The world is changing... bad changes or good?

[Cress]

Rhi-Nuclear warfare is still a possibility. Who ever heard of our government being logical? A lot of the larger countries still have arsenals of nuclear weapons, but what countries have to understand is that if we get into a nuclear war, what we'll end up doing is killing EVERYONE. One country will bomb another and then that country will bomb back, allies will get called into it and we'll end up with WW3, but with a lot less by way of troops and more by way of bombs, so we could kill each other off quite quickly. If you try and drop a bomb on a country, there's a large chance that you'll get blown out of the water next.

However I'm still of the opinion that Google and China will end up having a crazy war for world-domination in the near future. Just wait. When you're all slaves to Google, you'll know I was right.

[spyells]

I just went to a college tour to UC San Diego. I loved the campus, the tour, and the food. But do you want to know what ruined it? In order to get into UC San Diego you have to have a 4.0 G.P.A. (grade point average) all four years of high school, get at least a 1936 on the S.A.T. (standardized testing for college admission in the united states), and I'm assuming while doing all of this have a life. (I just find that laughable) My point is most of the kids on the tour with me were also minorities. They were African-American just like me. And when the tour guide said all of these things all of us just drooped. There were two Caucasian students in our trip. I don't think they were disturbed as much as we were. Everyone in America tells minorities to go to college. We have no way to get those stellar grades and no way to pay for it.

Don't give me that bull about financial aid either. My mom is in school and is getting financial aid and let me tell you it isn't enough. I tried using fast web and all it did was give me junk mail. I want to go to a good college and help others to make this world a better place as an educated individual. But how in the world will that happen? When college tuition and college standards are being raised so that the millions of minorities in America who didn't have the privilege of coming from a well to do family or are just simply brilliant can't even get to a place so we can help make this world a better place?

The media helps to put out negative images of minorities. I have even heard some of my own cousins say what's the point of trying to go to college and be something if they wont let you in and you can't pay? Just about every college I've been to or looked up are raising both the standards and tuition. They are fully aware that it is almost next to impossible for minorities to get in. And what's worse is that (nothing against Caucasian people especially the ones I know and hang out with) most of the student body at all of these schools are Caucasian and Asian. The white's don't really give one who is a minority a lot of welcome. Some have sneered at me. Others just ignore me even when I hold open the door. My mom is studying to become a nurse and even she gets mad in class. In class you have to go to the hospital as a student nurse to watch, learn, and do what the nurses do. Some of the student doctors (mostly Caucasian or Asian) will stand in your way while you're watching a surgery. My mom tried to move to see the surgery and the student doctor adjusted to move in front of her. They feel they are better than you.

This is annoying to me. I've been researching various colleges and universities since freshmen year. I've even been considering going to a Historically black college. The black colleges have said that the number of blacks submitting applications have went down so now they are going to start trying to get Hispanic students to go. The fact that they want to appeal to the Hispanics isn't the problem because the black colleges are diverse they're just ' historically' black. But I don't see many representatives here on the west coast for the schools. I mean I look into this stuff and I still miss the little opportunities that I have to catch one. I think it is something on their end that needs fixing. Most of the black kids in my school aren't even aware of when those schools come visit. I wanted to go on the black college tour. (that's when black students on the west coast are brought back east to view the various black colleges) In order to go on the tour you must pay approximately 1,075 just to go. ( just looked it up again apparently I was being too nice about the price)
http://www.blackcollegetours.org/Tour_info.html
I don't have that kind of money and funny thing is most minorities don't either.

I don't understand how no child is being left behind. I don't understand why people are still prejudiced. I also don't understand why people aren't pointing out that if we want the world to get better than we need to be educated and in order for that to happen everyone has to be given equal opportunity. I'm just so irritated by all of this. How can the world change if those that might be able to make a difference are being left behind?

[Tuttle]

Originally posted by spyells:
I just went to a college tour to UC San Diego. I loved the campus, the tour, and the food. But do you want to know what ruined it? In order to get into UC San Diego you have to have a 4.0 G.P.A. (grade point average) all four years of high school, get at least a 1936 on the S.A.T. (standardized testing for college admission in the united states), and I'm assuming while doing all of this have a life. (I just find that laughable) My point is most of the kids on the tour with me were also minorities. They were African-American just like me. And when the tour guide said all of these things all of us just drooped. There were two Caucasian students in our trip. I don't think they were disturbed as much as we were. Everyone in America tells minorities to go to college. We have no way to get those stellar grades and no way to pay for it.

You know, the problem is that mindset not the colour of the skin of the people. Anyone can get those grades, its not predetermined by race what you'll get for grades or an SAT score. To say you can't do as good because you are a minority causes more of that problem, you don't think you can do so, so you can't. But that's just stupid, saying that you aren't able to get the grades you need to go to the school you want because you're a minority. And don't say you don't get as good of schools, because really, schools don't help education all that much, and that shouldn't affect grades anyways unless you just don't care about school. And both of those have nothing to do with race anyways. You say the caucasians aren't disturbed by the news of what you need for grades, and the minorities were? Well that's probably partially because that's how you saw it and expected it. It's a matter of what you think being the case.
Really, you say your colour of your skins means ou can't do it, isn't that making the problem worse not better?

I don't have that kind of money and funny thing is most minorities don't either.

You know what else, the white kids have the same problems as you. It's not just because you're a minority. There are the white kids you live in the "ghetto" and some of them make it out and go to a good school. And even those who don't have to deal with living in the middle of a city. You say minorities don't have the money, like you're hiding behind the colour of your skin, and that's just stupid. What about the white families with four kids, a single mom working at 11 schools to try to pay the bills, half of the income coming from one of the daughters working for the summer, and unable to pay rent for a few months and in danger of being evicted. It happens to them too. And its scary either way. And they don't hide behind a silly thing like the colour of their skin because they can't. They just try to do their best. And if you don't have the money, yes financial aid will come through, it won't be everything but between that and loans you'll have no problem paying for college.

Just about every college I've been to or looked up are raising both the standards and tuition. They are fully aware that it is almost next to impossible for minorities to get in.

Yeah, it's basically impossible for someone who doesn't care to get in, it is still not the colour of their skin which stops you. They can't deny you access or expect more because you're not white or asian and they don't.

And what's worse is that (nothing against Caucasian people especially the ones I know and hang out with) most of the student body at all of these schools are Caucasian and Asian. The white's don't really give one who is a minority a lot of welcome.

This is because some are stupid and prejudiced. That doesn't mean that you should say they're all bad which is what you are saying there even when you say nothing against us. And its something that'll happen all the time, and really should be dealt with or ignored. Because it isn't just that. It's probably worse and more common with you, yes, I won't deny that and I won't say you shouldn't be annoyed. But at least try something before complaining, because we all need to deal with it. And if you prove you're good enough or better, then it means so much more if you need to look at it that way.


Don't think that you're the only one with problems and hide behind the fact you're a minority, its not the case and it just makes worse worse for you and everyone else. And its just plain stupid.

[Garrett Fitzgerald]

Don't think that you're the only one with problems and hide behind the fact you're a minority, its not the case and it just makes worse worse for you and everyone else. And its just plain stupid.

Tuttle, this is at best on the border of objectionable. Please consider your phrasing more carefully next time.

[EricG1793]

Originally posted by Garrett Fitzgerald:
Tuttle, this is at best on the border of objectionable. Please consider your phrasing more carefully next time.

*Cough* One liner *Cough, cough*

Tuttle was trying to make her feel better and give her advise, but yes it was a little awkwardly worded.

I honestly don't see why there's still racism. It's terrible. Where I live everybody's friends with African-Americans in my school; I think it's more of a city type of situation where there's still racism. Although I really don't know why it's this way; I'll have to research it some time.

[Rubywolf]

I was thinking, and I really hate to say this, because it might sound bad to some of the older people on here, but in another twenty-thirty years, Bush, Blair, your grandmother, they'll all be gone. We will be the ones in government positions, the ones pointing guns at tigers, telling racist jokes at bars. So, if we decide, now, and truthfully, that we'll be different, that we won't start a nuclear problem, that we won't poach animals, that we won't dehumanize humans, that we'll do better than the people before us, then, and only then, will our planet have a bright future. And we can, and only we, can make that future actually happen.

Originally posted by EricG1793:

Tuttle was trying to make her feel better and give her advise, but yes it was a little awkwardly worded.

Wow, didn't exactly make all of us rise with the suna nd start chirping.... It was VERY "awkwardly" worded. Of course, we are forgiving litle critures, sometimes.

combining posts-GF

[spyells]

In response to tuttle

Are you a minority? If you aren't please be quite. I'm not being stupid. I am explaining my world view from where I stand as a minority. Not every minority thinks the same way so I can't speak for everyone. But until you know what it's like to live as an African-American in America just, SHUT UP! All I did was explain how I see it. It's okay if you don't like it. Deal with it. I never said there weren't poor white people who didn't struggle. The race as a whole has really never had to struggle. I was only referring to the ignorant ones that are racist not the nice ones. Are you implying that many minorities don't care? Are you saying that even though my mom is getting financial aid and we still can't pay the rent, get groceries, and we need new school clothes that financial aid is enough? Until you live in another person's shoes you don't have the right to call them stupid. No one can hide behind the fact that they are a minority. If anything some minorities wish they could hide the fact that they were one. I don't I love my race but some do wish they could change it.

How can you say that schools don't help the education as much? You must be one of those preppy kids then who go to a school where the teachers actually give you the time of day and you're not afraid to walk to school or in class because of what a student is hiding under their desk. If you're not one of those preppy students please explain your situation. Have you read the book or seen the movie "Freedom Writers" because if you haven't you should. It might teach you something about where I'm coming from.

You don't even understand the stigma's in my race that African-American children have to face everyday. Ever since freshmen year of high school I have been receiving top marks in all my classes. I have received awards of achievement in various subjects. My teachers have told me that I am one of the best students in my academy. They even tried to get me to try to apply for the highest academy at my school. But I like the one that I'm in so I stayed. But the other African-American students think that I'm trying to be better than them. They sneer at me and call me names. Many of them claim they can't stand me because I talk white. I call it proper not white. But they say I'm 'white wash'. Most of my friends are in the highest academy at my school and they are white. But when I try to hang out with white children who are not in my academy or are not my friends they act as if I'm not there. I do not speak street. If you can't tell from the way that I type that I don't talk street that's on you. The college representatives would be surprised to see me. They said that I started looking at colleges very young. I already knew that I was going to get somewhere. My dream is to go to Howard University and that's what I'm working toward. All the media shows are minorities who are in gangs and commit acts of violence. Even video games like San Andreas just show the negatives and not the positives. They can't help the way they think when they already live in areas where so much of that is happening. Many black boys don't have a father in the home (that doesn't always mean anything however if he is a bad father and it doesn't mean that you'll be bad either) they learn how to be a man off the streets. Hustling and selling drugs to get by. So many young boys feel that it's okay to do this and it continues from generation to generation.

I remember when I was little we had to get on the floor numerous nights because there was someone shooting outside in our street. One time when I was very little my mom said the cops stormed in the house. My parents were sleeping. We didn't do anything but the guy they were chasing ran behind our house and into the alley. The cops had their weapons drawn. My parents were afraid that they would shoot. Luckily they didn't.

I've complained about the entertainment industry. But I have to admit that if people would just pay attention. What is being sung or rapped is only a depiction of the area in which the artist comes from.

Who told you that lie that financial aid would be enough. I get sick of people telling me that when they never had to do it themselves. Everyone's life is different you can't compare mine to yours. I'm pretty sure from the way you sound your family is well to do, you go to a nice school, and you know you'll never have to worry about how you're going to pay for college. If I'm wrong correct me. But that's how you came across to me. Maybe you have lived what I'm saying I don't know. But until you understand a person or have lived in their shoes don't call me stupid or anyone else. Alright?

Just in case you guys were wondering I don't feel any better.

[wizy123]

ok ok spyells please calm down ok.... we dont want you to get in trouble or anything because you might say somthing innaproprit.

now tuttle... i agree somwhat with what you said but not how you said it. the way you said all of it was kinda harsh.

all in all both arguments are right and wrong the minority is still down there a little but you have to think of it this way. YOUR NOT THE MINORITY ANYMORE. due to resent studys the minority is getting up there so your not going to be a minority for long.


now can we please not kill each other thatnk you.

[Rubywolf]

Spyells seems to be on the right track. I think that the middle-upper class caucasions really don't have any idea what it's like to be a minority, having to deal with the "normality".

[Dragon Writer]

some people are prejiduced...there's no way around that. but that is NOT an excuse to let the close minded behavior of some one else influence you...if they don't like you because of your race, too bad for them. They're being idiots, and with luck that'll change...but even if it doesn't, people shouldn't let that stop them....
and i was once a minority, rubywolf...it was...i'm not sure. new jersey, or somewhere in brookland...but if i remember right, i went from a place where african american's were such a minority i hardly saw any, to one where they made up three quarters of the population. which was, i must admit, slightly disconcerting....but it wasn't really a bad thing.

[fred22]

Look. No matter what you look like, what your grades are, people are still going to try to drag you down to their level. It doesn't matter! Its no different from black and white in terms of people harassing you. I think Tuttle got a little angry for what you said, and she gave advise that you took harshly, well anyone, I guess anyone would. But the point is that we are all in the same boat and we need to work together or we will drown together.

[Tuttle]

Tuttle, this is at best on the border of objectionable. Please consider your phrasing more carefully next time.

Okay, I'll be careful and explain myself and give a reply now.

Spyells, I don't want to be insulting you, I was trying to help you step up and face what you need to do as well as just get accross that hiding behind a colour is going to make it worse for the group because it means they won't step up. I'm sorry if I had this put across mean, but I wanted it to be harsh because I was angry, and because I thought that maybe, if its harsh, people will actually understand.

Spyells, believe you can do it and step up to the challenge and do whatever you can. It's the best you can do, and those people who do that are the most inspriring ones of all, both in terms of when you hear about them, and when you meet them. I wanted to challenge you to do whatever you needed to without being afraid to get to where you want to go, because there are other people with challenges which they overcome, and you can too if you put the effort into it. Everything may not come out perfect, in fact not everything will, there will be parts far from, but its a story worth living.

And I'm telling you this from semi-personal experience so please don't say I can't understand. Also in general, I might not have been the person living through all of this, but I have seen it and can tell you from that point of view as well as one of close to those involved in cases.

Are you a minority? If you aren't please be quite. I'm not being stupid.

No, I am not a minority, I am in fact a Caucasian, and I can't fully understand what you need to go through. I admit this, but refuse to let this be the end. I don't fully understand, but I understand enough that I should get my message across because it is rather important despite race.

I was not trying to tell you that you were stupid in complaining. I was trying to say that if you use the colour of your skin as a mask to hide from the challenges of our world, that is stupid. To hate the prejudices, I think most of us here at very least do. But sometimes you need to face them. I've not needed to face those you are right, but I have had to face people who didn't believe I could do what I can because I was female, unpopular, and talked funny. This is nothing compared to you, I agree, but it doesn't mean you should shy away, and it doesn't mean that I can't understand to some degree.

But until you know what it's like to live as an African-American in America just, SHUT UP!

I am not because I think it is good for you to see it from the other side. So try to deal and try to understand.

Are you implying that many minorities don't care?

No, but people do find people with criminal parents and girlfriends who got pregnant off of other guys a bit on the side of...well not a good person at least at first. And I am really close to someone who had to deal with a father being arrested and a girlfriend getting pregnant off of another guy in the same year, so I think its at least slightly towards the "people don't care" thing. And yes, there are racist whites. They need to be stood up to, and not fought because progress in terms of that must be made.

Are you saying that even though my mom is getting financial aid and we still can't pay the rent, get groceries, and we need new school clothes that financial aid is enough?

I'm saying you can live and that its worth trying. And I still say you can make it through college without worrying about that beyond helping the family as much as you can.
Yes I know people in this state, and rather spend more time at the house they are renting and not sure if they are being evicted from because they can't pay the rent for a few months, than in my own house. And yes, there are people in this family at college. Scholarships, grants, loans, you can make it through. My boyfriend is paying for his apartment through loans even. It might not be fun, but its doable. I have seen people do it. It is hard it isn't fun, you have debt straight after college. But you can live your dreams if money is the only issue in terms of college. And that financial aid will help a lot even if not enough.

Until you live in another person's shoes you don't have the right to call them stupid.

I absolutely don't think that you are stupid for being annoyed or saying these or any of that. Still. I'm just trying to tell you that if you use this as an excuse to not live your life the way you want to that _is_ stupid. Because you are better than that. Any human is better than that no matter how hard it is on them, because it will be hard.

How can you say that schools don't help the education as much? You must be one of those preppy kids then who go to a school where the teachers actually give you the time of day and you're not afraid to walk to school or in class because of what a student is hiding under their desk. If you're not one of those preppy students please explain your situation.

You asked me to explain so I will.

First of, I say schools are not all education is, that you can learn despite what school you went to. You can challenge yourself outside of school alone, with someone you know who can teach you, or whatever, and can learn faster than the school will teach you and more than they will if you want to because you don't think you are learning enough in the school. You can make yourself partially home schooled, and really, its a lot of fun .

As for the fact that the school will still affect you and the type of school. I went to multiple schools throughout my life because I wasn't getting what I needed.
The first school was the town school (yes a suburban one) but the teachers didn't care at all about me, so it really didn't matter. They told my parents they didn't believe I could read in 1st grade when I was one of the best readers in the class. I was told that I wasn't that good and that I needed to learn the things I'd learned years before many times. But the problem beyond that, was just that the teachers didn't care about me. Yes they cared about some students, but I was that one which, well I had two teachers from kindergarten through seventh grade (note that 5th-7th it was teacher per class) who cared about me so much as as a student. They slowed me down from what I could do and told me I was barely good enough to do that. Ignore the fact that while learning fractions in school for the hundredth time I learned Algebra, Geometry, and started Pre-calculus in a year because I found a way to learn outside of school (not bragging at all, just proving that you can learn more than your school will teach). So I had a school which didn't care about me at all, so understand teachers not caring.
The second school I went to was an inner city school which I went to because there at least the teachers cared. So I didn't have them at the same time, but I had both the problems you mentioned. This school was created the first year I went to it, and within a year there were holes in walls from people punching through them. Classmates who you'd never expect to get on drugs came in completely stoned. You couldn't walk barefoot in the parkinglot if you had feet overly sore from shoes because you didn't know what you'd step on, and I'm meaning beyond glass even. And I have seen randomly looking up at the news, area where we walked by to go to the park for gym, on the news for major gang fights. So at that point at least the teachers cared, but it had the problems of an inner city school. Projects aren't fun when you have half the group plotting the whole time when you are there where they should go after school and what they should smoke.
I went to a third school which was one based on academics, and math science engineering people. And so you know so you feel at least slightly better. A black kid graduated from there last year after surviving the school. It is a question of survival. He was the first one to apply I think, which is sad, but he was accepted, and made it through. And people weren't thinking he was worse because of the colour of his skin, because he'd proven he could do the work as well as they could by making it in after applying .

You don't even understand the stigma's in my race that African-American children have to face everyday.

I agree and say that you are better than giving up because of what some people say.

The college representatives would be surprised to see me. They said that I started looking at colleges very young. I already knew that I was going to get somewhere. My dream is to go to Howard University and that's what I'm working toward

So do that. Plain and simple. And if you don't make your dream, then find somewhere else you like.

They can't help the way they think when they already live in areas where so much of that is happening.

I'll give you that too. But please don't think you're the only ones who have to deal with that. I have seen a street fight before. Outside my boyfriend's apartment when I was staying there two of the apartment across the street got into a street fight. His girlfriend had to be the one to call the police to try to break it up. It is scary. And it is sad you need to deal with that. Its worse for African Americans because they're having problems escaping the area, but others have them too and its scary for all groups.

Who told you that lie that financial aid would be enough.

Absolutely nobody told me that. I've been shown it. I know multiple people going to school with no money saved up for college and their family unable to help pay and them making it through. Scholarships are giving to these people, if they do well enough of standarized testing to get high amounts from the school, the school gives them even more. Between that and loans, they make it through without needing to ask family for help. I repeat, my boyfriend is so far as needing to pay for his apartment so he can live around where he's going to school, on loans.

I'm pretty sure from the way you sound your family is well to do, you go to a nice school, and you know you'll never have to worry about how you're going to pay for college. If I'm wrong correct me. But that's how you came across to me.

I am in college, spending my summer working at a grocery store rather than spending time with my friends, making money for school. Yes, my parents can help me pay, but they wouldn't have nearly enough on their own. I'm paying over half of it in scholarships each year, and even so I'm going to need to take the last year fully on my own. I don't need to worry as much as you need to, but that doesn't mean I don't need to worry. And I won't deny that my family is middle class. But I say that this isn't all in terms of understanding and living this. I'm spending most of my time at my boyfriend's families house, and I want to help them, but I am not well off enough to be able to, especially because of parents. And they wouldn't take it anyways, they would work through the challenges. And I've heard about what they have made it through and seen some of it, and even been there for some...and though it gets into religion. This family would make me believe in God if I wasn't already religious. It is amazing what they have managed while being poor. I have had times where my boyfriend felt he wasn't good enough for me because I was middle class and he wasn't. This is a lie, its not what we have for money, its what you do with your life that matters. And I've seen this even more this past year than any time else. I am more impressed by what this family has managed without money than any middle class family I've seen and what they have for lives.

Maybe you have lived what I'm saying I don't know. But until you understand a person or have lived in their shoes don't call me stupid or anyone else. Alright?

Okay, you are not stupid, I never meant to say you are. But don't give in to the pressure to give up even if it tries hurting you.

I'm sorry that I majorly took offense to your post when it started first off because it felt like you wanted to hide behind an excuse rather than trying the way you said it. If you weren't meaning it that way, then I'm sorry even more. But what you said felt like you were saying that other people's problems didn't matter and since I'm in the week of not knowing where the family I've been spending most of my time with is going to be living because of their financial problems, I broke.

Spyells seems to be on the right track. I think that the middle-upper class caucasions really don't have any idea what it's like to be a minority, having to deal with the "normality".

I'm sorry, but this is absolutely not true. And in terms of not needing to deal with normality, there are plenty of other problems which they can have, but I'm not getting into those because that'd be too long. I just want you to know that others can understand and saying they can't hurts them. But I don't want to be annoying saying this... And not every middle-upper class Caucasian is normal at all.

I will include an apology, but I will not take back anything I said, I still think that it was the right thing to say, if a bit too harsh. Just don't think you're alone in this world of problems. And really, do what you can rather than just complain about it.

And I could go longer, but I think limiting myself to only a bit more than 2500 words is a better idea in this situation.

Oh, and Fred, I think I'd be the first person to admit I was a little angry and thus was trying not to be harsh. I had to ask multiple people to read it before I agreed to not go edit it right then to be nicer.

[Frivs]

Originally posted by spyells:
In order to get into UC San Diego you have to have a 4.0 G.P.A. (grade point average) all four years of high school, get at least a 1936 on the S.A.T. (standardized testing for college admission in the united states), and I'm assuming while doing all of this have a life. (I just find that laughable) My point is most of the kids on the tour with me were also minorities. They were African-American just like me. And when the tour guide said all of these things all of us just drooped. There were two Caucasian students in our trip. I don't think they were disturbed as much as we were. Everyone in America tells minorities to go to college. We have no way to get those stellar grades and no way to pay for it.

*opens mouth to speak and can't think of what to say*

Umm...what? Do you realize you just made a racist comment against your own race? 0.o I'm sorry, but I don't find Tuttle's post offensive at all. To say that you can't get "stellar grades" because of your race is just ridiculous, and it's comments like that that are keeping racism alive today. Your race has absolutely nothing to do with what kinds of grades you can get, I'm sorry, that's just not true, and I'm shocked that you even said it.

One of the most inspirational people I've ever met was african american, a senator for my state (Bryant Garret). He gave a speech at a Youth Day I went to, and when he was finished a whole crowd of students (white, black, asian, purple, whatever) came up to him to get his autograph. You know what he signed them all with? "Success is You!".

I am not calling you racist, or stupid, or anything else. I am saying that the only way we are ever going to stop racism and prejudice is if WE make the change, if WE go "I CAN make the grades, and I CAN get to this college, no matter what race I am!" and then proove everyone right. As long as there is still someone who says "I can't do _____ because I'm ____." there will be prejudice in the world.

Before you ask, yes, I am caucasian. I've maintained a 4.0 GPA for the last 2 years of high school, exceeded all my state tests, and scored 99% above the rest of my grade level on the reading and writing PSATs. And wow, I still have a life. Part of my grades are because I'm a perfectionist, but a large part of them is because I've worked my butt off for them, my entire school career. Why? Because I have never had a lot of money, and things got 10x worse my freshman year. My parents got divorced, and suddenly we were trying to maintain 2 households on one salary -- and not a large one either, because my dad works in education. My mom had to forfeit her disability (she had a work disability for bipolar disorder -- and no, mental illnesses are not "all in your head") and go back to shool, then go back to work, where she's still not making much money because she's brand new in the field. At the moment we're trying to figure out what to eat for the next week until pay day. My mom makes just enough so that we don't qualify for food stamps or the food bank. And we just had to pay $90 for the start-of-classes fees at my public school.

I HAVE to maintain my grades, I HAVE to do well on tests, because the only way I can pay for college is if I get scholarships. And you know what? I don't get 10 extra credit points each semester for being white. The machines that scan my tests don't find the little "Caucasian" bubble and go "OH! We'd better give this one a higher score!" It doesn't work like that, and to imply that white (and asian, like you keep mentioning) people have it easier is offensive to someone who has been working hard her whole life, and worries about whether or not she has bread to make a sandwhich for lunch at the same time.

How do I sound? Do I sound like white trash? Or do I sound like someone who would never have to worry about college? Or maybe I sound like one of those people who doesn't have a life because I can't possibly do that and have good grades?

I'm not trying to be mean, I have nothing against you Spyells, and never have. But what you said was hurtful to me, and I wish you would think about the other side as much as you want "us" to. Until you understand me, until you have lived in my shoes, don't assume my life is any easier simply because I have less pigmentation in my skin.

[spyells]

What I meant is the places that my race grows up makes it so that they think they can't. The schools aren't good so they feel they don't need to try. Anyone can do it because all of the adult black people I know have went to college and are successful. I'm not trying to hide behind race. All I'm trying to do is explain the inner city. If you aren't a black person growing up in the inner city then of course you wouldn't understand how they think and feel. So stop trying to!

[Cress]

Is it just me, or has this debate gotten REALLY off topic? We're pretty much just arguing over whether the other people here are racist, and that has nothing to do with whether our world is good or bad.

Personally, I think that I can never truly understand the situation because I'm guaranteed to go to college. My parents have been saving for it since I was born, and we're well enough off that we can do it with scholarships. However, I still have to get the good grades. I'm caucasian, and that doesn't make it any easier. My parents do. My situation does. My race doesn't. There are caucasions in bad situations just like African-Americans. Admittedly, there are probably MORE African-Americans in bad situations, but it doesn't change the fact that poverty is NOT racist...it affects ALL types of people.

And just a minor comment...there was a time when Caucasians were a sort of "minority". Firstly, various immigrant groups had to deal with prejudice just as bad as that of African-Americans. I've been reading a book about the history of the United States, and the working class in the late 1800's, black and white was oppressed and abused equally. White farmers were starving and corporations were exploiting monopolies, and NO ONE cared whether the people that suffered were white or black. So the people at the top might be mostly white, but the people at the bottom are all colors.