I generally have a low tolerance for people who want to make a big deal out of isolated incidents when it comes to racism, sexism, homophobia and what are generally intolerant actions and attitudes. And so with that in mind, I'm a bit reluctant to discuss what appears to be a spike in intolerance among some segments of the U.S. populace as a result of our recent election.
Nonetheless, I'd be remiss for not examining what may be an issue upon which the "everything is better crowd" needs to reflect. None of this is surprising, of course, but it might be happening under the radar of our major media outlets because there is more important news to cover--like the end days of the global capitalist empire. Just a small story that merits a few weeks of saturating coverage.
Check out this article by Andrea Shalal-Esa that was carried by Reuters: "White Community Adapts to Obama Reality"
184 comments:
After reading this article, I was very disturbed. I come from small town that is predominantly white. I grew up surrounded by white people and our school never had more than five black families, if that. Therefore I can relate to this article, but it does not cover as an excuse for what went on in the schools and in the surrounding neighborhoods. I would be ashamed if something like this transpired in my hometown. I am sure there are those people that have their own opinions about race relations in the United States, even strong opinions facing President Barack Obama. Although it is not right to think inequality is fair, you are entitled to your own opinion, but you should not have to actively force your opinion on others or act out against certain racial or ethnic groups. Just because you are not the same as someone else, does not mean you are right. I think this small town in Maryland is a great example of the common misconception faced towards those communities that are predominantly white. From first hand experience, my town shows no public hate towards others. Don’t get me wrong there were many fights in my high school and I am sure we have faced our share of issues concerning racial diversity. What I am trying to get across is that being a predominantly white culture is not an excuse or a reason for the hate that took place in Maryland.
Furthermore, when I look at the picture of the tattooed man at the top of the blog, it confuses me. I do not understand how someone can endure so much pain and embarrass themselves in order to be “expressive.” I must start off saying that I have nothing against tattoos and I actually would like to get one someday. In the same respect, I want it to be meaningful and have a purpose. I also would like to have it somewhere not visible to the public eye, but that is my personal opinion. My point is, I do not have anything against people with tattoos. There is just something with getting a tattoo on your face that perplexes me. Your face is so sacred and something that identifies who you are. It is the first thing someone can notice in a stranger. This man, for all I know, could be the nicest person, just with very radical views. But when I see this man I cannot help but think racist, demeaning, etc. I don’t think that it is necessary or right for that man to place such racist marks all over his face, let alone body. I think that there comes a point when expressing ourselves goes over board, and this is one of those cases. I think this man shows great ignorance and should open his eyes. Our nation is becoming more and more diverse everyday. He, amongst many others, need to realize this and learn to accept it. But if accepting it is too much to ask, then at least give them the benefit of the doubt and spend some time looking at things from their perspective.
Unfortunately I believe racism and prejudices will continue to appear in our daily lives. The only variable to this issue is to what extent these conflicts will prevail, as well as to the amount of awareness that can be raised in efforts to help solve this problem. As a white person, I am still adjusting to the fact that our country is ruled for the first time under a black President. I think even to the black community this is a huge ordeal and exciting period for all of America. On the other hand, I am still skeptical as to the conflicts and threats that may arise as a result of this highly publicized political current event.
Since I was born, I have lived through four presidencies; three of those Presidents have been white until just a few weeks ago. This notion of white supremacy or the subtle privileges I have been given since the day I was born was never made aware or recognized until this past election. For a long time, I did not understand the fuss and issues surrounding racism or even the big deal between black and white people. I knew through my social studies class the history of slavery and the influence Martin Luther King had on the integration and acceptance of diversity, but I just hadn’t recognized the problems that still exist in the twenty first century.
It was not until Obama’s election did I begin to wonder and question if my laid back personality and perspective on this issue would change if America was to elect a black man as our President. The answer to this question is yes. Since Obama has become President I have drastically altered my views and perspectives. Although I seem to hesitate as a result of my upbringing and what I have been used to, I am anxious and excited to see what Barack Obama’s background can provide for our country. I believe our generation is more accepting and willing to change the actions and behaviors of our parents and grandparents, and begin a fresh start. This includes being open- minded and willing to try new things and ideas rather than being formal and conservative.
I believe Obama’s Presidency will encourage change and have the potential to alter some of the issues and mind-sets many Americans posses. Although there will be hardships and tough discussions that come along with this change in power, I think in the long-run it will benefit our country and welcome diversity into not only America as a whole, but more importantly be able to influence and change the pattern of our Presidency. Maybe this will foreshadow a potential Jewish President or even a woman President!
In response to the blog entry, I believe racism is still something that needs to be addressed. This issue has not decreased by any means in the recent years, and with a black president it has only gotten worse. In the small town that I am from, almost everyone I know was either for McCain or not voting because they didn’t like either candidate. But they are all republicans. My parents did not want to change my decision or impact it for me. They wanted me to decide on my own. Voting isn’t really a huge deal in our house because my parents haven’t liked what the candidates or presidents have to offer. My brother and sister aren’t registered to vote either. This makes me the only person in my house to have voted, and I was all for Obama. Just being around my friends from home now is ridiculous if politics comes up. They talk about their guns and hunting and calling Obama terrible names. I don’t even want to say who I voted for around them because I am sick of hearing about people ripping him apart. I think people like that, along with the students in the article are extremely close minded. I don’t think anyone has really given him a chance. They have no idea what could happen. To make it worse, the white president before him screwed everything up so badly that it really isn’t his fault if he can’t completely fix our country. But if a white man screws up I guess it’s okay. I am not a fan of Bush, so I am hoping that Obama can prove these people wrong, for the sake of his integrity. These people against him don’t even know about him. For instance, my roommate voted for McCain simply because he was a cute old white man (which I disagree with). She knew nothing about what his plans for the country are or how he was going to help the economy, let alone what Obama is planning on doing. It makes me so angry that someone could be given the right to vote with no plans on making an educated decision about what we’re getting our country into. She was just going off of what her parents were saying without making her own decisions. Another girl yelled at the African Americans in our hallway when Obama was announced president and then ran into our room hiding from them. They went knocking on people’s doors and she was really scared. She blamed it on them, but she just started it, I think, because she felt superior and thought she could get away with anything. If she really thought she could beat that girl up, she’s crazy. I think it is a step in the right direction, regardless of what people from my area think.
Graffiti plastered all over school property? Come on, people. This article really bothered me. Interestingly enough, I actually voted against Obama. But regardless of my views on him as a new president, this does not mean that I agree with the way people act when it comes to situations like these. As a member of a white majority community, I also only had a few black children in my school. However, I do not recall any major instances of racial discrimination or acts of hatred occurring in the community, at least not during my time in the school system. It disappoints me to know that acts like these are how people like to handle things. You know, if you have your own views, that’s one thing, but you do not have to openly push them on everyone, especially in these kinds of terms. It reflects badly on the surrounding community or even the group of people that may share some of the same views as those people. For someone like me, who did not vote for Obama, it actually annoys me when people do stupid things like this.
Furthermore, the picture of the man with the tattoos disgusts me greatly. To be so open about something like that is very disheartening and I can’t believe someone would have the willingness to portray his/herself in that way. Sure, it is different to have a black president for the first time, but it is also a very exciting time for many other people. Even if you do not like Obama, your reasons shouldn’t be for the reason that he’s black. Focus on his issues or other things that you don’t like and those are more valid statements.
On the other hand, however, during the election time was also very frustrating for me. It was almost like a cult took over for Obama. I would have felt the same way if it happened with McCain. I did not appreciate solicitors coming to my door at all hours of the night for Obama, even up till an hour before the polls closed. Many people were saying that they were voting for Obama solely because he was black. In my opinion, this is the opposite of the article’s situation, but it poses the same issues. Hating or loving Obama (or any black president for that matter) only because of his color should not be what everyone focuses on. Hopefully in the future, presidents of different races/backgrounds won’t have as much of an element of surprise or influence over people just because of those backgrounds. I hope people start focusing more on the things that they have to say, instead.
I interestingly enough have a friend who is from Carroll County and has always talked about it being a small rural community that from her own description seems a little behind on the times as far as things like racism. After reading this article, I felt nothing really. This article comes as no surprise to me. Despite a lot of progress that our country has made as far as racism and discrimination, we still have a long way to go. Although I think the majority of the United States contains individuals open to racial progress, there are still many areas that haven’t ventured all that far. We cannot pretend to think everywhere is as tolerant as where maybe we have come from. We cannot pretend to think there is no ignorance. We cannot pretend to think there isn’t racism. Yes, this article was indeed off-putting, but I come from an extremely liberal area, so I am educated enough to know the world doesn’t operate like my immediate surroundings. It is sad to think that the colors of peoples skin is still such a huge part of their identity. Especially after listening to Sam talk about the reasons why we are the way we are: dark skin and eyes if you are close to the equator, different eye shapes to prevent damage from the sand, shorter stockier bodies to keep warmth, kinky hair… the list goes on. Really and truly, these things have nothing to do with what the character of a person is; it is unfortunate to know that some people still judge based on physical appearance. But this is going to be a seg-way for me into something else. Minorities, usually no matter which ones specifically, continuously complain that they are being stereotyped and discriminated against. I get that. You have every right to be angry. I understand that every time a person of color is consistent with a stereotype, most people’s thought processes are affirmed, and why they stereotyped in the first place pops back into their minds. At the same time now, think of white people. Are we still racist? Just because a small rural county in Maryland has lingering tastes of discrimination? Isn’t this a double standard? Just another way of looking at it I suppose. That aside, the tattoos on this person’s face are really heinous and scary, and it is weird to know that things like “88” and “14” are not just numbers, but racist codes. To each his own, but that is pretty disgusting.
This article “White Community Adapts to Obama Reality” was very upsetting. Surprising? No. I, like many others, grew up in a predominantly white, middle-class area. I can count on one hand how many black kids went to my school, and I had never even met a Jewish person until my arrival at Penn State. On the other hand, I grew up with a young, Hispanic stepmother who majored in musical theater at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. I don’t want to make generalizations, but from her experience and my personal experience in musical theater, it is a very diverse group of people. I would go to dinners and benefits with her and my and meet people from many different backgrounds who had different sexual preferences, and who were just different from me all together. So for this reason, I grew up in an extremely tolerant household and I am very fortune for that. Going to school, however, I experienced racism that I never experienced at home because my parents didn’t use the “n-word”, or say “faggot”, or any other racial slur that people use. And neither did I. Therefore, growing up I found myself defending races that I had no relation to and really, no understanding of other than the fact that they are people just like the rest of us. I relate to the girl in the article who felt disappointed in her friends’ racist text messages because she didn’t even know that they felt that way. I had a similar experience when a guy friend of mine asked why I had an Obama sign in my yard over the summer and I said, ‘Why not?’ He replied, “Because he’s black.” I had no idea that my friends from home would seriously be that narrow minded. This particular boy didn’t go to college like the rest of us which I think can be a big wake up call for a lot of people, not everyone, but a large group of people. I think it’s important that the teachers at Westminster High educate their students about what they are going to experience in the real world as far as race, religion, etc., because they may live in a sheltered world where everyone looks like them now, but that’s not going to be the case once they step into college or the working-class world and they had better get used to it. Although racism didn’t disappear in college, it definitely decreased compared to what I experienced in high school. Obviously our country still has a long way to go and I think responsible adults need to educate the youth on that topic. I also believe that our generation can be the one to turn things around and set an example for our children so that one day, articles like this will be few and far between, if they are ever even written.
Spike in White Racism?
I personally do not feel there has been an actual spike n racism per say rather that those who were all ways racist are now coming out of the closet. These people in question have always been racist but just not up front with their racism so that they may seem to be politically correct and not to b labeled the word that they once feared being called a raciest. These people have been content hiding in the shadows and letting the up front raciest voice their opinions for them. These people were happy as long as there was a white man in power they knew everything would be ok and that things would go their way like always. Everything would go their way and they wouldn’t have to resort 2 being raciest because the system with a white man running it favored them. However with the emergence of president Obama these secret raciest ways of life has been threaten, because with a black man in charge now things may no longer be going their way. Things are going to change and if it’s one thing that people fear its change especially when things change from you being on top to now equal with those you previously oppressed. For example the KKK was started as a result of black people being freed from slavery perhaps one of the biggest changes in our nation’s history. As result of this what happened those who were once on top became en raged and created the KKK a group in which these cowards could express their hatred for blacks and try and make sure things stayed as much the same as they could allow it to. So now with president Obama in power we are merely seeing the mask pulled off all of those secret raciest who have always been there all along. The white power movement has never went away their still here and getting stronger and stronger I just recently watched a program on the discovery channel about the white supremacy movement. They may not b as upfront as they once were but the internet has opened up a secret world for these animals to recruit and pray on our youth. I personally feel that now that Obama’s all that has happened ois that all of those people we once suspect were raciest are going to come out and there’s nothing we can do about it. However the fact of the matter is that sooner rather than later these people will b the minority in this country so they can bitch and mone all they would like but change is going to happen. So they can either adapt and get with it or like all spices who don’t adapt to change they will die out.
I have no sympathy for Curtis Allgier. There is no way that all of his tattoos are a product of proving himself to his gang members in hope of saving his life. If he believes that than how can he explain his later actions? He became the monster he was pretending to be. That man deserves the fate society decides for him.
Unfortunately I do not believe that having Obama in the presidency will be able to change anything. There will always be racist people, not just white racists either, though those are the ones we typically hear the most about. We live in a world full of hatred and it does not just come from one race, it comes from all races. There will always be people who find themselves to be superior over members of other ethnic backgrounds; there is no way to change this.
I have to admit that I blame racism on the parents of most people and the area in which they live. If we look at the example in Westminster from the article, 70% of the population in that area is white. Unfortunately in these areas, racism tends to be a common theme. When you look at areas in which your entire extended family grew up, you have no way of breaking the cycle. You are exposed to the exact same beliefs that they share from the day that you are born; it is inescapable. However, it is up to the individual to develop his or her own beliefs. While it may be difficult to break the chain, it is pertinent in order to live in today’s society. The little bubble that surrounds you needs to be burst. As I said before, I do believe that parents play a vital role in the shaping of beliefs that their children share; however, every person was born with the ability to know right from wrong. We were all born with the right to freedom of speech and we all have the right to our own beliefs. There comes a point when every person must realize that they are incorrect in their thoughts and that it is okay to think outside of the overall beliefs of the society you live in.
As for Curtis Allgier, that man has inflicted so much pain on his family. Reading the blog that his photo took me to, the letter from his sister really depressed me. Too often parents are blamed when they are not actually at fault. While it may sound as though I am contradicting myself from my earlier statements, sometimes people turn out the way they do on their own. Or maybe I am just gullible? Reading over his sister’s comments, learning that they were a church going family, involved in sports and community service functions, I was taken back. The family believes that the reason he is the way he is today is because he stole that check worth $300. I do not believe that. I believe to complete the actions he did, there was always hatred in his heart. The worst part about it is that the family is receiving part of the blame for their son’s actions. Maybe they did instill these terrible morals and beliefs in the son, but we really have no way of knowing. What we do know though is that he completed these actions without the help of his family; and I highly doubt that his family is the reason he dismantled his face.
In response to the article about racism and white supremacist ideas in a high school in Westminster, Maryland, I have to say I’m not surprised. I say this because this high school is about 20 minutes away from where I grew up. Since I grew up in this area, and since I dislike many of the people from around the area because they are bigoted and uneducated and perpetuate racist thinking among their children, I can believe everything the article says. Perhaps I am as bigoted just as these people are, except I am bigoted against ignorant, racist people who teach their children to be the same way they are and to not accept people because of how they look or what their religious beliefs are.
I find it relieving and refreshing to see that some teachers at Westminster High School are trying to make a difference and educated their ignorant students about how the world really works and that just because President Obama is not a conservative rural person from Texas (President Bush) who they can relate to, that doesn’t make him any less qualified to lead the country. I’m sure the students who were quoted as saying “I don’t trust black people” or “I just don’t want a black president” were repeating things they heard at home, and their uneducated and racist parents taught their children to think the same way, without learning the facts and taking the time to teach equality and respect.
I feel that the whole concept of race supremacy and racism is perpetuated by ignorance. People who are ignorant to how other cultures act and to how people from other parts of the world look, speak, believe in etc. are the ones who perpetuate racist and intolerant ideas. Ignorant people also perpetuate the stereotypes that other racial groups use to make comments about. For example, ignorant blacks in America perpetuate the stereotype that black people cannot speak properly or they are criminals. Educated people, whatever their color do not act this way, it is the ignorant, uneducated population that acts this way and gives a bad name to the whole race, even when it is only a fraction of the population who is actually this way.
In a culture such as the one in rural Maryland where this story was taken from, change is slow to come and with such a large majority of the population being white, agricultural based communities. Liberal thinking is not commonplace, even in today’s society, and the conservative, and often uneducated population is slow to accept change and thinking which is different than their own. I see this in my community at home and it is a large part of the reason why I want to move away from the rural country and move closer to Baltimore where everyone is not an uneducated, racist redneck who thinks Obama is not qualified to be president because of the color of his skin. I commend the teachers at Westminster High School for trying to bring equal and educated views to their students who will hopefully take something from it and be the changing factor in moving their society forward into a new way of thinking.
Racism is something in our country that will never be abolished. Sadly, I believe it will always be part of our country. Freedom of speech is a powerful freedom that we as Americans have, but many take this freedom to the fullest extent. People like Curtis Allgiers really freaked me out. I just can’t believe someone today would mutate their body with tattoos of swastikas with other symbols and numbers representing white supremacy above all others. It just boggles me that people would feel so passionate about something that I am totally against. I don’t know if I have been ignorant to the ideas and the groups these people have formed, but I never heard of such an organization or following until now. I grew up in a very white area. I can count on my hand how many black people where in my school of over 2,0000, and yet I never heard a whisper about these neo-Nazi people or ideas in my area. Truly I thought that our country was over thinking that equality was not okay. Now I realize many still believe in this way of life.
I don’t know if I agree with the actuations about how now people are coming out of the wood work against black people and all others who are not white because we have just acquired a black president. I do believe that we have always had nut jobs who still believed in what the Ku Klux Klan stood for, but maybe our president did trigger something that was suppressed for many years. Can change be too much?? I personally don’t know, but it’s a thought. Maybe our country can’t handle so much change in a short period of time. The previous article wrote saying how now that we have a black president “they’re back”: “The skinheads, the Nazis, and the Bruders Scheweigen--they're all back and they have some things to say to everyone who is not a convert. They want to talk about this Barack Hussein Obama guy. They have some things to discuss about Mexicans and gays and lesbians...and this country's future.” Could they have a following due to the very change that our president got elected for?
An example of white supremacy that still goes on is in an area near me called New Hope. New Hope has a festival called the Gay Parade that has been happening annually for many years. It always gets a lot of publicity because the Ku Klux Klan to come over a protest against the gay and lesbians in the parade. The police now have a ban against the Ku Klux Klan from coming into the area from both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey side because it requires too many police officers to keep the whole thing under control.
As much as I hate to say it, it does not surprise me that there has been a rise in racism since Obama has come to office. Before I came to Penn State, I lived in a little bubble where people of different races and religions got along perfectly. I went to a school where a good portion of the kids were Jewish; we also had our white Christians and Catholics, a good chunk of Asians and a nice portion of African Americans. The only thing we really lacked was a good deal of Hispanics but I know I graduated with at least two (one being in the top 10 of our class of 525). I had believed that the east coast and California have overcome a lot of race related issues and thought that only some sections in the central part of the country still had issues. Since I’ve been here my attitudes have completely changed, and that’s based just on people from Pennsylvania. As a matter of fact, sometimes I am shocked that Obama was able to become president because I do not think the US has moved as far ahead in eliminating racism as it should.
It sickens me that high school students in Maryland are saying such hateful words, but I commend the ways that some teachers are trying to handle it. While it’s hard to change someone whose mind is set, or who listen to everything their parents say (especially when their parents have strong believes), I still feel that education is key. It is also important to catch kids while they are young, before they have formed their own believes and opinions. This community needs to catch up with the times. They need to realize that everyone is the same on the inside regardless of the color of their skin or the religion they follow. Obama would not have gotten to where he was if he was not qualified. The world of politics doesn’t just pick someone at random off the street and say your black, you should run for office. He worked hard to get where he is and he is working to better the country as a whole, not just black people.
One thing that was said in the article, which I didn’t necessarily think was racists was a remark made by the chief of staff at Carroll Hospital Center, Mokhtar Nasir. While I think it is wrong that some of his co-workers don’t recognize his holidays, the fact that some people ask him year after year if he had a nice Christmas isn’t a big deal. All of my friends know that I’m Jewish and they still wish me a Merry Christmas every year and ask me how my Christmas break is. Now my better friends usually correct what they said and say Happy Hanukah, but I don’t take offense when they don’t. A majority of the US is Christian. Some people just forget, and are trying to be polite by asking in the first place. They are not asking to be malicious.
This article makes me think a lot about freedom. America has a lot of paradoxical principles underlying the general ideas that are kicked around within our society. We preach “freedom!” Speech, religion, beliefs: really? I am in the land of the “free” and yet there are a lot of things that I can’t do. Keep in mind; I’m not talking about sprouting wings and flying or some ridiculous notion of defying the basic boundaries that human beings are not able to break. We are talking about things that human beings are fully capable of doing.
All that said, how do we know that everyone is equal? Where do we get this concept? I often wonder how many people have actually sat down and wrestled with this assertion that has been driven into many of us since our younger years. How many people take the fact that their parents are not racists for granted? In other words, if you were raised by skinheads do you actually believe that the equality of all humanity would be evident? We like to throw around words like “ignorant” and “intolerant.” Can anyone tell me what these terms mean anymore? The truth is that, given the amount of information in the universe and the tiny intellectual capacity of human beings by comparison, we are all ignorant (unless you are a Buddhist or some kind of Brahman who realizes that everything is actually one). If you are not a racist and believe that all races are equal then you are not tolerant, you are a conformist. The tolerant person would be the skinhead who does not allow her beliefs to harm the lives of others. Being tolerant would mean carrying around a truck-load of preconceived notions about another individual, but trying not to let those ideas hinder you from getting to know the person. Being tolerant would mean disagreeing, yet not terminating. What do people really mean when they say “intolerant?”
What’s really at the heart of racism? Why is it that so many of us deem it “wrong” without even blinking? As human beings, it is our natural tendency to judge things by their outward appearances (more power to those of you who never ever do that). If I walk into class looking like trash, people will make a lot of assumptions about my personality right off the fly. Irresponsible, rash, stupid, poor, drug addict, drunk: this list could go on. After a while, though, we start to realize that our first assumptions are often not a reflection of the truth. What was probably just a bad day is mistaken for a destructive lifestyle. That’s huge. On the same note, racism is not such a far cry from the many judgments we make about reality every day.
In order to overcome our prejudices about race, it is necessary that we get honest with ourselves. We cannot hide our opinions or conform them to the majority’s self proclaimed “truth.” We have to test them for ourselves. The person who tells me “I hate your kind” while shaking my hand and the pseudo-tolerant junky who puts the knife in my back are worlds apart. I’d take the handshake every time.
Since Obama's inauguration I haven't really been thinking about those areas of the country where having a black president is considered a monstrosity. I suppose I get caught up in the liberal fever that all college students seem to have. Thus far, in my own personal experience, I have only noticed a strong adoration for the new president, and an overwhelming excitement for change. I feel as if there is a newfound American unity. Then again, I do live in a college town. The most I heard that was negative after Obama was elected was my boss (a conservative older male) telling me that I made a big mistake by voting for Obama. He also mentioned that McCain probably wasn't going to do much better. Even while watching TV I see a mind-blowing display of affection for Obama. I was watching “America's Best Dance Crew” with my roommates last week and at the end of one of the dance routines, one of the dancers dedicated their dance to Obama. Immediately the crowd went wild with excitement and waves of cheers filled the arena.
I suppose that is why I was so surprised while reading the article by Andrea Shalal-Esa stating that there was an uproar about Obama's victory over McCain in a Maryland high school. I suppose that those teens are still at an age where most of their opinions have been formed by their parents. Being from a mostly white community in Maryland, a state that has been growing in diversity for many years could undoubtedly leave these people with a prejudice, probably derived from their parents view on change. Their parents, in all likelihood, were born and raised in a white community and watched the influx of other races into communities around them. The distrust for black people that some students expressed to their teachers was probably inherited from their parents, who overwhelmed with the change of living close to minorities, made preconceived notions about the intent of the minorities.
It seems funny to me that racism still exists. I was thinking in class today, when Sam was talking about marijuana being illegal and he said “at some point some powerful figurehead said that weed was bad and that we can't do it,” despite if minimal negative consequences, that our generation might change that. We are young and liberal enough, that maybe when we grow older we can overthrow the old squares and get some legal weed. Well, in connection to the article, the same concept applies to racism. Because we are so liberal it seems like racism is something that our experimental generation can overthrow. Legalization of weed and abolishment of racism were two things that I thought that an open-minded generation like ours could overcome. However after reading this article, about conservative young people, it just foreshadows the gradual turn of our generation from liberal to conservative. There will always be racism to some extent, and there may never be legal weed.
Dan grossman
This article does not surprise me very much. There are always going to be racist acts, and it is not necessary to turn every one of them into an article. Such a momentous change like the first black president is bound to produce hostility between races. I would have been much more surprised if no racist acts were reported. Although the election of our first black president certainly caused some uprising, it has done much more to unite our country. I think it is unfortunate that isolated acts of aggression will make us overlook a great time in this world’s history. All together, the election of Obama is a step toward peace and unity. The short span where people are all excited about the new president is when the most racist acts are going to occur. I think once the nation gets settled and used to having a black family in the white house, racial uprisings will decrease immensely.
The fact that these racist acts occurred in high school does not surprise me. Teenagers can be pretty dumb. They will make racist acts just to attract attention or because some think that it will make them look cool in front of their friends. When I was in high school, they were several times where certain kids would write racial slurs or signs in the bathroom stalls. My school was mostly white, and had a high jewish concentration. There were several instances where swastikas were drawn in the bathrooms and in the hallways. Of course the school made a huge deal about it, as they should. But as a student, I wasn’t very offended. I knew that these acts were just to attract attention and look cool in front of friends. Some kids think they will be accepted into a certain group if the express hostility or condemn certain types of people. This just displays the immaturity that is prevalent in all high schools.
Racist acts are always going to occur. The only thing that I expect within the next decade or so in regards to racial uprisings is to see less of them. By democratically electing a black president, our country has shown that we are for the most part, not racist. With that being said, there are always going be outliers. Obama’s election should eventually lead to much less racism. I can’t say whether it will just decrease racism towards blacks, but I think that it will decrease hostility towards all different types. This sort of change away from the typical white president will make it possible for other minorities to have greater influence upon our country. If Obama didn’t win the primary, it would have been Hillary, who is of course a woman. That shows that this country is becoming more open to all types of people.
For as far as we have come, even with the electing of Barack Obama, racism is still omnipresent. Reading about this Maryland school and the racism that plagues its school and town was not all that surprising. Even for me, someone who grew up in Lower Merion Township, often referred to as the “main line” which is a predominantly wealthy white-jewish area that is racially tolerant, I was still surrounded by subtle racism. No matter where you went in my school--cafeteria, auditorium, classroom, computer lab, the black kids would sit with the black kids, the jewish kids would sit with the jewish kids, and the catholic kids would sit with the catholic kids. While everyone pretended to get along with one another, rarely would anyone of a different race hang out with each other on the weekends. Even though my group of friends consists of kids of different race, parents whom I have known for my whole life would be at unease when we had one of our black friends over their house. As a result, this has reflected on my friends, who are also cautious about having kids of another race at their house in fear of having something stolen, even if the kid is the nicest person in the world. Much of our judgments are unwarranted.
Furthermore, even with a jewish majority in my township, there have been multiple instances of swastika drawings all over my school. Some non-jewish kids, even those who were have jewish, would degrade you or whisper an obscenity if they knew that you were jewish. Though these instances have been settled either by the principal or police, we often act as if it never happened. While the area I was raised does not come close to the level of the racially intolerant people of Westminster, Maryland, sometimes subtle racism can be just as unethical.
As much as we all complain about this racism, subtle or not, most of us are guilty. I can admit for myself, that I have used racial slurs and have made jokes that are offensive. I do not regard myself as a bad person for this, especially because I have friends from all different types of backgrounds, but it still shows that we are not all innocent. The other week while I was playing basketball at the IM building, my five on five team needed one more player and we saw a black kid playing alone. One of my buddies whispered to me, “let’s pick him up, he can probably jump high”. Now this stereotype may seem like a complement to black people’s athleticism some, but it is still a wrongful judgment that could offend others. None of us can deny the prevalent racism in our society, and we can only hope that it will pass with time.
First off I would like to say that I find it absolutely fascinating that in a span of 33 years white people will be the minority with other racial groups such as blacks and Hispanics will be the majority. To me, as a white female, that’s unfathomable. It doesn’t make me uncomfortable or scared, I honestly just can’t even imagine that to be true.
I grew up in a suburban area right outside of Philadelphia (along with about 50% of penn state), but in a very diverse area. Ever since elementary school I have been surrounded by all sorts of ethnic and racial peoples. As a result of my numerous encounters from a young age, I can say that I am very open-minded about different cultures and try not to hold too many stereotypes.
As diverse as my school district was, I have seen firsthand displays of racism. My sophomore year of high school, these two notoriously immature and low-life kids tagged our school’s tennis courts with swastikas. Police immediately investigated it and thankfully caught them. They were expelled from the high school without hesitation. Naturally, the tennis court invasion was the topic of conversation for the following week. For once in their lives, my jewish friends felt threatened.
I was amazed that bigotry and ignorance could exist around my area. Therefore; it is no surprise to me that such insensitivity exists in places with less variance. However, it does surprise me that the students were being so open with their feelings of prejudice. When the punks graffitied our tennis courts, they didn’t tell any of their friends outside of themselves. They knew that what they did was wrong and were (hopefully) ashamed of themselves. It is disturbing that the kids from Maryland were seemingly unfazed by their hurtful words.
Somewhat parallel, I am absolutely appalled by Curtis Allgier’s tattoos. I am even appalled by the tattoo artist’s willingness to stamp this person forever. It is one thing for a person to be racist and attempt to hide it. It is completely another thing for someone to be so outwardly disrespectful towards so many people.
As I talk about our new African American president with my peers, relatives, and mentors, there is constantly a debate over whether our country will become more open-minded, or more outspoken in their bigoted beliefs in the thoughts that they have been “defeated” by their opponent. I hope that with President Obama our nation can reunite, battle, and quickly overcome the leftover racism.
If there is any kind of spike in racism among whites following the election of President Obama, I believe the incidents will be few and far between, and that very shortly the racist events will die down and things will return to normal. I think for the most part, these people are a bunch of kids who are just trying to find some way of getting attention. I grew up in a town very similar to the one described in Carroll County in Maryland, and I was around these types of people all the time.
Living in a 98% white, conservative Christian neighborhood was a complete bore. It almost seemed like the people who went to my high school were living about two decades in the past, and I couldn’t wait to graduate and go someplace new. I remember racist and/or sexist comments were often made in my high school, but that didn’t compare to the rampant homophobia that was present at all times. Before I go on, I want to make sure I’m not painting too grim a picture of my hometown--actually, the vast majority of us were not bigots at all--but there was a large factor of students at my school who, due to being louder and more obnoxious than the rest of us, naturally had their voices heard where others did not. It’s a shame that these types of people seem to stand out and therefore “represent” the rest of us--it happened a lot in the microcosm of my high school, and I think the same thing happens in the larger society of the world as a whole.
Most of the prejudice at my school was expressed in the form of jokes, and most of the time the only people who laughed at them were the ones who were doing the teasing. Frankly, it got really old after awhile, and there was only so many jokes about black people or homosexuals that they could laugh about. Ultimately these kids were just trying to get attention, and after everyone quit listening they just gave up and dropped the whole subject. All the racism and homophobia definitely died off once some of these students went to college--I guess they found out that they might not be able to get away with some of the same shenanigans in an urban area as they did growing up in a small rural community.
My point is, even when these students were making their insensitive comments, they really weren’t believing what they were saying--if their bigotry was rooted in some kind of deep-seated belief about the basic inequality of different races, sexual orientations, beliefs, etc. then they would still be making the same comments regardless of whether people thought they were funny or worthy of any kind of attention. They were just doing the “trendy” thing at the time, which eventually died off as all fads do. I don’t know for sure, but I’m betting the students at Westminster High who painted the racist graffiti on their school were also probably just looking to stir up trouble and cause a sensation. While thrill-seeking doesn’t excuse making bigoted comments, it does offer hope for the future, because where real prejudiced beliefs aren’t underlying these racist incidents the novelty will die off quickly and people will quit trying to seek attention when they realize no one is giving it to them.
After reading the article, I quickly became frustrated to know people still hold these racist views. After more than 45 years since Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” and the election of the first Black President, we still have areas in the country that have discomfort towards non white citizens. During the presidential campaign, I was curious to see how racism would arise if Barack Obama was elected. We’ve seen so many prominent African American leaders targeted from racist threats. It is disgusting to reveal that many White Americans still hold these crude beliefs that they are superior to all other races. Despite the large African American population in the south, many southern whites refuse to accept diversity. Regrettably Klu-Klux-Klan rallies and protests still occur. Although, they do not have the membership and support they once did during the civil rights movement. They still are prevalent in areas of the country. As Sam noted, with President Obama in office, you have to wonder if you will receive their terrible literature on you windshield in the near future. They are going to be the organization keeping a close eye on President Obama waiting for him to make a mistake. When he does, they will use it to display their racist message. Even know Obama tried to avoid the racial issue in the election, his critics often displayed racial images and videos to poke fun at Obama’s ethnicity.
This Maryland school district has some serious issue with accepting Diversity. When members of the school board are making racist comments, the community needs to address this issue. The children who have a problem with diversity have their parents to blame for that. Their parents are displaying ignorant views through their children. During the election so many people were misinformed and displayed hatred towards Barack Obama because his named sounded like Osama and his middle name was Hussein. People are very gullible to believe everything they see on Fox News and other forms of media. I actually know of people close to me who only till recently thought Obama was Muslim. And even if he was what’s the problem? The media forced people to believe that the Muslim faith is evil. I have Muslim friends and they are very peaceful people. Sam did a Fantastic job putting people in the shoes of Muslim children during last week’s class. I wish Sam could do that to all these Maryland students and their administration.
I feel many students needed a reality check to understand cultural diversity. For example, I went to a very conservative Catholic High School and many of the minority students often felt discriminated on based on their social class and race. Many of the wealthier white students often made racial comments towards the few Hispanic and black students. However they never took them personally. This shows that the values that parents pass down upon their children reflect their views on society. I wish they some of these kids could have been in class last week to understand the issues. Now With President Obama in office the history is written and Racists will have to accept it. Unfortunately we could have black presidents for the next 100 years and their will still be racism.
I am still trying to figure out if we live in the 21st Century or the 18th Century. Racism is still a major factor in the United States today, which is very disturbing. This article shows that people still have a lot of “growing up” to do. For instance, growing up in a predominately black neighborhood, I didn’t have to go through this type of turmoil until I started to attend a suburban high school (9th and 10th grade). The environment was very different than what I was use too, but I learned to cope with it. The white students and the minorities hardly communicated with each other (even though the minorities made up about 15% of the school). There were basically cliques within the different races, but I didn’t react that way. I made friends with everyone, disregarding their background, race, culture etc. Why can’t people just look past the color line and accept people as human beings? Obviously, it is not the case, especially in this article, where the whites are still downgrading the minorities and saying they don’t want a black president because of his race. How about his intellect? Or the way he can benefit the economy? Does anyone think of that or do they play the racial card. I am pretty sure if President Obama was a white man with the same intellect, there wouldn’t be much controversy. Why is this?
Enough about talking about Obama; the racial slurs that continue to plague the U.S. is un-called for. The people of the U.S. need to open their eyes and accept the different cultures, ethnicities, race, etc. and not be so closed minded. The case in which the black engineer was married to a white woman and the neighbors wanted her not to mention her marriage to a black man is beyond crazy to me. The fact that they actually asked her is unbelievable. Who seriously had the guts to mention that? I know for a fact that if I was the woman I wouldn’t go on the outing with them because that’s disrespectful to the lady and her family. However, I do believe that the people I am talking about represent a small portion of the U.S. and I am grateful that there are people willing to change the perspective of racism. In the article, it mentioned that there were racial marks on the high school building and there was an immediate reaction towards the comment. I am glad that not everyone is as ignorant as others and are willing to stand up for what they believe in. As I stated before, we are living in the 21st Century where racism shouldn’t be a major factor.
I come from a small town in Lancaster County, Pa where when I look all around me all I see is farm land, Amish, and mostly a community that consists of white people. I think racism starts in the home though because although I did not grow up at a diversified school or community I still am not racist at all, but many people in my community are. When I ask my friends or community members that are racist or say racial slurs or jokes why they believe the way they do, many of them say because that is what they were taught or grew up with that opinion being shoved in their heads. I believe that at some point many of them realized that this is not the way to think and formed their own opinions but the ones that just follow their family and believe that thinking inequality is fair are very naïve with where this country is trying to go. My parents talked to me very often and showed me that just because we live in this small town does not mean that everyone looks like the majority of my community does. They allowed us to ask questions and speak our opinions and thoughts. I think parents play an abundant role in what their children thinks about different races and cultures (I am not saying everyone whose parents are racist are going to be racist, I am just saying the majority of people whose parents do not put pressure on race or cultures their children will probably do the same). As far as that picture of the guy with all the tattoos on his face, I think it is extremely sad that he is that brainwashed that he thinks the way he does. First of all having all of those tattoos on your face is going to prohibit the ability to get a good job, first impressions of him will be negative from most people, and I just think it is sad that he thought that this was the best way to express how he feels. I do think everyone has the right to their own opinion but to have it permanently stamped onto your body in a place that everyone can see I do not think is appropriate in this decade. The people that still do not realize that this country is increasingly diversifying more and more everyday are the ones that will be in shock when one day in the near future whites will be the minorities. I was wishing that by having the first black president be elected in the United States that more people would see this as being a good thing and a positive change for the United States, and see in a different perspective about color, race, ethnicity, and culture, but there will always be those people that will never have the capability to see through someone else’s eyes and all I have to say to those people is that is an extremely miserable way to live your life.
The article in the original post was very disturbing, and it’s hard to believe that these kids could have the same racist ideas that were prevalent sixty and seventy years ago. One student at this school said openly, “I don’t trust black people.” This is the kind of thing you expect to hear from your ninety year old grandmother, while your mother makes the excuse that she “grew up in a different time.” For a teenager today, living in a world where he or she hasn’t really seen open discrimination, this statement is ludicrous. They never witnessed separate water fountains and black people having to sit in the back of the bus. The only explanation for this kind of thinking by someone so young is their family influences, but even this is disturbing when you really look at it. We aren’t talking about Alabama or South Carolina where you might find more instances of parents openly talking about racist feelings in front of their kids. This is a county fifty miles north of Washington D.C. I’m from outside Philadelphia, and that is only a few hours to the south of my home. This would never have happened in my high school. Of course there are always some kids who think it’s funny to make racist jokes, but for high school students to come right out and say they don’t trust black people is hard to believe. If this kind of thinking by our nation’s youth is as prevalent as it the news has made it out to be in the past weeks, then we might really have a problem.
With the outcome of this past election and the inauguration of our first black president, some topics are going to be brought to the surface that have recently been swept under the rug in past years. If McCain had been elected, chances are that we would have never heard about racism in a suburban Maryland county. We wouldn’t have the same debates and discussions about racism in today’s society, and we wouldn’t be anticipating drastic changes in how Americans deal with other cultures and races. With Barack in office, hopefully we won’t have to stress issues of racial acceptance, and people will slowly begin to change their views over the next four to eight years. Organizations like Common Ground on the Hill, a program mentioned in the article that brings people of different backgrounds together, can only do so much to alleviate racial tension. The thing that will change people’s minds is seeing a black man succeed in leading one of the most powerful nations in the world. People who are racist look down on others who are different from themselves, whether it is because of skin color, culture, or religion. They think people who are different are unintelligent, untrustworthy, or any of the many other misconceptions ignorant people chose to believe about minorities. If Barack has a successful and meaningful term as president, these feelings will have to change.
Spike in White Racism? I think this blog entry and the article with it are very interesting. However, the do remind me on the first article posted that we reflected on. I think the idea of President Obama being black is being way over done. He is our President now and nothing people do or say is going to change that. I think many need to realize that he is more than just a black man, he is a very educated, smart, and power full man who happens to have skin a little darker than some. It should not matter what color skin someone has, I thought we got over that some 50 years ago. It is very different to see how scared a teacher can be to go into school after the election to see what their students will say. I find the even crazy. The idea that kids in high school in the south are so racist at such a young age can not be a good thing. I think that when you look deeper into this issue the problem all starts with the parents of the children. My grandparents are rather racist but they would never say anything disrespectful to anyone, it is more of the way they talk to each other and in the house. My parents have raised me to show respect to everyone of any race. It is also very amazing that so many people in the south seem to live in the past and look back on how things used to be and do not believe in the change that is happening. In my opinion, I think that these people are very selfish and only think about themselves, their families and friends, and no one else. They should take time to think about if they were a minority or of a different race and how they would feel if they couldn’t go to a white school after Election Day because they were scared of what other student would say to them or how people in the town would act towards them. Also, the man with all the tattoos is a little crazy too. It is one thing to have your own opinion, even though I don’t think many of the people with these crazy opinions have seen both sides of the story, but I do not think its right for them to advertise it on their face. Do it on your own time but do not disrespect others and it makes those who do look very silly.
I knew that racism still went on in the United States but I had no idea that it went on like this. When reading about Carroll County, Maryland it really surprised me that these incidents were going on. I am from Montgomery County, Maryland and although these two places are not too far in proximity, they seem to be completely different in thought and action. In Montgomery County there seems to be much more diversity between races. The fact that teachers had to prepare for what was going to happen once it was announced that Obama would be the new president is very surprising. It was so widely unaccepted within the school that teachers had to “brace themselves for the worst” and set up classes where students could talk about their feelings. This seems pretty extreme. There was also a girl whose friends were saying racist comments, and she did not expect these things to be coming from her friends at all. This made me kind of take a step back and think if maybe my friends thought that way, or anyone that I’ve ever encountered. Yes, people may seem like they are accepting at first, but they could just as easily turn around and say something offensive or be thinking completely different things in their minds. Incidents like these also make me wonder what this world will look like when the minority becomes the majority. It is going to happen inevitably and I think it will be sooner rather than later. But it’s interesting to think how the country may change. If not everyone is accepting of it yet, even when White people are the majority, I am scared of what it will be like when White people are the minority. Won’t that make them even more mad at whatever it is they are mad about regarding race? It might even end up causing more problems in the long run. I also think it is ridiculous that school board members are using racial slurs. If anything, they should be the last people using those terms. Our schools are filled with mixes of different ethnicities, races and cultures and it is so disappointing to hear someone who is supposed to support students and is someone of importance in the schools lowering themselves in this aspect. Plus, it puts out a negative feeling to students. I think that Larry Brumfield had a very good point when saying that we have to engage each other and be in each others homes more because that is the only way we can see each others perspectives and have an appreciation. I personally feel horrible that the Brumfield’s had to go through that because it is so wrong to be ridiculed like that, being called a zebra and having to hide from others who you really are.
Unfortunately what we read in the article is predominately true. In today’s society no matter what your color, religion, or sexual preference is people will be prejudice towards you. And even if you’re the minority you still are prejudice towards other people who may not even be a minority at all. In today’s society racism is a part of everyday life, and the sad part is people, including ourselves, do not even realize that we are doing it. Jokes we make about one another happen everyday and most people do not even notice the cruel, mean, unjust things that are being said. The sad part about the issue is that it is regularly part of our everyday life. The severity of the things that are being said however are predominately changing. Kids may make small jokes about blacks, Jews, Indians, Arabs and think that no one is hearing them or no one is being hurt by them. This is not the truth at all and people are being hurt even if they are not showing it on the outside it hurts them down below, on the inside.
It has recently really hit me how big of an issue race really is. I grew up in a predominately white, jewish town. Race was never an issue for me, neither was religion. However, coming to college was like coming out of a bubble for me. I was not really exposed to any harsh or cruel conditions back home and here at Penn State I really am able to see what the “real world” is like. Penn state has open up my eyes to see how people of the same cultural background try to stick together. Me, myself, found it hard to venture out of my safe zone and experience many new things in college. I ended up joining a nationally jewish fraternity here at school because that is where I felt most comfortable, with people who are like me. I think this is a big problem in today’s society because people need to venture out and see what other cultures are like and compare them to ours and see how they are both similar and different. Even though we are exposed to so many different cultures here at school we fail to take advantage and explore these opportunities.
What really sparked my interest in this blog was the picture of the man with tattoos all over his face. I greatly agree with the first amendment: freedom of speech. But this man has definitely crossed the line. It Is ridiculous some of the tattoos that he has on his face. The swastika, the “heil Hitler” is just absolutely ludicrous. He should be ashamed to have those and all it does is make nazis look like fools. Are they supposed to be proud that they have guys, who look like clowns, walking around looking like that. It is not only pathetic to that man but its ridiculous as well.
After reading the blog, viewing the tattoo photo, and reading the article attached to the blog, I must say I am a pretty naïve white person. I would love to say that everyone has embraced Obama into their lives and has realized that color is just color, nothing more and nothing less. But there are ignorant people in our lives that we will continually run into that cannot see past it. I do not mean only people of white decent, I mean everyone. These articles seem to zone in on white racism and yes it may seem to be more proliferated than other races which make me almost embarrassed sometimes to belong to the race that I do. I know I should never be embarrassed for who I am and that if I am not doing these actions then we are one step closer to banishing racism, but we have so far to go and so many more people to reach it feels like we will never get there. I always assume that generations younger than mine have to be more improved than their elder generations, but sometimes things such like this article prove me wrong…and I HATE to be wrong, just ask my boyfriend or any of my family or friends for that matter. I feel like we start out in pre-school, not noticing color and we grow to interpret things that other generations have assumed. If we keep going at this rate, our world has no hope. Just like the gentleman in the picture covered with tattoos. He has so many racial slurs and racial innuendos just on his face, some that I had no idea meant anything. But I am sure people who have been affected by these types of events know exactly what the pictures mean and they have to look that man in the face and treat him like a human. Honestly, I would like to smack him across the face and say what makes you feel good about putting such things across your face. Things such as “Hail Hitler”? He really wants to bear pride for a man that killed so many innocent people it makes me sick to just think about it. That man wearing all of those tattoos on his body needs to head back to middle school and high school and re-read the Holocaust literature that was presented to him to realize who he is hailing. Also, the swastika on the center of his forehead is something that I take very personally, even though I am not Jewish. I have so many close Jewish friends that I know would be hurt by this. If this man thinks it’s a joke, he is just continuing the racism that keeps proliferating through our generations.
I, Just like Sam can be very intolerant of people saying they were singled out, acting as if they should receive a pity party and acting like no one else is ever singled out. But when people take it to the extreme, sending vulgar texts and permanently tattooing racist symbols on their body, I think to myself everyone needs to sit in SOC 119 and get a wake up call.
During this week’s section meeting we had discussed similar situations as the one Andrea Shalal-Esa’s describes in her article. The question was raised as to how we and our community members would react if numerous members of a minority came to live in our towns. What types of responses we would see from the community? Many of the students described responses similar to those living in West Minster, Maryland. As predominantly white communities, a few of the girls said that havoc would break loose if this were to ever occur in their towns. However, the “racist” thoughts and responses mostly came from the older generation and not so much the younger generation. These girls both said they would have absolutely no problem with it, but they knew that everyone who had lived in their community for their entire lives would go nuts. I also come from a predominantly white community with a small or average, depending who you talk to, amount of diversity. I would like to think that students wouldn’t react as those did in West Minster, but I can’t say that in reality it wouldn’t. We have a large population of so-called “red-necks” in my area that I do believe would react in a similar way as the students, if not worse. At the same time, there would also be many people who wouldn’t be bothered at all. I ran in numerous track invitationals as a young child in which I was the minority and because of this exposure I would have absolutely no issue with it. After reading the article, I am somewhat taken aback by the number of students in Wesminster that felt racist feelings towards the election of Obama when all I hear in the media is that my generation played a huge role in outcome. I have always found it to be more common among the older generations to feel negatively about the outcome of this year’s election. Although I disagree greatly and have gotten into arguments with my own grandparents on this matter, we must also see it from their point of view. They have never been exposed to these changes in their lives more drastically than this year. In agreement with Larry Brumfield, the retired black chemical engineer, I think the biggest problem for the older generations to accept the changing times is the fact that they have not been exposed enough. He made the comment, “We just have to do more to engage each other, be in each other's homes more.” Many people of the older generation only hold racist thoughts and beliefs because that is how they were raised. The idea of minorities being inferior to whites was simply a part of their culture. If we were raised by certain beliefs for 70 years, wouldn’t we feel the same way? I believe that in order to be more accepting of the changing times, much more exposure is necessary. The predominantly white communities may react the way they did in Wesminster, but as the years pass and it becomes more common everyone will learn to accept it. Once people are exposed to a more diverse culture and environment, it becomes second nature and hopefully will eliminate such negative responses from the white community.
My first reaction to this blog (which is probably also the reaction of many other people who viewed this blog), is why would anyone ever put so many tattoos on their face. Though the trend of getting a tattoo on the back of your neck or behind your ear is growing, this, in my opinion, is overdoing it. Seriously, this person has tattoos in their ears and eye fold creases. Now it would be one thing if this was characteristic of our culture, but last I checked it’s not very common. In addition, the tattoos this person has displayed upon their face are symbols that would directly offend many members of our American society, if they knew what they meant. Really, the swastika right in the middle of your forehead… come on now. Would you want to live the rest of your life with this stuck on your face? I know I wouldn’t. I think he’s just looking for the attention.
The article, “White community adapts to Obama reality” is almost unreal to read. It’s hard for me to imagine communities like this still exist. Especially when a lot of the racism in this particular town comes from people in my age group. Everyone always talks about racism being so much better (decreased) when our generation is older and has kids of their own, but this story makes me wonder if that is really going to be the case. I am certainly a hopefully person, and don’t believe that racism should be an issue anymore, and feel that everyone is equal and deserves the same opportunities, but this makes me wonder if that really is ever going to be possible. What scares me most about this article is that this occurred in a town in Maryland. I might expect this from a southern town, or someplace like Arkansas, where discrimination has been a long standing problem in their history, but not from Maryland. I thought everyone in our generation had the “everyone is equal; I don’t agree with racism” attitude, but apparently I was naive in thinking that.
In response to the article, I think it is great that the teacher allowed her students to openly express their views, and in turn give them the facts of the situation. Too many people are swayed by what family members, friends, or the media tell them. So it was probably extremely valuable to the students to get the facts from a neutral, trusting source. In towns that have a long-time, deeply-rooted history of racism, I could see how people growing up may have a difficult time seeing the other side of the story. More teachers in these areas need to be inspired by Laura Doolan, and give their students a safe environment to talk about their feelings, and give them the facts about what is really true and what is false. If everyone puts in a little effort, then we will be closer to the goal of wiping out racism and discrimination in the United States.
After reading Andrea Shalal-Esa’s article entitled “White Community Adapts to Obama Reality”, the effects of an elected black president truly became a reality. In my community, diversity is clearly evident, though it is not dominant. I have friends who believe in different religions, who are of different ethnic backgrounds, and who support different political parties so I am used to people not always agreeing on topics. I knew that the election of Barack Obama was going to definitely stir up controversy, but I assumed people would just have to accept a black president over time. Realizing that a town like Westminster, Maryland is having serious trouble adjusting is very disappointing, especially the fact that it was the town’s high school students who were acting out the most.
I believe in freedom of speech and that each person deserves an opinion, but I had hoped that people would accept Obama as president and would realize all the good he can do for our country rather than being stuck staring at the color of his skin. Just because he is black does not mean he does not have the qualities needed of a president or that he cannot do a good job. Barack Obama stands for change, and people should realize that things in this world and in our society specifically are going to change with time. People are not giving Obama a fair shot and are just condemning him because of the color of his skin.
Furthermore, I truly admire the efforts of the Westminster High School staff who are trying to change the way the students think by approaching and analyzing election misconceptions. The students are obviously improperly informed of information and are therefore using race as an excuse to disapprove of our new president. I blame a lot of the racism issues on the students’ parents and families for not teaching their children to see more in people other than just their skin color. The students have grown up with a home life that has condoned racism and discrimination, closing these students off from the rest of the world. They should be able to learn from other people and their religion and culture rather than shun them.
I hope that in time, people that might not agree with diversity now, can learn from the recent historical events and begin accepting people for who they are and not what they look like. I hope that Westminster High School and communities and high schools like it can teach their students to be open to others’ views, even if their community is not diverse. Additionally, I think that people, students especially, can learn about the world by being more understanding, sympathetic, and open minded.
Wow when I first opened this article and read the first line I could not believe it. I am from Westminster Maryland, I attended that high school last year. I have to admit there is pockets of racist in Carroll County but this article is completely blown out of proportion. Obviously anywhere you go you will find support for McCain and of course opposition for Obama.As far as the graffiti incident is concerned I attended school during this. The article does not go on to explain that the graffiti was only one word sprayed outside on the ground by one student. It also doesn't describe the student body's very positive reaction to this graffiti. The next day students wore "we are one shirts" to show the unity of culture in Westminster High School
Okay everybody listen to me. I am from Westminster, I have had Doolan as a teacher, and I went to Westminster High. My brother still goes there. I read the article and I can promise you that it is really blown out of proportion. There were some racists there, true, but where is there not? I can promise you that none of that really happened. Saying that Westminster is "behind the times" is so flat out wrong. It IS a small town, but we are very accepting, and as long as I lived there I have seen only two cases of racism.
As for Doolan, she is the kind of extreme liberal that people find disturbing. She is of limited mind, and she has a tendency to create problems which don't exist. Once she held an assembly against bullying, and she sent four girls home crying because they had made fun of someone before. Who hasn't? Does that sound like someone who knows what they're doing? No. She was hurt in her life, and she allows it to effect her judgment and point of view. Do not believe her on anything. I can guarantee that she isn't "all there". That being said, Westminster isn't all bad. Small, boring, but certainly not racist. That I will swear to.
I find it rather shocking that these events go on under our country’s nose without many of us knowing about them. I, for one, had absolutely no idea that such wanton acts of racism still went on in society today without significant rebuke from society as a whole. During this week’s discussion group, it was brought up just how quickly acts like this can simply and disturbingly quickly disappear from our memory no matter how significant. Events like this can even affect our wonderful little speck in the universe – Penn State. It was brought up that an event occurring as recently as 2001, come to be known as “the village,” brought the massive otherwise dormant racism in our area to the national limelight as it exploded into an ugly incident. This whole ordeal not only involved a large part of the student body, but also professors and other faculty. And, to the best of my knowledge, no one in my group even knew that this had happened.
I grew up in a tiny town in northeastern Pennsylvania that was predominantly white – 99.9% according to the most recent statistics. In this area, racism was only brought up in school to say that it’s a bad thing, and only came out at home to scold our parents when the slightest hint of it came out when they made comments about all of the Mexicans working in stone quarries or fixing our school’s roof over the summer. Because of this total lack of consideration, it had never really occurred to me that there could be a powerful undercurrent of racism and hate underneath the facade of a calm surface.
Did my hometown feel similarly to Westminster about the election of Barak Obama? I think that it is entirely possible that some of them did. Did it show it openly in any way? No, it did not. This brings up a couple of possibilities. The worst case scenario would be that my hometown had its own intense hatred and racism flowing through undercurrents and whispered quietly between comrades in dark alleyways and closed doors, but did not erupt into any outward showing. The best case scenario, and my hopeful one, is that even my 99.9% white town had evolved beyond the racial divide of the past and move onward with racial tolerance and acceptance by celebrating the election of a new and unique president who will bring with him a whole new dimension of problems, situations, and even solutions that have yet to be explored. Racism can come up anywhere and can happen to any group of people. The best any of us can do is hope.
Racism, as much as we try to hide it, exists in every crack and crevice of our nation. It is the utmost evil opinion that anyone can project. Growing up in a loving environment where I am told to love everyone and be thankful of the diversity in the world, it has never come across my mind to judge someone by the color of their skin. I hope more people were raised the way I was and respect people of any race. I feel that everyone has something to bring to the table and there is no reason to discriminate or stereotype them.
It has been so many years since the Revolution, so when is racism going to end? Sadly, because of the ignorant people in our country, I do not think that day will ever come. As I was reading the article, “White Community adapts to Obama reality” it really hit bottom for me that I live in such a sheltered bubble, where I am not affected or even hear about racism. The Ku Klux Klan seems like such a distant group that was around years ago and no longer exists, however, that is not even close to the truth. The Ku Klux Klan is actually the biggest in the state that I live in, Pennsylvania. I live in a county similar to Westminster, Maryland with a large percentage of whites and a very low population of blacks or other minorities. However, my area differs greatly from the views of Westminster. My town seems very accepting to change and people of different cultures. I grew up on a street with Catholics, Jews, blacks, Italians, and Muslims. I was immersed in diversity and came to like it. Therefore, I felt as if it was one of the greatest days in history when Obama was elected president. I actually didn’t vote for him but I was excited to see what change he could bring to our country. I believe he is more than qualified for the job and I am glad that he won.
I agree with the fact that I like to overlook the racism that occurs in our nation. I am not blindsided I know there are racist in the country. However, I like to avoid myself from being in those situations or meeting those types of people. I also avoid racist conversations or jokes. Some of my relatives have racist views, and I do not respect their views but it does not make me like them any less. I want to go back to the thought that Sam stated in class, “The worst thing that you can call a white person is racist.” Racism to most people is viewed as evil and bad, so what people have those views?
I grew up in a community which was mostly white. My graduating class had about 3 black people in it. From what I remember we did not have any race issues, but that was when the thought of a black (well half black) president did not exist. I do believe we still have race issues in the United States. They are not just going to go away over night or if we ignore them. I feel most white people do not want to deal with race. I as a white person do feel somewhat uncomfortable talking about race in front of people who are not the same race as me. I feel that I will be judged as a racist if something comes out wrong. I know however ignoring the race issue is not going to solve anything. In my house some racist terms are used. I believe it is because my father grew up in a bad area. There were shootings and other violent crimes where he lived as a child. The community was mostly black. Now not all of the crimes were committed by black people however most were since the most of the community was predominantly black. I feel my father formed his opinion based on this. In defense of my father he does not dislike blacks, but I think he stereotypes them very easily and dislikes his stereotypes.
I do feel however this community in Maryland does not represent most white communities, however I may be wrong. Like the article said I know there are not open Ku Klux Klan meetings or brochures anymore but I feel these things still happen, but not everywhere. There definitely are white supremacist groups out there. I do believe each person is entitled to their opinion and while it might be offensive to others they should be able to share it. However I do believe when their opinions turn into violent acts it crosses the line.
While reading the blog I enlarged the photo of the man with the tattoos. I thought it was really interesting to read the captions and to learn what each tattoo meant. I think I have seen this guy on a TV show before talking about his tattoo. I had no idea that 88 meant heil hitler. I do not understand why someone would want to get these tattoos. I guess everyone has a reason why they get a certain tattoo. I will soon be getting another tattoo. This time I will be getting a cross with the dates my grandfather was born and the day he died. To me this tattoo is very important, and I guess to white supremacist their tattoos are important to them.
After reading the article, “White community adapts to Obama reality,” I have come to the conclusion that we, as a country, have come a long way over time. Just some one hundred and fifty years ago, Black people were used as slaves. After the liberation, they were treated terribly. Plessey vs. Ferguson allowed there to be segregation in school, restaurants, bathrooms, etc. This was supposed to be done only if it was “separate but equal.” However, things were the furthest thing from equal. After the Civil Rights movement, things started to look a lot better for African-Americans and minorities. As generations change, I feel like race relations become a little more congenial. For example, I find myself more open minded and accepting towards minorities than my parents. I would imagine that my parents are more accepting than their parents were. No doubt, America has come a long way. However, we still have a long way to go. Just when I feel like we have made progress, I hear about the incidents in Westminster, Maryland. I think it is heinous that we are now living in the 21st century and there are counties like Maryland’s Carroll County with “unsettling bigotry.” I can see incidents like these happening in the Deep South like Alabama or Mississippi, but not in Maryland. It is utterly ridiculous that children could we so outright racist and say things like “I don’t want a Black president” or “I don’t trust Black people.” With children making these remarks, it is a reflection on how their parents feel. It is disgraceful that these children’s parents would teach their children hate and racism like this. In essence, they are just perpetuating the cycle of prejudice. When things like this happen and children are basically taught to hate, there is not much that can be done to change their racist thoughts and feelings. It is amazing that this past election could stir up this country so much that there are physical fights at several schools. Carroll County was doomed from the very beginning. Just twenty years ago, they were hosting open Ku Klux Klan meetings here. Changing a racist stronghold is not going to happen overnight. However, change is possible. The county has witnessed a change in a positive direction. I find it inspiring that the school board member, Jeffrey Morse, was forced to resign after making racist comments. It just goes to show that people are trying to make changes. Wanting to change is the first step to changing. Years ago, people did not want to accept people of other races. They just went around hating. Now, there are many in the county who want change. They are actually acting on race relations now. I believe that things will continue to get better in this county.
In the blog titled, “Spike in White Racism?” Sam Richards stated that the whole issue of white supremacy was not surprising to him. I agree… and I disagree. I am well aware that white supremacy still exists. You can see it in many places and throughout many different parts of this country. However, I must say that I was quite surprised to read the article about the white community adapting to Obama’s Presidency. The most surprising thing to me I guess, was the amount of racism that seemed to exist among this young high school generation. I have come to realize after reading this article that perhaps my generation of peers is not as open minded as I’d like to believe. I guess you could say that perhaps I am close minded to think that my generation is so accepting? Either way I was extremely surprised to read this article and hear about this group of students filled with such hatred and anger. Today in our discussion group we discussed our opinions and thoughts about whether or not upbringing plays a role in our decision making. I truly believe that upbringing has a lot to do with our choices and decisions in life. I also think that as a whole, what has happened in our lives can greatly shape the people we become and the choices we ultimately end up making. Many things that happened to my family when I was a young child have impacted me greatly and I carry these memories with me through every choice and decision I make. So essentially what I’m trying to get at is that while I was so surprised to read about these young people that appear to be racist, I have to consider this whole concept of how upbringing shapes many young people. Perhaps these young adults were raised with a slightly more racist outlook, and this to me is just simply not acceptable in our society today. I can’t tell you how many Asian and Indian friends I have had throughout my life. One of my first best friends was Asian. So I guess to me, its always surprising when I hear this kind of talk and action from such a young generation.
The gentleman with the “unique” series of tattoos on his face reminds me of a friend I knew who had gotten a tattoo across his chest that said, “This I believe.” A lot of people at my work had a problem with this tattoo. Granted it was in a place where only he could see, but people had a hard time understanding the meaning of the tattoo. Why would you write “This I believe” across your chest? I believe this is a similar yet obviously very different situation with the gentleman with all the tattoos on his face. The only difference here is that this guys tattoos are visible for all to see and to many people they are racist and degrading. I looked up the story on Curtis Allgier and his wife stated in an interview that she is proud that he had the “courage to put his beliefs on his entire body.” Isn’t this kind of similar to the guy I mentioned above with the “This I believe” tattoo? Just some food for thought.
Columbia, Harvard Law School, Consitutional Law Professor at the prestigious University of Chicago. He served as a US senator for nearly a term before he began campaigning for his presidency. Throughout college and graduate school he has had a long list of accomplishments including shattering many previous social barriers that had been set for African Americans. Barack Obama has an impeccable record of education and achievements to go along with this. How people still categorize him only based on his skin color boggles my mind. Many of my white friends have recently been complaining of affirmative action and how it is unfair to those white kids whose only sin was working hard in school. They argue that “the best person should get the job/admission”. However, even as they set these standards to themselves, I hear many of them cry out against the election of an African American president, claiming that it’s too soon for a person of color to be president and that they don’t want to see a black man in charge. They also claim that he is Muslim and he will secretly work with the terrorists to bring this country down. This type of ignorance and hypocrisy deserves little respect and is comparable to those few individuals in the Maryland high school who resort to primitive methods of criticism and unconstructive ways of slandering the current administration. It saddens me there are still uneducated simple minded who plague our country. It also saddens me to see how vote-ready citizens still base a lot of their values and beliefs solely on the shoulders of their parents or peers, how free and unique thought is hardly encouraged among social groups, white and non-white alike. I’d like to see more people take a stand for what they truly think, yet exercise prudence and sensitivity and wisdom while doing so. I can’t help but feel slightly optimistic for many of those who quickly responded to the Maryland high school’s comments and put up a new message; one of hope and unity and acceptance, rather than ill-mannered, rash and stupid for lack of a better word. It is a shame that it is only in a time of desperate need, in a time of severe credit crisis, multi-billion corporations and bank failures, and a failing foreign policy and huge national debt will the people call upon a minority to lead them. It is also unfortunate that many of these issues are out of the hands of even the President of the United States, who is often given the title of the most powerful individual in the world. If Barack Obama is unable to solve the problem of the US economy, it will be a setback, even if not a major one for colored peoples everywhere, and although any expert can argue that he did everything he could with the stimulus and the bailouts and the countless hours of consulting with top experts of the world, yet he may still fall short.
We live in a country where racism and prejudices are still very much alive. With our first black President, this says two things. One is that we are trying to overcome this racism because we realize that blacks are just as equal and intelligent as us and the second is that racism is going to become more alive for the racist people of this country. It is amazing to see this small town in Maryland react the way they did to Barack Obama being elected President. Like the blog said, we are past a time when KKK members dressed in white robes were sanding out on corners handing out leaflets. However, with this new president elect, it seems that this time can return. Also, like the picture in the blog, another form of racism advertisement is appearing again, and that is tattoo art all over people’s bodies. These “skin heads” and neo Nazis may make themselves more known now. It is amazing to read that article and see working class black Americans living in small towns get harassed. Larry Brumfield is a man who has to deal with this. I don’t understand why. It is true that racism has been around for a while. Now, however, it is more prominent and increasing with Barack Obama. The people who are doing this don’t know the facts. They don’t realize that Obama is half white. They don’t realize that there are so many different races out there and it is hard to trace for sure where we all come from. They are judging on completely wrong ideas of what they think is right. I feel that if the President does something the majority of Americans do not agree with, then the days of handing out leaflets on the street corner won’t seem like a distant, dark past. It is sad that we have come so far, but it seems like it is about to go full circle again. Even though this small town story of racism doesn’t seem like such a big deal in the big picture, it is. It is a big deal because it shows what is happening. These “skin heads” and neo Nazis won’t seem so wrong soon. I am not saying that everyone who is racist will become that extreme, but what is happening is a small town in Maryland will be happening on a much bigger scale in the country. If these stories go ignored, it will make for an even bigger problem down the road for issues that were not being acknowledged from the very beginning. Every race has proved themselves. We are all equal. We are all intelligent, no matter the color. But the racism that is showing up because of our new President is incredible and unbelievable. It is sad as well. Americans who are racist do not even know why. They hate a color and nothing more. I am Sicilian. I am very, very dark. I get mistaken for Latino decent or half black a lot. If someone were to say racist things to me, I do not know what I’d do because it is not true and they don’t know me. That is why what is happening now is wrong, and it should stop.
After reading the blog “Spike in White Racism?” and article “White community adapts to Obama reality,” I really was not surprised. Although most of America must be open enough to vote for a black president since Obama was elected, but it’s foolish to believe that everyone in America will suddenly be accepting of all other races. The election of a black man to the presidency is a huge step towards unity for all races, but I think it could also work against equality. Obama has become the representative for the black race to many white people, and if he makes just one mistake (as all presidents are almost guaranteed to do) it will give racist white people more ammunition for hatred.
Also, the election of Barack Obama is leading to the surfacing of hate toward other ethnic and racial groups, as well. There were a myriad of rumors spread about Obama, but the most popular and the one also mentioned by the article was the rumor that Barack Obama was a Muslim and a terrorist, which could not be farther from the truth. Because of his name, people were led to believe he had a completely different background than he actually did. Not only is this completely untrue, it leads to even more hatred and discrimination because it leads people to the conclusion that all Muslims are extremists and terrorists and that you can judge who is Muslim based on their name.
As the article stated, there are hundreds of high schools in the country which have a majority of white students. I think the teachers and administration of these high schools should take on the same responsibility English teacher Laura Doolan took on by addressing the concerns of her students about Barack Obama. I believe that racism is learned at a very young age and the only way to possibly change someone’s mind about minorities is to also address these issues at a young age. Although you can see by the article that many of these students have racist views by the text messages being sent throughout the student body, the only way to change these opinions is by addressing them openly and having an honest conversation about race.
I went to a public high school that was far from all white, but even then, I never had the opportunity to discuss race like we do in the sociology 119 class. I think it’s important to work towards equality and the first step is to incorporate race classes into grade school and high school curriculums. It’s a fact that many adults in the United States have racist or prejudiced views and they pass these views on to their children, both intentionally and unintentionally.
A Spike in White Racism?—I live in Silver Spring, Maryland, about 50 miles south of Carroll County and I am not surprised at all by this article. Carroll and Fredrick counties, along with a few other in northern and mainly western Maryland are ridiculous places to live. The majority of Marylander’s look down upon those areas because they are SO different from the rest of the state. They are entirely white farming communities with very poor infrastructure and a horrendous educational system. It is a lot more like visiting eastern Ohio or West Virginia than any other place in the state. I’ve been to Westminster High School several times and there has always been a sense of racial tension. It’s truly amazing.
The other blog, “White Supremacist Recruiters ‘Thank’ Obama” is very interesting. After the November 4 election, there seems to be a rise in racial tension as well as actual racial violence throughout the US. In political science, more specifically in the study of war, a commonly used indicator to measure the likelihood of conflict has been the level of ethnic fractionalization in a country. Though recently, studies have shown that when there are many minority groups in a country (fractionalized), the likelihood for civil conflict is reduced. A new indicator is ethnic polarization meaning two dominant ethnic groups within a country. When this particular layout occurs, there tends to be a higher likelihood for the potential of civil conflict. In examining the antebellum south, we see that many of those states had nearly equal black and white populations. Mississppi >50% black, Arkansas, >45% black, Alabama >40% black, Georgia >45% black, etc. In northern states such as Minnesota, Vermont, etc. the black population made up less than a percent of the population. The areas where we saw racial tension were clearly the polarized areas where the ethnic lay out included two dominant ethnic groups. The ethnic tension may also have been a result of “ who controls the resources.” It is true that throughout the world, when countries have two large minority groups, there are many more cases of civil conflict. Though, what is interesting is that generally each ethnic group will live in a certain region simply because that is where their families have lived for generations, they all speak the same language, and that is where their familiar culture exists. There is naturally very little cohabitation between ethnic groups. When a new resource is found in a state, each dominant group will try to take control of the resource because it will generate a lot of revenue. So it may actually be less ethnic tension and more of a fight to control a resource. The US is a very unique case because the country was formed by immigrants from every other country in the world.
As sad as it is to say, there is still plenty of this going on around the country. I’m from a rural area and I’ve heard all the jokes about Obama and been ridiculed for voting for him.
Aside from the media having to cover more important stories, another reason this overt racism flies under the radar is because it happens in places away from the spotlight. While there are white supremacy groups in and around major metropolitan areas, they get lost in the large population and are not as active or as noticeable as they are in less populated areas.
Another reasons is because white supremacists were pretty happy with the former administration and didn’t have as many complaints with the government. But now that Obama is in power that has changed. Some members of these hate groups, especially the newest converts, are worried that Obama being elected president is the beginning of a shift in our society that will eventually lead to white people being on the bottom rung of the social ladder where they would be open to being discriminated against and treated like shit. Since this is what the white supremacists are currently doing to minority groups, they’re worried about the potential backlash when they are no long the dominate social group.
These movements are going to continue to grow because our country’s economy is in such shambles that if Obama is able to get us out of the current recession it’s going to take awhile. In the meantime, as the article says, people will be looking for answers for the economic downturn and the easy scapegoat is the black president (even though we all know he inherited the economic cluster fuck we currently find ourselves in).
What worries me is the number of assassination plots that have already been uncovered. While Bush had more than his fair share of haters, most of them were pacifists. The white supremacists that want Obama out of the White House, on the other hand, are the kind of people willing to fire a few shots with a rifle.
Which leads me to another reason why I’ve heard people are anti-Obama. Many members of these hate groups, and conservatives around the country, are gun owners and members of the National Rifle Association. They’re afraid that Obama will enact legislation making it essentially illegal to buy any kind of gun. I’ve heard many people say they’re buying as many guns as fast as they can because within the year it will be illegal to buy guns in the U.S. One, this is bullshit, and two, why does somebody need to have five different kinds of assault riffles, three sawed-off shotguns and 17 different handguns? I’m a hunter and gun owner and even I think that’s ridiculous. But that’s another argument for another day.
Unfortunately this article is a reality in small towns across America. Luckily the feelings are fading through the generations and hopefully one day they will be gone from our country.
After reading the article, White Community Adapts to Obama Reality, I was shocked by the levels of people’s reactions after the election. Obviously it’s impossible to have every voter in our country agree, however, I didn’t think people would have outbursts like we have seen during this election. Over the past elections, the reasons that we choose our leaders for our country, is based on their experience, views, speeches, goals, and many other factors. However, one’s color or religion has never been a reason to vote or not vote for someone. So why now? I don’t understand why people would think it’s acceptable to vote for someone based on reasons that are unimportant and completely unrelated to the issues they would be dealing with. It almost makes me reconsider are views as a country? Have we forgotten what’s important?
I felt that it was more shocking to realize the ones getting most out-of-hand were the ages of high school students. I think it’s great that they are in recognition of the election, but I do think their reasons are ludicrous. Perhaps this is the reason that the voting age is eighteen. Maybe people don’t understand the true reasoning for picking your leader until they become an adult. I do think it was a good idea for the teachers to give the students time to discuss and clear up any misunderstandings, but I couldn’t believe that there were verbal and physical fights over having a black president. I think it just shows how much they lack knowledge if their reasoning on not voting for him because “they don’t trust black people”. What would give a seventeen year old any right to have distrust and hate towards a black person?
Besides these racist people having issues with a black president, they also have issues with all black people. Unfortunately, there are people that live with this discrimination everyday. As you read in the article, there are various people that have to face this every day and it also affects what and how they do things. What makes it acceptable to think that we are able to treat people in such a way? In any way, it shouldn’t be acceptable for people to have such a negative connotation for someone who has no control over their skin color.
The ironic part is that Obama isn’t just black. If the students knew anything about the election, they would understand that there is much more to it. Obama’s family history isn’t just black. It’s actually quite interesting how our president could be so many different things. His great-grandmother was part Native American. So why do people have something against him for being black, but not Native American? I think Obama’s ancestry works perfectly because he as our leader, is bringing our country together, with all the different minorities and everything.
The article didn’t surprise me at all. Of course there will be a lot of ignorant people who are pissed just because we have a black president! The fact that there are so many people turning to white supremacy just because of Obams makes me feel frustrated.
I felt like our generations were progressing so much, just looking back from my grandparents. Then the stupid people who think they’re so much better than some other group of people for now reason have to start doing what the Nazi’s did: use another racial group as a scapegoat for our economic problems. I would have expected the supremacy to rise among older white people, who will not change their ways. Unfortunately, this isn’t what happened. Young people also have joined these groups, making me feel so embarrassed that I’m even a part of their same generation, even though my views are so opposite.
I went to high school in a very small and very republican town. I saw a lot of the ignorance in the young people. I also noticed the correlation between those who fit in the supremacy category. I describe the majority of them as dirty, unintelligent, and just plain stupid. They are not the kind of people you can even trust to prepare a fast food sandwich correctly for you. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that anyone who didn’t vote for Obama is a racist supremacist and is stupid. I voted for McCain, and I don’t label myself as “stupid.” I, however, did NOT vote for McCain because he is white and Obama is not. I had my reasons and they are irrelevant other than the fact that it was not because of race.
But anyway, back to my generation, which is even fuller of ignorant pricks than I thought. Reading that article, I couldn’t help but picture some people that I went to school with in the parts that were described. The level of racism that’s built up in their thick skulls just boggles my own mind. How the heck did they fit all that hatred in along with being able to tie their shoes and brush their teeth? It’s crazy! Maybe someone surgically put a tape recorder in their brains and anytime race comes up as a subject, the “play” button is activated and they just spit out whatever is on the tape.
And it was these tape-recorded morons who painted racist graffiti on the school. The student, Case, said she was so angry at first and then when everybody got together to help get rid of it (hahaha erase rasicm sounds clever) she was proud. This kind of makes me feel better. At least the supremacists are stupid enough to be counter-acted by the rest of us. Let’s just hope that they don’t do anything we can’t counteract before we have time to educate them enough to erase racism.
I first want to comment on the picture of the man with the tattoos all over his face. While the amount of tattoos on his face was a shocking site, what the tattoos relayed was not so shocking. The only difference from this man and many others is that he has chosen to outwardly display his repulsive hatred for other races. Please do not confuse what I am saying, I do not think that everyone is a raciest and feels how he feels. However, the unfortunate truths is that there are people in this world that feel this way, they choose just not to be so bold as this particular man to advertise their feelings. Other, may not feels as strongly as some on the conflicting racial issue, but regardless of how raciest one thinks they are, there is no scale that determines how wrong one is based on how racial one is. If you are at all raciest, it is WRONG! It is wrong to be raciest and it is even more wrong to be so naive to believe that racism does not exist.
I do not believe that Obama becoming president has caused any more retaliation against other races; I just feel that there is now more media covering racial issues. Before Obama was the president people had generally become numb of racism, they knew it existed but many ignored it and many of the times racist situations did not make the cut to be put in the media. Why I do not believe “once a raciest always a raciest”, I do believe that the people that our currently choosing to display their racism and hadn’t before Obama’s fame to presidency were just cowards who aloud others to do their dirty work (racism) for them. However, I do believe people can change and I do believe there have been tremendous strides towards a non racial world; Obama’s inauguration is a testimony to this. However, there will never be a day that all will see eye to eye on such the simple subject of racism that the world has made so complex. Because, people will always form their own opinion and why that is the beauty of the first amendment; it is also in a way a benefit and a hinder to racism. Raciest people breed other raciest people and keep each other’s company; they feed off of each other. While you can break free of this vicious cycle it is one that I do not think will ever become deceits.
As for the people, who choose to display this inappropriate racial behavior like the graffiti being sprayed all over the school property and the man who’s face is inebriated with disgusting symbolic racial innuendos. I hope they realize that while their goal maybe to attract attention to their way of thinking, and while it may for some week minded individuals, for many others it does the exact opposite. It implores these others, to think about racism more then they probably would have that day, if not for the racial display, and it makes others even confirm and speak out more against their certainty of not being raciest. So the goal of these raciest people is a failure.
As for the people who are making a big deal out of Obama’s skin color, it needs to stop. For both parties, those who are proud of him being of African descent and those who are prejudice that he is of African descent. While, it is beautiful that a black man is in office and it displays confirmation that America is more open to race then we have been in the past, it also separates whites and black and every other race and separation is a component of racism. Thus, while the inauguration of President Obama is a great, it should not be made into such prolific ordeal because it is only skin. While I know there is more to it then the skin, it is the history of where blacks were and where they are and where they are going, it is also simply separating them. Also during the election, there were too many people who voted for Obama simply because he is black as was there to many people who had chosen to vote for Hillary during the preliminaries because she was female. America needs to be smarter than this, to choose a president solely based on color or on sex, is dumb; especially now when America is struggling.
It’s so sad that such a majority of America is still stuck in somewhat of a bubble. I do not understand why people need to “adapt” to a black president. It was not that hard for us to get used to the idea of a complete idiot running the country for 8 years. These small communities that have these little racist kids and parents are fine. They can be racists all they want in their little bullshit town in Maryland. The fact of the matter is that these people are going to go nowhere if they hold on to these racist views. Mainstream society does not want to lend a helping hand to people like that… because it’s disgusting.
But what really makes me wonder is why these kids are so racist? I was not even thinking about anything relating to race when I was in high school. My parents did not necessarily say racism was bad but they certainly taught me respect and how to behave and what is right and wrong. If these kids are so openly racist then it leads me to believe that their parents are unfit for raising offspring. To be honest that kids are really losing out in the end. Nobody wants to be surrounded by a racist, not in the real world. It is setting your kids up for failure.
I just do not see the problem with a black president. I try hard to think about why someone may not want one. But my problem is that it is not like Obama is now only employing black people on the white house staff and black people have invaded congress to take over. That fact of the matter is he simply has a different skin color. He is far more brilliant the George Bush even pretended to be. So what is the issue? If he was elected into office then clearly he had a majority vote. So that means that these ignorant little racist assholes either a) didn't vote because they too stupid to find their way to the voting booths or b) their opinions simply do not matter anymore. What makes these people think they have rights? I never understood white supremacists. Who fell from heaven and granted these people the right to judge others?
By the looks of it these people are so repulsive and grotesque in appearance that the rest of society has shunned them so they are therefore picked up by these splinter groups in these insignificant communities. Now that these freaks feel like they are accepted and have a purpose in order to carry on their lives they feel like they have an opinion? WRONG I do not care what they think or have to say.
Talk about labeling yourself. To have something stamped on your forehead must mean you’d like it to be very clear how you want people to perceive you. I guess it leaves no room for error on how people might judge you. Where does someone like that work? Who wants to bring him home to meet her parents and who wants him to be the father or her children? It sucks to judge him based on appearance alone but when you choose to have things scribbled all over you I think it gives a good indication of who you are and what you might be like. It’s funny to think that this person willingly assumes identities that most people would be insulted if accused of.
The link to the article “White community adapts to Obama reality” doesn’t surprise me. I don’t think anyone doubted that there was going to be some backlash after the outcome of this year’s presidential election. There always is. I believe that there will be no point in time when everyone is totally content with the president of our country and I hope there isn’t. Because there doesn’t have to be. That is the beauty of living in this country a free country.
However upsetting it may be racism exists and might always exist. Hopefully it will continue to dwindle. These high school students are likely splurring out exactly what they hear in their homes from the mouths of their parents.
Obama’s campaign did seem “post-racial.” I’d say the majority of his votes had nothing to do with his race. It was obviously historic and a special moment for our country and I think it proves that beliefs like the ones of those in Carroll County are certainly not main stream. These people are still closely related to family members who were KKK members and their radical ideologies have not been flushed out yet. As time goes on and generations pass such racism will ease and the trend is that people are becoming more accepting of differences. This is true across the board, with race, religion, sexual preferences, political party, etc.
Daily acts of discrimination and prejudice are awful to suffer and I do hope that one day they do not exist but on the bright side it does seem that in the aftermath of some of the acts people unite against it. I think that having the majority of people saddened by it and cause a positive reactive makes more and more people realize how lame and ignorant the harmful acts are in the first place.
I was extremely surprised when I read the article “White community adapts to Obama reality.” I did not realize that young students would have such a harsh outlook on Obama becoming our first African American president. Of course I realize that not everyone in the young age group voted for Obama, but for the most part I believe that Obama had the majority of their votes. Most young adults are intrigued by change and could not wait to vote to participate in a historical election. The school in Westminster, Maryland surprised me because McCain had about 63% of their votes while Obama only managed about 32%. This is shocking because Barack related to most young adults and it is them he attracted to first. In addition, the fact that students were sending racist text messages, and engaging in minor physical and verbal fights is alarming. Those from our current generation are usually accepting to change and invite it with open arms. It makes me wonder where these students were getting their beliefs and ideas from. Perhaps these students are feeding off the notions of their parents, grandparents, peers or teachers. Many of whom may be older and have a more conservative outlook.
It was stated in the article that one teacher, Laura Doolan, wrote a 30 minute lesson specifically to educate her students on the election and candidates. Many misconceptions among the students were that Obama was a Muslim. Since it is now clear that Barack is not a Muslim, it clears up at least one rumor that may have been tarnishing his reputation. I believe the people that still are openly racist about the president are not well educated on his background and policies. The notion that several students thought he was a Muslim provides evidence that many of them know very little about him at all. It is interesting to think that if these students were actually properly educated on his election, if they would still hold the same racist beliefs.
The idea that many people are not well educated about Obama’s background also provides evidence that there is a lack of knowledge or interest in other cultures. I agree with Jim Rodriguez, when he mentions in the article that “We just have to do more to engage each other, be in each other’s homes more.” I firmly agree because if we all took the time to become more engaged in other cultures we would be able to understand and relate to a broader set of ideas than we do now. Moreover, I also believe there would be less racism and hate towards backgrounds other than our own. Of course, it is impossible to think one would be able to learn everything about all cultures, but at least a general knowledge would suffice.
I found this article to be a little disturbing but it honestly does not surprise me. I myself live in a small town in Maryland, which is about 45 minutes from Westminster and my high school had about six black people in it. My town is full of country people and racist “hicks” if that’s what you want to call them, but it is the truth. At least the people that I went to school with were very racist. Obviously I am not in high school anymore but if I was still there as Obama was being elected president; I am 100% positive I would have seen fights or graffiti displaying racism. So after reading this article is does not surprise me that some students in that high school in Westminster would act like that. Small towns like these that are predominantly white, give other small towns a bad name. Like if someone from the city comes to a small town in Pennsylvania, they are most likely going to think that many of the white people in the small town are racist. I just feel like it depends on where you live. Some people are just not used to a diverse community. Obviously that is no excuse whatsoever for someone to hate against another race but it happens and it is very unfortunate. I actually saw a lot of hateful things come from people around me that I never knew had those feelings towards black people. When Obama was running for president I started hearing all these horrible jokes and how people would think he would get assassinated. They voted against Obama only because he was black. I don’t think people should vote for McCain only because he is white. They should look at what they have to offer and how they can help our country. We actually talked about something similar to this in our group meetings this past week and one of the black kids was telling us how they feel about it and it was interesting to hear it straight from his mouth. It was inspiring. With that said, I do not think there has been a spike in racism at all. I think racism has been around forever and it will never go away. It is very sad to think that some people could be so hateful but I guess it is just the world we live in and unfortunately we can not change other people’s views. It is disturbing to hear that young kids and young adults that are our age are so racist. I mean it isn’t common to see grandparents being racist because it was very common back then and they are very traditional but to see teens being like that is upsetting. However, I guess if you live in a household where your family is racist, you grow up with the same beliefs.
When I was in grade school I thought we were learning about discrimination and racism for the first and only time. I was wrong. Every single day I see some form of racism or bigotry and I’ve come to almost accept it as human nature. It’s wrong but it happens anyway. Everyone’s knows it wrong and still does it. It’s like cigarette smoking. What’s the point? I’ve done it a couple times, I know it’s wrong but every once in a while I’ll have one. But that’s me, I’m sure some people always have negative thoughts in the back of their head. Other races don’t bother me. What really bothers me is when people of another race fulfill their stereotypes. But I’m sure non-whites experience some pressure to “represent” their race in some way. For instance, a black person in drama club with thick glasses and doesn’t enjoy fried chicken would be made fun of by his or her black peers. While this certain individual is just being themselves, they are scrutinized. Besides racism, there’s discrimination towards people for not fitting stereotypes. It’s a vicious cycle. Either you fit the stereotype and are discriminated by other races or don’t fit it and receive discrimination from your own race. There’s really no complete solution unless you consider everyone being so culturally mixed that we are all the same color and shape. Then the only thing we have to worry about is who has stars on their bellies like the Sneetches. Even then, I’m sure slight differences and places of origin would spark stereotypes. Sadly, it looks like discrimination is just part of our nature. But it really isn’t.
I’m sure we all have experienced some sort of discriminatory thoughts in our heads on time or another and I think those thoughts come from outside influence. Other people and the media can influence any type of thought into someone, intentional or not. It’s in our nature to question if these thoughts are true. When they end up being true, stereotypes are born. There’s no way to trace back where or how racism started. Maybe ethnocentrism and racism are human nature but, I don’t think so. A newborn baby is born with a blank slate. Other than its genetic code, a baby starts from scratch. One these ideas are inside someone’s head they never really leave all together. Discrimination is the cancer of the human race. Now that it exists it will never go away. It’s bad enough we see people hating each other. All of the hate built up inside only takes a catalyst for it to come out. Hitler was a catalyst. Al Qaida’s are catalysts. Hate is a disease that is slowly but surely destroying the human race.
First of all, maybe he inked his face so entirely to cover up the fact that some of his features seem only part Aryan. His nose is a tad wide by Nazi standards. His lips are a bit big as well.
In any case, I'd like to respond to a couple comments kicked out by the first anonymous post regarding why people would get tattoos on their faces. Why would you say a blank face is so "sacred?" Because God made it so? This is a blatant example of ethnocentrism. Many cultures would think an unadorned face was a violation of facial sacredness, and apparently so do a few of our own subcultures. I understand that it is one of the first things a person notices about another, but herein lies the very point of these markings. Perhaps that's exactly what he wants people to see. He wants people to be aware of his extremity as soon as they see him! He's proud of himself and his beliefs, or so it would seem, far prouder than you are of yourself I'd wager. I can certainly say so for myself. I'm a pussy compared to this guy. He shouts his identity where I mutter behind a weak handshake. I doubt many Americans, especially whites, feel this sort of resolve regarding anything besides, in some cases, God (but even that is probably rare).
Why does his face actively force his opinion on others? His ink isn't doing anybody physical harm, whether or not his hands and words do. If anything he'll just attract the hatred and scrutiny of people who think they're mentally above him. If you really wanted to, you could try to ignore the statement he's making, and just walk past him smiling to yourself about how crazy this world is.
His beliefs are indeed deplorable by the standards of many, but they are evidence to the fact that EVERYTHING is NOT better and perhaps race DOES matter, at least more than many of us claim to be "taught." If race didn't matter, why do economic statistics differ between racial groups? Why are there ethnic cultural divides between many of the racial groups we identify? Why do extremist groups like this persist? In regards to this last query I think many people would cite ignorance. But what exactly makes a person "ignorant" in this matter? When people invoke the term "ignorant" in these contexts, it seems to me that they refer to this idea that "it just aint so," and that you simply cannot say or believe certain things, because you should know better. How exactly does a person know better? What exactly does a person have to know about to be colorblind like you? How do you know better?
I think people avoid posing these questions to themselves, and take their cognizance (as opposed to ignorance) for granted, without stopping to think whether or not it even exists.
It shouldn't be much of a surprise that white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups are out attracting attention to themselves in light of who's in the white house. Why do anti-(anything) protesters come out to protest when that (anything) is around? The same way USAS sits in Old Main to protest PSU endorsement of sweatshop labor to manufacture licensed apparel, hate groups come out to say something about a black president. They believe this president to be a telltale sign of cultural degradation, and so they protest.
I honestly find it difficult to believe that racism is still such a major part of our society. It sickens me to hear stories of racism, especially in schools, where kids should feel safe, are supposed to be taught to be open minded and be respectful of others differences. Yes, we have come a long way from years past when political, social, and economical controversies were centered on race and racism. Our country still has quite a far way to go however. I do not think that racism will ever truly be eliminated, because people will always have prejudices, but I think that we should all be a more aware of how prevalent it still is in our country. This past election was a major step for our country…not only did a black man run for president, but he was elected. I am proud to say that I voted for Obama in this election, because I truly feel that he will be the type of leader out country needs. I also think it is important to point out that my decision to vote for Obama was NOT influenced by his race, or religion. I feel that this is important to mention, because I have discussed this with many people, several or whom I now believe to be some of the most ignorant and racist people I have ever met. I came to this rather harsh sounding conclusion after one such person asked me how I could “possibly want a black Muslim man for President” (this person was also highly against the idea of a woman –Hilary- running the country and had some rather interesting insights into that topic). When I responded that Obama’s color was not at all a factor of my decision, and that I would be proud to have a black president (or a woman), the person responded “it’s people like you and your black president that are sending this country to Hell.” I was appalled by this statement, but more so I just wanted to laugh at how utterly ridiculous, and ignorant this person sounded. While I am NOT a fan of ex-President Bush, I found it hard to believe that this person could overlook the very tiny…almost unnoticeable (please notice my sarcasm) slip ups of Bush, such as poor emergency relief for Katrina victims, an insignificant 8 trillion dollar debt, record high energy prices….oh and a WAR. I couldn’t believe that he believed that Obama, because of his RACE, would lead our country to Hell, when in my opinion, that’s where our country has been for the past 8 years. Why has our country been in Hell? Well, it isn’t because of a Muslim….or a black man… or a woman but rather because of George W. Bush…a WHITE man from Texas. Though I do not think that racism can be eliminated completely, it can and SHOULD be handled much better than it is.
I can’t decide how I feel about this article. On one hand, I think that it is upsetting to hear about the racist text messages, the graffiti, and plain ignorance of some people’s actions, yet on the other hand, like mentioned at the end of the article, I guess you can see the positive way that the school handle the whole situation. I’m not saying that it makes it acceptable to do such things just knowing that authority will handle it the right way. I think racist graffiti on school property is such a problem. Children are influenced by everything, and a teacher making a racist joke or comment really will get embedded in their heads as well. And think about it, you are brought up to respect people older than you, especially you parents and authority figures so if one of these people (like the teacher) were to pass a comment in a racist manner than you, as a young and easy-influenced student, would most likely consider what she said normal and that there is nothing wrong with it. Which is definitely not the case. Although this case is from a small high school in a small town in Maryland these students are still influenced by their teachers, principles, peers, and family.
Another part of the article I’d like to comment on is about Larry Brumfield’s case. Being in an inter-racial marriage and going against a certain society’s outlook and perspective on life is his decision. He shouldn’t be penalized for marriage someone of a different race. I think it is horrible that his neighbors tell his white wife to not bring up that she is married to a black man. I just would think to myself, why would I ever want to be friends with people that don’t let me talk about my husband, who cares what he looks like, what color, what religion, or what race, he is my husband, end of story. I mean I guess it might be different if I was actually in her shoes but being an outsider looking at her situation I just find it upsetting and rude that they would even ask her to not mention he is black.
Overall, society still discriminates and I think it will be a very long time before racism ends. I guess Obama becoming the president is slowly transforming this process and is a good start.
Some of my friends showed me racist text messages about the election. I agree with Courtney Case’s reaction to seeing these things and feeling surprised that my friends were so amused by these discriminatory displays. I know that racism is still a problem in my area, Reading, PA. A few years ago, “Twenty-twenty” actually did a special on a girl who attended my high school who was being targeted by a radical white supremacy group for being multiracial. I forget most of the details, but the girl and her mother were both specifically targeted by the group. When the threats became too severe, her and her mother had to enter the witness protection program. I wish I could find details about when this happened. I feel as though the city of Reading has become more open to diversity, but there are still areas in the suburbs that are populated primarily by white people who generally seem to be more or less unhappy with the increasing diversity of our area. A more recent act of racial violence from my area involved a Mexican man in the Shamokin area. The man was working to save money to bring the rest of his family to America from Mexico. He was walking home from work and a few teenage boys started a confrontation with the man. The Mexican man was largely outnumbered and the boys ended up beating him to death. It was reported that the man did not try to defend himself, and the boys continued to fight. This happened in the summer of 2008. Although I don’t usually feel as though I am witness to racial discrimination, I know that it still exists in my home town and its surrounding areas. Perhaps because my area boarders the city of Reading, the people of my area have come to more readily welcome these changes than the people of other areas. It seems like the suburbs that are further away from the city are the ones where more “hate crimes” and overall prejudicial thinking occurs. These people may not be directly faced with multiracial interactions; they are not forced out of their “predominantly white” comfort zone. I could definitely hear people from these predominantly white suburb areas making comments similar to those that were made about Jeffrey Morse in the article. My father is the boys’ soccer coach for the inner-city high school, and I know that he has come to expect stereotypical remarks from the parents, coaches, and players from these predominately white areas. Most of my dad’s players are Hispanic, and they often speak Spanish on the field during play. Referees have gone as far as to tell my dad “no Spanish on the field today, okay coach?” These stories always shock me, but I guess it’s not really unexpected behavior from some people in my area.
I get an absolute kick out of this article. I never really discussed the election with any of my friends from home because we were more worried at about things that were going on and needing to update each other gossip, drama, etc. It didn’t occur to me that my best friend was backing McCain this entire time, until my good friend text me saying “Hey, Obama won!!! Um, is mek republican?” And my response, “Oh shit... I don’t know. Is that why she… oOo.” Then I finally decided to put two and two together, and realize that she didn’t respond enthusiastically to my picture message of PSU’s Run Around to Old Main, because she didn’t care. So when this 17 year-old girl said she realized this all after some racial text messages, I had a bit of a moment, I should say. Anyways, it’s not really surprising to me that people go from neutral to straight up pissed off when Obama was elected. Really, majority of the people I’ve ran into don’t like talking about politics. One is because they haven’t followed what was going on in the election, so they rather remain quiet than sound ignorant about the situation. Two is because people get real out of control discussing the matter. This kind of reminds me of one of Sam’s other blogs about how people believe that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled. Really, this is just solid proof that his dream hasn’t. The process in stopping racism isn’t an overnight thing. And quite frankly, I don’t believe racism will ever be completely obliterated. Old cultures are constantly making their way in the United States with immigration and sometimes that aspect of discrimination is brought over as well. And honestly, some people will never change. For example, I grew up in a town that was mostly white, but increasingly became more and more diverse through the years. And it’s no big deal to see a white girl dating a black guy or a Filipino dating a black guy. People generally are pretty comfortable with each other. With that being said, the Maplewood officers are known to be a bit more hostile to people of color or just extra nosy when it comes to a certain race. Racism will become a small and tiny minority, kind of like the Jesus camps that I’ve never heard of or seen. It’s a little scary actually to see kids talking in tongues like that. However, I do see racism kind of falling away to an extent. Because Obama’s tactics in “getting everyone on his side”, I should say, aren’t really about addressing racism, but bringing everyone together, people will realize that race is just a color, or classification. Who knows what race is at this point. But a country still has to be ran, and by unifying the citizens to do so; things will get a little better.
Spike in the white racism?
These stories of racism prove that even though we have come far, we still have a long way to go. It seems disturbing to me that even though we are living in the 21st century people are not more civilized than they were 40 or more years ago. Most still believe in ethnocentrism and things have changed a lot over the years, however, many are still ignorant to different cultures, races and religions. Including myself before taking this class, I was unaware of many social issues and cultural differences that are brought up all the time in the media, yet I did not know. For example, the misconceptions that emerged after September 11th about Muslims and people from Middle Eastern backgrounds “all of them are terrorist and radical believers that will kill in the name of their God to go to heaven.” In my opinion people think like this because we are accustom to see the small picture and believe whatever we on television or other source of media. We are never trying to ourselves in other cultures’ shoes and even worse, we formulate personal opinions based on what hear out there without investigating on own to discover our own version of the truth.
Most of my life I spend in a different culture. I was born and raced in Dominican Republic in my mind I wasn’t exposed to racism; I always thought that my culture did not have to face that problem. We are so mixed that we should be colorblind. However, the truth is that we are racist that those that are darker skin are treated differently, that most Dominicans are racist to Haitians. In my teenage years I learned that there would always be racism around as long as there are different people and cultures together. In fact, it is not only a race thing; it is also about class and power. Some discriminate because of status differences and it’s not a matter of skin color. For instance, in European countries were most are white, the discrimination would a level of status and people of certain regions and lower classes tent to be discriminated.
I agree with John Hartnett discrimination and inequality will never be completely erased out of the face of the earth. Xenophobia is one of the biggest “diseases” in history. It didn’t happen yesterday, it began millions of years ago before we could even trace it in history. It will take a few more centuries for a few more people to understand that we are one race, the Human Race. Ideally we would like to totally have a of world equality, but I am dreamer and even though dreams come true, I don’t want to sound an idealist. I know that most predominantly white towns aren’t racist like this one mentioned in the article. And I would like to think that a lot of the students that were involved in this racial reaction to Obama’s election did not intended to take part in such actions. The reason why they did this is because of what their parents and families have taught them. Ignorance is the primary reason to racism and education is the way out of it.
Barack Obamas election to the presidency of the United States was bound to light a fire under the white supremacist movement. They had just seen the most important position in the world filled by a black man. It’s their worst nightmare. Of course there is going to be an increase in hate filled messages infiltrating our culture. These are people who thrive on creating controversy and the more publicity they get the better. For this reason I think it is best for major media outlets to ignore these hate groups to the best of their ability. By not giving them the coverage that they want so badly the media is aiding in the fight to prevent the spread of racist sentiment. Growing up in New Jersey I had no idea hate groups existed. I knew there was racism but I couldn’t imagine that racist people ever got together to form an organization of like-minded people. While I may have been sheltered I believe that this approach is far preferable to allowing hate groups the opportunity to get their message across using the media. Remember that saying that your parents always told you about what to do about bullies, they said, “ignore them and they will go away.” Well in a way the same is true in this case. While hate groups may not disappear if they are ignored their message can have no impact if no one is listening to it. Their ability to recruit impressionable young followers or to spread their corrosive lies will be impossible. Allow their message to fall on deaf ears and the hate group movement will continue to fade into obscurity. I am not saying in any way that these groups should be allowed to get away with their crimes. In fact, I think just the opposite. I think they should be punished, as anyone else would be. They should be sentenced to jail time and forced to serve their time without any fanfare. No 20/20 news cameras interviewing them about their beliefs. Everyone knows what people in hate groups think. Why give them the opportunity to disguise/explain away their racist points of view as something other than what they truly are? I think it is time that we all stop giving these criminals exactly what they want, its time to stop rewarding them for their misdeeds. Let us instead focus on all of the gains black people have made in society in spite of their detractors. How they successfully overcame a country ripe with bigotry and earned the equal rights that they so inherently deserved. These are the topics that people will remember. The extremist fringe groups that serve no meaningful purpose in society will easily be forgotten, because without any real attention they remain nothing but angry lunatics whose impact on society will be nonexistent.
This is in response to “Spike in White Racism?”
While I do feel that certain individuals were wrong to do the things they did in response to Obama being elected as president, I think the teachers at that school did the right thing. Ignoring that fact that racism exists will not help solve the issues. We are all in a class in racial relations and I feel it is one of the best classes I have ever had. Coming from an all white town (98.7% according to Wikipedia) I wish my school had embraced diversity. I know it would be a hard thing to do prior to something with such a big impact such as Obama becoming president but something could have been taught. These students speaking out loud at school is probably a good thing for them. To hear themselves speak and hear others opens doors and will hopefully make them realize how foolish they sound. If issues such as these are confined to the home, when does it stop? As embarrassing as it is, I received text messages from my own father on Election Day making fun of Obama. Every time I talk to him I try to talk some sense into him about something or another but he has never really gotten out in the world. He has his views and no one seems to be able to change him. I’m not going to lie, I did laugh at the texts but it seems like every time I have Comedy Central on the comedians are talking about race. I think we need to be able to laugh at differences. We all have things we can laugh at, whether that be the differences in our race, sex, hair color, etc. If we can’t take a step back and laugh at ourselves how can we move forward and keep our feelings inside. I think laughing about our differences is a good way to go about differences. This could be bad though if people take what is said to their heart, rather than laughing it off and knowing the truth. One more thing that bothers me is that I feel like many people are living in the past. This article brought up the Ku Klux Klan. The article also states that this has not gone on in this town in over 20 years. Move on. Things were a lot different in the past, we all know that. Living in the past is not going to help our future.
People as a whole will never agree on every single issue. Everyone will have their own opinions and oftentimes hold steadfastly to their beliefs, refusing to see another’s opinion. When you think about it, it is really strange how much emphasis people put on other’s races. Especially in Obama’s case since he is truly only a half black man, and yet most people continuously refer to him as the first black president. Yes his skin color might make him appear this way but the actual person he has become has been cultured by a plethora of races. I do however believe that we have come a long way in a short amount of time and that we are moving relatively quickly to a point in time where race really will not matter. I accept that this cannot happen overnight but at the same time those people who may have not wanted Obama to become president should try to accept reality and begin to see him as the leader of their nation. The issue now really extends far beyond simply the color of his skin because he is the person that we are putting our faith in and he needs support in order to do his job to the best of his ability. It is sad that although we have had many advances, many minorities still to this day deal with discrimination on a regular basis. They are just as much citizens as any white person is and deserve to be treated with respect and not degraded. Minorities are becoming such a large proportion of the United States population and it is essential that they are not only legally integrated into society but also accepted as equals as well. The first step in accepting other people is first understanding who they are and trying to relate to them on a more personal level. I feel that if racist people were more educated and more exposed to minorities that their views would be drastically different. It is especially difficult when young people hold certain negative views towards minority groups because they most likely adopted this view from their parents. Obama’s presidency will not necessarily bring about all the necessary changes in certain people’s patterns of thoughts, but is definitely a huge step. Actually seeing a man with darker skin as president will give people a visual that things do not always have to be a particular way. I feel like years from now people will look back on this period of time and see it as absurd as many of us today see slavery. In a group of people if all factors were to remain the same except for the color of skin it is crazy how different these people would be seen. We can continue to fight the racial issues in the world today but in the end time will be the biggest contributor to change.
All this article reminded me of was the fact that there is a long way to go. Sure, huge changes have been made. And we have come a very long way since the 1960s, but there is still so much more to be done. I am not personally surprised by the article, but it does make me sad.
So there’s a half-black man in the white house. Who cares? He had the better plans, he was the better choice for this country at this time. We needed change. I’m glad they didn’t just vote for the old white guy. I mean come on, he practically already has a foot in the grave. The country as a whole made a choice, and now we get to deal with the aftermath.
With that said and out of the way, the major thought that was going through my head was the racist campaign slogan “It’s called the white house for a reason.” If people are going to be that ignorant, I think they should lose their first amendment rights. Okay, that may be going a little far, but it is the 21st century. You must be truly ignorant to still have these feelings.
I was glad to see that they had prepared for nothing. But the fact still remains that other schools did have problems. The fact that people would actually fight over the results of the election is kind of ridiculous. Even in the town from the article it seems as if the problems are getting better. The graffiti issue shows that it is the loud minority, making the noise. It is promising that so many were upset by the graffiti and that it was taken care of so quickly, and in such a tasteful way. My roommate is about as republican you can get (he‘s from Texas), and I am about as democrat as you can get. After the election results came in we opened a few beers, and just had really great discussions for the rest of the night. We were no where near fighting.
Things have been changing, and getting better over time. And I know that the next time a black man runs for the highest office in the land it will not have all of the coverage that President Obama got. I believe that I can say this because people made a huge deal the Kennedy was a Catholic when he ran, because he was the first Catholic that ran. This was the last time that this was an issue for the presidential election. Lieberman saw the same thing when he ran because he was Jewish, just as Hilary Clinton saw it because she is a woman. And hopefully no candidates will have to deal with these issues again, or atleast have to deal with them to a lesser extent.
From the moment Barack Obama earned the Democratic nomination it was clear that race was going to play a key factor in his campaign, whether he wanted it to or not. Minorities and individuals indifferent to race rooted him on, while sparks began to ignite racist remarks from those who have difficulty seeing all individuals has equals. Thus, it would seem that a “spike in white racism” would be inevitable among racist Americans. After reading the article, I can honestly say that I was very disheartened hearing the racism that exists in many of our schools today, but I can’t particularly say that I am surprised. Although racism is definitely scarcer in our generation, it is still fueled by our parents and grandparents points of views which have been passed on to a large portion of America’s youth. To our Grandparents and Parents generations racism was a common occurrence, which many of them probably paid little heed. Racism, sexism and homophobia are certainly not ideals that should be tolerated, however, it seems unlikely that they are going to disappear anytime in the near future. Furthermore, the white supremacist covered in tattoos is simply astonishing to me. I have a hard time understanding the environment he must have been subject to in order to develop such saturating and narrow-minded views of the world and other cultures. His attitudes are clearly a product of his environment; no one is born with the idea that one race is superior over another, but the extent to which this idea must have been beaten into this his brain in order to go to such drastic measures to sport his ideas is truly astounding. It’s actually rather scary knowing that people feel so strongly over something as trivial as how a person looks. I was actually flipping through the channels the other day and came across a documentary that reminds me of the individual with all the tattoos at the start of this blog. The documentary was about Neo-Nazi’s in Russia that train, attack and kill immigrants, among many others, most people don’t even know this occurs on a daily basis. It was truly horrifying to watch this kind of brutality and it makes me wonder what is happening in our own country that we are not aware of? Racism is obviously a problem not only in America but all over the world and until it is recognized as a vital issue in places such as Russia it is not going to go away. January 20, 2009 marked the inauguration of Barack Obama, our Nations first non-white President and with it a surge in racial activity occurred. It’s nice to imagine that since Barack became President that all our problems are going to be solved, and I personally have a very optimistic view of our countries future; however, racism towards our President and around the world are a definite cause for concern and will likely remain a concern for many years to come.
The documentary I was referring to:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLUxuq-E9yA
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuOVgx3Zh6E&feature=related
After reading this blog subject and also the article about a White Community Adapts to Obama Reality, I find the subject important as well as relevant. I can personally say that my view point definitely changed prior to after the election. Although I was not excited that Obama was elected he first “Black” president primarily because I was for the other candidate, I did recognize its significance. I think that I was able to get to a place in which I am excited to see what he is actually going to do as a president and the ability to understand, how Barracks presidency is a great point in history and equality for the black / African American community. I think that as individuals we are so quick to judge that we forget the simplest fact that although we are different we are as individuals similar at some level. I think something that I found extremely interesting is that 99.9 percent of our genes are the same and that its 0.01 percent that makes one person appear to be black or white. I think that as a county the United States has come an extremely long way since the year before Obama was born. Early in the semester we watched a video depicting a man that was seeking admission to Ole Miss and was only granted this right by the force of an army, and it caused riots, violence and injury all because of the color of his skin. It shows how far we have come as a nation that we can have a black president in existence. Although no matter what the situation there is always going to be the side of the situation which cannot be tolerant or understanding. I think a lot of intolerance strictly comes from people’s ignorance. If I personally do not understand something and do not educate myself to be able to identify with it personally or culturally, I will never be able to tolerate it. For instance if I do not understand the difference between Christianity, Judaism or Muslim cultures than I will be unable to assimilate with people that culturally identify with these cultures. I may not set out on a path to offend any individual of these cultures but by ignorance I could in fact offend them by clearly misunderstanding. Obviously this is not what is occurring in the case of Obama, there are certain people groups that still cannot see past the color of his skin, so in a sense they do not trust him or his policies. However I do not believe that this makes him any less capable of being the president. After every presidency there are comments about if the term was positive or negative and many comments are made from different viewpoints. I wonder after Obama’s first term what these comments will be? I also wonder if their statements will have changed from today to four years from now?
Growing up in a practically all white school where you soley interact with white catholic kids and avoid other races, can set up a difficult situation when change arrives. Imagine the situation growing up in a completely white community where you know your neighbors and become very familiar with your race. You see other races and hear about other races via media and word of mouth that they are bad for society. That they only can hurt society and pose a negative effect. What are you supposed to believe about these races if you are almost segregated from the rest of the world? You will simply never gain the knowledge to understand “outsiders”. But there is no problem, you feel no need for change and you do no need to deal with change since change has never occurred in this tight knit community. Now if change does occur what will happen?
Obama is elected president. For the first time we have a black president. And not once have you interacted with black people in your primarily white community. In fact you have only heard horrible things. Won’t you be scared? Aren’t you going to express what you have learned while growing up in a primarily white community, the fact that blacks are bad. You do not know better.
The situation is similar to Iraq and the United States. We both do not encounter the other side and when we do we react in a negative way. We are brought up nowadays believe Iraqi’s are brought up as terrorists and that we Americans are Christian killers. That all Americans are Christian and we are taught to kill Iraqi’s. If we were to get a better understand of one anothers culture and actually give it a chance, things would change. Racism would change. But we have this idea that we know it all and what we see and hear is the truth about others. We do not know the truth. We do not know reality.
Simply, we cannot blame some for being racist because those who are racist believe for some reason that another race or culture has negative effects on society. They are not going to doubt the things they hear, see, and learn while growing up until they can interact with other cultures. It is a difficult topic to talk about, sensitive and often misunderstood.
To solve the problem of Racism will never fully evolve because when we look at a 99% white community, they will never respect blacks after what they hear and see. To begin and solve this problem, we must place ourselves in their shoes. It sounds stupid, but it is true. We judge way too quickly.
The town I grew up is very diverse. My high school consisted of almost an equal number of white students and black students. Although there have been a few issues here and there regarding race, there has only been one that has been extreme. I was in the ninth grade and new to the high school. As overwhelming as high school can be for a graduating eight grader, the situation that soon arose made it that much worse. I am still not quite sure exactly what happened or why the fights broke out but I do remember the riots and police that were called in to break up the fights. I am sure this goes without saying but the fights were a result of racial tension. Ultimately, within a few short days everyone calmed down and worked our their differences. The next four years were fight free. After reading the article about Westminster High School I was not surprised to learn that there are still people who are so unaccepting of other races and cultures. However, it did shocked me to read about the comments some students openly made about Barack Obama. Saying things like, “I don’t want a black president,” or “I don’t trust black people,” are hurtful and extremely ignorant. I would be outraged if I heard one of my fellow classmates speak like that. I would also be embarrassed for them. Clearly these students are very sheltered if they truly believe what they are saying. Although I believe that we will never fully eliminate all of the racism in the world, we definitely need to try. The article mentions that people view Obama as a “Post-Racial” politician. From the coverage I watched on the 2009 presidential election is it clear that this is an appropriate way to describe Obama. I found it very interesting that right outside of this small country is a community where the population is 70 percent black. I have to ask then, how did this high school and country become so racist towards black people? It seems as though this school and the county itself is truly trying to change their outlook on race, which in my opinion is extremely important. We live in a world today where racism should actually be eliminated in its entirety. I know that when I am older and have kids of my own I want them to be very open-minded and accepting of other cultures, races, and ethnic groups. My high school definitely taught me to do so and I feel that it is so important that people make all the effort they can to end racism. Clearly, a black man in office does say a lot for our country and how far we have come. However, we still have a long way to go.
Now as for the man with the tattoos covering his entire face. I am absolutely appalled that a tattoo artist would even agree to these heinous tattoos. They are so unbelievably offensive. The most offensive and surprising ones are the numbers. I had no idea that these numbers were actually racial slurs. I just do not understand how some people can be so unaccepting of other people. And I definitely don’t understand why this man feels so proud that he feels as though it is important to wear these codes on his body.
To sum this up, it is so important for people to learn how to be less racist and more accepting of people unlike them. Hopefully one day soon this can be achieved. I feel as though Obama is the right man to help make this happen.
Its crazy that after all that we as a people or a country united still has to face problems that seem to have been solved. I know that racism will never go away because everyone is different and they will always have their mind set on what they want, but I thought that it would cease a little. It’s even crazier to see how people react when we have a mixed president. To hear these students at Westminster High School lash out and be racist against their own kind is amazing to me. Even though they may be high school students and close to being adults, I can tell that they are getting their reactions from their parents and acting just like them. People tend to take after the people that they have been around the most. I don’t understand how people say they have friends and they never knew they were racist. Ok well say you really didn’t know, now what? I know even though most people are shocked to hear crazy things about people they may be close to, but that wont stop people from hanging out with those types of people. They will turn the other cheek and act like they didn’t even know about it. I wonder if Obama was really fully white but he had a skin condition, how would people feel about him? I mean he is white and black. How can people hate on their own kind.?
I don’t believe there has been a spike in white racism. I believe it was always there, we just tried not to pay attention to it. Now I feel like they are showing it because the president is supposed to be the head of our country and now something many of us would have never thought could happen, happened. The head-honcho or man in charge is considered African American.
I am very proud that during Obama’s campaign, he talked more about Americans coming together as a whole rather than talk about the racial issues. He cared to talk about our future and our lives and race was not a factor. He did not give up and was determined to be the president although he had millions of people putting him down. That is what people should look at. Not the outside color, it should be about his character as a person and a leader. Many people that just hated him because of his skin color and didn’t want to hear anything he was saying, probably would have agreed with his ideas, if they only listened and not judged. Now he is the president and there is nothing the racist mind can do but wish for something bad to happen which I don’t believe will happen. If it is in God’s plan then it will but God has been watching over him and Obama will conquer all that he sets his mind to. The racist ones will just have to deal with it.
Our country obviously has a long way to go before racism is completely wiped out. I think electing a president who is not white is one major step towards uniting as a country and realizing this man has more to offer then his skin color. As we discussed in class Obama’s true background, I see how uneducated those students at Westminster High School are. They say they don’t want a black president, but they obviously haven’t looked beyond his darker skin color and seen what he proposes to change in the world. I think the school should probably have spent more then 30 minutes talking about the election. When I was in high school, I never learned a single thing about politics, therefore, when I reached the age to vote, I did my own research to decide on my own who I thought would be most fit to be our president. The election is a very important part of the country. A friend of mine teaches third grade in a public school about 30 minutes from the city of Philadelphia. At that particular school, teachers do an entire unit on the election, to prepare their students for the future and make them aware of what is happening in the country. Westminster High School may have seen less discriminatory words about the new president if they knew who he was.
I wish that when I was in school, my teachers had included more current event based lessons to educate me about the world outside of a textbook. As a future educator, I hope to make current events a vital point of my lesson planning. It is very important to realize who is running for president and also it is important to understand who he is and what he stands for after being elected to the White House.
Shalal-Esa’s article goes on to say how close Westminster is to Washington, D.C just 70 miles north. Westminster High School is also only about 30 miles away from the city of Baltimore, which undoubtedly has its percentage of diversity within.
The story goes on to show how prior to the election, words of discrimination were spray painted onto the school’s front gates. The students came together, however, and cleaned up the school. I think if the open discussion about the election began before the results, students would have formulated their own ideas about which candidate is more suitable to serve our country, and they would have focused less on the color of the man’s skin.
I think it is very true that as a country, we need to engage and educate each other. I think if more people of different cultures understood each other a lot more then we obviously do, racism would not be such an issue in the country today.
I am an education major so I found this article to be very interesting due to the fact I will be dealing with these same issues in the near future. I feel as though white supremacy in small suburbs such as the one in Maryland are so use to living that lifestyle that they tend to be very close -minded. I think it all has to do with the fact of where we live and what we are exposed to. Life in generally, I believe, is about experience. I feel that if the population in Carroll Maryland is 94 percent, then obviously there is going to be a bit of controversy over our new President. I am not advocating that this is correct, I am just emphasizing that it’s “no surprise”.
On the other hand, I feel that the English teacher Laura Doolan is making a difference in that high school by giving the students the opportunity to talk about what they feel about racism. Like we discussed in class, we all too often don’t speak about these touchy issues; therefore due to our silence we see no change. Everyone is so hush hush and afraid to speak about reality. Yet, the only way to change it is to verbally acknowledge that it exists. I think it is fabulous the way the students handled the graffiti incident as well. I mean we are not going to see a change today, tomorrow, or in the next couple years, but eventually I think we will. Everything takes time and it is up to our generations to change racism. I feel that going from close-minded to open-minded may not be a change in terms of macro but they are small changes. These small individual changes lead to the macro changes and this teacher is taking a step in the right direction. She is letting these students speak.
HOWEVER, I do feel that it is sad that we have articles such as “White Community adapts to Obama Reality”. Like what! Honestly, I do not feel this is something to be announced. I feel this only raises the issue of racism by stressing that “Whites Are Adapting” Why can’t we just except that this is happening and it is a great thing. Why do we have to act like it's an “Oh my gosh” situation. I think this only adds to racism in all aspects. Whites make too much of a big deal when they are not being racist, even though in reality doing so is being racist.
I am actually very frightened by the fact that these are the types of things that are making our headlines. Yes, we have made steps toward becoming less racist, but we need to make strides and I feel that there is something deep down underneath that headline that screams, “Racism has a long way to go”.
Once again I don’t find this article surprising at all, I expect this of predominately white areas. I wish someone could amuse me and report an article that says just the opposite of this.
There are racist/prejudice/bigots all over the world and for all you know you could be standing in line next to one and you’d never know. It’s has to be hell of scary for those individuals to see a black man as their President. I mean come on black people are so bad (IM LIENING). Anyway it’s unfortunate that this world still consists of so many ignorant individuals and its scum like them that won’t let this world already get on with it. This is America and we are a big melting pot, if they seriously cant except this fact then they should get on a one way ticket and leave. I don’t have any respect for people like that and I find them disgusting and stupid. If there’s anyone to worry about in this society it’s them, they are the problem. They are just a bunch of cowards hiding behind empty words. They feel empowered to do so and justified, but yet if you ask them why they feel this way you would get an asinine response? I say if you feel that way fine your problem, you’re just going to have a harder time keeping up with the times. They will forever be in a constant battle for what’s going to happen in the future. However, voicing their opinions publicly through violence and by using graffiti is just out right wrong and a cry for desperation on their part.
Obama’s recent land slide win over McCain give this nation hope. At least some people can see past the bullshit and open their eyes to the bigger picture. This country has some serious issues and we as a nation want them to be fixed. So to men who felt they could do the job rallied and asked America to vote for the man whom they felt best could achieve this task. The winner just happened to be black, now hot damn. Yes he’s the first black president, yes he has broke down that barrier that’s said it will be a 100 years before you see this happen. Now it’s here. Be happy you live in country were some but not all can embrace this and be excited for this new change. As for those who cant well sorry to say you need to step out of the stone ages. I don’t know who said being white made you more qualified??? And they same stigmas whites have against blacks works the same way that blacks feel for whites. So get your head out of your ass and stop focusing on the bullshit because that’s all it is, is bullshit.
Spike in White Racism?
Westminster, Maryland is a town with old traditions and families that still believe in these traditions. This town is not any different than most of the country towns in the United States. For example I grew up in a town that was very similar to Westminster besides the population. Westminster has a population of 170,000 and my home town had a population of about 5,000, while these populations are very different the ratio of ethnicities are spot on. The town today has become much more diverse and if I were growing up there now I would not be able to relate to this article. Growing up in a town like this was very different from what my college friends describe to me as their youth. During elementary and middle school there were no minorities in my school and I was ignorant to the fact that there was different races, if only this is how our world could be today, ‘a child like state where we could see race as something we are unaware of and we could take it in as if it were a new concept’. After elementary school high school was very similar until about 10th grade when a new population of people began to move out of the city and attend my school. This was a culture shock to a majority of my friends, and a lot of them did not like it. While they did not like it there were no racial acts taken against anyone or anything. While no physical things happened many comments and jokes were made at the cost of minorities and this was completely wrong and ignorant. While I did not contribute to the verbal onslaught I did not stand against it either, which was wrong. But I was 16 and ignorant, if I could do it again today I would explain to my friends why it was wrong to say those things and racially diverse people are no different from us and make great friends and should be living with us and adding to the empty melting pot that was our town. Unfortunately I did not know this at the time and never correct my friends or myself.
After reflecting about how I grew up I realized that the children at Westminster high school are no different from children at any other school in the United States. You may ask why I state this, it is not because they are racist, it is because they are mainly influenced by two groups of people when they are growing up. These people included their family and friends, so who is to blame a 14 year old for saying a racist comment when they really don’t know what they are talking about, I know I had no idea what I was talking about at 14. So when this teacher taught a class to the children she should have had a parent-teacher night with a theme about racism and how to overcome their heritage that includes the KKK and other racist groups.
After Obama was elected President, many Republicans and white supremacists were very upset and angry with the results of the election. I am sure that the majority of the white supremacist communities like Westminster had some racial tension in the schools and within the communities. I think that what English teacher Laura Doolan did with her students was a fantastic idea because it’s important to know how the students feel about different racial and political issues. When I read that the students said that they did not want a black president or that they did not trust black people I was taken back a little because we are in the 21st century and I always thought that the younger generations did not really have a problem with race and that they were more open to diversity. I always was kind of biased and thought that it was mainly old people that really did not like change mainly because they have not been exposed to it. This fact is true when it comes to white supremacists communities because most of the people that live there, have lived there for most of their lives and so they have not been really exposed to minorities or diversity, and they do not like change. So when a black family moves in, of course the whole community will be talking and the neighbors will snicker at them. In discussion group this week, we were talking about what the people in our communities would do if a bunch of minorities moved in next door. All of the people said that they personally would have no problem with it. However, they all said that the older people and their older relatives would go crazy because it would be change and old people do not like change, they are stuck in their old ways. I’m not saying that sticking to what you know is wrong, but if everyone was a little bit more open minded, the world would be better off. It’s encouraging to know that the KKK are not parading in the streets anymore or rallying or doing demonstrations. It is also encouraging that after people drew racist graffiti in the schools courtyard, the students worked together to remove it. The United States is changing demographics but it will take at least 20 years for the minority to become the majority. I just hope that as time goes on and more communities become less white supremacist, that more people will be accepting and more open minded to change.
I respect what Doolan was trying to accomplish by having an open forum in her classroom to clear up some of the election issues. As the presidential race neared its November conclusion, the conservative media had a field day with Obama’s name and religious status. This was effective because some people heard “Hussein” and “Islam” (I’m aware he is a Christian) and that was enough research for them to have their vote decided. This is my biggest concern with democracy; people who do not investigate will base their decision on one or two facts. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is great that all American citizens have the opportunity to elect the person who will be making decisions in the public’s interest. However, the system is not at its full potential when someone turns on the television, hears one statement either in favor or against a candidate, buys into it and feel they have selected the best candidate. Doolan was doing a great thing by educating her students on the misconceptions, but it would have been even more effective if she had done this before the election. This past presidential race brought out the greatest number of younger people than in any past election, but how many of them were doing it for the right reason? It would have been ideal if we could have instituted programs into schools where teachers could map out both candidates plans and policies in an unbiased manner. I remember in high school, my government teacher executed an activity to get the class to understand what party they support. Everyone knew he was a republican, but he put the program on in such a way to not influence anyone. This leads me to believe that teachers could display the candidates in a neutral fashion. In the 2008 election, I decided not to vote because I felt I had not done enough research to make an educated decision. It is not that the information was not available, I just did not put the time into finding a reliable source to relay it to me. I regret my decision that I was not part of the election, but at the time I was more comfortable with leaving the choice up to those who I had hoped would be voting for the right reasons.
In addition to informing the students on political issues, Doolan’s forum probably worked well as a race relations outlet. The discussion could have started out about the candidates, but it is more than likely that the race issue was brought up. Many people who have racist tendencies have probably had little interaction with other races. They normally surround themselves with people who share similar ideals as a form of protection. I feel that if they are put into a situation where someone can challenge their beliefs, it will make them think more and possibly alter their sentiments. When you break it down, people this close-minded have probably never been out of their comfort zone. Simply put, basic everyday interactions between different people could alleviate tensions that exist.
Race, Ethnicity, Religion, sexual orientation, when will these stop playing a part in the decisions we make? Why can’t we judge individuals based on their personal traits? I am personally disgusted by this article in the Reuter about Westminster, Maryland. Up till this day, many white people still believe they are better than blacks just because of their skin color. Does this make any sense? This makes me loose a lot of hope in Americans and I know for sure that I am not raising my children in a country that is so biased towards other races especially black people. Many Americans are the biggest hypocrites I have ever come cross. When they are in public, they act like we are all one people but as soon as they leave the public eye, it is then we see how truly racists these people are. In the year 2009, high school kids are still being prejudiced against blacks. May I ask who is to blame? Is it their parents, grandparents or the attitudes of black people they have come across that has caused them to think the way are right now? How many people have they been exposed to in any case since they live in a predominantly white neighborhood? Or is it what they are being socialized to believe by their peers and teachers? The answer to this is well above and beyond me, I will probably need some supernatural powers to help me answer this question accurately. People today are still debating the competency of Barack Obama, when he clearly took part in one of the best campaigns I have ever witnessed and showed that he was right for the job which is why he is now the President of the United States. This man openly declared that he had a Muslim background and hid nothing else from the American populace. Yet some ignorant good- for – nothings still hold on to the issue of he being Muslim when he has proven that he is not. Goodness! I am just irked writing this comment. And what is it with this individual who has tattooed his entire face in the name of openly expressing this prejudice; it is people like this who need to be ostracized by society. I also want to know if he actually allowed to display what in my opinion is absolute tomfoolery. It’s like just walking up to people and saying “Hi I’m…….. and I am definitely racist”. Please, this country is definitely getting more diverse by the day, so the sooner White Americans especially learn to live with other races, the better their lives will be. Like Sam mentioned in class, many of us our biologically the same and I believe God did not say that he was creating whites to be smarter than blacks in any way, shape or form. We claim to be the future, when we are carrying everything from the past into the future. Are we ever going to change………??? Only Heaven can provide the answer to that.
While it may be nice to think that hope and change has come to America because of the election of Barack Obama as president, it seems as though many people are still sticking to their old racist ways. This is quite unnerving in my opinion, especially when it is found in the high schools of this country. Clearly, parents are passing on these racist and intolerant beliefs to their children simply because they were brought up this way and they are terrified of their children being in the minority in the near future. At the same time, it’s very encouraging to see some teenagers choosing to speak up against their more racist classmates, especially at a time when it’s very easy for them to just give into peer pressure. Obviously, these teens were raised in more tolerant households and will most likely be better able to adapt to a constantly changing American population.
We touched upon the issues surrounding one’s upbringing in our discussion group a little bit this past week. Frankly, I believe that what one learns from their family has a huge influence on how he or she behaves. For example, my parents went to school with little to no minorities back in the 1960s. So, when they talk to me about recent disciplinary problems that occur in my old high school, they frequently bring up the race of the students, especially if they happen to be black. And I definitely participated in some fairly racist conversations with my parents when I was in high school. But, as I matured and grew up with these minorities, I realized that many of them were very similar to myself and that we faced many of the same problems as teenagers. My parents were just raised in a different environment that did not make them as accepting of minorities as myself, which is no fault of their own; it was just how society was in the past.
We have definitely made a lot of progress in terms of race relations in this country since my parents were in high school. However, we still have quite a ways to go before we reach totally equality (if such a thing is even possible). Our progress will also be somewhat slow, but I take a certain amount of comfort in the fact that my kids will probably have a better outlook on race relations in this country and be far more tolerant than I could ever be, simply because of the society they will be raised in at that time. There will always be outliers who continue to hold onto their racist beliefs, but I think they will begin to be even more rare in the future.
“Observers have described Obama as a ‘post-racial’ politician since his election campaign dwelt little on racial issues and more on how Americans can bridge divides of all kinds.” I think this is an amazingly powerful quote and a huge thing that has been overlooked since the day Obama began his journey to become our 44th president. Yes, he surely has proven his dedication to trying to bridge divides of all kinds, but we, as America, play a very large role in executing such efforts. Though our president is innately a very powerful figure, we hold great power within ourselves. As a country of progress, we need to move forward from the various racial issues of our past and move together. People dwell much too much on the many aspects of our differences and much too little on the very things about us that make us all so similar. We’ve already been a country that has placed an enormous focus on the very race, religion, etc. of Barack Obama. Why? He was elected into office simply because he was the best man for the job, and that should be the end of story. So, I can’t help but wonder what the real story is behind the high school students who said they don’t want a black man in office because he can’t be trusted. To me, that quote was very powerful because there is a lot of meaning behind it. What does this say about our present country? Moreover, what does this say about the future of our country? I’m curious to know if many parents are instilling these negative racial views onto their children, or if children have picked up on certain stereotypes that they believe to be true from television, music, and the list goes on. I’m also wondering how much information most high school students possess about Barack Obama and his intentions for handling our country. Do they know the extent of the situation that our country is presently in, and if they know about it, do they understand it? I’m not sure. Not to be cynical, but to hear that racial issues obviously are still in full force in high schools makes me concerned that the progress we need to make to bridge the divides of all kinds may never happen. Reason being, our families generally have the biggest impact on the ways our views, values and beliefs are shaped. Also, we can’t help but consider the great role the media plays in shaping our views. So if these white teenagers are hearing or seeing negative vibes about blacks or others that are different from them, what will it take to change their views? Isn’t is probable that these white teens will hold on to their views and eventually pass them on to their children…continuing the same crummy process that has gone on for years? In just 5 weeks, this course has gotten me to think in ways that I never would have reached or realized on my own. If more peoples thoughts could be provoked in the ways that this class encourages, I believe we could truly achieve some real change in the world.
When I was done reading this article I was very surprised that there are still towns with racism problems. I came from a town where there were various ethnic groups and it is very diverse. Although my school was mostly white, there were many other ethnic groups that attended. In addition, people were friends with other racial groups, including myself. Race did not matter and no one looked at them like they were a minority. It is shocking to me that these towns would still be letting racism occur in front of their eyes. I know it says that they erased the graffiti right away and the teachers are concerned about the kids and doing their best to create unity, but I am surprised it even got to this point. The parents should be encouraging their kids to be friends with kids of other races. The teachers should be forming groups of different races during group activities so kids can become friends with one another and learn off of each other. If they live in a community that is mostly white, the parents and teachers should be teaching them about other races and giving them knowledge. Instead, these kids have grown up with white kids and thinking since they are the majority, the other minority races are bad. The world is changing and racism is not a problem for the majority of the country anymore. Parents need to wake up and stop trying to isolate their kids.
It also said in the article that in the future the minorities will be the majority of the country. Therefore, this racism problem must be fixed. It is ridiculous that kids are getting into fights at school because of their different races. Schools are obviously not doing a good enough job uniting different ethnic groups otherwise this would not be a problem. These kids are going to have to go out into the world that is globalizing and will need to work with people of other racial backgrounds. Who is to say they won’t get into a fight with a co-worker or a customer. It is impossible to work for an all white company because that does not exist in today’s world. Many companies work with other companies all over the world. Also, it was very surprising to be that even older people are dealing with problems. Although it is not as severe as the kids, it is still insulting that adults do not recognize other co-workers religion and holidays. It is understandable that if you just met them and they celebrate an uncommon holiday to not know, but after years it is pathetic people don’t. Not everyone celebrates Christmas and I think all holidays should be recognized.
In response to “Spike in White Racism” and “White Community Adapts to Obama Reality,” I am surprised that in this day and age that racism in terms of white supremacy still exists. Given that the second article is about a majority white community in Maryland that has accepted President Obama’s race, even after a questionable history in the last few decades, the blog entry surprises me people can still be so ignorant. In my opinion, there is no reason for racism in the 21st century, especially since slavery in America ended a century and a half ago at the hands of President Lincoln.
When I hear of racism today, in 2009, I get pissed off. Why is it that we have come so far since the civil rights movement, numerous assassinations and cross burnings in between, and now finally, a black President of the most powerful country in the world? People, all people, all colors alike, need to purge their racist thoughts, forget about everything their parents and grandparents taught them about what was “right” and start over in order to preserve our future.
In terms of the Maryland school in the Reuters article, I first found it shocking what was mentioned in the beginning about the racial slurs, beliefs and text messages, but then found some comfort when the article stated that students had come to terms with our new reality. I feel that American citizens need to register this new reality in their own minds because no one is going to do it for them. I feel the government has done enough when it comes to race relations and now the only way to make Americans aware is to throw out individual efforts.
After reading the Reuters article, I had to research about the KKK because I had no idea that they had disbanded more than once and today’s Klan, with diminished membership, was the third Klan to come out since its creation after the civil war. The reason I bring this up is because the KKK had roots in the Carroll County, MD area where the article takes place; the area has since been rid of KKK rallies that had once taken stroll down the main streets in Carroll County. However, speaking of individual efforts, the teacher at the high school that the article originates from, Laura Doolan, has taken time to improve the race relations in her community to offer classes of her specialty, English, to immigrants and minorities around the area. I feel that this is what needs to be done when it comes to race relations improvement. The government efforts are in diminished effort and it is now time for the locals to spread the word and solve the problem.
While I do not agree with the blog title that there has been a “spike in white racism”, I do agree that the level of racism is still high in this country. The whole situation of having Obama as our new president is just shining more light onto a topic that has always been around. There has been and will always be individuals who are considered racist. That’s just the way it is, and it’s not going to change anytime soon. Individuals that are raised by racist parents and are taught racist beliefs as a child are obviously going to grow up believing in these beliefs.
In response to the article, it did not surprise me that a town like this still exists today, but it did surprise me how close it was to Washington. When I think of town like these, I imagine them being in the deep south of our country. It was surprising to see that it lied so close to our nation’s capital. Another thing from the article that caught my eye was the reaction of the children to discovering that their new president was a black man, saying things like “I don’t want a black president” and “I don’t trust black people”. This just further supports my theory of how racism is a learned trait. These children in this town, with a population that is 94% white, probably have never known a black person except from what they hear from their parents or the news. It’s a shame that these kids are exposed to this in the bubble they live in.
Being from Northeast Philadelphia, I am far from living in a small town but I do see similarities between my neighborhood and what this article talks about. My neighborhood in the 1960’s and 1970’s was predominantly white. Beginning in the 1990’s however the neighborhood has seen big changes and now has a lot more minorities living in it. I’ve been seeing first hand when I go back home for school breaks how things have changed. My younger sister, who is 16, and her friends have developed racist stereotypes and thoughts. When I am home I hear her friends making racist comments and slurs sporadically. Many of them blame the neighborhood’s “decline” on the increasing amount of minorities moving into the northeast. I do not agree with this however, if they looked at the big picture they would see crime is increasing all over Philadelphia, not just the northeast specifically. It’s scary to see my neighborhood turn into what it is now however.
As for a wrap up, I sadly do not see a time where racism is fully eliminated from our society. People will have distorted views of what is really going on in the world and with so many different races and cultures coming together in our country, there will always be animosity towards people different than which you are.
Unfortunately, racism, sexism, and homophobia are something that society has always dealt with, and I do not see that changing in the future. The problems may decrease a little, but they will always be there. I also have a low tolerance for people who wan to make a big deal out of isolated incidents when it comes to these things. I just do not understand why people care so much. It is not like they have to live the lives that the people they discriminate against do. If someone is happy with who they are and what they do, who is someone else to say that they cannot do that. Some people should stop worrying about what other people do and their lives. It is not like a person being black/ white, gay/ straight, man/ or woman, is causing harm to the lives others lead. Sure, some people may not agree with others being gay, but that is their values and their morals, not the gay person. Every one has different morals and values and I think it is about time that others become to except that because it is not going to change. And when people make a big deal about that stuff, they are just doing it to cause drama. Just shut up already. The problem is not whether someone is black or white, gay or straight, the problem arises when people discriminate against it. Who is the discriminator to say that they are better than the person that they are discriminating against? That is all about opinion.
Growing up in a white family and an old fashion grandmother who grew up in a very racial diverse area, I had to hear discriminating comments all the time, and I hated it. If something bad popped up in the news, my grandmother would always be the first to say something like, “Those damn Puerto Ricans.” That always pissed me off and I would continue to tell her that it is just not the blacks or the Puerto Ricans, but white people do it to. Race does not necessarily matter when crimes are committed or bad things happen. It is sad that one person of a race can do something completely terrible and that the rest of the race is hated for it. Like 911. Every one looks at Muslims now and thinks that they are all terrorists. Come on, we all know that is not true. There are some Muslims that think what has happened on 911 was wrong, they are on our side.
And for the guy in the picture, I think it is sad that he has to express the way he feels all over his body. But then again, that is his choice. In a way I understand him because in today’s society it is hard to say how you feel without getting confrontation in return. Guaranteed people will say stuff, but chances are they will not be to his face, so he will not have to deal with it.
The election of President Obama was of course a great leap for civil rights in the United States, and is something all people could be proud of. In the article, the author refers to Obama as a “post-racial” president, based on the lack of weight he put on the racial issue both during his campaigns and during his presidency. Functionally, to highlight his election as a civil rights leap would have made him appealing to a numerical minority in the United States and could have lost him the presidency. His decision to focus on the myriad of important issues he inherited from past administrations and actual topics of policy can hardly be a reflection of whether or not he is “post-racial,” but rather that he would be a functional president and not just a figurehead.
Aside from that, the issue being presented, that of a “spike in white racism,” resonates very much of someone attempting to draw universal conclusions out of isolated incidents. It could be proven that the election of Obama has led to a rise in public discriminatory behavior, but its more reasonable to suppose that the same prejudice fueling such behavior would have existed, in a harbored state, before Obama’s election. Racism, then, could not be said to have grown, but rather, a new opportunity has arisen for descriptively “closeted” racist individuals to join with others in group displays.
The reported case in the Maryland school supports this explanation far better than to suppose racist thought suddenly sprang into American minds. In the school district, it was apparently widely known that an “unsettling bigotry” existed, but, previously, there appears to have been no incidents of such outward student demonstration. So, the initial campaign and then the election of Barack Obama, a black president, was enough to bring the issue to light and to provide a cause under which students could rally together and support. Deep-seated, second-hand prejudices were able to be opened up mainly because more students were being vocal and, so, it was easier to locate those sympathetic to your beliefs. Further, the quick reaction from the school to the graffiti, both by school personnel and students, shows that the action was hardly representative of the whole population.
In regards to the tattooed man, and after reading some other student’s responses, it seems that his inclusion in the blog has caused a few people to believe a black man in the White House was his catalyst for receiving his tattoos. This, however, is not the case. That his tattoos existed prior to Obama’s jump into all America’s public eye supports that racism has not suddenly begun to grow, but that prior to Obama’s election any outward expression was done by a very isolated movement who were unafraid to, in Curtis Allgier’s case, wear their beliefs. The new movement is just not as independent and not as expressive, hence the idea of beliefs based on numbers and opportunity.
I find this article to be extremely interesting. I used to live in a small farming town in Pennsylvania and there was no diversity whatsoever in my high school. My freshman year of high school was fun, it was when I really began to make true friends. In my high school there was one black family, and they were only half black. They had a black dad and a white mom. Me and Toriel, the black girl, got extremely close during my freshman year, even though she was a junior. She had to be the whitest black girl ever because when I moved to Virginia my Junior year in high school, I moved to a school where white people were the minority. I am not going to lie, I was scared, but then I realized these people aren’t any different from me. I became close friends with many races in my high school and I think that helped me become to I am today. I am an open person and I am far from racist.
In the article, it talked about a small town of white people were not happy with the election of Obama. I go back to visit the small town I used to live in because my grandparents and other family live there, and they were accepting of the black president. Well, my grandpa wasn’t as accepting because he has his views, but I think that’s just because that’s how he was raised. My grandpa wasn’t upset with the election of a black man, he was upset that a man who had never served a single minute in the United States Army is now the Commander in Chief. He believes in order to command the army you have to have some experience. My family is far from racists. I am not writing that to defend my family; I am writing this because it is true. I think people who are racist haven’t opened their eyes to reality. The United States is different from how it was 30 to 40 years ago. We have learned to accept the different races, well most of us have.
I am not going to lie, I voted for McCain for president. I was upset because I am a die hard republican, but I have come to accept Obama as a good president. I think he will do a good job in office. In the article it said there were minor fights about the election. I am shocked to see that people would fight over something they have no control over. In high school, most of the kids can’t even vote, so what the point of fighting over something they cannot change themselves. Its just dumb. Even at college, I didn’t see many fights or arguments about the election. People just went on with their lives. We did our part by voting, and now everything is out of our hands. People need to accept the fact that things change. History changes. We now live in a place where a black president can obviously become president if he or she wants. I mean anyone can become president if they qualify. We could have an Asian or Mexican American president next. Who knows what could happen? America is a place of opportunity and this opportunity is for every American born and raised in the United States.
After reading the article for today there are several issues that caught my attention regarding racism and the lack of exposure to other races and cultures throughout our country. It is difficult for me to read an article like this one because I can say I don’t fully understand racism. The reasons I don’t fully understand racism comes from the fact that I have always been around other racial groups and different cultures. Coming from a diverse city, I grew up with a majority of white kids however there were also several other races in my neighborhood and school. As I grew older I continued to have contact with other racial groups mostly through school and other events. When I came to state college I met various people from the area and also other people from very rural all white communities. At times it was troubling for me to hear how some of these kids talked about other racial groups and some of the stereotypes they believed to be true about other races. In my opinion race is always going to be an issue, however it by no means has to be a negative issue. Looking back to where I came from I had very close friends from many racial groups and we would always joke with each other about typical stereotypes of the various races. For us it was never a negative thing though because when it was all said and done we knew it was a joke and we respected each other as human beings and friends. Listening to these people from these all white communities I realized that when they talked about other races and cultures it was always in a negative demeaning way. It is very difficult to deal with people who appear racist and ignorant. In my opinion these people just have a severe lack of education and experience with various races. As I mentioned above I feel race is always going to be an issue but it doesn’t have to be a negative issue. As our country continues to grow and become more diverse we need to pull together to educate and familiarize people with one another. We need to begin to respect people as human beings and look past skin color. I believe that our country has come a long way from the racial issues of the past, but we need to keep working at diversifying and educating our people who are sheltered in these communities. I don’t know if we will ever overcome racism, but I know we can fight it. I believe we can control it and find ways to limit it. I think the election of President Obama was a huge step forward for our country and the racism battle. Hopefully people can start to respect everyone as humans and eventually look past skin color.
While the Obama’s campaign was still running, I had a feeling the white racist groups would once again emerge. Those who are not so happy with the outcome of the election of President Obama feel like maybe a white supremacy group is what can help them through a time which they don’t fully agree with .It is one thing to be proud of your race, but it is another to think you are better. I thought maybe the United States could go beyond its old-fashioned views and move through this new “adventure” together. The election of President Obama is a place that United States has never been when looking at the history of races in our country. It should be the country moving forward as one, not a few white supremacy trying to delay progress. It should be Obama’s goals and ideas that drive people to make an opinion about him, not the color of his skin. Maybe white supremacists are forgetting that he is not just black, but also half-white, therefore also related to the white race. Honestly, I find the people who are forming, joining, and participating more in the white supremacy groups to be ignorant and thick headed.
The picture of Curtis Allgier’s tattoos did not bother me at first glance. The tattoos do seem a little much, but the choice of getting his face covered in tattoos is his. Then when I realized what the tattoos were of, It shocked me that someone could be so racist. He is proud, but he is more than that. After finding out a little more about him through searching the internet, I found he also has Hitler’s face tattooed on his chest. In an interview, he says he is proud of being part of the Aryan race and that Hitler was the most intelligent man in history. I do not deny that Hitler may have been an extremely smart man, but a genius is far beyond what Hitler was. Hitler did not know how to use his intelligence to better the world as whole, he only did what he thought was better for society, no matter what the rest of the world thought was right or wrong. If Allgeir only had a few tattoos devoted to the love of his Aryan background, it may not be offensive, especially if they were not displayed all over his face and head. Now it is a question of rather or not his tattoos are considered freedom of speech, or if they should not be protected. Yes, tattoos, no matter what they are of, seem to offend and, sometimes, scare certain people, but his tattoos go far beyond the average ink. His ink has the power to offend even the greatest lover of tattoo art. Curtis Allgier is at the extreme of white supremacists, and I am sure there are many, many more out there that are just like him, they just do not get notice. My only wish for this country is that the people of all races, religions, and prejudices can just take one day to learn about their adversaries so that people of all backgrounds can be free of discrimination.
After reading this article I really wasn’t all that surprised. I grew up in a small very predominately white town, where I actually happened to be the only student in my entire class (of about 500) that had a noticeable different ethnicity then white. I played sports and was in the district since kindergarten so no one really made a big deal about me but when new black families would move into the district there were often problems. I feel that because of these events I am easily able to relate to the girl in the article that talks about her town and the surrounding towns and the racism that was taking place. It is something that kind of embarrasses me, because it is unfair and I don’t think that I am any better than others that just haven’t had a chance to show what kind of person they are. In the article the teacher said that she set aside some time to just talk about the election and the students openly said racist comments but it seems to me that this topic probably never came up in the school before this. I think that, similarly to my school district, many of the students just didn’t know anything about another race and so are untrusting and nervous when they think about them. I don’t think that it was a very easy transition to go from white everything to a black president. If they had been introduced to the idea of knowing that a person’s race really has no play in the way you act or the type of person you are in general they may not have had such a problem when Barack Obama was elected into the presidency. I can kind of understand how the students were feeling because it was a new and unknown experience and they were thrown into it without any warning or teachings on the idea. The fact of the matter is that racism and prejudices still occur and will continue to occur for a while without some sort of intervention or teaching. The picture of the man with the tattoos all over his face is just ridiculous. The fact that this person feels that nothing else matters except for this ‘white power’ or the white supremacy message that appears on his face is extreme. Obviously he is going to come into contact with people that have a problem with this, even if they aren’t black or a minority. I was very unaware that these symbols and phrases although seemingly harmless, could mean something so hateful. This man is trying to make some sort of point but is ultimately ruining his future by holding himself back from getting a good job or giving himself the chance to change.
This article, “White community adapts to Obama reality,” is a prime example of why, in my first journal, I said Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is not yet fulfilled. After reading an article like this, how could you agree that Martin Luther King, Jr. would be proud of where our country is today? Even after our first black president has been sworn into office, our country still has a long way to go.
I grew up in a suburb, lived in two major cities and have several friends from rural areas of America. Racism, ignorance, stupidity and just plain cruelty still exist in ALL of these places, not just rural areas like Westminster, Maryland. Sure, rural areas are pretty well known for being the residences of white supremacists, but I’d argue one could find them anywhere.
I’ve read and heard about the oppressions other races face in certain places and I’ve seen the texts messages. It’s sickening. It’s especially sickening when you think about how far our country has come in so many things like technology, yet we still practice racism after hundreds of years of battling it. But, I commend people like Ms. Laura Doolan who is trying to make a difference in her students and their high school. Nothing will change without education.
Believe it or not, there are actually uneducated and ignorant people studying right here at Penn State University. I went out for coffee with a friend this morning and we got on the topic of September 11th and President Obama. It turns out my friend’s dad was working on the seventy-fifth floor of the World Trade Center that day, so 9/11 affected her a lot more than it did me and I’m sure most people here at this university. Her dad ended up being okay, but it was still a tragic day in her life.
Furthermore, she started telling me about her frustrations with a lot of people in some of her classes and their lack of education about our new president. She said that the day after Obama was elected, a young woman in one of her classes went off about how Obama is a terrorist, a Muslim and a bad addition to our government. Not only did this shock my friend, who has very strong beliefs about terrorism and the new administration, but it shocked me to hear that young, college-educated adults are thinking and acting in this way.
Education and race relations, in my opinion, are the only lifesavers in this world drowning in ignorance and white supremacy. Being a white woman and an Obama supporter, articles like the one from Reuters and stories told by my friend frustrate and embarrass me beyond belief.
Hopefully when the next black, Latino or Asian president is elected, Americans will struggle to have a racist remark come out of his or her mouth. Until then we can only educate and hope.
The article, “Spike in White Racism”, focuses on one school in one county in all of America. Yes, there are towns like these all across our nation, but there are also many towns and cities where these views do not exist. I come from a very diverse town in which many backgrounds are represented, but a majority of whites and Asians. Even in a diverse atmosphere racism is present. It does not occur like it did in our countries past when the KKK would act freely on the streets or those of a different color would not be allowed in the same facilities as a white person, but I have no doubt that racism still exists.
The key to the success of America and overcoming racism is that on an overall basis. Government does not back such racism, but rather fights back. Individual cases of racism are always going to exist. Whites are always going to have their negative opinions about blacks, blacks are always going to have a negative opinion of whites, and any other combination of two ethnic groups. In my opinion, this racism stems from a natural occurrence of segregation by choice. People may have the ability to get along with another group, but when it comes down to who they are most comfortable with, it is on average always going to be someone of their race.
The election of President Obama is a great example of how far this country has come in racial inequality. As I mentioned and as the article stated, there are communities where the election has caused a potential increase in racism. I do not think that racial tensions has been such a big issue for critics of President Obama yet, due to the large and important tasks he faces. He has many issues, including a war and an economic crisis, to deal with and is the most important things on the minds of Americans. If these situations did not currently exist and people needed to talk about something, or the media needed to make a story, then I feel there would have been more racism present across the country. It will be interesting to see how Whites react to President Obama if he does not fix the many problems of our nation. Will he be viewed as another President who could not accomplish what he promised, or will it be because our “Black” President could not get it done.
The only way that the people of this country, will ever get close to not having racist views, all the time or on an occasional basis, is through education. The teachers actions at the school in the article is the best way to overcome these opinions. Many kids are raised in households or in an environment where they hear rumors, jokes, or comments that are racist. I cannot blame them for thinking that what they hear is true. With education of what is correct from an early age, the issue of racial tensions can and will be improved.
Racial prejudice has been a major problem throughout the United States. I see it as a cancer. There are ways to alleviate racism for short periods of times, but overall it can not be cured. I may have not thought this before reading the article because in my sphere of life, racism and prejudice is not outwardly expressed so it seems to exist at a very minimum level. It makes me very uncomfortable that people my age express such hostile feelings so openly. I have heard racist jokes among friends that are not intended to purposely hurt another’s feelings. I am not saying that racist jokes are acceptable, but I think racism takes on a whole other level when students exchange their feelings of racial discrimination with students and teachers in an open forum. Reading this article really took me out of my own little world. I really did not expect there to be a lot of controversy over race when Obama was elected. I naively thought people would have gotten over the fact that he was black, and would start caring about issues that really matter, like the recession we are currently in. After reading this article, I came to the realization that people feel uncomfortable with Obama’s skin color because they associate the character of an individual stereotypes. There are many areas in the United States, such as Maryland, have strong aversions toward minority races. I believe this comes from the deep-rooted hatred that came from the slave trade. A couple of centuries ago, when the slave trade of Africans was at its peak to supply labor for Europeans to the newly acquired American colonies. Europeans used race to distinguish between slaves and non-slaves. Over time, the distinction was used to separate superior- beings from inferior- beings. This idea of racial superiority rooted stereotypes, racism, and even enthrocentrism. The reason I feel that forms of racism still exist in the United States, and in particular Maryland, is because stigmas and labels are very powerful. When Africans were shipped over to the United States, Europeans labeled them as inferior and sub-human. These labels that rooted racism are still in effect today. To refer to the article, “students would be openly racist and would say ‘I don’t want a black president. I don’t trust black people.’ When teenagers in high school are using stereotypes like black people are untrustworthy, it shows the longevity and power of labels. It is disheartening to me that people judge Obama on the basis of his skin rather than his credentials and intelligence. His skin color does not indicate whether he will be an effective President or not. It just goes to show how racial discrimination the United States. Racial prejudice has existed in America longer than democracy. The perpetual cycle of negative racial socialization underscores the race problem that still exists today. The article exemplifies this notion through the racial discrimination that is used by students, teachers, and the community. Another way to look at it is that it took almost two hundred years to write minorities into the Constitution, in a country where freedom is a main component of its existence.
Reading the articles on the Obama backlash made me realize just how far this country still has to go before racial tension disappears. After the election, we all talked about what a huge step forward this was, but how much work still has to be done. I believed it when I said it, I’m sure, but it wasn’t until I read the blog that I really acknowledged it. Hearing the odd racist joke (like watermelons on the White House lawn) and listening to people worry about assassination attempts didn’t actually scare me like white supremacy groups do. Honestly, what is going on? If I were a member of one of those groups, after seeing a black man elected as the new leader of the free world, I would have to accept defeat. Regardless of whether or not government has the support of these groups, the United States is progressing, and doesn’t seem to be anything they can do about it.
That being said, the fact that white supremacy groups are growing in strength and numbers is scary. Any group that promotes its own kind while hating and attempting to bring down anyone who is different cannot call themselves American, because that is not what this country is about. I just don’t understand how messages of tolerance and equality have not reached their ears. What do they expect? While not super well-traveled, I’ve been overseas several times and I can see that it is not just the U.S. that is becoming more diverse. Other parts of the world are working with several different types of people living peacefully in one country. Why is the United States, a seemingly forward-thinking nation, still dealing with these issues on such a large scale? It scares me, knowing that a historical event like the election of the first black president has set off so much hatred.
I was encouraged after reading Andrea Shalal-Esa’s article, “White community adapts to Obama reality”. It is unfortunate that Carroll County has a history of racial unrest, but I was relieved to hear that the school districts have taken action to address these issues. A community with a history like this one requires a lot of work to see signs of change. The fact that students are thinking differently is significant. I don’t even know if my high school in northeastern Pennsylvania, which has a growing number of black students, would have reacted so quickly to racist graffiti. There wasn’t any racial tension at my school, but this is why I don’t see any of the students taking it very seriously. That’s unfortunate, because it is important that schools and students begin taking racial issues seriously. Just from my own experience in coming from a place with relatively little tension, anyone who ventures outside of their communities will eventually come face to face with some form of racial issue. Perhaps this is the huge problem with white supremacy groups. They don’t dare venture outside of themselves, knowing that they’ll be faced with oppression and people who feel so differently than they do. I don’t know when these groups will give up, but I can only hope that things will change in the future. If schools in Carroll County can make progress, maybe young people in other areas can begin to change their perspectives, or at least question them.
Changing times is exactly correct in this radical situation. People in these communities where there had always been a higher population of whites are becoming angry because minorities are moving in. Growing diversity is happening all over the world. In places like Maryland where such growth is happening at a more rapid speed, it just seems to make the whites even angrier. So these people are already mad that “these other people” are moving in and then on top of that the president that 64% of the community was against (who happens to look like those people) is elected.
Areas who still practice prejudice do not unfamiliar to me, in my neighborhood in Bensalem (a suburban township that is minutes outside of Philadelphia), 16 years ago when we moved in we were only the second African American family who lived on the street. Grow up in the type of neighborhood there were more times than not that I felt like an outcast. In my catholic grade school I felt as if I was used to demonstrate the schools diversity, when there was no beyond myself. Often times I found myself trying to fit in with those around me. Although I did not have hair like the other girls I went to school with, when I got to school I would wet my hair and try to change my image to be more similar to them. Changing Times. Now in 2008, many other African Americans, a high percentage of Hispanic and Indian Americans have moved to Bensalem. Over the years the schools have become more and more diverse and the community overall is changing. With these changes some people still hold the same attitudes. People pretend to get along but in reality the prejudice is still alive.
Change is happening fast, the “majority minority” by the year 2042; however it is not likely to happen. I remember reading an article that hypothesized that the number of existing minorities is gradually decreasing due an increasing amount of interracial offspring being produced. Although genetically, it is probably impossible for the African American race to become extinct, I believe that an increase in interracial production will lead to less and less individuals who identify themselves as a minority. In high school, I noticed that the majority of students who were biracial typically identified themselves as being Caucasian. In terms of identification, I noticed that these children usually chose to affiliate with their white peers and when asked about their race, usually completely disregarded their ethnic roots. With that said, I do not feel that white supremacy will ever truly disappear in America. The white population will always exist and will always be seen as the better race even if they are no longer the minority.
It is not often today that we see such overt signs of hate towards people of a minority. I often thought that groups such as the KKK were things we learned about in history books that had no presence today. It is scary to hear stories that these people are still out there. My mom works for an organization that counsels children but also works with the entire family and one of the little kids she worked with had a father who was a skin head and met in the basement of a building in my town. I just did not think that things like that really happened. Especially in a tiny town like the one I grew up in. It is even scarier to think that these people are having children and that their children could potentially grow up with the same beliefs. This goes back to the whole education thing. If children are getting these messages at home, these topics are going to need to be discussed in the classroom. The fact that the teacher in Maryland brought the issue up is a good thing. The topic needs to be discussed so that we can know what students are thinking so that we can direct them in the right way and provide them with the information they need to be hearing instead of what they are absorbing at home.
To hear the story about the biracial couple that moved into the neighborhood only 24
years ago and how the husband was treated was mind blowing. I just do not understand how people can be so cruel and think that it is acceptable. It is so frustrating to think that people think differently about one another because of the color of their skin. That seems so incredibly absurd.
I am so happy to be taking soc 119 and am having these discussions in section with people of different ethnicities than me so that I grasp a better understanding on the important issues of the world. As a future teacher, I think that this class will be incredibly beneficial and I think that all teachers in training need to be exposed to a class like this. We are going to be shaping the minds of the future generations and we need to do it mindfully and with knowledge on the matter. The influence we have on these young minds in enormous and we need to be careful with what we say and how we say it and the message we portray. It was so refreshing to hear the responses of students when the racist vandalism appeared and how they all worked to get rid of it. While I am sure there is a lot of that going on, there also is a lot of the opposite taking place and that needs to be changed. We need to work together to get rid of racial inequality.
I believe there has not been a spike in white racism. In my own opinion there has not been an increase in racism, but a light has been put on the issue. With the election of President Obama the continued resentment towards African American has been illuminated. His election brought old feelings of hate to the forefront. The feelings of hate towards African Americans in general never died, it was only surpressed. It was hidden amongst the secret lives of Neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, and any other individual who possesses those feelings.
The fact remains that racism, prejudice and discrimination exist in all forms of American life. Although President Obama was elected to the presidency by a majority popular vote and the electoral college, not everyone placed a vote in President Obama’s favor. His historic election is an indication of how much progress we as people have made, but unfortunately in some parts of the country we have not moved an inch. President Obama’s election is indeed a reality and unfortunate for racists they cannot do anything about it. The article stated a young female who said she didn’t want a black president. Bu
The media should in part, be blamed for not showing the true extent of racism that still exists in the United States. But contrarily, the inattention to these specific incidents may certainly be a blessing in disguise. Giving these individuals notoriety and attention through media outlets only fuels their fire. It is a shame that these occurrences do happen, but it will never stop. People will hate until life ends on earth. Prejudice and discrimination is something that we cannot get rid of totally. We as humans cannot possibly change the thought process of every individual. In a perfect world, we could erase hate and make it non-existent, but we do not live in a “perfect world”.
I was also very interested in the previously posted blog. I had heard about this incident of white supremacist actually voting for Barack Obama in hopes that his election would ignite dormant supremacist groups. Although this thought is sickening, I am not at all surprised by this movement. But if these dormant groups do become active once again, I believe a rise in racism will still not be the outcome. The outcome would be more outward racism. Because we must remind ourselves that the racism existed before the election of President Obama. His election was used as a reason to be more outwardly racist by these supremacist groups. So with that said I will reiterate my initial thought. Racism most definitely is not increasing. People who were not previously racist are not suddenly racist (in most cases). This election was just a way to expose one’s inner racist.
In a country as diverse as America, different ethnicities and cultures are bound to butt heads. However, what we are experiencing in today’s society and school systems is a huge step up from previous decades of adversity. As the article said, only minor fist fights and arguments erupted between students over the election of Barack Obama. I think the country is responding surprisingly well to the election of a “Black” President. Although there are extremist groups and people who display extreme skepticism towards letting a minority run our country, I have faith that Barack Obama will prove them wrong. In addition, with interracial marriages and people becoming more accepting of other cultures, there may not even be a racial majority hundreds of years from now. For now, however, it is up to our schools to educate and inform people of younger generations how they can relate positively to people of other backgrounds.
In my school system at home, I was exposed to only a minimal amount of racism and racist comments. My school is located right over the bridge of New York City, in a town in northern New Jersey, and I think our close proximity to the city has helped bring in people of different ethnic backgrounds. Growing up I was friends with people from every race. There was a strong Asian, Hispanic, and Caucasian population, with only a few Black people, but that is beginning to change as well. Looking at my town I have hope that America is moving in the right direction.
I also believe that growing up in such a diverse location has helped shaped my views towards race. I grew up with people from all over the world, and my interactions with them had always been positive. When you learn at such a young age that there is really no innate difference between a person from Europe and a person from South America, you tend to be much more accepting of other races. When your best friend is Asian and your neighbor is Black, you learn to live with these people and accept them as no different than yourself.
Outside influences really do affect one’s outlook towards people of other ethnic backgrounds. School systems, parents, and the media are strong factors that can influence a child’s perception of other cultures. In school we are taught about the history of slavery, persecution, and discrimination among other ethnic groups, but we are not informed of the current problems of racism in our society. When we get to college, there is more talk of this issue, but by then our views and opinions have already been shaped by our previous environments. Although we have come a long way, it is important for school systems to acknowledge the current issues we face among racism today. Teachers must address these issues and develop beneficial ways to combat them in their own towns and communities.
I like the last part of Sam’s post that says the media has its hands tied with covering things “like the end days of the global capitalist empire”. I would disagree that they are really covering it. They are covering a “recession”. They don’t realize that the shit is about to hit the fan and civilization is about to collapse. I know anyone who will read this post will think I am a crack pot and that is, well, because I am.
Since I know most wont believe me, lets make this hypothetical. Let us suppose that oil prices go so sky high in a couple of years that it sends the world economy spiraling into oblivion. Oil is the life blood of this world economy and without it we will not be able to make or transport enough food for everyone to survive (we also wouldn’t be in Iraq). Since this is a race relations class let me shift my thinking to “what will the end of the global capitalist empire and modern civilization mean for race relations?”
For those who don’t die, race relations will drastically change. Government will completely collapse and within a few generations everything will be dealt with through tribes of closely related people. Tribes may be divided by race but not solely by race. I am sure that there will be tribes of white people fighting white people and tribes of black people fighting black people. There will also be Black White tribes fighting Black White tribes. So race won’t matter as much as what tribe you are from. That’s not to say that some tribes wont hate groups of people based on race because I am sure they will. Like in WESTMINSTER, Maryland, I am sure those white people will continue to hate black people because there is a deep history of it in the area that wont go away with the apocalypse. Maybe they will use black people as a scapegoat for the problems they helped create for themselves. The thing that would change is that white people and black people are now on a level playing field. White people were in control of all the resources and political power in the past. This is what allowed for the genocide of the native Americans, and the enslavement of black people. This may have changed a lot since the civil war and especially in the past fifty years but I hope with the apocalypse that all races of people will be able to have equal access to resources. Than maybe it will become obvious that wars are fought over resources even more than they are ideologies. So to add to Sam’s famous statement, don’t worry anything because civilization might collapse tomorrow, you might starve to death after the apocalypse or maybe when you stand up to get off the john tomorrow you could slip, fall and die.
In a world that is changing everyday it is unbelievable to me that racism still exists in this culture. In a school of over 40,000 I see a new face and a new ethnicity everyday. Our world is made up of people of all different races and why can’t we just get along. I can’t believe that people still express hate the way the man with the tattoos expressed himself. I guess I can’t really relate to the town in Maryland, because I grew up in such a diverse community. In my community, there was a good number of different ethnicities. Although all the different races did not get along, we all did things together as a community. I am not naïve and I understand that there will always be a degree of racism that exists in many parts of the world, but what I don’t understand is why. All we do is keep hurting each other, and is anything really being accomplished by us doing this and if so how long will this go on. As I began reading the blogs, I saw many people discuss the fact that the Maryland town is a predominately white town and this could possibly be an excuse for why this racism exists. I think this is an actual cop out, with the invention of the mass media and all the technology that is associated with our society people should be able to look outside their culture and see what else there is in this world. People should want to teach their children about the different ethnicities and types of people that live in this world. Studying abroad was one of the best experiences in my life, while there I was able to see so many different parts of the world and begin to understand so many different kinds of cultures. I was able to meet and learn about how different people live and I will take those memories and lessons wherever I go in the world. This experience is one that everyone should have in the world, and I guess what I am trying to say is these people in this Maryland town should want to learn these aspects about different cultures and want to teach their children about what else or who else exists in this world. I feel bad for this town, and it makes me sad that towns like this still exist. America is a country built of immigrants who faced all kinds of prejudices and yet years later we have not learned anything. If only this world could be a place where everyone could get along and look past the colors of peoples skin, maybe there would be less hate and sadness in the world, but then again I might just be naïve.
The spike in White Supremacy is surprising to me. Although it should be expected because there is now a racial president but I still am shocked that this would happen. After reading the article about Carroll County schools about 70 miles outside of Washington. I was shocked. These are young kids that are 14 to 18. I don’t understand how they can be openly racist in a large community like that. I come from a medium sized high school right outside of Philadelphia with about 360 kids in my graduating class. My graduating class was so diverse. We had all spectrums of the financial scale. We had kids that were on welfare and needed subsidized lunches to kids parents that were worth over 100 million dollars. We all went to the same public school. Kids were Hispanic, Jews, blacks, whites, Protestants, Asian, any type of minority was represented in my high school. Although my high school has had problems with school shooting scares to racist writing on school property; we were all friends and cohabitated. From the outside looking in on us you would of thought that we were a school of racist, gun totting kids. We were the complete opposite. I believe my school was more tolerant than most. We were definitely more diverse than any other school around me. In high school it wasn’t like when my mom went to high school in Philadelphia at Overbrook High School. It wasn’t Whites vs. Blacks. At my school we were friends we were together. Down at my classes Senior Week me and my friends rented a house. I was with all white kids but we had two kids from our graduating class stay with us: Courtland and Chris. They were twins and they were black. On the last night at 4 am we were all sitting around a table talking. These two brothers made me cry. They cried themselves. They told us how grateful they were to us for letting them stay for everything we did for them that week. About how their mother taught them to never see color to only see what people really were. After that moment I don’t think I have ever been more emotional. These two black kids talking to me about race. I just thought to myself that years ago that would never of happened. NOW hearing that in a high school of an area becoming more diverse that kids are still racist astounds me. After that night I thought that race in this country was going away and not an issue anymore. I was wrong. These kids at Carroll County have something to learn from my high school. I wish everyone would have been able to experience the education I got in high school. Not academic education but the ability to mix with each other and be one.
When Obama became president, I knew right away it was going to cause some trouble and bring out the true racism in some people. I would hope everyone is able to admit they knew it would happen because I feel it would be ignorant to not see it. No I am not agreeing with it but I have been around racism my entire life and I am sure it won't stop anytime soon. Hearing about the kids saying racist things like "I don't want a black president" does not surprise me in the least. When you are young you don't know any better than to speak freely so you say what is on your mind. Kids also aren't educated well enough yet to know that they are no different than anyone else. Besides, kids say the darndest things...
Many people are ignorant of other peoples beliefs this is very true. I know I don't consider people to not celebrate Christmas and that is wrong of me. I have made the mistake one time when I was younger, I had wished a Muslim merry Christmas and he was very offended. The vast majority of Americans do celebrate Christmas and when we are in our own country, we make a bad assumption everyone else follows the same celebration. However, I also feel like we are forgetting the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas was a religious celebration until Americans became extraordinarily greedy and thought more of themselves than of the real religious meaning. They assume everyone does it because it is more of a routine than a celebration. I guarantee no one does it to offend anyone so when people do get offended by our ignorance I think it's a bit ridiculous.
It would be stupid to state that racism has disappeared from this country, especially after reading this article. Racism has very much dissipated, and in many parts of the country it has pretty much disappeared. There is of course a difference between outright racism, which would be saying and acting out hate words and crimes, and recognizing the dynamic of race and ethnicity. Stating someone is black is extremely different than calling a person zebra. I believe that most people would agree that open racism has disappeared. However there are clearly still lingering racist thoughts that people have. Though they do not voice these thoughts they may act upon them, such as not hiring a minority even though they are just as equally qualified as a European descendent or judging someone based on race without voicing it.
The article “White Community Adapts to Obama Reality” shows a life style where people are not only thinking of these racist thoughts but outwardly acting on it. The fact that people fought over the fact that Barack Obama became the forty fourth president is just absolutely ludicrous. I understand if a person did not want him as a president because he is black, but everyone knows that it is wrong to talk about it out loud. The fact that people say these horrible comments about an African American not being able to do anything, let alone run a country, is awful. I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood, where most of the residents were white conservatives who clearly supported John McCain. Growing up as a minority in this community, I can vouch for a fact that there were no blunt and outlandish racist remarks thrown around or hate crimes acted out. It is very unbelievable for me to believe that a community would in time and age would behave this way. The fact that there was graffiti drawn on a school is so juvenile. I hope that having a president that is not your typical European descendent will help people accept people of different races.
I do agree with Sam’s comment in the beginning of the blog that isolated incidents like the one in the article is by far not a representative of people who live in a similar demographic area. However, I think it is very important for people to be aware that others live with a state of mind that minorities are inferior. With this awareness, maybe people will be able to help others change their opinions and thoughts of how they feel about people that are different. I hope that this pattern of people accepting people that different in society will continue in this path even though it might be slower than it could be.
Well after reading this article, I can’t say that I was surprised by anything that I read. People still have issues when it comes to the subject of race. Racism is wrong, but people still have reserved feelings for people that are different then them. People especially cling to these ignorant beliefs in times of hardship and debt because they need a scapegoat to place the blame of their problems. But I also think it is natural to be a little prejudice; it is human nature to be cautious of someone or something you don’t fully understand. These feelings we have at home by ourselves and think about but don’t say shit because we don’t want to offend anybody. I really hate that, at least these racists have some conviction and beliefs and exercise their right to voice their opinion then someone that just blindly accepts everything thrown at them. It is like we are constantly walking on egg shells and are constantly on the defensive in order to prove ourselves worthy of being a “good” person. It is like white people feel that they are required to like someone that is of color, otherwise he is an asshole. Say a black guy was covered in tattoos that said black supremacy and proud to be black, how would we react. He wouldn’t be a racist because we feel that, oh well he is entitled to those feelings for all his ancestors endured. And that is not only bullshit, but hypocritical and reverse discrimination! Did you personally kill his family and enslave him or cause him any harm whatsoever? Fuck no!!! You don’t owe him shit!! I can understand a little of what these racists are talking about because there is a double standard in this country. I obviously am not a racist and don’t condone what they do but let’s be honest. It is like from birth white kids are taught to hate themselves and their heritage just because they are white and should feel guilty for what a bunch of assholes did two hundred years ago. I am Irish, my people were discriminated against, raped, killed, and denied equal rights for over a thousand years before they came to America and faced it all over again. My point is that every single person on earth has the ability to make the discrimination and injustice argument; all of these things have been going on sense the dawn of time. Black people are not in any way special in the way that they were treated. White people didn’t start racism, it actually started in Africa and it still continues there today. In my high school there were Asian groups, black groups, Latinos ect. But where was the white group? And people say well you are the majority, you don’t need one. That’s crap, why can’t we unite people and have them be proud to be white? In a few years white people will be the minority, so I hope we are treated with the same cushion that minorities today see. Will we? Are we living in a modern day “Animal Farm” where everyone is equal, but some are more equal then others? Are we noticing these white supremacists for being racists or for being white racist? What it all comes down to is that I believe in equality, true equality. And we need to see hypocritical behavior and attitudes like this and stand up and say something. If we are afraid to defend our own rights, soon we will be afraid to think for ourselves. Standing up for yourself isn’t being racist, its being human.
The election of Barack Obama has greatly increased the openness of people about their racist views. People seem to think that because he was elected, which they see as being a bad thing, they can now be more open with the fact that they see their race as being superior to his. We may have seen organized racism as a problem from the past, however articles such as this one remind us that we have not come as far to rid our society of racism as we like to think.
Although many people throughout the country see his election as a huge step for the black community and the country overall, white supremacists see it as an even better reason to openly voice their concerns about a black person leading our country. As is stated in the article, people throughout the country have shown their true feelings about race in many different ways and instances. For example, all of the threats Obama receives are primarily because he is black, showing that people aren’t afraid to talk about the fact that they do not want our country to have a black President. Also, the fact that white supremacist groups are seeing a huge increase in the amount of people who are joining them shows that these groups of people who share the same belief want to band together and recruit even more people to go against our President.
The economic condition, although having begun way before Obama was President, is aiding in the white supremacist’s fight to prove that he in an inadequate leader of our country. They are calling him a “visual aid” to the country to show that this is what happens when a black person is elected President; we have a failing economy.
Although I have never witnessed a violent anti-Obama protest, they are obviously not as few and far between as we like to think. These few examples of incidents that are listed in the article shows that we are in no way past the issue of racism and must still be concerned about the people who do think that way about this issue. The scary thing is not only that the amount of threats to Obama’s life greater than to any other President, but that hate crimes are happening to people who merely support Obama, or are just black people in general. Because people know about these white supremacist groups, it’s like they feel more empowered to share their views with the world and act in ways that show how they really feel about the situation. Personally, I think it’s sad that so many people still think like this and will probably pass it down to their children and so on. All we can do is stick to our beliefs and hope that others are rational in the way that they think and act towards others.
Wow! For me growing up in an area that was very diverse has changed my perspective on how racist and closed minded some people really are. Race has never been a big issue for me, sure every once in a while something will come up, but never anything big and always gets worked out. The fact that teachers had to write up lesson plans, and settle false rumors about our president to change the minds of teenagers who have family that are in or formerly in the KKK is crazy to me. The older people get the longer and harder it is to teach them anything. The same applies to trying to change their point of view, once people are fully mature they generally are very set in their ways. For people whose ancestors always treated minorities (blacks) terribly ex: the KKK, it is hard to change their opinions of this race and other minorities over night. I don’t think it takes too much to break racism; it is just that it needs to be broken at a young age so you have a good perspective on things, before outside influences try and control you. The other main thing besides being taught young about how terrible racism is is that you need at least a two generation gap to make things a lot better. Once your middle aged and set in your ways, you can be persuaded to change but your opinions will always be what they were and especially if you have history or family in the KKK. With generations of kids being taught and living with minorities and having friends that are minorities, everything starts to change for the better. As long as you have immediate or close family members that were involved in the KKK or very racist, your opinions and views will always be questioned though, even if you have minority friends and are trying to do the right thing. After a generation or two gap from intense racism, race starts to matter less and less and you can see this in diverse communities. Sure when the minorities and whites first mixed, many didn’t get along and there were tons of problems, but as their kids became friends and everyone worked hard to break racism, their grandchildren and great grandchildren have almost no problem with races or racism. The younger you get to kids the more open their minds are, and the less set in their ways they are. If they have good enough teachers and communities to build on, everyone in the community will benefit and a generation or two down the line the only racist people that will be left are the senile senior citizens, and after that almost no one.
Just as a note I would like to start by telling a story that happened to me just tonight. I was shopping in my local town’s American Eagle when a white man came in with his wife and were looking around in the store. The man and his wife approached the male pants section where there were several pairs of jeans that had holes in them. As most of you know the style today is to have those holes already in the pants when they are bought. This man starts talking about the Korean woman who made those jeans look “worn.” He began talking in “Asian voice” talking about how American’s like their jeans to look this way and how it takes her so long to make these holes. The lady at the cashier politely laughed but he kept going. It was probably one of the most awkward moments I have experienced. I was completely flabbergasted at the absolute ignorance of this man. I was on the complete other side of the store and could hear him in his voice making these remarks for a solid 3-5 minutes. I was uncomfortable and disheartened not to mentioned slightly shocked. I could see making a joke as an older father that someone had to put the holes in these jeans to make them look worn or even saying that they splatter paint on them to make them look worn, but the man crossed the line. 100% crossed the line.
I believe this ties very well into the post that Sam had posted. I to am not one to be offended by things and I personally believe that people are a little over the edge when it comes to being pc. But today standing there as a white woman, not even of any kind of Korean descent, I was very offended. Intriguing I know, I have never felt that way before or even considered what it felt like to hear this ignorant man speak. I’m guessing that has something to do with what we have been talking about over these past few weeks. It is incredible to me the ignorance of people. Clearly his wife was embarrassed because she pulled him out of the store pretty quickly. There were five people around him, so it wasn’t like he was just making the comment to himself (not that it makes it any better).
To continue on what Sam said about people believing everything is going to be all better and everything is fine now that we have a black president, I echo that same opinion. Ever since Barack has been elected people have been under the belief that some miraculous change is going to occur and that people are going to have more freedoms then there was before. Nothing is going to change, there will always be racism and discrimination.
I think the main reason for intolerance and bigotry (both in Carrol County and America in general) is due to lack of knowledge. I think people in Carrol County do not like black people because they don’t know black people. Growing up around black people, I have seen and understood that black people are not any different than white people and by no means are they inferior. In the house I grew up in, my family was one of only two white families on the block. Just as many people do, I began hanging out with the other kids on my block because we were close in age and proximity; if one of us wanted to get to another’s house, it was easy. I hung out with black people and Latino people every day and saw no problem with them because there wasn’t and isn’t a problem with them. The high school I went to has just as many blacks as whites, if not more blacks. Of all the white people I knew, I had heard maybe two or three actually show prejudiced feelings toward people of other ethnicities. When you live with people of different backgrounds and go through school with them, you learn to accept everyone for who they are. Color of skin is trivial; it does not matter at all.
However, it seems every time that I talk to someone who is racist or someone who holds racial prejudices, all of them come from neighborhoods that are all white. Lack of exposure to diverse people makes them afraid in a sense and also makes them want to avoid those people who they are unfamiliar with. I think part of the reason they do not branch out later to learn about other cultures and races is for fear of the unknown. It sounds silly to think this but I do believe it plays a role. Also, I think that the prejudices can be passed down from generation to generation in these neighborhoods also. Generations ago, there was much more racism than there is now and people who do not experience diversity only “learn” about it from their parents and grandparents. Thus, when a white kid’s parents tell him the prejudices that they hold, the kid believes them to be true, because why would his parents lie to him? If this kid is not exposed to the truths, he cannot formulate his own ideas and therefore only believes what he is told by his bigoted family. This is not to say that every white person who comes from a predominantly white town is racist and bigoted, but it does seem that most bigotry comes from those areas. If all towns were more diverse, I think there would be a dramatic decline in the amount of racism that goes on, but unfortunately that is not the case and I do not see an imminent solution to that problem.
I can relate to this article very well. I come from a relatively small town near Philadelphia where the majority of the population is white. More recently, it has been quite evident that minorities such as blacks and Asians have been moving into the town. This has made me realize that racism and discrimination still exist very much so today. I can proudly say that I am not racist, however I unfortunately cannot say the same thing for some of the people I know around the town – parents included. I have never heard so many racist comments in my life as I have recently. Anything from a subtle “joke” that’s not actually that funny, to a flat out blatant insult.
People may say that having a black president is a big step towards equality, which I firmly believe, however I also firmly believe that we, as a country, still have a very long way to go, and this article certainly helps to clarify what I am talking about. Why must people go and draw graffiti all over a school to show their feelings. First of all, it is a crime. Second of all, if they want to tell everyone how they feel, tell them. Don’t be a coward and graffiti up a school and then hide and not take responsibility for it. On the other hand, I am proud to see that there are still good people in this world. I love seeing that people understand the severity of the act and understand that something must be done. I feel that taking down the graffiti down and putting up signs showing the unity of the school and their feelings toward discrimination was a very good solution to the problem. However, I feel that other actions should be taken to punish the people who did this terrible thing. Whether or not this was done, I don’t know, but I really hope that it was – I don’t think that someone should be able to get away with something like that.
Racism and discrimination are not just trends among kids. As I said, I have heard parents in my town making remarks about how the town is being “ taken over”. It really disgusts me. The second part of the article shows this trend. Why should this woman be forced to hide her love for her husband just because he is of a different race? I just don’t get people some times. Why do they act like this? Why can’t they just accept people for who they are, race, gender, age or religion I hope that some day this goal of social equality can be accomplished, and hopefully, as u stated earlier, Obama is a start on the road to this goal.
Reading the article entitled “White community adapts to Obama reality”, it strikes me. The fact that blatant racism still occurs awes me. I just don’t get it. It angers me because of the discrimination portion but more that it’s so mind boggling and confusing. People have negative judgments on others solely based on the color of their skin is incredibly perplexing to me. What made one human superior to another? Where did color shades become a factor of acceptance? Slavery is not a justification. I refuse to hear that. That was the derivation maybe. And honestly, it’s mostly social. Looking back at the article, those white kids that attend that high school making those racist remarks, those perceptions were more than likely instilled in them. Since this community is set in a more rural area, the residents tend to have more conservative and traditional views on the way the world should be. With the current presidential election, Obama mainly held the urban vote and McCain had the conservatives, mainly because of their difference in political party. So in demographics like Westminster, Maryland, supporters for McCain would sky rocket over those for Obama. In retrospect, one thing that was historical is that the youth’s vote more than doubled from each past election. This puts another light on the subject of change that Obama advocated for. It wasn’t boxed into the issue of race and how there was never a black president. Obama wanted a national physical and economic change, but also a change towards perspectives, drawing those who have never been concerned or paid attention to the matters of politics. He made it clear that he is not going to be the only one accountable in going about this change; American citizens are the backbone to resolution. We are what make up this nation. What we put in as a corporate body from our daily work routine is a contribution to America’s success and stability. But in the long run, humans tend to be skeptical when it comes to experiencing and establishing something that’s different from what their used to. Anything that’s significantly new and untraditional we run from. So students from Westminster High that stated they didn’t trust black people probably said it subconsciously. I don’t think it’s even about race. It’s just the fact that people are scared of change. Why is change inevitably bad? There is no proof that just because a system is altered, the outcome is going to turn out to be pandemonium. And with the accusation about Obama being Muslim, who cares? There’s separation of church and state for a reason. He hasn’t even spent more than a month in office. Instead of people milking flaws out of him, we should trust in the consensus of our people and Obama and do our individual part in mending out society.
I am never shocked when I hear things like this. I used to be, but then that feeling slowly lost its luster when I realized how many people are racist, homophobic, and just generally naïve and arrogant out there. Even among my friends. I will never forget the conversation that I had with my best friend last year in her kitchen about homosexuals. We are both Catholic, and brought up in conservative families. However I believed that we were both generally moderate about most things. When we got onto the topic of homosexuals and religion my friend stated that she thought that homosexuality was a sin. I was shocked! I am Catholic too, and generally very spiritual, but I never ever thought being gay was a sin. She claimed that she didn’t treat gay people that she knew any differently, but that yes she did believe it was a sin. What amazes me is not the amount of people that share her opinion, or the opinion of people believe that whites are better than everyone, but I am more amazed at how in this modern world people could still share those views at all.
I am a resident assistant, and due to the surplus of students that entered Penn State as freshmen this year, almost all of us had roommates. In my building in particular, all of the roommates of the females RAs were Malaysian Muslims. I’ll admit I wasn’t thrilled about having a roommate, but other than that I did not think much about it. However I was so surprised at the things that the other RAs were saying, that were in my same position. And they so openly talked about these things that were just plain racist! And these are supposed to be the leaders of residence halls who are supposed to spread diversity! So the fact that there are people out there in this country that still have archaic views does not shock me. Here I am at a University, where most students tend to be more Democratic and liberal, and I am still hearing racial stereotypes and misconceptions. I think racism and bigotry is a viewpoint that is passed down for generations. Racism was so widely bread in our country and until relatively recently, the trend has started to slow down and die off. I hope that by the time I am old, racism will be mostly gone. However I somehow doubt this, merely because my own peers are some of the people that continue to say things that are just plain wrong. Knowledge is the tool that I believe must be used in order to fight racism and battle bigotry that has existed for generations.
After reading the article “White Community Adapts to Obama Reality” I can’t say that I was surprised that these situations and circumstances are still occurring in our country. After the election of the first black president Barack Obama last November, I feel that the media has blown out of proportion the fact that our country is finally past the idea of racism and has succeeded in equal rights. Though there is no doubt we are making strides towards these things, it is completely ridiculous to say that they have been accomplished, and I feel that we still have a very long way to go. I think that the election of Barack Obama was definitely a large step, and a huge accomplishment for America, but in no way does it mean that equality has all of a sudden been accomplished. The article demonstrates the racism that can still be found in this country today, and contrary to what many people may think, or the extent that people may or may not have been exposed to racism, I don’t think that the situation or attitudes in this article is of rare form. Although I cannot say the same for myself, I know many people who come from predominantly white neighborhoods that have been surrounded by people with the same attitudes as the ones displayed in this article and am happy to say that I did not grow up in such an environment. It is also crazy to think about the area that just 20 years ago held Ku Klux Klan rallies and racial graffiti so recently has changed incredibly in so little time. In the article when the person said that the racism acts were discouraging but was heartened by the way that it was covered up I didn’t know how to react. I do agree that it was nice for the janitors and students to get rid of the grafitti so quickly after it had happened, but part of me also feels like that is slightly an excuse to make things seem better. If that had happened at my school I would have been so upset and furious and don’t know if just cleaning it up would make me feel better. In the article they mentioned how the United States could be turning into a “Minority-majority” country and this interested me. I never really thought about such a thing but it makes sense to see how people could be predicting this to happen so soon. I know that the United States is supposed to be country of opportunity, somewhere to come and be able to live the American “dream”, and even though I am in no way opposed to the diversity, it definitely made me question if one day minorities will actually make up a majority of the country.
I would definitely consider myself as a part of the “everything is better” crowed that Dr. Richards mentions in his post. My lack of understanding racism begins with the fact I cannot grasp the reality that people are treated differently based on the color of their skin. It baffles my mind. In the ages of slavery, why weren’t dark skinned people deemed superior instead? At the root of everything is “difference.” It seems to me like humans are programmed to feel a sort of discomfort when exposed to something that they are not used to. Perhaps it comes from intimidation or ignorance. Personally, when I am confronted with something new, I feel a little bit of fear but mostly curiosity. I cannot and will never understand how certain white people convinced every other white person that black people were for slavery. It is beyond my comprehension. Any unease I feel in diverse racial situations is largely based on the fact that a black person or an Asian person appears different than me. I do not put myself above them and I do not know how that has ever been okay in the past.
My mom told me an interesting story lately. She was on the phone with one of my aunts (they are both white), discussing the election. At that point, my mom was unsure which candidate she was going to vote for. My aunt could not fathom the fact my mom would even consider Obama. “You would think about voting for that [n-word]?” my aunt said. My mom casually came back at her with, “Shelly, I didn’t know you were a racist.” My aunt basically stuttered as she insisted that she was not a racist. It is a sad reality that some people with such thoughts do not look at themselves as racist and I guess I can’t blame them. It is not exactly a classification that comes a term of endearment. However, in order for people to overcome racism they need to be honest with themselves. I feel that when my mom posed that question, my aunt was forced to stop and think about the stance she was taking. Admitting you have a problem is the first step, right?
It is scary to know that such bigotry exists. I know that people are racist, but those who I know personally keep their thoughts to themselves. It saddens me to think that there are people in American school systems who are expressing their racism through horrible acts. I believe that a lot of their feelings come from complete ignorance. In a community consisting of 2.2% black people and less of other races, it is fair to say that a white student has never had any interaction with a person of minority. Where do they come off expressing such hatred? That is not to say that someone who has had a single bad experience is justified in generalizing an entire group of people. But at least in that scenario there is some sort of basis behind it.
Okay, so everything is not better and in some places, perhaps it is worse. But I truly believe that a lot of race barriers were broken when Barak Obama was elected president. Maybe we are one step closer to “better.”
I come from a small, predominately white town as well. I wasn’t home around election time, and I haven’t really spoken to anyone who lives in my town since then, but I can’t imagine what their reactions have been since Obama was elected president. I know a lot of my friends weren’t very happy with the results, but I would be ashamed and appalled if I heard that anything had happened that was as bad as what happened in Westminster, Maryland. I think it’s a crime how closed-minded people can be, even today. On the other hand, I think that the town responded pretty well as a whole. There were no “racial incidents,” and the school community in particular came together really well to get rid of the hate graffiti. I thought it was really cool how the students rallied to help get rid of it/cover it up. I’d like to think that the kids at my school would do the same kind of thing.
I can’t decide what to really think about small-town backwardness. On one hand, my first instinct is to comment on how terrible it is, that there are still people who think like that, that there are still people who think that anyone different than them is less than human. My first response is to shake my head and pity the small towns of the world for being so closed off and closed-minded. After I think about this for a little while, I think of what could be done about it. Should we educate them more, open everyone’s eyes to the culture of the world and show the old white biddies in their front porch rocking chairs that there is more to life than their little town? And I get to thinking again. What would it be like if their racism was completely eliminated? There’s no reason to keep it around, but some weird part of me wonders about leveling the world in such a manner. It seems like culture, especially the culture of America, is comprised of all the different thoughts, views, opinions, judgments, and misjudgments of people all around the country. No one can argue that you know exactly where you are in the country by the way people speak and act and think. Each part of America is like a completely different culture in and of itself. Pennsylvania is different than Arizona is different that Illinois is different than South Carolina is different than Washington state. You don’t even have to ask where you are…you just know. And aren’t the South and the small Northeastern towns kind of known for their bigotry and tight-lipped disapproval of all things different?
These thoughts are very confusing and hard to articulate. Any logical thought process of mine says that racism is wrong and hurtful and should be fixed, or at least attempted to be fixed. And it is wrong, and it is hurtful. But there’s some weird feeling that feels a little bit of regret at the idea of my very old, very small-town, very racist grandma approving of me bringing an Asian boy home, or not indignantly telling my brother and sister that “we don’t need a nigger in the White House.” I can’t find anything right about any of that at all, but something in me smiles just a little bit at the thought of four old wrinkly white ladies in big hats sitting around playing bridge and talking about how great things were before the Spics invaded the town.
I can’t decide what to really think about all this. Does this make me a bad person? Undoubtedly.
Barack Obama, a poster boy for white supremacists throughout the United States. It really is not that hard to believe considering some of the widespread ignorance that is still present in parts of the country. The election of our first black president may have definitely pushed some people over the edge to more radical and extremist thinking. Hate/Terrorist groups like the KKK, Skinheads, and the Neo-Nazis have a history of using tough times to bolster their numbers, which have waned since the 90's. Their dropping numbers may have been one reason they were kept out of the limelight for so long. Now with recent economic crises and the war in Iraq, they may be able to silently gain numbers. It is historically acurate to say that many of these groups often take advantage of economic depression and recession to recruit moderates to their cause. This is even true for terrorist groups abroad and is how Hitler was able to rise to power in Germany before World War II. It is because of groups like these and the economic climate in which Barack Obama has been elected that I am truly worried about his safety. With all the hope and expectations of the people of the United States on his shoulders, it would be crippling to this country if he were to be assassinated by some misguided group of racists. I think that might be the single act that could really hurt the future of this country. At the same time I have a lot of faith in the secret service, and I am sure the need for increased precautions and security has not gone over their head. I would like to think that people would not be so easily swayed into joining these groups but I guess it is worth giving some precaution. Maybe the government should increase surveillance on some of these groups in order to make sure they don't gain too much power and become increasingly violent.
There are a few things I found to be very disturbing when reading the article. Like how many incidents of violence occured that were suspected to be linked with the Presidential election. It might also have something to do with how long this election has been built up for. The primaries most certainly saw the most press coverage they have ever had, so really the whole campaign process was seen by the public in its entirity. I was happy to see that some teachers were trying to aleviate some of the racial tensions in their community by properly educating and discussing the subject matter with their students. I think more teachers and parents should do this otherwise it can lead to an event, which I found to be the most horrifying of all, 3rd and 4th graders chanting "assassinate Obama" on their school bus. That community could probably supply Jerry Springer with a season's worth of issues.
I think it will always seem strange to me how these bits of racism still linger in some parts of our country, however I do think that racism is in its end days. A post racists society is dawning, which is certainly a good thing. Carroll County in Maryland seems to be a rather unique because of it’s homogeneity and perhaps acts of racism still crop up in these places because there is so little variety. There is no exposure to other cultures and for some reason we enjoy being able to exclude others who are not like ourselves. This ostracization of others can be found everywhere in life. Fraternities, sororities, organizations, high school cliques, prestigious colleges, and economic status almost always exhibits some sort of discrimination towards outsiders. What makes this possible is a conceited pride that crops somehow. Perhaps we are engrossed in grounding our identities we have to exclude others in order to feel good about our choices. We need to polarize things, make something the enemy or the opposition or different in order to justify the choices that we make, and feel proud of who we are. If, for example, I needed to justify the importance of monetary wealth in order to achieve happiness I would need to do more than simply saying its comfortable, I would need to create some sort of opposite. I would need to demonize something. So I would demonize those who don’t have what I have. I would need to show that they are inferior in all aspects of life and therefore incapable of being happy in order say, ”I’m right because they are wrong,” and in all seriousness happiness doesn’t really come with great wealth. This is certainly a childish antic but I feel as though it rings true for most social structures. Its like a group of young boys starting a club house where only other boys can join and their justification is because girls are icky. Are girls really icky? No, they aren’t, but it helps those boys feel as though their identity is the right one…the best. I’m not completely sure why we are so obsessed with having the best or greatest identity or why that even matters. I have a hard time understanding why people need to put others below them in order to feel content about who they are. I am reluctant to believe that people are simply that insecure or greedy or whatever but it is certainly a childish and sad thing. Now tying this back to a very homogeneous place such as Carroll County we can see how some of this racism is still lingering. The notion of having a black president was probably so troubling to their insecure little minds that they needed to vent their stupidity by making those racist comments.
It is clear that there is still a lot of white racism in our country. I do not think that those prejudices will dissolve until people are not growing up in households which harbor and express racist beliefs. Many of us have grandparents who use words which we consider unacceptable, and then many others have parents and siblings who express racist feelings.
After Barack Obama’s election, I have experienced more open conversations about race relations rather than overt discrimination. This may be because we live at a university where many people have open minds because they are here to enlighten themselves. Most of the comments that I hear about Barack Obama’s presidency mention that this is a monumental moment that is really defining change in our country. Of course race is always mentioned when talking about Obama, but I rarely hear it as a negative comments.
It is interesting to read Courtney Case’s comments in the article about the Maryland town; she did not even know that her friends had those feelings (racist ideas). It is almost as if some significant event concerning race needed to occur for those ideas to be outwardly expressed. Since these students live in a predominantly white county, they probably do not come into contact with situations concerning race so people like Courtney do not even hear what her closest friends think about other races.
Although I went to a significantly white high school where there are some people who do not like black people or Latino people, I grew up in a family which did not condone racial prejudice. I do not think that someone’s race affects who they are as a person. I get angry when I see people like guy in the photo on the blog. White supremacists, people in the Aryan Nation, and people harboring Ku Klux Klan-type ideas treat other humans like they are somehow subordinate and unworthy because of the color of their skin. These ideas are infuriating because it is so terrible to see people treated so poorly. Discrimination is so unnecessary, and the sooner people accept that idea, the better off our society will be. These people seem to be so stead-fast in their ideology that it is amazing because I cannot imagine honestly believing that discriminatory practices are not just okay, but right.
I hope that in the future we can move past racial discrimination, especially in towns and counties such as the one in the Maryland article because I think that these places will be the last to move on. It is difficult to change ideas in places that have no people of color to disprove the locals’ current perceptions. Sure, there are some people who perpetuate stereotypes, but for most people, the stereotypes do not hold true and I wish that people would take the time to look around and realize that their black or Latino or Asian neighbor is just like him or her.
In his famous speech MLK said, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." A couple weeks ago Sam posted something asking us if Obama’s being elected meant that Martin Luther King Junior’s dream had been realized. But if our nation is founded upon freedom, then this article proves that no, we are not as free as we are and therefore are not living out the meaning of our nation’s creed.
We proclaim to be America, the great melting pot that accepts a plethora of views (religious, political, social, racial) but are we really that accepting? Are we really that free? I mean when you compare us to a country like North Korea, who supposedly has no freedom, we really are not that different. In the morning, we wake up and pick out our clothes and what we want to eat and so do they. They are not allowed to speak negatively of their dictator but are we really allowed to speak that freely about ours? Of course, I know we have the freedom of speech and yes, we are freer than North Koreans are in that we can actually voice opposition. However, freedom is the ability to do someone and to make your own choices without consequence. When someone gives an extremist view of any topic, they are buried with criticisms and in some circumstances practically shunned. Like the tattoo for example, just the fact that we’re talking about the point behind the man’s tattoos means that we’re not really that free. If we were that free would we even be having this conversation? It would be so normal for people to tattoo racial slurs on their face it wouldn’t be an issue. And we’re also not as free as we think because we still don’t all feel comfortable talking about our differences and opinions. I don’t think this class would even exist if race was still not an issue because it would be so completely normal for us to approach each other about our differences and are cultural influences. In fact, maybe we wouldn’t have curiosities about these things because they would be completely normal.
If we are as free as we think we are, then why do we hesitate when we see a person wearing a turban? Why do we make jokes about black people not being able to swim or pretend to speak Chinese and then quickly look around us to make sure no Asians or Blacks are around us? I mean, seriously why are we even in this class ( a somewhat controlled setting being exposed to things that just aren’t talked about)? If we were really free then we would say whatever we want and not be inhibited. Yes, some people say whatever they want but in general as a society, when such people speak out, we all stop and stare because that’s just not something we’re accustomed to. If we are really free, then we would say the first things that entered our minds no matter how racist or degrading. We would not be worried about offending anyone. But we’re obviously not free as the tattooed man shows us. Though he acted on his own free will and got a tattoo, the force of society limited that act of freedom by disagreeing with the racial implications of his tattoo.
Whenever I hear stories such as the article about racism in a Maryland High School I like to think what I would be like if I was in that high school. I also entertain the thought of how differently I would be if I grew up where I did in real like and moved to that high school or if I grew up in that environment. I’ll start with that first idea: while growing up in a high school of about ¼ minorities, so race wasn’t a huge deal so I like to think that, if say, I moved down to a southern school that is a primarily white place would I make friends with people who are outright racist? Or would someone who has no problem with black people not get along with the bigotry people that inhabit the school? Lets say I did make friends with people who were innately racist, could I change their minds and show them how not only are we in a new era where that’s unacceptable but also downright ignorant to current society. Or would I conform to their thoughts and feelings towards minorities as time went on? I think that for the most part it takes a strong person to stand up for what you believe in even if you’re the only one standing and even stronger person when your standing up for equality in a primarily white environment. I think these racist, bigots, white supremacist, and KKK members empower themselves by staying closely knit to the next racist bigot white supremacist KKK member. Only when our country begins to intermix minorities further into these places will they finally see the error of there ways.
The second thought that I’d like to entertain would be that if I grew up in these southern primarily white towns or went to these schools would I be just as racist as the people I just read about in the Maryland High School article? I would like to think I’d be one of the people who stood up for equality and against racism just like the one girl. I like to think I try to sway my friend’s minds about the new president and how he’s going to unit us further as a country and that he is completely trustworthy. But then again you’re a product of your where you grow up and what household you came from. It’s hard to argue that I wouldn’t be just like those kids in the Maryland high school. It’s hard to understand a minority if you’ve never met them. And that’s why I feel bad for those kids in that school who just cant accept minorities as the same and as equal human beings. I just hope one day (hopefully with the help of Obama) that those kids will learn to open up and finally trust minorities.
When we say, “They have a right to believe whatever they want to believe, but I can’t believe or support what they do,” that’s limiting someone’s freedom. True freedom is very unrestricted and in that sense, we will never be free. So that means that MLK’s dream will never be realized, however discussions like the one our class allows us to have bring us closer to a more pure freedom
I live about ten minutes away from Carroll County in a neighboring community and I think that this article is a little over exaggerated. Carroll County is predominantly white but I know many people that are products of its public education and I have never seen nor heard any thing that goes on in the article. Also, I think that it is kind of a given that children in high school may say some controversial things. This is because they are not educated. They are only going off of what they hear adults talking about. I am a little upset that the kids from around me were made out to seem like racists, Kids say and do stupid things. They are trying to get attention and what they say normally doesn’t have strong repercussions. The article also mentioned some small acts of violence or verbal fights. It failed to mention that there were other people from the same area that had strong beliefs that went against racism and they were willing to stand up for what they believe in. Carroll County seems to be being attacked because it just happens to have a mostly white community. When a community has on overwhelming majority sometimes people have a slip of the tongue and might assume other people are like them. I do not think it is racism it is just something people do. It is a psychological fact that people assume others families are like theirs. Paying attention to what children do in response to events that affect the whole world generally mean that there are no major problems. Think about it. If something happens why would I be concerned of the least educated, people who are less likely to pay attention, and who are inclined to go against the grain. When the kids of Westminster wrote racial slurs in their courtyard I doubt it was because of particular hate of anyone they just knew it would have a huge response. They were right, now it is in an article that I am reading for a class in college. As for the text message that was sent around, I got a couple of those but they were jokes. I voted for Obama and I laughed. The people who sent them to me voted for Obama sent them to me. The reason I laughed was because I knew that whatever it said was ridiculous. I know that this whole things comes off like I am supporting what those kids did. I am not. It is wrong. But like Dr. Richards said. It is an isolated incident by children. It is not a big deal. I think it is good that we have to look towards high school students to find the racism that has been a product of the election.
White Racism is a movement that was somewhat squashed a long time ago. The moment that slavery was abolished and black people were given equal rights it signaled the removal of white supremists from the top posts in society. The world began to notice what was right and what wasn’t. Likewise, the incident cited here, about fights in several county schools is immaterial. This isn’t a spike in white racism. This is their ‘natural’ reaction. It is the same reaction you get at the end of an election. The losing side rarely truly accepts defeat and there is always talk of a recount and whispers of how the other candidate did something to influence people. In the Barack Obama-John McCain election it was a landslide win to Obama. This meant that there was no dispute that could be created. There was only the reaction that came from pro-white people activists.
Their small outcry is simply a means to get attention from a crowd that has already recognized the power of co existing in a multicultural society. Nobody wants to listen to how you don’t trust someone because of their skin color. The last president came through and for eight years almost stalled the country. The new president offers hope and motivates people into working harder in one of the hardest times in American history. How could you say that you don’t trust your president because of the color of his skin? If there was any movement, at any time in the world that you could be a part of, I suggest that you join the wave of people who want peace, security, and a better life. There are always going to be racists in society. It is important that we find and get rid of these people because sooner or later they are going to attempt to influence people. Soon enough they are going to attempt to bring down everything American society has fought for all these years. They might try an underground revolution, they might pose a security threat, and when I see a man that the whole nation believes in, the first thing I want is for him to be safe, and that allows him to do his job which in turn helps all of us.
White Supremacy is a lost cause. They may still fight the battle to dominate over everyone who wants to get along in this country but truly speaking it’s a losing battle
White Racism is a movement that was somewhat squashed a long time ago. The moment that slavery was abolished and black people were given equal rights it signaled the removal of white supremists from the top posts in society. The world began to notice what was right and what wasn’t. Likewise, the incident cited here, about fights in several county schools is immaterial. This isn’t a spike in white racism. This is their ‘natural’ reaction. It is the same reaction you get at the end of an election. The losing side rarely truly accepts defeat and there is always talk of a recount and whispers of how the other candidate did something to influence people. In the Barack Obama-John McCain election it was a landslide win to Obama. This meant that there was no dispute that could be created. There was only the reaction that came from pro-white people activists.
Their small outcry is simply a means to get attention from a crowd that has already recognized the power of co existing in a multicultural society. Nobody wants to listen to how you don’t trust someone because of their skin color. The last president came through and for eight years almost stalled the country. The new president offers hope and motivates people into working harder in one of the hardest times in American history. How could you say that you don’t trust your president because of the color of his skin? If there was any movement, at any time in the world that you could be a part of, I suggest that you join the wave of people who want peace, security, and a better life. There are always going to be racists in society. It is important that we find and get rid of these people because sooner or later they are going to attempt to influence people. Soon enough they are going to attempt to bring down everything American society has fought for all these years. They might try an underground revolution, they might pose a security threat, and when I see a man that the whole nation believes in, the first thing I want is for him to be safe, and that allows him to do his job which in turn helps all of us.
White Supremacy is a lost cause. They may still fight the battle to dominate over everyone who wants to get along in this country but truly speaking it’s a losing battle
I am glad Dr. Richards decided to post this article, as I had been wondering about the statistics on racism after the election. Living in State College, there aren’t many instances where racist actions are displayed in public, so I didn’t really know if there were many aggressive racists around in the modern day United States. That is, until I read in the article about the 94% white community in Westminster, Maryland. The county is also largely Christian and conservative, with 64% supporting McCain, compared to 32.6% supporting Obama, far from the popular vote.
The most interesting part to me was about the school board member, Jeffrey Morse, who resigned after using a racial slur to describe some black rocks at a school construction site. As bad as that sounds, you have to consider that there had to have been other school administrators there who heard it and created the public controversy, so Morse was either an outspoken racist to say this in front of his superiors, or he made a very big mistake. Either way it’s surprising that a public school system could allow someone with a flaw of character and disrespect for black students be part of the school board. Larry Brumfield, who had the “We’re Watching You” bumper sticker put on his car and his biracial children called zebras, was also very surprising. I had never heard of any outright racist actions such as this, but if these types of actions occur commonly across the nation, I think this is a problem that needs attention. America is going to constantly becoming more diverse over the coming decades, and the people who still have problems with people of different races are going to have to change in order to live with the diverse groups of people they will face in everyday life. While there are a few who opposed Obama as President because he was black and are revealing their racist selves to the public, they can’t continue acting out forever, as their odds aren’t getting any better.
During the election I began to think about how the racist communities and white supremacists would respond if Barack Obama was elected as President. Now that he is in office, I can say that I haven’t noticed any change myself, but the apparent “spike in white racism” is taking place in the more densely white populated and rural areas, from the normal citizens such as those featured in the article. I always knew about the white supremacist subcultures such as the skinheads and the Aryan Nations neo-Nazis, the family featured in the cake story a few blog posts back. I thought of these people as the modern day KKK, the only people performing the hateful acts, but now I can see that it’s normal people too, such as those in Westminster spraying racist graffiti on their school’s entrance courtyard.
With the recent election, it just better proves that the United States of America is better establishing racial equality. Of course, we all know that there are some white supremacy groups in the U.S. I, for one, believe that can’t be helped. I disagree with the fact that after the election people are turning “racist”. First of all, these groups have always existed way before the 2008 election. It’s not the fact that Obama won the election that caused what appeared to be an increase in the white supremacy groups. It is, rather, more activity and outreach by these groups. For example, you have a neighbor, after the election he suddenly spoke about how he doesn’t like Obama, and how he wished an African-American did not become the president. It’s not the election that turned him “racist” but rather he has never spoken about this before (because there have never been an African-American president). Second of all, the election can be seen as a fuse. These group used to never have anything valid to complain about. Because all of our previous presidents are white, and white population in this country is the majority. However, now it is different. The “taboo” position of presidency have finally been taken by a black men. So these groups will use this as an excuse and go out to petition, rally etc. So we see an increase in activity from these groups but that doesn’t necessarily mean that there is an increase in members.
However, there can be other reasons to explain the election results. First of all is people that are not eligible to vote. If a kid’s parents are in a white supremacy group, then it is very likely that the child will share the same belief as the parents. Therefore, people that are not represented in the polls might have this belief. Second of all, though I find this unlikely, but some immigrants that do not have U.S citizenship that is not African or have dark skin might also have ill-feeling towards him. Like people that are underage, these people are also not represented in the polling population. Although racism should not be tolerated and it is morally wrong, we have to see that there are always two sides to any political means. Such as for and against abortion, for and anti gun rights, so naturally there are going to be people that are against Obama because of his race. Though that is by no means justification for these groups, but there are always two sides to a stone. Obama did win the election, therefore, we as a country can see pass race and elect a president base on his ability. That is a major stepping stone for us to progress as a country and really do one hundred percent realize Martin Luther King Junior’s dream.
When I first read the article on how a “white community adapts to Obama,” it really shocked me. I am from Maryland, however a different county: Montgomery County. I live about 30 minutes from Washington, DC in a small little town. A small, wealthy, predominately white area. However, my town is so small, we don’t have our own schools, so we join another town’s district instead. So therefore, even though my neighbors and every house around me are filled with whites, my high school was very diverse. My principle was even black. So for me, having a black leader such as Obama does not mean anything different. I am more concerned about their personal qualities and how they will make our lives better than what race they are.
When I read about how this teacher acted and how her students acted about the election, it made me very upset and worried that now, many people will start to believe that all whites from Maryland are like this. The beginning of this article embarrassed me because I don’t want to be categorized in such a way.
At the end of the article, in the changing times section, it states how the daughters of a black man and white woman were called “zebras.” This really got me thinking, for one, about my personal relationship. I have currently been in a relationship with a black man for about six months now. And not that I’m thinking of kids yet or anything, it just makes me nervous that if I do have a child with a man of color, how will my kids be affected. I honestly believe that if I stayed in the area that I am currently living, then my children will not have a problem—that is because of its diversity. I mean my high school contained about 40% Whites, 30% Blacks, 20% Asian, and 10% Hispanic and other minorities. But I think that if I moved a little farther away from the city, about 30 minutes from my home, into the country or even the Potomac area, they will certainly have some issues growing up. I stated the Potomac area just because it is known to be where all the white, rich kids live whom own mansions and beach houses and 5 cars. And honestly, the stereotype is true. My mother actually lived there as a child, however she lived in the “ghetto” part of the town.
This brings me to my next point. I feel that where you grow up as a lot to do with forming a perspective on the world. I also feel that your parents have a lot to do with this too. Since I have been brought up in the wealthier area, yet still went to a public, diverse school, I myself had difficulties growing up. People looked down upon me for having more than they did and it honestly hurt. I originally had fewer friends until they found out what kind of person I really was, and my views on the world. Neither of my parents were given their wealth on a silver platter, and therefore they don’t think I should be given everything that way either. They had to put themselves through college, so therefore they are going to make me work for it as well. And I am really thankful that I have to work for what I want, and also that I had the opportunity to go to such a diverse school, because now I know that the world can be a better place if everyone does their own part, and is more open to other people’s differences.
I know that this past election was very historic. I was not much of a political person coming into this election but either the history or how important this election was to our country got me more interested in politics. I voted for Obama in the election because I believe in the change he preaches. However, with the election being over three months ago I am tired of hearing about people’s problems with Obama. Whether Obama or McCain won the election, the important thing we needed was for this country to support our leader. For eight years we have dealt with a leader who was one of the least popular presidents in history. I believe for this country to succeed we need to get behind our leader, whether he is democratic or republican, white or black, catholic or muslim, a cardinals fan or a bears fan. We need to look past all this bullshit, and focus on the problems at hand. For those who don’t support Obama, I am sorry McCain lost. However McCain would not have been able to fix this country no better than Obama might be able to without support from its citizens. In case people hadn’t noticed, our economy is almost as bad as it was during the Great Depression. Our reliance on oil and lack there of is going to affect THIS generation greatly. What we need to do is work as one. This country was founded on the principles of for the people, by the people. It is every person, whether an Obama supporter or not, who needs to wake up and shut up. McCain supporters need to stop crying about the election and Obama supports need to stop gloating about the election. Obama winning the election was not the savior this country needed. It’s what happens after he got elected that we need to focus on, and so far not too much has happened. I am scared about the future. I am scared how I am going to find a job in this world after college. I am scared about raising a family during this time. I am scared of how the future is going to be. Am I happy that Obama won, yes. However can we move past the historic factor of this election and help save this country! Our days are numbered. We need the media to stop with this obsession with Obama, and end this honeymoon. We need to focus on restarting this economy. What if this stimulus package doesn’t work? What would happen if the big 3 car companies go under? These are the questions that need to be asked and answered. I don’t care what religion Obama is, or if he’s more muslim than jewish. I care about what my leader is going to do to save this nation!
In response to the blog “Spike in White Racism”, I think it is very rude how this white man expressed himself. Not only is he proving himself as a racist, but he stands for white people too. As a white person myself, I would be embarrassed to see this man in public, especially with black people around. I grew up in a very white community, with only few black people, but I still have more integrity. If this man really supports this deeply about Hitler than he should have expressed himself more secretly. A tattoo on your face is one thing. Think about that tattoo being racism. I’d never get a tattoo, but if someday I chose my mind, I would certainly pick something meaningful to me as an individual. Maybe I’d pick something about my family or a very close friend. I’d never pick something that is so general.
This also makes me think about the lecture Sam gave today about “Group Think.” When one person believes in one thing, they tend to look for people of the same beliefs, or, they are just affected so much by a group that their beliefs change to that of the group. This can be the reason this man believed in Hitler. When there were those terrible people killing others during the Holocaust, he may have been a follower or just became part of the group. Since then, it’s hard to change that opinion because he already found others that agree with his thinking.
I have noticed that this “Group Thinking” has been occurring today about our new president Obama. Whether or not he is a good president, I feel that some people have either formed groups for him or against him. People need to start believing in what they think is right. They need their individual thinking to come out and maybe then, we can get out country back on track. Even in the Republican and Democratic parties we see this tension. They believe one thing because the rest of their party, or group, does so. Maybe one solution to all this group thinking is to get rid of the political parties. If candidates shared their opinions freely and not based on party then we’d pick a good president. After all, the political parties today are screwed up. Democrats aren’t following all the liberal ways and Republicans are not so conservative.
So with this guy tattooing his face, he is only being part of the group thinking process. He doesn’t even realize how much of a fool he looks. He needs to be an individual and respect other people while doing it. I seriously don’t understand how people are still racist. It puts a bad name on white people and that’s why we get offended when called racist. We don’t like to be called racist because we truly aren’t. There are just some people out there that ruin it for all of us.
First, I want to comment about the picture first. Tattoo is definitely acceptable in our society. Because it is the way that some people like to express themselves. But what matter is the message on the tattoo. It definitely represents something from you. Honestly if I see this guy walking around, I will freak out a little bit. After I read what each tattoo on his face means, it freaks me out a lot. I can’t imagine there are still many people like this around the world who are so racist and close-minded.
I am not surprised at all after reading the article. I am sure that this small town in Maryland is not the only town that this happen. I know there are still many people around the U.S. that are racist and hate Obama. I’ve been living in many different areas in United States and I can definitely tell that each area is so different from one another. I first live in California which is very diverse place. Having Chinese supermarkets, restaurants, and shopping centers is very common there. So for me, I do not feel difference at all because I am just another Asian there. After living there for a year, I moved to Boise in Idaho. I can tell that it is very difference place from California. Not only the geography, but even how people thought or personality is very different. I am one of the few Asian in my high school. All my friends know nothing about Asian countries. I can tell that they are not as open as Californians. I mean, of course, each person is difference and I don’t mean to offense anyone. But in general, people in smaller town that has very little diversity are not very open about race or sometimes they don’t even think about it. I know a lot of people who think United States is the best country when they have never been outside even once.
It is very sad to see all those little kids already became racist. I think it is the way their parents taught and raised them. Race will always be an issue. Even in the future, minority will become majority, there will always be racist people. Sometimes when we talk about racist, we usually think of white people against other racial group. What about Black or Asian that hate White? This is very controversial issue that is going to go on forever.
The only thing I really learnt about this article was that white supremacy is basically the same as terrorism. Did I goo to far? I don’t think so. Terrorists want use violence and intimidation upon others that don’t see eye to eye on political and religious views. White supremacists are the same. They accept using violence and intimidation upon those that are different from them. If they see a video of their white friends hanging blacks, gays or lesbians on a tree, they’d love it and cheer em on. Just like terrorists. They’d love to see Americans beheaded or viciously killed.
I believe that people have the right to think however they want too, but that does not give ANYONE the right to threaten, or use violence against innocent lives just because one thinks it’s right to do so. The guy with the tats all over his face…I personally don’t know what to say to that. I think its even better NOT to say anything to that, but I’ll say something anyway. First off, I want to know what this guy does for a living. Doing that to yourself just limits you socially and limits you in the workforce. The man doesn’t even need to bother to dress up for an interview. By the time he sets foot in the interviewer’s office, the interviewer will say “The exit that way”. Secondly, what is this young man thinking?!? He doesn’t have a billboard or a shirt with all the racist signs and symbols., the man has them on his face. Just imagine him getting old and wrinkly. His face is gonna look disgusting (even more disgusting then the way it looks right now). How people do this to themselves is clearly beyond me. I think the million-dollar question is what are his friends or family members teaching him? It’s one thing to teach other people to discriminate and hate others, but its another thing to tattoo those beliefs and teaching on your face. Don’t undermind this act…it’s a pretty deal to tattoo all those things on your face. He’s basically saying “This is what I believe in, I want everyone to see what I believe in and it’ll never change.”
This also shows how self-centered people can be. They don’t give a crap about who is offended by it or finds their actions harmful. All they care about is there way of life, and that’s it. I don’t think you can be more selfish than that. They want other people to know and do what they believe but yet they don’t even consider what other people have to say about it.
They’re many people like this guy out there, it’s just that no one really hears about them. Hopefully this white supremacy movement will go down and they’ll will have to move on with the rest of the world. The sad part is…the movement will never stop.
As far as I’ve noticed there has been no increase in black hate and white supremacy. But then again here at school everyone is educated enough to see all angles to situations and be more liberal. I was very happy when Obama won the presidency because it promised change. However if with that change comes a resurgence of “white power” then the nation is in for some interesting opinions and demonstrations.
I don’t really think the public will jump on this bandwagon because I know that people are still not over what happened in WWII and that scars are still carried by those most affected. In my hometown there was a man who was in his eighties and he was a former Nazi concentration camp guard. His identity came out that he had been a former Nazi and even after living in the U.S. as a law abiding citizen for almost 50 years, his citizenship was revoked and he was deported back to his native Yugoslavia. Things like this lead me to believe that there is no tolerance for this kind of behavior past, present or future.
The reason most people make a big deal out of isolated incidents is because they are usually personal experiences. More people can relate to things on a more personal level. For instance if you never met a Semite then you may think there is nothing real about anti-Semitism because you have never experienced it. Most people cannot relate to the genocide in Darfur because they do not know anyone personally affected. When it comes down to it people really only care about themselves and how different things affect them. The Laramie Project was a way for those affected by homophobia to show their story and have more people understand their situation. When something is visible like that it is easier to relate to.
In today’s economy there is a possibly of something like the Holocaust happening again. The reason so many believed in Hitler and the Nazi party was because they promised CHANGE from the depression the country was in. Right now our country is looking for CHANGE. That is why Obama has been voted as our next president. He promised change. But the skinheads and Nazis are not for Obama because he is black and they are against everything different from themselves. Being different is what makes this world beautiful. Because the white supremacies are not for our president then they aren’t for the change he is here for. So this makes me think that they will not come to power again.
All in all it’s hard for me to imagine a world where the neo-Nazis and skin heads are making a rise in political scenarios because I personally have not noticed it in any setting that I have been involved in.
News and Racism
I agree that it is completely annoying to watch news that only concentrates on the small issues of the world, while completely ignoring the main issues. Good examples are how the article concentrated on that small white community, and ignored the dire straits the economy has been forced into. Or how Joe the Plumber has made himself a seat on the Republican party (which is very idiotic in itself, and why am I still talking about him), when the war in Iraq is going on and we are not getting much insight for the past couple of weeks.
Even though, it is a small issue. It does not merit coverage from a large news outlet, and I believe that Prof. Sam Richards is right in the essence that the news concentrates on less important news when it could easily get news on so many more things. Thank god there is the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report to shed light on how the media is doing a fairly inadequate job of reporting news to us. Forget about the fact that the news stations are reporting immensely biased and debilitating news that can tarnish the true facts of life. (A great example is how The O’Reilly factor has done this for many years, and how they will hound senators at their private homes, but then turn face and talk about controlling the paparazzi from bothering teen idols like Mylie Cyrus. Not only is it unimportant, but it’s contradictory to an immense degree.)
Thus, we are down to the facts of life that the media is an ignorant machine that thrives upon the viewers tuning into biased information that tarnishes the true facts of life. Like the youtube clip of Bill O’Reilly dissing Islam and saying that 70% of the world’s violence is from Islam. Also, how they discuss a minor issue such as slight game nudity (it was a side shot and nothing was showing) in a game clearly marked as Rated M (17+), while also only having one guy defending the game against 5 opponents to the game. These small issues are blown out of proportion and they brainwash the masses away from the more important issues. In my opinion, this is one of the things that are making this world a bad place to live in, (Bill O’Reilly spreading of prejudice, hatred, and misunderstanding being at the top of the list). I could probably rant on about how much of an ignoramus he actually is. However, the main point is that I agree with our Professor in saying that something is wrong about the media, and that we as Americans should demand for better than propaganda. We are not the land of the oppressed in beliefs, we are the land of the free (though sociology shows us that may not be completely true).
Though it can be said that with the inauguration of a black president we have overcome great barriers in the area of inequality and racism, we must face the reality that racism and inequality still remain in this nation and in everyday life. When people try and acknowledge that racism is not a problem today, they are consequently telling a lie because racism is still frequent, not only in many states to the south, but all around the country as a whole. There are still very many areas that are dominated by whites, who also hold onto the belief that they are superior to blacks, Asians, and Hispanics. Racial tensions still subsist in urban communities, and extend out to suburban and rural areas as well. And although we may think it is easy to ignore and escape racism today, in fact, it is virtuously impossible to do so. We still live in a world of generalizations and stereotypes of certain people, and as long as we do so, we will experience racism and inequality.
I find it extremely rare to go a whole evening of watching the news, without seeing a story based upon the lines of race or ethnicity – whereby, it be a robbery, murder, or other inhumane crime against someone based on race or ethnic background. For example, it is common to witness a report involving a white police officer gunning down a black teenager for some reason, either it be in self defense or belief that the victim was carrying a weapon; nonetheless, a case like this sparks outrage, and sometimes riots, among the black community over the suspected racist motive in this type of killing. Judging by this example, it would appear that blacks still believe that racism is a major problem, hence their quickness to become irate over the situation. And I would find it difficult to deny that statement, such that I do believe that racism is still widespread and common.
There is still much political debate concerning the gays and lesbians in the community, and their fight to gain equal rights in regards to marriage. Considering its highly controversial nature, the debate to legalize gay marriage is one that is destined to continue for many years, thereby supporting the notion that inequality is still very much a part of society today.
Nonetheless, as seen here among the gay community, racism and other forms of inequality still control our lives every day. One question we might ask is when will this inequality ever end? That answer, however, may not be that simple – let alone even if there is a numerical figure that is possible. In all of history, there has been inequality and racial differences, so therefore it is hard to imagine a world where all of this inequality is nonexistent. So, in conclusion, instead of working to eliminate inequality and racism (which I see as impossible), the best we can do is work to mitigate it, and teach people (similar to SOC119) to think outside of their personal beliefs.
It must take a lot for someone to cover their entire face with racial slurs and negative connotations. And the sad part is….in all reality, this man was probably never had a serious run-in with a minority of any kind, but who knows. My guess is this man’s attitude came from his background. The fact that he allowed others to examine and break down the ideas behind his tattoos means he may have a strong sense of pride in them. This is up there with the most extreme racism I have seen. I grew up in a mostly white neighborhood in the suburbs of Philadelphia. My grade school and high school graduating classes did not have many people of color. Despite being a group of mostly white people in a white community, I did not witness much racism. The most I ever heard was a joke or two and an occasional dropping of the infamous n-word. None of these ignorant comments ever amounted to any public display of racism or violence. This of course does not excuse the comments that were made no matter how small they seem. It is the little things like these jokes or comments that are the ripple effects of racism from prior generations. I guarantee most of these children who say these things here it from their home. If not, it may come from a friend, who heard it at home. Children talking in this way also fuel racism. Younger people are always trying to impress their peers. If a child’s friends are all saying hurtful things towards a group of people, he or she will feel obligated to join in. The way this happens is probably something much like bullying. It always confused me as a young kid why my peers found it “funny” to make hurtful comments towards a race. As for the graffiti that was mentioned in that article: it is things like that which make my stomach turn. An interesting question to ask would be why they did this. Of course they did this as a prank or to make a statement. But to whom? This is a mostly white community where this takes place. So the people who see and deal with this vandalism are white! So in the end they did not even get their evil message across to those they “hate.” All they did was give their area a black eye and embarrass themselves. But with sometimes with negatives come positives. The fact that the children who attend the school were offended gives some happy ending. It did bring them together while they erased or covered the ignorant remarks. But the ideal thing to happen would be for these things to never take place at all.
After reading this article, I had very mixed thoughts. The mere fact that the racism in Westminster is still alive is a bit appalling. It’s hard to imagine hatred so flagrant and uncalled for in a high school, and this is coming from somebody from a predominantly white background. In my high school, whites made up 96% of the student population – but overall our school had very little problems with racism and prejudice. The number of minorities in my suburb of Pittsburgh continues to grow – and as it does our community is becoming more and more diverse and accepting of other cultures. Instead of facing racial tensions head on like the conflicts staff must face at Westminster High, school officials at my high school regularly held assemblies and seminars on diversity and acceptance. Instead of frowning down upon minorities it has created a place where all students can mix, regardless of racial backgrounds. Unfortunately the racial environment that exists in my high school does not exist at every high school, as shown by the conflict at Westminster High after the recent presidential election. This leaves room for debate: why don’t we see these problems at every high school? Is it a matter of geography and location? Generally we see more racism derived from the South. Many people believe it’s also a matter of lack of education: there definitely exists an inverse correlation of education and racism.
In northern parts of the country we see more developed areas, more sophisticated forms of education, and more integrated forms of diversity. There’s no doubt that in the north, with big cities like New York City and Philadelphia sporting massive minority numbers, the area is becoming more and more advanced, from a technological perspective AND a diversity perspective. Many would even argue that it’s thanks to the northeast population – which has become both diverse and voluminous – is a main reason for President Obama’s victory. It’s definitely not a breakthrough – talk of big numbers from the black community in this election has been in news for a while now, but I still think it’s something that interesting to think and reflect about.
On the other hand I look at this event in Westminster with optimism – the fact that students of the high school helped janitors to remove the racist graffiti brings hope to the community in terms of racial divide. Although the racism may still be lingering, it’s enlightening to note that there is a push for change in an area that’s inherently and historically white. It’s possible to view this situation optimistically because what must be taken into consideration is that this area was once the common place of the Ku Klux Klan. Just think: civic groups now offer English lessons to immigrants and there are churches in the area that are sponsoring interfaith dialogues. While the upfront racism that exists in the high school may be appalling, it’s important to note that there lies room for change.
I think that America is changing and the people who live in America have to change also. The KKK is old, and although they will always have people that agree with their views, people will always stand against the views of the KKK. The views of a few do not mean they are the same view that the masses have. I’m white and I grew up in a small town and I could drive a few miles away and there were active KKK groups and biker gangs who would disagree with a black man running America. Just as many people disagreed with some of the moves our old president Bush made, they, the people who disagree with the new president can have their right to disagree.
I say that they can disagree with the new president but I do not think it is right to disagree just based on race, they can though that is what makes America one of the best places to live because people are free to form their own thoughts. I hope that the people who think just because the president is black he will do and say the stereotypical black things, turns out to be untrue. I think America needed change and they looked for something different and that I why Obama is president. I think it is also time for people who think one way, and that white people are better than everyone else rather than equal need to rethink and change because they will not make it very far in life without being able to deal with people of another race.
I personally think it is absolutely ridiculous that we can’t all just practice tolerance, understanding, and acceptance. Nonetheless, it is not a reality and, instead, I’ve got to write this blog about the impact Obama has on a white community.
In the school I attended, approximately 35% of our population was considered black, 15% Asian and the rest were white with a small percentage of Indian and Pacific Islanders. Truly though, this made no difference in how we interacted. I had friends of every religion, socioeconomic status and (Heaven forbid) color. We all got along in perfect peace with love and humility—most of the time anyway.
Just down the road from my district was another school district though. This district was (and as far as I know, still is) easily 99% white. This area presents a stark difference to the ideas of my community.
In this town, John McCain was king during the election—in fact, he probably still is in some secret way. The people regularly wrote in to papers expressing their angry sentiments about this black man who had the ‘audacity’ to think he could be president. The students in that high school had Facebook groups expressing the greatness of McCain and the treacherous downfalls of this Barack Obama character.
Now the correlation to the article: Despite the anti-Obama sentiments that were overly abundant before the election, when Obama was the clear victor of the election, the community was surprisingly supportive. (That is, except for those die-hards who moved to Canada… I’m guessing there weren’t many.) Seriously though, this town was just as happy as the rest of the world when Obama was sworn in. The students realized what a historic event it was and the town realized that, amazingly enough, it is actually a good thing to have a black president… in fact, it’s just as good as having a white president! Now, for the disclaimer, this doesn’t mean that all these people support Obama politically, but this very white community became a very supportive community.
Turning focus now specifically to the graffiti, I think it is ridiculous that people truly feel vandalizing property adequately shows their feelings. Let’s think about this; you paint something… that you know will be removed with days or hours anyway… there’s got to be a more permanent method of defacing property. I certainly don’t advocate it, but it can’t be the most effective. One could argue, though, that if you’re dumb enough to do that, maybe you’re too dumb to think of something better. (I don’t mean dumb as an offensive term, simply as a term to describe the intellect and intelligence of said graffiti artist.) Maybe there is a little sarcasm in the preceding sentences, but I end by saying I genuinely appreciate that the students and faculty enacted the response they did… that’s what it’s all about; at least, until we can get beyond doing these acts in the first place.
I personally do not believe and find it impossible for many people to have no feelings toward racism and prejudice in this society. Even though people are trying to prove that everything has changed completely between white and black, we can still see it in our everyday life. I as an Iranian American have lived with white people for a big part my life and have gone to an all white high school. Many people that I have met along the way never really tried to understand my culture or any cultures other than white. Every year I had to remind them about my new years and the other big holidays that my family and I celebrate, but until today all my white friend have asked me whether I celebrate Christmas or not.
Being racist is not something that we choose for the most part. We all have learned it growing up and it has become part of our nature. Often times we show reaction and act in certain ways toward other races due to what we have learned from parents, school, and friends. I am not saying that we cannot change how we think about other races, but there is always part of us that feels it. My roommate who is white and I were talking about the whole white and black conflicts in this country. She was telling me how she is not racist and has nothing against blacks. I asked her how she would feel if a black family moved right next to her house. Would she still feel the same toward racism? She actually did not know what to say at first and then she responded, well it all depends. Her response clearly proved to me that she is not ok with the fact that a “black” family is moving right next to her. It seemed like she still judges that family based on their color. She does not know anything about their background or whether they are African Americans or are just black. I know for a fact that my roommate is not the only white person that feels this way about another race such as black. I also have to say that she is one of the most open minded individuals that I have met my entire life. I do not blame her for what she has said and I don’t think that would make her a racist, but I believe that racism is in her blood whether she agrees with it or not.
I do not believe that white people chose Obama because he was black; they chose him because he was a skilled and a well qualified candidate. Most whites might still feel the same toward other blacks and think of Obama as an exception. Some white people still deny the fact that Obama is black, because he does not have a black accent and he also has lived with his white grandmother for the majority of his life. Therefore he is a white guy in a black skin that is representing the black community. This country and this culture have a long way to go. Until the day people truly believe what they say and actually accept people for who they are regardless of their color; and actually admit the fact that they are racist whether they say it or not, we are going to see racism and we all going to feel it at one point or another.
It saddens me deeply that stuff like this is still going on today in our society. I mean come on!!!!!! We are still dealing with racism. We are still dealing with problems like this after a man of color has become president of the United States of America. I can’t believe how some of the teachers reacted to Ms. Doolen’s actions. She was just trying to get the thoughts of her students from this election and clear up some misconceptions about President Obama. What is wrong with that? What wrong with a teacher trying to educate her students. A teacher who is actually is doing her job. This is why I think Dr. King’s Dream is not a reality because issues like this. People are not accepting other people for who they are but judging them and looking at the color of their skin. Why? Everybody is the same. The color of our president should not be an issue. What we need to focus on or worry about is how are we going to get out of this recession. How are we going to saves millions of people from losing their homes? How are we going to create more jobs for people that may not have one? How are we going to pull people out of poverty? We have more serious issues to worry about then the color of our President’s skin. We need to get over it. People have fight so hard for us to have equality. We need to like pass the color of President Obama skin and look towards who he as a leader. We need to look at what he will do as our leader. We need to think about how he will make United States improved and fix the major problems we are facing. Reading this blog and then the article was depressing. I can’t believe people are still acting like this. The reasons why I think racism exist because people don’t take the time to educate themselves on other cultures. If some people put themselves in other people’s shoes they would see what other cultures go through. Just like Dr. Richards explain in his class we need to be taken out of our “comfort zone” in order for us to realize what was going on. What if people were taken out of there “comfort zone?” What would happen? If Obama makes it better for all Americans, will people like pass his skin color or will they look at him as a leader? As I was reading this article not everything was depressing. At the end of this article when the janitors and some of the students help to clean up some of the graffiti was encouraging. I glad to see students and staff coming together and doing what’s right
I found this article to be saddening in that most people are so ignorant concerning Obama’s religion and racial background, but coming from a predominantly white community the article did not surprise me. The high school I attended was basically all white and mostly conservative. During my senior year, when Obama’s name started to become more and more popular, people in my high school figured that he was just a Muslim African-American, which he is neither of. Only thirty miles west of New York City, 9/11 hit my town hard, and since then many students have had this predisposed hatred towards Muslims. This viewpoint carried over to Obama’s campaign and people never took the time to see that he is actually a great man and also a Christian. In their minds, he was just like any other Muslim, the same as those who were responsible for the world trade center attacks. This article is exactly what my high school was like where ignorance was so common and hatred was the result. In that sense I don’t think that there has been a spike in white or black racism, it’s just that people don’t know any better and they have always had these predisposed prejudices.
In terms of the picture of the man with all the tattoos, that illustration was something I have never seen before. “Skin heads” have been portrayed in the media, especially in movies, and in that regard they seem sort of fake. But to see a picture of a person living their life as a skin head, and having a real passionate hatred towards people of another race is frightening. I have never been around someone like that, and to see a picture of someone with tattoos showing his hate is shocking. I, myself, have a tattoo and it took a long time to figure out what I wanted, where I wanted it and the type of message I was trying to convey to other people, not to mention the kind of message I wanted for myself. I also realized that this is a permanent thing, and cannot just be erased. To see that this man has gone out of his way, spent his money, and suffered the pain of getting a tattoo on his face really shows that he wants the world to see how he feels about others. He wants to show the world how much he hates others and how he feels about white supremacy. I just don’t understand how someone can do that to himself. It’s hideous looking and the thoughts behind them are just as hideous.
Overall I feel like this article wasn’t a big surprise to me. My high school was much like the one in the article in that people were ignorant which resulted in hatred. It’s unfortunate people feel this way, and I think people just need to be more educated so they can eliminate these harsh feelings.
This topic has a lot to do with one of our earlier blogs about whether or not we feel Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled, now that we have our first black president. I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again, “although there are differences in opinions as to whether or not Martin Luther Kings dream was fulfilled, I personally believe that it was not fulfilled, but improved upon. Obama becoming president has not shown a change in racial discrimination, it has just made the improvements towards discrimination more visible to the eyes of the public.” With that said, along with the fact that improvements towards discrimination are now more visible to the eyes of the public, you have to understand that discrimination in general is going to become more visible as well. You have to see it from both sides of the spectrum. This inaguration of Barack Obama has stirred up a lot of controversy, and with controversy comes differing opinions. The racism in Carroll County, Maryland was there to begin with. It was just kept quiet and under wraps over the years, well for the most part at least. For instance as the article states, during the Spring of last year, racist graffiti was painted on the walls of the school’s courtyard. It is sad to say, but if you look hard enough racism can be found in many school systems, whether it’s from an individual or a group of people. What has to be done, however, includes steps in order to change this racist mindset. I’m obviously not the only one who knows this, but I haven’t seen anything done as a result. I grew up in a town very similar to the one explained in the article. The majority of people are white, and I can probably count the number of black families who live there on my two hands. Now I do not recall any acts of racial discrimination that occurred in my town, but if I ever did witness an event like the graffiti situation explained in the article, I would not only be furious, but ashamed as well. It will probably embarrass not only myself, but also the surrounding community since it is out in the open and reflects such an enormous sense of negativity. These acts of racism do not need to be openly portrayed, and I am glad that the Maryland community was quick to clean it up.
As for the picture in the article of the man with Tatoos…disgusting. As I said, racism does not need to be openly portrayed. Putting tattoos on your face is one thing, but ones that carry with them such a horrific and disheartening meaning is just sickening to say the least.
In my mind there is one word to define radical white supremacists: ignorant. These people just plain do not know that all races are biologically equal. Anyone who had the opportunity not to grow up with that idea pounded into their head and who also had the opportunity to grow up with a diversity of races who have all been treated as equals will not develop the radical white supremacy beliefs. I went to New Orleans this past summer with my mom, and on the first day we got there, we unpacked our bags and headed to Bourbon Street for a drink. We sat down at a small bar and took out our maps to see where we wanted to go next. Two “sippy” boys (from Missisippy) sat down and started talking to us. They said that two pretty ladies like ourselves need to watch out when alone in New Orleans. They told us to watch out for niggers, “they’ll rob ya blaand, and pass out drunk on the saadwalks”. I was taken back by the really blunt racism, and made a joke in a snobby tone of voice, “Oh, so I guess you’re not voting for Obama then”. “Hell no I’m not voting for Obama! And anyway, he’s not a nigger, he’s a sand-nigger.” Well that was a new word for me. He continued on, swearing that Obama was a Muslim and that he refused to put his hand over his heart for the pledge of allegiance. “Check snoops.com!” one of them told me. (Later on I found out that it was actually snopes.com, a site that tells if rumors are true or false. It did have the Obama – pledge of allegiance rumor on it, but this guy was so dumb he didn’t bother to check if the site said the rumor was true or false. It’s false, according to the site.) We became so disgusted by these guys that we left. So my point is that these guys were brought up like this, and never were exposed to anything that proved this wrong. They never had the opportunity to take Sam’s class, and I’m sure if they did, they wouldn’t be so fucking stupid. They would think twice before they judge people and see that all of us are 99.99% the same. I hope the black man had a little chuckle when he found the “we’re watching you” bumper sticker on his car. He can smile because he is not as idiotic as the person who did this. He is a little bit wiser, and karma just crept a little bit closer to his side. I’m sure he already knew they were watching him, and they wanted to slap him in the face. Cause they’re bored, they have no self confidence and they are unhappy with their own lives. Besides ignorance, it’s unhappiness that keeps racism going. I am happy that Obama becoming president has influenced some schools in racist communities to start promoting awareness and hopefully peeling away some of the hate and prejudice ingrained in many of our nation’s people.
From what I have understood, and from my interpretations, is that white people have increased thoughts and feelings about racism. They have become more “discriminant” towards colored people. This is because of various reasons, the most shocking one would be how most white parents do not even discuss or touch on the topic about racism or other races around the world which makes it even harder for kids or children like us to react to such events like President Obama or when meeting someone from another country. I have been brought up in and international and multi-cultural environment which does not really hit me hard when it comes to having racist people in our society. Moreover, I have had discussions with my parents on this topic and it is hysterical how they are pretty uneducated themselves in such topics, but I do not blame them too cause it might be generation to generation.
Coming back to the article, I have realized and have had real-life experiences where I have met white people actually voting for McCain or not voting for Obama because he is of a “different race” just because of his appearance and not knowing that he is half-white. I do not blame those spikes within the white populace because they are not and have never been used to a “colored” (appearance wise) President and they are so confused in how to react to it.
White Americans are still the majority and most dominant in America. However, in the last past 50 years, slowly but gradually other communities have begun to adapt and migrate into America. A lot of white Americans as a consequence have been losing jobs, and have also been unofficially told to adapt to them being around. By this I mean, adapt to their accents, adapt to seeing them compete with their jobs and so forth. And now when white people see a colored/multi cultural man be elected as the president of America, this is has come as a quite a shock. They are slowly starting to realize that “their” people are facing deterioration in their population. Accustoming to this is a problem, and unconsciously or consciously they are becoming afraid and are thinking about what is possible if such things are happening.
To conclude, I have to just say that the white people have to adapt and “welcome themselves to the real life in the world of colored people” – it is hard and shocking but everyone should realize that we are all humans, different race, different religion, and various other different categories that we may split ourselves in. It is funny that only white people are being called out, while I have also met many other races who are racist, and more extreme than whites, who you never know but may be spiking too.
Okay being tolerant to anyone is wrong. I lived in Korea for almost sixteen years and Korean is ninety nine percent Korean and one percent of Chinese. It doesn’t mean that I have a right to tolerate Chinese just because they are different race and I am in a majority group. Just because I am majority doesn’t give me any more rights than any others. I think that it’s up to individual’s experience, their moral, and their belief to act or think however they want to. But, it doesn’t mean that it gives them a power to do anything others. The guy in the picture with bunch of tattoos disturbs me a little bit. Just like in the other article about the naming the kid’s name Adolph Hitler, one of his tattoos has the number 88 which means ‘Heil Hitler’. Okay I don’t think it is appropriate to have it tattooed on his face. Just like people are uncomfortable to right a name of the kid on the kid’s birthday cake, his tattoo is right on his face where everyone can see. It’s not okay for him to believe Hitler completely. In my opinion, it was a catastrophic tragedy that what Hitler did and how he did it. I guess that people can feel like they are better than others. I kind of feel like the KKK people wearing white gown over their body is same thing as getting a tattoos on face. He could’ve got it just because the event could mean something personal to him or he really look up to Hitler’s way of moving people and what he did. I guess it’s okay to have a tattoos about stuff that could be a symbol of the stuff that might be representing racism, sexism, homophobia if they don’t mean to show the people that they are tolerant to them or judge or actually sending a message that mean tolerant to the others. Just because his skin color is white, doesn’t mean that there is a power inside that. Now days, media has a big influence to people who watch it, and listen to it. So, some people who run media might think that they can actually control how people think. I’m pretty sure there aren’t many people who go on the computer to read some article or watch the news on TV. So, if the media shows what they want people to think and see, it’s actually possible to do that if people doesn’t know about the other side of the story. It could be possible to influence them a little bit but, no one should believe them completely just because it’s only one perspective of the situation, they can just take it as a example or guideline.
Our country has certainly come a long way since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. I agree with Sam that isolated incidents of racism are sometimes blown out of proportion and don’t necessarily represent the rest of the nation accurately. However, Obama’s election, although historic and optimistic, has masked the many problems with regards race relations that still very much exist in our country. Racism may not be as prominent as in the past, but it is still very much alive in our society. The Ku Klux Klan is still prevalent in certain parts of the country, even in Pennsylvania. The article about Maryland’s Carroll County clearly shows that racism is still a part of our county and is predominantly a result of ignorance and poor upbringing. The fact that many people did, and still do, believe that Barack Obama is Muslim just shows them how ignorant they are because of someone’s last name. It also shows the great amount prejudice people have against Muslims. Although Barack Obama isn’t Muslim, there’s no reason we should have to justify it or explain that he’s not a terrorist anyway. The article shows how living in seclusion from other races, cultures and ethnicities affects people. It creates ignorance and naivety in people and that ignorance and naivety fuel acts of racism around the country. The fact that there were clearly many students at Westminster High who were not comfortable with having a black president is unnerving indeed. It’s sad to see the way Larry Brumfield was treated when he first moved into the town. Although it was over 20 years ago, people pasting bumper stickers that read “We’re watching you” is absolutely shameless nonetheless. Having his kids called “zebras” is absolutely inexcusable. A big problem is also that many of these ignorant people are in positions of power and influence in the community. It’s not a good thing to have school board members uttering racial slurs. It’s good to see that people like Larry Brumfield and Laura Doolan are trying to make a difference in the community and change the attitude of its citizens. Brumfield’s comments are 100 percent correct. People need to engage each other more and be in each other’s homes. Bringing people together and allowing them to understand how the others live will help bring down the barriers set up in places like these. It is nice to see that some people are starting to address the issue head on with programs like Common Ground. It indeed is nice to see that the students and janitors of the school removed the racist graffiti painted on the school’s entrance courtyard. However, the fact that racist acts like these occur in the first place is an issue that cannot be ignored and must be addressed head on in order for our nation to truly move forward.
Characterizing isolated incidents of racism as a general ‘spike in intolerance’ doesn’t seem accurate. A spike infers a sudden increase. I don’t think that incidents of racism have been just suddenly increasing. That said the Reuters article cites instances of racism in a town where intolerance has been an ever-present affair. The subtle daily acts of discrimination and prejudice throughout the county after the election seem inherent considering it was host to Ku Klux Klan rallies a mere twenty years ago. What we’re seeing are remnants of bigotry in a majority white county. One incident that occurred in the area was discriminatory graffiti drawn on the walls of a high school. Many minorities, as it says in the article say they face daily acts of discrimination and prejudice throughout the county. This is clearly not just a sudden increase if it has been occurring daily for a substantial amount of time. By saying the community has a long way to go to stop racial conflicts does not infer that this is a recent issue.
I don’t believe these occurrences are happening under the radar of our major media outlets. Reuters just published a story on one. These types of occurrences are no longer news to the American people. We have all seen it happening in various areas for a duration of time. It is not just suddenly occurring again. The word ‘news’ was developed as a special use of the plural form “new”. If indeed the ‘subtle daily acts of discrimination and prejudice’ were going under the radar, it wouldn’t be on account of the bigger stories, it’d be on account of what the American people want to hear. Educated Americans are already aware of the uneducated and bigoted segments of the U.S populace.
Did Obama receive a good portion of his votes just because of his race? Especially from citizens of our generation; do most people actually know and understand what his policies actually are and what he intends to do? I think many people are in fact clueless and just wanted a big change and milestone to occur in our country. Although I am a supporter of Obama and did in fact vote for him, I don’t believe that anyone should base their decision about such an important event solely on creating an exciting milestone for our country just because Obama is of a different race. We should support him if we believe that he can make a difference. We should support him if we believe that he will impact our lives in the most positive ways possible. We should support him if we believe he will make the best president he can be, not because we are excited about the fact that we will be ruled by a man of a race other than white. IT DOESN’T MATTER
Our country has certainly come a long way since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. I agree with Sam that isolated incidents of racism are sometimes blown out of proportion and don’t necessarily represent the rest of the nation accurately. However, Obama’s election, although historic and optimistic, has masked the many problems with regards race relations that still very much exist in our country. Racism may not be as prominent as in the past, but it is still very much alive in our society. The Ku Klux Klan is still prevalent in certain parts of the country, even in Pennsylvania. The article about Maryland’s Carroll County clearly shows that racism is still a part of our county and is predominantly a result of ignorance and poor upbringing. The fact that many people did, and still do, believe that Barack Obama is Muslim just shows them how ignorant they are because of someone’s last name. It also shows the great amount prejudice people have against Muslims. Although Barack Obama isn’t Muslim, there’s no reason we should have to justify it or explain that he’s not a terrorist anyway. The article shows how living in seclusion from other races, cultures and ethnicities affects people. It creates ignorance and naivety in people and that ignorance and naivety fuel acts of racism around the country. The fact that there were clearly many students at Westminster High who were not comfortable with having a black president is unnerving indeed. It’s sad to see the way Larry Brumfield was treated when he first moved into the town. Although it was over 20 years ago, people pasting bumper stickers that read “We’re watching you” is absolutely shameless nonetheless. Having his kids called “zebras” is absolutely inexcusable. A big problem is also that many of these ignorant people are in positions of power and influence in the community. It’s not a good thing to have school board members uttering racial slurs. It’s good to see that people like Larry Brumfield and Laura Doolan are trying to make a difference in the community and change the attitude of its citizens. Brumfield’s comments are 100 percent correct. People need to engage each other more and be in each other’s homes. Bringing people together and allowing them to understand how the others live will help bring down the barriers set up in places like these. It is nice to see that some people are starting to address the issue head on with programs like Common Ground. It indeed is nice to see that the students and janitors of the school removed the racist graffiti painted on the school’s entrance courtyard. However, the fact that racist acts like these occur in the first place is an issue that cannot be ignored and must be addressed head on in order for our nation to truly move forward.
This week I want to write about the most recent blog posted by Sam and my reaction to the article in Reuters titled, “White Community Adapts to Obama reality”. The things that are talked about in this article are very similar to the kinds of things we have been talking about in our small group discussions. We have been looking at the issue of racial tensions and if they are being ameliorated in society today. I believe that this country has taken many great strides forward, as is evidenced by the fact that Obama has won the presidency. Also, even in areas dominated by a white Republican population, there were little if any uprisings or displays of public hostility on election day or the days following. This is how the world should work. Obama is a candidate who focused on bridging every divide, not just the racial divide, as mentioned in the article. I think people realized this on election day and saw that he was going to use his power and ability to help anyone out there who needed it.
With that being said, these isolated incidents of racism and prejudice still do occur, and frequently at that. These types of things, like racial slurs grafittied on the Maryland high school’s courtyard last year, are things that will be hard to completely eradicate. Prejudice and racism are things that are embedded in the communities and families of some areas of this country and it will take more than 50 or 100 or 500 years to wipe them out entirely. It is nearly impossible to have a nation in which every person is accepting of another and will not judge based on race, ethnicity, or skin color. I do not think people should let isolated incidents like this one at the Maryland high school discourage the progress that has been made in America regarding racial intolerance. People have opened their minds and have welcomed diversity in recent years, and progress continues to be made.
A way to make sure this progress continues is by stepping up as a society against acts of racism and prejudice. If people continue to get away with ignorance then we will not keep moving down the path of improvement. However, if people come together and speak and act out against the shameful acts of others, then maybe that will inspire the rest of the community to do the same. In turn, maybe that could inspire other communities across this nation as well. More stories like the one referencing the students and janitors cleaning up the graffiti and replacing it with signs of unity need to be featured in the national news, rather than ones about the graffiti in the first place. When people get the idea that the country is changing, they will change with it.
While I can see how it would seem that there is a “spike in white racism” I do not think that is what is happening at all; it seems more likely that people are coming out of “hiding” or whatever you want to call it, and are no longer afraid to admit they are racist, because others are doing so. Being with a group of white people like during my many times in Race Relations Project groups, people seem to be more open about what could be construed as racist if someone else brings it up first. Along with that though, I’m not sure how much of this problem in the Carroll County schools was the children’s fault. As the article stated, Carroll County Maryland is 94% white, and only 2.2% black. How much exposure to black people, and their culture, are these people going to get? I’m from Maryland also, but I’m from Prince George’s County, which is predominately black. The experiences I have had and the experiences they have had regarding black people are going to be very different. I personally do not think we will ever be able to look at someone and not notice race, no matter how the times change. We may not attribute negative connotations to other races, but it will still be noticed. So what else do these Westminster High Schoolers have to base their ideas of black people on but what they see or hear from others?
So how are these kids supposed to “trust” people they have never met? All they have to go on is what their parents and the media have told them about black people, which very often paints a negative picture. For some reason I don’t condemn those kids for their racist remarks, but feel sorry for them.
I think even more frightening and disheartening than the article about Westminster High School was the picture of Curtis Allgier and his many tattoos on his face. While I find racism to be enough of a problem, I cannot even fathom hating someone, let alone a whole group of someones enough to permanently disfigure my face with symbols and references of hate. I actually like the idea of tattoos; I would never get one because I’m terrified of the pain, but getting a tattoo that has a deeper meaning that you would want to carry forever (not a drunken mistake) is sort of uplifting. But going back to the name incident from last week, not if it meant to demean and offend other people. It is fine to be proud of who you are, including your race; but Allgier is doing it at the expense of others, which is not OK. But now that he has mutilated his face people can easily recognize what an ignorant guy he is, and strive to be NOT like him.
This article really shocked me, although sometimes I think that I am very naïve to things that go on in other parts of the country when considering racism. I come from a suburban area outside of Philadelphia. Neither my grade school nor my high school were very diverse, but in the borough of the town I live in, the area is actually very diverse. When I was younger I would always find myself playing basketball at the YMCA with a plethora of different races, and at the early age of 10, none of us knew we were “supposed” to treat each other differently just because of that. At least from what I see in my town, there isn’t much racism, although there always will be a little I suppose.
Reading this story about the county in Maryland really made me realize how much I don’t know about other places around our country. It’s weird to think that somewhere within just 3 hours of me could have so much racial issues. Even though my schools that I attended were predominantly white, there wasn’t anyone I knew that flat out hated or didn’t accept blacks, Hispanics, or Asians. It’s really disturbing that this much hate is still existent in our country which is supposedly a place where “all men are created equal.”
I know if something like this happened at my high school I would be very offended and I would not feel comfortable there. Although there was not much diversity at my high school I feel like we had a good sense of what was right and wrong and no one would stand for such disrespect.
An article like this makes me fear for the future of the United States because our land is no specific type of people’s property. We are the land of the free and the equal and I don’t understand why people need to judge other people based on their ethnicity or the color of their skin. Every one is a human being. Like Sam said in class, we are 99.99 percent the same genetic makeup and .01 percent different.
That being said I don’t think racism will ever be fully erased from our country because there will always be those little groups of people that can’t get over the fact that they are not the “best” or the superior race. Black, Brown, White, and Blue: all people want to have control over what goes on in this country and instead of banning together to fix the problems our society has, we make them worse by fighting over petty things like one hundredth percent of our genetic makeup. We have a very long way to go in this country. We must make peace within our own land before we can force peace upon other countries.
This article somewhat shocked me and it hurts that people close to my age are acting in such a way that is immature and ignorant. In her article she claimed that there were reported fights occurring in surrounding schools following the election. I CAN NOT believe that some of the children were so narrow minded as to say that they did not want a black president. This embarrasses me on behalf of the youth in the this country. Barrack Obama hasn’t even been given a chance yet to prove himself and people are already passing judgement because they have no knowledge what’s so ever of what the future holds and what changes will be made, that’s the problems with the majority of the population of this country for the most part we are closed minded and make assumptions based on irrelevant aspects.
When acts such as performing graffiti on school wall still occur you have to ask yourself whether a change is occurring and where are these children, yes I call them children because of their childish ways , are being raised with outlooks on the world today or beliefs over one hundred years ago. The acts that are being done by many of the school staff prove to be promising but by them turning the terrible markings into positive ones is only a cover up and the children attending this school Westminster high are merely set in their ways.
I attended a catholic high school that was outnumbered by whites. The school has never had to deal with the problem of prejudice and race on a high level. Although after graduating I have been informed that the day after the election no one talked about Obama’s win not one person or teacher brought it up. Being the week after the Phillies gained victory in the World Series, it was still of “big talk”. We had a new president and no one had anything to say about it , only that they want McCain to win. This disappointed me greatly.
It saddens me that racism and prejudice will always have a [lace in our society. Things have and will still change but it will never be truly gone. Its crazy that there was only one white girl who felt hurt by the comments as well as the actions of her very close friends. The text messages that were sent to her brought forth something in her, and she knew it was in deed wrong.
In a terrible and annoying fact that Obama will not be congratulated on his terrific efforts to make a change, but if he slips up just as once he will be slaughter with words. Everyone makes mistakes and the president will also because he is human just as the presidents before him.
It worries me a little to think that people who have such an impact on today’s world can think in such a belittling way. I also grew up in a school that was very small, with my graduating class at only about 200, and less than five percent of our schools population was colored. We never really had many racist comments thrown around or treated someone of color any less than they way a white person was treated, so it does shock me a little to hear that a school can be so strongly opinionated when concerning color. The people who are saying these things are the voice of tomorrow and if they are looking at the world so narrowly, it cannot mean anything to promising for the future. It does not really surprise me that all of this has come about in general though, because after seeing how much racism was brought into the election from the beginning just showed how so many people can judge a man by his appearance as opposed to what he can do for the nation. Still, you would think that racism would exist more strongly in older people who lived during such times, and that looking at students in high schools now, it would be diminishing drastically. The idea of color is being taken into concern way too much with the election. What is done is done and clearly America thought Obama best for the job of leading the country for the next few years. I think hearing the majority of the country speak their mind in the election with Obama’s win should have an affect a little stronger on the minority of the country who are still stuck in the past trying to live a life that the rest of America wants to be big enough to move past. I think it is even more surprising to see so many young people have an issue with the election, especially after the impact Obama had on our campus alone. Everywhere you went on campus, people were screaming about Obama and asking if you were voting for Obama. Clearly he swayed our generation to him, so it just surprises me that people who are only a few years younger can think with such a directly opposite mindset. Maybe the stories were blown out of proportion and the media made it seem like a more dramatic situation than it was, but all in all it just shows that so many people in America are still lingering in the past. Hopefully those who are so negative about the election can start to move past the issue of color and look forward to the positive changes that such a historical election can hold for the future of our country.
First off, I had no idea those groups existed, especially the ANP. I thought after the KKK started to decline in the media spotlight, people started to realize something. Something is changing. Reading this article made me realize that my eyes were a little closed. I did however like the courage Ms. Doolan showed when she made these kids write about their thoughts. These kids were brought up with the idea that different is bad and it is understandable that when the most powerful man in the world is “different” they would be opposed to it.
I am of Lebanese heritage, but am not Muslim. I do have family members though who are. I know exactly what the Mr. Nasir is speaking of. It just seems that sometimes people don’t get it and with that it seems like people don’t want to get it. This doesn’t only happen in the “typical” areas, but happens in places where different is supposed to be the norm, places like New York. New York is beyond any other place in the world. This is the city where you can walk one block and hit at least 12 different nationalities.
While I look at the world and where we are going, I see a place none of us have ever imagined. When you look at Obama, you don’t see the skid this country had been in for years prior. A non-white president isn’t something you would have considered normal years ago. With the most powerful man in the world being black, what does this do to what we are and who we become?
As a nation that was founded on the backs of those not “normal/different” people it’s funny to see how things have turned. What happens when a woman is elected president? Do we get all those sexist “No woman is going to control me” kind of people going come hiding? I think it’s a little ridiculous to judge people on what they look like. I understand if you are afraid of different but for you to do all that you can so that white rules… are you kidding me? At least make your decision based on character or actions.
At times, when Obama speaks I start thinking the worst. It is the people who are ignorant that scare me the most. It seems they don’t have any limits. In our discussion group the other day, we spoke about terrorists and how when you think of the name you think of someone of Middle Eastern decent or just looks like they are from the Middle East, but if you go back in time some of the most heinous acts ever committed in America have been by “normal” white people; Oklahoma City, the uni-bomber, even what was done to the Native Americans was done by those people. I am intrigued and interested to see what the future holds for this country.
When reading this article I’m am surprised but not really surprised. I think as a black man I would think people have come really far and that we can put differences aside. I think we can put difference aside, but we don’t know how to do it. I’m not really surprised because the fear and misunderstanding of race, sexuality, culture can sometimes make people feel a though they have to compromise or sacrifice a part of themselves. I think when your culture or belief personally of affect others or is a part of hate then there are going to be problems. I think that they cannot be solved with violence, but for some me included I think violence is the only option. Let me clarify. I don’t promote violence, but as a man sometimes I don’t turn the other cheek if somebody does something to me. If there was a place where people with two differences could meet on a common grounds and talk about it then it would be all good, but when somebody I disrespecting you and your family in front of not only tour family but everyone it very easier to be said than done where turning and ignoring it. When looking at these people who are in the KKK and the Arian Nation and these other hate groups it makes me think that and body who fits the description can be apart of one. I mean I think about the member and wonder who they work for. Where do their kids go to school? What are there favorite restaurants because I feel as though I never see them? I may see them but I don’t notice that they are apart of a hate group because the have only adapted to today society. I think it sad because I think about Muslims and how Americans treat them. Me personally I love who I want based off of me knowing them. I can not hate Muslims because of what group of people did. That makes me wonder what type of group lies here in America. I can understand the fear of lack of understand of Muslim, but hate something totally different. I’m a Christian, my mother believes in different stuff, my brother and sister are Muslims and my uncles are Rasta so I am in a way bless to see different outlooks and there are definitely going to be disagreements, but we all can sit at the same table. If I got to defend myself and my family I’m going to do it. I going to think about what circumstances I will have to take based off of the situation. I’m not going to hit somebody for calling me nigger, but I’ll confront him. If people call my grandmother nigger and make her feel fearful for her life by the way that they are acting then I just might have to do what I have to do for her. I don’t think it would be a stupid decision but more of a conscious decision.
Unfortunately, today racism still exists today in America, and after the recent election of President Obama there seems to be a spike in racism in some parts of the country. In parts of the country, such as Westminster Maryland, racism is a common topic that in my opinion is due to the lack of education of the students enrolled in their education system. In years before the election of our current President, Westminster was host to a very large population of Klu Klux Klan members. Unfortunately, after the Equal Rights Movement, places like Westminster were not able to adjust as quickly as the rest of the country to the new integrated population. Today only 2.2 percent of Carroll County, inside of Westminster is composed of black people. This low statistic can be linked to the amount of misinformation that the young residents of the county are taught throughout their lives.
Accords to the reports, the students of West Minster were asked to write a report about the newly elected President Barak Obama. The students were given 30-minutes to write down a formally developed essay about their feelings and how to correct many common misconceptions about the president. After reading some of the essays from the students, many teachers were astounded by the amount of racism that existed throughout the schools. The teachers were unaware of the amount of racist comments that appeared in the essay, and were saddened when they realized the amount of misunderstanding of the students.
Racism exists today in many parts of our society because of certain people’s ignorance. In smaller rural areas, ignorance runs ramped among the minds of the young students. Racism is not something that a person randomly acquires; instead it is a terrible quality that seems to be passed from one generation to another. Although the values of the Americas have changed, some people hold strong to the racism that persisted in our country’s early existence.
Communities where racism occurs are usually places deep rooted in their past and the values and beliefs of the past. These places remain secluded because people of different races are afraid of the backlash they will encounter when the move into a community. It is unfortunate to see the statistics where communities remain primarily white, without any integration of the population. In order to combat the ignorance that is encountered in smaller communities, it is imperative that people begin to open their minds and prepare for change.
Racism is outdated and people should realize that the world is changing. In order to support our own country, many white supremacists must remember that our leader is a black man. Although, they disagree that our president is black, they must respect the land of the free and afford our newly elected President much honor and dignity.
When it comes to issues of racism in this country I’m not really surprised that Obama’s election has brought an out cry of more of those feelings out even if it is in just select areas of the country. In truth I myself was worried his election would bring out violence and riots. It may not being something that we as a society on a whole approve of, but what we have to remember is that this country is a place of free speech and even the most hateful speech is allowed to be spoken. Professor Richards you say that you to speak of the intolerance in this country, but my question is how can we solve the problem of intolerance if we refuse to discuss it? You asked us in class to see the war from the Iraqi point of view so that we could better understand their feelings, should we not also try to see the election from the point of view of the racists in this country so that we can have an open discussion with them and try to understand they’re worries and fears. After all racism and intolerance stems from fear and until that fear is resolved and taken away racism will always be around.
You also speak of how the media gives little coverage to these matters of intolerance and through I’m not sure if you meant that as a criticism or not I assume that you are criticizing the media for that. As a journalism major, I must tell I’m sick and tried of the media getting blamed for everything that others see as wrong in this country. Perhaps the reason things of this nature are not covered in the mainstream media is that they do not want to give this hateful language or of a voice or a stage to speak on. Often times when things like this are not covered in it a conscious decision not to do it as a story because the media feels that by covering it they are giving these hateful people more power to spread their message. While this country is a country of free speech it is not country of grantee media coverage, so by limiting their exposure the media is limiting the amount of people who hear their message, which I think in the end is a good thing. Not to mention I also feel that if the mainstream media did cover things of this nature they would be publicly criticized for giving a voice to these people, so from where I sit the media is in a no win situation, so by not covering it they took the lesser of two evils. What we as a society must do is take these messages of hate and the people they come from and try to understand what makes them feel that way so that we can openly discuss things to try and get rid of those feelings.
This article is very upsetting to me. I really did grow up in a very white area and I feel as if this never happened in my school or any school around it. How could I know though? Maybe it was going on and I didn't see it. Free will and the freedom of choice is such an amazing part of our country and things like this are taking away from that. It makes all Americans who are white seem like racist and we all need to remember we were all immigrants at one point or another. Coming from someone who is of a different ethnicity I really do not understand why some kids, who will eventually be the adults, are so discouraging to this. They are looking at this the completely wrong way! An ethnic man running to lead our country is a great thing for all of us as Americans it shows how far we have come and gives everyone a bright future. Not just those in the majority. I do really think that America is getting more diverse and it will take some time but eventually we will see these things happening and it will not be the social norm. I think that’s what it is, the social norm is to put down those who we do not really understand or care for. It is such a terrible site that kids in school feel this way it makes me wonder what the parents think. They must be influenced by someone or something. It is really good to read the last part of this article that a kid like that can have hope is an inspiration. Being of Hispanic decent I have never really identified with my roots but as I read this article I found myself full of pride for Jim Rodriguez. He is a kid just doing what he thinks are right and I pray he can make so many others understand. The article is right the days of the KKK are past mostly but this does not mean racism is in the past at all. Those feelings are clearly out there and will not be gone anytime soon, but together people like Jim can help many understand the struggle of being a minority.
On another note I do not really understand this guy with the tattoos. He clearly needs to have his feelings expressed but this is such a horrible way to do it. To hold out for all to see a time of pain and suffering for so many is so hard and rude. I just hope that the people who make progress with this country are the people like Jim and not this man.
I also have a fairly low tolerance or respect for people who are extremely intolerant of different beliefs and races. Coming from a small town close to Westminster noted in the article, I have dealt with the same kind of ignorant people at times making racist comments as jokes. This especially was evident during the past couple of months with Obama elected as the new President. Luckily I never witnessed any violent acts or outrageous, degrading messages like the neighborhoods mentioned in the article. I also was fortunate to be away at school during the majority of these months and didn’t have to deal with some of these outspoken racial rednecks. Often in rural communities, individuals have fewer opportunities to participate in diversified social interactions. Because of their limited experiences with people of different cultures their prejudices are a direct result of their fears of what is unknown. They only feel comfortable with what they know. They become defensive and even aggressive with people and situations that are out of their own comfort zone.
With the global exposure that my generation has via the Internet, one would hope that ignorance and prejudice would be eliminated. School activities, sports, exchange programs, diversified populations in college communities, all contribute to opening our hearts and minds to people of all cultures. This contributes to our understanding that there are more likenesses than differences among us. It’s frightening to think that there are still so many people who have close minds and hearts to other human beings just because of their ethnic or racial differences. Education and experience are the only remedies to this tragedy.
Hopefully in the next years with Obama as the President of our country, these people will begin to accept the reality that there are gifted and talented individuals in other races besides their own. The more they see people of color in professional and leadership roles, the more likely they will begin to accept the truth.
I'm a little surprised by the number of White Supremecist groups still out there and active. I had actually never even heard of Aryan Nation, Duke, or any of those other groups. In times like these, though, it's hardly surprising that people's true colors come out. I did not know about the outburst of violence right after the election, but of course not every one was rejoicing in the streets like I was. These people really sound like they need to chill out. People seem to base their hatred on obscured fact: Barack Obama is NOT A MUSLIM, people! I think that's a bit hard for them to accept, because maybe they just want one more reason to hate him.
Jeff Schoep believes the economy is being exploited, and I have to agree. People are looking for the easiest scapegoat, and even though the economic crisis right now has a lot more to do with Bush, whom they all love, then Obama, it doesn't really matter. In a little less than nine years, the number of hate groups in the United States has risen by a whopping fifty percent. A lot has happened in these past years though. September 11, the War in Iraq, to name the two big ones. I wonder if any of these new-stemmed hate groups and Bush-hating groups, or just racially related? The article says that the increase in hate groups came from the 'bigotry and xenophobia' surrounding the illegal immigraant debate, and that makes a lot of sense. There are always extremes when it comes to debates. Some people just don't care and some people will do anything for their cause. That kind of passion always attracts more followers. The bullets at the endo f the article were extremely disturbing. The fact that a Supremacist had burned down a church seemed all too familiar. The church burning that had killed four little girls in Montgomery, Alabama all those years ago (a documentary by Spike Lee was made about it) comes horrifically to mind. A church is supposed to be somewhere people feel safe and protected for violence like that. To think that history is replaying itself, is a very scary thought. What happened to all that progress we thought we made?? Also, to hear that little second and third graders, whose impressionable minds don't know any better than to mimic the morals of their parents, were shouting “Assassinate, Obama!” on the bus scares me a little. They are being taught to hate the leader of their country, and therefore they will hate every decision he makes. Obama will be getting no respect from these people of apparently from their kids, which in the end, might hurt him. All I can hope is that these supremacist groups die down once President Obama start making the right decisions and leading this country in the right direction: towards progress.
I don’t see how the article on Reuters can lead someone to believe there has been a recent spike in the progression of white racist groups. The article tells me that racism occurs today, not that there is an increase in racism. For this one particular town, it is known to be a historically racist town with the acceptance and participation of the Ku Klux Klan. While I do think the bumper sticker, the “zebra” comment and the racist graffiti are unfortunate acts, I do not think anyone can reasonably argue that racism has “spiked.”
If anything, this article is a counter to racist acts. The English teacher taking the time to cover misconceptions of Obama speaks on behalf of herself. She says other teachers faced the same difficulties. This kind of education in neighborhoods like this will continue to help demote racist ideals. As the second title is aptly named, “changing times” have come to this school and community. The girl was shocked by racist text messages, showing that high school students are realizing the “right” and “wrong” way to act and feel within social constructions.
Based on the blog post from racerelations.com, Sam Richards agrees that this is an insolated case of racism. There was nothing new to report in this story. It largely said that racism has been targeted and is becoming an issue of the past.
I think this article said its main point in this paragraph: “Observers have described Obama as a ‘post-racial’ politician since his election campaign dwelt little on racial issues and more on how Americans can bridge divides of all kinds.”
Maybe this article is meant more for us to reflect on the possible future of our American cities. According the Census Bureau in this article, some city that are currently majority white will become a majority of minorities living in them in the next few years. Many cities will have as many white people in them as people of different ethnicities. How will this leave those white people feeling? Will they still feel dominant over other races? Or will they realize that they have been overrun?
I think that those white people will not consider “surrender” to minorities. I do think that racism will continue to fade out over time. A racist couple may raise a racist child but the child will see with fresh eyes the mixing of races living in the majority. Whites are not the majority in all cities. White people living in those towns must learn to live with their neighbors in tolerance of differences.
I think Reuters did a service to society by providing this investigative journalism. I still think it would be a far fetch to say this is a spike or a sweep of racist activity.
The picture of the young man with the tattoos all over his face is interesting. I probably wouldn’t have noticed the details of the tattoos if they hadn’t been pointed out. For myself most of the time, I will see a tattoo from a short distance away and won’t think anything of it. I see tattoos as a way of making a statement. And something that’s big, flashy, and right out front – I usually just ignore because that person is purposely drawing attention to themselves and trying to make a point. I prefer hearing people’s opinions in other ways – words tend to be more powerful than actions for me. (though I have nothing against people with tattoos). I would take notice to tattoos on those people that I come into close encounter with. Clearly, this man is trying to make a racist statement, and he has the right too. How many attentions of people can he get?
Reading the linked article, posed some thoughts into my head. Despite the bubbles that we all may live in, racism still exists and factors into people’s lives. I can hardly believe the things that were being experienced in the schools mentioned and how the teacher would handle that. (Seeing this, myself being a future educator, I don’t know how I would specifically handle something like this.) While some racism may be seen, by the person that said it, as a joke, it is inevitable that someone will take it offensively – whether it’s directly or gets passed on indirectly by word of mouth. For example, the black and white couple’s daughters were called zebras. It may (or may not) have been all in good fun but it is just something that should not be passed on.
Speaking of Mr. Brumfield, a smile is brought to my face knowing that he started a program to help bring people together of all backgrounds through music and art. I believe that music and art is one thing that can truly bring us all together – there are many different kinds, but people are more willing to be open to various styles or backgrounds associated to them. Some kind of spiritual and emotional connection exists between a person and the music/arts. If people can create a common or share a connection through music and arts, it will truly bring people together. Though this may be something silly/simple, my salsa dancing is an example of this. Going salsa dancing, I have encountered many Hispanic people with which I have danced with and felt a connection with or a common bond. Not only that, but I have gotten to talk these people and learn more about them and their way of life and background. It has broadened my cultural knowledge and connection. Also, there are many different kinds of people that go salsa dancing. The community built around salsa dancing shows how people are truly brought together through music and the arts.
After reading the article about the school in Maryland, I was both surprised and disturbed. Although I knew places like South Carolina had large populations of people who had open racist-like thinking, I did not think Maryland (a place so close to home)was such a racist. I know there are pockets of racists everywhere, but I was hoping that racism was fading out more so than it apparently is right now. I myself grew up in a suburban, mostly white area, but the people living around me were not racist and openly opposed racism. When I first met my mildly racist boyfriend and his mildly racist family (I say this because they are not extremists, even though in my opinion any racism is wrong), I was shocked that anyone held these sentiments. I thought racism only lived on in the writings in our history book (yeah, talk about disillusioned!). Upon meeting these people, I assumed that small pockets of racist people must exist, but now I see that it is more than that. Each story that I hear like this one makes me angry at people’s ignorance, then sad because I realize how much farther we have to go, and, despite all I know, I am always surprised to hear another story of racism perhaps because I would like to believe so much that it would just fade away.
Earlier, I tried to research where the most racist places were (like one of the “top 10 most ___ places done” by AOL constantly), but I could only find unqualified opinions and speculations. One person said “the most racists states are usually in the south eastern United States.” I wish they could read the article about the school in Maryland! We think of racism as a southern problem, however ideas of superiority and hate do not contain themselves to geographic areas; I now know racism is present everywhere. On one website I found, somebody had listed the top 20 most racist cities, among their personal list was Pittsburg, PA. My relatives live in Pittsburg and over the years I have met many people there and none who are racist or would even begin to support a racist comment. However, apparently from what this person knew or experienced, Pittsburg was very racist. Their list can be found here if you feel like looking at it: http://votemecool.blogspot.com/2008/12/2008-most-racist-cities-in-america-its.html
Going back to the article, I was extremely relieved to find that at least one teacher was ready to correct misconceptions and try to break the cycle. I think during the election (or even after it), lots of “closet racists” (people who thought and believed racist like generalizations such as ‘those people….,’ but never said anything out loud) came out into the open and voiced their opinion on having a colored president. Just like the 17 year old girl found out some of her friends had racist views she had never known, I feel that many adults/young adults figured this out too. Nothing like politics to create an up swelling of strong opinions and clashes. I saw this 17 year old girl in the article as a type of hope. Despite all the remarks around her, she did not let herself be influenced by them and continued to believe such beliefs were not right. I also see the teacher as one of the best teachers there could be, she understood how her student thought and rather than just teaching them what was in the books she took the time to teach what was truly important, the truth.
With people like these and with continued public pressure (which I believe was the reason that school removed the graffiti so fast), I am hoping that we can keep diluting and erasing racism in such places.
Hey All, I'm an on-and-off political blogger, in the South. I've been trying to figure out how best to spend my time lately and decided I need to focus. I wrote a piece about my own experience with white supremacy, and some folks at a couple of communities I write for encouraged me to stick with it. So, I'm going to. I'm trying to do some research and dig deeper that just media reports and the SPLC/ADL intelligence. That's good, but I think we need more.
So, my question is: Do you know where I can get more information - especially quantitative data that I could use to study white supremacists as a community of political movements?
And do you have any advice for me on who I should be reading regularly, other than Orcinus? I'm trying to get a feel for what's already being done, and pull it all together into one place.
Thoughts appreciated. I have some political science training and journalism experience. I will dig through your archives, and put you on my blogroll.
I'm directing everyone I contact on this to this post http://geneo.wordpress.com/2009/02/13/note-white-supremacy-project/
because there's a limit to the number of comment threads I can keep up with. But, i'm just beginning the process, contacting old colleagues from grad school, etc. so I will check back here.
Sorry to just barge in like this, but I think this is an area where I can really make a contribution, if I can just get off to a good start. And I think the next few years are going to be critical in dealing with this.
Peace :)
My first impression of this article was pure disgust. I am not really sure how or why a person would even want these tattoos plastered all over their face. On the other hand, I am sure it was to make the statement that they were openly members of white supremacist groups. He apparently wanted his ideals known to everyone. I feel it would be embarrassing to have those views tattooed all over your face. It is just amazing how far some people will go to spread their views or make a statement. A face covered with tattoos definitely makes me uncomfortable. But because of what the actual tattoos are, it scares me. In relating to the article, this is why some young children are openly racist and say the things that they are saying about the new black president. These children most likely believe it is okay because they grew up in a household that expresses these views. It is hard to handle because there really may not be a solution to stopping these children from learning the ideals of their parents. But teachers may be able to help spread knowledge that can open up minds, like Laura Doolan. She prepared a discussion for the students so they could ask questions and she could clear up misconceptions about the election. I think this was a good idea because hate can be based on ignorance. In the article, Courtney was surprised because many of her friends had racist comments that they shared with her. I really do not think we find out how people really feel until situations, like a new black president being elected, occur. I think that is why it would be good to discuss situations like this is schools. The discussions could help open up children’s minds and allow them to talk about things that they may only talk about to a group of others who feel the same way. If different ideas are heard, maybe it will change some people’s existing ideas. It will definitely be a difficult task to stop racism and change people’s views, but it is worth it to try. I really do think people’s feelings are hidden until a new change occurs. Sometimes we may be very surprised by other people’s views, especially if they are our friends. I could not believe that a few neighbors invited out a white woman, but asked her if she would not tell anyone that she was married to a black man. These people are insulting white people as well as black people. I just do not think the white supremacists really understand that they are attacking all races when they do things like that. It is truly amazing that people still do not understand that people celebrate different holidays. There is such a variety of races everywhere, it is hard not to see the different cultures and traditions. I found it ridiculous that the students put racist comments on their own school building. That is your school too! Would you really want all these sayings painted all over your own school? Again, I think these acts occur because of ignorance and immaturity. I feel that the best way to overcome these things is to spread knowledge and educate our young.
Both the incident at the rural high school and the tattooing done by this man are horrible. I don’t think it is fair to call them isolated acts either. The election of president Obama has certainly stirred some racist groups back into action, but I think it has bridged a large gap and opened many more minds in a positive way. People should look in the mirror and see where they are compared to Mr. Obama before spreading racist text messages around or talking him down. Like it or not he is our new leader, he is the most powerful man in the world and honestly this tattooed man shouldn’t be taking any attention away from the this monumental moment in our history. It is sad that some people are still so closed minded, but I think it is simply passed down from parents and grandparents, generation to generation. If no one told you from the time you were born that monsters were scary you probably wouldn’t ever think about them, but because we learn at a young age to fear them we do. It is the same thing with racist supremacists, they are taught, from a very young age that one color is better than another. As we have seen, and will continue to see these ideas fade out, they aren’t passed on as strongly or people realize on their own that these ideas are simply wrong. Hopefully this change will continue to occur at a rapid pace and soon enough there won’t be small racist towns or tattooed supremacists. Although some of this has been stirred by Obamas election I believe having his image broadcast around the globe and around the country will make people more accepting of different races and cultures simply because they are exposed to it more often. If young children can see a black man accomplishing things like Obama they will have the ability to challenge their elders comments about such people. The more visible he is, the better. As mentioned in the article soon enough the majority of the people in this country are going to be mixed or of a minority race. People will be forced to accept the fact that America is the worlds greatest melting pot and will only continue to get more and more mixed up. Before most people know it they will have brothers and sisters of mixed race, who knows maybe even our children. It will be another monumental shift in our countries history and will no doubt lead to a more open minded and welcoming country. I think it is something we as Americans should find pride in and not allow the few closed minded folk to interrupt our happiness.
I don't think there is an increase in racism on behalf of whites in America since the election. I think the same whites who are being racist after the election of Barack Obama are the same number of people who were racist before the election. It's just that now people are starting to actually notice the racism more, and it's being made a bigger deal than it ever was before because the president of the United States is black. That is all. Barack Obama did not cause people to be racist; people who are that prejudiced to dislike black people because of the president's skin color were racist before he won the race for the White House. People are not only noticing it more since the election, but the degree to which people take their racist views and enact them has probably spiked. So, while I believe there has been a spike in the degree of severity of racist attitudes, I still don't believe that Barack Obama caused people of the United States to be racist all of a sudden. Last week's blog entry explained how white supremacist groups experienced increases in membership. These new members were always racist though; they were just less open about it before, and they needed an event like the election of a black president for them to emerge from the "racist closet" and participate in white supremcist activities and behaviors. I also think that articles like the one carried by Reuters are just designed to keep the idea of the victimization of blacks alive because now that our president is black, people are going to start thinking that blacks are no longer victims of racism or that it no longer exists; after all, people could make a great argument that blacks are on a level playing field with whites and other races now that a black man happens to hold the highest office in the country and leads the most powerful nation in the world. I also don't like how the article tries to paint those who questioned Barack Obama's religion in the beginning of the election as racists. In a world of radical Islamic terror, questioning Obama's religion is a legitimate concern. After all, the guy did have a Muslim father and he attended a Muslim school. It's not like white people across the country were questioning Obama's religion just because he was black and his father was from Africa. In this case, I think people's curiousity about Obama's past was probably misconstrued as racism to paint Obama as a victim of racism. Lastly, can an article talk about racism without mentioning that we have a black president? Every article I see anymore on racism always comes back to the fact that the current president is black. I think everyone knows by now that president is a black man and reminding everyone about it will only keep race an issue in American politics.
I’m not sure I totally understand this rise in white racism. I am fairly up to date when it comes to current events and what’s in the news today. Perhaps there has been an increase in the numbers of racist whites, and that’s probably because there will always be bigots and those bigots will sometimes reproduce, making more mini bigots. While the number is allegedly increasing, I would be interested in seeing whether the actual percentage of white American racists is increasing, because this I would doubt.
I am surprised at this for a few reasons. While there may be a higher number of racists there are not enough to affect Obama’s approval rating, which is the highest since the JFK presidency. I would also question what the rating system is for an ‘increase’ in racist whites. Racist jokes being told? As stated in class, the president will always be made fun of, and because Obama is black, there might be a correlation in racist jokes. Are there more recognized hate groups in existence in America today than there were in the past? And if there has been an increase in recognized hate groups, is the actual percentage of hate groups vs. the population increasing as well or is this diminishing? The media will always report on shock value stories because they are a business, and not so much concerned with report relevant news all of the time, they want ratings.
One reason we could have maybe predicted an increase in racism has nothing to do with the fact that we elected a black president, actually, the fact that we elected a black president reverses the expectations of a country in a recession. Historically, when a country goes into a recession and is facing adverse times, they more into a more nationalistic state, building on racist factors. An example of this would be the rise of the 3rd Reich in post WWI Germany. Germany was facing some shitty times, their country was pretty fucked up, and as a result they took the expected path of high nationalism blaming their problems on the Jews. So as I said, the very fact that we went against historical expectations speaks much louder, in my opinion, about the mindset of this country than the ‘rise’ of white racists, because again, what is the definition of this ‘rise’.
As for the redneck in the picture, he probably grew up in an area where there wasn’t much exposure to other races, and was also brought up in a family with racist values. As I previously stated, there will always be a racist sect existing no matter where you are in the world, which will be virtually impossible to totally eliminate. So, let’s stay positive and not focus on the negative, because again, they’re fucking crazy to begin with.
Hmm this is sad but the “new” issue f racial tension doesn’t surprise me at all. Any time something big happens in this country, people revert to their so called “old” ways. Why is that? In my opinion, if I hadn’t already clearly hinted at it, is that America is still a very racist country even is it’s not always overt. I hate the fact that people always comment that we have come a long way, which for the most part is true, that doesn’t mean we don’t have more work to do with a very tough road ahead. We should not be satisfied until EVERYTHING is right. Though that day may very well not ever come, certainly not in my lifetime, I will never give up hope or stop fighting. I think when things like what happened in Maryland happens a lot of people who may not even known the seriousness of the prejudice felt in their own town, are genuinely surprised and outraged and hopefully begin to see the signs of what was already there in the daily lives. I would urge those people to not let the legacy of racism continue with them, to say something when they hear racist comments and to stop themselves from pre judging people by what they look like.
When you hear about even isolated incident or when you think about classes like this one, it’s hard to believe that some people actually believe that there is no longer any racism in American and that we have all “overcome”. I am not at all making this up. I actually had a friend when I lived in Canada who truly believed that racism was something in the past, something, as far back as the 60’s. We actually live in a place where there was actually a lot of racial tension due impart to an increase of Middle Eastern immigrants in the area. She, who was from India, did not seem to see the things that were going on right under her nose. She and most of my friends who were also of Middle Eastern descent were CONTSTANTLY being bullied and it only seemed to get worst after 9/11. At that point, we were in 7th grade, and although children do say and do ignorant hateful things, it was all a reflection of what was going on outside and in our homes. There were times I really wished I was as oblivious as my friend, that I could ignore and not be hurt but things that were said about me as a black girl. Ignorance is bliss…sometimes. I can say that it shaped the person I am today and is one of the many reasons why I am in this class trying to understand what makes the culture that breeds the hate and insensitivity of so many.
In terms of the article about the community in Maryland whose teachers prepared for a negative response from students after the election, I don’t find this surprising at all. I think I most areas of the United States you can go from community to community, and just as you will find different races and socioeconomic statuses, you will find different attitude about race. State College is a great example. While many of us are here to study and educate ourselves, trying our hardest to overcome racial discrimination in the world, many local people in this very town are openly racist, participating in white supremacy rallies and openly making racist statements. In fact, I’d bet that the majority of people at Penn State come from a place where racial slurs and racist attitudes are quite common. And that doesn’t just apply to rich, white kids coming from predominantly conservative small towns like in the article. Many black communities hold racist views of Mexicans and white people as well. And it’s not a shock. Regardless of the race at hand, when you have a community that is predominantly made up of one culture, there is a sort of in-group feeling. Since most of the people there are in the in-group, there is nothing holding them back from openly discriminating against the out-groups. And even in communities that are more integrated in terms of race and culture, it’s my guess that these same racist attitudes still exist. There is just more of a risk when stating them aloud to face some type of conflict from a person with a different view point. Thus, it’s no wonder that in a school like the one in Maryland from the article that the kids would hold openly racist attitudes. Children hear what their parents say and they repeat it. Often, it’s not even that the children agree. It’s simply that it’s all they know. This is why it’s important for schools in these types of areas to have educators who are willing to invest time in the effort to educate these children. If the teacher had not been there to arrange the lecture to clear of misconceptions regarding the president, many of the children would have live well into their school career before realizing that judgment based purely on race is not good. If we can get more people to focus on how to solve the problem, which in my opinion is mostly education, then we can come a long way in these towns that are still largely racist today. Not to mention that the media likes to hype things up, and even though they are making this town look terrible in terms of race relations, the do make the concession that many students helped to clean up the racist drawings that were made last spring. A few bad seeds certainly shouldn’t represent an entire school. I’m sure if you went to the school there would be a good number of students who don’t have racist attitudes as well.
“Nonetheless, I'd be remiss for not examining what may be an issue upon which the ‘everything is better crowd’ needs to reflect.” By the “everything is better” crowd, I assume he means…people that feel the days of racism and inequality have ended because we have an African American president. All that Obama being president shows is that people were tired of the republican way of doing things. I think, if anything, black people do NOT feel that things are better because they still have to deal with the discrimination that occurs in every day life. If anything, electing a black president just brings more attention to the injustices that most people of minority experience.
Electing a black president has nothing to do with society. It just means they thought he was the right man for the job…certainly doesn't mean that all of a sudden nobody hates black people anymore. If anything it's going to increase the bitterness that some people feel. And not everyone voted for him, so that means there is a substantial number of people that didn't want him in the white house. Case and point: the students of Westminster High School in Maryland’s Carroll County. “’Several teachers came to me astounded by what they were hearing. They just didn't realize that students would be so openly racist, that students would ... say, 'I don't want a black president. I don't trust black people,'" Doolan said.’” If anything I feel that the election has brought out the worst in people; people are now expressing negative feelings they might have otherwise repressed. I’m not saying electing President Obama was a bad thing, I voted for him, I wanted him to be president because I believe in what he says, I have faith in him and I know he can bring about change. I just think that people who believe that “everything is better” need to step off of cloud nine and reevaluate things.
What struck me most about Andrea Shalal-Esa’s article wasn’t how Westminster was coping post election, but rather the various forms of racism that appeared within the article. Shalal-Esa talked about the student’s openly racist comments, including “'I don't want a black president. I don't trust black people,'"and mentioned an incident involving racist graffiti painted on the school's entrance courtyard. There’s no denying these are pretty blunt actions meant to get their message across, but what about what isn’t being said? Maybe racism isn’t dying out after all but merely changing into a more passive form. Open demonstrations of the KKK aren’t accepted today, but never inviting a black coworker into your home might be a more subtle means of tapping into how you really feel. I was extremely alarmed at the teachers who were shocked that their students were “openly” racist, and the chief of staff at Carroll Hospital Center who has many co-workers who still don't recognize his holidays. He came out and said he hasn’t faced much discrimination during his 13 years in this country, but is his statement truly accurate? How do we really know what’s going on? Such a metamorphosis could hardly be measured or studied because denial of the truth is at the core of the issue. Also, where do we draw the line? Is it really fair to say that some one is racist if they only have friends and acquaintances of their own race? What if they just happen to live in an area lacking diversity like where I grew up? It was my parent’s decision to live where I did. Surely we don’t expect them to actively go out and look for friends of different ethnicities for the sake of having friends who are of different ethnic backgrounds.
I was also surprised at how well this topic fit into our discussion last lecture on free will and determinism. Do people choose to be racist in its various forms or do external factors influence them? I’ve developed friendships with people of different ethnic backgrounds since coming to college, something my friends back home have yet to do. However, our area is almost entirely white, and the people I met here I met because we had similar interests. We didn’t become friends because we had different physical characteristics. Will people who grow up in areas with white supremacist groups fall victim to their influence or still have the option of choosing tolerance of others, ignoring the ignorance of the people around them? Will they only change after moving to a more diverse area, where they are forced to work with others who are different from them or will be surprised to really get to know people beyond their skin color and form friendships? I realize the need for acceptance is a major driving force within our lives, even if that means from the racist people around us. Also, going against the majority might prove to cause a safety issue. There’s no doubt that both free will and determinism play a role, but for this particular subject and morally speaking, I feel people need to make the personal choice and dig deep to realize we really aren’t that different from each other. However, don’t be fooled. I’m definitely still a cynic and feel that a lot of people more times than not don’t make this choice and instead put the blame on others their entire lives. I think our world is changing and probably not for the better. I can’t really decide which is better, a person who is racist in front of my face or one who’s racist behind everyone’s back.
It does not surprise me that such a backlash of racism was prominent after President Barack Obama's election in towns that are majority white. It is also not a surprise that racism still exists in our country because not only is it prominent in news stories, it is also prominent in stories that I hear from friends and acquaintances. I think that whenever a huge change comes about in a prominent way, such as the electing of our first "black" president, there is always going to be those groups of people who protest it and how disagree with it. If President Obama were a white man, Republicans would be upset that he was a Democrat; if President Obama were Jewish, everyone who was not of that religion would be up in arms.
Change, the one word that can best describe Obama's push for his presidency, is something that most people fear. Change means starting over, usually from the beginning, with nothing as basis or backing and this is what scares people. When people hear the word change, they fear it.
I was told a story from a friend that she was with one of her best friends and her best friend’s boyfriend at a bar. Her friend’s boyfriend happens to be in flight school and was visiting for the weekend prior to the election. Someone happened to start talking about Obama and pointed to a picture in a magazine and the guy ripped out the picture, threw it to the ground and stomped on it. To make matters even worse, he screamed terrorist inciting his buddies to do the same. If that is not white supremacy, I do not know what is.
White supremacy is not something that is going to go away anytime soon. The way to change these people's beliefs is to diversify where they live and whom they interact with. Communities that are entirely white will rarely accept anyone who is different than them, be it African-American, Asian, Muslim or any other race that is different from their own. White supremacy is also inbred through family, community or peer values. Many, if not most of the younger generations of white supremacists have been brainwashed by their society into believing that it is the only way to live and think.
What is most bothersome to me in the article, “White Community Adapts to Obama Reality,” is that the teachers at the high school knew what was coming before the election took place, and yet just said they are bracing for the worst. If you know that white supremacy exists in this school, why not target it and try to get rid of it prior to a major political election involving someone of another race.
Sometimes I find that the easiest way to think about the most difficult topics is to think about them in the simplest manner possible. When I think of racism the only thing I can think of is how strange it is that people cannot realize that there are just people in this world, not different colored people but just people. In the least-prejudiced way possible, I am somewhat surprised that this kind of racism exists in Maryland and not somewhere towards the south or center of America. Unfortunately, the reality is that there are still people who are truly racist in our country and they are not only in the places that one might normally assume them to be. I think that it is also upsetting that the divide between people who like Obama and people who do not is so large and defined. To some, Obama has become a beacon of hope and change to come about in the United States, while to others he symbolizes the rise of “minority majority” that is thought to be coming about. I feel that it is incredible that we live in a nation that is so diverse and interesting and I get disappointed when I hear about people who do not realize how lucky they are to experience everything that we are privileged do on a daily basis. I find it incredible that there are still people in this country that still think in such a backwards manner.
After reading this I just thought about how I would feel if I went to a school where I felt uncomfortable all the time because I am Jewish. I feel so lucky to live in an area where I do not feel the everyday prejudices that exist towards Jewish people. Growing up in a liberal family, I guess I am very surprised when I hear that things like racism in schools and racial text messaging still exists about two hours away from where I live, an hour from our nation’s capital. It seems completely ridiculous to me that this kind of racism exists in the era that we live in. When you think about it, within a five minute radius, one could find people who are in an inter-racial couple and others who are racist to the core. I find myself truly disappointed with people in the United States when I hear about racism because I fail to understand how people could not realize how incredibly far we have come as a nation in the recent years. I wish that our country could become a place where people do not have to live in fear but, unfortunately, I do not see that happening any time soon with people like those that are talked about in this news article.
Because of the election, a lot of feelings people have toward certain people have come out, and it has been surprising. I found out one of my friends, who dated me and knows I’m mixed, didn’t want Obama to become president because he’s black. I was a little hurt but I’m still friends with him, I just think of him a little differently. All of a sudden the most “open minded” people have a problem with a black president, and not with his ideas or his party. It is sad that racism is still a factor in people’s lives but I feel bad for them, I don’t hate them. They will never get to experience other cultures or people because of the fact that they can’t get over ideas they have about certain people. The media isn’t really getting into this, probably because right after the election and inauguration day, there were just too many incidents to report and racism isn’t what should be reported, the changes Obama makes should be. I feel bad for people in small towns, they almost get the expectation that everyone is racist and that isn’t so. True, people in a small town in Nebraska probably aren’t as open minded, but that doesn’t mean that everyone hates people of color. Hopefully this election will teach people on both sides of the fence, those who hate, and those who get judged as racist but aren’t, to stop judging others for things they can’t control.
And about this guy with all the tattoos on his face. I’ve seen him before on a documentary I watched. His face stuck with me because you can’t really forget it. I just got my first tattoo this past weekend, it hurt a lot, but it means a lot to me and I love it. Mine was on my spine, a painful place to get tattooed, but can’t compare to getting your face tattooed. All of the tattoos have meaning and I can understand why he got them. I also know why he got them on his face, to make a statement which he does without even trying and it’s a racist statement. I want to believe that he will change and one day be ashamed that his face and body look the way they do, probably because there’s plenty more hateful tattoos on his body. He probably won’t, but will still manage to send a message to anyone he’s around. I’m actually surprised someone would tattoo all of that on his face, but it was probably someone who shares his views. While I think this man is an idiot, looks like an idiot, and has views of an idiot, he does have the right to freely express himself, no matter how stupid it looks.
There seems to be a lot more discrimination in this town then mine but I definitely can compare to the racism. First, they talk about racist text messages that people received during the election. I received so many of those same text messages, and they were also from my friends who I never thought were like that. I actually lost a lot of respect for my one friend who I thought was like the best person I ever meant. She has a very strong faith and such good morals, but she is one of the most racist people I have ever met. So this really made me kind of rethink all the nice things about her. It is disappointing to have to readjust my feelings towards her.
Also in this article it mentions the woman who was married to the black man with biracial children. If I would ever be invited to a social gathering and be asked not to mention that my husband was black, it would not be pretty. I would tell those people exactly where to go. It is so bold for them to say that to her in the first place. I just can’t believe people have the ignorance to do that. I think it would have even been better if they just didn’t even invite the family at all, but to blatantly admit to being so racist is ridiculous. Also you have to feel bad for the children who were referred to as “zebras”. Again I can go back to my cousins that are biracial, and I can’t imagine anyone in my neighborhood calling them that, and I come from a racist neighborhood. It is nothing compared to the ones talked about in this article. I am in disbelief at the stupidity of some people.
I was shocked to read about the graffiti that was done after Obama was voted in president of the United States. First of all I can’t believe that anyone could get away with that. I was really happy to read that some of the students were quick to get rid of it, but I still just can’t believe someone would do that in the first place.
I have to wonder if our world is always going to have racism in some way or another, and I think there always will be. Some people will always think they are better than others because this even occurs in the same races. It is really disheartens me to think that I am going to raise my children in a society that will never be equal no matter what, but I know I will raise my children to treat everyone as equals. Nobody is better than anyone else!
The occurrences in the Westminster, Maryland school district and many similar areas of how they reacted to the election of Barak Obama are quite appalling. It is strange to me to see how people have still managed to remain so unevolved and stubborn in their beliefs and have grown to still be intolerant of others just because of their race. I come from a white dominant public school, but I think some people their have some common decency and good hearts. I would be embarrassed if my town showed up on the news for exhibiting racist behavior and I would be almost ashamed to have to put where I lived on an application. These students and schools that made the news, one would have to think what kind of area are they really growing up in? Is it considered a safe and loving environment if you are taught by your family and peers to not be accepting and open-minded to the ever-changing society? I would have liked to see some quotes from the parents of these students. Sadly, I am sure many of the kids shape their ideals from what they hear at home, and it would most likely lead to a more shocking explanation to why students lashed out with such bigotry. On the positive side, it was great to see that the teachers were willing to take a day off from their regularly scheduled lesson plan to address some of the concerns and help educate their students on today’s politics and the new President. Sometimes even I as a college student, with all of the resources in the world at my finger tips, I find it hard to keep up with all of the politics and would like if there was one day out of the year while in class I could have someone who was knowledgeable in the area explain to me the basics of what is going on in the political world and what we can expect to see change in the future. I think a large reason for why the students in these schools acted the way they did is because they do not know any better. It is ignorance, and I don’t think it is completely their fault, but more it lies upon their parents and an education system that often does not keep a student in a secluded community, like the white dominated school district of Westminster, open to other points of views that they may not encounter everyday. I think it would be best if teachers would remind their students to keep an open mind and be respectful of others opinions at all times, even if they do not agree. Our country is founded on freedom, and rights to believe what you want and say what you want should not be infringed upon by small-minded people.
Furthermore, the conclusion of the article “White community reacts to Obama reality” lists a number of instances where people experienced some kind of racial discrimination. While I think it is unacceptable, society cannot change overnight. I think there have definitely been major leaps in how people treat one another and that one day we will all be able to live harmoniously among one another. Until then, we will have to put up with people’s ignorance, and the best way to deal with it is to rally together and show that moving backwards in the civil rights movement is not an option. Moments like the one highlighted in the article when the students and janitorial staff came together to clean up the walls almost immediately after slanderous graffiti appeared on them at their school can give people hope that as time goes on, younger generations will have bigger hearts and greater tolerance and acceptance of everyone, despite their nationality or the color of their skin.
I was really not that surprised by the attitudes of some of the residents in Carroll County after reading the article posted along with this blog. Many people like to think that this country is truly moving forward and everyone is a lot more tolerant of people in this country. With the election of Obama, people like to believe that racism is starting to become a thing of the past. When in reality, there are more places similar to Carroll County in this country than most would believe. I have no idea how people such as Larry Brumfield are able to live in an area and have to face as much segregation as he and his family have had to gone through. It really is a shame that people hate others just because of how someone else looks. However, it is a surprise to me to see the statistic that states that within the next couple of decades, groups that have long been in the minority will soon become in the majority of the population in areas such as the one discussed in the article. I am a little apprehensive when I see that statistic because I am just very apprehensive on how this country would react having the “lesser” groups raise above and become the main cultures of America. In urban and suburban areas, I feel that the shift would be accepted in a positive way, but for rural areas such as Carroll County and Central Pennsylvania, I feel that many whites would have a tough time adjusting and violence may and probably will erupt between the races.
The Curtis Allgier photo posted in this blog was very interesting to me. Up until this point, I did not know that skinheads had so many different symbols and words to represent their strong beliefs towards anyone who is not like them. It really is upsetting to me when I think about how hateful the Aryan brotherhood can be. I saw this segment on some talk show about an Aryan family who told their kids to not talk or get near anyone of a different race and then continued to tell the host-who was black-that she should be the one who leads all the Blacks back to Africa. I understand that everyone has their own beliefs which I do not have a problem with, but I just don’t understand how someone could hate another person just because that person does not look the same as them.
This county in Maryland is great example of how not all of America is tolerable of new races. Luckily, with the election of Barack Obama, those people have no choice but to accept that the rest of the country may not agree with them.
This article does not surprise me in the slightest. I have grown up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, but more importantly between a small urban city and a rural backwater town. The city, Coatesville, was once a prosperous blue collar town with a thriving small steel plant, Lukens Steel. The company has since changed hands many times, downsizing every time, and thus the city is foundering. There are high levels of racism among the police force, which isn’t helped by the high crime rates and prevalence of its black population – I am not claiming that there is a correlation, but a racist would certainly jump at the chance to do so. The town is Honeybrook, a small community of friendly people, but also a community in which white supremacist groups are still active. I remember hearing, when I was a child, that a black family moved into this white community – there was a cross burning in their yard the following morning. These two communities certainly demonstrate different demographics than the suburbs close by, such as West Chester (heard of Jackass?). It doesn’t surprise me that there could be so much of a difference between areas such a short drive away, and it doesn’t surprise me that there are white supremacist groups still active nationwide- that’s America isn’t it.
During the Obama campaign my mother worked for his campaign at their office in Coatesville. The area they were responsible for canvassing included Honeybrook, risky territory to be promoting a black man for president. Many of the people they encountered did not want to hear about supporting a black person for president, and not politely. They were specifically told to avoid houses with McCain signs, as a safety precaution. The town has come a long way toward racial equality, but there are still active sectors of white supremacist groups. I imagine that there are countless similar places in small town America – and I don’t anticipate them to easily adapt to the monumental change of having a black leader. With that said, they have four years to get over themselves – it’s not like their racist beliefs are going to magically allow for a “un-election election.” I can’t see anything their hate and anger will accomplish other than allowing them to identify with other angry racist Americans – but then again, I’m not a racist.
Even the racism present in the city and town I live between didn’t stop Obama from winning the vote in my county, and the racism present across the country didn’t stop him from winning the election. I don’t expect the people who truly believe it is wrong for a black man to lead our country to change their ideas within the next four years – but hopefully the people who follow these beliefs halfheartedly will have a moment of clarity. I imagine it will be much harder to spread racist beliefs, especially to children, when a black man has obviously accomplished more than any of these racists have.
There is no question that there is still racism and racial intolerances as the article has shown in today’s society. We may not always hear about it on the news or in the paper, but we know it happens. It’s all around us, in our neighboring towns, sometimes even in our own towns. There are still many hate groups aimed towards minority groups, including those who are against certain religions. There are protesting religious groups, neo-Nazi groups, and new Ku Klux Klan groups. Of course, with the election of an African American President, I know that I was a little worried about the consequences, about what some people would do or think. Personally, I have no problem with an African American President; I think it’s great. Stories like the one told in this article show us that the rest of the country may not be ready for a change like this. There are still those hanging onto the old thoughts and stereotypes about African Americans, and they believe that it isn’t right for a person of colored skin to run our country. I feel that our generation, however, has gotten to a point where we are a little more accepting of people with other racial or religious backgrounds, much more than our parents or grandparents might have been.
An example of this is shown by the article, where the students assisted the janitors in cleaning up the racial graffiti on the walls of the school. It shows that there is a bit of decency in our generation, that some people think it’s wrong to think that people of other races or religions are not worth getting a chance. I know that there are definitely some older generations that felt the past election was interesting, and that they most likely voted for Senator McCain. Why? Well, maybe it was because he was what many of the older generations had been used to. I think that some people may have been afraid to make that big step towards racial liberation, just because it was different than the norm. From the time when older generations like our parents were growing up, there was still racial discrimination, and possibly even segregation. African Americans were considered a completely different group of people, with different freedoms than white people. You would not have seen an African American holding a political position, or another position of power. There were separate drinking fountains and seating for African Americans and whites. I think it is sad to see that some of the same discriminating acts or prejudices are still held today but people as described above. Although I don’t particularly care about people who tattoo their entire bodies or faces with whatever they feel that would best express themselves, I’d like to pose a question regarding the picture of the man with the tattooed face on the blog. Do you think that people may begin to discriminate against those who are neo-Nazi or proud to be a white supremacist in the future? Would having those tattoos make that man a particular target because of his clear and obvious views?
When I first read the article about Westminster High School in Carroll County, MD, I was appalled by the words the student had to say about Barack Obama. I understand that where everyone lives plays an important role on the way people perceive other races. Since the area is approximately ninety seven percent white, people are going to have a partially skewed outlook on race. However, even though the area lacks diversity between races, there is still no reason for one to bash other races simply because they look different. In the end, a person is a person and everyone has feelings regardless of their color.
I feel as though I can really relate to the students at Westminster High School because my high school was predominantly white. I graduated in a class of nearly eight hundred people and there were only three black people in my entire class. Although my high school was less than one percent black, there were never any racist remarks or racial slurs being said around the school to my knowledge. Maybe this was because the presidential situation was not as intense as it was this year, or we just did not put any thought into it. People are also entitled to believing what they want to, so although there is technically no ‘wrong’ in their thinking, they need to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and see how they would react if they heard these harsh things. We are supposed to be working towards a more fair and equal America aren’t we? America is the land of opportunity and happiness, so why do so many heartless people base their beliefs off looks rather than what is on the inside. It is communities like the one in Carroll County that make white people look like racists. The majority of communities are respecting and are open to change. It is amazing that we have our first black president in office, and hopefully this will allow the people of the United States to work towards a more equal America.
Furthermore, the guy with the tattoos on his face is a lunatic. Every day the nation in which we live is growing closer and closer together with regards to race. This guys is just crazy. Something like this may have been acceptable in the past if it were on other parts of the body. Why would someone want to expose themselves that much to everyone else so that they know his views on other races. People are stuck in the past and refuse to accept that we live in a rapidly changing society. The first step towards a more equal nation is having President Obama in office, and we will continue to see change from here on out. It’s about time that a person of color takes charge and leads us in this battle with racism.
This article was interesting to read because the events and happenings of the article are not things I considered with the election of Obama. I am surprised that the article would state that the area Westminster in Maryland, as a whole, was worried about racial tension from the recent election. The article states the teachers “braced for the worse”, but what are they expecting the students to do even if they are outraged with the election? Especially since the community is mainly white, kids would not have many black students in their school to start a fight with. The only problems would arise between white kids, between some who supported Obama and others who are against him. The high school I attended was not very diverse and neither was the community. However the county voted primarily for Obama so therefore I cannot imagine any outrage occurring with the election in my hometown. I also cannot imagine any of my prior classmates getting into anything more than a political disagreement. Fights would not have occurred because of new president. I think it’s sad that this community was worried about what would happen in the school because of the election of a black man (but luckily nothing bad happened in their school).
I think it’s a good idea that the teachers talked about Obama and clarified facts. However, I’m surprised the students didn’t know more; the way the article is written it appears they did not have much presidential education in the school. During major elections, social studies teachers usually discuss the election, politics, and more, but maybe this school just stuck to the curriculum. I was also surprised about the statement of how teachers were shocked at how openly racist some students were. If I were a teacher, whether I was racist or not myself, I would be equally shocked as well to hear racist comments in school about the president and other topics. I also am surprised that the one student was not aware of some of her friend’s beliefs and began to wonder if I have any friends that were really against Obama’s election.
The other thing I found really interesting was the fact about the changing demographics of the United States. I heard the fact about how minorities will be the majority races in the future in my education policies class. I think that it’s crazy and neat how the nation will be so racially diverse. We were told that most classes we will be teaching in will be very diverse. I think it will be important to learn about other cultures in order to fully understand and respect students when I’m teaching. I think learning about other cultures is important for anyone no matter what their occupation is because it is important for living in a diverse society.
First, I would like to comment on the photo posted on this particular blog. What did this guy do to himself? Seriously, talk about wearing your “emotions” on your face. I do not know which one bothers me more. Probably the tattoo on his chin that says “FUN” with the swastikas in between the letters. I feel like our country has moved forward in so many ways and then I see pictures like this and people like him. I think people in these white supremacist groups need to get over it already. We live in the United States of America where everyone is welcome, for the most part.
Now, onto the article, I really commend this teacher for doing what she is doing. I think students need to talk about race relations in high school, or even earlier. It will only help people in the end to be able to talk openly about their feelings about race and different cultures. When I read this article, I thought about my town and the surrounding towns in northeast Pennsylvania. I have never seen a KKK member, nor do I even think it exists up there, but the racists comments do for sure. My town is predominantly occupied by white people. The only people “of color” are the really dark skinned Italians. So, when a black person is walking down the street, people do react differently because it is “out of the norm” for them. I have always been comfortable with people of different cultures because, outside of school, I was around them more than other people because of my dance or karate classes. I feel like we can learn from other cultures, and that all of these racist comments and acts are so stupid.
As odd as it sounds, I was happy when I read that the one girl was bothered by the comments people were making and the graffiti. It is refreshing to hear that younger people are finally stepping up and becoming comfortable in our society. I know I am. We all should be. I was also glad to read that the staff and students both banned together to clean up the graffiti on the school’s entranceway. The same thing happened to my high school when I was going into seventh grade. My orientation was pushed back a week due to graffiti like that. It was definitely hurtful to everyone, but as a school community, we got past it. Before taking this class I was already pretty comfortable with discussing race and culture with my friends. The more blogs I read, and the more lectures I attend, I want to be able to discuss race with different people as well.
Racism was one of the fundamental principles upon which our country was founded. Had it not been for racism, and consequently slavery, life in America, as we know it would not exist as it does. It is for this reason that I believe that racism is something in our country that will never be abolished. I personally believe it will always be part of our country. Freedom of speech may easily be the most powerful of our fundamental rights that we as Americans have, and many feel the need take this freedom to extreme. Curtis Allgier is a perfect example of someone who has taken their freedom of speech to the extreme. It just baffles me that in today’s society there are still people so fundamentally entrenched by racism that they would mutate their body with tattoos of swastikas with other symbols as a testament to the supremacy of the white race over all other races. It’s actually quite confusing that someone could feel so passionate about something that is completely wrong in all aspects. I’m not sure if I’m living in a box or something but I’ve been completely ignorant to the ideas that such people and organizations have. I mean I’ve heard of these supremacy groups, but I’ve never really seen them in action so I never really took it serious. It may have been because I grew up in a very urban neighborhood and I couldn’t count the number of white people on my hand because there were none, at least not in my neighborhood. I did go to very diverse schools while growing up but everyone that I came across were extremely tolerant of all people, at least on the surface. I had personally come to the conclusion that equality was something that had been established in this country and the days of ignorance were pretty much behind us, but I guess I was wrong. I realize now that there is actually a large number of people who still believe in this lifestyle of supremacy over other races. I’m not sure how much I agree with the actuations about how people are now coming out of the woodwork against black people because we now have a black president.
I believe that we have always had individuals who believe in the purposes of the Ku Klux Klan, but can we honestly say that our president did something to trigger that which has been suppressed for many years. Can change really be that overwhelming for some people? The article stated that now that we have a black president “they’re back. These supremesist groups known as: “The skinheads, the neo-Nazis, and the Bruders Scheweigen, they're all back and they have some things to say to everyone who is not a convert” This is just crazy to me and it shows just how much things haven’t changed equally as much as they have.
Spike in White Racism?
Personally I have not seen a spike in outward racism since the President Barack Obama was elected, but I have heard people be more open with discussing it and their “racial beliefs.” Leading up to the election, I heard a lot of banter about Obama’s race and religion, people mainly jabbering on not realizing Obama is not Muslim, before the election. People saying they did not trust him because he was black or because he was Muslim. Ninety percent of the time those people were white.
I have faced racism since I was a kid. I was an Indian kid growing up in a white town. My family and I were one of three brown families in the town and we all knew each other, ironically. It’s a huge town, very spread out, but has a small town mentality. I know what kids are up against not being white in a white town, and it’s not as fun as it sounds. We used to get Klu Klux Klan paraphernalia every now and then, but that died down. I am not sure why it suddenly stopped, maybe they got tired. Maybe they were the laziest KKK group out there, who knows. When I was little I never really noticed I was different and many of the kids didn’t either, but the parents did. As I got older, I started to realize some of the things that had happened to me as a kid were because I was a different colour. As time went on, people in my town became much more accepting of people of colour. I changed schools at middle school and went to a school with much more “minorities” where I really came in contact with people like me for the first time. That is where my eyes opened up and I really became who I am today.
I have not really been back home in a while, so I cannot comment about whether the election caused some stir ups there, but I could see it happening. There is still a very small minority population in my home town, but it has grown.
I really liked the ending of the article, “White Community Adapts to Obama Reality.” When the girl was talking about how after the racial graffiti was plastered on her school, students and faculty covered it up with pro-unity messages. I think that that is really cool, shows how far we have come. Not only did the faculty do it, because it’s their job, but the kids said they were not going to put up with it. There is one thing I did not like about the article. Why did the make it seem like a Hindu temple is something of an oddity. They wrote, “and even a Hindu Temple.” It seemed like they feel so advanced because they get to have a Hindu Temple. Like a Hindu Temple is like when Six Flags builds a new amusement park, “we get one of those!” It just scratches me the wrong way.
I realize I kind of went off on a tangent, but that's where this article brought my mind.
Marlon Chopra
As a white male I have no issue with having a “half black” president. As we discussed in class earlier this semester, Barack Obama is as just as much white as he is black so I think it is dumb for people to act in racist ways. I think have a president who is half-black will actually do our country some good. I feel that since our country is largely made up of white citizens and a half-black president was elected shows that our country has taken some giant steps toward throwing the issue of race out of the window. I think with the election of Obama, different races will finally be able to co-exist more in this great country of ours.
Even though it looks as if the country has taken big steps, there still is going to be certain people and also certain parts of the country that have a problem with our country be run by someone who is not white. For example, this can be seen in the article that talks about Maryland. As an elementary education major I was surprised after I finished reading the article. I think it is crazy to have to worry about what is going to happen in your school as a result of Obama being elected as president.
I think it’s sad to see that this long after slavery, there are still tons of people who are racist. I was even more shocked to realize that the majority of teenagers at this high school were racist too. I do not know if it does not happen now, when our country is ever going to get over the issue of racism. Even having a half-black president seems to bring out more racism. I think if Obama is able to keep his promises and help fix our country’s economies that, as stated in the article, white people will be able to trust black people again. I was shocked to see that a community of all white people said they did not trust black people. Now what exactly makes them not trust black people if their community is almost entirely all whites?
The article says that Obama’s campaign was not based on racial issues but being able to bridge divides of all kinds. Since the country is constantly seeing a growth in diversity throughout the country, people like the citizens in Westminster are going to have to bridge together all the races and find away to destroy their issues towards racism and make them more positive. If they are not able to do tht now that we have a half-black president, then our country is in serious trouble and will continue to be for a very long time.
I went to high school with an extremely low minority rate however I never experience the racism that was displayed at Westminister High. After reading the article “White Community Adapts to Obama Reality” I was quite disgusted with what I learned. I graduated with a class of 350 and only 5 of the students were African American but there were never any displays of racism towards them. It upsets me that this type of discrimination still exists within small communities in America. What really discourages me is that this may be a larger problem then I ever thought it was because my environment caused me to think that equality was very real. I was fortunate to grow up in a very privileged, understanding environment that always gave equal opportunities to all races. I know it’s unreasonable to assume that all communities were as tolerant as mine however I thought there was more progress being made then what I have come to understand. My community is full of primarily republicans however with the current election many of them were swayed to vote for Obama because he was clearly the better candidate. The citizens did not let race determine how they wanted their country to be run. It seems in this town in Maryland this was not the case. In a perfect world all students would have the opportunity to be educated in race relations but in the world we live in most students receive their perception of race through their parents, who may not be the best educators. The bright side of things is that there seems to be a change in generation’s beliefs towards minority races. As generation X grows older and retires and generation Y takes their place I believe there will be a large change in tolerance within the workplace, which will lead to a large change in tolerance in all aspects of life. Generation Y has been better educated to understand common human emotions and what equality really means. Obama being sworn into office is a clear example of how the times are changing for the better and how equality is becoming greater. Another example includes the reaction to the discriminatory incident at the Westminister High School in Maryland. The derogatory statements written onto the school were immediately taken down and replaced with signs underscoring the unity of the school. This shows that it isn’t commonplace anymore to degrade a certain race because it isn’t widely accepted at all. Fortunately the administrators of the school did not let the ugly remarks stay on the wall. It is also encouraging to see that the students themselves were not happy with the vandalism that took place at their own school. Despite minor setbacks such as the incident at Westminister High, I would like to believe that as a whole our society is making strides towards understanding equality.
I must say I’m really shocked. I can’t believe that people still feel that way when it comes to black and white people. I thought they got over that point.I watched lots of movies that have issues that deal with the KKK and black people. Racism just scared me so much. Every time I’d watch one of the movies id get really mad and it just pisses me off. When Obama became black president I thought that people might still people against black people and the other way around but would some kind of respect to not bring it up or at least just keep it to them. They would treat them equally just because they are respectful people. Some things are not meant to be said. It’s a fact that people are opinionated and have thoughts but some things should be kept to yourself. Have you ever told yourself that I shouldn’t be having these thoughts? Or view the world in that way? I should be a better a person look within instead of what’s outside. I’m sure there’s lots of history that can’t be ignored between black and white people. But why do they have to make it hard on themselves? It’s a new world where everyone is equal that’s how it should’ve been a long time ago. People make mistakes but isn’t life all about forgiving and loving. We are human; we hate living in a world that’s full of hate. Just imagine you’re one of the black people who went through hell to get to where they are today. A black person whose ancestors were enslaved and abused. Everyone should put himself or herself in the other person’s shoe. Only then would you understand the issues and the problems. A person being ethnocentric does not mean being patriotic. Being patriotic is fighting for your country any second you are asked to. But what if your nation is making a big mistake? For example, the war in Iraq, enslaving Africans. That’s all wrong, I thought that the United States is all for freedom of speech, how come none of the truth comes out. All we hear is hate and our country is the best. What about the truth that’s the only thing that’s right. Only then, can we solve our problems and look at the better side. Racism between black and white people has to end. At the end we are all human with hearts and different personalities. WE might go through argument when it comes to talking about the issues but that’s the only way for people to feel what the other’s feelings or understand. That’s how it should be. Talking about racism in Maryland is right because people will realize things they never did before.
In response to this blog entry, I feel that racism is still a huge issue that will always be around at least for the rest of my life. I don’t see how racism would ever decrease or eventually disappear because so many people in this world have so many different opinions and views on certain things and people and I think I will continue to see racism almost every day. Now that we have a black president, this will only make things worse. I’ve come across so many people who hate president Obama for the simple reason that he’s half African American, that it just makes me so angry. When I went on a fundraising trip for Penn State’s Dance Marathon (aka THON) outside of Pittsburgh, I experienced something that I am def. not used to back at my hometown in New Jersey. The night that we first arrived in Pittsburgh, the 21s and over decided to go to a local bar near the person’s house who we were staying at. It was a huge culture shock for me because everyone in the bar were pretty much red necks and there was a farm right next to the bar. So I was sitting at the bar waiting for my drink, when I saw President Obama come up on television. The guy next to me saw Obama on tv, was very disturbed, and said “Oh come on, get this nigger off tv! I thought we were done with him!”. I did not feel comfortable at all because I voted for Obama and most of my friends and other people besides my parents back at home voted for Obama. I wanted to say something back so bad to that guy but I just figured it wouldn’t even be worth my time, so after I heard that comment, I just sat there and shook my head. I am just so sick and tired of hearing and seeing people who won’t open their minds to new things and are so shallow, that they would actually hate and be so against a person, ONLY because of their skin color. More people should give Obama a chance. I mean come on, he just came into office and people already hate him. Give me a break!! To me, I think it is so immature, and these people need to GROW UP. The picture of the tattooed man at the top of the blog is ridiculous and I just think he wants attention. I just don’t understand how someone can have so much hate for someone and endure so much pain, that he has to express it permanently all over his face. Now, I’m not saying that I’m against tattoos, because I think getting a tattoo is fine if it means something to you, and if it is fairly hidden. These types of tattoos that this man got are in my opinion, totally unacceptable, and it should not be so visible to the public. All in all, as much as I would love for these racist people to start growing up and just deal with what life throws at you, this issue of racism will never come to an end.
Racism is not to be taken lightly. If not taken care of people can do crazy and unthinkable things. Those many people might not seem to be racists at first but someone always has reservations about one thing or the other. Many of them are in denial of racism. Denial is probably the worst kind of racism. When we deny the existence of something that’s when we escalate the problem even further. Denying that the south didn’t lose the civil war is in some way or form racism. They hate the people from the rest of the states. History has been written but they just don’t want to accept the truth.
The fact that children are openly saying that they don’t trust black people or they don’t want a black president is shocking. Is this what the kids are being taught in school these days? That they should only go with what the media has portrayed of these people. Believe it or not the media has a great effect on young minds. Though this might not be a good time to quote Hitler but I shall, he said that who ever controls the youth controls the country.
Because their minds have not been shaped yet and if brainwashed enough one can make them go in any direction one wants it to go in. The world by the end of the day is a cruel place with people who will always want to take the law in their own hands in situations where faced with racism. If it’s a person who is a victim of it or a person who is a racist regardless they will always say they are right. Ever since Obama became president the situation still seems to be the same. A black man as president and the south goes crazy. The KKK plans to assassinate the president on his skin color. How crazy is that. There is more to him then just his skin. He is a capable man who can make decisions to lead a whole country. He is the most powerful man on the face of this earth and the only reason these people hate him is because he is black. Though we are in the 21st century we are still centuries behind in this metamorphosis of race and religion.
The world has its way of paving everyone’s path and though Obama’s was one of the greatest but still people deny him the respect he deserves due to his color. I think this is unfair. People not appreciating the accomplishments of a determined person is unfair. If it were a white person in his place they would put him up high on a pedestal and praise every move he makes. But this is not the case, unfortunate.
Although I wrote about a similar topic in last week’s journal, I feel it is necessary to further the discussion because I am still incredibly shocked and appalled at what I am reading about the recent spread in white racism.
Like I previously wrote, I am not naive to the fact that so many racial and white supremacy groups do exist, but I still cannot understand why. I have always believed that an individual has the right to think anything that they want, but on the other hand, I am completely baffled about the views of some people. Groups such as the Nazis, KKK, and even single individuals that are against certain groups, take their beliefs to such horrible extremes, not only confuse me, but also make me sad.
The article in Reuters upset me for similar reasons to why I found the article in last week’s blog so disturbing. The first of these is unsettling how young children feel such strong hatred toward Obama. I find it horrifying that teens can openly say things such as “I don't want a black president” and “I don't trust black people." Part of this is because of the way I feel about our new president.
I am a big Obama supporter and voted for him regardless of his race. I wanted him to be president because of what he stood for and what he believed in. I would have voted for Obama if he were white, Asian, gay, or any other type of person; when picking a president, those thing do not matter to me. I can’t honestly say that I didn’t notice he was black, or that he was different than our other presidents, but I can say that his race had absolutely no impact on my voting.
I realize that this spike in white racism is a phenomenon in a relatively small percentage of the population, but I feel that it has been growing and could continue to spread throughout the country, especially with all the recent media attention it has been getting.
As discussed last week, the fact that groups such as Stormfront and the Council of Conservative Citizens experienced such a rise in membership is incredibly disturbing and disheartening. It really makes me feel like everything that the country has achieved as a unified nation has been undone.
I realize that it is nearly impossible to eliminate all hate groups in the United States, but I feel that it is each individual’s right and responsibility to do what they can to lessen these groups power and to try to teach them and change their minds.
There is a famous quote that says "Never underestimate the ability of a small group of people to change the world. Indeed, they are the only ones who ever have." This can pertain to doing both good and bad. It only takes a small group to convince people to be hateful and think racist things, but on the same note, only a small group is needed to help change people for the better.
First and foremost, although this article does not completely focus on our new president, I would just like to say that Barak Obama is just as much white as he is black. The fact that he and our media identifies himself as our “first black” president is really starting to get to me. He is indeed half white and half black although he rarely identifies himself as being white. Of course being the first black president in a country where blacks have had to fight and overcome many hardships is an accomplishment but, so is being the first “mixed” president. Being a white individual it offends me a little that he doesn’t identify with his white heritage and that the main focus on Obama is his “blackness”. I think that for him to identify with everything that he is would make him a lot more relatable to everyone in our nation and not just glorify that he is the first black president because in fact he is the first mixed president. With that said, of course some people of our nation feel a little reluctant in embracing our new president. As with any type of change people are going to be a bit skeptical at first, our nation has dealt with many new changes in the past and most of these changes took citizens of America a little while to get used to, and having a black president is no different. In a community that is build of mostly white Americans it is normal for some members to feel a little discomfort upon being exposed to a drastic change.
Laura Doolan, a teacher in Maryland, dedicated an entire lesson to our new president and some of the misconceptions that surrounded Obama. I feel that what Doolan did was extremely beneficial for her students. She gave them a forum in which she revealed reliable information on our new president and allowed students to think and discuses their feelings on the subject. Educating our young students on the importance of being open and speaking about different races and ethnicities is crucial in my opinion. I don’t think that our nations will be able to truly move forward until our citizens are comfortable discussing their differences with students of other backgrounds. Doolan wanted to educated her students and prevent any false negative feelings that her students might be feeling upon the election this year.
In our lifetime the white class is no longer going to be the majority and many of us have seen and felt this with a large number of minorities moving into what used to be “white” communities. As this shift takes place I feel that it is imperative to educate our nation on different minority groups. I feel that education will help ease any tensions that some people of older generations might feel as their once “perfect white communities” become more ethnically and racially diverse. The article mentions a incident where racist graffiti was printed on the schools entrance. Students and faculty came together to remove the hurtful words and replace them with symbols that celebrated the unity of the school. This just goes to show that there are always going to be ignorant people who are unwilling to accept change but that there are also a great deal of people who are willing and even support the changes that are to come in our nation.
I feel that GOP activists were completely inconsiderate, ignorant, and obnoxious by his statements regarding Michelle Obama. I mean how a person can think that they are so perfect of an individual that they would publicly make some derogatory comments that way. I think that’s a big problem with the world today, people put too much time and effort worry about others and instead of taking care of their own issues. I mean sure everyone pokes fun at others one time or another, but to put it out publicly is just wrong. If the activist has a negative opinion about Michelle there are plenty of other ways to express their feelings besides talking down on the first lady. In addition, I never think race should be made fun of especially by people of a different race there are plenty of other things to find to talk about people besides race. The activist should definitely have to apologize for the remarks that he made which are probably extremely degrading and embarrassing towards Michelle Obama. You have to wonder what the activist would feel like if the roles were reversed and he was made fun of on a national level “food for thought”. Anyway the end of the story is don’t make fun of others because you never know when it will come around to bite you in the @##.
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