Part of Shawn Berry’s defense was that he was a bystander, not an instigator. The jury did not believe that claim, but assuming that such a situation could occur, what is the responsibility of an observer to an act of racism. Should bystanders who don’t intervene be held culpable in any ways? How might the responsibility to respond be different for blacks and whites? Racist acts can range from extreme violence to a thoughtless comment or joke. Have you ever witnesses any act of racism? What did you do? If the event happened today, would your response be the same? If not, what has changed? 4-6 sentences and respond to one other post.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Two Towns of Jasper - Due Friday
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53 comments:
I think someone who observes an act of racism should do something to stop it, even by callin the cops or getting help. If they see this then that makes them aware of the situation and should be somewhat responsible if something terrible were to happen. However I don't think bystanders who don't intervene should be held culpable in any way unless they are directly involved, like Shawn Berry. The responsibility to respond might be different for blacks an whites especially when looking at racism. I feel that whites mostly look out for other whites and the same goes for the blacks, but sometimes that is not always the case. I have seen videos about extreme violence on account of racism like Emmett Till, who was murdered for flirting with a white woman. Other than that, I think in this day and age it's not as bad or happen as often like it used to. In situations like these I think it would be necessary for me to help in any way I could because it is very wrong whether the person in danger is black or white.
It is not possible to be a bystander yet be involved in the crime. However, if you are only a bystander to a crime there should be certain morals involved in witnessing a crime. I don't think bystanders should be held accountable for a crime just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, if they were involved in planning or the act of the crime in any way they should be held accountable though. People have fears and hesitations, especially when they are put in uncommon situations. Many people may not act at the time because of these fears and I don't think people should be punished for human emotions. There should be no difference between the responsibilities of blacks and whites though because we are all still people who should have morality. I have witnessed racism but towards whites more than blacks. A group of black people would make fun of the white people who couldn't dance and make fun that they were all preppy rich people who don't know hardships. There was no response I could have to this event because even if I denied what they were saying they still would have generalized.
I do agree with Riley that a bystander should do something after the event, even if they are too scared during the event such as calling the police and reporting the criminals.
No matter what the scenario is, if someone witnesses an injustice they should intervene. Letting it continue just lets the abuser think that what they are doing is completely acceptable and they will continue to commit these acts of hate. Bystanders who don’t intervene should not be held culpable because really they didn’t break any laws it is just a fault in the morals or lack thereof. The responsibility is the generally the same when dealing with people of the same ethnicity. White people tend to stick up and protect other white people while black people do the same for people of their race. I have witnessed an act of racism while with my white, upper class friend. Her parents are typical WASPs and while at dinner they were putting down black people and using racial slurs. Since it was her parents and I didn’t want to disrespect them I didn’t intervene because I wasn’t sure what to say. If this event happened again I would probably do the same thing since they are adults, their minds and beliefs are less likely to change and it is their opinion, something which would be hard to change. I disagree with Riley when they say that in this day and age racism isn’t as bad as it used to be. Depending on where you are in the world racism is still very brutal. Although it’s not as publicized by the media anymore racial injustices happen every day. Violence is used constantly against people because of their race and for no other reason. I believe racism will always be a factor in our society, something we don’t have much control over. However, historically we have always had some kind of oppression for groups outside of our ethnicity.
Any observer of racism should feel obligated to put an end to in any way possible no matter how bad the situation is. They should try to stop this racism in as least violent of a fashion as possible, but at the same time should do whatever they have to stop the problem. A lot of people think that bystanderds who do not act should be charged but I don't agree with that completely. If the person, like Shawn Berry, is a part of the group which committed the crime then yes, they should be charged. But if that person is just a witness to a crime and did not intervene then I dont think they're at fault. They could have helped save a life but they should not be charged if their own life was in danger. There is no difference in the responsibility for whites and blacks to respond. They should all take the same approach. I have seen a lot of racist acts. For example, a lot of these people make racist jokes to those that are different from them and I must admit that most of the time I don't say anything because i'm pretty sure they're kidding. If the event happened today I might be a little more urged to say something, but it would have to depend on how serious the comment seemed.
I think it is always the responsibility of a bystander, as a human being, to intervene when he/she observes racism or violence. I do think a bystander who chooses not to say or do anything should be held responsible. Especially in the case of Shawn Berry, where it was not like he just allowed his friends to beat up James Byrd, but actually drove the truck leading to Byrd being decapitated. I think that goes beyond being a bystander, because there was nothing forcing him to turn on the ignition, drive, and even swerve side to side with Byrd tied to the back of the truck. I think both blacks and whites have an equal obligation to not only look out for their own race, but to also stand up for members of other races being faced with racism. I agree with Clevelandsteam, in that I think if I witnessed an act of racism today, I would feel more obligated to step in, than I would have a few years ago.
If someones is an observer of an racist act they should do something to stop the situation so it wont go as far as it did in this case study. Yes a bystander should be held accountable for such an act like racism especially if that person dies from it in this case they did so yes I think they should be accountable because he could have stopped this from happening. Responses will differ for blacks and whites because in the movie the guy brother said "blacks will say their is racism going on, while a white person will say they don't see it going on or try not to notice it" which is true in a way. Yes I have this past summer in GA and I was with my white friend and we was in the mall and while we was leaving with our bags the alarm went off they let him go but searched my bag, and there was nothing I really could have done.
The responsibility of a bystander who witnesses racism is not to sit by but to try and help as best they can. And if they themselves cannot help, it is their job to contact those who can immediately. It's hard to say if they should be responsible. Every situation is different. In this situation, I believe it was his responsibility to contact the law enforcement immediately afterward if he really was forced into this act. I don't think the responsibility to respond should. Be different for whites and blacks. Regardless of color, every human being has the responsibility to look out for oe another. The color of our skin shouldn't affect the way we chose to help people. Everyone should always be helped. I witness racism all the time, whether it is in a joking matter or the real thing. Sometimes, if the friends are joking with each other and I know it's not a bother, I unfortunately say nothing. But when I notice someone really acting out and being ignorant, I say something. If I don't want people to judge me because of my background, it is only fair to give others that same respect. Just today, my two friends were making jokes about each others race. I said in a simple way to. Stop but the way I responded wasn't really forceful or meaningful. I really should have been more assertive in my efforts rather than just sitting back and letting them playfully make fun of each other. I agree with Fausto in that I definitely would have made more of an effort, especially after today.
I think that if an observer witnesses racism they should stop it, but they do have the choice not to. I agree with Sasha that if a bystander is not directly involved then he cannot be charged because he is only a witness and is not directly involved with the crime. We can’t have the courts put all bystanders who witness racism to go to jail because the judicial system would get clogged up. The responsibility might be different for blacks and whites in that each group would try to fend for their own group and not get involved as much with the other. I have witnessed acts of racism, mostly racist comments. I have sometimes spoken up and told them off but other times I would just ignore it like I never heard them. If this happened today I would try to tell them that it’s wrong to say things like that.
I think an observer to an act of racism has a moral obligation to intervene, but they should not have law obligating them to intervene. If the situation is right, then a bystander should do what they can to intervene. However, some situations are not safe or proper for a bystander to step in. I don't think a bystander who doesn't intervene should be help culpable in any way, because intervening in on a situation isn't always the best solution. Intervening can possibly make things worse, obviously though it can also make things much better. I agree with Jessica's comment on how the responsibility to respond shouldn't be different for blacks and whites. I've witnessed racist jokes before, but not any extreme sort of racist reaction. I didn't do anything, because the jokes were harmless. And yes, I would respond the same.
In most cases, people who witness a crime should not be bystanders, and instead should actually do something to try and stop it. Unless there is sufficient reason for the bystander to believe that they will be hurt for intervening or that they will make it worse, they should intervene. I agree with Turquoise in that I don’t know if bystanders should be held culpable for the actions of the actual abuser. Yes, the bystander did nothing to help; however, the perpetrator of the crime is the one who actually did something to hurt someone else, I disagree with honeybadger in that there really shouldn’t be any difference between races in the responsibility to respond. Regardless of race, people are people, and we all have the same responsibilities to help each other out. I’ve witnessed acts of racism in my family; I have heard older family members make offensive comments about people of other races and religions. I usually don’t do anything to stop them, because I’m not really sure how to tell people like my grandparents to stop acting racist when they have been acting that way for years. I just kind of ignore what they say and try to move on. I would probably still not say anything if an older family member used racial slurs, because telling them to stop is kind of disrespectful and there’s enough drama in my family without me adding to it. This only applies to older family members, though. If a family member my own age, or anyone else my own age, was using racial slurs, I would stop them.
In any case, I believe bystanders should be held accountable because they are as much apart of the crime, even if they don't actually participate. I agreed with the jury's conviction; Berry should be in prison for life because he is almost as much a murderer as his friends. Just like David Cash in the previous documentary, Berry could've done anything: run, demanded that this was insane, not human, not right, but he just did nothing. If he wanted everybody to show mercy for him at the trial, then why didn't he have the decency to show that same mercy toward poor James Byrd? I have never witnessed anything such as bullying, or even anything as horrible as this, (which I hope I don't), I would have done at least something to show whoever the person doing the victimizing that this is not right at all. No one should get away with something as brutal as what happened to James Byrd !
I agree with Riley. Those who are bystanders usually are considered bystanders because they feel if they try to defend the person being harassed, their race will come into play. They observe a certain person vulnerable to being bullied, and they assume they can't help the victim because they are afraid of the racist comments made about them. Although I want to add that I would help anyone being terrorized, no matter if they were black, white, Mexican, Italian, or anything else.
I believe it is the responsibility of an observer to be an up-stander and attempt to help other humans if they are emotionally and physically capable of doing so. Bystanders should be culpable for letting such crimes happen, however, if they do attempt to stop the situation and fail, or are in a situation threatening to their own life, then they cannot be held accountable. The responsibility is different for blacks and whites because people probably treat a black man's opinion different then a white mans, and a black man speaking out therefore might not mean as much in terms of stopping a racist situation. I have never witnessed an outright act of racism, but I agree with Reader 4-5 that I would attempt to help anyone who is being terrorized.
I think that if an bystander observed racism they should do something about it. If Shawn would of told the police it would of been a little better but he still participated in the crime and should of done something to stop his friends from doing the horrible crime. If were him would of done everything in my power to stop them, and if I couldn't of i would of told the police immediately. If this were to have happened today I would of felt the same way, there is no reason for anyone to be drug down a road.
I agree with Reader, if you see a crime going on you are accountable to tell someone about it.
The responsibility of an observer to an act of racism is definitely to intervene. If you see something going on that is morally wrong, I think it is your obligation as a good samaritan to intervene and at least try to stop the comment or act. I think that bystanders who don't intervene are, in a way, always held culpable in their own souls. For as long as they live, they will have heaps of guilt and their conscience to answer to. I don't really think there should be a different responsibility for blacks and whites, I think that any race should respond to an act of racism. I agree with Peggy in the idea that people are people no matter what and we must support each other and stand up for what we think is right in any situation. I have witnessed racism throughout high school in many different ways, but especially with racist jokes. Many times, I just stood by and listened. I didn't laugh, but I didn't try to stop the jokes. I would like to believe that I would respond differently today and try to stop the racist joke. I think that I would try to stop the joke because I have now learned that even seemingly harmless jokes can hurt someone, and being a bystander in that type of situation could lead to a lot of guilt and remorse.
Like sourpatchkid said, it is the responsibility of an observer to act on racism. I agree with that statement and it is definitely their moral responsibility. With this being said, it is not their legal responsibility. They should not be punished by legal action if they do not act. There is simply no way to determine whether or not they acted and too many problems would be caused by making this law. There is also no proper way to enforce the law. However, they should be punished morally, much like the guy in the Stromeyer case. I have witnessed racism, but only careless jokes, never any violent or serious actions. I did not act on the careless jokes, but I am confident that I would act on more serious altercations.
I think that being a bystander is an extremely tough position to be in, but it is still inexcusable to not do anything to try and stop something from happening. It is a moral responsibility for someone to at least do something. I agree with the sentence that Shawn Berry received to life in prison. This situation resembles that of Cash because he also witnessed a heinous crime take place, but he chose not to intervene. I think we've all witnessed at least a small act of racism, although some people may choose not to fully acknowledge it. If someone around me makes a racist comment, usually I'll say something to them. I agree with honey badger that today I will say something if I hear something today, I'd definitely say something.
I agree with Riley that people who wotness crime should try and stop them. I think that the role of a bystander when it come to a hate crime or any form of crimes and or acts of racism that it is just as bad as committing the crime itself. When you do not take the initiative to stop a crime like we witnessed in th movie, you are just as guilty in my opinion as those who committed the crime. Living in as diverse an area as we do I have definitely witnessed racist acts and segregation. I try my best to stand up for those being targeted, but I will admit that I have been a bystander before in my life. After taking this class I now will make a conscious effort to no longer be a bystander.
People who witness crime should stop it like Betsy said, but if it's not in the best health of the bystander then they shouldn't intervene. I think the responsibility of blacks and whites are the same. I have not ever witnessed an act of violence, so nothing. But if I did, I'd stand up for the victim. In some cases though, there isn't much that I could do. For example, if the other person had a gun, i couldn't try to attack them without getting shot.
I agree with Riley, I believe that Shawn Berry should've at least made some sort of action, whether it was calling the police or attempting to run away from the crime. In this particular case, if Shawn Berry would've made some sort of action instead of being a bystander that he would've been found innocent possibly. I have never witnessed any kind of extreme hate crime but I have heard racist jokes and comments, especially in Orange High School. I do believe that a bystander in this situation is held accountable for what happened, along with his two friends.
I believe that the white family residence believed that the three men were guilty, but they weren't " totally siding with the blacks." For instance, in the first interview with the white family, the one lady said " Yes those men are guilty no question that, but wasn't that black man in prison?" I was shocked when I heard that remark because she was totally oblivious of what happened and decided to play the criminal black man card. If I was in that situation, I would have admitted the hard truth no matter what happened to the victim in his/her past. If something were to happen like this today, there would be more severe punishments in place.
In my opinion, an observer to an act of racism has the responsibility of standing up and saying something depending on what their views are. I think that bystanders that do not intervene could be held culpable in some cases. In the Shawn Berry's case I feel that he could have definitely done something if he were a bystander like he says he was. But I do feel that if intervening puts the bystander in any type of danger that it is maybe acceptable to step not step in but do get proper help. Depending on your race you do feel different in regards to you responsibility to respond. I feel that a minority would have a little bit more of a responsibility to respond to racism than a white person. I have seen acts of racism. Being in a young age group of male that thinks everything is funny, racism usually comes in the form of some type of joke. Usually it is laughed off by me and my friends. I think I will always respond to these jokes the same way because its not something that is worth getting upset over.
I agree with both Riley and Sasha about how if someone observes an act of racism, they should do something to stop it, and it is definitely possible to be a bystander while still being involved in the crime. I think that bystanders who don't intervene in a serious situation should be held culpable anyways, especially in situations where someone dies. They could have done something to stop it and save the persons life, but didn't do anything about it. I don't think the responsibility to respond would be different for blacks and whites because I think for the most part they have the same views on certain things like this. I have witnessed several acts of racism, especially during lunch when people say racial things to others and they think they don't care, but you can definitely tell that they do. Most of the time, I don't say anything because I don't want to intervene, and usually it's just a joke. If the event happened today, I would try to tell the person to stop.
Shawn Berry, in my opinion, got what he deserved. In many ways, whether a bystander or not he could've stuck up for or stopped his friends from doing what they did to James. I think it depends on the situation and how much of a bystander you were in the situation should determine whether you should be held culpable. I don't think the color of skin should determine how one responds but unfortunately it does. Yes, I have witnessed racism and I couldn't just stand around and be a bystander, I had to intervene. I agree with Billie Jean, if the same event happened today, I would respond the same way whether joking or not.
I agree with Johnnny when they say that a bystander should have the responsibility to stand up for what is right in any situation. I do not think that bystanders should be held culpable in any way because I feel that if they do not stand up for what is right, they will feel guilty about not standing up for what is right. I do not think that the responsibility to respond would change from black to white people because they all think similarly about their race in that they should not be stereotyped or harassed based on their skin color. I have witnessed racism, but only a thoughtless joke or comment. Although it is still racism, I did not do anything to stop it. If it happened today I would probably attempt to stop it because it can hurt someone on the inside, but they might not necessarily show it on the outside.
I feel the observer of an act of racism has two options. First, they could remain oblivious to the situation or they could stand up and make a difference. I don't think they should be in help responsible because they didn't commit the crime. They minded their own business. On the other hand if they happen to be in the area or with the racist at the time they are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I agree with Essie from 4/5 I don't think there is a difference between whites and blacks when it comes to responsibility. I have been apart of racism once when I was younger. When I was at CVS I was in line, and i accidentally bumped a guy. I said i was sorry, but the guy didnt look happy and said "You stupid N***er" I was very shocked that he said that in front of all the people in the line so I laughed it off, and didnt response to his ignorance. I don't think i would response differently because I felt i did the right thing.
Shawn Berry is a liar and should be put to death first off. The responsibility of an observer to act on racism is to speak up let people know your not ok with it. Bystanders don't have to intervene! But yell call the police do something! The responsibility to respond is not different for blacks and no different for whites. Everyone has witnessed racism i witnessed it first hand when i was followed around a store in florida. I didn't say anything just smiled a little bit. If the event happened today I'd probaly say something about it and let her know its not okay! Letting racism just happen is not okay. what you do behind closed doors is one thing but doing so in public is enough! I agree with Riley Shawn Berry should have done SOMETHING.
4/5
I think the responsibility of an observer to an act of racism is to step in and act on the situation and be an upstander. I think that bystanders who dont intervene should be held culpable because they could have stopped what was going on, and maybe in some cases that we looked at in class, save a life. I agree with Jay.Aaron about skin color determining whether or not someone should respond or not. Yes I have witnessed racism, when it happened I said something right away and stopped it. If the event happened today, yes i would respond the same way.
I believe that bystanders that do not intervene should be punished for their lack of action. If you witness a violent crime occurring and you can stop it, then you have an obligation to the victim help them. No matter if the person is black or white you must help your fellow man. I personally have never witnessed any real acts of racism, however I hope if I do come it to contact with it that I will do my best to stop it. Racism can cause great physical and mental harm to the victim, and just like with any other violent crime we all have an obligation to help. I agree with Jay.Aaron that Shawn Berry got what he deserved
The responsibility of an observer to an act of racism is to simply put a stop to it. They should be the one to tell that person who is doing the act of racism to stop what they're doing. If the bystander had a chance to put a stop to a situation and doesn't, yes they should be accountable. For example If my friend goes into the store and says, " I'm about to murder this man," and I just stood there and when it was all over just got back in the car and acted as if nothing happened. I too should be punished. When dealing with the movie of course the, "whites" felt as if the guy wasn't in the wrong but from the "blacks" viewing it of course they feel the guy was wrong. It's somewhat of a bias situation. Going to a predominately white school I have heard racist jokes told towards my race. For example I've heard jokes about black girls and their weaves, if something comes up missing someone will say, "hey check the black guy," or just little comments like that. Also sometimes a white person may come up to me and speak in a type of slang as if they are trying to relate to me with the slang. Although it may have been a joke and didn't mean any harm from it, and I might have even laughed, but deep down inside it does make things for me feel a little more awkward than they already when dealing with white people. If a joke is told towards a race I might not say anything and just laugh it off, but if its a serious offense I might have to intervene and stand up for what is right and speak out.
After discussing this in class the other day, when we watched the video about the girl who was killed in the casino, I don't think that it's possible to have a bystander law. I think it's very situational and many people would opt to run away opposed to helping the person at all. I have witnessed many jokes here at school towards all races and I haven't done anything really. I am confident that in a more sever circumstance that I would not standby to racism. I agree with Bonita when they say that the responsibility of an observer to an act of racism is to simply put a stop to it. I think that is completely true and they are morally obligated to do so.
I don't believe that there is any way for bystanders to be held accountable for their actions legally when they have done nothing wrong in a situation. They just haven't intervened to stop the situation. I don't think there should be any difference in the way blacks or whites respond to situations like these. I have witnessed small acts of racism, nothing too extreme. I am not too proud to say that I was a bystander in these situations. I definitely would act differently in these situations today. I also agree with what Jay Aaron said about Berry getting what he deserved, because I don't believe he was a bystander.
I agree with Sasha. A bystander should not be held accountable for a crime. I do think that they should be responsible for reporting anything if they see it. If reporting a crime can prevent other crime from happening then that should be done. When ever I see an act of racism, I automatically say something or do something about. Me personally, knowing what my race has been through, I can sit back and watch people commit racist actions against other people. If sit back and what something like that happen it will eat away at me in the inside until I say something.
I agree with heisanberg 9. They should not be accountable for any actions especially of they didn't do anything. I have not witnessed any acts of racism not even in the smallest degree. I do however think that racism played a huge part in this jame Byrd case. Also I don't believe that berry was just a bystander and should have got what he deserved in life but should served the same thing his friends got.
I think that bystanders have a moral responsibility to do something to at least stop acts of racism from going on; however, they do have the option not to. Depending on the situation I think that bystanders should be held culpable if they choose not to do anything. This all depends on the nature of the crime and whether or not the bystander would put his or herself in danger by doing something. Either way, there is no excuse for not going to the police or coming forward and turning in the people who committed the crime. I think there is really no difference in the responsibility to respond, but blacks may be more inclined to help other blacks and likewise for whites. I have never witnessed any severe racism, but I have seen people making jokes and even though the person who is being joked about acts like it's funny, I'm sure it still hurts. If this event happened today my response would have been exactly the same; it doesn't matter when a crime like this takes place or the race of the person who does it, it is still horrible. I agree with Bonita that I could not just stand by, especially while my friends, harm someone in such a horrible way. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't at the very least tell them to stop.
I think bystanders who do not intervene should be held responsible for some cases. As a bystander you have an opportunity to prevent any wrong doings to happen. Even though it is nearly impossible to have a bystander law, I think they should still be accounted for their role. Especially a very specific role. I feel as though African Americans would show a bit more responsibility to respond than a Caucasian. I have witnessed acts of racism but being at younger ages we tend to shrug them off. I agree with Johnnny in which its nothing to get upset over.
I believe that bystandera should be held responsible for not intervening in any ways. If someone is clearly doing something wrong that you witness and you do not stand up for it, than you should be held partially responsible for the wrong that you witnessed. Especially when it goes to the extent of someone being chained up to a car and dragged. In eighth grade in my unity and diversity class there was a substitute that was only letting white people go to the bathroom. No one stood up to her or really said anything but she was clearly being racist. Looking back I wish I would have said something just so she could have realized what she was doing and how she was wrong. I agree with Bonita when they said that the responsibility of an observer of racism is to stop it.
Yes the bystanders should be held accountable in some kind of way shape or form. I think this because they are clearly witnessing something that they know is wrong going on, but the choose not to do anything about it. To many people do this now and days and it has to stop, because this really only leads to others getting hurt in some fashion. The responsibility from white to blacks could be different because the whites have more of a privilege than blacks so they might get away with more.I haven't witnessed any racism but i would do my best to help that person. I agree with bonita and my black male blue dream when they said they could never stand by.
Personally, I believe the bystander should be held accountable. However, I do not think is it legally okay to make a law that says the bystander must try to help the situation. What if the bystander is being threatened by the wrong doers also? He or she may not have a choice other than to just leave the situation be because it may endanger their lives also. The responsibility to respond should also not differ for different races. Everyone should be treated equally and fairly in bad situations such as the one in Jasper. I have witnessed racism before and did the right thing and stepped in. However, the situation was not as severe as the one in Jasper and it would be hard to say what would've happened that night if it was me as the bystander. I agree with Young Grasshopper that at younger ages people are also more likely to shrug off acts of racism, where at older ages it is more serious.
I think that a bystander is just as bad as doing the actual crime. I think it depends on the situation and how much of a bystander you were in the situation should determine whether you should be held responsible. This situation resembles that of Cash because he also witnessed a heinous crime take place, but he chose not to intervene. I think we've all witnessed at least a small act of racism, although some people may choose not to fully acknowledge it. If you see it you should stop it.
I think that they should be held responsible to a point. I think that if the act is hurting someone then they should be held responsible for not stopping the act. I dont think that the responsibility changes depending on race. Yes i have witnessed racism before.I told the person to stop because they wouldnt enjoy it if someone did it to them. I agree with young grasshopper when they said that age affects it a lot because i think it does.
I do not believe that a bystander is innocent when they are observing a racist based crime. Shawn Berry could have stopped the death of James Byrd Jr. if he stood up to the other two guys. He said that he was threatened, but if I was threatened by someone to do something against my morals I still would not participate. I don't think that there is a difference between responsibility to respond for blacks and whites. If everyone wants to stop the hate, and stop racism then they need to accept that there are different races of people but we are all part of the human race. I believe that the responsibility is completely equal. I don't think that I have ever really witnessed a act of racism but it is everywhere. I agree with Megan in the respect that a bystander should be held responsible because they could have changed the outcome of what happened.
i do not believe that bystanders are innocent. i think that everyone has a moral and should have a legal responsibility to stop bad actions like murder from occuring. white or black should not have anything t do with these responsibilities. i have witnessed racism, and i have stepped in. i have done it in the past and would do it again as i am a strong believer in the ideas of acceptance and diversity.
I agree with Johnnny when they said that a bystander should have the responsibility to stand up for what is right in any situation. I don't really think that bystanders should be held accountable in any way because I feel that if they do not stand up for what is right, they will feel guilty that they stood there and let that happen, like they watched it happen and was so shocked or scared not to do the right thing. I do not think that the responsibility to respond would change from black to white people because they all think similarly about their race in that they should not be stereotyped or harassed based on their skin color. I have witnessed racism, with a thoughtless joke or comment and when I was at the mall with my cousins. Although it is still racism, I do not do anything to stop it. If it happened today I would probably attempt to stop it because it can hurt someone on the inside, but they might not necessarily show it on the outside or somebody can get really hurt, it doesn't just have to be an emotional hurt.
I believe that is everyones responsibility to stop racists hate crimes. Bystanders are far from innocent. They could stop any crime from being committed by simply standing up for the victim. Even if they dont do anything during the crime, I think that they have a moral obligation to tell authorities about the crime. Although I think that bystanders should act, I dont think tey can be held responsible for crimes that they were nit involved in. Personally, I cant think of instances that ive experienced, but if I did witness acts of racism, I would try to stop it.
In some cases bystanders should be held accountable for a situation that happens if they were the person that knew or just like this in this case, was someone who could have stopped it. But me personally knowing that my 2 friends didn't like black men I wouldn't have ever picked up a black man, in the middle of nowhere in the dark! That just wouldn't have happened. But no I've never personally witnessed racism of any kind, but I have been told multiple stories by my grandmother. In conclusion there are only some situations where the person would feel comfortable enough to actually show action, so yes I would show some type of action if only I felt the time was right & that my life wouldn't feel threatened in the process.
An observer should be responsible for stopping the racist act or at least let authorities know about it. Bystanders who don't intervene should be held culpable because if they had decided to step in, the situation could have been prevented and an innocent life wouldn't have been lost. However, they shouldn't be held responsible for the crime since they weren't directly involved in it. I've never really witnessed any act of racism but I have heard of some. If I had witnessed any, I would fight back. No one should be hurt because of their race and the ignorance of other people.
I think that bystanders should be held culpable, but it also depends on the situation. If the situation is as severe as the on in the town of Jasper, then yes the person should face some sort of consequence. Yes, I have witnessed an act of racism but it was a thoughtless joke. If that happened today I think I would most definitely respond differently and say something to the person making the joke. I agree with snowflake because there are many situations that could have been made better and a life could have been saved if just one person said or did something to help the person in need.
In this situation the bystander is wrong because he did nothing about what happened. In this case the bystander new everything that was going on, but he didn't care and did nothing about what happened I believe the bystander deserves life or even death in prison. The bystandered in this situation new what he was doing he cchose to not stop what was going on. If i were in this situation I would not have stopped and picked up some random guy I knew my friends did not like. Also if I ever come across any act of racisim I would make the right decisons and take quick swift action to make the situation the right one.
a bystander should be accused or charged with the act. A bystander knows what is going on and for example could save a life in a murder case if they know someones life is in danger and they stand there and do nothing. They are just as guilty because they couldve stood up and saved someone. Racism would play a huge role in bystanders. I feel like if a white person was a bystander and they kept their mouth closed, that they wouldnt get in trouble, but if it was a black man or woman, and they didnt say something, that they would get in trouble and would be told that they shouldve said something about it. i have witnessed an act of racism, but not in any major way. People dont really take offence to racism in our age group except for the "N word". If i saw racism, i wouldnt think much of it and that its none of my buisness and i would walk away and keep my mouth shut if i didnt know the people. if i knew them, it would be a different story and i would stand up for them and say something about it.
I believe that the responsibility of an observer to an act of racism or injustice of any sort should be attempted to be stopped immediately. They shouldn’t be held responsible in terms of criminal standpoint but maybe in a civil suite, for not acting on someone’s behalf of who was either outmanned or unable to defend there honor. I do not think that there is a difference in between race in a nature to help. If the tables were flipped, a person who is in fact a bystander may feel pressured into doing something that they do not agree with. On the other hand however, the type of press that it would receive and the response of the general public would be very different in the case of James Bird. I have witnessed racism many times in my life and I can honestly say that I have acted differently now than I would have when I was younger. In an instance when my friends and I were watching a movie in a movie theater and a woman turned around a rudely accused us of causing a disruption, I quickly acknowledged her and reported her to the security guard who did give her a warning. In the end it did inspire an apology but that type of strength and confidence came from maturation process in which I had to undergo as well as parents who have taught me to stand up for what I know is right.
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