How did the videos make me feel? Growing up with family in the army and military, I have always had a sense of hatred for the war in general. To me, I always viewed the Iraqis as the sole destructive force in the war, as well as the “terrorists” that tried to destroy the nation. I never really thought about why we were fighting, of course I new that we were fighting about the bombings, but never thought that we were fighting over a long disputed conflict over oil. The videos really changed the ways I looked at the war, well only slightly I would say.
The images were shocking and yet disgusting that our armed forces for going after civilians. But in many wars, isn’t it the civilians that are already the target? Even if they are most likely to be targeted, the images of people dead with their kids are a horrific sight. Yes it the realities of war, but does it really have to be as gruesome and deadly as it is?
In a way, the images did stop me to rethink if I was one sided on the war. I never really thought about the other counties perspective of the situation. The only reason why I am still a little torn is because of all the bombing THEY did to attack the United States. Yes, we want their oil, but to me, their mindset and religion does seem very violent. Even though Sam told us this is the wrong way to think, I still believe this. If a country says that they want to behead anyone who doesn’t have faith in their religion, or to kill the Americans, then I have no problem supporting the war efforts. If nothing was in conflict, then I am all for the peace and working towards a better country. But being attacked, we had to take actions quickly. No one can really prevent anything from happening in war, and I definitely know that from stories from my uncle as he did 4 tours in Iraq. He was apart of the medical staff and did fight sometimes, but he set up a medical tent for all the Iraqis civilians to go for help. He had pictures sent to us with him and Iraqi kids, but I still have a sense of distrust in the nation. I know its ignorant to combine an entire country due to the actions of a few people, but The bombings, the killings and the news is all I have ever experienced. I have never come in contact with a person from Iraq that could potential change my viewpoint on the situation.
Because of this, I still believe we are doing what’s best. Yes the videos are disgusting and gruesome but that’s how war is, and how the media portrays it. They don’t show the armed US forces helping the Iraqis, instead only show the fighting and death. This is why this topic is kind of hard to discuss since there are so many factors that can play into whether or not we are doing the right thing and whether it is right. To an extent it is all personal opinions, but I think as a nation we are doing the right thing in protecting ourselves, even though other horrible events are occurring in Iraq.

What have I learned from the scandal, and how will this make me a better person? This is a difficult question, since so much can be learned from this scandal. Overall, I think I have learned the importance of not waiting in a situation and acting upon it as soon as I hear of an issue; the importance of sticking together; and lastly the importance of helping those who were abused and help breaking the silence.
When the scandal was first announced, I think we all were hurt, confused and disgusted with all the allegations involving OUR school. It seemed unbelievable; that a place we love so much could be involved in this disappointing scandal. Over the days with the media taking over the school, my emotions began to shift, as I was no longer angry, but more upset. Now, I’m past these constantly changing emotions, but at the point where I can notice what I have learned and how it can change me.
In this scandal is it clear that there was a lack of understanding and the lack of people taking charge and acting in a fast manner. This shouldn’t even be a question as to whether a person should act. After hearing the stories and allegations, I have learned the importance to act fast and in any given situation. If I know of a problem I shouldn’t just sit there and wait for someone else to take action.
Another aspect I have really learned about is sticking together though out the worse of times. The actions of ONE man should not define us as a whole. As a whole, we are the university that had over 10,000 attend the vigil for all the victims. We are the students that rose 9.8 million last year for Thon. We are Penn State, and we need to remember that. During this difficult time, we cannot let the actions of one disgusting man ruining our reputation, our home, and our beliefs.
A third is the notion of breaking the silence. This is an important occurrence that doesn’t get much light in the news or in society. The only good that has come out during these dark days is the broadcasting of awareness of the wide amount of child abuse in the world today. With all the news coming out, hopefully it is finally a time where those who were abused can feel comfortable and feel the strength we have for them to come out against those who abused them. Never in my life have I seen so many articles about child abuse, that in a way I am glad people are finally getting the help, the awareness as well as the hope for the strong survivors to keep living their lives thought the difficult times in their life.
With all this being said, we as a university have so much more to offer, and in the long run this occurrence will definitely make me a better person, as I now know the importance to take action and show strength in difficult time. As Penn State students we can take this on, and we will succeed.

WE ARE…

How do you think that the negative emotion brought on about recent events is effected how people in the world view you as a Penn State student? In all honesty, this is such a difficult question to answer because how I feel about the events and actions isn’t how many outsiders view us. Being a Penn State student is more than outsiders can grasp. It is “ a way of life”, as Sam even said the other day. It’s a school that’s so united with spirit, integrity, and love that I understand the reasons behind the actions of students. We all come together to show our anger, and to show that when one of us gets mistreated we will speak up.
The scandal has really brought down the image of PSU as a whole. We have always been noted for such high academics, and awesome athletics; but this case has really thrown us in the dirt… in some peoples eyes. Yes the evidence and the situation is disgusting and baffling, but at the same time I don’t think the school is handling it well at all. To us, we know it’s a “witch hunt”, and they are removing anyone they believe to be the issue. While outsiders view our entre campus as corrupt and filthy. With our school making unfair decisions, it was only known that the campus would be outraged and make a statement. We know of the history and emotion behind Joe Pa, that it is unbelievable that he is fired for following orders; while the graduate student who saw it is still coaching! This absurd decision really hit thousands of students hard. I knew right away that students would protest and riot over this decision the moment I heard the news.
But these outsiders can judge us as much as they want, but they will never understand or see the circumstance from your point of view. They will not notice the good we do, or even the lives we help save. Instead they will only focus us as the institution that allowed sexual abuse to occur in on campus showers. Those haters will never understand our passion as a whole, spirit, or wanting to have our name and reputation is better again. Without seeing the situation from our point of view, they will never see the good we the student body do as a whole. We have the world’s largest philanthropy and raised over 9.8 million dollars last year. We have Greek life that is so involved in community service, and we are one of the largest schools in the nation. All of these great aspects are now looked down upon due to the action of one disgusting man. This action shouldn’t affect the entire school name or campus. He was one man. We are the 90,000 students enrolled in Penn State that want to make a difference. In my view, all the terrible media and people have no idea how great of a school we are and will never be able to understand the power we feel and love, being Penn State students. They all can hate us and destroy us in the media, but together we will overcome the bad reputation and prove ourselves for the future.

Didn't even read the title or the paragraph, and I noticed all the white kids guarding the shrine. I completely agree that it is a weird statement Penn State is portraying in this video, but at the same time I feel like it would be an eye opener is the producers stopped filming to find black or brown kids to make it seem more united in a way. If producers wanted to fully make a statement, they should have contacted major groups on campus that represent PSU. This goes for Lion Ambassadors, sport teams, THON groups, and maybe even the regular students..etc. I think by having all these groups participate they could have selected students and fully portrayed PSU as a whole. To me, this campus is pretty diverse; they definitely could have done a better job with this video and the message they are trying to send out.

If people are speaking a different language around you does that make you feel uncomfortable? This is honestly a question I think about constantly being at such a large school. In a way, yes, I feel rather uncomfortable not knowing what is being said, or how others are thinking. But then I realize how someone might take this the wrong way or offensively. My best friend here at PSU speaks 5 languages, and I think it is absolutely an incredible ability to have and be able to be so multilingual; but at the same time, it is pretty intimidating not being able to fully understand him as he switches through all the languages. I have had many instances here in my lifetime where if the outsiders were speaking English or Spanish I would not have felt as alert or nervous, as I would be if they were speaking another foreign language.
My junior year of high school I took part in an exchange program, which was with another school in the Netherlands. The Dutch students would come to us for a week, and we would go to them for a week, during the school year. When we went to Holland, we Americans were a little nervous, as we couldn’t speak Dutch. Surprisingly, they were all fluent in English and were able to communicate easily with us. At times however, they would break away from the English and begin talking and laughing in Dutch. A thought would be like “ oh, this sounds like a really cool language”, while the other half of me was being like “ speak in English already.” I could definitely see us all freaking out and becoming tenser, as it was a language and situation we weren’t accustomed to.
Another instance is here at PSU. It was late at night and I was walking back from the Library. I was by myself for most of the walk, until I heard 3 men talking, whispering and laughing in another language. I don’t really think anything of it when I hear other people, but I was more alert being a girl alone at night. Not being about to understand what was being said is kind of intimidating especially in my situation. I took weird routes, cut thought grass and such, and yet they were constantly behind me. I think in this case the fact that I couldn’t understand them, and the fact they were larger men really made me watch myself and my surroundings more than I would have if I had 3 girls behind me. The language barrier was definitely an added component that made me feel uncomfortable in this situation.
Although I agree that people speaking another language makes me feel uncomfortable, I feel like the situation is also a significant part. If in a dangerous or alert manner, I am sure many may notice the language and rethink the situation they are in. Or maybe not. I just know for me, I would rather have a good understanding of my surroundings and the people around me. Does this mean I will feel uncomfortable in the HUB at lunchtime? Not really. I will notice they are speaking another language, but the atmosphere won’t have me over thinking the situation.

After coming to Penn State, I have become more aware of these stages that are present in society. Growing up, I was always accustomed to things “like” me. Our town was a bubble town and didn’t really associate with other news other than our. In a way it was beneficial growing up in a town like this, but it has really allowed me to realize that the bubble has limited my ability to be more outgoing to things outside my “normal” zone.
Now that I have noticed these stages, I have realized that I still go for the people that are “like” myself. All of my friends are white, and come from predominately white towns. Although I have never thought about it, it’s interesting how our home societies have played a part in our friendships at Penn State. My friends and I are not racists against others, but I feel like everyone has the same mentality to find the same type of people.
Another instance can be seen on the crew team. I feel like this was one of the best ways to meet people I normally wouldn’t have met. Being apart of this, we all have become close and have learned about the differences in races and cultures. By associating with the mass amounts of people on this team, I have noticed that I am more open then originally. Race, culture or any other aspect really hasn’t been a deciding factor for us, but it is interesting to note the differences and whether or not we would have associated with one another if we had just run into each other or if we were with our group of friends.
Overall I don’t think my friends really influence whether stage I am in. They make friends with whom ever they want, and whenever I meet them I am always the person that loves meeting others. Because of this, we would be very open to reaching out to others that may not be as similar to us as we usually find. I think we all are in the same stages, but are able to move together in the process. With this openness, I’m sure this view or idea of stages wont be a problem in our group.

This story of Abigail and Brittany really interest me, as I have grown up knowing of them and their story. Back in middle school our teacher would play clips on them and ask us about all different variables that could affect their lives. Its interesting that Sam decided to focus on the freedom and determinism parts, as I would have originally thought of the difficulties and choices they must make. In this case however, I am sure that they have more determinism than most people today. These young girls don’t want the fame for being conjoined twins and avoid the press at all costs. This really shows that they do what they want and enjoy their life the way they want to without the comments from others outside their community or family.
I think being able to perform a daily lifecycle in this situation is absolutely amazing. They are able to go to school and have a “normal” teenage life. When I was 16, I knew that friends, being on sports, being accepted and of course driving was something that was important to me. I had mini concerns that cannot compare to what Abigail and Brittany have, and yet they don’t seem to care. They are determined to live their life individually and progress without worrying what others may say or think. And I think this is an awesome attribute to have.
As for freedom, they brings up an interesting point…how free are they. Being two completely different people, I am sure they have difficulties or even arguments, but they are unable to leave the situation have alone time. Or on another level, some people may categories them as 1, and they begin to lose the freedom of being an individual. Will they have their own husbands, have their own jobs, take part in their own hobbies, or even have individual voting licensees. All these questions can relate back to freedom. Will they have the same chances and opportunities as everyone else, or will it be lessened due to a “disability”. In any case, the variable of freedom is very interesting how one may interpret it. So far, Abigail and Brittany seem to have their fair share of determinism as well as freedom, but I’m sure circumstances will become more complicated down the road. But for now, these girls are absolutely fascinating and really motivate others in daily life.

Throughout the clip I was speechless just watching the reactions of others ignoring the bullying that was occurring in front of them. At the end of the clip my response was "holy shit". This is by far one of the most remarkable films I have seen, as it shows that there is some good out there.
I'm disappointed more didn’t step into this argument earlier in the day. These guys don’t look dangerous and big at all. There is no intimidation factor the boys portray that can cause a person to walk away from the situation. Also, the taunting was loud enough that everyone could hear. How could anyone just watch kids be tortured and remove themselves from the situation? Will any of them have a guilty conscious not knowing the outcome of the situation? Do they wonder if the kid is still alive after that encounter? These are all questions I wish those passers would answer, so we all can understand why they wouldn’t want to get involved.

I’m really glad that this TV show is showing the realities of life. Bullying is becoming an epidemic in today’s school systems and has been noticed by many political and famous people. Last year in Crim 100, I wrote a research paper on the death of Tyler Clementi as well as 2 other girls who were bullied constantly for their orientation. First off, these bullies need to realize it’s not a choice to be gay. It’s a choice to "come out" and be proud and strong about whom they really are. Secondly, they need to realize there’s more to life and more important issues that a person’s orientation. Its disgusting how more kids are involved in bullying than ever before, especially after noticing all the suicides and new laws being passed. Once you bully a kid, then what? One might feel powerful over the individual, but where will that put you in life. Bullying a gay person, or anyone for that matter, will have no positive attribute to your future. It won’t help you get into college, graduate, get a job, start a family, or be successful. All it is is a disgusting act made by kids who are too oblivious to society. After bullying a kid, what will happen? This is a question I wish all bullies would contemplate. Seriously, if gay kids are 3 more times to commit suicide, and then it is likely the one they bully might also act in this way. Then what? There’s no sane person that could get satisfaction in knowing they caused kids to kill themselves. If anything, this guilt should destroy the person, and change them.

This is one topic that really annoys me. One of my closest friends is gay, but hasn’t come out. Between the hatred from the parents, and the kids in high school, there is now way my friend will open up and express who they really are in society. And this is just sad, knowing that your own friend doesn’t feel comfortable being who they really are. More awareness needs to be spread and talked about in schools, and communities. Whether a kid is gay, straight, bisexual…etc, it shouldn’t matter. There are more important issues in today’s society that impacts all our lives more.

When first watching the videos, I found the scenes and the reactions more comical than serious. Throughout the set up, I would guess how others would view the situation and act. Sure enough, my predictions were right; which really shocked me after class. How can people decipher between two boys who exactly similar with; same age, same structure, same clothing, and act negatively towards one. Race of the boy really showcased as an important factor in this situation, which is still appalling. As the white boy was stealing the bike, he would only be asked, “ is that your bike”, “ what are you doing”, but when he responded, people continued on with their workout. On the other hand, the black guy had a mob of people surrounding looking at what was happening, while a white older male called the cops. Sure in the film it was funny to see the reactions, but thinking that this was a real stunt is baffling knowing that others only acted on a theft due to the race. With so much progress in the world, this little clip can still showcase that maybe racism is still present, and how blacks can be viewed as more criminal.
Another shocking point was how others stopped to HELP the girl steal the bike. The bikers knew right away of her intent and continued to help her steal the bike. I understand how a gorgeous young girl, dressed like that can make her seem innocent, but I cant understand the actions of these men. They purposely helped in a crime because the girl was blonde and beautiful.
These films really showcased how different the roles played of a thief can turn out. Some are ignored, reported, and helped for the entire same act, in the same park. If I were in this situation I honestly wouldn’t get involved. First off, I never would assume a person was stealing a bike in daylight, so I would probably be oblivious to it. If I knew a kid was stealing it, I would continue to walk past it and pretend I never noticed. That wouldn’t be something I would want to get involved in. If I had to choose a person to call on, I would probably have called on the girl before either of the guys; why, I'm not sure, but an instinct tells me I would choose her over them.

After surfing the World in Conversation website I was finally able to understand the significance of the projects, and the effect we students can have on the lives of many entrepreneur. In the one film, I learned about Figaro and her pastry shop. Each and everyday she would have to drive or walk down this long, crowded road to get to the shop. Once in the shop, we can notice the difficulties she is facing. She only has 4 employees, and would like to have more and give more opportunities to jobs. Also, she doesn’t have the proper machinery like hand mixers or a computer to make the pastries and keep track of her paperwork.
Figaro has a lot more responsibilities, as her husband is unable to help contribute to making money as he has a heart condition. She provides for her three sons to go to schools, as the bakery only helps pay for half of that investment.
Her goal is to make the business bigger and be able to create more jobs for other people suffering in these difficult living conditions. By increasing in her bakery, she could then provide more for her children. Her goal is to find a safe place for her boys to live in and be able to have a lifestyle better than she had.
Watching the films of Figaro’s living conditions really make you stop and think of what can be done to help her and her family. She provides so much for her family, extended family and her neighbors, that this selfless entrepreneur should really have the resources to help out her cause.
The sad thing is, is realizing that there are many other families that are living in the same conditions or even worse in Haiti. This is why this project seems like such a great way to learn about others and to get involved in creating a better lifestyle. We can help think of plans for these entrepreneur, as well as help provided needed materials to help start or increases ones business.
This is definitely something that will affect many hearts of students at Penn State University, where providing materials shouldn’t be difficult. Compare all of your materialistic objects you have, like phones, computers, TVs, iPods, and realize a lifestyle without them. These materialistic valuables aren’t important when it comes to what the biggest value in your life is. It should be ones beliefs, goals, friends and families. This is why we should be able to help those less fortunate to provide them with necessities needed to jump start their careers, and then in turn help provide for a better lifestyle for these entrepreneur.