posted by Sam Richards
Totally amazing!!
I think I’m finally getting my head around a solution the race conundrum. It’s been twenty years of my own indecision and chaotic contemplation and inner struggle to figure out where and how to weigh in.
So recently, for example, I finally figured out where to stand on the issue of gun control and the Second Amendment. Basically I came upon the idea that either we disseminate guns widely so that everyone has one (or two or twenty) or we ban then entirely. It doesn’t seem to really matter which route we take, and we’re sure to keep arguing about the issue for another 200+ years if we don’t get extreme in one direction or the other. But back to the race solution…
Here it is: Just have everyone become white. It seems as though we now have the technology to make that happen and it comes, evidently, in the form of a simple cream that a person can apply before going to bed. We could all become brown, of course. However, the “quick tanning creams” currently on the market seem to make people’s skin more reddish or orange than brown. And white appears to be easier on the sensibilities of so many black and brown people anyway — who deep down seem to have been so affected by white supremacy that they secretly harbor desires for whiteness. Crazy world.
And Sammy Sosa seems to have the skin whitening product that works. It’s all good; it’s all white. It’s all a perfect storm of celebrity sports marketing that can hype us into oneness and togetherness.
Well, I was totally shock by the picture, I mean that’s totally amazing, how come the right one was much pretty than the left one after the surgery , and I kind of doesn’t believe it is real. It’s really weird to see those skin change, for example, what those people think about Michal Jackson’s white skin, is wired right, and also his skin are make those people connect to RACE, the reason why he wanna be a white, the reason why he doesn’t keep his black skin. It’s because he doing skin surgery only for much more pretty face.? Take example from my country , when I go to the west China, the people there have very dark skin, which because there are Middle-East Bloods, I have big impression about their religion, like they never eat pig, is funny , right! Whenever I go to the restaurant, I can never to say a word about “pig”. Well, the point is what I gonna say is the girls there have a very beautiful skin, which make them pretty, seriously, there are not mainland Chinese, And my mom was trying to ask the girls find out how they maintain their beautiful skin, see my mom was a person who want a surgery so-called “Skin whitening”.
Well, these are not the crazy in China, do you know how those Chinese girls doing so much crazy behavior to have a white pure skin, Of course the more white the girls are in China the more people like you, the pretty definition in China for girls is you need have a white Skin, White face, so you see there are so many women in China, wherever which city, In Beijing, HongKong, Chengdu,or even my hometown , In shanghai, those girls even not go outside during summer time due to the strong shining, they are trying to be a White people, maybe there is no racist for them, but still, they are like being a white.
like the former journal, is a story about an Indian guy, that Indian was doing a white surgery trying to be white, and see the title” get white skin, and life will be better,” actually I fell shame about this Indian person, “Hey, You come from Indian , how can you change your skin, even I know you are struggling in your life. Does a white skin will bring a good luck to you , or does a white skin will bring you a high salary job, NO!, it can’t bring anything to you, the only thing I think you might get is you have more confidence when you have interview in a Job, nothing else, you can’t complain about your race , you can’t complain your skin color when you can’t get a job.”
All in all, I keep my opinion about ’Skin whitening’, well, everybody want get more pretty , like I come to Penn state, I found that there a lot of girls are have a dark skin, wow, is pretty, you see everybody is white, but you got a dark skin , and then you will lay down the sunny trying to be a dark by the big sunny light, there is no refuse to say that are crazy . So, we can’t really say doing the Skin whitening or something like face surgery or hair dye is something about racist , like me did, I dyed my hair to golden color, because I like this color with my hair style, it may makes me more special, you see a Asian with a Golden hair like American are not dark black hair, But I really do think there is nothing about racism..
You can say it only about race, what about those famous NBA basketball player, Michael Jordan, Kobe,Wade, there all almost every famous NBA baller are black, so is that mean you will doing a surgery to be a dark skin or black just because you want be successful in NBA. Don’t put skin issue in every problem. Skin is just the way you look like. Nothing else.
[Reply]
It seems the opinions on skin whitening are pretty polarized. One side thinks that it should be live and let-live. The other thinks that changing skin color is somehow a monstrosity. I like to think that I fall somewhere in the middle. White people tan, how is that any different then applying skin whitening cream? Is it because people of color want others of the same race to have some dignity and not stoop to the white-man’s idea of beauty? Possibly. At least black and brown peoples’ skin changing methods are safer than white peoples. While I believe that everyone should have some awareness of their racial or ethnic identity, pride is another thing. Ethnic pride is highly contestable, because the way things work now, only oppressed people can be prideful, and the oppressors should not, and with good historical reason. What would white people have to be proud of anyways? Most of their achievements came at the cost of the oppressed anyways. So maybe black pride is one reason people of color might get mad about skin coloring. Theres also the explanation of Vitiligo as a result of steroid use, which isn’t really an excuse in his case, but other public figures have had it such as Michael Jackson, who as the King of Pop had an image to keep up with. While I believe (under normal, non-Vitiligo circumstances) that people should feel comfortable ‘in their skin,’ I’d be kidding myself, as would most people to think that we all wouldn’t change something about our bodies. It just so happens that this is a racial issue because it is skin color. I mean, I’ve seen some terrible tanning jobs, especially when it comes to spray tans. If Sam’s solution is to make everyone white, it would be a very interesting experiment if nothing else. We seem to be at a conflict concerning our own opinions though. To some extent we all want the world to be perfect where race is egalitarian, but we want to embrace our ethnic heritage. Or we want everyone to think they are beautiful, yet we know there are some people we think are hot or not, and subsequently objectify, which then results in us being uncomfortable in our own skin. In the end, then, who are we to approve or condemn people who change the skin color from dark to light or vice-versa, when we ourselves can be hypocrites? What is interesting about this case though is how it might be the product of a medical condition, which makes things a bit more complicated. Its similar to plastic surgery: a burn victim can get a skin-graph, so too should Jackson. What might set Sosa apart is his condition being the result of illegal drug use.
[Reply]
I honestly think that to change the color of your skin is absolutely absurd. Especially for someone as famous as Sammy Sosa, people already know you are black! People already know what you look like and who you are! I don’t think it matters whether you take every day out of your week to go to a tanning salon, or if you apply cream for 6 months straight before you go to bed, you are still the same color inside. There are some things about you that you can’t change including your color which is a vital part of who you are. So why do these people do it?
[Reply]
I have a better solution to the problem of race lighting or darkening. It’s not making everyone darker by having them tan outside because some light skin people just burn so it would leave them out. Its not giving all dark skin people cream so they can be white because dark people becoming light causes the person to just become weird looking. It is a plan that keeps everyone happy and takes almost no personal sacrifice like any other plan. This plan has been in the working by mixed people like myself for many years now. So far it has been working perfectly. Just have multiracial couples and make multiracial babies. It’s a simple plan I know but it would fix the problem. If enough people of different races have sex then we we’ll all be one color and it wont even matter. Also people will no longer have to go to tanning salon to get darker or creams to get whiter. The reason is because when you’re mixed the sun does all that for you. Since I have been at Penn State I have gotten to the color of a lightly tanned white guy. The counter to that is by the end of summer I look as dark as a Hispanic person. So I got all the colors of the rainbow. Except for actually black I can never beat my dad at whose darker maybe later down the road. Even though this sounds like a sarcastic idea I see it as the best solution. If we become one color then the whole skin color thing would be a lot easier. One day its going to occur one way or another unless people just stop having sex with people of another race which I personally have to say is never going to happen. So people should just get with the times and just help solve the problem its not like global warming where people are too lazy to change the car they drive or the activities that they do. This is a problem that can be solved with sex. A thing that very very few people hate. The world is already becoming a biracial world. We have a President that is biracial, growing numbers of interracial relationships, and a growing mixed population. It’s a train that cant be stopped so people should stop using cream or tanning oil just date a person that you think will make a perfect caramel child. Also people that wish to date within their own race its no problem as long as they are open to their further generations mixing it up because one way or another everyone will eventually become my brothers and sisters.
[Reply]
The skin whitening craze just goes to show that people are never satisfied. People don’t want what they have, and want something they can’t have. Well now, that can happen. Just like brunettes wish they were blonde, and girls with curly hair wish theirs was straight, black and brown people are making efforts to have whiter skin. Why is it that a great deal of white people feel they look best when they have a tan? We lay out in the hot sun for hours and apply fake tanner and bronzer to deepen the shade of our skin. However, I doubt that many white people would prefer to actually be black. All of this really makes little sense. And now, whitening creams are being used by black and brown people around the world to lighten their skin. Why is it that fair skinned people desire to be darker and dark skinned people are taking steps to lighten their pigment? It’s not like there is a third color that both groups are trying to achieve, they long to be like the other group. What causes this unsatisfaction? When you think about it, it really does not make sense.
I think it is interesting to consider the changes that will occur for people after they whiten their skin. I wonder what their reasoning behind doing so is. Do they simply think that the lightened skin looks better? Is it the concept of being “white,” which means not being a minority and being supreme, that they want to achieve? I would like to know the motivation. If it is the latter, that people wish to be more like the white majority, to fit in, and have the distinction of being white, how much does skin whitening really do to meet that goal? On the outside, one’s appearance does change and they will look white. But other than that, there is no change. The people that undergo skin lightening will still have the same lifestyle, values, and interests. Black and brown people will still remain in their culture and maintain these practices. How much will this offset the purpose of the skin whitening process? Like I said before, I do not know the full reason why people choose to whiten their skin, but it appears that this could hinder the result.
In today’s society, black and brown people are gaining more and more equality and respect than in years past. Also, Sam talked about how the world is becoming more brown. According to this, the population would be becoming less white. So why is skin whitening becoming so popular now, when it seems like whites are becoming less majority and black and brown people are moving up in the world?
[Reply]
The word ‘chaotic’ is a word that gets thrown around too easily these days, when someone is dealing with any type of personal issues. However, chaos describes this blog perfectly. The author even catches his own dizziness by the end of the second idea. Now I am losing my point. Anyway, this blog appears to be written with a blatant attempt to get a rise out different types of people and races. I am not going to take the bait because anyone on the planet who believes that turning all humans to a white-skinned complexion is good idea – not to mention the absolute and total impossibility of this insane idea – will not go very far is this world nor will they have any friends. There are not many examples of this in society anyway. Who knows why and who cares about what Sammy Sosa is doing to himself. Now he’s ruined his image? Please. Who’s next? MJ? He’s dead so he does not count.
It’s amazing to me that people of color make drastic attempts to make their skin lighter and lighter. In contrast, I have no issue with trapping myself in a human oven to cook myself for twenty minutes to make my skin darker… Odd. Everyone wants to be something they’re not. It takes a very long time for people to find their true selves and be okay with who they are. Imagine a world where everyone was completely content with themselves. They would also most likely be at the humanitarian stage of race relations and there would be no racism at all. Right? However, we are far from a world without racism.
I guess a fantastic solution would be to arm the whites of the world and make sure everyone has a gun or a nuke and just say the hell with it. Or, people of the world can unite, accept each other, and strive for a better and more prosperous civilization. I suppose the point the author is trying to make here, is that even if everyone were the same color, would we still hate each other and kill each other with all our guns? I would say definitely. This is a world of warring tribes, pure and simple. Just because everyone becomes the same race doesn’t mean they’ll stop killing each other. People will always find something about someone for some forsaken reason to hate. Whether it be social status, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any other subculture we each fit into in our everyday lives, someone will find a reason to hate and discriminate.
The real answer to the question pertaining to race relations is that there is no simple answer. People of all colors and all races have been fighting and hating and killing one another for millennia. I don’t believe that arming a white world will make this planet any safer. Now that is a complete and total chaotic world.
[Reply]
It seems to me that the trend of skin changes all the time. Before if you have lighter skins then that means you are pretty. Then the trend changed to tan skin. People started to go tanning so that they will have tanner skin so they can become prettier and now it seems like the trend is changing back to light skin again. It also differences for each culture. Like in Asian for example, they think that light skins are pretty and dark skins are not…so pretty. Many girls are using skinning whitening cream to make their skins lighter. They try to stay away from the sun and some even go as far as taking medicine to make their skin pigments become lighter. That’s how far people are willing to go just to be more acceptable in the society. Those medicines they are taking are made of some random chemical that have not been approve or tested legally. I will never even try just one bit of those medicine. It feels like I’m killing myself slowly. It just seems really stupid to me how people put themselves through many things just to become a person the society want them to be. Like Michael Jackson for instance, he did so many things to his skin. The guy was black then he suddenly just became white! That’s just crazy in my opinion. I think he went way to far with that. Those things can damage and harm your body badly. I cannot believe that they things it’s worth the effort and everything. And now this guy Sammy Sosa seems to be following his track. Within only 6 months, he could change his race from African-American to White Caucasian. People are already beautiful and good enough just the way they are. They do not need to go do that and harm their bodies. Personally the products I am currently using have some ingredients that suppose be whitening my skin too but it’s not like it will change my skin instantly like that. Of course everyone wants to be beautiful, but I think it’s more important to be who you really are. I’m not saying that it’s wrong that they changed their skins like that. It’s their bodies so it’s their choices to do whatever they want with it. I just think that it’s too extreme to go that far with medicine and surgery. Personally, the only thing that I think is important is that as long as they are still who they are inside, they it shouldn’t make such a big deal. People should focus more on the inside, not just the outlook. The outlook changes as the person grow older, but their minds only grow wiser and smarter.
[Reply]
While reading this article, I my first thought that came to my mind was an episode of the cartoon “The Fairly Odd Parents”. This episode was about how a boy was bullied and made fun of where he wished that everyone could be the same. His wish came true, and everyone was a gray blob. Even though everyone was a gray blob and you could not tell the difference from one blob to another blob, everyone in the town still found a way to pick on Timmy, the blob that wished everyone was the same.
Having this happen in a cartoon, could also happen in real life. This would be a bigger problem if everyone was white instead of everyone being a gray blob. One way this would be a problem because of the different features that people will have. Not every white person looks the same. Everyone has different features, like different hair color, hair texture, number of freckles, nose shape, body shape, eye color, head shape, shoe size, shape of the eyes, and so much more. We can even compare this to Adolf Hitler, Jews are white Hitler discriminated against them. His rule was if you do not have blonde hair and blue eyes, then you are not the perfect German, so you should be banished to the Holocaust. So even if everyone was white we would find some way to make ourselves superior to other people, because discrimination does not only exist in skin color. It is human nature to make ourselves seem as if we are the best and the easiest possible way to do that is to compare yourself to other people and bring them down, to bring yourself up. So if everyone was white, I would claim to be better than someone because my hair is wavy and black when someone else would have straight and blonde hair.
Another reason why everyone being white would not work is because skin complexion would differ. Right now it is cool to be tan; so the darker you are the better a girl would look. So having everyone having different complexions and everyone go tanning trying to change their appearance to have a certain complexion would make the people with the tan skin complexion the people looked at as superior.
Another thought came to mind about proposing the idea that every black and brown person should use a daily cream to make them turn white. But by using this daily cream the darker African Americans and brown people would become white but not the white complexion that regular white people have; wouldn’t the black and brown people be darker. Since everyone would try and be white, would the white people tan to look like the black people trying to look like them? Wouldn’t the black and brown people look like imposters? And who would want to be like the imposters. So making everyone white would not solve the problem, it would just make us think a little bit harder about how to make ourselves better than the next person.
[Reply]
Again with the changing of skin color. I don’t get it? The point about tanning is true though. Girls that tan normally tan because they want darker skin, what’s the difference? I use to tan. But then when I found out how harmful it is to your skin I stopped. I wouldn’t tan all the time, just before vacations so I wouldn’t burn as bad or before a dance or big event because I wanted my skin to look healthy. I never ever tanned because I wanted to be someone I wasn’t. I mainly did because it helps your skin feel healthy and helps clear acne. I never got to the point where I looked like someone else or was so tan that I could be confused for a black person. I naturally have a tan skin so it would just enhance my color. But this is all besides the bleaching thing. I have to wonder when people bleach there skin why they do it? Is it because they want to be confused with a different race or is it because they feel they look better that color. The color of your skin doesn’t necessarily change who you are.
Who you are is in the inside but the outside helps identify yourself. I am someone in the inside but I am white on the outside. If someone is truly unhappy with their skin, I would suggest bleaching as a last case scenario. Try and seek people who feel really strong about their color, maybe talking with someone who truly appreciates their color and race could help you see why you feel like you don’t belong. It’s better to try and learn and appreciate before just giving up and bleaching. That could be harmful to your skin and it could also make someone more confused. Just because celebrities are doing it definitely does not mean it is right. And if it is the steroids that change your skin then that’s sad. You are basically admitting to the world you cheat. To me, skin color is just a color, it’s not going to change who you are.
[Reply]
Making everyone white is definitely an interesting approach to the end of the race issue. But would we not just find other things to complain about like the ones that were whiter may put themselves higher on the totem pole. People do not want to get along and they do not want to be equal if they did our problems would not exist. I really do believe that if people wanted to get along they would but they really do not. Those that are accepting of people are and those that are not well frankly will never change. Most people do not know what I am and usually I allow them to think what they want unless they ask me. So in their mind they think what they want of me and maybe I am wrong for that. Is it really wrong for me to not tell others so that they can judge me on who I really am not my ancestry? In a way that is a definite luxury that before now I have not really realized, but I have used it my entire life.
Another issue with “making everyone white” is that do you really believe that people would give up being their skin color if the government said they had to? No, I think that the ones that at one time complained about the “white man” would not want to change who they are color wise to become the “white man”. Also I think that with all of the inter racial dating that is occurring in today’s society having a pure race is going to be very rare. I know in my community the half children are seen as more attractive and both whites and blacks are jealous of the halficans because they get the best of both worlds usually.
The picture of Sammy Sosa is crazy. At first glance it really does just look like a silly doctored picture but when you hear the story behind it, it really is crazy. Steroids’ making someone turn white does not sound really possible, but I am doubting it will stop anyone from using steroids. I have seen people with vitiligo and it is usually slow moving disease. For Sammy Sosa to be completely white in only six months is a little bit crazy. I think it is a little excessive for him to turn white so fast and to think no one would notice. Also blaming it on his steroid use is unusual. He is black could it not have just genetic how do they really know that is was solely based off of the steroids? Are there any personal statements from a reliable source other than a friend saying he has vitiligo? Because the tabloids can say anything.
[Reply]
WOW! What a difference. First of all, I cannot believe that those skin lightening creams can really work that much! He is absolutely a completely different color than he was six months ago! I just had no idea that this type of transformation was possible although I am not surprised considering all the things that can be accomplished in the realm of plastic surgery. I think that it would be completely accurate to categorize skin lightening in the same group as all other cosmetic/plastic surgeries. I believe that our society has created standards to which people desperately try to follow. This can be accomplished, for the rich, by means of plastic surgery. There really is no different between Sammy Sosa whitening his skin and Pamela Anderson having breast implants. Both individuals are using some process to conform to the standards that society has placed on them.
I think that it is hard to judge people for making these decisions to change their bodies because it is essentially making them more comfortable and more confident and ultimately happier. I have never really condemned those who have cosmetic surgeries so why would I condemn someone who tries to lighten their skin when to me they are essentially the same thing. I do however think that it is extremely sad that society’s unwritten standards and rules have so much impact and control over our minds and spirit. It is such a shame that we have gotten to a point that we feel so ashamed and upset with the bodies that we were given and that there is actually a way to change it to our dream type. Maybe it would be better if we would have never made these scientific and medical advances, then maybe people, with no other option, would learn to love their bodies the way they were made.
Now whether Sammy Sosa’s skin was lightened because of a medical condition brought on by steroid use or for cosmetic reasons, it is a shame to me because he is losing part of himself and part of his family and background. Skin color, in my opinion, is very important to your individuality and your own uniqueness. To change your skin color on purpose is to reject your heritage and choose another. It is just so tragic that minorities still feel so ashamed and uncomfortable that they feel that they have to do this to fit in and be beautiful according to majority standards. I do not blame them for feeling the way they do but I think that is it just such a horrible thing that our society has caused through years of discrimination and unequality. Isn’t it more beautiful to see all the colors of the rainbow?!
[Reply]
Who would have ever thought of a cream to help color people to whiten their skin? I wonder who came up with this idea. I remember in class when Sam talked about the cream I could not believe it I thought he was just playing around but I guess is true. I believe Sam said the cream comes from China or something like that. I think that the creams exist somehow because people are not happy with their skin color which it should not be the way. People should be happy for who they are and what race they come from. People should be proud of their skin color and agree with god because; of him we are the way we are so we should accept it. I kind of understand why people of color want to become white. I believe is because their life is so much harder from a white person and they go to a lot more negative things. I have brown skin and I know people of color have it so much harder and sometimes we have to work as much harder as we can to archive what we want. I think is okay to do that but all people should have equal opportunities. I seen that white people have more opportunities than people of color, this is why people of color sometimes work extra harder. People of color should be proud of that and not buy the stupid skin whitening cream to change their skin color to confirm the ideas and opportunities of a white person. I will rather work harder to change my skin color. I am happy with who I am and what I have so far. Sometimes I do get a little stress and mad of people because some of them act so rude to people of color and make them feel worthless. Most people have problems, I seen that not only people of color want to change their skin color. White people also do it by go tanning or buy products to make their skin color darker. It is obvious when someone is using something to change their color. Like in the video of Sammy Sosa, he looked very unnatural as a white person. My question is why would someone do that? People knew who Sammy Sosa is and that he had black skin and now out of the setting he has a white face. I wonder if is only his face or all his body too..lol.. Why would someone pretend to be a white person if they are not?? I guess no one is completely happy with their skin color. The solution to the race dilemma is just out of my thoughts. But I guess is other peoples life and if they want to change their skin color why not. It is very hard to believe that people want to change their skin color. They just are damaging their skin!!!
[Reply]
I could not believe that the picture of the women were the same person. It does not look like anything that she looked like before. Looks like a complete other person. I would not like to do that because no one would recognize me; my own family would not recognize me. She must have been operated so she can look totally different. I do not know why people would change their skin color so they can look white, tan, or brown. I would not change my skin color ether to make it lighter or darker. I could not believe that it was Sammy Sosa when I saw the picture of Sammy Sosa but with lighter skin people are saying that is because he is taking steroids and he is said that he is just trying not to be in the sun for so long and that he is putting a cream to make his face cleaner. But when he say that “yes I did take steroids and that is why my skin color is lighter” then I will believe what people are saying is true but since they do not have any prove they should not say that he is taking steroids. But I do not like how he looks now he looked better when he was darker now that he is lighter he looks weird. I did not even know that there was a cream to change your skin color. Is really necessary that people take care of their skin from the sunlight because it can cause skin cancer but that because you are taking care of your skin your skin is getting lighter or you are doing it on purpose is another thing. Is kind of stupid trying to change your skin color or change completely the way you look. People should be happy with the way they look and if they want to change do it but do not change your appearance completely that know will recognized you if they walk pass you. But I find it so stupid that it is on the news why do not they put that white people are trying to make their skin color darker but when a brown or black people are trying to make their skin color lighter there is a problem with it and it is on the news is so stupid. Another thing that people change a lot especially girls is their hair color and some girls will criticize you if they do not like the color that you have and I do not know what the problem with that if they want to change their hair color let them do it that their problem not yours.
[Reply]
The Solution to the Race Dilemma
I first want to start off saying that whoever is doing Sammy Sosa’s ‘skin rejuvenation’ should have their medical license revoked if they even have one. He certainly had a lighter complexion, but this once all star baseball player (lets’ just ignore the steroids for a moment) who was super athletic looks like he’s dying of some incurable disease. Six months ago his face was a smooth ‘black,’ and now it looks like he got skin grafts from an elderly person whose skin persevered through almost 100 years of sun and aging. The bottom line: however Sosa’s doing this, he should stop. Now.
As far as the race dilemma, I can’t think of a single time in the history of the world where there wasn’t a race issue. Even when there were Neanderthals, for those who support the theory of evolution, our Homo erectus ancestors out lived, out lasted, and out witted them into extinction. I feel like the only difference now is that black people are successfully propagating and definitely not going anywhere, nor are they a different species. Both sides are staying. Sam’s right, we need a solution.
Studies show, even examples given in Sam’s class, that white supremacy is ingrained in the subconscious minds of the majority of our society. Those who have pride in their African or African American or any culture may not agree with this, but that’s just it, white supremacy isn’t a conscious decision. You can certainly have pride in anything you are a part of, but that doesn’t change the hundreds of times anyone has witnessed a situation where the white person was chosen over the black person, or some other racial injustice. Even if you ‘talk yourself out’ of the fact that the choice has to do with skin color or background, deep down inside you know it’s true. That’s the subconscious. That’s why Sam’s type of idea would work. If we were all the same color white, black, brown, or magenta, we wouldn’t have that little voice deep in the back of our minds. There would be nothing to fuel it.
The only other issue is time. We could be arguing about race for another few hundred years, and even if the world decided to make everyone the same color we would be fighting over which one to be. Cause, you know, if the ozone is depleting and more of the sun’s rays are coming into contact with our skin on a daily basis, white people would eventually fry to death and black people would have the advantageous skin color and thus survive.
Instead of fighting, we could wait. Wait for the caramelization of the world. Blacks and whites are intermingling now more than ever. Mingling leads to relationships which can lead to babies which restarts the cycle.
Whatever happens, whether we can agree or continue being stubborn and fighting, I really do think that the problem will eventually solve itself.
[Reply]
As I read this post, I do note the sarcasm, but I also wonder if it really IS necessary for everyone to be the same color before we can all learn to accept each other. Does it really need to come to that? Maybe it does. Although I truly hope that one day or world will be able to stop judging people based on their color, it is still a far way off. We have come so far in terms of erasing racism from our world, but so much of it is also still evident in our every day life. With the “browning of America” one day people will probably be so many different races that it will not matter anymore, but do we need to sit around and wait for that? Even when that happens, will there still be distinctions between groups? Without the U.S. completely transforming into one race, is equality possible? I honestly think the entire trend of using skin whitening cream is outrageous, especially since I work so hard to achieve the golden color that others try so hard to rid themselves of. But, because they obviously envy my skin color just as I envy theirs, isn’t this more of a “grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” issue than a race issue? Are we simply turning a vanity issue that is not at all unique to people of color into a larger political and social issue than it needs to be? People who have curly hair want straight hair, people with straight hair want curly hair; is this “hairist”? Although the trend is disturbing, maybe it really is not as hot of an issue as it is made out to be. People in India may be just as disturbed that we use tanning cream as we are that they use skin bleaching cream. Are we just taking an issue of cultural different and turning it into a race issue? I go tanning, I feel prettier when I am tan, but do I wish I was Indian or black? Nope. I am perfectly happy to be white, just like I am sure many of the people using skin lightener are happy to be what they are. Because race is such a touchy issue, it is possible that some things that may not be about race at all get hyped up and turned into drama that does not need to exist. I am not saying that it is impossible that this IS in fact a race issue, I am just saying it is very possible that it is NOT. Instead of immediately assuming something is about race, I think we should first assume it is not. From there, we can investigate without prejudice.
[Reply]
Why not meet in the middle ground and be brown? So we can go to the extreme of making everyone the same color (because I feel like the extremes are not black or white, but rather, everyone breaking up into their own racial categories and attempting to live in unison with all these colors or go to everyone being the same exact color and not having a particular “them to point at”), but I do not think that white would be the acceptable race because that only forces some people to change their skin color.
There are so many problems though with this “solution.” Firstly, this sounds eerily similar to someone else who had an idea for everyone in the world to be a part of the white race (cough, cough, HITLER, cough, cough). Pretty much you are selecting the white race because you feel it is most superior in some way (looks? Physical attributes?). And this is going to cause a huge lashing out, especially from members of your race, because you are going to look exactly like a racist. Second, you would have to assume here that most minorities who already feel that they are unfairly treated by whites and forced to live in the white world would see even more injustice if everyone truly did have to move to a white world. So pretty much no one is on your side, and probably not even for the right reasons.
I would be happy that nobody has backed your idea to rid the world of races, because you are selecting the weaker of the two options you have. Rather than attempt to genetically alter the human species to have everyone look the same, you could combat something else that is natural: the instinct to dislike something that is different. Racism is hardwired into not only because the “institution” that we live in is racist, and the whole machine promotes the separation of blacks and brown and whites and that ultimately has the white man on top, but because human nature has us, as a defense mechanism, avoid things that are foreign at almost any costs. Unknowns often are often times risky, and if you naturally avoid risky situations, you’re are far more likely to survive and reproduce. Something like natural selection. So why don’t we attempt to dissuade this type of behavior in our children? We do not want to promote them jumping off cliffs and pushing physical boundaries, but maybe keep them from just disliking people based on physical attributes. Maybe actually be color blind to an extent. Your method of literally covering up the problem really solves nothing because that instinct is going to remain and our children will just find new “others” to hate.
Follow Your Nose…
[Reply]
One day, I hope to live in a world where people are born into it proud and accepting of who they are and where they came from. I feel these days people focus too much on what things look like and never escape the shallowness of their ways. Whether people are getting a nose job or dying their skin white, they both involve altering their bodies and what they were given. People must not look at certain aspects of their appearance as imperfections but embrace them as their very own characteristics. Changing part of your body is like changing who you are. How could someone want to change their own face? Something they look at every day in the mirror. Society’s media and celebrity plastic driven Hollywood has led people to believe that they have imperfections and then later leads them to change them. Why can’t we live in a society that motivates people to embrace their differences?
Now, as for Sammy Sosa. The picture taken of him in the present compared to the picture of him six months prior is a bit frightening. The man has completely altered the pigment of his skin. He may have had to because of a disease. However, this does not appear to be the case. It seems that Sammy Sosa, pulled a Michael Jackson, and dyed his skin to white… I still cant believe something like that is even possible. Honestly, if I had never seen Sosa before, I would perceive him as white from that picture. This, of course, was a choice that Sosa consciously made. If he was unhappy with the way he looked and found a way to change that, than good for him. But from my perspective, I feel it is unfortunate. I pity the fact that Sosa could not be happy with the way he looked and the color of his skin. He is a famous baseball player, why should his physical characteristics (especially skin color) matter to him? If it is due to America’s white supremacist society, then society is to blame. America’s society has driven a man with dark skin to alter his pigmentation to white. Its sad how so many outside forces can drive someone to change such a major part of who they are. However, America is not the only society. Other places advertise products that lead consumers to aspire to be white. To me, the entire world is fucked up. The majority of the world is ignorant. People are crazy. If people want to dye their skin, then let them dye their skin. I might feel like it is wrong and weird, but the people must have their own reasons for doing it.
[Reply]
Many of us are not always or all the time happy with our body, for example I am light skinned and I do not like it. Yes you should ask why, because my mom’s skin color is brown and I have always wanted to be just like her. I love people that have dark and brown skin color. I just think they look very sexy. My favorite season of the year is summer, because that is the time when I have the chance to get a little bit tanned. Even though it is very hard for me to get tanned, I do not know why but my skin is weird, I have to use many types of cream so I can get tanned. My family thinks I am crazy, because I would really like to have dark skin. My dad sometimes gets mad, because he has light skin and he thinks I do not like being light skin like him. But like I said before, I think every person in this world is not happy with their body at all. We always want to change something, if we have curly hair we want it straight and vice versa. Back to the idea of changing our skin color I think Sammy is a little bit crazy, because I do not think it is a good idea from him to change his skin color. As we all know he is a very famous player, he obviously has many and many true fans. I would say that many of his fans are dark skinned, and I truly think they were upset and offended by Sammy Sosa. In my own opinion I think that if I was his fan and I was dark skinned I would be very offended by him, because I think when you are a fan of someone so famous you admire them for all the things they have done and accomplished, you obviously love everything about them and think everything they do is right. When this person you admire does something that disappoints you, sometimes many of these fans get offended and stop admiring them. When Sam first talked to us about those products that exist out there in the world that supposedly helps white our skin, I was in shock because I was not aware of those things. Maybe because, I do not really care about beauty products that much, but I was also confused because I could not believe that there are also products that help you do that, as well as there are products that help you get your skin to be dark. I think this is just very stupid, that we are never happy with how we are.
[Reply]
Okay so first off I just want to say I feel really bad that I am completing this assignment on my phone because I am in the mall right now and school work have not been a top priority on my list but getting back to the issue at hand!!! Wow, Mr. Sam Richards just totally shocked me when he said we should all just be white! I think that is extremely funny yet at the same time i am a little confused. A couple of classes ago Mr. Richards said eventually everyone is going to turn brown because of this i have a few questions to pose. One: will the skin whitening cream actually be some sort of “treatment” to have people who want to remain white have the ability to do so? Or, whenever it comes to that day and age when everyone will turn “brown” will the skin whitening cream even have an effect.
Secondly it really seriously amazes me how people are never comfortable with their skin color. Honestly, I do have to say I was one who wasn’t one completely comfortable in my skin when I was younger but I feel like it comes to a point and time in life where we have to be comfortable with who we are and not compare ourselves to others especially when it comes to skin color. Now, that may seem like a hypocrite statement because if you’re going to become content in one subject condemning somebody in another subject you are comfortable with is something a person should not do. However, make no mistake about it im not condemning anybody if that’s what you want to do feel free to do so, but i feel like as we grow up something’s should no longer effect us. I guess i feel very strong about this is because I have a younger sister who got a little darker and now she is claiming she desires to be lighter (like my skin color) and I am completely shock about her
statement. Where did she get that from? The media ? A classmate? Where? The one thing i do know is that this issue of race relations needs to be address early in schooling education!
Also, I am still confused as to how people of color desire to be lighter and people that are white desire to go tanning to add some color in their lives it just really confuses me. I will find it very interesting to see how people will view themselves and the classifications of skin color. Just as I looked at in Brazil the hundreds of classifications of skin color there makes me question or not whether or not that would have an effect on how America (as a melting pot) will view one another. It’s only a matter of time!
[Reply]
The Solution to the Race Dilemma
I think the solution to the race dilemma it is that we need to live in the own life not others life. This big deal started when many people makes a creams to look whiter, when it is totally not true. I remember that one of my teacher do not like his color, he is black and says I do not want to be black anymore because everyone say bad thing to me just for my color. He started to use creams to be whiter but nothing happen to him. So when I saw the picture of the Chinese woman I can imagine that she can change too much. But I understand why she want to change, she do not want to face more racism for her race. For another way I do not understand why she do not face to face the problems and give her own face and can be more proud about her race. But I do not how she do or use for change that much. If I was black or browner that I am I never change my color because I do not want to look like other people. When I read about Sammy I never know that he changes his color skin. When I know about hem I think that always he is white and I never know that he is black. He change really faster and he look really beautiful. I now that change the color it is a big deal because many people do not be conform about changing colors skin. Many people do bad things to this people and make racist to they because they think that this people are too weird. I do not like this people because they cannot have to change their colors because the god gives the color that he wants to see us. If you do not want a color that god give to you, you do not be thankful to the god. So in my opinion anybody needs to change their color and they need to conform to their own color. The reason because I think like that is because I told my teacher that everyone loves him whit his color but if he changes his color I never talk to him anymore. My teacher never uses more the creams that he used before and he realizes that his color is the vest in the world. So in my conclusion I never talk whit one person that do not like his color and do not respect his culture. This person can look different but always are the same people and never cannot change his feelings that what happening whit Sammy, he never change his personality.
[Reply]
After reading the article entitled, “The Solution to the Race Dilemma”, I realized the world is changing more and more everyday. Yes, most people do not wish to talk about the difficult issue of race, but if this the product of fear; it cannot be overcome by courage. The way to overcome this fear is to be more accepting of other races, and being more willing to listen to others without judging or misjudging their statements. The reason most people stay silent is because they realize that most people will judge what they say based on the color of their skin. This is why I believe that the first step to overcoming the silence that separates different races is to be more accepting of the different walks of life, and experiences that people have had with race, and trying to understand their point of view. People in today’s world are completely different from people a decade ago. Things that are the norm now were thought of as strange and different back then. The breakthroughs in technology of skin pigmentation are amazing. People can now change there skin color from black to white over a couple of surgeries. There is a whole new market out there now involving lotions for skin coloration weather it is to lighten the skin or darken it. White people now tan and try to look as dark as possible because people in today’s society like to see darker people. There are now fake tanning booths years ago people would laugh at the idea of fake tanning booths. The thing about today’s society is that the even have professional actors and sports athletes doing the surgeries. Which in turn sends a message to the public saying it’s okay to do it nothing bad going to happen to you. For example, the late Michael Jackson was a big example of this phenomenon. People loved him and still do; people got the surgery just because of him. However doing these surgeries and changing the natural color of your skin just to fit in is not natural. The side effects of the surgery and crèmes can be devastating and unfortunately was shown in the death of Michael Jackson. Now with this Sammy Sosa allegation it’s making matters worse. People should not be changing their skin color, it’s not worth it. People are just doing it to fit in and it’s ridiculous to be thinking about doing this to yourself. It’s just going to make matters worse in the end and will eventually catch up to you in the end. The idea of changing your natural skin tone is not even funny. The norm today has changed completely and people have to get over it.
[Reply]
I think it is ridiculous that people go as far as paying hundreds of dollars to change the color of their skin, that being either from white to dark, or from dark to white. The reason why many people do it is that they want to always look better. I’ve seen gorgeous girls, who may be on the white/pale side a little bit, but they still try to improve their looks by tanning and sunbathing, etc. This phenomenon is very common and noticeable here at Penn State. One would notice it especially in the spring and after the winter when girls (and some boys) go out on the lawn and sunbathe. More than just trying to enjoy the great weather and sun, people want to take advantage of every opportunity to improve their looks. I even know a girl who picked an Apartment Complex in State College on the basis that they had a tanning booth.
Even though I am very good looking (jk…..but I am), I believe I look better when I’m tanner. I am North African and already have a brownish/tannish skin tone. But when I am tanner that usual have this reddish tone which I believe (and other of course too) looks good on me. I would never however pay money to go and tan or change my skin color. Maybe for girls it is different since they care about their looks and beauty more though.
I personally don’t mind or care if someone goes tanning or pays money to do so. However what I despise is for someone to change their skin color permanently. Maybe this opinion arises due to my religious upbringing, but I believe that people who do so are ungrateful for what God has created in them, especially if they are naturally normal in the first place. If they are born with some sort of skin disease, then I it would be fine with me personally. However if they are perfectly normal but they want to change their skin color forever just to look better, that would be ridiculous.
In Samy Sosa’s case (and Micheal Jackson’s) I don’t think it is a problem to whiten the skin if you have adideas such as vigilio. But my question is why don’t they just darken the white spots instead of whitening their whole body??
It is very interesting that people are usually never fully satisfied with themselves. White people want to be darker, and darker people want to look lighter. I have never heard of this skin whitening cream until I heard it from Dr. Richards in class. I am from a fairly dark skinned nation, Egypt; and I never heard of this whitening cream. I guess though that people want to follow the popular culture and want to be like the Hollywood stars, thus they try to imitate them and become lighter (or darker in some cases).
[Reply]
I honestly don’t understand why everyone has an obsession with white skin. What is so great about it? Of course there is some sort of white supremacy in today’s society as far as skin goes, but isn’t it something that people should be proud of? Maybe I shouldn’t be one to say this because I AM WHITE, or whatever, but I would be proud of my skin color if I had a different tone. Sometimes even today I wish that I did have a different skin color. I think that it’s more or less all about being proud of who you are and being comfortable in your skin. Especially when you have lived inside it for so long. I guess for some people it just takes some getting used to, but I would be proud of the fact that I was born the way I am. I mean, really I hate to draw a parallel with the LGBT issues with race but I believe I was born bisexual. Honestly, I can say that I never felt “ashamed” of it. Would I change it if I had the ability to? No way. That’s a part of who I am and if other people cant accept that then it’s their own problem. Definitely not mine. Also, why would we want to make everyone in the world white? That would mean that there would be no differences in the world at all. One major difference between people is skin color. Let’s face it. Same with languages. Are we going to pressure all cultures to speak English and only English? People would lose so much of their culture and would eventually lead to a loss of heritage. That is one of the most horrible things as far as im concerned. When someone is forced to conformity, Its almost like you are taking away HUGE chunks of who they are just to please other people and I for one am not down with that by any means. I guess the only way to fix the problem is to be up front with people about race if its not apparent. Im pretty sure that people need to just get over the fact that people come in all shapes, colors, and sizes and we don’t live in the 20th century anymore people. Lets evolve our minds a bit more and integrate all people into society and just quit with all of the name calling and hatred on whatever issue seems to arise. Obviously nowhere can ever be a utopian society, but I think we could be one step closer if we would all just overlook race in general and stop trying to judge everyone on their appearance. That’s truly how I feel about it. You cant be who you are without being white? Buy the cream. Cant deal with being a woman inside when you are biologically a man? Get a sexual reassignment surgery and move on.
[Reply]
First off, I think that the human race is smart enough to manufacture things to fight over regardless of what color we are. But seriously I wish that we could all be the same color, the same race. Maybe then we would be able to live in peace. But honestly it won’t matter, at least not until we all worship the same god or gods too. And we have the same general ideas and belief systems. Race is one of the main reason why we have fought over the years but it is just untrue to say it’s the only.
I think it is crazy that people actually want to become white. Especially in the U.S. where black and Latino people will eventually be the majority, and they’ll finally have the chance exact their revenge. Maybe. They will finally be able to establish what they want and not what WE give them. It honestly seems like the last hundred years of equal rights movements might have just been to please the minority before they eventually become the majority. Maybe not. Whatever the case things could get interesting considering the people in power are obsessed with remaining there.
The fact that Sammy Sosa is turning white is in my opinion spitting in the face of his own original race. Even though he did steroids and he should be remembered for doing steroids, he still did a lot for the black community as well as wherever the hell he’s from. You have to remember, pro baseball players like Sammy are idolized and look up too by millions. What are all these kids going to think we they see the news stories claiming Sammy is trying to be a white person? Along that matter, what the hell were black Michael Jackson fans supposed to think when Michael tried to be white? Instead of being remembered as a great ball player, he is becoming another Michael Jackson.
However in my opinion Sammy Sosa and the whitening cream is not an attempt to be white, it’s just an attempt to idolize and portray the skinny white models that are thrust before us in the spotlight. We are all just a product of our environment. And when our environment/ the media is telling us that being white or whiter is beautiful then we listen. When you turn on the TV and see beautiful women with everything that you desire its natural to replicate, and in most cases that women is white and imposes the idea of white superiority. Which is bullshit.
[Reply]
After watching the clip of Sammy Sosa a lot of thoughts were circulating in my head. At first I was against the skin whitening but then I kept thinking about it and had a different opinion.
The reason that I am against this issue is because I do not see what positive results it would have on a black person becoming white. Not only are they not happy with themselves but also they are trying to be something they are not. I think it is actually an insult to black people that Sammy Sosa wanted to change his appearance to a white male. Many African Americans looked up to Sammy Sosa as this black prominent figure and now that he is a different color people are going to act in a totally different way. I feel that in America people are trying to change themselves everyday to look the best and feel their best. In reality that is not making any of us actually feel better because we are never going to get to that point when we do feel the BEST. There is always going to be something wrong and we can never be perfect.
The reason that I am for skin whitening is the issue about tanning they brought up in the video. I have to admit, I like to tan and I like to look tan. That is making my skin darker just as a black person is making their skin lighter. I do feel better about myself when I look tan. Also I am for this issue because people in America should be able to do whatever they want without being asked questions about it. I’m sure Sammy Sosa is faced with questions and hatred comments everyday now. Just as Michael Jackson had to go through this situation look where he is at today. People get so caught up in other peoples live, they need to just accept their choices and let them do what they want. As long as the skin whitening cream does not cause death or other negative consequences then I say, let that black or brown person lighten their skin if they want, because who am I to judge when I go tanning and make my skin darker.
So in the end I am for and against this cream. It is not the end of the world that someone wants to change his or her skin color. After all we are the ones who are causing these problems. All of the media portraying these images of having the best hair, makeup, body, etc. When does this all stop? We need to fix this problem because one day everyone is going to look the same or try to look the same.
[Reply]
It’s almost unfortunate and sad that our world has come to degrees such as whitening one’s skin tone to achieve a more desirable look that is either to become more accepted in the community or for purely aesthetic purposes. Whatever the case may be, it is just astonishing to see the revelation that both genders are coming to such shocking conclusions of permanently changing their physical appearance in order to “blend” into society. The problem is that even after undergoing the dramatic change, the individual is still stuck in their ethnic roots. They can’t wash away their ethnicity, blood, and DNA makeup, so although they will be personally satisfied with their outer looks, they will still bear children and grandchildren that are of their natural and unmodified origin. As a result the “quicker” fix to turning the world white is not plausible and just simply impossible in long terms. If we’re not actually interfering with the chemical and genetic makeup of individuals, there won’t be a solution to the proposed idea of altering one’s physical attributes. At the end we will just come across a particular group of people in society who have gone the extra mile in the process of cosmetic surgery and who are awaiting on the list of taboos. In the larger spectrum of things, pure light-skinned people such as “whites” will never completely come to terms as “accepting” the once black community as now homogenized white-skinned individuals roaming about society expecting and demanding equal and even better treatments from their white brothers and sisters. This will become a greater race issue and as a result the “quick” fix is no longer quick, swift, and painless, but a poisonous, lethal, and corrupt way of remedying an issue that can never be fixed in the first place. As for those such as Sammy Sosa and even the dramatic and the unbelievable before and after shots of an Asian female transforming into a clearly Caucasian woman, only a select few individuals in society who are hungry for physical perfection and who are determined enough to undergo cosmetic science, will pursue such desires. The possibility that one day perhaps our society will turn to this skin color-turning concoction is just absurd in so many ways. Financially speaking, it is not plausible that all individuals are able to afford this magical cream, unless, that is, if the government steps in and delivers an extra stimulus package for some “white” cream. In human sensibilities, underdeveloped or Third World countries have been and still are asking for help from countries like the United States, is it fair and justifiable that our country would take the initiative to expedite money that we don’t have so that our faces would look like we are more unified or together?
-Demi Ngai
[Reply]
This article seemed a bit absurd to me at first when i read that the solution was for everyone to become white. As sad as it is though, the statement may have some truth in it. It might be easier if everyone was white but at the same time everyone has their own personalities that also make them who they are. I think a lot of people who are black, especially black females, are stereotyped as being obnoxious, loud, and "in your face" kinda girls. Even if a person changed the color of their skin they would still act the same way most likely. Not to be stereotypical but if you did believe most black females acted in an obnoxious and loud manner then wouldn't they still act that way even if they weren't black? As much as I want to be optimistic about this topic, I feel like the race issue will not be solved anytime soon. However, I will say that even though people may have their opinions on a specific race, no one should ever have to change the color of their skin. It's quite sad how judgmental our society is today. Assuming for a moment that everyone in the world was white, people could no longer judge a person based on the color of their skin but there is no doubt that they would find something else to judge people on. People will always judge others based on something, if it's not by race then it will be by some other characteristic. People nowadays strive to separate others from themselves and make themselves appear to be more superior to the other groups. Not only do we judge people based on the color of their skin but also on their body image, hair color, and other physical features. When will the stereotypes and judging ever stop? Honestly, they probably won't stop anytime soon but I guess it's a matter of working towards bettering the situation everyday.
After reading this article it did blow my mind to think that not only do black people try to make themselves white, but white people try to make themselves black. I will admit that I love tanning and used to go multiple times a week, even everyday. However, I'm now questioning if i was blind for not seeing that as trying to be black. I never thought of tanning as a means for making a person appear black. In my opinion, it was more an issue of appearing like the models one sees on magazine covers. Whether the reason one goes tanning is to make themselves more black or to make themselves more like the models they see on a magazine, both are equally saddening. It's upsetting, in general, that whether it's because of the color of one's skin or their body image, so many girls have self-esteem issues and as a result many fall into psychological problems like eating disorders. Until we start to change our ways of thinking what is "better" and stop being so judgmental, then people will continue to put themselves down whether because of their skin color, hair color, or body type.
[Reply]
I am originally from Chicago, so seeing Sammy Sosa that white immediately drew my attention to this post. I personally have seen Sammy Sosa up close, and it was unreal to see how different he looks that white. I don’t understand what goes through people’s minds when they change themselves so dramatically. It’s the same as getting plastic surgery and altering your appearance. Why has our culture provoked this idea that people need to look a certain way to fit in. I don’t think anything would be simpler if everyone was white and no one should want that to happen, its insane.
This video strikes me and really made me think about my lifestyle and what I do to alter my appearance. I am guilty of tanning, like most of the young women I know today. I guess you could say I too want to change the way I look, but I also think that there are many extremes to altering your appearance not just simple things like wearing makeup or tanning. I was shocked when I first saw Michael Jackson transform himself into a White man and now Sammy Sosa. Your immediate thought is that there is something mentally wrong with these people. Why on earth would you want to change your background and what defines you as a person? Why do some people think that whiteness is the standard for beauty? Who gets to decide what color is beautiful and what is not?
It also came to my attention that it seems as though in the United States today, if someone wanted to make their skin lighter it would seem odd, but it might seem acceptable to a lot of people. However, if famous white people all of a sudden started dying their skin black somehow, how do you think people would react? I think much differently. I do not agree with people getting surgery to change the color of their skin. I think ethnicity brings life to the world giving us diversity and the chance to surround ourselves with different cultures. If everyone all of a sudden changed himself or herself to white, I don’t think we would be able to experience this. Shit would just be plain boring. I am white, so I also don’t know what these people really thought when they wanted to so drastically change their skin color. It raises a lot of controversy, especially when it’s people who we look up to. This completely changes my perspective of Sosa. I wonder how looking whiter affects his life now. I also wonder how other dark skinned people are reacting to this. Does the majority think that this is diminishing and unthinkable or would they to consider making their skin color white if they were given a cream that worked in just a few months.
[Reply]
The idea of other races wanting to become white is something that I find very puzzling and comical at the same time. Why on earth would you want to become just another drop in the ever-growing sea of white people, especially if you are someone like Sammy Sosa, whose name and face are known throughout the world as one of the greatest players in professional baseball? To me it should be the other way around, with people wanting to proudly display their ethnic background. However, in all honesty, even in the midst of the United States, a nation that boasts its reputation for diversity, we find that the picture perfect American is successful, beautiful, and most definitely white.
Making everyone white would certainly create some sense of unity, but what about the other features that distinguish each race from one another? Just because everyone is white, does that truly make him or her white? To truly solve the race problem, the solution has to go beyond the color of our skin, it has to involve the physical construction of body and face, and also incorporate the way people think and speak. People have always found ways to distinguish themselves from the people around them, and white skin would certainly not stop them from finding some aspect of difference to critique. Additionally, changing the color of skin does little to change the personality of an individual. It is like the wolf in sheep’s clothing: he may look and act like a wolf, but deep down he is still a wolf. It is going to take more than just skin alteration to amend the race relation dilemma. To fix this problem it may take the complete modification of an individual altogether.
I also wanted to comment on the video clip. Throughout the clip the male reporter referred to the skin whitening as “skin rejuvenation,” however there appears to be little to no health benefits associated with this treatment. They make it sound like this procedure can increase your health, when it is really nothing more than cosmetic surgery. Apparently the male reporter thought this was funny too, as he laughed at the “skin rejuvenation” comment as well. I find it interesting that they report the information in this manner. It is almost like an advertisement more than an informational report.
What’s the deal with Sammy Sosa’s skin whitening in the first place? What is his motive behind pulling a Michael Jackson? Is this some attempt to make himself look more prominent, wealthy, or respectable? I mean Sosa doesn’t even have a crazy, messed up father who wished his son were whiter…(cough cough Joe Jackson). Sosa has a successful career as a professional baseball player and represents one of the MLB’s finest players, in addition to honorably representing his race, heritage, and ethnicity. And the funny part is if you look at professional sports in today’s world whites have become the minority. So, why would anyone want to become white when different races represent such excellence? Just because a few white people decided the picture of perfection is white skin, doesn’t mean that we should have to believe it. And there is no way white skin cream is going to solve this race relation problem. Maybe we should just stick to steroids?
[Reply]
Sammy Sosa’s motive to “rejuvenate his skin” remains unknown. One theory suggests that steroids could have caused blotches in his skin tone and to cover up the physical evidence of his alleged steroid usage, Sosa decided to dye his skin whiter. Another theory suggests that like tanners, Sosa wanted to portray a new look. With white supremacy remaining a world issue, many would think why would Sosa not want to be white? Despite Sosa’s motive, many people were struck when they saw his skin’s transformation over a short period of time. Sosa’s skin is not the only that remained unnoticed by the media, however. Beyonce Knowles, for example, was seen in an early August 2008 L’Oreal advertisement looking noticeably whiter than her true black skin color suggests. This was computer generated of course and brought to the public’s attention. Computer generated photos are not only infamous for critiquing skin tones, but body images in movies, music videos, and other advertisements as well. This body editing process only suggests that people should be portrayed not as their true selves, but as perfected models. In response, one might ask, “What defines perfection?” Stereotypes suggest that the perfect female body image, for example, is curvy, but thin, and white, but tan. These opinions are pure contradictions of themselves. Therefore, they are impossible to achieve. This is great news, however, because no one should feel that they have to be perfect! In the same way, no skin color is perfect. We live in a world filled with a multitude of ethnicities, races, personalities, and cultures that if everyone looked exactly the same, we could not distinguish one person from another. Professor Sam Richards suggests in his blog that it would make sense for all nationalities to become “whiter” as a unification purpose. This statement only segregates the importance of one race over another and produces more animosity toward racial equality. A race is merely a title to mentally group people of similar physical characteristics together so that they are distinguishable from other different races. In other words, they are human labels to describe groups of people. Because skin color is a major distinguishing factor of which race one pertains to, it becomes an easy target for judgmental attitudes, discriminatory conduct, and stereotypical formation. To think that if everyone shared the same racial background would solve discrimination and judgments is completely ludicrous! Human beings will always be competitive and judgmental. Therefore we would find something else about people to criticize and belittle because we know ourselves that we will never achieve the degree of perfection that society’s stereotypes suggests about body image and skin color. Instead, we should embrace our differences and be proud of our distinguishable physical characteristics because they set us apart from the rest of the world.
[Reply]
I find this whole "race dilemma" completely and utterly stupid. I cannot for the life of me understand why the hell it matters what color someone's skin is. It boggles my mind, yes I do understand certain stereotypes that go along with certain "races", but by definition a stereotype is "a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image of person or thing." Therefore they are not always true. I am constantly being stereotyped for being Jewish, which is a religion and definitely not a "race", but it's the same concept. If I had a penny for every time someone made a "Jew joke", well, I'd be one rich Jew, no pun intended. I rarely ever get upset about "Jew jokes" its not worth my time or frustration, I'll laugh at them and make them myself. I feel like if everyone could act like that about race then there would be no problem. Alas I do not think that is possible because people will just find something else to make fun of people for.
As for having everyone become white I appreciate the satire in that because that obviously would not help create peace, I mean look at the controversy it caused with Michael Jackson and Sammy Sosa. Not to mention the amount of money it would cost for these skin creams. Because I am sure that not everyone could afford them, which would inevitably cause more problems than it solves because the people who can't buy it would be singled out. Furthermore, some people may not want to change the color of their skin. I know many girls who go tanning to achieve a darker color skin because they find it attractive. I honestly think there is no way around this issue unless everyone just stops caring about what other people think and or say. And not caring is simply put just not in human nature, if we didn't care about those types of things then the world would be incredibly overpopulated because there would be a lack of hate crimes going around (this, of course, is not good in any way, shape, or form but it is the sad truth.) I believe that this kind of thinking is what led Hitler to do such horrible things to people that did not look like the way he felt people should look. And I am of course not comparing Sam to Hitler because I do believe he is just trying to prove a point about how crazy people can be.
If you are offended by anything I am saying I am truly sorry for that. All I can say is that yes I do see the colors of peoples skin, but I don't judge who that person is based on that, and I really don't see the intrinsic value of judging someone based on the color of his or her skin, religion, S.E.S., etc. it simply does not make sense.
[Reply]
I do not agree with this solution to the “race dilemma” one bit. Before people decide that it is a great idea for everyone to become a unit of one, they need to look within themselves and figure out if that is who they really want to be. Who is to say that the white person next to them is that much better than themselves in order to change their entire appearance? Who is to say that their white appearance will get them far enough to reach who they really want to be? People need to take a second and question their belief system and their deepest desires and ask if they are willing to give all of that up just to look and act like the person next to them. Although celebrities may have the power to persuade people to change others appearances, who isn’t to say you couldn’t be one of those people that persuade people to accept their differences. If everyone walked around with the same look, what would you initially find striking in another human being? It is not all about looking alike in order to feel together. I come from a family of seven people. My father is white, my mother is Mexican and each and every one of my brothers and sisters have a variety of traits from each parent. Some of us have darker skin and some of us have lighter skin. I am one of the children in my family who has darker skin and I have never felt inferior to any other white person around me. I enjoy being unique and having different qualities than others. The fact that Sammy Sosa took it into his own hands to change his skin color is disturbing, along with other celebrities such as Michael Jackson. It is more than impossible for everyone in the world to look alike in order to feel a sense of togetherness so why try and take a different route. People should use their differences to create a world of one. By accepting others different qualities in life, people will reach a different level of “togetherness”. This type of unity will not only be better but it will require others to be themselves the way it should be. In the end, people will be happier and in the end people will formulate bonds with others that they would not have been able to reach by just being alike. If you were to say that you and your group of friends or family all act alike than you are lying. So why lie and say that you guys all look alike? Keep yourself intact by embracing your outward appearance and soon you will be embracing others with the attitude that works for you.
[Reply]
As a white, female I know that everything I am going to say right now can and will sound hypocritical. That said, I can not dare to think about the possibility of changing something, that is as obvious as the color of my skin, to a drastically lighter or darker shade. Many young white females go tanning, wear bronzer or spray tan because of the positive reactions they receive from the opposite sex during the summer or the comparisons to celebrities and to feel “pretty”. Yet this tan skin color does not make the person unrecognizable, it is still the same person that everyone is used to just at different variations through out the year.
When a black person whitens their skin do they then consider themselves black or white? They might now blend in with society as a whole but no longer blend in with their own community. So then which becomes more important to a black individual, fitting in with the people they encounter on a daily basis’s or blending it with the greater society? Maybe the black person who whitens their skin now becomes an outsider when they were once an insider to their own community. Will their friends and family look down upon them or view them in a different light. As well, if all the members in your community have known your for x amount of years as black and suddenly you appear white, the people you associate with can be offended and view your personal change as you looking down on them and you feeling better and more entitled then them. Even if a black persons skin whitening has everything to do with the individual, that one persons decision then begins to affect all the important people in their life.
Another thought that crosses my mind is even though your exterior is white how do you identify yourself? When filling out a job application in the race category what will you check? Black? White? As a white female I feel as if the way I have been treated my whole life can never change. Even if I were to paint my skin black, in my head I would still think like a white girl, act like a white girl and do everything as if I am white. Black people honestly have had and will continue to have different experiences in America then white people. They have been treated different and have at many times been treated unfairly. It is not as easy as changing the exterior of a person to change the interior. The realization I have come to after reading sam’s blog and the responses is that maybe being black and white is not about our skin color it is about the experiences we have to deal with through our life, the way we live our life and who we live our life with. Black people can bleach their skin all they want but nothing they do on the outside can alter the colors on the inside.
[Reply]
Firstly, I am surprised that there are creams out there that can change your skin color to white. But honestly, I do not agree with it. I think that our skin color is part of who we are and why should we have to change it. This would be a complete waste of money. If we always hear about how there are children starving in Africa why should people be spending money on dumb and pointless things like creams to change their skin color.
I think one of the most unique things about American is how there is such a variety of people. We are known to be a "melting pot" and I like that. If we were all the same then that would be boring. In my high school I was the minority as a white girl. Many Spanish or African American families moved to my area from New York to build better homes for their families. I enjoyed being the minority in my school because I think it taught me a lot more than I could have ever learned from a textbook. Just talking to my class mates I learned so many things about other cultures, traditions, dances, music, and lifestyles. Who cares if the people that were telling me these things were a different color from me. They were all still good people.
I do believe that if everyone did use this cream and everyone did become white, then everyone would be treated equally. However, people shouldn't need a cream to be treated that way. I could tell in my high school that some students where treated poorly by some teachers, and probably would not have been treated that way if they were white. It is extremely unfortunate that some teachers are like that. If they were to take the time to talk to students and not just judge them on their skin color then they would realize how interesting their students are.
I think instead of finding a solution to our racial dilemma people should embrace the fact that our country is filled with a variety of different skin colors. Once everyone accepts that they will be able to judge people on their personality and heart rather then their skin color. So people should stop worrying about how to fix this "dilemma" and worry about helping people accept that there are lots of different races and that is what makes us unique.
[Reply]
When your white your right, my black friends would tell me. I never really understood what they were saying until I started a job in Princeton, NJ. I started the same day as a black person, and we were told to answer a few questions, from the hand out they had given us the day before. Every time, Sha-nae-nae, tried to answer something, for some reason it just didn't sound good to my boss, who was white and loving it. When I went to answer the same question, I specifically answered in the same manner as Sha-nae-nae did so I could see the difference in reactions. Totally aroused by my answer, I received I hug! I a hug! I am not saying that I don't like hugs, but come on, let's not look like the Brady Bunch. After this, Sha-nae-nae didn't seem to get along with me anymore. I feel that she overreacted a little bit. I say this because, yes it is true when your white your right. If everyone changed their skin color to Caucasian, then the people who instilled in our heads since day one, that "when your white your right", would no longer have someone to be wrong. It would never work. Next we would be cut-throating our own skin, and white people wouldn't agree with that very much. Since the day I have been born, I have been able to go to school, get a job, and do everyday tasks without someone starring. When a black person enters this world, they might as well put buckets filled with glue on their feet, and try to walk around. It's ridiculous. Just from me being white puts a disadvantage on the next black person. Personally, I am not sure how to fix this dilemma. All I can say is that white people need to realize that it isn't honky dory and rainbows. I feel that all racial groups or ethnic groups, need to stand up with their own people realize that if we drop the "race" card, bottom-line, we are all human beings! Human beings that are living on OUR Earth. I mean think of all those children, hell, everyone living in Haiti right now. Why are we still fighting over racial dominance? There are too many large issues going on around us, and white people especially need to wake up. I say white people especially because we are the ones that seem to be always right. It is absolutely vital for us to change, but by changing our skin colors to be white, is not what we need. The whole thing about having different skin colors is incredible. Don't we see how amazingly beautiful this is. I love people, regardless of facial features. How does a blind person feel? We need to stop treating people based on our skin color, but from behaviors and character. I don't care if I was with a girl/boy of purple skin color when I was answering those questions. I guess I still don't see what the color of my skin has anything to do with the person I am.
-Megan
[Reply]
Race is defined as the physical or biological characteristics of a person or group. A dilemma is usually seen as an undesirable or unpleasant choice. Our society knows the definitions of both terms, yet still groups them together. Why do individuals see their own biological characteristics as a problem? They go searching for solutions to something that is natural by characterizing it as a flaw. Our society as a whole constantly searches for imperfection lacking the base for judgment. We have reached a point at which we are not satisfied with our own skin color. Whether one wants to get darker or lighter we trap ourselves in the constructions of foolish thought. I don’t understand why people are changing who they are. Why is white seen as “perfection”? Can anyone enlighten me? Of course not, because everyone has their own ideas of what an ideal person should look like. I was shocked when a student from my sociology lecture used a skin-whitening product today. At first he seemed hesitant to try it, however the pressures of the class eventually overwhelmed him. As he rubbed the cream onto his hand, he lost a part of his identity. If we continue to trap ourselves under the “hype” of so called perfection we will eventually lose individuality. Is that what we really want?
Why can’t we all realize that god created us the way we are. There is no need to change our appearances to fit a mold that doesn’t exist. It is in human nature to desire something we don’t have. Whether it is the perfect body, or the color of our eyes we keep trying to make ourselves look a certain way. I know many people that wear colored contacts to make themselves look different. Why do people think its okay to wear colored contacts and not okay to change the color of ones skin. It is all the same thing. Hypocrisy constantly governs our thoughts and decisions. I guarantee that most people who are against skin lightning are wearing colored contacts. They are changing their eyes from brown to purple and many see this as normal. We need to change the way we think about altering our appearances. When will we reach the point when “enough is enough”? People are wearing wigs, getting plastic surgery, and now changing the color of their skin. Will this quest for change ever end? Can we accept ourselves and be comfortable with the features we have?
I was stunned when I saw the picture of the Asian woman’s transformation to a white individual. If I were to see her on the street after this change I would never recognize her. She has totally changed what she looked like to an extreme degree. I wonder if she still knows whom she is when she looks at herself in the mirror. Did she lose herself completely in her strides to fit the norm? How does her family feel about this transformation? So many questions arise when I look at the words before and after under the images of two completely different people. In the end we cannot stop people from changing who they are. It is ultimately their decision. I just hope we don’t reach the point when we completely lose our identities and our loved ones.
[Reply]
I believe this is an issue of self-loathing for some people. There are women who are obsessed with becoming an unrealistic “perfect” woman. Not only do some women strive for this, but some men expect it. Both men and women are bombarded with unrealistic images of people who have been photo-shopped to become this ideal of perfection. I believe this is the reason more and more people today are choosing to have plastic surgery in order to enhance their appearance. People are willing to do anything, even go under the knife in order to become what they feel is a more perfect version of themselves.
Being a young adult female, I am often surrounded by self-loathing peers who complain that they are fat, awkward, pale, and unattractive. “If only I could loose ten pounds then that guy would suddenly like me.” That is the type of statement many women my age will make. The reason for this, I believe, is the media. Who can blame people for thinking this way? For the most part we don’t see normal or average looking people in the media; we see the cream of the crop. It messes with ones’ perception and makes it seem as if these perfect people are somehow the norm. We need to look like the 5’ 10” model who weighs 115 pounds; this is unhealthy and not realistic for most women.
We are raising our youth to self-loath. What images are we sending to our children? If a mother chooses to have a breast augmentation, what message does that send to her daughters and sons? Perhaps it says nothing, but perhaps it sends the message that she is unhappy in her own skin and she is not good enough as she is. When did being your self suddenly stop being enough?
I have dealt with this issue in my own personal life. One of my closest friends, an attractive, young Asian woman, recently underwent double eyelid surgery to make herself appear more Americanized. She is the only “non-white” (whatever that really means) girl in a group of 10 women. Even though she is undeniably beautiful inside as well as outside, she felt compelled to alter her image in order to fit the ideal of the ideal American woman. I find myself wondering, if she had Asian friends, would she still have undergone this surgery? It is sad to see the effect of this epidemic and how plastic surgery is slowly but surely becoming the norm for many people. I think that we should celebrate our differences and flaws because that is what makes us unique and interesting. It is imperative that we reevaluate the messages we are sending based upon the images shown in the media.
[Reply]
I very much disagree with this theory of everyone becoming white. I believe that it wont solve a thing. Because there will still be racism. Just that it wont be black and white anymore. It'll become the whites against the cream users or wanna be whites. And all us minorities will still be treated unfairly and will still be denied that corporate job over the natural born white person. Ive come to terms with the fact that there are many racist and discrimination in the world. And that this will never change because its just how some people are raised. And the only reason I'm ok with it is because I'm not the one that is missing out. Those who are racist are the ones who are missing out on the chance of learning new cultures and seeing how other people live. I'm not gonna dye my skin white just so i can please the white man. I feel that if a person doesn't like me because of my race or skin color than i don't have any business or interest in meeting that person or being in that persons presence. I am an American citizen and have all the same rights as any other person. This is why i am embarrassed by what Sammy Sosa has done. Here you have a man whom i looked up to as i was growing up. I would say all the time when i was growing up how much i wanted to be like Sammy and be able to hit home runs like Sammy, and be able to play for the Cubs like Sammy. But then as i got older and then these allegations of him using steroids came out. I lost some respect for the guy but i was still a fan. Because he was a fellow Dominican and i have to support my people. And i also thought that he was still a great player and helped my country shine when him and Mark McGwire were in that Home run race in the late 90's. And now he crawls out of the cave hes been hiding in for however long and his skin is completely nasty looking and a whole different color. He doesn't even look like himself anymore. And this is when i lost all respect for this man. Here you have a man who is set financially for the rest of his life. He doesn't have to worry about trying to get a job or facing any kind of discrimination living in the Dominican Republic that us young minorities will face as we get older here in the US. So then why did he have to get his skin bleached? What was the reason for this? It wasn't because of the steroids. Because if he had vitilago we would have seen patches of discolored skin on him. But we didn't see any of that. In Michael Jackson's case there is photographic evidence that he suffered from this disease and you could see the patches of discolored skin in his hands. But Sammy in my eyes had no reason to do this except for the fact that he wanted to be white. He thought this through and decided i want to turn my skin white. Why can't a man with so much money just enjoy being who he his and not have to go to extremes to change his appearance unless its truly necessary. I really have no more respect for this man and i feel like he has disgraced my country. We in no shape or form want to be white because we are who we are and trust me there is no pride like Dominican pride.
[Reply]
I never really understood people who “bleach” themselves and try to be something that they are not. It's quite sad actually people cannot be even comfortable in their own skin. Many blame the media for this, but I believe if a child is brought up to believe that they are indeed beautiful, they would not need any reassurance from the media or from anyone for that matter. Maybe if we stop picking apart the way we look in the mirror there would be a less people with low self esteem and eating disorders. Let’s face it no one is perfect, having lighter or darker skin will not make you perfect.
[Reply]
I find this subject really interesting because I never really thought about people actually lightening their skin. I am white, and I have always hung around white people and there was always that notion to become more tan. It was a normal thing to have people want to look darker. However, like you said these creams that make you tanner give a more orange glow rather than brown. Think about this in another spectrum, that is, brown to white is really confusing. However, last semester I took an African American art history class and I learned about how people in the 1940’s would use bleaching products to lighten their skin to fit in more. I also read Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman. It was a really great book it and was about a girl in the 1940’s struggling with her color. In the story she used bleaching cream and she would also use very light foundation to cover up her darker skin. Her peers thought that she looked very strange because it wasn’t natural. In the story her skin was extremely dark, and during those times she really received criticism because of it. The man problem was, was that she didn't have much self confidence and because of her hard childhood. Basically I feel that the same goes for people today. Some feel that they don't have enough and they want to make themselves better. Some white people become obsessed with tanning and go to far and darker people want to become white to fit in. I think that this is all very twisted and we all need to find some self worth. As for Sammy Sosa, if he did begin to have skin disease then it is possible that he wanted to rejuvenate his skin, but his new white skin is a far cry from his passed darker skin. I wish that one of the commentators where black so we could hear their point of view. I would like to see if the product was more familiar with them maybe they knew relatives that did it back in the forties when color was more of an issue? I just wish people could like in a world where they feel comfortable in their own skin. It is hard to say that because we all have something about ourselves that we want to change, but to change skin tones to feel a sense of belonging is so far beyond anything I have ever heard. Then again, I am not black, I am white and I don't have the same views as everyone.
[Reply]
to add on to that——-I was really thinking about out past lecture on skin whiting and how you are putting bleaching on a black students hand every-class. I wasn't really sure how to react to that because I didn't know how black people viewed that I wasn't sure if they where mad or disappointed. Its just sure a strange topic and I wonder if he will go through with the cream every class. I don't think it is a bad thing but I do think it is going against what we have been trying to get rid of….as a society I think we should all live together in peace, but I also think that we should embrace our heritage because we are all different. So putting bleaching cream on a student is kind of insane!! haha but what I am hoping is that its really actually fake….he is probably just putting regular lotion on….maybe…..I don't know
[Reply]
I think this story is so crazy. The fact that there are skin whitening creams is so crazy. Yes, it is human nature, I guess, for people to discriminate and have a social hierarchy, but when did this phenomenon to be white start? Was it during the civil war, when white Americans felt the need to put "black" people into slavery? This was all formed by white Americans who wanted to have power over people they felt were less than them. What we went over in class on Thursday was really an eye opener for me. How can you define a race? It dates back to thousands of years ago when people migrated out of Africa. Everyone is a mix of something, there is no definition of race. Our physical features do not even account for 2% of our genes. How can we judge one another? Our physical features date back to so long ago and have formed because of natural selection and evolution. People interact with climates as they migrate and that is why we look like who we are. So who is really right to discriminate? Just because you think someone is a certain race certainly does not mean that they are what you think. This article really boggles my mind because people want to be white. There is no reason to discriminate against people who are not white and there is no reason for certain physical traits to be deemed desirable. There is no such thing as race. Like it was said in class, there are several different pigment variations within one country itself. There are Native Americans who look dark, but were not slaves. There are also people in Asia who look black who you could never pinpoint to originate from Asia. To discriminate and judge someone because of the color of their skin is foolish and ignorant. No one should have to want to look a certain way. There should be no such thing as "race". We should accept people for the person they are inside, not what they look like. This all happened because of the 1 drop rule. But there should be no fine line between people. You should be who you are and embrace it. If Sammy Sosa did whiten his skin that's foolish. We are to blame. However, what if he were a rapper? Wouldn't he feel foolish being light skinned? It is something to really think about. Why is it okay for people to want to be the majority? Why can't the minority feel as equally accepted?
[Reply]
I never understood this whole idea of the ideal perfection of being “white.” It’s so remarkable to think that people that I know and where I am from still to this day use this skin whitening creams and certain additives to make themselves feel more beautiful. Coming from an Indian family, I feel like I have really been around and exposed to this craze.
[Reply]
I'm not sure if I will fully understand why people of color would want to apply a cream every day to become white. No one has a say in what skin color they want to be before they are born, obviously. It's something that is just natural and makes a person their true self. Although a lot of people have used these creams, the question is why? As far as the White Supremacy goes, it's just a belief that white people are better than black people, which in my mind, doesn't make complete sense. Look at the president of our country. He's not white, and he's the man on top. I'm sure everyone doesn't hate on him for that, it's not really logical if they do. He earned his spot at the president. Black or white, I feel that it shouldn't make a difference. Yes we all have our different backgrounds and ethnicity of who we are, it's one own choice to have the urge to change their skin color. It's true about white people though who want to be darker. UV rays in the tanning bed have many bad outcomes that a person may regret when they're older, and white again. Even though tanning beds are said to clear ache, darken the skin and to give relaxation, in the end it may result in wrinkly skin and skin cancer. But how could black people have just a cream that works on its own and gives results as a white person permanently? It seems as if they don't have any other consequences but change in skin color. From my point of view, I don't see why someone would want to change their appearance in which they are to meet up to some standard that is unethical.
I believe the issue with the gun control can go either way. What I don't agree with is the people who buy guns to kill people. If the man selling guns in the gun store saw a "gangster" looking type person come in to buy a gun, what goes through their head? Especially those scary looking guns that are definitely not used for hunting. I think a lot of violence may be cut down if only police and people who have legitimate reason for a gun of that sort should be able to purchase one.
I have a personal experience here in which I can get my point across. For example, last year I was at Turkey Hill convenient market getting gas. My friend and I noticed some sort of "drug deal" looking type scenario going down. A person of color hopped in the car to "purchase a gun," and when he got out of the car he immediately went to the side of the building and what do I hear, "bang! bang! bang! bang!" I hear gun shots from a man shooting at a car. Like, really? Now my hometown isn't as ghetto as that may sound but this occurred in an area near my high school where it may be considered "slightly ghetto," but not a bad town at all. This is why I don't agree with random people being able to own a gun. It's not necessary to have a gun for these sorts of reasons.
On the other hand, I don't think Sammy Sosa should have the thought in his head to want to become white because of the issues in the society. He's a professional athlete that people look up to. It just boggles my mind that people who are born black apply a cream every night to want to be white. I wonder what his young baseball fans think of that situation, I'm sure they don't understand either.
[Reply]
As a Black female, when I was growing up, I’m not sure I knew the difference (whatever difference that is) between black and white and in between. For starters, my maternal grandmother is VERY fair skinned with blonde hair, just like her own mother, but in reality she is black. On top of that, my mother always was sure to expose me to a diverse environment. I have “aunts” (really just family friends) that are White and Indian and Black. I mean, who cares? I didn’t think of it to be a big deal. I also have two younger brothers who I found interesting to observe in their early ages. Most times when people are asked to describe someone, they begin with skin color and take it from there. But I noticed that my brothers didn’t see the significance in any differences either. If I asked “Do you remember Sarah?” one of them would reply by asking to specify something other than skin, like “Was that the girl with the dark hair?” or “Did she wear a red shirt today?” I just felt that we were always taught that skin didn’t matter, it didn’t define us in any particular way (ideally at least). If “Sarah” was black or brown or green or orange or purple, it wouldn’t have made a difference to me or my brothers. I realized as I grew older that I was somehow fortunate enough to be placed in institutions of diversity for most of my life, so I saw the world and its people a little different than some my age. I attended an Arts middle school, where we were more concerned with arguing about what major art form was better than which skin color was cooler. It would be WAY too much to ask for EVERYONE to look past the skin deep….Or to ask God to make us all the same color…Or to just make people use their brains instead of their eyes to make judgments. I mean, that IS the reason people are changing their skin color right?? So here’s another solution: Be content with your own color, and don’t worry about anybody else’s. OR…convince everyone to just be White, like Sam said. Haha.
[Reply]
So far a lot of the comments I have read are fair, logical, and politically correct. Of course we're all confused by the idea of someone wanting to change their skin color to look like a different race, particularly black or brown individuals who want to look white. We mocked Michael Jackson and now Sammy Sosa for it, for they are black individuals who are praised for their talent and we have grown accustom to looking at them for only their talent, and not noticing their race. Those not in the spotlight, however, may feel, and obviously some do feel, a desire to attempt to fool the general public into thinking they are something different than they are, due to embarrassment or shame I cannot say for sure.
I don't see this as a shock. "White" has never been a term in history used derogatorily, whereas "black" and "brown" have. In the past to be a color other than white was seen as dirty and inferior, and although we would all love to think that racism is a thing of the past I believe I can say with certainty it is not, although it is hidden better.
[Reply]
The solution to the race dilemma is far from being touched. The United States has one of the biggest multi-cultural nations. To start off, the problem is not even a race one, it has turned into a class one. Take for instance, a 40 year old white business man and put him in two situations. The first situation is placing a man next to four twenty-one year old dark-skinned adults in state college, PA. The second situation is placing the man next to four white twenty-one year old adults, and now he is in the ghetto of Philadelphia. He will feel more comfortable standing around the four dark-skinned adults rather than four people of his own race. Immortal Technique is one of the many music artists I listen to. In one of his songs called the poverty of philosophy he points out the same problem, a class dilemma. The musician is Latino and he grew up in the middle class. In one of his songs he says,” I have more in common with middle-aged white men, then i do with poor Latinos."
Another small problem that relates to the race dilemma is the words used to describe different ethnicities. Why does everyone have to be politically correct when they address a different race? Over the past three years, I worked at UPS and sometimes I had to ask where someone might be. The problem was that most of the employee's at UPS where dark-skin. When asking where someone was I always hesitated in choosing my words because I did not want it to come off as me being a racist. For instance, If i said," Where is the black guy in the green hat?" To some dark-skinned people they may not think anything of it, but other dark-skinned people might consider that to be a racist statement. To me I used the word black only to describe someone, not to discriminate. In this whole blog response I have been using the term dark-skinned, but why? If people of different ethnic backgrounds could talk and hang out together without the worrying of offending the other, might be the day the race dilemma no longer exists.
One of the biggest problems with race is that it is being incorporated into comedy. Most of the stand-up comedies I watched at some point they start becoming racists. Even when Chris Rock or Dave Chappelle do their stand-ups and make jokes about their own ethnicity, might seem fine. Until a 13-year-old kid, a predominantly white society comes home telling the same jokes Chris Rock did last night. You can partially blame this on the parents not guiding their children, but if a child hears something in school from friends that’s funny he is going to eventually going to watch it or learn about it.
[Reply]
While you’re at we might as well just make all foods taste like a ‘Fat Bitch’, all cars required to be Lamborghinis, everyone wear uniforms, and attempt to completely destroy any personal trait a human can retain including this free expression blog. Unfortunately, this not being the case and as I am still writing, it is by an overwhelming amount that I feel everyone’s quarks, uniqueness, and in this case skin color defines them. Without these definitions no one today could understand where they stand in this gargantuan place we live in called Earth. Simple enough the act of uniformity in it’s essence deteriorates any culture that would be replaced.
[Reply]
White, black, yellow, brown, blue are all beautiful to me. It always amazes me that people would want to change the color of their skin. It also amazes me how easily accessible it is to get a product like that!
Not only do we see people wanting to change their skin color, but you always hear someone saying “I wish my hair was curly like yours”, “I wish I was skinnier”. But, it’s that constant wanting to change. It’s all the same, changing hair to changing skin color. Skin color is more controversial because it is so drastic. Our skin color tells a story, of history and where we came from. Just like Sam talked about in lecture. It’s sad that people would want to get rid of that, to lose that rich history of who we are.
Continued below…
[Reply]
First, let me say that I was incredibly surprised and disgusted at Sammy Sosa for whitening his skin, especially to such degree. I think it's ridiculous. I was especially upset with him because he is a celebrity and any of his actions will of course go public. Meaning that there are many people who are his fans and some of them look up to him. I know that the Dominican Republic is so proud to have such a talented player. But now that he did this, what are the little Dominican boys going to learn from that? How will it affect them? I sure hope they don't follow his footsteps. Many – if not most – Dominicans have dark or very dark skin, so how are they supposed to feel about their country's biggest star "turning white?" I think many Dominicans will will and should be offended because Sosa publicly turned down his dark Dominican skin for better White skin. I feel that this is a sign of disrespect and disregard to his people. As far as I know, DR is one of those countries where it's good to have fair skin, since most of the population is dark. Therefore, now that their idol has lightened his skin to the extreme they will probably feel even more self conscious about their dark skin. And unfortunately that will reinforce the existing cultural stereotype that white skin is better.
On another note, this article made me think of an issue that is more close to home and has been bothering me ever since I moved to Philly. As some of you may know, there is a pretty large population of Black people in Philadelphia. Therefore, since I've been living there I've had many Black friends, classmates and so on. So I have heard and participated in many of their cultural conversations. One thing that I still can't wrap my head around is how there is this concept among Black people(at least in Philly) that being light skinned is better than being dark. And that somehow being light makes you better than and prettier than darker people. The reason that I hate and don't quite understand this concept is because aren't they all Black anyway? Aren't they all in it together? Shouldn't they, if anything, be supporting and not making fun of each other.
When some of my friends or acquaintances would laugh or make fun of someone, it made me sick and I just wanted to tell them that they are just as Black as they are, no matter how dark or light. There has to be more to it, something I don't know or understand, because I know that all of those people aren't just incredibly stupid. It can't be that none of them understand what I am thinking.
Continued in next comment…
[Reply]