I feel that I have learned alot from this class. It has defenitely been way too much to sum up in one blog post but I will try. The most important lesson that I learned is being aware is not enough. You have to understand where people come from and take the time to learn about other cultures and ethnicities through research and personal experiences with others. You have to care enough about a problem or something to want to make a change. Unfortunately, not everyone is going to be passionate or care about the subject, but you never know when you may be able to influence someone or change their mind.
How many people in your life do you know that really want and try to make a difference daily? Show others how to make a difference. Take the time to get to know someone that you don't know and learn a few things about the way they live their life. You may not want to partake in it or you may belive in it but it will help you understand how this person thinks and where they come from in situations which will make the work place a lot easier.
Explain to your children that it is okay if other students in the classroom are different and that they should get to know others who aren't like them. When they are olderm encourage them to research the truth about other races and as questions. Be open minded to them so that they can learn to be open minded throughout their lives.
You may not see the direct effect of your actions because the problem involving race will take a lot more then just you to help fix it, but every action is a little step closer to a goal. You will have a bigger impact then you think you will.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Michael Jackson
Over the last few days, I have found that everyone is consumed with the tragic death of Michael Jackson. It seems to be the number one topic of all discussions including my own with my roommates. Why is it that after he dies, people wake up and focus on all of the positive aspects whereas when he was still here, his career had kind of taken a fall due to some poor judgments on his part that he was accused of making or in some cases did. Is it his tragic way of death that everyone is consumed with and the shock factor? Why is it that once he is dead, people can let go of the negative aspects of his life? Or have people done that? Michael did a lot of positive things throughout his life and had a huge impact on our society. He was involved in many charities and was always finding a way to help kids who were suffering whether it be from poverty or disease. I feel that his intentions were always good.
http://www.looktothestars.org/news/2729-michael-jacksons-charity-legacy
One of his biggest foundations was the "Heal the World" foundation where he educated children on drug and alcohol abuse and he raised millions of dollars for less fortunate children.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm-TlW9gXmk
So do you think that looking back and remembering Michael Jackson's life, that people feel bad about jumping to conclusions about his life and things that he supposively did? I know that I was guilty of judging and feel guilty about it. Whether he was innocent or not, is it right for him to be judged and thought to be a horrible person or a criminal? Wasn't he human like the rest of us therefore he is entitled to make mistakes if the accusations were true? I think this should be a really important lesson to people. It's easy to forget about the positive things and only focus on the negative, but when you think about a person, you should always avoid the negative and making judgments about the way they lived so that you can look at the big picture and appreciate who they really are.
http://www.looktothestars.org/news/2729-michael-jacksons-charity-legacy
One of his biggest foundations was the "Heal the World" foundation where he educated children on drug and alcohol abuse and he raised millions of dollars for less fortunate children.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm-TlW9gXmk
So do you think that looking back and remembering Michael Jackson's life, that people feel bad about jumping to conclusions about his life and things that he supposively did? I know that I was guilty of judging and feel guilty about it. Whether he was innocent or not, is it right for him to be judged and thought to be a horrible person or a criminal? Wasn't he human like the rest of us therefore he is entitled to make mistakes if the accusations were true? I think this should be a really important lesson to people. It's easy to forget about the positive things and only focus on the negative, but when you think about a person, you should always avoid the negative and making judgments about the way they lived so that you can look at the big picture and appreciate who they really are.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Dreams
In twenty years, I will be 41 years old. I plan on being a mother of two kids, a boy and girl hopefully (they will be about 10 or 11 at this time), and will have been married for 17 years. I will hopefully be living in Dallas. I hope to be a top producing realtor in the real estate company called Ebby Halliday in Dallas and be able to take off work to stay home with the kids some days if necessary because I will be able to pay a staff to help cover me at times. Ebby is one of the top producers in the Dallas area and has moved up to tenth in the national rankings even though it isn't a national company yet. I will have been with the company almost 20 years by then so I believe that I will be one of the top producers by then. I want to be financially secure. I want to be able to travel with the kids and be able to give them nice things but not spoil them...there is a difference!
In ten years, I will be 31 years old. This is right around where I plan on having kids. I will have been married for about 7 years and will have been working for Ebby for about 9 years by then. I hope to have really built up my reputation within the company by this point. But I don't want kids until right about this age or may 29 or 30 at the earliest. I will still be pretty career oriented.
In one year, I will be 22 years. I will have just gotten engaged and graduated college. I will move back to Dallas and get my real estate liscence so that I can start selling real estate in the fall. My boyfriend will still be at OU for law school so I will probably be doing a lot of visiting him and friends who will be 5th years.
In ten years, I will be 31 years old. This is right around where I plan on having kids. I will have been married for about 7 years and will have been working for Ebby for about 9 years by then. I hope to have really built up my reputation within the company by this point. But I don't want kids until right about this age or may 29 or 30 at the earliest. I will still be pretty career oriented.
In one year, I will be 22 years. I will have just gotten engaged and graduated college. I will move back to Dallas and get my real estate liscence so that I can start selling real estate in the fall. My boyfriend will still be at OU for law school so I will probably be doing a lot of visiting him and friends who will be 5th years.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Nike Anti-Racism Campaign
In high school, I knew of people (white people to be specific) who would throw out the "n" word like it was saying hello. First of all, aside from the meaning, it just sounds like a degrading and awful word. But then you put the meaning into it, and it is completely unacceptable. I don't understand how so people can honestly have the nerve to say that word to an African-American or even behind their backs to another white person. They are people and calling them that makes it sound like they aren't and like they are less. I personally have always considered someone who uses this term on a daily bases, a racist. Now, I could be mixing this term up with prejudice. However, I personally feel that for someone to be able to say this word like it means nothing, means that they have no care in the world about the race or how the people within the race feel therefore, I would say they are racist.
How do we stop this kind of behavior? Well, I used to ask my friend to please not use the word around me because I just really couldn't stand hearing it. It helped maybe a little bit but he still would use it on occasion. If we aren't able to change the minds of the ignorant, how are we supposed to do away with racism? Nike even did a campaign against racism which I wasn't even aware of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fpRKOK3Nb8
Did it help? Did it change the minds and opinions of some?
http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2005/0210/sport/kfididqlauid/
In the previous article, Neville claimed that there haven't been many racism problems in the last 5-10 years and that the campaign is irrelevant and shouldn't be run. Why do you feel that Nevelle considered this campaign such a threat? Would that statement alone constitute that he could be a racist? Or do you think there is a difference in ignorance and racism?
Could it be said that the people I knew in high school were ignorant? Or were they racist? How do you distinguish which one a person is? Is it necessary to know which they are before trying to change their outlook?
Unfortunately, I feel that there are some people that simply won't change. Nothing is a wake up call to them. I guess my hope is that if they feel a certain way, that they can learn to keep it to themselves and not possibly influence others.
How do we stop this kind of behavior? Well, I used to ask my friend to please not use the word around me because I just really couldn't stand hearing it. It helped maybe a little bit but he still would use it on occasion. If we aren't able to change the minds of the ignorant, how are we supposed to do away with racism? Nike even did a campaign against racism which I wasn't even aware of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fpRKOK3Nb8
Did it help? Did it change the minds and opinions of some?
http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2005/0210/sport/kfididqlauid/
In the previous article, Neville claimed that there haven't been many racism problems in the last 5-10 years and that the campaign is irrelevant and shouldn't be run. Why do you feel that Nevelle considered this campaign such a threat? Would that statement alone constitute that he could be a racist? Or do you think there is a difference in ignorance and racism?
Could it be said that the people I knew in high school were ignorant? Or were they racist? How do you distinguish which one a person is? Is it necessary to know which they are before trying to change their outlook?
Unfortunately, I feel that there are some people that simply won't change. Nothing is a wake up call to them. I guess my hope is that if they feel a certain way, that they can learn to keep it to themselves and not possibly influence others.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Two years ago when me and a few of my girlfriends went to Panama for spring break, we drove through Louisiana and stopped at a gas station. There was a very large group of African-Americans because they were going on a retreat and their bus stopped at the gas station too. Needless to say, we were the only white girls in the entire gas station. As we were leaving, a group of guys were looking at us and saying "oh a bunch of white girls, they must be celebrities" and asked to take a picture with us in kind of a mocking way.
The reason why i tell this story is because I don't like that all white people are assumed to be racist or think that they are better than everyone else. That is kind of making a stereotype about whites. Just because we are white and we stopped at a gas station with the majority being African-American, didn't mean that we were thinking that we were better than them or were looking down on them. So to joke and say that we are celebrities and imply that we are rich or what not isn't very fair because they don't know us. I feel that incidents like that one just make matters worse and create more problems.
http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/5177.html
I'm certainly not implying that this has never happened in a situation with all whites and a small group of African-Americans. I guess I just don't understand why it has to be this way. In order for their to be change, there has to be change on both sides. I feel that every race is guilty of stereotyping sometimes and making assumptions about people based on their skin color. I don't that a race in particular is at fault. I think that as humans, we tend to speak without thinking which only worsens situations. Even if the statement was not meant to be harmful, you never know how someone is going to take it so if it could possibly be harmful, maybe it's better left unsaid.
Not all African-Americans are the same and not all whites are the same which is why stereotypical views and assumptions are not fair.
http://www.retirethechief.org/Essays/stereotype0503.html
The article above lists the different stereotypes for African-Americans and whites. It is unfair to say that the people of either race are exactly as they are portrayed because many people won't fall into those stereotypes.
The reason why i tell this story is because I don't like that all white people are assumed to be racist or think that they are better than everyone else. That is kind of making a stereotype about whites. Just because we are white and we stopped at a gas station with the majority being African-American, didn't mean that we were thinking that we were better than them or were looking down on them. So to joke and say that we are celebrities and imply that we are rich or what not isn't very fair because they don't know us. I feel that incidents like that one just make matters worse and create more problems.
http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/5177.html
I'm certainly not implying that this has never happened in a situation with all whites and a small group of African-Americans. I guess I just don't understand why it has to be this way. In order for their to be change, there has to be change on both sides. I feel that every race is guilty of stereotyping sometimes and making assumptions about people based on their skin color. I don't that a race in particular is at fault. I think that as humans, we tend to speak without thinking which only worsens situations. Even if the statement was not meant to be harmful, you never know how someone is going to take it so if it could possibly be harmful, maybe it's better left unsaid.
Not all African-Americans are the same and not all whites are the same which is why stereotypical views and assumptions are not fair.
http://www.retirethechief.org/Essays/stereotype0503.html
The article above lists the different stereotypes for African-Americans and whites. It is unfair to say that the people of either race are exactly as they are portrayed because many people won't fall into those stereotypes.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Male Cheerleading
Did you know that males were introduced to cheerleading before females even were? And yet, our society continues to believe that cheerleading is not only a considered non-athletic, but is only for females.
When people see a female cheerleader, they think, "oh look at how cute or pretty she is in her little skirt". However, when people see a male cheerleader, they think, "why is he cheering instead of playing on the football team?"
Why is this? Some people feel that cheerleading does not show one's athletic ability; therefore, if a guy is a cheerleader, then he "must not be very athletic." I don't understand where this idea comes from because guys have to be very athletic to be a cheerleader. There is more to cheerleading then yelling for a team. What about the flips and the ability to throw women in the air?
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1685
But this in itself is a wrong assumption because there are women who are very athletic in this world. So just because women are cheerleaders, doesn't even mean that they aren't athletic so whoever is claiming that cheerleading is not a sport, is sadly mistaken because it is whether it is a male or female.
Why does it bother dads so much to hear that their son wants to be a male cheerleader? I think that it's because from the beginning, we have been programmed to think that little girls play with dolls and little boys play with footballs. Many dads probably played sports when they were little or if they didn't, they love sports and want to see their son play them and be athletic. In many cases, fathers don't understand why their sons wouldn't share the same passion for a sport because they are wired differently.
http://www.ubersite.com/m/85472
It's not right to make the assumption that just because a male is a cheerleader, that automatically means that he is gay. And honestly, does sexuality really make a difference in cheerleading? Whether he is straight or gay, he is doing what he wants to do and is happy. Wouldn't every parent want that? I would hope so.
When people see a female cheerleader, they think, "oh look at how cute or pretty she is in her little skirt". However, when people see a male cheerleader, they think, "why is he cheering instead of playing on the football team?"
Why is this? Some people feel that cheerleading does not show one's athletic ability; therefore, if a guy is a cheerleader, then he "must not be very athletic." I don't understand where this idea comes from because guys have to be very athletic to be a cheerleader. There is more to cheerleading then yelling for a team. What about the flips and the ability to throw women in the air?
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1685
But this in itself is a wrong assumption because there are women who are very athletic in this world. So just because women are cheerleaders, doesn't even mean that they aren't athletic so whoever is claiming that cheerleading is not a sport, is sadly mistaken because it is whether it is a male or female.
Why does it bother dads so much to hear that their son wants to be a male cheerleader? I think that it's because from the beginning, we have been programmed to think that little girls play with dolls and little boys play with footballs. Many dads probably played sports when they were little or if they didn't, they love sports and want to see their son play them and be athletic. In many cases, fathers don't understand why their sons wouldn't share the same passion for a sport because they are wired differently.
http://www.ubersite.com/m/85472
It's not right to make the assumption that just because a male is a cheerleader, that automatically means that he is gay. And honestly, does sexuality really make a difference in cheerleading? Whether he is straight or gay, he is doing what he wants to do and is happy. Wouldn't every parent want that? I would hope so.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Cheer and Football Camps
Honestly, I will be glad when the cheer and football camps are over. I live at the Reserve apartments and the cheerleaders and football players feel that it is necessary to walk in the middle of the road as a pack everytime I happen to be driving down Stinson. I guess people don't understand how to use sidewalks? But I can kind of relate because I use to do cheer and dance camps when I was younger. It's so funny how when you are younger dance and cheerleading are so important to you at the time, but when you get older, you realize there is so much more to life.
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