en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2397033 Comments by Airconditioner http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment145250229 The comics in the lecture brought up another point that I knew nothing much about. This point was the fact that once people get into a country they close so door on their own people. I had no idea that immigrants would do this and I still do not know why they do this. It does not really make sense to me why they would not help out people like them. I mean they were just in the same situation not so long ago. That is just so weird to me that Mexicans are the biggest group that wants to keep out illegal immigrants. Well at least they help out their own family hopefully. A few other things that changed my opinion slash made an opinion for me on illegal immigration included which immigrants were most likely to already have a college degree and what shapes immigration polices the most. The first being African immigrants and the second being business. The biggest thing that changed my opinion on illegal immigrants was the fact that it is not that big of a problem. It was new to me that illegal immigration actually helps out at some places. It was also interesting to me that illegal immigration is not a problem but in such a way that it still cannot be let loose, it has to be controlled still. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:12:17 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment145250229 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment145250177 How has my opinion changed on illegal immigration? My opinion may have changed slightly but I definitely have more knowledge and insight into illegal immigration after that class. My opinion started to change first when Sam did a clicker question. The clicker question asked if we were in America because someone in our bloodline was an illegal immigrant. I only thought of Ellis Island as the place for some of my ancestors came from. To the clicker question I pressed yes though. I clicked yes because I was not sure if my other side of the family did some way or another. I am not even sure where they came from so I kind of went with a maybe they was some illegal immigration at some point. So when Sam was then like all of you are illegal immigrants, I was like no. I thought no because I was thinking the whole Ellis Island thing was pretty official and that now the United States would be doing things legally and such. I forgot that America was not founded very legally (at least on the Natives’ terms it certainly was not), so then all people not of native birth to North America are very much illegal in that sense. Also the comics with the Native Americans, Colonists, and Mexicans really made this evident to me. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:12:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment145250177 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/13/dont-drink-the-water/#IDComment143249656 But I feel like I might have to change gears here. I feel like why this whole issue is so huge thing but not know has to do with time. Most country’s came from killing another people or group to gain where they live. When people found new land they fought over it to colonize it. I feel like the difference is that America was new compared to Europe whose land had already been fought over for years. I also do not find it a big deal that America had the most extensive genocide of peoples and then fought Nazi Germany. It wasn’t like we had just done it to the natives, it is a good thing we fought Germany. America progressed and saw that it was wrong to do this to people, so they fought against it, not because they were pretending they did not do it, but maybe they realized it was wrong. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:34:38 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/13/dont-drink-the-water/#IDComment143249656 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/13/dont-drink-the-water/#IDComment143249609 The lyrics are so sad for the Native Americans it made me feel more compassion for them then I have before. The song helped me be in their position, and get a sense of their side of what happened. As terrible as the last few paragraphs of the song are, they are very true for what the people who killed the Native Americans must have been thinking. How could the Americans be so about justice when they committed such a terrible injustice to the natives to gain the land to have their justice? That is very sickening to me. Those that killed the natives must have been greedy and have no mercy to do that. Why could they not live together, instead of having things just their way? The new Americans must have had hatred as well. The water, the land and good things we have now, has blood in it, comes from the sins committed against another people. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:34:25 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/13/dont-drink-the-water/#IDComment143249609 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/13/dont-drink-the-water/#IDComment143249503 Dont Drink the Water by the Dave Matthews Band. This song was perfect for that lecture especially because it was so powerful. My favorite part of the song is the last line Theres blood in the water this was so huge for me. When I first read the title of the song, I immediately thought of like Mexico and how youre not supposed to drink the water because some places do not have as clean of water as we may have, and you could get really sick. Well as the song started I forgot about that and the title. But then at the end, they say dont drink the water and I was like o yeah! But why&, THERES BLOOD IN THE WATER And I was like WHAT?!, Holy shpud, thats right there is blood in the water. That instant right there sent shivers and realization through me. I was like wow this is a powerful song. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:33:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/13/dont-drink-the-water/#IDComment143249503 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/which-video-in-class-today-had-the-biggest-impact-on-you-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment141091369 It was very sad to see that our military does some terrible things, even though I knew that they do sometimes and that there are always rogues, but seeing specific cases like the tank and driving a car of the road. Seeing those from the other side, I could see how misleading lack of the full truth can be and how twisting info can be done so easily. The video that made the biggest impact on me would have to be the one of the American officer with the high rank that said the Muslims believe in a false God. This one really hit home with me because it was easy to see that the Americans may very well be fighting like a crusade. Also since this was the highest ranked officer it is easy to think that all the men under him believe the same thing and fight for the same reason. This was eye opening for me since I had always thought that the people under the terrorist leaders must believe the same thing as their leaders and be just as crazy. But just as I know that many Americans are not Christian in belief, so I should not assume that about any other people or military force. It may not be that terrorists kill people and Americans because we are not Muslim like them, but another reason. This is same as the United States wars are not about being Christian and disproving the Muslim God, but very possibly about oil. Fri, 8 Apr 2011 21:18:07 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/which-video-in-class-today-had-the-biggest-impact-on-you-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment141091369 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/which-video-in-class-today-had-the-biggest-impact-on-you-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment141091336 What video in class had the biggest impact on me and why? I thought the lecture on Christian Invaders itself was eye-opening and gave me a deeper understanding; and the videos really reinforced the lecture. On the other hand, I would really like to trust Sam, but I feel some of the videos of politicians, were skewed. Of course that was the purpose in many of the cases, but I felt that some of the points that were not meant to skew our Arab Muslim viewpoints, well felt they were not the full truth . Also the video of the “radical” Christians, where they go over to Arab nations to convert people, was a little confusing to me. It was confusing to me because I am not sure how that was so radical and terrible, maybe annoying but not evil. I can see how it helps the idea that America is the Christian Invasion, but specifically what the missionaries were doing was not bad. I can also see how it is similar to the radicals in other religions, but is it really that comparable. I mean I would rather be preached at then blown up because I do not believe what they believe. You know what I mean? Fri, 8 Apr 2011 21:17:54 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/which-video-in-class-today-had-the-biggest-impact-on-you-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment141091336 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/has-the-class-on-the-needy-penis-made-you-uncomfortable-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment139195608 You can see this as Sam’s wife mentioned that the penis isn’t actually needed. I thought that was huge since that was what the whole lecture was about. Her point was not that the penis is needy but that it could be and that it is not that women are just frigid. They were also just showing us the other side and want us to not be completely controlled by society, if we don’t like it that way. Or they are letting us choose if we really want to do or dress a certain way, or if it is actually an outside reason. Male centered world part of the lecture was eye opening, but also this part may be where I became a bit uncomfortable. Even though I am a guy and it is great that the society focuses on my wants and needs, I don’t really like that. I would prefer a more communal world where women are not mind controlled as much. This feeling of mine is just like how men do not like it when they can’t satisfy their women, in the end it really is not just about yourself. The uncomfortable feeling came from the idea of a women centered world. I think I just did not like the idea of men wearing high heels. It was a funny joke and I don’t think there is anything wrong with walking on the balls of your feet (walking on tippy-toes is not so healthy on the other hand). But the high heels I guess are just too girly for me. Another reason the needy penis and male centered world did not make feel uncomfortable, is that I guess I have been on the other spectrum when it comes to this. Like I actually put a lot of time to please my girlfriends and never pressured them to just have sex when I wanted it. I guess I kind of a “girl” since I prefer a relationship to last. I also never really got the pleasure to be around girls that would dress sexy or whatever, I guess they dressed who they were. Modest. I cannot really complain since I would not want them just showing off their bodies for every guy or girl to see. I guess it be nice if they would just be a tiny less modest for me after we were in a relationship, but I cannot have my cake and eat it too. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 20:54:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/has-the-class-on-the-needy-penis-made-you-uncomfortable-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment139195608 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/has-the-class-on-the-needy-penis-made-you-uncomfortable-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment139195554 Did the class on the “needy” penis make me uncomfortable? For the most part no, it did not make me feel uncomfortable. I thought it was a very informative and important class to be in and pay attention, for both women and men. I really like how Sam and his wife teach. Like when, people usually give a lecture what they say is usually meant to be taken as written in stone, even if it is just their opinion. But with Sam and his wife they are not forcing what they think on us. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 20:54:00 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/has-the-class-on-the-needy-penis-made-you-uncomfortable-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment139195554 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment137622447 Interestingly enough, my father and my mom were not the first interracial couple on my dad’s side of the family. My uncle actually eloped with a black woman before my parents got serious in their relationship. Even though my dad’s family is Italian, hey were not upset that she was black or anything like that. Their problem was that they eloped and that the woman already had a son. Well the story ends where my uncle and his new wife did not agree on parenting styles and they broke up. Well anyways, one of my theories to way my dad’s family is was so accepting of the interracial relationships, is that my dad’s dad was from Ireland and his mom from Italy. I believe that there was some rivalry/ other problems between these two races or whatever. So anyways since my grandparents love may have been forbidden maybe that’s why I have a very open family, besides the whole political correctness thing. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 02:58:17 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment137622447 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment137622416 I suppose interracial relationships were more radical generations before us. I know that my Spanish grandparents were not very happy when my mother had a white boyfriend when she was younger. I am not really sure why they had a problem with this but it’s not like they made they break up. Even though he ended up being a stalker and overly obsessive, that’s not the point. If I had to guess now, I suppose that maybe pure breeds (people of one race and ethnicity) may like that there family are all the same, and might want to keep it that way. Or maybe it was like a betrayal to the family to have a white man in the house and to date them, because they were on top of the mountain and the minorities need to stay together. I doubt these are true but I am not too sure of any other reasons at the moment. Well anyways my Spanish grandparents accepted my father, and the only problem they have with him is that he does not eat enough and is not crazy about Spanish foods. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 02:58:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment137622416 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment137622375 What do I think about interracial relationships? I think that international relationships are, well, very normal for me. I think this way because I am the outcome of an interracial relationship. This is because my father being white and my mother Porto Rican. So I never thought it strange to date another race, let alone think that it was weird that people look different. I guess many of us grow up (the proper way) in knowing that we are all equal and deserve equal treatment, no race being lesser than another. I knew this, but this was even more reinforced when I was in my groups this past week. Everyone seemed perfectly fine with it and many were in interracial relationships now. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 02:57:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment137622375 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/is-it-possible-for-affirmative-action-to-take-things-too-far-119-blog/#IDComment133164138 If nothing else, I would disagree with this because it is too soon to take away affirmative action. There is still not enough opportunity to stop affirmative action or to even think it creates more favor for minorities. I mean there is still that fact that a white male with a criminal record gets a job over a squeaky clean black person, so taking it away now would just cause it to go completely on the side to white people. Because of how this is now with still so much latent racism, people, that say things like affirmative action causes opportunity to be overly on the side of minorities, must really only be thinking of their own race and must still have the complex that white people must stay in power and keep colored people down. This is very sad that people cannot think of other races and try to create equal opportunity for everyone. Mon, 7 Mar 2011 18:08:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/is-it-possible-for-affirmative-action-to-take-things-too-far-119-blog/#IDComment133164138 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/is-it-possible-for-affirmative-action-to-take-things-too-far-119-blog/#IDComment133164087 This topic was actually touched on a bit by my discussion group. I believe someone said that if a company had to get so many minorities, to fill a quota or whatever, and then at the same time white people with the better qualifications came, then it would be bad that the company would have to take the minorities over the white people with better qualifications. Looking as a psychologist I would say that person is a little full of themselves in the fact that they believe that there are some many more white people with better qualifications then minorities. But on the serious side, without a system like this then the minorities with better qualifications than whites would never would have a very low chance of being hired in many situations. Mon, 7 Mar 2011 18:07:59 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/is-it-possible-for-affirmative-action-to-take-things-too-far-119-blog/#IDComment133164087 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/is-it-possible-for-affirmative-action-to-take-things-too-far-119-blog/#IDComment133164050 I believe thoughts like these are actually very similar to the ideas and thoughts that the rich white people told the poor white people in the south. If you remember, the rich white people did this to trick the poor whites and keep the black people down. The rich whites would say that the blacks, who used to be slaves, that they would be taking the poor whites jobs and ruin their lives as they know it. Then the poor whites became extremely racist and prejudice against blacks. By doing this, it helps the whites stay on top of the mountain. Mon, 7 Mar 2011 18:07:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/is-it-possible-for-affirmative-action-to-take-things-too-far-119-blog/#IDComment133164050 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/is-it-possible-for-affirmative-action-to-take-things-too-far-119-blog/#IDComment133163860 Is it possible for affirmative action to take things too far? No, I do not believe affirmative action takes things too far to the side of affirmative action. It may be very possible for there to be an affirmative action policy that could be used to reverse the balance to the other side, but the way affirmative action works now; it is not taking it too far to the other side. I am beginning to think that this is just a thing white people think of. I think this because, first off, I am white and second because it is the mentality of those that are in power. Mon, 7 Mar 2011 18:06:40 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/is-it-possible-for-affirmative-action-to-take-things-too-far-119-blog/#IDComment133163860 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130689468 Whereas the act of having children is not in its self, selfish, there may be other influences to have children that are self-loving thoughts or reasons. Some self-loving thoughts and reasons that either brings one to have children or accidently cause children are things that happen to many people. An example of this may be a not thinking of the children they already have. Like they forget that they can barely afford to take care of the children they have already. In this situation the couple should wait until they can be sure that they can take care of the amount of children they would like to have. I am sure many people have and are able to take care of many children with little money, but they should understand their financial situation and make decisions accordingly. What seems to be a reason that poor people may have more children, could be that they do not have much else to do (or fun activities that they can afford to do) except having sex So in cases where it is not purposes of selfless-love then having children contains selfishness, but like I said before it is not selfish to have children. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:36:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130689468 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130689427 Even for poor people it is still not selfish to have children. I am sure that Tammy, one out of around twenty, is glad she is alive and has a chance to live. She is trying to the best she can do for herself and her family, and even though she may not be happy all the time I am sure she still has happy moments with her children and wants to be happy. Another reason having a child is not selfish is that children many times help their parents and bring them happiness. I have also heard that your children actually teach you more about life than you teach them. The only act that could possibly be seen as selfish of Tammy towards her children would be that she does not accept welfare. Even if she will not use the money, she could give it to her children. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:36:38 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130689427 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130689387 Is it selfish for people in poverty to have more kids? I would say no to this statement. The act of having children and creating life is not selfish in any way. That act is actually selfless of parents; of course many people only think of themselves when having sex and may not even be conscience that they could have a child. So for those who truly want to have children out of their love for each other and want to share their love with another(another being their offspring), it is completely selfless in that case. It is selfless because they are creating life, they are giving a new person a chance to live, and nothing about that is selfish. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:36:23 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130689387 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-does-the-statement-in-the-video-from-class-make-you-feel-119-blog/#IDComment128992013 To me, what the freed slave said was incredible and eye opening. It is especially amazing for those of us that are religious, mostly Catholics and Orthodox. I mean eating my flesh, that has to sound familiar. I see eating one’s flesh as taking the benefits of another’s hard work, without giving them anything in return. Also these benefits we receive, come from the blood shed of the one, whose flesh we are eating. We every moment of our lives are eating the flesh of Christ. Christ told us to eat His flesh, thus we receive something we do not deserve and can never pay for. I mean he did tell us to. I mean to me the fact that that man in the video said that, really doesn’t make me feel bad for him as much as it open my eyes of the awesomeness of God. For this man obviously did not want anyone to eat his flesh, so I guess only Christ could say and want us to eat His flesh. Sat, 19 Feb 2011 02:08:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-does-the-statement-in-the-video-from-class-make-you-feel-119-blog/#IDComment128992013