What is Racism?

If you go out onto the street, and ask strangers what racism means they can spit out a cookie cutter answer that will appease most people. But what does racism really mean? Is racism just the absolute hatred of another race?  Or is it something that is practiced everyday in our cities and on our streets? The answer is both. Racism is defined as the hatred for and against another race, but it is also something that is practiced everyday, by everyone. Even if we don't necessarily mean to. There was a blog post made by the D&C about racism and all that it entails. And in this blog post they have made several key and important points about the racism that we have today and whether or not it is racist or if it is considered to be normal. They bring up these important points. 

Is it racist for a restaurant wait staff to let a Latino couple who arrive early for the dinner rush wait until everybody else has been served?
I do believe that it is wrong and racist for a wait staff to let a Latino couple, who purposefully arrive early wait until everyone is seated and served. Just because the couples skin tone is different from others around them I feel like that shouldn't be the reason that they were made to wait. I could see if they arrived late and it was extremely busy, but since they arrived before the dinner rush I don't see a legitimate reason as to why they would have to wait, that to be is an example of racism. 

Is it racist for a white man to forbid African-American nurses from holding his newborn baby?'

I find this scenario extremely racist. Just because the nurse has a different skin tone than the husband/father doesn't mean that the nurse is going to give the new born baby some kind of incurable disease. This example is a racist attitude that has gone back since the liberation of the slaves after the civil war.

Is it racist for a white prospective police officer to be passed over in favor of an African-American because the city is trying to diversify its police force?

In this scenario I don't feel that this is racist. If both officers have the same qualifications and are both up to have the job, then I feel that there should be more diversity in the force. If there is more diversity in the force then there will be less of a chance of racism. And if they make it more diverse they are ensuring that racism is less and less likely. 

Is it racist for a person (of any color) to tell race-based jokes? (Is it worse if it's a white man telling the joke? Is it less of a problem it it's a black man?)

This example is iffy for me. Of course any race-based joke is horrible and shouldn't be told, but on the other hand, they get told and sadly it is an everyday occurrence. But it seems to be that the race-based jokes are deemed more racist when they are uttered out of the mouth of a white people, I don't know if it is because whites seemed to dominate others more, or if it is because it just seems less racist when coming from the mouth of the person for is the same ethnic background as the joke. Race-based jokes seem to go over better when said by a person of the same background, rather than a person of a different back ground. 

Is it racist for anyone, regardless of color, to use the "n"word. 

I personally think that it is racist to use to "n" word no matter what. But as society generally sees it, it could go both ways. If a white man says the "n" word then a whole issue comes up about racism and everything gets blown up, while you travel in some neighborhoods and the "n" word seems. to be, in a way, a term of endearment, or a greeting.    

Many people have different opinions about these questions. And you know what? That's OK, because we are human and humans naturally have differences of opinions, that what makes us human. My opinions might not be the same as yours, and we might not see eye to eye on everything but I decided to share 

them anyways. 

Holocaust and the Ten Commandments

Holocaust Timeline

1933

March 22- The first concentration camp, Dachau, located near Munich, Germany.

April 1- The Jewish shops and business were boycotted, per the request of the Nazis.  

May 10- Books were burned in Berlin and throughout Germany that were written by Jewish authors or anyone who didn’t support the Nazis.

July 14- Nazi became the only legal political party in Germany.

July- anyone with genetic defects was forced to be sterilized.  

September- October- Laws were passed to start limiting Jews and the rights that they had.

1934

January 24- Jews were banned on the German Labor Front.

May 17, Jews were denied national health insurance.

August 2- The German president dies and Hitler becomes Fuhrer.

1935

September 15- Nuremberg Race Laws against Jews was declared.

1936

March 7- Nazis get to occupy the Rhineland.

August 1- The persecution of the Jews were refrained due to the Olympic games.

1937

January- Jews were banned from practicing many different professions.

November 8- Anti-Jewish exhibits were open to increase the propaganda against them.

1938

July 23- Any Jew over the age of 15 had to apply for an identity card from the police, to be shown on demand from any police officer.

August 11- Nazis destroy the synagogue in Nuremberg.

August 17- Men had to add the name Israel and the women had to add Sarah, to all legal documents they had.

November 9, 10- Kristallnacht

1939

September 1- Nazis invade Poland

September 3- Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.

1940

February 12- The very first deportation of German Jews into Poland

1941

March 7- German Jews were forced into labor.

1943

January 18- First resistance by Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto        

1944

June 6- D-Day

1945

April 30- Americans free 33,000 inmates from the concentration camps

Many terms used during the time of the Holocaust.

-Antisemitism

      ·The hatred of Jews

  

-Concentration Camp

      ·A place where political prisoners were held, also any one that society saw as unfit. The Nazi party especially put this into practice.  

       

-Deportation

      ·Expelling a person from their homes/native land. This is when the Jews were forced out of their homes and into concentration camps.    

     

-Genocide

      ·The deliberate killing of a large group of people, usually from one specific ethnic group.

         

-Ghetto

      ·Part of the city where minorities live, usually a slum.

-Holocaust

      · Destruction or slaughter on a mass scale. This happens to the Jews during WW2 

-Kristallnacht

. Night of the broken glass, this is the night(s) that Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses were burned to the ground or destroyed.

The Holocaust was a horrible even that has taken place in history. Many evils took place the people that have participated in the Holocaust have broken many commandments that were given to us by God and therefore have sinned. The people that participated in the Holocaust have broken the 6^th, 8^th, and 9^th commandments that were given to us by God.    

6^th Commandment: You shall not murder. People relentlessly killed Jews because they saw them as an inferior race.

8^th Commandment: You shall not steal. The Nazi party ripped away people’s homes, business, and places of worship, their basic human rights, and their lives. They stole everything away from them.

9^th Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. The people that have known these people that were getting sent away to concentration camps turned the cheek and pretended not to see what was happening. 

My views on topics related to the 5th Commandment

    The fifth commandment covers many controversial topics. The church often makes its views on the subject pubic in forms of interviews and what not. But just because the church feels one way on that certain subject doesn’t mean we are forced to believe in the same thing. I personally don’t believe everything that the church says is wrong, is actually wrong. For example the topics, such as, assisted suicide, in-vitro fertilization, and capital punishment, I don’t necessarily believe is wrong, but the church teaches differently. 


    Assisted suicide can have many different right or wrong views, depending on the type of person you are and what you believe in. I personally believe that people that have incurable diseases or are suffering horribly and they have no chance of ever surviving and they, themselves, want to put an end to the pain and suffering then I believe that it is their choice to end their life prematurely. Having lived through grandparents that can't walk, don't remember your name, and all around suffering terribly and there's nothing that I could do, the feeling that you get is horrible. All you want to do is help them any way that you can. I believe that my family would go along with their decision with the assisted suicide, if one of the grandparents have had decided to go along that path. 


    In-vitro fertilization has been an option for couples around the world that can't get pregnant for many years now. I have very strong feelings for this subject, since my aunt has gone through it a number of times. The church teaches that in-vitro takes away what is meant to only be between a husband and wife (which is a totally different topic that I'm not going to get into). But I feel for people like my aunt that has gone through the pain of not being able to have kids, who also is very religious, have to church think that because they can't have kids means that they should just give up all together. If your desperate to have kids and have been trying for years to have them and just can't, then go ahead and have the procedure done. And then there our some people that are lucky and get a miracle baby like my aunt. It always seems that the most deserving people and the ones that should have kids the most don't get them, while people like octomom shouldn't be allowed to have kids. 


    Capital punishment also seems a likely candidate for the church to reject. But in truth the church doesn't condemn it as long as it is the last resort to keeping the public and society safe. I don't believe in this way of thinking. I believe that if you go around murdering dozens of people, you have some serious problems and you should get what karma has coming for you, which is exactly what you gave out, murder. I agree with the church that it shouldn't be used whenever people feel like using it but it should be reserved for the special kind of people in the society that shouldn't even have the right to pick up the trash on the side of the road. But altogether as a whole I think that the death penalty should be reinstated for the people that commit the crimes that hurt society the most.  



      

Trayvon Martin Case: The public reaction

        Most people are just hearing about the Trayvon Martin case. Everyone is getting involved, for example Will Smith and President Obama, just to name a few. Most of the truly dedicated to helping bring awareness to the case participate in the Hoodie March. Thousands have participated so far in the Hoodie March. Yet there are still some people that think Trayvon got what he deserved, (not true), or that it was all fake and it was just a Skittle commercial. I know what you're thinking but some people are just dumb enough to think that national news was just a ploy. Why would they think that it's just a made up story to sell Skittles. 
       President Obama was stated that if he had a son that he would have looked like Trayvon Martin and that it could have potentially have been his son that was shot done for wearing a hoodie. Many people have criticized Obama for saying that but it's true. Will Smith also stated that we live in America were the girl who throw flour on Kim Kardashin was arrested on the spot and the man who killed Trayvon is still walking around free.  I personally want to see George Zimmerman go to jail and stay there for a very very very long time. 


       There are also the people that are saying it was the hoodie itself that caused Trayvon's death. Clothing has nothing to do with it. Hoodies don't cause murder like mini skirts don't cause rape. People that are on the side of George Zimmerman are trying to make up as many excuses that are possible to get him to look innocent. 

        Like it or not every person is effected by Trayvon Martin. Whether they knew him personally, if they think that he was the one in the wrong, if they are one of the many that went out on marches and protests to rise awareness, every person knows about this case. There are also some people that are saying that, that could be the next Trayvon. Because of the stereotype no one is truly safe from the people like George Zimmerman. 

Trayvon Martin

                 Trayvon Martin. Most have heard of that name before. But in case you’re like me who doesn't really listen to the news that much, Trayvon Martin was a 17 year old teenager that was walking back to the condo he was staying at, coming from the store after buying an ice tea and a bag of Skittles for his younger brother.  That’s when George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon for being “suspicious”, and walking in the rain looking around, apparently that accounts for something being suspicious. Zimmerman later stated when police arrived on the scene that he shot Trayvon out of self defense. Why did Zimmerman need to use self defense? He is a 28 year old 250 pound grown adult with a gun going against a 17 year old 140 pound unarmed kid. Zimmerman could have easily won that fight if he really had to.

                 Trayvon did not have a criminal record but Zimmerman was charged with resitting arrest with assault and battery in 2005 but the charges were later dropped. The neighbors went on to say that Zimmerman is fixated on crime and tends to target young black males. And has called the cops on suspicious behavior 46 times since January 1, 2011. One neighbor told the public that one of the police officers "corrected" her when she said that she heard the young teen shout for help, by saying that it was in fact Zimmerman was the one who was screaming for help right before he shot Trayvon. Which is completely not what the witness heard. This is the same officer that initially failed to arrest a lieutenant's son who was videotaped attacking a homeless black man.  

                Before the 911 audio tape came out Zimmerman’s father went on the record saying that he never confronted the victim. But that was later proved wrong when the tape came out and Zimmerman was documented saying that he was following Martin and that he did get out of his car and continue to follow him even after he was told not too by the 911 operator. In the 911 recordings you can hear Trayvon yelling for help as Zimmerman chased him. If you’re in the neighborhood watch and someone is running away from you yelling help, usually they are not the ones that are causing the problems. If Trayvon had a weapon I’m 100% he would have pulled it out and used it on Zimmerman because I’m sure that Trayvon felt that his life had been threatened, why else would he had been yelling for help.

                As of right now Zimmerman has not been charged with a crime, police say that there is not enough evidence to charge Zimmerman with the murder of Trayvon Martin.   

The end to the "R Word"

                The “R-word”, most have used it and openly admit that they use it, while others know that it’s wrong but they still use it and hide the fact that they do in fact use it. I will not be one of those people living in denial. I admit that I have been known to say the “R word” and I know that it’s wrong but I never really grasped the concept that they understand what it means and that it hurts their feelings when they hear people saying derogatory things that were once used to define them, but are now being used to insult others. It has always been a bad habit of mine to use that word and not think of who I’m affecting around me.

                 I have always had the mindset that mentally disabled people don’t get what’s going on and get in the way a lot. Like they are good at just certain things and nothing else. Was I wrong or what! This past weekend I was working on my service hours for school and there also volunteering was a person who has adopted 3 mentally disabled kids.  At first I didn’t notice (because I tend to be slow at those types of things,) but when I did at first I was freaking out. Why do they have knives? Are you sure that they can handle that? And so on. And the answer to all those questions is yes. They can do whatever we can do, and in some cases they can do it better.  Those hours spent there were some of the best ones I have spent in a long time. They were so care free and happy and always laughing. Not “stupid”, “slow”, or anything in between that we tend to associate them with.

                And with volunteering there with them I had to make sure that I wouldn’t slip up and accidentally say something derogatory. There’s also the issue of having the habit of throwing it around in public because for most it is a horrible habit. You never know who is out there. Maybe someone is mentally disabled or someone is related or close friends with a mentally disabled person. The offense slur hurts more than just the people you’re directing the “joke” to; it can hurt a lot of other people.

                After spending those hours with them I can now truly see what mentally disabled people are actually like. They are not stupid or slow and they do deserve to be out in public just like everyone else. I am now truly starting to see what the “R Word” actually does to people and I want to do my best to help end it. 

My Teacher won’t let me Swear on the Internet

            Swearing, a controversial topic. Most people would say that it’s their 1^st Amendment right, freedom of speech. Yet our teacher won’t let us swear on the internet.

            Swearing is either looked at from the view point of, only uneducated and dimwitted people swear to the view point of, everyone does it, its part of our everyday language.  And I can see why our teacher won’t let us swear on the internet that he is personally connected to. It’s a “learning” tool that we get to use because of our computer use and we are a Catholic School.

            To me swearing is something that only seems right in certain situations. If its use is completely unnecessary in the conversation then I could see why its use would be looked down upon. But if something dramatic happens and the result is complete catastrophe then I could see the use of swearing in moderation, at least.

            I guess that my teachers request for us to not swear on the internet sites that he is connected to seems only fair. Since he is connected to it might seem like this class is a joke and it’s a free for all. Which is not the case what so ever. I’m sure that this is not so much to ask in terms of just not swearing around him and just on your own separate accounts.