https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs Made with eyes on the prize en-us 2017-12-06 15:00:14 UTC 2025-12-07 20:56:24 UTC hello@padlet.com michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/213729954 Brian Stevenson is a human rights lawyer who knows a lot about the current justice system. Brian has spoken to Rosa Parks before and learned what someone like that believed in. He is absolutely right in everything he says as he pulls out very significant statistics about the population of African American men incarcerated in the country (1/3)  and how about 34% of the black males in Alabama alone have lost their right to vote. In Stevenson's opinion, the biggest issue nowadays is the combination of misconduct in the courtroom and the exaggerated punishments for drugs. Brian, in court, has seen thirteen year-old boys being tried as adult males. The injustice in the court system makes the United States possess the highest amount of incarcerated people in the world. When race is involved in a case, where jury members or judges or police officers make biased decisions, the black individual being tried will almost be guaranteed time in jail. The whole justice system is out of order and a change in this could actually really change the negative identity put on African Americans as a community, as a race. Currently they have been seen as a people who much more commonly participate in crime while that is only the case because of injustice and/or racist influence.]]> 2017-12-06 15:02:02 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/213729954 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/214437865 Although the overuse of the N-word in rap music has given the term a connotation of "dude" or "bro" which would make it acceptable to use in conversation, or to sing along with in the song, this word is still quite an offensive term to many people. According to the project by the Washington post, a man interviewed said it all comes back to hip hop/rap music. He said that this culture has indirectly given a weak pass to all to possess the use of this word in conversation when meanwhile that is really not the case. First, the only pass given to this word, again according to the project, is if you're black. Second, just because it is used in a rap does not mean it is not offensive. In some songs artists have used to word with context around it to make sure people knew it was offensive. ]]> 2017-12-08 10:45:42 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/214437865 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/214442145 In the story of American History, there was a time where the Irish, Roman Catholic Immigrants were treated in a way like they were black. Supremacists wanted them gone because they interbred with their "good", white American females, they would cause a lot of crime in the streets, and they did not practice the same exact religion (even though they all fall under christianity). This document does describe the ways the Irish became "white" or peacefully lived in America. After the job attaining, the political position attaining the civil helpfulness, the Irish did one thing that accepted them more than the rest. The Irish began to treat black people just as every other racist, white American did. It was the most popular tradition in the country so it would gain them more respect than not. They were already the same complexion as the white Americans so all they had to do was act that way and they were in. I am Irish, quite Irish in fact. You can tell by my short height, my devotion to winning an argument, and my ability to tell myself to stop acting like a wimp and tough it out. I am disappointed in my ethnicity (not my relatives because they did not come over until late 1800's--the turn of the century) for just letting themselves fall into the crowd of racists and supremacists that were not doing the country any good. They were taking two steps back for every one step forward abolitionists took.]]> 2017-12-08 11:10:28 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/214442145 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/214507766 This piece of slam poetry is quite powerful for someone to watch/listen to it. Alex Dang explains the usages of stereotypes on Asian people and then he explains all of them and their true meaning. He stares down the racist people in society, calling them out for their actions. Alex Dang's last line, "...and I still, feel." Is most definitely something that can be related to Jim in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". During many times of the book it seems that people, including Huck, do stuff to Jim that could only be done to someone who has no emotions or feelings. Meanwhile Jim proves that wrong when he shows his feelings of anger after people tried to make him look like a fool. ]]> 2017-12-08 14:49:31 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/214507766 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/215800001 Toni Morrison, author of "The Amazing, Troubling Book", really expresses her beliefs behind the book, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". What she thinks is the base behind the story is the impact of society. To Morrison, Jim is the safety Huck needs when he is put into a world full of cruelty, racism, and corruption. Huck is the example of a white immigrant (Not Irish or Italian) coming over to America during the later 1800's. Newly exposed to this new world, the influence of society helps him fit in. In the society of the book, you have to be quite racist and cruel. Disregard human life if it's of a colored person, and treat them worse than pets. Morrison exploits this point made in the book and describes her initial reaction to it while reading the book at a young age, then later on in life and the difference in the understanding that came with age.]]> 2017-12-13 14:28:27 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/215800001 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/215813250 Imaani Jamillah El-Burki, a professor at Lehigh University, experienced her students being put in a racist conflict. A multicultural house was egged and intimidated by a group of racist, unnamed individuals, on Wednesday night Nov. 6... last month. Imaani explained that students and young people believe that racist times are in the past, and that they can feel comfortable in a multicultural societal setting. She knew, and confirmed by this experience, that is not the case. She tells how most of her colleagues were alive during the Kennedy-MLK era so they should know how to take action to racism, yet they don't teach about it. They don't help students overcome a racist trouble because they assume it is not existent. Imaani emphasizes that this problem is very existent and requires educators to help those who deal with racism.]]> 2017-12-13 14:52:43 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/215813250 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/215822839 Between the span of 20 years, 1995-2015, Americans had a fluctuating opinion whether racism was a big issue or not in our country. In 1995, at the end of the OJ Simpson trial and the Rodney King case, 41% of the country believed racism was a big issue. This was the largest number to have that opinion until 2015's recording. Yet in 2011, on 28% of Americans believed that racism was a big issue. Now multiple incidents happened between 2011 and 2015 to redirect that 28% back up. The first event I can think of is Trayvon Martin's shooting, then Eric Garner a father of six, then Michael Brown a college student, Laquan McDonald, 12-year old Tamir Rice... The list goes on and on. Events like this really affect everything that has to do with racism, and it is essentially an answer to the main question: is society going forwards, backwards or sideways with racial equality? According to the statistics society is going sideways a lot. Events like the ones mentioned give a label to police officers, it creates a tension between races, and it tears a whole in the community of the United States. Shootings should not be the only thing to make people aware of racism, it should always be an issue, so it can be demolished sooner. Just like times of the Articles of Confederation: not having an army during times of peace (no declared war) obviously did not work. An army, just like racism, should always be concerned about.]]> 2017-12-13 15:09:54 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/215822839 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/216504175 Racism affects places with a decent sized population of black people more, but it is seen in places with less black people, more often. The quality of life between white people and black people is much better down in the south or in large cities where there tends to be a greater population of African Americans. Why? Because it is more awkward when somebody white sees somebody black in places like New Hampshire just because it does not happen often. You cannot justify or explain the level of awkwardness that flows between an interaction of the sort but it is there and it is prominent. From personal experience Jim Schutze explains that seeing or hearing racist comments is not only more abundant in New England, but the reaction to it is minimal. It flies over people's heads because they know they most likely will not have to talk to someone black about it. ]]> 2017-12-15 15:02:21 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/216504175 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/216870847 The topic of this article is equity in the work force of NH. Matthew J. Mowry tells of New Hampshire's push for a more equal, comfortable work force that takes in anyone if they are fit for the job. This article mentions the level of comfort a white person has when discussing their white privilege, and it's low. Once this topic is dealt with and understood, and the conversation about racism is had, leaders of businesses should feel more comfortable in recognizing where there are racist mistakes made in their companies. This ties into the essential question because it shows an attempt of "moving forward" as a society. If the companies in New Hampshire that experienced the Endowment of Health invitational retreat really went back and straightened it up in their individual places of work, that right there is already improvement. But we also see a sense of "moving sideways" in this article because it really tells the reader that we have not made this effort to be comfortable discussing something that has been alive forever, white privilege. And this article was just about New Hampshire in 2015, so many other states still have this issue and need to discuss and change it.]]> 2017-12-18 08:47:30 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/216870847 michael_laselva https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/216878506 There are people that believe they are very progressive and sophisticated when it comes to racism, in America. Some of these people feel a sense of pride when they express their opinions on the topic. Yet still a lot of these people are no help. It is great that there are a lot of attempts to change the racially unsafe environments but in the end a lot of it is no help. It does not actually do change and do good, but just give more pride to those who tried to fix a problem too big for themselves. It is not known if is programmed in our brains or if it is just mere stubbornness to change, bur racism in America is existent and the sooner EVERYONE becomes comfortable to make an effort, the sooner it will die off.]]> 2017-12-18 09:25:06 UTC https://padlet.com/michael_laselva/zbce4zzzacfs/wish/216878506