I mean in a way I think this is the opposite of racism. Like you're ability to understand that you have been give an ability to change the world more than another person--not because it's your inherent right--but because of your socio-economic conditions you have been given the resources and ability to change the world more than another person-- I think the ability to recognize that gives you the perspective of racism. That you are a part of it--not that you are necessarily racist. You know?

I mean I think we're just draw to other people in our average proximity. I don't think this makes us bad people. I don't think the means we're careless or insensitive. I feel closer to my roomates than the average person because I live with them. Because I share so many things with them. We go to the same school. We lead similar lives. And its that closeness that would distinguish them from the others random people I walk by every day. Its that same--yet obviously different-- closeness I feel like when I compare Americans to those abroad. In comparison, Americans are my roomates, and the rest are just the random people I walk by down the street.

Wow. This letter brought me almost to tears. I don’t know this man’s story. Maybe if he was the one to kill or hurt someone close to me I wouldn’t feel the genuine kindness of his words. But I sit here and I think to myself, wow, he’s right. Human emotion--whether anger, jealousy, guilt, --or simply compassion, has the ability to overtake us--our minds or hearts--in the most subtle situations. I can think of many other instances in my own life where I let my instinctive emotions guide my actions--actions that would hurt or heal others. You always try and condemn those whose actions you completely disagree with. “I would never steal.” “I would never hurt someone.” Of course I think these things. I think I am a good person. I know I am. But thats me now--me in the circumstances I’ve been given. My family has provided me with a great deal. They’ve supported me in most of my endeavors--financially and emotionally. I’ve seen a great deal of happiness in my life. I say this because I know the hurt I’ve seen is nothing in comparison to most. But I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I was hungry. Not temporarily hungry but the consistent hunger, the one that eats away at your soul because there’s nothing else left. What would that be like? Would I steal? Would I hurt someone else in order to survive? In order for my family, my loved ones to survive? I don’t know. I want to say yes. I want to say I would have the courage to steal. But maybe courage is something only the privileged have the ability to feel. Because in desperation, maybe that feeling turns to guilt. I don’t know, maybe I’m rambling but I understand that a lot of people we instinctively think of as “bad” aren’t really bad at all. Or have the ability to change. But it’s hard to think of it that way when you feel like you’ve lived your life the way an average good citizen should. But we’re all people. And I don’t think it’s the bad apples that ruin the whole tree but maybe, just maybe its the good ones that think if living on the other side of the tree they would’ve have been different. Like the environment on that other side would’t have “rotted” them. And for some, it probably wouldn’t have. But maybe you should look beyond that fact and think..well..maybe it would have. I don’t know. I don’t know how I would have acted in a sense of desperation or if I simply just grew up on the other side of the tree.

I think peaceful coexistence is a possibility but maybe its my naiveness talking. I want to think we can one day understand each other as a world population instead of just national ones. But just as families want the best for their children, Citizens want the best for their country's citizens. This idea of nepotism can stretch globally. We will always favor the ones closest to us and some people will do extreme things in order for them and those close to them to remain in power.

I don't think I would be brave enough to avenge the death of a loved one. I would like to think I would be but realistically, probably not. It kind of reminds me of that movie Law Abiding Citizen where a regular guy goes haywire avenging the death of his wife and children when the American justice system didn't work towards avenging it. I think pain and suffering can make regular people act completely outside of their realm and I think we can't really judge them because we don't know--we truly dont know how we would act in their shoes.

I think one of the disturbing facts about the lecture was that that for every bad guy the American army can kill twenty nine innocent civilians. I walked home and brought back that statistic to my roomates and friends asking them before hand how many they thought it would be. Surprisingly, they all guessed in the twenties or thirties—as if that number in any way made sense. I wish I could see the thought process, equation, or formula sheet used in developing this staggering number. I think its crazy to assume the position of an Iraqi student and have that kind of number thrown at you. I think it would be impossible to not feel some kind of way about that—and in some kind of way I mean ANGRY.
I also found it interesting that at the end of the class over 60% of the people would join the insurgency and I never would have thought that people would be so honest about their response. I think it was truly a moving class and it definitely moved people in their seats. The media images would have made anyone angry and I never really thought about the fact that each side only sees the extremes—the outliers that will arise some kind of emotion—usually anger, which is a necessity for the support of most wars.
As for oil—I think its crazy to think this whole time the war—most wars are over the control of natural resources—extracting something you want from someone else’s land and profiting from it. I think anyone could feel some sort of way about that. Its not hard to have these feelings when putting yourself in their shoes—watching those images and watching Americans profit from your nation’s resources. I think this class in a lot of ways at least opened people’s eyes to the other side. I don’t necessarily think supporters of the war would now not support it or the other way around BUT I think the class—if anything brought insight. And I think that was the main point. I can’t speak for everyone else but I know I did gain some insight into the innocent victims of war—not just Iraqi civilians but I think this “thought experiment” can transcend to many wars. There will always be extremists and radicals but I think it is important to recognize them as outliers and not assume all members of that nation or subgroup assume the same position or attitudes or feelings. I found it interesting when Sam said he does not support Iraq in any way but as a SOCIOLOGIST he can understand. And I think that’s the solution—we always talk about well what can we do? What’s left to do? And I think its that understanding that’s the solution.

I mean I think affirmative action is more aimed at giving opportunities to people who are just as qualified as those not receiving the benefit. Like I don't think institutions are just looking at the fact that these people deserve something because there's this law--but because they are just as qualified as someone else they should get priority because their path was harder...if that makes any sense? I don't know I always have thought affirmative action as one of the most sensitive topics when discussing race and there is no real solution to the problem of inherent systematic racism but it may be better than the alternative. I think its hard to stomach the fact that someone is getting something because of the color of their skin...isn't it?

This is a good question. I think it has to do with open-mindedness. If you have an open mind a well articulated thought out opinion should alter yours in some way--even if at first seeming inconsequential. Personally--yes he's altered my opinions--not completely changed them but because I've take some other courses on race I don't know HOW much I can say my opinions have been altered simply from this class--if anything I think they have been reaffirmed. Also, I think whenever someone speaks so passionately about a certain subject--and you actually take the time to listen--there is no way that your mind can be completely the same after the fact. But hey, thats just my personal opinion.

Okay for a brief moment after we saw the video I told myself, “I’m quitting chocolate.” I found this goal to be completely attainable. I’m not a chocolate freak. The only time I crave it or even want it is if I’m on my period. It seemed doable. Its not carbs. Its just chocolate. And I’ve never held a special affinity for it even as a child. I just want to make it clear that I didn’t eat the second piece of chocolate. But I also think, I very well should have. Even hours after watching that extremely emotional (at least, for me) video, my initial reactions subsided. Yes, I still had the goal in mind. But looking towards the future—how conscious of this am I really going to be? And its true—unless I consistently surround myself with information and videos—the kind I’ve received from taking this course—how many times will I see his face before I bite into a piece of chocolate and essentially bite into a piece of his flesh. Yes, I may occasionally buy fair trade chocolate when its convenient and its symbolism reverts me back to that one day in Sam’s class but how much of my life is really going to be spent thinking about it after this semester. UNLESS I continue to educate myself or remind myself. I didn’t eat that second piece of chocolate—but now that I think about it I probably should have. Not eating it—is just kidding ourselves for the most part. That’s why I don’t think there is a real distinction between the people that initially ate the chocolate and the ones that didn’t after watching the video.
Honestly, I ate the first piece of chocolate KNOWING that the images—or facts—or video---we were about to watch would have something horrible to do with its origin. I knew I was about to be made felt guilty about eating it—you know? But it was OK because everyone was eating that first piece of chocolate and we were yet to be shown this information to make us feel guilty. So my question is still this: is there really a difference between the people that didn’t eat the second piece of chocolate than the ones that did? I think if we were to be honest with ourselves we would immediately find the answer to be NO. We thought we were making a difference by not eating that second piece of chocolate. We thought. But are our actions even a week from going to follow suit? My best, educated guess is No. But who knows…maybe you’ll refuse the next Easter egg hunt and produce a thirteen minute dialogue to your closest friends and family about the rampant global slave trade caused by the cocoa bean.

I mean to kind of play devil's advocate here, we women tend to use the whole period thing as an excuse to be a bitch sometimes. I know I've done it. Yes, I become way more unstable, irrational, emotional, and just down right crazy when I have my period, and I use this as an excuse sometimes to act out--to be a down right bitch sometimes, even when I know my actions are being irrational and THEN I use the whole period thing as an excuse for my actions--which may have been probed my pain or hormones but by no means completely the cause of them. So I think its a sterotype thats continued by women as MUCH as it is by men.