I find it very unsettling to know that there are probably people in my very own family that are being sexually abused or have been sexually abused by someone. Personally, I have never been a victim of such a heinous crime and find it god awful that someone in my family has gone/ is going through such a horrifying experience. We would all like to think that such horrific things would never happen in our own family or to people that we love, but it is evident that this is not true. After Sam had said this in class, I began thinking of everyone in my family. It makes me sick to my stomach to even picture someone in my family being hurt or abused. It makes me even sicker to picture someone in my family being the abuser.
As my family grows, it makes it even more difficult to think about sexual abuse in within my own family. I have a big family with people of all different ages and it makes me terribly upset to think that someone in my family has been or will be sexually abused. I am a very understanding, loving, and caring person and I hope that people in my family see this and would come to me if they were ever being abused or were having thoughts about causing the harm to someone. Although it takes a lot for victims to come forward, I hope that someone would have enough trust in me to come forward and let me know if something bad was happening in their life. If they did not feel comfortable coming to me I would hope that they have enough strength to come forward and tell someone whether it be a friend, a family member, or a stranger. Although this topic is not one that we like to talk about or bring to the table, it is obviously very necessary to do so. We cannot pretend like sexual abuse does not exist and is not present in our everyday society. We need to take this topic and find ways to reduce the amount of sexual abuse and find emotional help for the victims and also mental help for the abuser. This problem IS prevalent in today’s society and we cannot ignore it.

My morals and beliefs are tested every day. Everyone’s morals and beliefs are tested every day. When someone disagrees with you, they are testing your beliefs and perhaps even morals. No one has the exact same morals. No one has the exact same beliefs. This difference is what makes us human. No 2 people are alike. When someone has a different opinion than I do, it does not make me upset. If that person has concrete facts and reasons as to why they have a certain moral or belief and can make a good argument, I find absolutely nothing wrong with that. I am very open-minded and enjoy listening to other people’s opinions and thoughts. When someone disagrees with my morals or simply has different ones, it does not upset me in the least bit. When people testy my morals, it simply means that I have to defend my morals with more concrete facts and better arguments as to why I believe what I do. I think that having the ability to defend an argument with good reasoning and facts is the most important aspect of making a point and defending your morals and beliefs. However, when most people have their morals tested or argued against they become very defensive and distraught because they do not know how to make a good argument and stand up for what they believe in. Also, when a person gets defensive, it could be because they are not open-minded and do not wish to hear what other people have to say. Several people are not willing to take the time to listen and embrace someone else’s opinion because they simply believe that they are correct and no one else is. Morals are simply our personal opinions formed from our own personal experiences and values. Morals cannot be right or wrong because they are opinions. Morals can be neither right nor wrong because opinions can be neither right nor wrong. When someone gets defensive because his or her morals are tested, they get defensive because they might not be able to support their ideas because they do not have the facts and reasons necessary to do so. I believe that everyone should want to listen to other beliefs and opinions to open their minds and get a different view of the world to expand their horizons. When people are subject to the same morals and ideas, their view of the world is very narrow. I feel that it is extremely important for other people to express their morals and ideals and to be accepting of them. Personally, I never get offended when my morals are tested because I enjoy hearing about other view points on the same subject. When people test morals, it does not necessarily mean they want to change your morals, they just don’t have the same views and wish to express theirs.

When other people speak a different language around me it does not make me uncomfortable at all! For me, hearing people speak a different language is intriguing and interesting. I have always thought that learning different languages is very entertaining. I have found that learning different languages is almost like an art form. I have been taking Spanish since the 2nd grade and would consider myself fluent in the language. I really enjoy learning other languages so to me, other languages are very intriguing. When I hear people speaking a different language that I am not familiar with, I am always interested in what language they are speaking and what country they are from. I always love learning about different cultures, languages, and people from all over the world. Many people do not have the same or even similar views to mine and become very uncomfortable when people speak a different langugae.
Many people feel uncomfortable around people when they speak a different language. I was never very sure as to why this was. After thinking about it, most likely, people get uncomfortable because many people were never exposed to different cultures or languages. When people are not familiar with another culture, they often get uncomfortable around the language and people. Personally, I think it is completely ridiculous that people get so uncomfortable with another language. Someone in America that does not speak English or does not wish to speak English should not make other people uncomfortable. They may speak in their first language because they do not know English very well, or the person they are talking to may not know English very well. They may also speak in a different language because that is what they are comfortable with and they are nervous to step out of their comfort zone. If I were to go to another country with a group of Americans, I would find comfort in speaking English with them instead of speaking the native language of the country with them. For me, people speaking a different language is interesting and does not make me uncomfortable in the least bit, however; I also think that most people do not have the same view as me. Overall, someone speaking another language should not make other people uncomfortable.

People who hang out with people of different races are NOT posers in anyway shape or form. People hangout with different types of people for several reasons, none of which make him or her a poser. Some people grew up in a very diverse area and have several friends of very different races. If he or she hangs out with people of different races that does not make he or she a poser. It simply means that that person is more comfortable in a diverse situation than in a group of friends of the same race.
Another reason someone might hang out with people of different race is culture. For example, a white person who grew up in a primarily black neighborhood and black culture is more likely to hang out with black people than white. This is because they are used to the black culture and choose to hang out with people of similar interests. Hanging out with people of a different race does not always have to do with race but more with interests and culture. Race should not matter when picking your friends.
Personally, I hang out with people outside of my race all the time. I am bi-racial. My mother is white and my father is black. I hang out with people of all different races all the time and I don’t think anything of it. It has never been a problem and I don’t think it should be. I have a very diverse group of friends and like to keep it that way because it keeps things interesting things in my life. Having friends of different races doesn’t make me a poser or anyone else for that matter. I understand where not hanging out with people of the same race might seem like you are not comfortable with your own race but, in reality, it has nothing to do with that at all. People surround themselves with people who have similar interests, goals, and opinions and sometimes it happens to be with people of different races. People of different races can have similar interest so it does not make you a poser to hang out with someone of a different race at all. It shouldn’t matter what race your friends are. If they are good people and you get along well with them and have fun that is really all that matters. Race should be totally irrelevant.

Although I would like to think my race does not shape the way I see the world,however; I'm sure it does a little. My father is from Barbados so he is West Indian and has very dark skin and my mother is Polish and she has very pale skin. I am bi-racial. Both of my parents are very open-minded and accepting people and I believe that I got the same qualities because I was raised this way. However, I also think that because I am of two different races that have 2 very different cultures, I have a more open mind about things and have a very accepting nature. My view of the world is not only based on my race. My life experiences and the way I was raised has way more to do with how I view the world than with my race. I have always grown up around very accepting people and have had very, very few bad experiences dealing with my race. I think all my good life experiences and being raised in a loving, healthy environment has a lot to do with the way I see the world. I have always seen the world in a very positive way and try to look for the good in people. Growing up in a almost completely white town with no diversity, I am extremely lucky that I had a group of people that were very loving and open-minded. Most people who live in my town are not accepting of different races.
I am not sure if I would see the world differently if I was a different race. There is no way to ever know! Hopefully, I would still have the same attitudes and thoughts towards the world if even if I was of a different race or of even one race instead of two. Personally, I think life experience have a much greater affect on the way people see the world than race does. Race does play a part in the way people view things but not nearly as much as personal experience and the way they were raised. I also think that age plays a large part in this as well. The older generation is not nearly as open-minded or accepting as our generation or even as the generation before ours. Other influences more so than race affect a persons view of the world. My experiences shape my views more so than my race does.

I really enjoyed reading this article! I always asked myself questions like "What is true happiness?, "Are we really happy?," and many others similar to these. These questions obviously have no true answers but after reading this article I gained a greater understand of happiness and how humans deal gain it. I have always considered myself a pretty happy person and this article makes me understand why. I am a very goal-oriented person and I love to accomplish my goals. I also enjoy completing tasks and finishing projects. When I have completed a task I get a sense of accomplishment and happiness. I obviously enjoy this feeling and therefor want to reach as many goals as possible. According to this article, humans are always trying to reach their next goal and achieve a feeling of happiness. This means that goal-reaching and reaching happiness is like one big cycle that is never ending. We are always looking for the next goal to accomplish so we feel happy and once we accomplish our task we are already looking for the next one to accomplish. I found this point very interesting because I have never thought about the topic of happiness like this before. The article also states that our increasing number of choices leads to a decrease in happiness. I never truly thought about this concept but after reading the article I completely agree with it! All of the choices we have to make are very stressful because many of them have a large impact on our lives. Foe example, which college to go to, which classes to take, where to move after college, etc. have a large impact on our lives, future, and happiness and therefor cause a lot of stress. Having a lot of stress decreases our happiness, obviously. For me personally, being happy is very important as I am sure it is to many other people. To me, being happy also seems like a bit of a personal choice. You can make choices in your life that contribute to your overall happiness. Obviously not all choices and events lead to happiness but you can make a conscience effort to increase your level of happiness. Happiness is a very abstract idea and can never truly be measured or fully explained but this article does a great job of helping people to understand it a little bit more. Ultimately trying to reach happiness is a terrible goal because, in reality, it can never be reached. Reading this article helped me to understand our happiness and how we achieve it. I really enjoyed reading this and think I benefited a lot from reading it.

I do no think there is anything wrong at all with gay interracial couples! I, myself am bi-racial. My father is from Barbados (West Indian) and my mother is white (Polish). There are several interracial couples in my family including my parents so I have no problem with interracial couples at all. I am in an interracial relationship now, also. My boyfriend is white and I am bi-racial. I have never had a problem with interracial couples so a gay interracial couple is no big deal to me at all! I have a gay friend who was in an interracial relationship for quite a few months and it was never a problem for anyone. I have seen very few gay couples but I have seen even fewer gay, interracial couples. I am not exactly sure why this is. Since gay couples receive so much criticism already, perhaps they do not want more criticism and therefor choose to date in their own race. Also, it might have to do with the fact that people of different races with strong cultures are not always accepting of same sex relationships. Therefor, many couples probably keep their relationships hidden from family and friends. I think this is terrible. Nobody should have to hide their true identity from their family and friends. Family and friends should love and appreciate them no matter what. I wish that everyone was more accepting of gay couples, interracial or not. Nobody should be judged upon their race or sexual orientation. Although the world is slowly becoming more and more accepting, there are still tons of people who are judgmental and un-accepting of homosexuality. I do not understand why some people are still un-accepting of this. It is becoming a normal part of our lives and should be accepted by everyone. Being a huge supporter of gay rights, I think that gay interracial couples are no different than straight interracial couples and should have the same rights as straight couples. People should be judged upon their actions and personalities, and not be judged based on things out of their control such as race, sexual orientation, and age. I am confident that as the years continue we will become more and more accepting of everyone regardless of their race or sexual orientation.

Although I would like to say that our justice system is not racist, I think that a portion of it really is. Racism definitely influences our views of the criminals in our country. A large portion of the criminals in our country are black and brown and therefore there is a large biased towards these people. Most criminals shown in the media are black or brown. However, the largest portion of criminals are white. White people have always been the superior race and this is no different in the justice system; even in our day in age. My dad is West Indian (black) and my mom is Polish (white) so I grew up with a very diverse and accepting background. I have been in the car with my mom when she has gotten pulled over with by a cop for speeding and I have also been in the car with my dad when he has gotten pulled over for speeding. The reaction of the cop was completely different both times. My mom got off with a warning from a friendly police officer. In my dad's case, the officer approached the car with his hand on his gun, was very stern with my father and issued him a ticket and added points to his license. i believe this change in attitude had to deal with my dad's race. Clearly, the cop was discriminating because of his race. It is very unfortunate that this discrimination is so prevalent in a system that is based on honesty and integrity. People do not choose their physical appearance so they should not be judged based on their physical appearance. It is so upsetting that people still look down upon people because of something they cannot control. We should judge people on their actions, not on their appearance. Racism is a large part of the criminal justice system and it does take precedent in the system. Criminals are generalized the the public as mainly Hispanic or black males that live in poor areas. Although there is a higher crime rate in poor areas, these are clearly not the only criminals. No one deserves to be judged based on something they cannot control, including criminals.

I think that this Haiti project is a great idea! I have never done anything this impactful and it will be great to say that I have made such a positive impact on a country that has such limited resources. The fact that we have the opportunity to do something so helpful for another country is really great. I have always done a lot of community service but this by far will have the greatest impact and I can’t wait to start working on it. I am worried about getting started, however. All of the videos about the entrepreneurs were very interesting but they left me wondering about what we can do to help. Our ideas need to be innovative, creative, and helpful. I think that once we come up with a good idea, it will be a little easier to continue with the project. I think that starting the project is going to be the most difficult part of the actual project. It is so upsetting to me that the equipment and supplies that the Haitians need are so simple and relatively inexpensive but they can’t afford them. For example, the seamstress who needed a mannequin and could not afford to buy one was very shocking to me. A mannequin is so simple and it is so sad that she cannot afford one. A mannequin would help her business so much. I also think this project will be a great learning experience for everyone. I did not know anything about Haiti or their economics and I am excited to be able to learn about and help their economy grow and prosper. I am nervous to get started but once we have a good start, I will be very excited to continue working on the project and make it as helpful, innovative, and creative as possible. Overall, helping out another country is something I have always wanted to do and I am ecstatic that I can do something to help in such a positive way. Can’t wait!

When I first saw President Obama, I did not think about his race at all. And yes, obviously he looked different than our past Presidents, it really made no difference to me. Although he is our first President who was not "white," his ethnicity had nothing to do with my opinion of him. I was raised to be completely accepting of everyone regardless of looks. Although, his race made a huge impact on America as a whole, it did not make a large impact on me. Although I was not able to vote when he was inagurated, I will not be voting for Obama for a second term in office. This has nothing to do with his race or ethnicity. When I first saw Obama, I just assumed he was black (African American). I found out later that he was in fact multi-racial. To this day, his race still has no impact on my opinion of him as a person or him as the President. I was always raised to be accepting of all individuals regardless of their race, ethnicity, sex, or gender. I, myself and multi-racial. My mother is white and my father is from Barbados. so he is considered West Indian. Growing up in a family with two very different backgrounds, helped me to gain a very open mind. I consider myself a very open-minded person. Clearly, since I am bi-racial myself, Obama's race does not mean anything to me. It is astonishing to me that people made such a big ordeal about the fact that Obama is not white. Race should absolutely not matter when deciding a President. A President should not be decided based on their ethnicity or race but on their qualifications as a trustworthy leader. The fact that race is still so important to people and relevant all throughout today's society is very frustrating to me. A person's race should have nothing to do with how they are perceived as a person. After finding out that Obama is multi-racial, I consider him multi-racial, where at first, I simply thought he was "black." His race is so un-importnat to me that I actually never thing about. it. Even though he is the first President of color, it is completely irrelevant. important is his decision making as a President and the choices he makes for our country. I do not agree with the choices he has made as a President. His choices affect the way I think of him, not his race or ethnicity. His race is completely irrelelvant to me. Although it is refreshing to see a President who is of a different race, his race has nothing to do with the choices he has made for the country. I do not agree with the choices he has made as a President. His choices affect the way I think about him; not his race. And I believe that this is how people should be judged; by their actions, not by their ethnicity or race.