Have you seen the documentary "A Class Divided"? About the 3rd grade teacher who divided her class into "brown eyed people" and "blue eyed people" and told them that the brown eyes were better than the blue eyes...and basically experimented with how predjudice works?
I have not actually seen the documentary, but I've studied it in many of my classes verbally. Her results were powerful and unsurprising to me, which makes me sad.
Have you, by any chance, seen the new movie Coach Carter?
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...AND (interesting sidenote) I learned in one of my previous black studies classes that Hitler was laregly the catalyst for the construction of race. This doesn't necessarily surprise me, but it surprised me how: in order to successfully discriminate against Jewish people, he had to make them part of a group that could not be changed. People switch religions all the time, but you can never switch your race. And thus, Judaism became a race rather than a religion. Talk about W-T-F mate. People still talk about Jews as their own race, and THIS is Hitler's legacy. Damn
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I haven't seen Coach Carter, although I've wanted to since you suggested it. Lately I've been busier than I can handle though, so I'll probably have to wait until it comes out on video
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41/(2005-1619) = 41/386 = Only 10.6% of our country's history is free from legalized discrimination, unfortunately. It's a strange idea, isn't it? I'm flattered that you hung it up at work, but I really can't take credit for it. Hector Lopez, my TA, was totally the one who made me think about it.
The comment your dad made could be taken a number of ways, and I'd like to afford benefit of the doubt to your family, but if it's something you remembered, you may want to ask your dad about it, no matter how irrelevant it seems. Racism is a huge problem in my family, and I don't think things get solved as quickly when we skirt the issues.
That said, I agree with you when you say no one has the right to call you a cracker if it's a word you're offended by. A number of my white friends in high school self-identified as crackers, so it's hard for me to see it as being on the same plane as slurs directed at racial minorities, but that certainly doesn't negate how it makes you feel, and I think it's good that you've thought about it.
I think you're right when you say that it won't be over for a long time, and I think the reason is that it's so multi-faceted, and more often than not, very subtle, more attitude-based than action-based.
That said, I agree with you when you say no one has the right to call you a cracker if it's a word you're offended by. A number of my white friends in high school self-identified as crackers, so it's hard for me to see it as being on the same plane as slurs directed at racial minorities, but that certainly doesn't negate how it makes you feel, and I think it's good that you've thought about it.See, I have black friends who identify with the N word and call each other it, but if I where to say it, it's a racial slur and it's not okay. Racial slurs are never okay, and being from a somewhat small town where the vast majority are white, I've gotten into no more then a few arguments because of ignorant racist attitudes. But if someone of a different race where to call me a cracker, then that's okay, because I'm white. It's a racial slur no matter how you look at it, it's never okay. It's putting me down as a white person. It's very biased, I mean, it doesn't happen a lot and I don't get a lot of flack for it, but when I bring it up with
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Well I have friended you for a reason. I'm not sure what that reason is, but your journal appeals to me. And in my dorkish desperate attempt to get people to read my journal more often I thought I would tell you a little about myself.
My name is Lu'cas and I live in Fresno, California. I am 19 years old. I have a boyfriend named David and have alot of great friends, and a weird little sister named Heather. We do alot of weird shit, I'll tell you that.
My life has been amusing thus far, and I encourage you to friend me back (if you haven't already) and begin your journal into Lu'kei Land.
And If you wanna chat and you have AIM its the same name as my journal(hmwrdlookngangl)... hope to talk to you soon.
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Have you, by any chance, seen the new movie Coach Carter?
-----------------------------------
[to finish the first comment, haha]
-----------------------------------
...AND (interesting sidenote) I learned in one of my previous black studies classes that Hitler was laregly the catalyst for the construction of race. This doesn't necessarily surprise me, but it surprised me how: in order to successfully discriminate against Jewish people, he had to make them part of a group that could not be changed. People switch religions all the time, but you can never switch your race. And thus, Judaism became a race rather than a religion. Talk about W-T-F mate. People still talk about Jews as their own race, and THIS is Hitler's legacy. Damn ( ... )
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Does this mean that only 12% of our country's history is free from legalized discrimination? (Am I doing the math right?)
That's a powerful idea. I printed out parts of your post and hung it up at my desk at work, just to remind me.
Thanks.
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That said, I agree with you when you say no one has the right to call you a cracker if it's a word you're offended by. A number of my white friends in high school self-identified as crackers, so it's hard for me to see it as being on the same plane as slurs directed at racial minorities, but that certainly doesn't negate how it makes you feel, and I think it's good that you've thought about it.
I think you're right when you say that it won't be over for a long time, and I think the reason is that it's so multi-faceted, and more often than not, very subtle, more attitude-based than action-based.
Reply
Reply
Well I have friended you for a reason. I'm not sure what that reason is, but your journal appeals to me. And in my dorkish desperate attempt to get people to read my journal more often I thought I would tell you a little about myself.
My name is Lu'cas and I live in Fresno, California. I am 19 years old. I have a boyfriend named David and have alot of great friends, and a weird little sister named Heather. We do alot of weird shit, I'll tell you that.
My life has been amusing thus far, and I encourage you to friend me back (if you haven't already) and begin your journal into Lu'kei Land.
And If you wanna chat and you have AIM its the same name as my journal(hmwrdlookngangl)... hope to talk to you soon.
~Lu'cas~
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