The image below is a print ad designed by Commission For Racial Equality. It illustrates an African American to the left fading in the dark background with the words "SCARED?" in bold red letters. It also says, "You Should Be. He's a Dentist." The designer is bringing up a serious issue that African American Doctors and Dentist have with stereotypes. The meaning is We as a whole should come together and support each other, as well as trust another person that has a position, no matter what gender or race they are. 

More Hispanics Say Discrimination Is a Problem, Poll Finds

By Julia Preston 

More than six in 10 Latinos in the United States say discrimination is a “major problem,” a significant increase in the last three years, according to a broad survey of Latino attitudes by the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research group in Washington.

In 2007, the Pew center reported, 54 percent of Latinos said discrimination was a major problem. That year, nearly half of Latinos — 46 percent — cited language as the primary cause for that discrimination. In the new survey, a plurality — 36 percent of Latinos — said that immigration status was the leading cause.

The Pew Hispanic Center report comes as Latino voters could play a decisive role in several close midterm races, including the governors’ and Senate contests in California; the Senate race in Colorado; and the re-election fight in Nevada of Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, against Sharron Angle, a Tea Party-backed candidate.

The Pew survey shows Latinos — the nation’s largest minority, with 47 million in the United States — feeling beleaguered by backlash from the polarizing debate over immigration in the last year, and with some new mixed feelings about the impact of illegal immigration on Hispanics already living in the United States. While 29 percent said that impact had been positive, 31 percent said it had been negative.

In 2007, before the recession began, fully half of Latinos said illegal immigration had a positive impact on those already in this country.

Still, a large majority of Latinos — 86 percent — support legislation to open a path to citizenship for an estimated 11.1 million illegal immigrants if they pay fines, pass background checks and have jobs. Only 13 percent of Latinos said illegal immigrants should be deported.

According to the report, 51 percent of Latinos have more confidence in the Democratic Party on immigration issues, while 19 percent trust the Republicans more. But the top issue of concern for Latinos these days is education, with immigration their fourth priority, the survey found.

More than half, 52 percent, of Latinos, worry that they, a family member or a close friend could be deported, according to the Pew survey. One-third of the Latinos in the report knew someone who had been detained or deported in the last year.

The vast majority of Latinos, 79 percent, oppose the strict law aiming at curbing illegal immigration that passed in Arizona this year. (Parts of the law were put on hold by a federal judge.) A similar majority, 78 percent, is opposed to repealing the birthright citizenship clauses of the constitution.

Latinos are divided, however, on whether to increase the number of officers patrolling the Southwest border, with 48 percent approving and 46 percent opposed.

respecT : Gender Diversity

This is a PSA(Public Service Announcement) on the hatred issues that effect transgendered, men, and women around the world. It's pretty powerful when you look at the different scenes and clips in the video.

The image below illustrates a print ad established by the Commission For Racial Equality against racism, which is a form of discrimination. There are four images of brains labeled African, European, Asian, and Racist. The brains labeled African, European, and Asian are the same size, where the brain labeled Racist is smaller.  The meaning is everyone is created equal, and the people who are racist in a way being ignorant. 

What Should the Punishment Be for Acts of Cyber Bullying?

This article is written by Katherine Schulten from the New York Times, talking about the situation with cyber bullying and different views people have on cyber bullying 

This is the question an article in the Week in Review asks about the Tyler Clementi case. “Just how culpable is an online bully in someone’s decision to end a life?” the article asks. Do you know about this case, and the Phoebe Prince caseearlier this year? How tough should the punishment be for those who cyberbullied these students? Why? How do you think incidents like these could be prevented in the first place?In “Bullying, Suicide, Punishment,” John Schwartz discusses the complexities of the case and concludes:

Finding the right level of prosecution, then, can be a challenge. On the one hand, he said, “it’s college — everybody is playing pranks on everybody else.” On the other, “invading somebody’s privacy can inflict such great distress that invasions of privacy should be punished, and punished significantly.”

There is also the question of society’s role. Students are encouraged by Facebook and Twitter to put their every thought and moment online, and as they sacrifice their own privacy to the altar of connectedness, they worry less about the privacy of others.

Teenagers “think that because they can do it, that makes it right,” said Nancy E. Willard, a lawyer and founder of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use.

Impulsiveness, immaturity and immense publishing power can be a dangerous mix, she said. “With increased power to do things comes increased responsibility to make sure that what you’re doing is O.K.,” she said.

…That is why Daniel J. Solove, author of “The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor and Privacy on the Internet,” said society needed to work on education.

“We teach people a lot of the consequences” of things like unsafe driving, he said, “but not that what we do online could have serious consequences.”

Students: Tell us what you think about how punishment in this case and others like it should be handled. How much is the bully to blame, and how much responsibility should he or she bear for the consequences? Why? How do you think cyberbullying like this can be prevented in the first place? Do you think education, as Mr. Solove suggests above, is enough?

Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships

This Article is another form of discrimination in the world that has become a serious issue over the past years. I read about it on the New York Times, which was written anonymously. Take a look and feel free to give to give your opinion on gay marriage.

For over a decade, the issue of same-sex marriage has been a flashpoint political issue in the United States, setting off waves of competing legislation, lawsuits and ballot initiatives attempting either to legalize or ban the practice. Rifts have also opened among religious groups over the decision to recognize same-sex marriage or condemn it. And a California ruling seems to have set the issue on a direct course for the Supreme Court.

Proponents of same-sex marriage say that the institution is a unique expression of love and commitment and that calling the unions of same-sex couples anything else is a form of second-class citizenship; they also point out that many legal rights are tied to marriage. Those opposed to same-sex marriage agree that marriage is a fundamental bond with ancient roots. But they draw the opposite conclusion, saying that allowing same-sex couples to marry would undermine the institution of marriage itself.

In March 2010, Washington, D.C. became the sixth place in the nation where same-sex marriages can take place. Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont also issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

In other states the issue moved one way and then another. A California court in 2008 ruled that a law barring same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. In a referendum that November, a ballot measure known as Proposition 8 was passed that restored the ban. Proposition 8 withstood a challenge in the state Supreme Court, which upheld the ban while allowing the marriages performed before it took effect to stand. But in August 2010, a federal judge found it unconstitutional, in a ruling that both sides say will end up before the Supreme Court. A week after his ruling, the judge said that the ban would cease to have effect on August 18th.

In 2009, Maine approved a bill allowing gay marriage, only to see voters reject it at the polls in November.  In December 2009 the New York State Senate voted down a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage. The vote followed more than a year of lobbying by gay rights organizations, who steered close to $1 million into New York legislative races to boost support for the measure.

But in July 2010, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that a law barring the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage (Known as the Defense of Marriage Act) was unconstitutional, finding that gay and lesbian couples deserve the same federal benefits as heterosexual couples.

A RUNNING BATTLE IN THE LEGISLATURES AND THE COURTS

The issue of same-sex marriage came to the fore after the Supreme Court of Hawaii ruled in 1993 that the denial of marriage licenses to three homosexual couples amounted to unconstitutional discrimination on the basis of sex -- not sexual orientation -- unless the state could show a compelling reason for the denials.

The Hawaii Legislature passed a bill in 1994 affirming marriage as intended for "man-woman units" capable of procreation. But in 1996, conservatives, fearful that the court case would lead to the sanctioning of marriages of lesbian and gay couples in Hawaii by the end of 1997, campaigned across the nation to insure that the recognition of same-sex marriages would not spread to other states.

The legislative battle picked up momentum as more conservatives became convinced a federal law was required. In September 1996, the United States Congress, approving what was called the "Defense of Marriage Act," voted overwhelmingly to deny Federal benefits to married people of the same sex and to permit states to ignore such marriages sanctioned in other states. The bill was signed by President Bill Clinton.

In 1998, Hawaii voters rejected the legalization of same-sex marriages.

Same-sex marriage first became a reality in the United States in 2004, after the Supreme Court in Massachusetts ruled that it was required under the equal protection clause of the state's Constitution. Connecticut began allowing same-sex marriage in late 2008.  

In April 2009, Iowa's Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing gay couples to marry, and the legislatures of Maine and Vermont passed laws granting the same right in the following weeks. In California, after a court decision in 2008 allowed the marriages, a voter referendum that November, upheld in court in May 2009, barred them.

The New Hampshire legislature approved revisions to a same-sex marriage bill on June 3, 2009, and Gov. John Lynch promptly signed the legislation, making the state the sixth to let gay couples wed and changing the landscape surrounding an issue that brings together deeply held principles and flashpoint politics.

Civil unions, an intermediate step that supporters say has made same-sex marriage seem less threatening, are legal in New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont. The latter two states are phasing them out after adopting same-sex marriage laws.

NEW ENGLAND

New England remains the nucleus of the same-sex marriage movement, with a campaign under way to extend marriage rights to gay men and lesbians in all six of the region's states by 2012.

Critics say the success of the movement in New England is largely because courts and legislatures, not voters, are making the decisions. Voters have approved constitutional bans on same-sex marriage in 26 states since the Massachusetts court ruling, a landmark, took effect; the constitutions of four other states also limit marriage to heterosexuals.

Gay rights supporters suffered a crushing loss when voters decided in November 2009 to repeal Maine's new law allowing gay men and lesbians to wed, setting back a movement that had made remarkable progress nationally over the course of the year.

Maine, with its libertarian leanings, had seemed to offer an excellent chance of reversing the national trend of voters rejecting marriage equality at the ballot box. Instead, it became the 31st state to block same-sex marriage through a public referendum.

 CALIFORNIA

Another major front in the debate is California. On May 15, 2008, the Supreme Court of California voted 4-to-3 that a state law banning same-sex marriage constituted illegal discrimination because domestic partnerships were not a good enough substitute. In its decision, the court wrote that whatever term is used by the state must be granted to all couples who meet its requirements, whatever their gender. The court left open the possibility that another term could denote state-sanctioned unions so long as that term was used across the board.

Opponents quickly organized, and launched the Proposition 8 initiative campaign, asking voters to ban same-sex marriages. After an expensive and hard-fought campaign, the measure passed on Nov. 4, 2008, with 52 percent of the vote. (Florida and Arizona also passed bans at the same time.)

Groups who had fought Proposition 8 immediately filed suit to block it. On May 26, 2009, the state Supreme Court upheld the voter-approved ban but also decided that the estimated 18,000 gay couples who tied the knot before the law took effect will stay wed. But in August 2010, a federal judge in San Francisco struck down the ban, saying it unfairly targeted gay men and women, handing supporters of such unions a temporary victory in a legal battle that seems all but certain to be settled by the Supreme Court.

The judge initially stayed his order, leaving the Proposition 8 ban in effect, then said it would be lifted as of August 18th, allowing same-sex marriages to resume.

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND GAY MARRIAGE

The flurry of activity in early 2009 has put pressure on President Obama to engage in a variety of gay issues. Mr. Obama has said he opposes same-sex marriage as a Christian but describes himself as a "fierce advocate of equality" for gay men and lesbians. While Mr. Obama has said he is "open to the possibility" that his views on same-sex marriage are misguided, he has offered no signal that he intends to change his position.

On legislation, Mr. Obama is charting a careful course. In addition to calling for the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military, Mr. Obama supports a legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 law that said states need not recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Opponents of same-sex marriage say that is an inconsistency. But Mr. Obama's Justice Department defended the law against separate lawsuits brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General and an advocacy group.

On July 8, 2010, Judge Joseph L. Tauro of United States District Court in Boston ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in both cases. In the Coakley case, the judge held that federal restrictions on funding for states that recognize same-sex marriage violates the 10th Amendment, which declares that rights not explicitly granted to the federal government, or denied to the states, belong to the states.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND RELIGION

Religious institutions have struggled with policies, privileges and rites regarding homosexuality, including whether or not to bless same-sex unions and whether or not gays and lesbians may hold positions of authority. There is no consensus among Christian faith groups on what the Bible says about homosexuality. Meanwhile, many individuals yearn for acceptance from their houses of worship.

In 2005, The United Church of Christ became the first mainline Christian denomination to support same-sex marriage officially when its general synod passed a resolution affirming "equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender." The resolution was adopted in the face of efforts to amend the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

In July 2009, at the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, delegates including bishops, clergy and lay members, voted to open "any ordained ministry" to gay men and lesbians, a move that could effectively undermine a moratorium on ordaining gay bishops that the church passed at its last convention in 2006. Delegates also voted not to stand in the way of dioceses that choose to bless the unions of same-sex couples. Both issues have roiled the church for years.

Methodists, Presbyterians and American Baptist Churches have also debated the issues, and other Christian denominations have struggled with how to minister to gay and lesbian members.

Fundamentalist denominations have made significant efforts against homosexuality. The Southern Baptist Convention, for example, has expelled congregations that welcomed homosexuals to their memberships.

Reform Judaism, the largest of the main branches of Judaism, has for years allowed same-sex commitment ceremonies.

Islam prohibits same-sex marriage.

My Audio Interview

I decided I wanted to see how the public thinks about the issues on Discrimination and Diversity, so why not interview my own mother. My mother's name is Lucinda and she works in the business world dealing with enrolling kids into school. In our interview, she describes her past experience of discrimination at a supermarket she used to work at and her connection with the church she now attends being a melting pot.

Here are the following question asked during the interview:


1) Where are you from, What is your ethnicity, and Where did you grow up? In an ethnic culture or neighborhood? or in a mixed environment?


2) Do you think Diversity, meaning different ethnicity effect your environment? and if so how ?


3)What are you ideas on how the world can benefit from Diversity? meaning how can different cultures come together as one.


4)Have you ever been involved with discrimination as far as work or public places? If so what was the situation? 


5)How do you feel about affirmative action?


6)Why do you think so many people discriminate against people of different race or ethnicity?


7)Do you think Diversity builds a person's self-esteem?


8)When you look at a person of different ethnicity, what's the first thing that comes to mind?


9)Are you a member of a church or organization? If so, do you feel your church or organization is made up of diversity? 


10)If it was something you could contribute to your community on diversity, what would it be?


To listen to my interview, click HERE

Diversity

Here's a video I came across on YouTube that seemed to point out different situations that people all around the world go through. Towards the end of the video, it says "Put Yourself In Someone Else's Shoes". Take these words into consideration and think how does this apply or  relate to you ? You can also watch the video here

Diversity & Discrimination in the Workplace

Here's an article I found by Lauren Nelson( eHow Contributor) on some of the common forms of discrimination that take place in an work environment. 

 

The demographic face of America is evolving at a rapid pace. With this surge in diversity comes a need for cultural sensitivity. In instances where this sensitivity is absent or has failed, discrimination can be a problem. This has become an important issue in the world of business.

Gender Discrimination

1. While women may have gained suffrage at the turn of the century, gender discrimination is still a prominent issue in the workplace today. According to statistics from the Department of Labor in 2008, women now make up over 46 percent of the workforce, but still face prejudice. Traditionally, this manifests in three areas--income, sexual harassment, and familyprejudice.
   
   Women are still the victims of income discrimination. Market Watch reports that women today earn only part of what men earn. According to an April 2010 article from Market Watch, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that the average weekly income for a woman is $665, which is only 79 percent of the average weekly male income of $884.
   
   Sexual harassment is an additional problem in the workplace. Research conducted by Louis Harris and Associates in 2008 found that 31 percent of women studied reported being the victim of unwanted sexual attention while at work.
   
   Family prejudice is another form of discrimination for women at work. Women may be discriminated against by being denied promotions or being fired because of family obligations or pregnancy. In fact, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's statistics for 1997 to 2009 show that pregnancy discrimination is one of the fastest growing forms of gender discrimination today.

Racial Discrimination

2. America has always been considered a bit of a melting pot, but for the first time, it appears as though Caucasian Americans will soon become the minority. 2008 Census Bureau Data suggests that by the year 2042, racial groups typically associated with the term "minority" will become the majority, as their presence will collectively outnumber the amount of self-identified Caucasians. This expansion has led to hiring discrimination. For example, advocacy group Think Progress reported in April 2010 that recent legislation passed in Arizona gives public school officials the ability to fire someone with a "heavy accent," and has been largely received as a xenophobic measure to combat the increasing Hispanic population in the state.

Sexual Orientation Discrimination

3. The past decade has witnessed an increasing tolerance for members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered, or GLBT, community. The most recent data, coming from a 2002 Gallup poll, suggests that nearly one in five Americans identify as openly homosexual. While public sentiment toward this community has improved over the years, discrimination is still a problem. Statistics revealed in a 2007 Trib Live article show that, "23 percent of gay employees have been harassed at work, 12 percent have been denied promotions, and nine percent were fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity."

Age

4. Individuals of all ages are in the workforce, ranging from high school graduates to senior citizens. Research conducted by Kelley Services and CareerBuilder.com in 2007 found that, "21 percent of employees age 50 and older reported they have experienced discrimination or unfair treatment in the workplace. More than one third of respondents said they experienced this type of treatment at least once a week." In 63 percent of these cases, the individuals in question were not held accountable for their actions.

Anti-Discrimination Laws

5. There are a variety of laws in place to protect members of this diverse workforce from discrimination. On a federal level, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991 can all be used to defend your rights. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission can help you understand these rights and file complaints against offending employers. It is important to look into the laws in your state as well, as additional regulations may provide further protection.

Tributes to a Young Suicide Victim at a Hometown Forum

By Lisa W. Foderaro in the New York Times

Nikomeh Anderson, a friend of Tyler Clementi's, spoke during a tribute to him on Thursday in Ridgewood, N.J. Beside her, from left, were Chelsea Spell, Wendy Kennedy and Deb Spell.

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — After all the anti-bullying pleas, the celebrity testimonials and the huge gatherings at Rutgers, an event to honor Tyler Clementi’s life and reflect on the meaning of his death was held in his hometown on Thursday night in an old stone church.

Marcus Yam for The New York Times

Eileen Kelly-McGeever cried during the playing of a song written for Tyler Clementi at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in Ridgewood, N.J.

The gathering was billed as a town hall meeting, not a religious service (his family had kept his funeral strictly private). And though the speakers included victims of bullying who had not known Mr. Clementi, as well as local and state politicians, former classmates of his from Ridgewood High School were also scattered across the pews, and one spoke movingly of her grief. It was thus the most intimate, personal tribute to be held since Mr. Clementi’s suicide on Sept. 22 drew national attention.
The friend, Nikomeh Anderson, a freshman at New York University and an aspiring actress, talked about the young man who had sat near her in a high school class, as well as her shock upon learning of his death — without knowing the circumstances that led to it.
Mr. Clementi, a Rutgers freshman and an accomplished violinist, leapt to his death three days after his roommate, Dharun Ravi, secretly set up a webcam in their dorm room, prosecutors say. They contend that Mr. Ravi joined another freshman, Molly Wei, in the dormitory on the university’s Piscataway campus to watch Mr. Clementi’s intimate encounter with another man and streamed it live on the Internet.
“They outed him on the Internet, doing something that’s very private and very personal,” Ms. Anderson told the audience Thursday night at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church. “No one deserves to have their private life made public. Imagine how violated, embarrassed, angry and ashamed he must have been.”
“Our love of art really drew us together, made us more cultured, more mature people, yet somehow always with a spark of craziness and fun,” she said. “Tyler was a part of this family and a part of the Ridgewood High School community, and I just couldn’t wrap my head around why such a talented, generous person would jump off the G. W. Bridge.”
Coming on the eve of Bullying Prevention Month in October and National Coming Out Day on Monday, the suicide immediately touched a nerve. It has generated a nationwide conversation about the vulnerability of gay teenagers and prompted celebrities like the talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, the former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul and Tim Gunn, of the television series “Project Runway,” to speak out against harassment. Ms. DeGeneres, who is gay, posted a video on her Web site in which she described Mr. Clementi’s suicide as a “wake-up call” and teenage bullying as an epidemic.
The forum on Thursday, in which Anthony Bevilacqua, a former violinist from the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra, played a piece he had composed called “Heaven’s New Angel,” was the latest gathering to remember Mr. Clementi, 18, and to urge tougher laws against bullying. On Wednesday, at a town meeting at Rutgers, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg said he would introduce legislation to make colleges adopt a code of conduct that prohibits bullying. The law would also provide money for schools to establish programs to prevent such harassment.
Both town meetings were organized by the gay rights group Garden State Equality.
Mr. Ravi, 18, of Plainsboro, N.J., and Ms. Wei, also 18, of Princeton Junction, were charged with two counts of invasion of privacy for using a “camera to view and transmit a live image” of Mr. Clementi. The most serious charges carry a maximum sentence of five years. Mr. Ravi was additionally charged with two counts of invasion of privacy for trying a similar live transmission on Sept. 21, the day before the suicide.
Prosecutors are now weighing whether to upgrade the charges to a hate crime based on Mr. Clementi’s sexual orientation. The Middlesex County prosecutor, Bruce J. Kaplan, said last week that his office would make “every effort to assess whether bias played a role in the incident.”
Mr. Ravi made reference to his roommate’s sexual orientation in a Twitter message after he successfully caught him on camera, writing: “I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.”
On Tuesday, lawyers for Ms. Wei issued a statement, declaring her innocence and saying that she “committed no crime” and that “her remarkable reputation is being unjustly tarnished by uninformed and incorrect assumptions.” On Wednesday, Mr. Ravi’s lawyer, Steven D. Altman, said in a statement that he was “heartened to hear” that prosecutors were “taking their time to learn all the facts before rushing to judgment.”
Many in the audience on Thursday had driven long distances to show their support for Mr. Clementi and gay rights. “I’m here to make sure this person didn’t kill himself in vain,” said Chase Kruppo, 22, of Jackson, N.J., a recent college graduate and a volunteer for the Stonewall Community Foundation, a gay-rights organization. “We should not be here tonight.”