Make a thoughtful response, read others responses, and respond to two other students.
Read the NewsELA article HTTPS://NEWSELA.COM/ARTICLES/UNITEDNATIONS-REPARATIONS/ID/14720/. Think about the following questions: How have race relations today in the United States been influenced by its history of racism? If all United States citizens were more educated about its history of enslaving people of African descent, do you think race relations would improve? If so, how? If not, why? What do you think about the United Nation's study and decision?
Make a thoughtful response, read others responses, and respond to two other students.
39 Comments
Ryan
2/19/2016 09:12:28 am
In my point of view I think that what the United Nations is doing is a good thing. My reasoning is because some of the Africans were being mistreated and it was not fair for them. By building memorials it shows that other people care for them. Racism in the past was a bad thing. What Mendes-France is doing is comparing the racism fro m the past compared to this year. Not only the racism but also the deaths, compared to white men. This shows the difference between the deaths. Also I think that the race relations will not improve. This is because, most people are still against black people. People are still not treating people the same, whether or not they are black or white. But still if people were more educated in the history of enslaving people then maybe. It might just let people know about the hard times for them.
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Messi (Jay)
2/19/2016 09:49:28 am
I disagree with you Ryan because I think the U.N could more action than just building memorials.
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Natasha
2/19/2016 10:00:43 am
I agree with you, Ryan, but unlike you I don't think that the United Nations are doing enough. I feel that nothing will make up for the way that the African-Americans were treated.
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Jeremy/YoYo Master
2/20/2016 07:41:39 pm
I agree with you Natasha.I agree with you because some African Americans may not think the United Nations are doing enough to repay them for what happened to their relatives.
Elena (annoyed by "YoYo master")
2/19/2016 09:17:56 am
I think that the United Nations are working on the best decision because they are changing a problem that should have been changed years and years ago. Rasicm is the problem that they are fixing, they did think more highly of white people than African Americans. They are the prison men, criminals, and the lower rank. "None of the members of the working group live in the United States. They were shocked to learn African-Americans are much more likely to go to prison than white people." also, "Recently two African-American men named Michael Brown and Eric Garner were killed by police. They died in different cities. Neither man had a weapon. Mendes-France compared their deaths to the killings of African-Americans by whites many years ago." I people were more educated on what was happening this would have already been fixed. Their decision is on point to me.
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Tommy
2/19/2016 09:18:41 am
Most people are following the past of the united states. There is still tons of racism in the United states. I think people are influenced by how people were enslaved in the past. If more people are learning about the history of enslaving people they might build stronger relationships! Why i think this is because they might feel sorry for them and might even want to honor them! They also might learn that races do not matter and that everyone is equal. What i think about the United Nations is that they are making good decisions of studying what life is like for others and what they have to face. In my opinion the United nations is helping.
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Justine
2/19/2016 09:24:55 am
I agree with you, Tommy, because the United Nations are making the right decision, choosing to focus on this issue and trying to improve it.
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Arlon Baluyot (;-)
2/19/2016 09:20:09 am
I feel like racism today has been somewhat inspired by America's old history.Like the old watermelon and chicken thing.and the brutality by them is possibly inspired by slaves back then and how they were just slaves.But if they were more educated on racism over the years,maybe black people will be more respected and treated equally like how Martin Luther King Jr. wanted.And yes I made a reference to the old guy.I know this will inspire them to be kinder to black people because I feel like the race that has been mistreated the most are African Americans.And see that they are just recreating history.
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2/19/2016 09:46:12 am
Arlon,
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jenna
2/19/2016 09:20:14 am
The United Nation is doing a good thing because they are making up all the bad things they have done to the African Americans.They had used them as slaves and they would also punish African Americans more harshly than white people.So now they are trying to make it up for them.
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Justine
2/19/2016 09:21:22 am
I think that the history of African slavery has definitely made others see people differently. Today, people still separate races, and even subconsciously judge others because of it. Yes, I do think that if people were more educated about this history, race relations would improve. I think relations would improve because people aren't aware of what others have gone through. Also, people are unaware of what the United States has done wrong in the past, like enslaving African Americans, and don't acknowledge that they are not perfect. I think the United Nations's decision is a good one because it will improve the treatment and hatred towards African Americans. Hopefully it will show others how much we ignore problems like these and will change it for the better.
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Cara
2/19/2016 09:26:02 am
I agree! I guess people aren't aware of of what the U.S has done wrong. Also, I also agree that people still separate races these days. It's not fair that they get treated differently because of their skin color.
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Charlotte
2/19/2016 10:01:12 am
I agree with you Justine.
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Messi (Jay)
2/19/2016 09:25:28 am
I think that the U.N. is doing a good job because they are reminding people of what African American people faced in the past. Some people like officers still believe that black people are lower than them! In the text it says that 2 officers killed some african americans. Yet I think that the United Nations could be doing a better job than just reminding people of the past. In my way of seeing it I think that the cops should go to prison of what they did. Racist people that murder black people to me should be in prison for their whole life!
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Ryan
2/19/2016 09:36:12 am
I agree with you Jay. The United Nations is doing a good job. Plus it is also true that police officers and yet so many other people believe that black people are lower than them. But I do have to disagree with you. I think that the united nations is trying as much as they can.
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Benicio
2/19/2016 09:37:31 am
I agree with you too Jay because you wrote something similar to Jeremy's response and the united nations is on the right track towards ending this disrespect.
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Ashley/The Greatest Cactus in the World!!!
2/19/2016 09:56:19 am
I agree with you because if everything was fair between all the people they would not really have much problems with the person your with.
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Benicio
2/19/2016 09:27:27 am
How have race relations today in the United States been influenced by its history of racism? If all United States citizens were more educated about its history of enslaving people of African descent, do you think race relations would improve? If so, how? If not, why? What do you think about the United Nation's study and decision?
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Jorden Tiritilli
2/19/2016 09:27:55 am
In my opinion i agree with what the UN group is doing to help the African Americans.I believe that the way that the government is treating them is wrong and racist.For an example it states in the article that more African Americans are going to jail rather than white people.This is wrong because it is racist as i stated and because it is in reason relating to how Black people in the past couldn´t do the same things as White people could.Another way that the government is doing bad things is that the police shot 2 different African Americans in different states and they were unarmed.For a trained police you never kill or even shoot an unarmed person.This would have been an actual federal offense because it would break an important rule of the police offices of killing and unarmed person.
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Natasha/Goofing Off Master
2/19/2016 09:51:24 am
I agree with you that the government is treating the African-Americans with no respect. However, I disagree with you that the U.N is doing a good and effective job. I know that many won't change their ways, and that many will never treat African-Americans they way that they deserve to be treated.
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TIN
2/19/2016 09:54:51 am
I agree with Jordanie about how that only police should shoot someone armed and that it's racist.
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Aidan
2/19/2016 09:31:43 am
A long time ago there were many whites that had slaves that were Africans that were mistreated and were slaves. Now that there are no more slaves there are now nobody treating them correctly again in the U.S. People are being disrespectful to Africans, in 2014 2 Africans were killed by police for no reason they were not holding any weapon that could hurt them and then they got shot. If people didn't know about slavery and segregation and then it would still be the same as when there was slavery back then.
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Lesly Alger
2/19/2016 09:35:03 am
What I think is that the United Nations are doing good. They are honoring slaves and remembering them. If they didn't do that then probably people would still treat African-Americans like slaves or not treat them very nice. But today people still treat blacks bad. But thanks to our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln we have no slaves today but people still treat Africa-Americans bad.
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Sasha Sauciur
2/19/2016 09:48:13 am
I agree with you because they are doing good things to honner them not like they were mistreated back then.
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Gael Phoenix Barbosa
2/19/2016 09:55:26 am
Lesly I think your response is perfect because you explain the problem and solutions great I agree as well why are people racists I mean just get along with each other.
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Charlotte
2/19/2016 09:36:51 am
The history of African American slavery has influenced today's present racism in a pretty big way. children and adults have learned more and more about the history of racism, and now we understand a lot more about the suffering that these African Americans have gone through. Also, more African Americans have been inspired to protest against this matter and bring attention to it too. If United States citizens had more knowledge about the treatment that African Americans were given, I think that racism would improve. This is because if children and adults of all races knew about the suffering that African Americans went through, we would know not to allow that to happen again. Also, the article makes a big deal about about the fact that African Americans have not gotten a proper apology from the nation for how badly they were treated for 400 YEARS!!! They deserve a public apology. Something that could make that happen is if the government had a better education about it. If they understand that this was a really REALLY bad time, then they would feel that this is important. And there are many people that want to campaign for the public apology, and if they had more evidence and details about the history, they could make an even larger change.
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Daniel Y. the 5th grader
2/19/2016 09:37:13 am
This article is about the unfair treatments between the people. According to studies, African-American people are getting mistreated. The police have been shooting them once in a while, they get paid less and they need more effort needed to find jobs, they have to have a longer time in jail and need to pay more money in order to get free, etc. But there are groups that try to get African-Americans better treatments too, and the government is actually considering them, making thoughts about making amends to those people. I think that Americans will actually change the way they will think about African Americans and have pity and treat them better.
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Sasha Sauciur
2/19/2016 09:46:07 am
I agree with you Daniel because African are still being mistreated even though all of these horrible things have happened long ago.
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Ashley/moonstarbeam ;-)
2/19/2016 09:53:30 am
I agree with you Daniel because everybody needs to be treated with equal respect instead of being really unfair to the African American but fair to the white people.
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2/19/2016 09:37:58 am
I am going to focus on the question, "If all United States citizens were more educated about its history of enslaving people of African descent, do you think race relations would improve?" I think they would improve because if more people were aware of our past, they might want to be the change, a new, kinder generation. I think the group is doing a good thing because raising awareness might change the way people think about their actions. The article states that the group mentioned Michael Brown and Eric Garner's shootings and how they've started protests in the U.S. I think their decision was good because the racism that was around in the 1400s is still here today. We are aware of it now, but still okay with it. Our ethics today are still sort of wonky and by raising awareness, the U.N. could fix that.
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Sasha Sauciur
2/19/2016 09:39:07 am
Race relations from many years ago have influenced African American rights truly. Many decades have passed since since African Americans were equal to Whites. Africans weren't allowed to use the same bathrooms or water fountains. Also, they weren't allowed to be in the some rooms as them sometimes. Martin Luther King had tried to change these rights and it did make a little bit of a difference to Africans. They were used in plantations to help with the colonies too. I also have a feeling that now that white and Africans are equal so the life hasnt changed so much for them. -$@$H@
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Agustin/ MC Goldfish
2/19/2016 09:44:07 am
I think it's outstanding that they actually make a human rights and that many people hate the racism over blacks in our history. This is important because image whites or any other race like yours was treated into slavery or something that could almost bring you into terror. I have friends that are black and they could be killed because of their skin. It cause so much suffering in our world. This is why its good for our country that were making a reparation and human right law for blacks.
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Natasha/Goofing Off Master
2/19/2016 09:45:52 am
Many are still stuck in the old days when African-Americans were slaves. Police officers are killing unarmed African-Americans, just because they are a different skin color. Some people are still treating Africans-Americans badly because they still believe that they are worthless savages. I think that if we were more educated about the history of enslaving African-Americans, some of us would care and others wouldn't. I know that some would realize that just because you have a different skin color or look different doesn't mean that you are immune to feelings. Others still wouldn't care, because they are just bad people. I think that what the United Nations are doing is a good thing. I think it is nice to try and make it up to the African-Americans, but I feel that some money or an apology isn't going to cut it. After years and years of being treated like they are inhuman and then suddenly, we think to apologize, it wouldn't really be sincere. I feel that we should've apologized to the African-Americans sooner, so that it would actually be sincere.
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Ashley/moonstarbeam ;-)
2/19/2016 09:50:21 am
As you may know long ago there were the "leaders of the slaves" or should I say the white people were using the "slaves" or African Americans were helping the white people in the plantations. The white people are just resting while the African American are doing all the work. But in the article in the present it said that the African American were treated unfairly because of the race. For example, this year most of the African American were sent to jail the most by the police. If all the people were educated of what the African American went through long ago, the relations will improve because the white people would feel sympathy for them and be a little more sad for them and be a little nice for them. The U.N. made a great decision because I've seen a lot of African American on the streets without a home, it makes feel like they weren't really treated good in schools or something. So the U.N. made an amazing decision to help the African Americans.
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nola
2/19/2016 09:51:00 am
In my point of view the United Nations is doing the right thing. The campaign they are preforming should have happened 100's of years ago. We have made it so African-Americans have a right to vote, as long as their citizens.We have a made it so they have more rights, but their is still so much racism in this world. For example I had read a different article where there are still family members using their children and nieces and nephews as slaves. United Nations is trying to fight against racism, so black people have fair rights. The group have found that in 2014 1/3 of the people locked up in prison was black. Officers have threatened black people, by killing them and imprisoning them. I think that if people were more educated on Africans history it wouldn't help all that much. Many people know about the way they were treated and yet they don't do anything about it. Many people still go on treating black people like dirt. they throw and push them around. And this is a problem. But I support them trying to educate more people, they will do whatever it takes to make us United. The United Nations group can unite us.
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Gael Phoenix Barbosa
2/19/2016 09:51:59 am
I think education the people of the United States and teaching them more about the history of racism towards African Americans isn't going to change a thing in my opinion. I think this because many people already knew somewhat alot about this and some of those people are racist and they will still keep continuing their stuff. Also I think the United Nations are doing a good job but in their movement they need to be more aggressive not in the bad way. They create a group to help and understand more about racism. I think African Americans should stop being treated like dogs it's the year 2016 we are way above racism I mean get along with each other. So in my opinion The U.N are doing a very good thing and they should keep this up.
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Jaya (I found your sweater)
2/19/2016 09:57:12 am
In the article, it said that two people, people who weren't even armed, were killed by police officers. This was for no reason, they did not commit a crime, they were not being disrespectful, it was only because of the color of their skin. A long time ago, there were slaves. The slaves were treated very poorly and we very disrespected because of the color of their skin. Still to this day, people treat people with other skin types differently, even though we are all the same.
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Sofia
2/19/2016 09:59:49 am
I think that racism was a big part in history but it was not a good one. I think that people still remember that time and treat the African Americans badly because of their history. People should forget about that time and treat people the way you want to be treated. If racism never existed everyone would be treated the same. It doesn't matter your skin color so people should be treated the same.
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$Violet$( confused by the masters )
2/19/2016 09:59:56 am
I think that today in the U.S. we are more friendly to African Americans then we were in history. I think now we clearly see how it must have been for the African Americans in the past. The history of how we treated them influenced us to be nicer to them.But some police men aren't treating them fairly.
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AuthorMs. Stanco is a 5th grade teacher at Eagle Rock Elementary Gifted High Ability Magnet. Archives
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