By Jueseppi B.
Below are some words from some of my Facebook friends. The words are important enough for me to share them with the world. I take no credit for these words.
Taken from Mr. Marvin Clark....
"IF ONE CONTRACTOR WAS HIRED TO BUILD YOU A HOUSE AND HE FUCKED IT UP SO BAD IT COULDN'T PASS CODE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HIRE ANOTHER CONTRACTOR TO FIX IT! THE NEW CONTRACTOR WOULD HAVE TO TEAR EVERYTHING DOWN AND REBUILD FROM SCRATCH! YOU CANNOT SIT AROUND THE SITE AND BLAME THE NEW CONTRACTOR FOR NOT COMING IN UNDER BUDGET AND WHAT TOOLS HE USES TO COMPLETE THE JOB. YOU CANNOT YELL AT THE NEW CONTRACTOR AND TAKE OUT ALL YOUR ANGER ON THE NEW CONTRACTOR BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO COMPLETE THE JOB THAN INITIALLY THOUGHT! THE CONTRACTOR MUST BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO COMPLETE THE JOB WITH THE TOOLS HE HAS AND YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO ABSORB ANY ADDITIONAL COST BECAUSE THE MORE YOU FIX THE MORE MONEY IT WILL COST! I AM VOTING FOR HIM AGAIN BECAUSE IF GEORGE DUBBYA BUSH GOT A SECOND TERM TO FUCK IT UP BARACK SHOULD GET ANOTHER FOUR YEARS TO FIX IT!
Taken from Ms. Jane Pittsgreer MSW.....
Misinformation is harmful to all human beings. Misinformation about peoples of color is harmful to all people. Having racist attitudes and beliefs is like having a clamp on one's mind. It distorts one's perceptions of reality. Two examples: the notion that "flesh color" is several shades of pinkish beige; the use of the term 'minorities' to describe the majority of the world's people.
No one holds onto misinformation voluntarily. People hold onto racist beliefs and attitudes because this misinformation represents the best thinking they have been able to do at this time, and because no one has been able to assist them to change their perspective.
People will change their minds and let go of ingrained attitudes under the following conditions:
1) the new position is presented in a way that makes sense to them;
2) they trust the person who is presenting the new position; 3) they are not blamed for having had misinformation.
Taken from the administrator of The Black Long Island Iced Tea Party.....
This is the mindset that we will be fighting for in 2012. The complacent ones that sat it out November 2, 2010 because they felt that President Obama did not turn into their Fairy Godfather and magically change everything that happened since America was discovered. You do know that these people actually think that he should have put all homeless people in homes by now and guess what they want all water turned into Pepsi and Coke. I am only being facetious because I cannot and will not understand how so many of these people have the voice that they have now but have allowed all that has gone on since 43 previous Presidents. We can actually blame all of the previous Presidents for what is going on before we blame President Obama. Whenever we move into a neighborhood that has already gone down, they blame us for it going down. America is going down as we know so they blame President Obama.
Taken from the YMCA Website....This can't be posted enough....
10 simple ideas to eliminate racism
1). Don't laugh at racist, sexist, ageist, homophobic and other stereotypical jokes or assumptions.
By laughing, you're acknowledging the joke is appropriate and encouraging more inappropriate comments. You can interrupt without being rude. Don't let your silence speak for you. Simply say, "I don't find that funny," or "I don't appreciate jokes like that."
2). Make an effort to get to know people different than you.
Look for things in common with other people and celebrate the differences. We can learn from and appreciate something about everyone.
3). Learn about other people and their culture.
By learning about other people, your life will be greatly enriched and your appreciation for your own culture will deepen.
4). Think before you speak.
Words can hurt, whether you mean them to or not. When describing a person, think if mentioning their race is important to the story. Do you refer to everyone from South or Central America as Mexican? If you don't know someone's country of origin, don't assume. Some people prefer Black, while others like African American. Some prefer Latino/a, others like Hispanic. If you're unsure which to use, ask. It's important to use the correct language.
5). Be a role model.
Be vocal in opposing discriminatory views and practices, especially with friends and family who respect your opinion. Don't criticize, but help educate others about issues and about your own experiences.
6). Don't make assumptions.
Do you assume that African Americans like rap music or that Asians are good at math? Stereotypes hurt everyone. Examine what your prejudices are and make adjustments to look at everyone as an individual.
7). Explore the unfamiliar.
Attend an organization meeting, religious service or travel to a new region where you are in the minority. For example, if you are Christian attend a Jewish service at a synagogue. If you attend an all white suburban school visit an inner-city multi-cultural school. This first-hand experience can be enlightening and give you perspective.
8). Work on projects with members of groups different from your own.
Working as an equal alongside others from different groups on a common project is one of the best ways to undo prejudice and increase familiarity with others.
9). Be a proactive parent.
Expose your children to diversity at a young age. Read stories that explain the point of view of other groups. Discuss TV shows, movies or books that present stereotypes. Children can benefit from knowing other children from different groups at very early ages, before prejudices and biases are formed.
10). Support anti-prejudice and anti-racist organizations.
Whether your efforts are in volunteering, financial donation or being an advocate, working with other groups toward the same goal can be beneficial to you and the community. You'll meet great people and find real support for your efforts. By getting involved, your voice can make a big difference at the local level.
"Disagree Intelligently, Use Facts & Truth".
