The question of whether being gay is a choice or something you are born with was very interesting and I never really put much thought into it. If you add the effect one’s environment might have on one’s sexuality, it becomes even more complicated. I still believe that homosexuality cannot be defined by three situations. I feel that if someone is gay, it really depends on who they are as a person and why they are gay. Some people knew they were gay from a very young age, while others did not realize it until later in life. On the other hand, I am sure some people just did not know which gender they liked better and chose which one they liked the best, which would be a matter of choice obviously. To touch on the environmental side, if a person was raised by gay parents, it does not necessarily mean that he or she will turn out gay. There may be a higher likelihood just because that is what the child was used to seeing as he grew up. However, I still strongly feel that being gay is something you are born with. It is not like when I was six years old I decided that I wanted to be straight. It just so happened that way. It was the way I was born. In most cases, homosexual people know that they are gay from the beginning. Sometimes they may test out the other gender, but usually know right off the bat what his or her preference is. Being homosexual or heterosexual really is not something you can control. It is just who you are. Some people try to change it, but it will never truly work. Coming from a small, country town, I never was around gay people. My graduating class consisted of about 250 students and no one was gay, or at least no one said they were. When I came to Penn State, it really opened my eyes and I realized that there are more gay people than you think and they are proud of their sexuality. I think it is wonderful to be proud of who you are, because no matter your sexual orientation, everyone is a unique person and should be treated the same. Just as we are all accepting of straight people, we should be accepting of gay people as well. Someone’s sexual orientation does not dictate what kind of person they are. Just because someone’s sexual preferences are different than your own does not mean they should be treated any different. There really is not a difference. Love is love and that is all that matters. No matter what prompted them to be gay, it is who they are supposed to be and if they are happy, then we should be too.

I was definitely shocked to see that there were a bunch of people who thought that the Trayvon Martin shooting did not have anything to do with race. It is completely evident that Trayvon Martin was shot because of the typical stereotypes that surround people of color. I just do not see how people do not notice the role race plays in this issue. To only make the issue of race in this case more prevalent, the 911 call that was made clearly illustrates inequality. Profanities and name calling can be heard in the background coming out of George Zimmerman’s mouth. George Zimmerman must have had some previous dispositions to people of color in the first place and maybe because of past events and the way he was raised. But to have enough hate for someone that you do not even know just because of the color of that person’s skin is mindboggling to me. Just because someone’s skin is darker than your own, does not mean that that person is any different. You could both have the same exact personality, have the same interests, and even have the potential to become friends, yet the fact that the person’s skin is a different shade cancels out all of the above. The way the human mind sets perceived notions is striking. I just really do not understand it at all. Someone should not deserve to die just because they are black. It is just so unfair. And also, I do not understand why some people think that this issue is getting too much media coverage. I think that the extremity of this case deserves to get its fair share of media coverage. It deserves to get more media coverage than some things in the news, that is for sure. Any killing of an innocent child for no reason deserves to get a heavy amount of media coverage. Another reason to prove that this case happened because of a race issue definitely is the amount of media coverage given. It is getting so much coverage because it was about race, no doubt about it. Also, the more media coverage this receives, the more aware we can make people about hate crimes and race issues that happen every day to so many children, teenagers, and adults. Trayvon Martin’s family I am sure also appreciates the amount of coverage by the media. To them it may feel like a sense of justice for Trayvon Martin. I feel that the people saying that race has nothing to do with this are just plain blind and ignorant. It is very sad that race plays such a big part in some people’s lives to go to these unjust extremes.

I find it funny how some people can get away with just about anything, especially when you factor race into the situation. It’s pretty hardcore that just because the kids of one school are white, they are given a free ride on dealing and doing drugs. But go to a school with Mexican and black kids and the tables are totally turned. I suppose this happens because at one time, the vast majority of people dealing and doing drugs were black and Hispanic, so that stereotype stuck and carried on through the years. Unfortunately, it all comes back to stereotypes. Personally, if I were black or Hispanic and went to a school where you had to be searched upon entering the building, I would be outraged. Not everyone who is of that race uses drugs or deals them. In class we looked at statistics showing the percentage of drug users based on their race. The data showed that white people actually frequently use drugs more than black or Hispanic people. But yet this stereotype still exists. Anyone is capable of dealing or using drugs and one’s physical appearance should not be the deciding factor. Why yes, there are certain things that people do to make you suspicious, but you can’t base your judgment of them on that. Some people who look like they might do or deal drugs actually might have never tried any kind of substance in their entire life. Some demeanors of people make them look a certain way, but like they always say, never judge a book by its cover. That is exactly what the administrators of these schools are doing. They are judging students to the worst degree. Yes, I agree that it is good to bust people who are doing illegal drugs because they should not being doing it in the first place, but to assume everyone who is black or Hispanic is doing drugs? That is just plain wrong. I think white people should be checked just as thoroughly as black and Hispanic people. Being white doesn’t hinder your capabilities of obtaining drugs. If anything it might even be easier. But no matter what, everyone has an equal chance of being the one doing drugs and it’s up to us not to discriminate and miss out on catching the real abuser. The real goal is to stop drug use and letting some people get away with it for just being white does not make much sense. It actually makes authority figures look like racist idiots. Our whole society is actually made up of racist idiots. Our world would be so peaceful and a lot more cooperative. Race really divides us, and hopefully one day we will be strong enough to overcome this horrible cloud of hate that hangs over our entire atmosphere.

The people in this article honestly disgust me. I have read the Hunger Games and have clearly seen the words of Suzanne Collins depicting little Rue and Thresh being black. I never thought anything of it and it really didn’t make a difference to me whatsoever. Even if Collins would have never intended Rue to be black, I still would not have flipped out about a black girl being cast as Rue in the movie. The tweets made by these people show just how ignorant and idiotic some people can be. The race of a character bothers you that much that you won’t even watch the movie? That’s pathetic. This is a prime example of how racist our culture is, even subconsciously. The people who actually read the books and are still upset about the Rue being black clearly have some racial issues and while reading, totally disregarded Collin’s descriptions. I find the tweets hilarious that say, “#sticktothebookDUDE”. The movie did, you idiot. It’s just sad that the race of the character almost takes more precedence over what actually happens to the character herself. Rue gets murdered with a spear, and yet all anyone can talk about is the color of her skin? That’s really mature. Our society is focused on race and I’m not sure if we’ll ever be able to let go of that. Once people realized or found out that Rue was black, they automatically disliked her; even though I’m sure they loved and adored her in the book. I sobbed in the movie theatres when I saw Rue die, as did I when I read the book. I just can’t imagine letting the race of a person affect your emotions toward them in a situation such as this. I don’t care if it was a little white, Asian, or black girl, I would still sob when I saw her die on a big screen. As the author of the article said, it seems as if these people are mad that they adored a little black girl while reading the book. I’m sorry, is there something wrong with that? It is so sad that people rely so heavily on the appearance of a person, and depending on that appearance, they manipulate their feelings toward her. There is absolutely no reason why someone should not want to watch a movie just because they “found out” that one of the main characters is black. The people tweeting were also upset that Cinna was black. While, yes, I didn’t picture Cinna as being black, I thought it was really cool and I appreciated it. Lenny Kravitz did a spectacular job portraying Cinna and I don’t know if I would have wanted anyone else. The same goes with Rue. I would never complain about a “problem” as trivial, pathetic, and ignorant as this.

When I first heard the tragedy of Treyvon Martin, I didn’t quite understand what happened. I heard that it was a shooting of a young teenage boy but I didn’t realize the racial contents of the story. When I first found out that the gunman was white and the victim was black, it was then that I realized this was far more than an unjust murder. I was appalled to hear that the 17 year old boy was shot and killed for absolutely no reason. Treyvon was allegedly on his way back to his father’s house after taking a trip to the convenience store to pick up a pack of Skittles and an iced tea. The innocent boy never had any idea that would his last time visiting the convenience store. George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, for whatever reason saw this boy and had the urge to shoot him, missing once but then firing another bullet into Treyvon’s chest. Was there actually a fight going on between them or was this murder out of pure hatred for a black person? From what I have heard from the media and the accounts of witnesses and evidence, I feel like I can honestly and accurately say that this killing was race based. Zimmerman was a normal white man but had the authority to carry a gun because he was deemed as a neighborhood watchman. However, his power must have been enough to persuade him to kill an innocent child. The main question on everyone’s mind is, “why hasn’t this guy been arrested?” Yet, no one has an answer. We do know that this, however, would be completely different if Zimmerman was a black man and Martin was a white teenager. As sad and racist as it is, if Zimmerman was a black man, he would already be in jail and showing up at scheduled court hearings. If this was the case, for all we know, he would possibly already be serving his sentence by now. But since Zimmerman was in fact white and Martin was black, the process of arresting the murderer for whatever reason is a lot slower and delayed. Our society is indeed racist and this is a prime example of it. Statistics state that black people committing crimes such as this have higher rates of incrimination and find themselves in jail a lot faster for a lot longer. I really have no idea where this stems from or why black people have always been viewed as evil criminals. No matter a person’s skin color, each can produce the same action and should have equal consequences for said action. I don’t know if this will ever change. But if we want the world to become a better place, this cruel game of race needs to be stopped.

The media is a crucial part of our lives, particularly here in America. I am a broadcast journalism major and the media plays a big role in my life especially. I have always dreamed of being the next Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America, or the next Deborah Norville on Inside Edition. I want to bring the news to the people and make sure to keep them informed on the events happening locally and around the world. However, the media receives a lot of scrutiny from the public for the portrayal of many events and problematic situations that they cover. It is true that sometimes the media spins things in ways that falsely depict the situation at hand, like for example, the Jerry Sandusky scandal as we all know. The media feeds on the reactions of the public and while most news stations and newspapers try to focus strictly on the facts, sometimes they focus on the human interest side of the story and key in on the entertaining and story-worthy side effects of an event. Also, the only way we know what is going on around the world or in our own backyard is possible thanks to the media. If there wasn’t people going out and getting the facts and making the news stories, we all would be ignorant people who have no idea what is going on outside of our tiny little worlds. But here is where the situation can get a little sticky. As with the war in Afghanistan, the media does not cover everything that is going on over there and in some ways it is almost impossible because of the dangers reporters would face. I feel that the media has efficiently represented some things that are going on over there, but has left a lot out. The media has also changed our views about the people of the Middle East, like for example; someone’s stereotype of a terrorist has been influenced by what the media has shown us. The only way I feel that we can successfully get the cold hard facts of the war is by talking to the people who are fighting in it and hear their thoughts and what really happens over there. Dedicating a certain number of soldiers as reporters to correctly give us the facts would be a good idea; however, I am not sure how that would go with how secretive our government is. The media and the government have to balance off of each other as well, which is sometimes why the media portrays things as they do. But no matter what, you have to remember to check your sources carefully and make sure what you are reading and believing is true.

I feel that there could definitely be certain things in State College that cater directly to white people, but I have never really thought about it until this question was posted. I have lived here pretty much my whole life and I am so used to growing up in an area that is mainly white so the matter never really crossed my mind. I can definitely see where black and brown people are coming from when they talk about the hair salons in our town. They are mainly focused on the white customer and work best with people of that color. Since the majority of the people in the town are white, the majority of the employees and hairdressers are going to be white. Therefore, they are really going to only know how to work with people of the same features as them. There is a big difference between a white person’s hair and the hair of someone of color, and it takes different sets of skills to properly cut and style certain kinds of hair. I do feel that specific businesses like that should hire people of different cultures so that they can tend to the needs of all of their customers. There’s really no way that our town could open, let’s say, a hair salon that only tended to black people. With the population being mostly white, the business would never make it and would probably go out of business. However, I feel that no matter what, someone is just going to feel like he is left out or not catered to, based on some inequality issue. I honestly feel that State College is very welcoming to people of every culture and try to have shows, shops, and restaurants that are dedicated to their specific ancestral background. The HUB always has plenty of different ethnic and cultural displays. For our town being primarily white, I feel like we make everyone feel as at home as possible. There are even classes that strictly deal with African American studies and other cultural studies. We make sure to include everyone and make sure that everyone has equal opportunities to everything this town and college offers. I don’t see a lot of racism directly in State College, but I know from experience that the outskirts definitely show more racism. It’s really all just ignorance which is in part because of our lack in variety of people. But overall, everyone is different and due to these differences, people tend to feel left out and ignored. I don’t always find that true and I believe that if you voice your opinion on something enough, you will be heard and from there you can make sure that everyone is catered to equally.

Physical appearance can be a determining factor for many different things. Everyone is attracted to a certain look, whether it is that perfect smile or those deep blue eyes. Whatever the case, people are physically attracted to certain characteristics. These characteristics can determine a variety of different things, such as a relationship, friendship, or in this case, a job offer. Unfortunately, society has made the physical appearance of someone extremely important and a deciding factor in some situations. As stated in the video, having to put a picture of yourself with your application doesn’t sound too strange or out of the ordinary. Companies and businesses are sometimes looking for the right kind of person with the right kind of look to hire for their positions. For example, a person who is usually attractive and looks friendly will be hired as a host or waiter before someone who isn’t. It’s a sad fact of life and I think it’s unfair. But that’s just the way it works. One thing I have never quite understood was who defined “pretty” or “handsome”? Who said, “Oh, okay, when someone says ‘attractive,’ that’s what it should look like.”? I know society has and will always play a major role in deciding what is in and out when it comes to many things, but I just don’t understand who made these rules of physical appearance. In a perfect world, everyone should be judged based on what’s on the inside, not the outside. And if you’re pretty on the inside and outside, you’re just one lucky person. But everyone chooses what their own beauty is and here is where the game becomes a little fairer. Depending on what job or whatever in life you’re applying for, the person hiring might find your appearance to be the most beautiful of all; even if it doesn’t follow the normal stereotypical magazine ads. A perfect example of how appearance can hinder or enhance your chances of getting somewhere is the television shows American Idol and The Voice. Both shows have basically the same plot, but one is a little more biased when it comes to appearances more than the other. On American Idol, contestants audition in front of the judges where they can see them and take into account their physical appearance. However, on The Voice, the judges are turned the other way while the contestant auditions behind them. The only thing that they can judge them on is the pure talent in which they convey with their voice. I feel that so many people on American Idol are chosen solely on their appearance, and not by talent. The Voice shows that a pretty face isn’t all you need. I wish it was like that for everything. But in our world today, especially in the world of business, a pretty face can get you far.

Race has always been a big part of sports. As with everything, stereotypes have been implemented toward those who play certain sports based on their race. There have been countless movies depicting the war against race in the form of sports, like Remember the Titans for example. These movies show that being of a different color other than white was once a struggle and was not even allowed on some sports teams. However, now that has all changed and certain sports are now dominated by a race other than white. Basketball is now dominated by African-Americans and football is a contender, too. Even track and field has people of all different races competing against one another. But while present day sports are interracial, this also leads way to people realizing that different races have different physical abilities. I’m not sure what enables certain races to excel at specific physical tasks, but it is definitely a factor in the sports world. Going off of what Sam said in class one day, our physical appearances were determined by our ancestors and the environment they lived in. If your ancestors were from an area that was hot and arid, then your family and their physical appearance will reflect that by usually being tall and skinny. This will come into play when they are given physical tasks and from there, their abilities will shine. But sometimes it can just come down to pure talent, and I think that is the most admirable. But society cannot be satisfied with pure talent. They have to further break down why someone who is not white can play a sport just as well or better than a white athlete. They say that African-Americans jump higher than white people and it is surprising that an Asian can play basketball. Once different races were allowed to join sports teams, this allowed stereotypes to form and flourish. I don’t really understand why race plays such a big role in sports. I feel that if you are good at what you do, then who cares about the color of your skin or where you were born or where your ancestors are from. Talent is talent, and I find it all admirable. I would find it just as amazing if a white person could long jump 50 feet or if an African-American could. To me, there isn’t a problem. Each white person is physically different from one another, just as every other person in the same race differs from one another. While their skin or eyes or nose may all look the same, it doesn’t mean every one of them can play basketball or football. It all comes down to the right physique and the right drive and determination. The color of one’s skin is only aesthetic and should not have anything to do with sports.

Race is a very personal topic and each and every person classifies themselves into some kind of ethnic group. Which one you choose is up to you. Some people choose a group based on their physical appearances. For example, someone who appears to be strictly Mexican will classify themselves as Latino. This seems to be the most common form of classification because our society relies so heavily on physical appearances. It is what we are judged by the most and it is the first thing people see. However, people also join a specific race or ethnic group based on how they were raised. As Lana stated in the video, she was raised as African American even though she does not really resemble her ethnic background. Most of this is based on your family’s heritage and where your ancestors were born. Finding out where your family came from is an important part of your individuality and everyone wants to be their own person. But while everyone wants to be their own person, everyone also wants to find other individuals that share their culture and specific ethnic background. This is where peer influence can also help to choose what ethnicity you define yourself as. When you find things in common with other people who look similar, act similar, and believe in the same things you do, you want to place yourself with them. Then from here, you begin to refer to yourself as a certain race. No matter what, it is the individual’s choice to identify himself as a specific race or ethnicity. Sometimes, however, society and the environment in which one lives in can influence the individual in how they want to identify themselves. But sometimes, certain people have a more difficult time figuring out where they belong. For me, it was easy. I’m Caucasian and have lived in a white household and community my whole life. While yes, I am a mix of other nationalities such as German, French, Irish, and Native American, I consider myself as white. But here is where identifying yourself can become tricky. Barely anyone is strictly one nationality. Everyone is a mix of different ethnic groups. I have four different nationalities in me thanks to my ancestors, but some people have even more than that. And once you figure out that you have so many different nationalities in you, it’s hard to choose which one you want to most identify yourself with. If everyone said what nationalities they are made up of, some wouldn’t resemble any of the groups they said. That has to do with genetics and the way your DNA is made up. That is another reason why it is sometimes hard to associate yourself with just one group. But in the long run, whatever group makes you feel the most comfortable and at home with is the one you should associate yourself.