Perspectives on Race

So, I’m currently enrolled in race and racism the anthropology class taught by Dr. Moore. Most interesting class and very enthusiastic teacher despite old age. We just had an exam and I was studying the notes and just couldnt get over how many ACTIVE hate groups are around. It was crazy to know that there were about 59 active kkk in Florida, the one that didnt sit well was that the imperial Klan was rght here in Gainesville. I’m not to chiper about that nor do I ever want to be in the wrong side of town. After being here for 3 years its crazy that Ive just found out about these group. I hope  none of those people who believe in those racist ideas attend this school or about to. Am I being discrimatory by saying that? I hope so because these people hang others for fun so they can get their education else where.

I was reading an article about the increase in racist incidents in schools in England from 2002 to 2006. In Leeds the number of incidents went from 1,142 to 1,430, in Birmingham it raised from 832 to 1,577, and in Manchester it went from 590 to 696. These numbers are outrageous and I was wondering if anyone thought statistics like these are possible or could be possible here in the US. If you do then why?

I personally feel that if racial matters in the US dont change then one day it could happen. Recently, there have been reports of racist incidents at different schools around the country and the fact that many schools don’t do anything to prevent it until it happens at there school is ridiculous.

Recently i watched a video of a C-Span caller calling in and making an absurd comment about the network. The caller was angry about the number of black people calling in and felt that it was being done on purpose. He told the announcer that C-Span should change their name to Black-Span because he felt that so many black people were calling in on the Republican line in defense of President. The caller stated that every time someone made a negative comment about President Obama a black caller would call in to defend the President. The caller also noted that when former President Bush was in office the problem was also similar but only this time blacks were calling in to make negative comments about the job that the former President was doing. When watching the video i was appalled by the things that the caller was saying and felt that the host should have cut him off for making comments like that. I feel that the caller doesn’t understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and are allowed to say whatever they want. Just as much as he didn’t want to hear blacks make negative comments about the job that President Bush did when he was in office he should realize that likewise blacks may not always want to hear all the negative things that he and other Republicans have to say about President Obama.

I was reading an article on Yahoo, and it was talking about how black people are familiar with the idea of having to work twice as hard as their white counterparts to make a way. Then it goes to say that it is even harder for women of color to make a living, and beat the odds. This statement is followed by statistics, and then the real question. Why is a woman, like Oprah Winfrey, condemned for her alleged lack of loyalty to the black community?

The question made me wonder the exact same thing, and that is why i am posting it here. Maybe my peers can give me better insight on this. We are all humans, and no one is perfect, but even still Oprah is a black woman in America who is considered the most successful black woman of her time.

so today I was at the library in one of the little cubicles on the 5th floor studying when I got distracted and started to read some of the jokes and comments written on the walls of the cubicle I was sitting in. Many were really funny until I got to one that said “I hate finals and Asians”. I find this extremely rude and I could not believe that someone would put something like that on the wall.  I don’t care if it was meant to be a joke or not because to simply put it: it wasn’t funny!

This past weekend I went to a white trash bash at this fraternity that is know to be more southern. What was interesting was that the girls didn’t really dress like “white trash” stereotypes. The majority of the girls were in pigtails, jean shorts, and a plaid top. It was just interesting how these girls thought that this kind of attire was considered “white trash.” That is the same attire that the men wear everyday to class. Did these girls think that the men were white trash? There was also not a single black person there. When I was walking around there house I saw a confederate flag and a sign next to it saying something along the lines of “if you don’t like it then leave.” I think being in this class has opened my eyes to racial issues that are around me every day.

I’m taking a course with a black theme, but ironically, our instructor is white. At dinner with a few friends from class, I remarked that although he seemed incredibly aware and sensitive to black struggles, it was still mildly awkward to hear him say certain things about black topics. I’ve noticed that some of the black guys in the class literally cringe when he says certain things. I feel that no one can ever really know the struggle of another group. I know what it’s like to be black, but I have no idea what it’s like to be Hispanic or white. I can’t say “white people think like this.” or “Hispanic people value these things.” Although he may have a lot of black friends and studied all there is to know about “blackness,” he can’t truly understand what it’s like to be black. This is what I think some in the class are sensing and find discomforting.

I am taking a class this semester called Crime, Gender, and Race and we  are now focusing on the treatment of women in the criminal justice system. We are learning that it is very hard for women to be taken seriously when they are apart of law enforcement, especially women who are minorities. They are either seen as weak and in need of protection or as masculine and lacking femininity. Women who offend are seen as being “bad” or “evil.” We are also learning that women who do end up in trouble with the law are treated more harshly than men because they do not adhere to the stereotype that women are suppose to be nurturing, caring, and submissive. Incarcerated women are also subject to being mistreated by officers who abuse their power which calls the integrity of our criminal justice system into question.

Union Academy, a charter school in North Carolina, has decided to change its policies  regarding racism and diversity after three white students attempted to put a picture of the KKK in a black student’s locker. They were stopped when students and eventually faculty members intervened and ended up punishing the students. The punishments included a 1 and a half day in-school suspension as well as two four-hour long Saturday detentions which would include an educational component on race relations. After a reaction from the student’s father who thought the punishment was too light, the school also worked to incorporate a plan to teach race relations more explicitly to their students as well as offer electives dealing with race issues for their older students.

I think this school is taking the right steps in attempting to assure that this sort of incident does not happen again. I feel as though many other schools do not need an incident of their own to happen and they can follow the example set forth by Union Academy. It is very unfortunate that this sort of event needed to happen for the school to open its eyes to the race issues they needed to deal with but hopefully,with the implementation of this new program, they can eliminate these sort of events from occurring again. Students need to be educated thoroughly on the issues that plagued this country since the beginning of our formation and the issues that still plague most of the world.

I was hanging out with a friend the other night and I met one of his roommate. His friend who I am sure was drunk started to call his friend a terrorist. He said because his friend was dark and looked like a  Muslim meant he was a terrorist. When I first met the friend his features did not cross my mind till the drunk friend mentioned it. I wander if this is something that he endured everyday in the hand of his friends or it was only in the drunk moment. Even if he hears this only when his friend is drunk, it makes you wander what they really think of him. To me that was a mean thing to say to a friend. Lets consider the fact that his roommate was just joking, I did not find it to be a funny joke. Your friends are suppose to be there be the one to stand up for you not throw you under the bus.