Pebbles of Peace Outweighing

Boulders of Violence:

St. Joan Antida Students Talk About Racism 2006

Leaders of Justice

The Campus Ministry class at St. Joan Antida High School did a project for "Pebbles of Peace Outweighing Boulder of Violence."  They chose leaders from around the world who advanced the human rights of all races.

Below are our reflections.

Racial prejudice is ridiculous.  For people to hate a “color” or a “look” just shows how narrow minded people can be.

But it also is not just found Caucasian people! It happens with African Americans and Hispanics and it even happens within races! It probably

will never stop, but it will decrease with the unity of the races.

Nelson Mandela was sent to prison for being against racism and jailed from Nov 1962 until Feb 1990.

Yet when he got out, he did nothing to the people who put him there!

He said, “I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.”

Racial Prejudice – what can I say? It’s a problem that many face in their life time, whether you are Black, White, Latino, Asian and so on.

As a Latina, I kind of grew up with fewer privileges and little respect from others for who I am inside. If others learned to have love and respect for each other, our community and worlds would be much better.

"It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane and just. He gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth.” – Cesar Chavez

Racism is the belief in the superiority of one particular race. The problems we face will not be solved by the minds that created them.

Even though she had to overcome many obstacles, Dorothy Day never gave up who she wanted to become. She said, “If I have achieved anything in my lie, it is because I have not been embarrassed to talk about God.”

Racism is still present, if we don’t realize it. As someone who has been discriminated against,I believe one single person can influence either negatively or positively and make a difference.

What has lately been going on with the marches for immigrant rights has helped me realize how much racism is still present, and how much our leaders of American influence this discrimination.  As an immigrant who came to the US at 10 years old and whose parents have paid taxes like every American through all these years,

I believe I have the right to feel free and safe.

I believe I have the right to succeed and dream like every other human being. I believe I should be given the opportunity to accomplish my goals and to be given the opportunity to attend the college of my choice.

Rigoberta Menchú is a widely known Mayan advocate of Indian rights and ethno-cultural reconciliation.

After Rigoberta’s familiy was tortured and killed, she became increasingly active in the CUC (Committee of the Peasant Union). Rigoberta has been an advocate in Guatemala, and her work has earned her several international awards.

Racism involves a group of people who discriminates against other races. These people believe they are superior and they deserve more power and control. Prejudice is based on this.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi experienced racial prejudice when he was ejected from a a first-class railway compartment, simply because a white man objected to him being there – even though Gandhi had a first-class ticket. Eventually, Gandhi developed the nonviolent techniques he was to use in India. He opposed unfair taxes and got Indians their voting rights without the ways of violence. Gandhi said, “To me, truth is God and there is no way to find Truth except the way of nonviolence.”

I feel that racism has been going on for the longest time, and I just wish it would stop. But the only way is if we work together.

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus, and she was arrested. People look up to her because her actions changed the Nation.

She said this about her famous actions: "Four decades later I am still uncomfortable with the credit given to me for starting the bus boycott. I would like [people] to know I was not the only person involved.

I was just one of many who fought for freedom."

I see racism all the time and I really don’t like to see it. 

I also hear stories from my friends of all the problems they have been through. 

I think it is so wrong, that in America, we can be so mean and cruel when in reality,

all cultures should be equally mixed and valued.

Martin Luther King was a great man who fought for peace and justice. He is a person who understood every culture and religion was different and God loves them all. 

He said, “In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Racism is basically a whole system behind one group being prejudice towards whoever who is not their same race. They show hatred and disgust towards people who are different. Racism is everywhere I look, and to me, it is very disrespectful for someone to hate somebody for their race. For someone to hate me that way, I think that person is very angry, and I must be the bigger person to look past their ignorance.

Coretta Scott King was the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.  She was a very strong person. She stayed by her husband’s side not matter what happened. She was outgoing and church going.

She once described MLK day this way: “The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. We commemorate as well the timeless values he taught us through his example -- the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service that so radiantly defined Dr. King’s character and empowered his leadership.”

Racism is something that we live with every day. My dream is that one day, we will all learn to accept each other,

no matter what race we are. 

The biggest racial struggle for me has been seeing all the unequal treatment that immigrants have to go through, in order to be in America. When I attended the

“A day without Latinos,” march, I felt very moved to see so many people come together for one same cause -- equal rights! I felt so happy to know, on that day,

we took part in history in the making, because our struggle had just begun.

Jean Donovan fought to the very last day of her life to end racial injustice.  That is something to look up to. Many people have given up so much of themselves to end racism.

She once wrote, "I think that the hardship one endures may be God's way of taking you out into the desert to prepare you to meet and love him more fully."

Racism is simply stupid!

I think it doesn’t make sense to say one race is superior.  Every one is going through life, and good or tough times happen.

It doesn’t matter what color we are, because inside,

we are all made of the same thing.

Oscar Romero was a great archbishop. He had faith in people and would give them the chance to show who they really were. He helped people when they were in need, and he kept his promises.

He said, "The Church cannot remain silent before injustice; to remain silent is to be an accomplice."

The hatred between different races effects us all because the more people hate each other, the more crime, fights, wars are the result.

Alan Sugiyama founded the Center for Career Alternatives in Seattle, WA, where he encourages awareness of Asian Pacific heritage.

He wrote, “Ask any group of Asian Pacific Islanders when Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is and

I bet you no more than 10 percent will know that it’s May. Ask that same group if APA Heritage Month is unique to the United States and I bet you 100 percent won’t know or will answer ‘yes.’ …  Canada observes Asian Pacific heritage in May as we do.”

Racial prejudice is a big factor in the world. I think that we as the people of the world shouldn't descriminate.

Robert Kennedy helped people see that just because someone is not the same color as you are, that does not give you the right to take away their dignity and culture. Everyone should be treated equally because everyone is beautiful in God's eyes. I think Kennedy's sensativity, courage, intelligence and respect for all people is admirable. If others followed his example, there would be less killing and general violence.

He said, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."