The initial topic that you clicked on implied that we were ending the age of the isms, i, personally, disagree. True, women have more say in the world, and there is less racism and sexism, but it's still out there. Until we have a black or female president, i think we'll always be living in an age of the isms. A tough part is being a young person. I know that people dont trust me when i walk into a store because im not always all smiles, i feel like im being watched sumtimes. I'm a young, 15 yr old white female, and there are always sexist remarks that i hear at skool, and work even. Like, "oh, don't make her carry the box of waters, shes just a girl, she can't lift it" well maybe i want to try! Don't take away my voice, my opinions, my rights. I don't think we'll ever ever be living in a world where there isn't some form of prejudice.

Look, I know that being a minority is hard and all, because of all the stereotypes, misconceptions, etc, but being white is not the easiest thing in the world to be, either. I have many black friends, but black people that I dont' know, but go to school with assume more things about me than people would think. They look at me and assume that I am going to think I am smarter, better, nicer, more important, and an all around better person than them. And that is not the case at all. Racism is still around, but it's not only aimed to minorities. It's aimed at white people, too. And I'm sure some black people feel justified in being racist against me, because of all the things that white people, "my people", have done to "their people" in the past, but I honestly can't help that my grandfather might have been racist, or that my great-great-great-great, etc, grandfather may have owned slaves. I don't agree with racism, or slavery, and I can't help what my family did, although a lot of people feel that I can. Of course, there are many hate crimes against blacks, and minorities,and they definetly are important, and need to stop, but there are also ones against white people. But hate crimes and racism isn't going to end until everyone realizes that the color of your skin doesn't effect who you are, unless you let it.

This year at my school, I joined our class's Diversity program. This was why:
My parents had sent me to a summer camp to help me make friends. I loved it. I had made so many friends. But, 2 people had hung out with me every day. It didn't bother me in anyway that they were of a different race. I just knew that the one girl was the more "grown up" girl (everytime something childish occured, she'd roll her eyes & stare into the sun..something I found humorous) & the other guy was so nice to me. He'd tell me jokes & we'd sing together on the bus ride home. But, when I'd tell my parents about my day & how she'd thought the others were acting childish, my parents would smile & ask about the event. Yet, when I'd tell about the boy, my parents would ignore me & move onto another subject. I was so angry & frustrated. Now, when people ask me why I joined my diversity group, I simply say, to one day help all those who want to befriend another of a different race.

I've seen a lot of very positive things here. Although you can't vote until you are 18 or you may not be a big politician, you can change YOUR WORLD (the world you wake up to and say goodnight) - which, in effect, changes the world. It may be slow, but there is hope.

I’m happy to see so many young people (younger than I) involved in this site. That reassures my belief in the youth. YOU ARE YOUR OWN FUTURE.

‘Get up- get out and do something’ CeeLo, Goodie Mob

As long as people are different theres gonna be discrimination. And I don't think people are ever gonna all be the same (unless perhapes theres some big cloning accident?!)

~Sarah

As hard as we may try it will never end. Everyone has something to say about everybody else!! Personally, I love diversity-just imagine..what would this world be like if everyone looked, acted, dressed, and thinked the same..It sure would be one boring a$$ world!!! don't ya think? I wish people could get past their ignorance and learn to accept and treat everyone equally. It's really stupid to classify and stereotype people if you really think about it!! Hey, as long as everyone has a brain and can think for themselves there is always going to be opinions and ignorance...

me to girl.

For future careers in my senior yearbook I was quoted saying this, " I will be the first female president and I will run on world justice, pro- life/rights for all genders, ages, and races and preservation of the environment." I am very serious about this and I will be the president. It doesn't matter so much whether or not I'm the 1st female president just as long as I'm president and that while I'm president I do what I can to make the US and the world a better place to live in. So about twenty years down the road look for a future female president running on those campaign slogans and please vote for me.
You can all say you knew me when I was just a college freshman trying to figure out her life and how she could help now.
Marlayna

There will never be an end to ism's. It's a sad thought and I know it's not fair but there will always be people in the world who think they are better, or people who don't get along. That will never completely go away. We can make it better I mean look at the rights of women how far they have come from not being able to vote or go into bars. I'm just saying we have to look at reality and realize ending ism's is like world peace it will never happen even if we want it to. We are only human.

Isms will NEVER end. It is naive to think that a few intelligent people can change the thought processes of all the bigots. No matter how many laws we make, ideas we have, changes we make there will always be ignorant jerks who have children who become ignorant jerks and so on. Belittling the differences of others makes people feel better about themselves. It always has. It is a way to feel part of the group. I bet all of the people who wrote here felt just a little bit more accepted when they talked of the evils of sexism and racism. I'm not saying you're wrong or bad people, or that I don't get a charge out of all the people who share my point of view. I just think we need to take bigotry for what it is

Although im here in pakistan ive got friends and family in many places in america...and not all, but some of them have written abt racial and religious prejudices that are held against them.
i dont think thats fair considering america is 'the land of the free'Because whoever was behindthe bombings, did them owing to his/her individual motive...it is wrong to take your anger out on others,just because they share the same religion or nationality.we here in pakistan are equally sorry abt watever happened,and thanks to american policies, there have also been many an injustice to muslims all over the world ...but if the anger is justified so shud b the tolerance.

Ending the isms and prjudice could happen. Maybe not in our generation but someday. I heard on the radio one day "What if we were all blind? Would we then find another way to discriminate one another from being one nation under God? Or would we all get along?" Now that was some of the greatest questions I ever heard. What I ask you noisemakers is just to think about it.
WE ARE THE FUTURE!

Although we can't vote until we're eighteen that doesn't mean we have to do nothing the next few years. The isms definitely aren't going to go away when the government is making it easier to carry concealed weapons and we as teenagers are shooting up schools and making sterotypes much worse then before. Our generation needs to take a step back, look at the world, and try to change it. Although we can't run for office, or even vote, we can still express concern, especially on issues affecting us. Writing letters, staging protests, anyhting that will show that we care for these issues and get our voice heard, and maybe respected, by our government. So what I am saying to anyone who reads this is to try your bestto change the world, even if you just start by respecting others and the differences between you and them.

i think ism is always going to be around, but it will decrease overtime. When we teenagers reach the age of eighteen, we can vote to allow same-sex marriages and we can help change laws. we are the new generation, but we haven't had our chance to change the world today. Right now it's our parents and grandparents who set the example and who still believes in the old traditions, but when it's our time, we'll have other ideas that will infuence our society. and if there's more of us out there, then the more likely it will end soon.

Old habits die hard, specialy ones that have been around since the begining of time. We have to atleast try u guyz...other wise we'll never know if isms can really end. One day though, it will. i mean just look at how many people are against any of it. Scroll up and c what people had to say about it, and i'm pretty sure that everyone who said something is a teen. Yea so many adults tell us teens that it's all up to us and that we gotta do something bout all the issues, and we might get mad at them for putting the pressure on us, but it looks like we are doing something. We're speaking out against things that bother us. I'm not sure i'm saying what i wanna say but my point is that as long as we keep talking to people about this, as long as we try to find out why people are this way, we might be able to changet theirs minds. It actually is up to us. I mean it's our time now, our generation. People tried before us and lots succeeded too, now it's our turn.

i have a great amount of confidence that things with isms will get a LOT better over the course of a few years(it already has, considering a long time ago) but i just can't see the "eutopia" you've taken into consideration. as i said before, there will NEVER be a perfect world

thanks for agreeing with me phoebe even if this is the only time. It's nice knowing that at least something I think gets through to someone And I'm really glad you said that part about the human vs. alien race thing because i always say that as a simile and everyone laughs at me!

i have disagreed with heaven021 on other issues but this is one i we may see similarly. i do think isms can end but this can be achived until we don't even see the differences, this day is far from near i am sorry to say, it will take more work, we need to see ourselves as simply humans, of course by that time there may be aliens amoungst us and we will deal with real raceism (as in human vs. alien race) there also needs to be more edjucation on the subject, so many of my friends dont know their rights. I remember my friends comming to school one day, I asked why and they said that they had come to pray, that this was the only day they were aloud to pray at school. Uh... okay you can pray whenever you want at school, you can start a bible study group, you can shout out how much you love god in the cafiteria, what is not alloud is, no teacher, in fact no ONE, can make you practice any religious behavior you don't want to.
MY BOTTOM LINE: we all are a little prejuduce and that is bad but it can be overcome... but only with work.

For those of you all who think isms will never go away I want to say I'm disgusted. It's that kind of attitude that allows it to go on. You think it's hard to be one color that someone doesn't like then try being biracial for a day! That's harder to me. If you don't believe in yourself to do someting and you don't have the confidence to make the difference, then chances are you probably won't. You have to stand up for what you believe in, and don't let anyone run over you. Be proud of who you are and where you come from. Don't worry about what people think. If someone won't talk to you because of your outer appearence then they don't deserve to get to know your inner beauty. What happened to liking someone for who they are? I think that if each person takes the time out themselves to stopping using isms, then little by little it will disappear. Maybe not totally but don't you think we owe it to ourselves to give it a try?

I personally don't think that the " isms" will completely ever die out, unless people love one another, no matter their nationality or color, I mean to me there is no such thing as " this person is this race". We are all part of the human race! How is not liking a black cat because of its color and getting a white cat any different from being racist? There really is no point, we are all human, have goals and dreams. Havng a different skin color shouldn't matter. All we need to do is love and we would end lots of problems, I know it sounds pretty cheesy but I know it's true.