EngageChat

Reverse Racism and the Science of Race

2009-09-30T19:42:00Z

What was your opinion of the Reverse Racism program held at LaCASA?
What did you learn?
What did you think of the comments from the audience?
Did this program change your views on race in anyway?

Second, take theRace IAT, and the skin tone IAT at the following website.
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

What are your preferences?
Why do you think you have these preferences concerning race and skin color?
Do you think the results of these tests are valid and reliable? Why or why not?
Make your argument within the context of the readings and lectures thus far.

Provide specific details on what you will do in college to accomplish your professional goals.

2009-09-20T02:15:00Z

Social Responsibility and Leadership

2008-10-06T03:46:00Z

In 4-8 sentences (150-300 words), answer the following questions:

1) What are five enduring (i.e., positive) qualities (i.e., characteristics) that you personify and why?

2) What are three "need to work on" qualities? How can you improve on these?

3) In what ways are you socially responsible? Provide an example or two.

4) What can you do on a regular basis to be more socially responsible?

Why are you here? The Purpose of Education

2008-09-05T02:03:00Z

In 150-300 words (roughly 4-8 sentences) answer the following topic question: "Why are you here? The Purpose of Education." In 150-300 words, answer the following topic question: "What is the purpose of your life?"

In this blog, also provide your demographic information that we discussed in class.

Reflection Statement 2-Science of Race

2008-02-29T10:09:00Z

<:od>Your reflection statement for next week, which is due by 1700 on Tuesday, is to take the Arab-Muslim IAT, the
Race IAT, and the skin tone IAT.
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
What are your preferences?
Why do you think you have these preferences concerning race and skin color?
Do you think the results of these tests are valid and reliable? Why or why not?
Make your argument within the context of the readings and lectures thus far.

Race and Education

2007-09-22T19:06:00Z

Dubois and Garvey Groups,

What is Kozol's main thesis or argument in Savage Inequalities?

Do you see this problem still persisting now? If so, how?

What are the most important factors for successful academic achievement?

Why are these the most important factors for individuals to be
successful academically?

Race, Law, and Civil Rights

2007-09-18T19:47:00Z

Garvey Group,

Briefly discuss the major accomplishments (e.g. major court cases and
outcomes) of the Civil Rights Movement. Do you think the strides
achieved during the Civil Rights Movement are still intact today? If
not, what accomplishments have relapsed and why?

Reparations

2007-09-06T18:15:00Z

Do you think too much emphasis is placed on slavery and that Blacks should get over it? Do you think reparations are in order for American slavery? What about the Japanese Americans and Canadians who received reparations following World War II (WWII)? Why have Jews been able to overcome the Holocaust while Blacks seem to not have overcome slavery?

These are typical questions individuals ask when discussing reparations. However, most individuals do not know the true definition of reparations or the history of reparations in America and other parts of the world. Reparations are the process or act of being repaired. It normally entails making amends through compensation. While reparations normally entail monetary compensation, they are given as land, services, goods, and institutionally funded government programs.

Jews who were enslaved during the Holocaust received over $822 million. The Federal Republic of Germany provided $715 million in goods and services to the State of Israel as compensation for taking in survivors. $110 million were given to the Claims Conference for Programs to finance the relief, rehabilitation, and resettlement of Jewish Holocaust survivors. Direct reparations to selected individuals were also given over a 12-year period. Germany was once compensating 275,000 survivors. Today, approximately 120,000 living Holocaust survivors are still compensated as a result of the Holocaust.

Regarding Japanese Americans and Canadians who were imprisoned during WWII, the U.S. government had made unofficial restitutions worth $38 million by 1965. In 1988, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act, which authorized both a Presidential apology and the beginning of reparation payments. Altogether, $20,000 each had been granted to 82,220 claimants, plus additional sums to 2,000 Peruvian citizens of Japanese descent who had been kidnapped and imprisoned during WWII in hopes of exchanging them for U.S. prisoners of war. Taken together, over $1.2 billion in reparations were paid for WWII imprisonment to Japanese Americans and Canadians. Regarding Native Americans, over $275 million and 250,000 square miles of land have been issued to Native American tribes.

In sum, reparations are possible and are given to make amends for wrong doing. In 1865, Blacks were told they would receive 40 acres and a mule. Unfortunately, they never saw any of this land. Since Blacks knew how to farm better than whites due to fielding during slavery, this idea was quickly placed by the way side as whites predicted a change in the economic slate of America with Blacks having a high rate of upward mobility. What would the economic and social arrangement of Blacks be if they received that land? What would their economic and social arrangement look like if they received similar compensation for their number of years enslaved as Jews, Japanese Americans and Canadians, and Native American groups?

If you are like most individuals, you did know these groups received reparations for this long and for this amount. Since Blacks do not have the political or economic power similar to the Jews or the Japanese, the investment in return for giving Blacks reparations is perceived to not be a good one for the U.S. government. I know most individuals have an opinion on reparations and that is a start. However, I would like to streamline your comments by considering the following questions:

Should States Apologize for Slavery? Should anyone, any group, or any entity apologize? Why or why not? If so, who or what?

Should Blacks be given reparations for slavery? Why or why not?

If so, what individuals and/or entities should receive reparations? You can also create a new government program(s) or revamp an existing one. These programs may include No Child Left Behind, Affirmative Action, etc.

How much money should be allocated for reparations? As you see from above, there is no amount too large.

Some forms of reparations may include but not limited to federal health care, discounts of home loans where government matches 2 to 1 and/or provides 10% down payment assistance, federal retirement packages, secure social security benefits, college tuition to any American university, compensation for the 25% less that Blacks earn on the dollar compared to whites, equitable education reform for underprivileged schools, an institutionalized mentoring program that entails Black professionals being given an allowance that pays for them to mentor and guide underprivileged youth, innovative minority and socially-based jobs and companies, and rewriting and teaching the factual history of America and beyond.

Let me note, EngageDiversity is staying neutral on this important issue. Most of these great suggestions stem from students in Rashawn Ray’s Race and Ethnic Relations course.

As always, we aim to continuously make individuals socially aware and encourage them to have an opinion on important matters. This issue has also been raised to Presidential candidates so it very much in the forefront of mainstream and public discourses. We look forward to your candid commits and responses.