Like we have been reading, we all have to accept what we are doing wrong and change, that goes for all races. I personally disagree with this girl’s statement, however I do give her credit for speaking up. If we were all more comfortable talking about race like this than these misunderstandings would not occur, and we would see things through other people’s eyes much more easily.

If anything that is far from racist. In fact, of all themes that come to mind, none really have to do with race. I’ve heard of foam parties, color parties, beer Olympic parties, even what the f are you wearing parties – yet none of those are formed due to racial issues. If anyone should be offended by theme parties it should be girls. The only reason that guys ever want to have beach parties, or no pants parties is to see girls half naked. Golf pros and tennis hoes, or ceos and corporate hoes, all suggest that girls should look like sluts. It has nothing to do with people of color at all. It is hard to let race issues go and for people to become equal when there are so many assumptions being made. Everything gets turned into a race issue when it was not meant that way at all. In order for anything to move forward people have to stop assuming that all white people are racist. No wonder we are scared of being politically correct all the time.

I feel as though this comment is more racist than any theme party I’ve ever been to. I will begin with the first thing stated; white people only have theme parties. I am a white female, however I have attended many theme parties with my friends of color, and they have just as much fun with it as I do. Second that they are targeted towards black people- well that is just absurd. I have never even thought of race as a question when it comes to theme parties they are there for one reason, because it is fun and changes things up a little. In fact, if anything white people are making fun of themselves through these parties. White trash, golf pros tennis hoes, country music, etc all are making fun of white people. The only thing I can see as offensive is a thug party; however who said all thugs are black? I am not poking fun at blacks by dressing as a thug, I know just as many white people as black people who wear fitted hats and baggy pants. I will admit that I once dressed as Lil Wayne for a BET vs CMT party, but that was not to be racist at all it is just because I love Lil Wayne.

yes

Boutcher

yo

. I understand where this article is going, however I do not really understand why race is such a big deal. Especially that it is such a big deal that we need to get so involved over what to call a certain race. Isn’t the census about how many people there are living in the US, I did not realize it was so much about how many black vs white people there are in the US (or any other race). If race does need to be involved, maybe it would be a good idea to leave the space completely blank and let it be a write in for everyone. That way people can fill in whatever race they are to themselves. In fact, this country is so diverse anymore I see no reason why we must need a constant track on how many different races there are anymore. In my eyes the times are changing, and maybe race does not have to be such a big deal anymore. I am not saying that I do not understand why they try to measure racial differences in this country, because I do. It is great to learn and study from, but the way we ask should not be offending people. If people are so worried about being politically correct, and what word we should be using for different races, I do not understand why we can not just simply leave a space for them to fill in their own race- as they see it. I do, however, think that it is respectful of the Census Bureau to try to figure out what races to put on the senses, because we should all be sensitive to what others would like to be called. For instance, I do not really feel appropriate using the word Negro. I feel as thought it was stopped being used for a reason, and if it is offensive why should it be brought back. I am not black, so if African Americans would rather be called Negros I guess I cannot talk, but I feel as though for a pretty long period of time the word was used in a derogatory sense – and maybe should not be used again – at least just yet. It does honestly surprise me that the term Negro is still used in the American Census. Perhaps older generations of African Americans do not mind the term because they are used to it. However, I think in present day many, if not all, younger black Americans would find the term offensive especially if it was a white person calling them that name. I think that we should just listen to what people would like to be called. The census results are going to be skewed no matter what, especially because people may identify themselves as a different race than others would identify them as. So what it comes down to is, what is more important counting the population, or the racial differences in the United States.

yoo

I saw Avatar when it first came out and I had very high hopes for the movie. Maybe because it was talked up a lot, maybe because of the high budget, or maybe even because of the director. Either way I was not very happy with the film. I did not expect there to be such an underlying message as there was. After seeing the movie I felt that there was a very strong political message hidden in the plot. I took it more as the US invading other countries, and not so much as a Pocahontas story (though I guess they are close to the same thing). I also understand where the whole white messiah message comes from, however I do not really think he was making a point about races. I feel that the message in the movie was mostly political not so much racial. I do not think it was about white vs minority really at all. Though if you look at his previous film, Titanic, that sort of had a poor vs rich message, more specifically where the rich looked like the bad guys. And in this movie, Avatar, the white people look like the bad guys as well. More than a racial thing I would just have to say that he is a pretty big liberal. I think that Brooks is definitely reading too far into the movie. If, for instance the main character in Avatar would have been a different race, whether black, Asian, Hispanic- the plot would still have been the same. Though the “white man” would no longer be the hero, the story would not have changed whatsoever. I don’t really think the main character was a white messiah either because to the people of Pandora he looked just like them, not like a white man. Also I do not think the white man in this movie is the messiah at all, the white man is not the savior, they are the destroyers. The killers that come into another man’s land and try to take it over. That was the message I got from the movie. Not that I agree with that message, which is why I was not so thrilled about the movie in the first place. I think that the only reason the movie is doing so well is because people think they have to like it because all the buzz about it. If there were not so many expectations, such a large budget, then who knows if the movie would have made so much in the box office. Everyone has their own opinion but I found the movie really kind of corny. I did enjoy the graphics, and it was entertaining- but I found myself trying to like it.

This article was very interesting to me because the same thing happened to me once on a plane. The man sitting the row in front of us was praying teffillin and I thought it was strange, but since it was a flight to Australia and we had a lot of time to get to know each other he explained it to me. I found it very interesting and he was a very nice guy, so it’s sad to think that I judged him right off the bat. I am Catholic, and I am also very scared of planes. I would have to say that I pray more on an airplane than any other time in my life, so if this happened to me just for praying I would be very upset. On the other hand, I do understand the reaction, although I do find it a little extreme. Being afraid of planes, and losing someone in 911 I get the whole being overly suspicious of people thing. Before I walk on any plane I check out who is waiting in the terminal, we are all guilty of it. That does not mean that if a teenager were praying on the plane, as strange as it might look to me, I would report it immediately in such a way. I do not really understand how it all got so out of hand. What is normal for him and me may be two totally different things, and I think that people have to learn to respect that. I do admit that if I had not had this experience myself I might feel differently about this story, so yea maybe I am biased. But than again I know that when I saw it my first reaction was not land the plane! That poor kid was probably so scared and embarrassed. Also, the fact that people thinks he should be more aware of our culture is just not fair. Why should he change who he is and what he believes in just so other people feel more comfortable? I am sure that he prays at the same time every day, so why should that day be any different for him. Yes, there are protocols that need to be followed on any flight, but where does it say watch out for fire, weapons and Jews? That is just not fair he has as much right to pray on a plane as anyone! The problem is that many people in our society are very close-minded. We need to open up our views and get to know other cultures, and we also need to learn to except and respect them. Of course safety should be a huge priority, but what about respecting others I feel that should also be high on our list. Just for a second put yourself in his shoes, and think about how you would feel if that had happened to you. That is something I don’t think a lot of people are addressing.