't Let the Queer Students Dance Together

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:36:58 +0000

This article reminded me of the utter humility I feel when I realize that I share the same nationality with such mindless imbeciles. I feel like that is all I have to say about this, but alas I must write on. It literally pains me to hear that a school board, a panel of highly educated people devoted to the education of younger generations, would cancel a prom for fear of an innocent lesbian couple attending it, one dressed in a tux. But furthermore, they rationalize their actions by claiming the event was "distracting the educational process". I literally want to scream into a pillow right now. Obviously they recognize their complete ignorance, or else they wouldn't have drafted this fogged cover for their actions. Isn't there a code of ethics for educational professionals that would prohibit this type of discrimination? Just trying to understand their reasoning makes me feel stupid. Let these girls go to their damn prom, they just want to have that "prom experience" that every girl relishes. It's not like they're going to get freaky at the dance... if they wanted to do that, they would stay home.

Race Relations Project : Are Whites the Only People Willing to Humiliate Themselves?

Sat, 6 Mar 2010 04:19:32 +0000

I, like many other people have admitted, never noticed the severe lack of diversity on The Bachelor/Bachelorette. What I do constantly notice is how every single contestant in the show is gorgeous, without exception. So it can be argued that the people in charge of the show, selecting contestants and whatnot, are discriminating against people of color AND people who don't reach their "attractiveness standards". Ridiculous. Now, I haven't watched the Bachelor/Bachelorette since high school probably, but of the seasons I've watched I don't remember ever seeing a redheaded contestant either. Being a redhead myself, this aggravates me. And I may be wrong, there may have been a ginger somewhere in the mix that I don't know about. But going back to "hollywood standards", I know that redheads aren't typically the most sought after women.... for example, there has never been a redheaded woman to be on the cover of Playboy Magazine. And seriously... there are most DEFINITELY some hot, playboy-material gingers in the world. So while I'm aware that us redheads aren't technically our own race, we're a subculture I'd say. One that receives enough prejudice to have a word that describes it, "gingerism". It was rampant hundreds of years ago, when redheads were believed to be witches, vampires, degenerates, etc., etc. And today people just like to poke fun... I'm sure you have all seen or at least heard of the "ginger kids" episode of Southpark, where redheaded kids were portrayed as "disgusting, inhuman, inherently dumb, have no souls, and are unable to survive in sunlight". I personally don't get offended by ginger jokes, only because I never knew the derogatory nature of being a "ginger" until I got to college. What does bother me is that beautiful redheaded women or handsome redheaded men are completely underrepresented in the media. And no, it's not like they're RARE. Seriously? Google Cintia Dicker... probably amongst the most beautiful supermodels in the world today. And Shaun White... alright I'll admit he may need to donate to Locks of Love but he's definitely good looking. My point is, if I were a person of color I would be pretty pissed about the lack of diversity on reality shows that "recruit" beautiful contestants. Because I know that's how I feel about the lack of my fellow gingers.

Race Relations Project : Fired for a Scarf

Sat, 6 Mar 2010 00:45:50 +0000

I totally agree that if they were going to disallow the scarf, they should've just neglected to hire her rather than claim it not a problem then go against their words in the future. I'm guessing they did this to avoid any legal repercussions for hiring discrimination, but looks like they screwed up that attempt. I do have to say that I was not a TAD surprised at this happening. A&F and Hollister exist to portray certain images ("wilderness slut" and "west coast hussy", some may agree), and head scarves worn for religious reasons don't quite "mesh" in their perspective. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if a Christian or Jewish female employee were asked not to where necklaces adorning crosses or stars of David. Basically, I sincerely hope A&F will be pounded with the legal ramifications of this case and that it's widely covered by the media, because they deserve punishment.

Race Relations Project : What's With the Theme Parties?

Thu, 4 Mar 2010 18:42:45 +0000

I think its kind of interesting that theme parties are considered a "white" thing to do. Like most everyone else has said, I have never been to a theme party that has focused on emulating black culture. What would that even be? A "Black Pride" party: "Come dressed as your favorite black person!"? As for the "pimps and hoes", I think it's pretty ridiculous for black people to assume we're focusing on their race because seriously, "gangsta" does not mean "black". They are not interdependent variables. Back to the "whiteness" of theme parties. I've never understood how there are things that people categorize it as "white" because a lot of white people like them. I'm specifically referring to this site, <http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/> (which is also a book) that identifies everything imaginable that a lot of white people like. Like sushi. And yoga. But does that mean that people of color DON'T like these things, or at least to the same degree as white people? I guess what I'm getting at is, do people of color legitimately dislike or find no interest in theme parties? If so, I find that slightly depressing. The concept of theme parties started as a way to spice up the regular old parties we always go to by utilizing our creative skills. Going to an innovative theme party and seeing people get very creative with their get-ups is one of the most inspiring things I see Penn State students do. The way I see it, creativity is one of the most admirable attributes a person can have and any opportunity to express it is golden. There are so many people out there that don't show their creative potential out there because it's intimidating to do so on any old day. Thus enters the theme-party: a "safe" environment to exercise one's creative skills and bask it in.

Race Relations Project : Native Americans, Oil, Tribal Division, $$$

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:51:33 +0000

I'm slightly confused. So the Native Americans on these reservations are being paid million of dollars to lease our their land for companies to drill oil. And the article states "the tribes get $60 million to $70 million in federal aid annually from the federal government", but it doesn't say what directly for. It seems to me that the oil companies will continue to lease land until they control all of it, and the government is fostering this too. Soon there will be no reservation, just it's inhabitants living in the surrounding areas to work at the oil refineries. I feel like someone realized this could be an opportunity for these Native Americans to integrate themselves into society rather than stay enclosed in a reservation. Before we know it, the government will also be encouraging the Native Americans to move even farther away from the refineries to avoid their carcinogenic effects on the environment.

Race Relations Project : Could You Compete With This Woman On A Level Playing Field?

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:12:02 +0000

To start off, the vast majority of Haitians lived in homes that could barely be described as a "building". I would even be surprised if building codes existed in Haiti. But anyways, yes, the building must be structurally sound and downright lucky to still be standing. As for the the bank being "heartless", look at it from their perspective. I wouldn't be surprised if other banks or companies that were destroyed in the earthquake had borrowed money from the bank and now the bank is pretty much screwed and will try to collect anything they can get from their debtors. I think they realize that Yvrose most likely won't be able to get them their money when they asked for it. But they will still try. Anyways, about Yvrose... is it bad that I'm not THAT impressed? It does take a creative mind to come up with the premise of her business, but I think she's getting too much credit here. I almost laughed when the NPR reporters started spitting out all of those complicated business concepts that she "easily understands". Um... let's be serious. Yvrose's business evolved through trial and error until she established a system that worked. The only definitely quality she has that I can see is a fantastic work ethic and creative mind.

Race Relations Project : Another Reason Why Gay Marriage Matters

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:34:59 +0000

This comment just made me want to learn more detail about how the women went about to get these sons- are they biological or adopted? If adopted, I'm surprised the couple was able to adopt while one of them was an immigrant. In fact, I don't even know what legislation exists regarding non-citizens adopting children in the US. Anyways, I do agree with the previous poster. When this couple made the life-lasting decision to start a family, I'm so surprised they didn't think about the issue of citizenship before doing so. While this case is so sad, and I fully believe the one partner should be able to stay especially regarding the danger she would be in back in the Philippines, the topic will always go back to why she hadn't confronted the issue years ago.

gdp's Comments

Race Relations Project : What about people who can only &quot;afford hard work&quot;?

Race Relations Project : Letter from an Inmate

Race Relations Project : Christian Invaders - the turnaround

Race Relations Project : Women

Race Relations Project : This is totally off the hook

Race Relations Project : Want to Learn Chinese (Mandarin)?

Race Relations Project : This is totally off the hook

Race Relations Project : How Can We Ever "Win"?

Race Relations Project : Nothing About the Census is Easy

Race Relations Project : The White Minorities

Race Relations Project : What's the big deal with periods?

Race Relations Project : What to do about "white guilt"

Race Relations Project : What happens to multiracial people?

Race Relations Project : Prom or No Prom: Just Don't Let the Queer Students Dance Together

Race Relations Project : Are Whites the Only People Willing to Humiliate Themselves?

Race Relations Project : Fired for a Scarf

Race Relations Project : What's With the Theme Parties?

Race Relations Project : Native Americans, Oil, Tribal Division, $$$

Race Relations Project : Could You Compete With This Woman On A Level Playing Field?

Race Relations Project : Another Reason Why Gay Marriage Matters

Race Relations Project : What about people who can only "afford hard work"?