en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/767499 Comments by vmartinez_0903 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment71012379 I think that it is great that people are willing to understand other races even if they are thrown into a society where there are so many judgments and stereotypes about people. I believe that people who are surrounded by diversity do have a much better idea about the different racial groups. This does not excuse people who grew up in a place where there was no diversity because as a human being we should be able to agree that everyone is the same in some type of way and we should be treated equally. But people who were born into the situation as the girl in the video then they do have an upper hand in understanding race relations more n depth. Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:08:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/revisioning-the-revisioning-stage__trashed/#IDComment71012379 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment71006147 I understand what this girl is saying about how people really are not taking this number into consideration. Yes this was a horrible thing that happened and yes there were many deaths, but so many people die every day in the United States. If we stopped to think about all of the people that died in the world and make such a huge deal about it then we would not have time for anything. By saying this I do not want to seem like I don’t care about the deaths, but that there is really nothing we can do about it but try to find ways to help. Wed, 28 Apr 2010 01:45:53 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/300000-whats-it-mean-to-us__trashed/#IDComment71006147 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/stories-for-uplift__trashed/#IDComment71004616 The first video demonstrates the love that should exist between all human beings. This man did not know this woman, and he still gave a part of himself to her. He was willing to go through all of the hassles of surgery and recovery to save this strangers life. This also demonstrates how people who love and who give also receive. This clerk was friendly to everyone that she met and she always had a smile on her face. She did not distinguish between race or any other aspect. This is why the man was so willing to give her his kidney. The second video was so precious. It shows the innocence of a child. It is a shame that children are the ones that have to teach us how to live. They do not judge anyone because of their color of skin or their nationality. They are pure beings that if society lets it, will be tainted my so much injustice in the world and so much judgment. Adults tend to judge people based on their exterior. Children are born, at least I am told by social scientists, with purity, with no predetermined hate of others. Therefore, one can conclude that children learn hatred, racism, and stereotyping, but the question still remains where do these seeds of hate begin, and what can we all do to stop them from growing into dried-up tumbleweeds? Today's economy, in the United States, is so bad that both parents have to work just to make ends meet. This may cause the child to grow up quicker than they should. It may also cause from them to raise themselves. Many children are not being given the daily lessons of morality and the feelings of love and compassion are not their In other words, today's world is much too focused on the individual, when it should be more concerned with our children. The children are the future. If they believe these thoughts of racism then that is what the world will continue to be life. If children do not learn about racism and stereotyping, and how it is not acceptable, then we have failed. I think we should show children different cultures and teach them that they are all beautiful. If we can teach this equality, then they will retain a positive self-image and a positive image of people who look different than themselves. Although we try to give children all of these sturdy bases to grow on, that is not enough because children are influenced from outside the family by peers, the school system, team mascots, and by the media; but, it may be a beginning. Children, like the ones in the video are the beginning of a new world. Wed, 28 Apr 2010 01:40:01 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/stories-for-uplift__trashed/#IDComment71004616 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/tent-cities-in-haiti__trashed/#IDComment70089917 I think that these Haitians have so much strength. They have gone through so much in their lives, and they are still standing and still fighting. They have built this town out of scraps and tents and have made it work for them. They are people who have really strong character, because without it they would have never made it to where they are. Yes, they have nothing, nothing but their lives, They are striving to try and live, and succeed with the little recourses that they have. These tents are their only homes. They have to try and live in these packed places and make the best of it. I have so much respect for these people who have lost everything and ask for nothing. Unlike some of us here in the United States who have all of our necessities and we still have the nerve to ask for more. Or to feel that we are superior to people. They are trying to rebuild their city even though they are against the odds. They try but there are still some obstacles in their way. The Red Cross is only repairing homes in areas deemed safe to return to. The authorities have banned people from rebuilding homes located less than 10 meters from the water’s edge, but many people lack the skills or the money to move. The international emergency appeal for Haiti has raised only slightly more than a third of the 106 million dollars the UN asked for. Recovery and reconstruction efforts have faltered. The International Office of Migration has distributed construction kits to the displaced, but they contain barely enough materials to rebuild a small room, let alone a whole house. But they still stand strong and united. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. With oil too expensive for the impoverished nation, charcoal from burnt trees has provided 85% or more of the energy in Haiti for decades. As a result, Haiti's 9 million poor have relentlessly hunted and chopped down huge amounts of forest, leaving denuded mountain slopes that rainwater washes down unimpeded. Thousands of injured people waited for care outside badly damaged hospitals, while an unknown number remained trapped inside collapsed buildings. Basic services like water and electricity were out, and Haitian President Rene Preval said his government needs help clearing streets so rescuers can reach some of the hardest hit areas. About 3 million people one-third of Haiti's population were affected by the quake, the Red Cross said. About 10 million people most likely felt shaking from the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey said. What Americans have to learn is that we are blessed. I know that not everyone in the United States is well of but no one is Haiti is and they need help. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 04:04:11 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/tent-cities-in-haiti__trashed/#IDComment70089917 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment70086862 I think that these people have come to some type of self realization that jail is not the end for them, even though we think that it is. They have come to realize the error in their ways and change. This is not about all of them, but a select few have found that being in jail for the rest of their lives has helped them. Because without this, being in jail, they would have never realized that what they were doing was wrong. They might have still been out in the world ding things that should not be done. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:52:26 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/letter-from-an-inmate__trashed/#IDComment70086862 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment70085940 I think that it is really ridiculous how people think that coming up with a game like this a good idea. Do they not have daughters, granddaughters, mothers, and aunts? How can the maker of this game explain this to his daughter? This game is one of the reasons why society is the way it is now. People think that they can subject women to these types of things and its ok. They cease to see that this is how women become self conscious about them and develop all types of disorders. I am not saying that men are the cause of this but they are what feed it. They are the sparks that cause the fire to grow. And if this doesn’t end soon then I don’t know what will happen next. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:48:59 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/this-is-totally-off-the-hook__trashed/#IDComment70085940 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-are-we-doing-here-really__trashed/#IDComment68139587 The end goal, for me at least would be that everyone learns to respect or at least acknowledge each other. What Laurie said in her book about not seeing color captivated me so much. Usually people feel that it is ok to not se color. That by not seeing color they will not be considered a racist or anything like that. That by not seeing color they can treat everyone in the same manner. That by not seeing color they do not have to try to understand people. Seeing color is an amazing thing. People who can acknowledge someone for who they really are are incredible in my eyes. Seeing color is a way into a person. Not only into their lives but also into their culture. If everyone were able to respect and see everyone for whom they are then I think we have reached a high point. But as long as there are people who do not care about race and who think that by just ignoring it they can end the talk about it. Well guess what? Race relations will never end. Speaking about race makes people nervous, and I understand that, but if we do not talk about it then we are getting nowhere. I also understand that people think that they can never fully understand a race because they are not a part of it. At to some extent this is true. A Black man will never fully understand how it is to be a white man, and vice versa. As I write I realize that there may never really be and end goal. As long as we work with each other and try to maintain some type of stability then things will go on from there. Because if we like it or not, there will always be a person who is so caught up in what they believe that they are blind to what others believe. Not that we have to change our beliefs but just acknowledge the fact that they exist. The people who are so obsessed with trying to change everyone else instead of seeing that everyone is an individual. Even if people are in the same race, they do not have to have the same thoughts and beliefs. This is a common stereotype for all races. Our ignorance towards race relations is what is holding us back from reaching the end goal or at least getting closer to the goal. We are all fabricated to stand up for what we are but if we stand for what we are alone as a person then we get nowhere. We have to stand for what we believe in but also realize that there are others out there who are also standing for what they believe in. and if we wna them to respect us then we have to give that respect. Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:32:58 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-are-we-doing-here-really__trashed/#IDComment68139587 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64967124 Men need to seriously get over the fact that women get their periods. It is something natural that happens, like using the bathroom and burping. Women do not fuss about men who burp all of the time, or use the bathroom, because it is natural. If anything it would be worse because it does not only happen once a month life a period does. Yea we bleed and we get moody, but if it weren’t for that, then human kind would not exist. I think maybe men would feel more comfortable speaking about the subject if they knew what it was. That it was just the process of a women losing one of her eggs. People just need to stop complaining and get their facts straight. Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:11:19 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64967124 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64966465 This video is an extremely sad one. These young children have been affected by racism. They may not get judged by their hair or their skin color on personal note, but hey are experiencing some type of racism. Their minds have somewhat been molded to believe that being dark skinned is a bad thing. How did this happen? Why when the word beauty is googled, a light skinned, blonde hair woman appears under images? The fact that the world has come to think that blacks are inferior to whites has shown how we really have not achieved much in race relations. This video is very upsetting because you can see the agony on the child’s face when they say that the doll that looks most like them is bad. Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:03:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64966465 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64965498 I understand where people are coming from when they are saying that they feel offended by the census. They do not feel that they should be classified as one thing when they are more than just that. What would a mestizo or a mulato put down on the census? Would they choose the side of themselves that they are mostly in touch with, or should they not put anything down at all. All of peoples lives they are told to be individuals and to appreciate everything about themselves. How can they appreciate their culture if they are being put into one group? This goes beyond the census problem. During class today, Sam spoke about a rally in the hub where black and brown people said “where are all the white people at,” but also saying “why are there so many white people?” He said that we had to make up our minds do we want white people there or not? By using that statement I took it as if he were lumping all of us into one group. Some blacks and some brown people may not want white people to be around then whereas some black and brown people would like white people around them so that they can learn to appreciate them. So why do we have to make up our minds about one thing as a group? Why can’t we have different opinions on things even though we are in the same “race?” This does not only go for the black and brown people, but also for white people. Some white people do not mind being called white because that is what they are used to being called. They have grown up their entire lives thinking that they were just white. Some people do not now anything about their racial background. When asked they either say I am white or I am American. By saying white, are they German, Italian, Irish, and Russian? Because why not say that they are these things? Or when people say they are white, are they referring to being Americans? Because if that is the case, then blacks, Hispanics, Latinos, Asian, and any other person with a different race can be an American? People who live in Brazil, Chile, and Argentina are also American but they are not considered white. I believe that if we truly want to get an accurate number of how many people live in the United States then people should be able to check off as many racial categories that they are. They should not have to be lumped together with other people. They should not have to choose which side of their heritage they should acknowledge. This seems unfair and by doing this, we will not be able to get a correct census. Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:53:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64965498 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/1880__trashed/#IDComment63113833 Plans to build the first oil refinery in the United States for nearly 30 years are heading for trouble over claims that the intended site may harbour important Native American archaeology. No archaeological sites have been identified on the proposed site for the refinery, officials say, because it hasn't been surveyed yet.Given the high financial stakes and Arizona's history of building over archaeological sites, community watchdog groups and Native American tribes are expressing concerns about the plan.Archaeological studies are now just getting under way on a larger land transfer of 33,200 hectares of the Humboldt River basin in northern Nevada, for example. Initial analysis indicates that these lands may also include significant archaeological sites. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:04:25 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/1880__trashed/#IDComment63113833 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/question-on-discrimination__trashed/#IDComment63112828 I think that each race will choose thier own race over any other race... initially. I think that people tend to choose what ever they are most comfortable with. When a person finally sees the characteristics of a person and their traits then maybe they can choose them based on that. I think that it is wrong to choose someone of your race or nationality just based on that. If a person goes on a job interview and they do not have good credentials, but the manager, or the person who is doing the hiring process, is of the same race and they are hired, then that is wrong. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:00:34 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/question-on-discrimination__trashed/#IDComment63112828 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62620692 There are a lot of things that schools try to regulate. From iPods to what you wear. I think that it is ridiculous to band a person from going to prom with some one of their same sex. What makes this situation far gone is the fact that the prom was cancelled all together. People need to understand that we live in a time that is fairly liberal. People do not want to hide who they really are. Not just homosexual people but all types of people. Canceling the prom shows how ignorant these people are to societal views and homosexuality. The HS from which i graduated did not allow anyone to go to prom without a date, let alone a date of one's own sex. In schools the students are taught to be themselves and to me unique. They are told to be leaders and not followers. Where are these ideals left behind, where a girl cannot take her girlfriend to her prom. It's a coming-of-age thing. Having it someplace special and disallowing younger students makes the kids feel more adult. Plus, it gives students a social event to look forward to. There's a lot of American traditions I think are ridiculous, but I see the reasoning behind this one. The school is going against all they have taught. Do they simply give us these statements so we can just keep them in mind and never act on them? They stated that it was a distraction to the education process. They are not taking into account that the students do not only get their information from school. They live another life outside of school that can cause distractions to their academic process. Canceling the prom will not end homosexuality. If anything it will increase it and empower people to fight against those who are against them. People will see how discrimination is still in play and they will fight it. The cancelation of the prom was just a spark in the flame that will start from this action. Some people will never agree with the lifestyle of homosexuals, especially if their rejection of that lifestyle is based on what is written in the Bible. Therefore, debating this issue is not beneficial because people think they are free to behave anyway they want. Nevertheless, public schools cannot ban boys from parading the schools in female clothes. Likewise, they cannot stop little girls from pretending to be boys. Now, if such things were happening in the Catholic or other religious schools that would be a whole another story. Parents just have to continue teaching their children to respect all people at all times. No matter what one's position is on this topic, "A person's a person, no matter how small”. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:47:27 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/prom-or-no-prom-just-dont-let-the-queer-students-dance-together__trashed/#IDComment62620692 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2009/11/dont-ask-dont-tell-please__trashed/#IDComment56441857 I think that it is very ignorant for people to discriminate someone for their sexual tendencies. This is a country where freedom is taken so seriously and it is the number one reason why the United States is considered a strong country. Who are we to decide the fate of people who are not straight? How can having a gay soldier jeopardize any of the other soldiers? This man is very brave for standing up for what he believes in, even though he got discriminated for it. There are many people who fear this type of discrimination so they are not true to themselves. They do not feel free in a country where freedom is so important. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:34:55 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2009/11/dont-ask-dont-tell-please__trashed/#IDComment56441857 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/last-name-begins-with-m__trashed/#IDComment56441145 veronica Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:26:36 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/last-name-begins-with-m__trashed/#IDComment56441145 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/avatar-and-the-white-mans-burden__trashed/#IDComment56440992 I agree with what you are saying. I went to watch Avatar because it seemed different. The animation was nothing that I had seen before. After reading what Brooks said, I understood him. Mostly all of the movies are about a hero and him or her saving mankind. The Hero just so happens to always be a white person. Americans are used to putting negative connotations with a white leader. They think that the leader is the leader because he is white; in some instances this may be true but not in all of them. Some white people have fought for what they are and what they have. FYI I am no a white person but I do understand their position. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:24:35 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/avatar-and-the-white-mans-burden__trashed/#IDComment56440992 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-the-conversation-always-about-black-and-white-people__trashed/#IDComment56439583 I agree with the statements made by Laurie in her video. I also believe that black and white people do not understand each other’s points of views and that is why they are always going back and forth about the situation. Yes slavery was a horrible event, and yes some white people treated their slaves like crap. But black and white people do not understand that this is not how things are today, at least not in the same context. I am a brown person and when I am involved in these types of discussions the topic always turns to slavery. During these groups, like the race relations groups, the white people would not give their genuine opinions about slavery. They just agree with what the black people are saying. I understand that the topic may be a bit “sensitive”, but understating what you think is a bigger insult than telling the truth about how you feel. I have many black and white friends and the black people always feel that white people are afraid to say what they feel. And the white people say that they do not want to insult the black people. If each group would try and put themselves in each other’s shoes they may understand their opposing positions. Even though slavery “ended” in the 1800’s there is still discrimination against black people. It has not been that long since this. That is why black people feel that it still exists. No, they are not slaves but they are also not treated equally. After slavery ended black people were still technically enslaved. They had more restrictions put on them when they weren’t slaves then when they were slaves. Many would of probably wanted to remain slaves if they knew that this was what their life was going to be like. People in America treat slavery as if it was the only racial discrimination that went on in the United States. Everyone seems to forget about the native people of this land. They were also persecuted and killed, and beaten, and taken advantage of. But do you see Native Americans and white people fighting all of the time? No you don’t, because people have forgotten of everything but blacks and slavery. I am not understating the seriousness of the situation; I am just saying that there is so much more than fighting. There is this tension between black and white people that will never be eased if this continues. When people talk about race, they think that it’s just about black people and white people. What about all of the other ethnicities and their struggles with being discriminated against? The world would seriously be better if people chilled a bit and not be so angry or scared. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:07:50 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/why-is-the-conversation-always-about-black-and-white-people__trashed/#IDComment56439583 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/the-enlightened-west-knows-best__trashed/#IDComment54366015 veronica Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:04:48 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/01/the-enlightened-west-knows-best__trashed/#IDComment54366015 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2009/11/those-rusty-brains__trashed/#IDComment53501550 Thought and thinking are mental forms and processes, respectively ("thought" is both). Thinking allows beings to model the world and to represent it according to their objectives plans ends and desires. Words referring to similar concepts and processes include cognition, science, consciousness, idea, and imagination. The world today has found a way to totally destroy the whole theory of thinking. We have technology that does all of the thinking for us. When a person is challenged to think, they are stuck. The other day I was on the bus and over heard a conversation. The topic was about health care. I am not going to go in depth about the conversation, but let’s just say that the facts were not know. People are lead by the thoughts of others. The meager thoughts of those who half read and understand the facts are the ones that are always listened to. People have become accustomed to having everything handed to them without even thinking about it. When they have to actually think about what to do they have no way to go about handling the situation. They’re “opinions” on things are not well thought out. Without critical thinking you basically become a parrot, just mouthing the voice of others. Some think that critical thinking involves going against the popular view of things, but not every rebel is a critical thinker. The key is to consider the viewpoint of the source of your information, as well as understanding your own biases. Many claim to be giving unbiased facts, but in reality everyone has a viewpoint that guides how we present and absorb information. The trick is to know your bias, and consider how that may cloud your judgment. If you challenge everything, you can stand confident that you aren't being fooled. We live in an age in which we are bombarded with information. It is not unusual for people of the current generation to assimilate their perceptions rather than making changes to individual mental maps. We (all generations) are predisposed to assimilating (collecting) ideas and thoughts. If we don't examine world events, our reactions and our perceptions, it is extremely difficult to live a life of satisfaction. We need to make accommodations or changes to our mental map. If individuals cannot think critically it may be because many people cannot think abstractly. I suspect many people are too self absorbed to think critically. Without critical thinking we cannot change our minds and are only collectors of the thoughts of others. We can never be creative if we lack the ability to alter ideas and thoughts and form our own personal ideas. It is difficult to stop and reflect but reflection enhances our consciousness of self and others. Both the impact of our personal experiences and the impact of world events are altered by judgments. Informed decisions (true judgments) come from critical thinking. Critical thinking leads to response rather than reaction. "You be the judge." Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:58:18 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2009/11/those-rusty-brains__trashed/#IDComment53501550