Monday, January 5, 2015

What questions do you have about America and black identity?

Using respectful language, please post any questions you may want to discuss in class about the black identity in America.  This may include anything related to the protests and injustices around the black lives matter movement.

Rules:
1.  Post your name and period number first.
2.  Capitalize your question and end with a ???!
3.  Reread the question before pressing POST to see if you might be biased, prejudice or hurtful in your question.

Each question is one point of extra credit toward your assessment grades:  quizzes, tests, projects.

52 comments:

  1. Alexander Freda / period 8
    I would like to know if anyone in class has experienced racial prejudice and if so, how/when?

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    1. I can say I've witnessed racism but never experienced it, i remember seeing how hurt and offended the student was feeling and couldn't do anything but cry because she felt that she wasn't respected as a human being.

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  2. Alexander Freda / Period 8
    How do you feel about the behavior of law enforcement officers and African Americans?

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  3. what do you think would have happen if it was the other way around and the whites were the ones being treated like slaves? how do you think they would feel? why do you think they did this if they wouldnt want things like this happening to them selves?

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    1. it would be exactly the same as it was written as in our history books. all that would change is the colour of the skin not the mindsets of the people. They would feel the same exact way as the blacks have been back then and even today. they would be the ones persecuted today and would have the events such as fergusen and police officers shooting first asking questions later.

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  4. Bryanna Guerron/period 8
    How has racism changed throughout the recent years?

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    1. Racism has changed over the years because ever since equality has became a big part of the United States people would be looked at differently if they was to be caught being prejudice to others.

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  5. in response to Alex freda i have experienced racial prejudice in one way or another it is because i am Arabic people used to call me Osama bin laden son only because i look Arabic speak it and i am Arabic and i don't feel it is right for me to receive that negative feedback because of my race and/or religion

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  7. habib berredjem pd/4
    how did rtacism ever come into the world? and who decided what race would be the Superior race?

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  8. I'm sorry to hear that Habib. From tonight's reading did anyone pick up where it says every 28 hours a unarmed black man is killed by law enforcement. What is your opinion on that? I feel that this is some crazy statistics and pretty crazy no one is paying attention to this situation what can we do to end this?

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    1. Alex, but a cop's job is to arrest those who are breaking the law, regardless of their ethnicity

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  9. Omar Guerrero-Cruz/Period Four
    I was reading the Kristen Coke article about her participation in the Michael Brown marching and I think I was the only one that found it a bit biased. Simply because I inferred from her constant usage of race case terminology that police officials are abusing their power. I mean like, I believed that she was almost demonizing the deputies, sheriffs, officers etc. Honestly to me I felt that she had the same perspective of Al Sharpton and his perspective of the cops that live in New York and other places. I believe that Al Sharpton shouldn't be considered a Civil Rights Activist simply because of the history of his racism towards the white man as well as blatantly labeling the case of Mike Brown a "racist case". We cannot simply label a case racist, if we do not have sufficient evidence supporting such allegation. Furthermore, Coke's constant mentioning of the African American oppression, doesn't convince me to switch to her side, I still remain obdurate. Immigrants, Native Americans, Mexicans, Jewish, Quakers, Arabic etc. etc. have been oppressed as well in America. Through the terrible unconstitutional bills that have been passed, the kleptocracies, plutocracies, corrupt government officials, made everyone in America feel oppressed and stripped away from their civil liberties and constitutional rights. This is why I believe the article by Kristen Coke was biased, am I the only one that believed this? Because racism is racism, no matter what raise is taken advantage of. Does anybody else share the same opinion as me?

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    1. Well, of course the text is biased, and heavily so. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, either, seeing as this is an opinionated piece and attempting to persuade the reader. I don't think she had as strong of a view as Rev. Sharpton, who I believe is further aggravating and profiting off of racial tensions in America. You do bring up a completely valid point about the motivation behind the killing. Michael Brown's death was not explicitly a racially driven killing, and it's a very difficult task to discern what was truly going on in the heads of the two people involved.

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    2. Definitely, two corroborations! After reading your reply to my question, I've noticed how your position simply transpired. Since America was built upon race and civil injustices, society will simply make something a race case. The plethora of people that believe such case is a race case are evidently based on assumptions; blatantly labeling a case racist is not the solution here.

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  10. yea that statistic stood out to me too what cam to my mind is that it just because you are unarmed doesn't mean that you are not a threat against society

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  11. Jesus Garcia Period 8
    How would you define racism?

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    1. Racism to me is defined as one person not being treated as equally as one other.

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  12. Has racism increase throughout the years ?

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  14. Selina Chen pd 8

    Although the public has made a big commotion over the deaths of two men named Bown and Garner due to their "race". Why does no one seem to express justice against the two innocent police officers that were killed by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, who was supposedly vowed to avenge the deaths of Brown and Garner?

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  15. Why are people continuously witnessing racism but does nothing to stop it?

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    1. Some people just dont feel it upon themself to get into other peoples buissness but that still doesnt make it ok for blacks to be mistreated with no consequences.

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    2. Without dispute I would have to agree with you Selina that individuals do seem to remain dormant to racism in America sometimes.But we have seen movements became belligerent and later become quite futile.The key to resolving civil unrest is to show to the nation we stand united and convey that peacefully.

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  16. Selina Chen Period 8
    Why do you think it is unethical to seek justice for only one race?

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  17. Great question Isis.But its sad to say its almost impossible to eradicate all the stereotypes that individuals hold towards African Americans.But there might be pragmatic ways to make these stereotypes less prevalent in American society and the most paramount is looking towards the media to do so.The great Malcolm X once averred "The media's the most powerful entity on earth.They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent , and thats power.Because they control the mind of the masses".The media has the power to galvanize the masses, which includes paving the mind set for individuals and the stereotypes towards African American. For instances a reporter from Fox news stated (Jay z) "Former crack dealer meets with Gov.Cuomo".We clearly know that today this is not the Jay Z who is known but, rather a philanthropist and legal entrepreneur.By the media calling some one as prominent to the black community as Jay Z a former drug dealer , perpetuates the long standing vilification of African Americans. Ultimately, what this does is leads the masses to render all successful African Americans former miscreants. Finally, the media covered 2 different shooting about 2 different young teens. The Black gentleman’s headline read "Police:Micheal Brown struggled with officers before shooting" and on the other hand the white gentleman’s headline read"Theater shooting suspect was Brilliant science student".By the media choosing to disperse the worst information about African Americans fuels the stereotypes which this nation holds against them.The media does not circumscribe these publications to only African American but also many other minority in the U.S.. When the media decides to begins doing their job, which includes being impartial, then we might see the mind set towards minorities change.

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  18. Bryanna Guerron/ Period 8
    How can racism be explained to a younger generation of children?

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  19. Omar Guerrero-Cruz/Period Four

    Yes! What Ronaldo just said is evidently correct, the media has the power to change ones opinion on a topic proposed. Since the media and newspapers are ubiquitous everywhere we go, we are taught to "eat what we are served" simply because it is there, and since it's the most used source to receive news about political, economic and social aspects of life. If we could simply curtail the number of individuals who see the news and read newspapers that are completely biased, we may know the truth instead of something that was exaggerated up to a point where it seems absurd, but the general public will still believe what the writers publish and what the news broadcast. This is assimilation to American corruption, we must not conform to their ways and corroborate with ignorance, and what we don't know about. For example, Malcolm X was aforementioned, I recall one time when the media was demonizing him and labeling him as an extremist, but how can they make that allegation when a certain point in his life as an abolitionist he sent his peaceful protestors back home due to him hearing a rumor that some of his supporters carried firearms planning to shoot cops? Was he always a violent protestor, who believed in black supremacy? Not at all. The media should not broadcast an event in which they have little evidence and intelligence on a topic. They may seem erudite on the subject, but in actuality they're feeding toxins to the American public with ignorance and the lack of research on a subject. The media is not pristine in anyway, they're broadcasting jingoistic materials to us in a euphemistic method.

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  20. In response to Selena's question, Selena it is very hard to just end racism in seconds minutes or days it's nearly impossible for you to just tell every person in the world guys stop being racist, it doesn't work that way sadly but you can start a movement because more people are followers then leaders and therefore you can get some people who have the same beliefs as you to join you!

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  21. Does one ethnic group experience more racism then another?

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    1. Sad to say but yes i agree that there are some ethnic groups that are more racist against then others just for the simple fact of previous tragedies.

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  22. Mokhtari Habib Berredjem

    Something that stood out to me in article 2 was the quote in the 4th paragraph "but now there are people who are unable to understand why the same people marching in protest of the deaths of unarmed black people at the hands of law enforcement are not mobilizing in the same way for Liu and Ramos. they claim that the protesters don't truly want justice if they do not seek it in the same way for everyone.REALLY

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  23. what does every one else think about this statement i think it is 100% accurate

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  24. Has the judicially system become impartial to all races?

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  25. There is definitely extreme bias in mainstream (at least, American) news outlets that only worsen the image of blacks- particularly black young men- in the United States. This type of news reporting is done to incite fear and draw attention, and boost up ratings. What people need to be aware of, however, is not only how the media portrays them, but also how they outwardly express themselves. A few days after the shooting of Michael Brown, footage was released of him strong-arming a store clerk and walking out with a box of cigars. While this does not justify his death in any way whatsoever,- a human life can never be compared to material goods- it goes to show that the media shouldn't withhold information simply to keep the images of black individuals pristine. What the media does need to do is stop treating white individuals who have done the same or even worse things with much more leniency. Mass shooters like Adam Lanza are sometimes cast as victims of society or tragic cases of mental disorder (although most people with mental disorders get by in life fine without committing acts of violence), despite doing much more horrendous things than Michael Brown or Eric Garner.

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  26. What has made racism increase over the years?

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    1. I sort of disagree D.Sounders because you mentioned why you believe racism continues, however you simply mentioned the blacks. If racism hasn't increased as you state, why are so many more people being discriminated nowadays?

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  27. to answer alex fredas personal question in the beginning, i have personally experienced racial discrimination but to too much. however, i know the stereotypes that hispanic people go through ,
    especially central americans for ex: salvadorian, mexican, guatamalan, honduran, etc. which i am salvadorian and puerto rican and people think that salvadoreans are like the other central americans when it comes to immigration. i don't want to get into detail however it is very hurtful stuff. also on my other side, puerto ricans aren't as bad ( so far i have see) however, people say puerto ricans are loud and ghetto. and other stuff as well.

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  28. no it is never going to end because society today is getting worst

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  29. Why hasn't america changed their views on black yet? Americans have been jeopardizing blacks for so long and yet they still discriminate them today.

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    1. why you ask? because people arent willing to accept that people are people and that everyone can be equal if they all just accept this. however it is not that simple. there are many people today that still believe that black people are less than them and that they should be enslaved once more. Which is another reason as to why we have the KKK still around.

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    2. Some americans still havent changed their views on blacks yet because they are just to stubborn to reliaze the change on slavery and dont feel like they should change their view on what they believe isnt right.

      Kevin Urena Period 4

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    3. I agree, but I would also like to add on that now it is not only the black people who are being discriminated, but since immigration has increased its more like if you don't "look" American people tend to view you different.

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    4. I agree with giovanni , because an example of discrimination to hispanics is shown in the stop and frisk which is very controversial .

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  30. well..shouldnt we ask ourselves, how will it end? how can people really get others to accept those of different skin colour or, different ethnic back grounds to be treated equally.. however equality is not justice, so shouldnt we ask how can we come to justice on the topic of racism.. am i right?

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  31. How so? Do you mean because of the media?

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  32. Racism will come to an end when people stop being prejudice and stop being so judgmental to others because of there skin color or money problems.

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  33. Does anyone believe that someone like Dr.Marthur Luther King can come around and change the perspective of many minds like he did?

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  34. Do you think the president should play a bigger role in the Blacklivesmatter movement?

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