I am very glad to see this post on the blog. People seem to forget that we are all human, no matter what we do. People can choose to do whatever they wish to do. It is punishable to endanger the life of others in general and after all, what makes one person fundamentally better than another in that they can choose when to end another person's life. Even the toughest and hardest looking people have emotions and actually care about things. Most criminals are no different except that they decided to break the law because they could, but they got caught. Sometimes, I think that community fear may put more people in prison or that community reaction to an event may push these people to act out further. I am not saying that people who do bad things should not be punished, but I think there are more effective ways. Now, I personally have not met any "lifers" but I would like to talk to people in prison. I think the more you talk to others and people outside whom you would normally socialize, the more you learn about yourself. I, personally, want to learn as much about myself as early as possible. Knowing yourself is true happiness.

I believe that people who act out violently can often have something deeper at play that is not being addressed in their life. Alcoholics know that they rely on the depressant. Obese people saw themselves gaining weight, but took no action to stop it. Our world in general is full of hate and sadness, and people trying to distract themselves from it. Now, I am not saying that prison is a nice place to be for all of your life, but these people have the opportunity to develop a real sense of self and others while they do not have to worry about what they are going to do when they get out of prison. I think "lifers" may be able to educate those on the outside more than we would think. While yes, it would have to be taken in stride, but people should be heard.

Many people put up a tough front at first meeting; people do not want to walk into a hurtful situation if they do not need to. "Lifers" might seem all tough and vicious at first glance, but how would you feel if you had committed a crime and then had to deal with everyone's reaction to what you did even though you are already beating yourself up beyond belief for what you did. (Yes; there are people who feel no remorse, but I think they feel misunderstood and that people contently say things to avoid having to say other things sometimes.)

People are complicated. Judging others is hard and sometimes unavoidable; but when you refuse to listen to what the alleged murderer says simply because of his actions, there is no opportunity to learn about others. I am a very open minded person; I can have my opinion, but I do not blatantly condemn anything that someone chooses or performs. I do not know that I am right and I am only one person who may believe differently, and wants to understand YOU.

I can totally see where Sam is coming from with his lecture yesterday. I makes a world of sense to me. People really are not all that different deep down. If we were exactly in their shoes our lives would be horrible. The simple fact that we are not, should not matter in the grand scheme of things. It is literally crazy to think that America thinks it can just do whatever it wants to do with any country any time. Why do we think that some other countries hate us so much? I think we create reasons because we do not listen to those "haters" themselves.

This world is an ugly place in general. I do not really think that people want to find out why people want Americans dead. It may scare them to know. It is really crazy that all we see are the horrible people in certain countries and they end up representing entire groups of people. It has to be a ploy of some degree to make our "enemies" as inhuman as possible, so that Americans do not feel empathy for other people that are not Americans. I am glad that Sam presented this lecture, because I get it. America always points out different religions that are associated with people from certain areas. WHY DOES THAT MATTER? I cannot help but keep thinking that when I was growing up, I was told that Allah is the same as the Christian God in title. From then on, I saw them as believing many things that we believe about God.

It is ridiculous to think of yourself in an Arab Muslim person's shoes. I do not think i would want to be alive. THAT IS A HORRIBLE THOUGHT. Where did we get privilege. I would love to know why I am better than everyone else from other countries, because I do not believe so fundamentally. I might have more opportunity and everything but I do not know why I deserve it. Is it wrong that that concept bothers me and has bothered me and that other people simply do not understand when I try to bring it up.

What can we do though? That is what is scary; who knows? It really does not matter how a few people few in the grand scheme of things because we will be a minority, and until whole governments can get around the fact that America will not be perfect forever and to get over it, nothing will change.

Maybe, I fear less because I am not afraid to die. I know it will come one day because no one lives forever, but it is scary to think that I want to bring children into this world. Children cannot even begin to grasp what is going on; heck, I cannot even fully grasp what is going on.

I know that our country will do what it has to to get what it needs. We have set ourselves up to dominate. I would love to see what children learn about Americans in other countries in History Class in school. Do all Americans know exactly why terrorists attack our country? Maybe; but I can guarantee that everyone in their countries know exactly why those select few people decided to attempt to take matters into their own hands. And of course, America did not just collapse after terrorist attacks; if you were able to get back up, anyone would need to carry on after mourning.

I ate the second piece of chocolate because I thought I had the understanding of the kind of person that Sam is and that he would not tell us to eat something that he knew much about than us. The chip did not look like any chip that I had eaten before it was not a perfect little dollop of chocolate. After learning about fair trade chocolate and tasting the first one, it furthered my impression that Sam would not purchase chocolate knowingly and then giving it to all of us to consume. Upon tasting the first piece I was excited that it was a darker chocolate rather than milk chocolate because I generally do not eat milk chocolate by choice. I probably would not have eaten the second piece if it had been milk chocolate. My reasoning for consuming the second piece may not make sense to everybody, but I did not feel bad eating it. I do not think Sam would give us something to eat that was harmful, unless some people just do not eat chocolate to begin with or will never eat chocolate again because of strong feelings about it.

The simple fact that I know about slavery in chocolate production is fuel enough for me. I will now make it a point to only buy fair trade chocolate, simply because it is something I know and can choose to do. I value the knowledge from the class and the video. I was reading through some of the responses before mine and found it interesting how people felt the need to show respect to those slaves involved in the chocolate's production, and I guess since I had already consumed one that that may be a reason to consume the second. That also made me think of respect; what is the best way to respect someone who is less advantaged or treated worse than you are. What would the slave chocolate harvesters tell you to do with chocolate that you received or purchased?

Above all knowledge is power. How you choose to use your knowledge is power. We are here to make the world a better place; why would you want/ choose to make your life a living hell on purpose. It is definitely beyond us to make substantial changes now, but we are in charge of taking our knowledge forward into our jobs where we have a say and can influence what is right. Forgetting about those who "do not concern you" could be the most detrimental thing to do for yourself. We have so much potential as young people, which is why we are expected to lead the future. What one person thinks can always be mirrored through one more and until you care enough to search out such people and causes, more will be harmed by what we are afraid that we cannot change.

When Sam mentioned that white women benefit most from affirmative action, I honestly was not that surprised. I knew that minorities benefit most from affirmative action, but many still seem to forget that women are minorities too. Now, I am not trying to take away the fact that other minorities have it rougher than I do. Sam says that we have power as white people and I see it every day from people who look down on racial minorities before they even say one word. People do not always seem to remember that women make less money than a man in the same position. I do understand this is getting better, but we are still looked down upon for simply being female.

I honestly think I was hired for my first job because I am female. I had no prior experience whatsoever and I was interviewing in an electronic store. Everyone knows that males dominate those jobs, and it was very apparent when I started working there and the female to male employee ratio was in the teens. I also think that the company knows that and that managers in a way seek out females for positions when we show interest. I also remember being told about a male and the female in the same position were not being paid the same. The female had even been with the company longer than the male. Of course, they tell you not to share your salary with anyone, but they were friends and it came out one day. Granted, yes, they did raise her salary when she brought it up, but for that year of thinking they were making the same, she was cheated.

I think that anyone with the desire to succeed should be given a chance to prove themselves. I do not think I was an exceptional student (by my standards) in high school enough to grant me access to Penn State, but I was accepted for some reason. I just wanted a big university that had my major. I am out of state and not wealthy by any means, living with a single parent who is a teacher. I was accepted for some reason and flooded with financial aid, which is really what made it possible for me to attend. Why was I chosen among thousands for this aid over others? I do not know, but I know they were trying to give me a shot to succeed.

I do not believe affirmative action to be preferential treatment, but I think it benefits those who need it and benefit from it legitimately. I will never know for sure why I have gone through the path that I have, but if I have others to credit then I jump at that chance. While you need to be able to make it on your own, it can be more important to accept help from those willing to provide it.

Everything about the video clip made me sad. When Sam said that the video was a disturbing one, I knew that what I would be seeing would be something that I did not expect. I could not have even started to guess this would be displayed. I kind of used to wonder why I would see kids who did not appear to be white having dolls that were white. I mean I never thought about the deeper implications and I really did not want to think that they looked down upon themselves because they were not white. That is how I know that I used to be in the Pre-Awakening stage as a white person and that now I think more about these issues when they come up.

I cannot get over the look on the little African American Girl's face when she pushed forward the doll that looked like her after she had previously put the doll in front of her face and labeled it the bad doll. I felt like crying, but I also felt like screaming. I mean it would be nice to ask the children why they picked those but they are so young and probably did not even know why they liked them more than one doll of their own color.

I never liked dolls as a child so I never really thought of liking different colored dolls over others. I never understood why girls liked dolls, but if they did then why not like one that looks like yourself? Wouldn't someone want to play and act like they were the doll? Do these children wish they were white to a degree? I do not think it is really fair to ask children to pick a doll's social characteristics by looks, but it says something about what these children see in others. It is definitely not a choice at that age what a child sees as good and bad, so it has to be media and other factors that are influencing them. The American Girl Dolls were all rage in middle school. While they were expensive, girls seemed to want to collect them all despite race.

I really, really hope we see a day when people can be comfortable with whom they are and not try to prove that to the world. When someone overly emphasizes that they love certain "looked down upon" things about themselves, I see it as insecurity. There are deeper issues to everything, but I do not have a personal problem with other races and would like to see people get over what they cannot change about the past and embrace the future. Remembering is one thing, but living in the past will only hurt you in the end. We need to be the change that makes the change that puts everything on the surface. People need to be less of cowards about what they truly believe. Deeply held emotions are present in everything we say and much hurt can easily be avoided.

While I do not know what to call people who are not white, I still do not like the phrase “of color.” Yes, there may be distinctions for colors of skin necessary for difference reasons, but I do not like saying people of color. White is a color; and why is white not considered a color? That one day when Sam mentioned that African Americans like to claim Barack Obama as theirs, why do white people not claim him as theirs? He is half white too right?

I know that people who are not white are treated differently for bizarre and irrational reasons, but I think everyone should be treated the same unless they really do have an ingrown disadvantage like being handicapped (which cannot be helped). I think people who are not white should be able to do anything a white person can, and many do. People who dislike other who are not white, make no sense to me because I just feel like their reasoning is fallacious. People from all walks of life are wonderful and necessary to my life. Maybe it is because I feel like I do not discriminate, but I just think we as a nation need to get over ourselves and actually do what is right versus what is politically correct or will make us the most money/ save us from losing money. Peoples’ lives are at stake. Goodness.

Back to the “of color” concept, when I was in high school, I was a new person to the area and the school. I was friends with many people in all kinds of cliques. The nerds, one day, decided to label me as “clear.” I had to ask what that meant and they went on to explain how I was whiter than white so I was clear. I did not take offense to it, but it made me think and honestly I forgot all about it really until Tuesday. Clear is not a color and if white people were called clear then I would feel better saying people “of color.” I know I am not the target of “of color” people conversation when someone talks about it, but I cannot help but think that white is a color.

I do not aim at being hurtful in my speech ever, and especially when I do not know someone well. I usually just avoid anything “offensive” in nature in general. I do not curse because I never heard those words growing up and they do not come to mind right away when I am conversing with others. I do not think of racial slurs ever for the same reason. I do not think it is fair that “mixed” people have to choose who they are to fit into a category for the world.

I never really thought of themed parties as being racist, maybe because I am white, but I do not really think of ones that are derogatorily racist. I have been to a CEOs and Office Hoes party which is more sexist than anything else really because it encourages women to dress skankily. I also do not think that highlighter parties are racist because highlighters are more visible on white shirts or even parties with holiday themes because there are holidays for reasons that should be celebrated. There might be more holidays that started from white people; I do not though because I have not counted. Maybe it is because of where I am from too as reason for the way I think; back at home we have had white trash parties which I guess you can call racist, but it is making fun of white people, but not only white people attended. The theme of black and white parties is meant for people to dress up in suits and classy dresses -- and not really look like a black or a white person, which I guess could be confusing if you did not know.

I definitely think I need to be more informed more this topic because I am oblivious to how themed parties are racist. I would not say that white people mostly throw themed parties because I have been to many themed parties held by non-white people, such as Hawaiian theme parties, black light parties, and a SAW (the movie) party (just to name a few).

Offending black people? I have known black people that throw themed parties. I do not understand where the question is coming from really. I spent my first two college years at Penn State Harrisburg and we had fraternities (they are still in existence too) that are composed of multicultural people. They used to throw parties that had themes and were successful too.

Anyone can throw a party for St. Patrick's Day but are you going to call them racist for doing so? It also was not racist when we celebrated Martin Luther King Day at Penn State Harrisburg (for example) even if we are not black. I just think this question is bogus because I am completely oblivious to the validity of the question. I, personally, have never been confronted with the issue with my friends. It may have been helpful if an example could have been thrown into the question too.

They are just parties. They are not meant to hurt someone, but celebrate something even if the party is for a dumb reason, like if it is raining outside and you cannot go anywhere so you throw a party. Parties are meant to be fun. Themed parties a little more fun because you get to dress not as you normally would. Themed parties might keep people longer and increase morale overall.

The only difference between male gay couples adopting a child and female gay couples adopting a child is their own male and female identification. Love can come from anywhere or anyone. Male gay couples and female gay couples who choose to adopt must meet many qualifications to be accepted. Now, I do not know if these standards are any different for straight couples, but they really should not be. Extensive tests are conducted to show likelihood that the agency is placing the child in an environment that is most likely to allow the child to thrive. Even private adopters are not just given a child to be raised by parents who cannot do so. Much time and energy goes into the adoption process and anyone should be able to adopt a child if their resources allow. It is totally inaccurate to say that gay couples cannot raise a child adequately. I feel like any original parents would be weary to give up their child to just anyone. Gay couples should not necessarily be excluded from adopting.

As for if I think male or female parents alone can be better, I really think it is case by case. I know some males who would be much better fathers than some of my female friends. It is up to a couple to decide if they are willing and able to care for someone besides themselves. I have heard more success stories for children of homosexual couples than horror stories from them. Men raise children well and women raise children well. You cannot miss what you never had. Now, if a child was raised in a hetero family that through divorce became a gay family, that would be where the child could be forever affected because of the lack of that missing parent replaced by another. I only say this because my parents divorced, and I was pretty much raised by my mother thereafter. The father I once had and now the lack thereof has made me very delicate when it comes to guy friends entering my life and leaving. If my mother had decided to get re-married to either a man or a woman, that would not fill the gap of the male that is now absent.

I firmly believe that no matter who cares for a child, as long as they want it in the world, they will care for it as their own. Males are no less capable of being parents than females just because it is a female's "natural role" because she is the one having the baby. Besides, I could never blame a child for what their parents are; just like I could never hate someone for what they hold deepest.

This article was extremely thought-provoking. The census is an interesting indicator of many things, not leaving out culture and what is prominent in the average American's society. What we call each other and what we call ourselves says a lot about who we are. Even the fact that when people ask me what I am, I tell them that I am a mutt of sorts. My dad is a bunch of different things, and my mom is half and half. Now I am not even sure what being negro means nowadays or back when many people called themselves that on the census. I know the word means "black" but that it has a negative connotation (mostly) in today's society. I usually try to make it a point to be politically correct with people as to not offend them, because I would not like to be offended either.

It is under my impression that most people my age would not be too happy about being called negro, but then again I could be wrong. I don't think it should be that big of a deal to have a bunch of things to pick from to check on the census. The article mentioned that there are laws that were put in place to keep the validity of the data obtained from the census; well, maybe in today's world these laws need to be reconsidered and changes made to allow more people content with answering their race.

It would be nice to be able to remove race from the census, but I think it is an important component in today's world. Not necessarily "race" but the fact that in this country we have many people of different races represented. This is not the case in so many other countries. We are still not in a day and age when we are willing to call ourselves simply American rather than German, Irish, or Italian (just to name a few). I think we may still carry that over from whoever immigrated here first. Although when we do go to other countries they recognize us as American and we are quick to call ourselves Americans, very intriguing. It is getting hard to categorize people though. Maybe we should just accept that our country is full of all kinds of skin colors and backgrounds, and call it a day. Then again, we like to remember where we came from; I think it helps us recognize who we are. Everyone likes knowing who they are otherwise they feel lost. Maybe that is why many people are ambient about making sure we know their heritage; maybe they are just trying to press upon us the importance that they feel.

In the BBC article, a few things stuck out for me.

I oppose the healthcare reform because I would be paying for services that I am not using, and I certainly cannot afford that because if I cannot afford it then it will not get paid for. If I think something will hurt me further than I am already hurting then I am not going to wholeheartedly pursue it. Maybe promoting the idea in Texas simply is not getting across to them since they seem to be content with such overall little coverage.

I definitely does make people angry if they think they are being made to make a decision. When in reality if the government wanted to enact health care reform they would not have given Americans the choice, and simply said that it is a necessary step in the right direction. Saying that Americans have a choice may make it seem like they are part of the initiative and hence can only blame themselves for what happens with it, then the government is not really getting what they want. No choice will ever make everyone happy, but that is why intelligent choices sometimes just need to be made for the benefit of the whole. It is hard to change things that have stayed the same for so many years, but that is definitely where it takes educating others (conservatives and liberals) about the issue and not the emotions behind it. Stick to the facts; do not try to sway people with bogus numbers and sob stories because that irresponsible. Yes, constituents do not like being treated like they know nothing; hit us with the hard facts and if we care to know the meaning behind the words then we will look into it. At the same time, if you use too many ambiguous words, then you could lose us. Things should be self explanatory or you are not pitching it correctly.

I went to the Howard Dean and Karl Rove Healthcare Debate. I was there to pick up on fallacies made by the politicians. I was writing down statements every two minutes from both sides. There was not a winner; and I hope that more people went for entertainment rather than a decision. The debaters even said how these debates at schools are just fun for them to argue back and forth. The person with the better stories that touched peoples hearts did get loud responses from the audience. Some people were even crazy enough to get angry and start cursing towards those on stage. Their opinions would have been heard better in another place.

Overall, do not try to assume that poor people do not know what they are talking about just because they disagree with what you think. Take a step back and try to consider where they are coming from; Ask them even! Knowing both sides to an issue, even when you feel strongly towards one side, makes you a more accurately opinionated individual. After all, if you cannot back up why you believe one thing, why do you believe in it at all?