en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/4230063 Comments by CandyCoatedCatz http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/16/george-zimmerman-vs-marissa-alexander/#IDComment342781787 I don’t know if this article is really fair. The story about the woman being arrested for trying to defend herself from her abusive husband really does not have much to do about race. I have heard of multiple different circumstances where an abused wife has been put in jail for trying to defend herself against an abusive partner, and a majority of them involved white couples. Now, I can see how the Trayvon Martin/ George Zimmerman can be considered a case about race (I’ll come back to this later), but what Marissa Alexander experienced is not a problem that is solely experienced by blacks. Now, I am in no way saying that she should have been punished, in fact I think that this is a great injustice to her. But this is not about race, if anything this is an example of the failure of the justice system and women’s’ mistrust of the system. So, the connection between the Trayvon Martin case and the Marissa Alexander case just seems ignorant to me. Believe it or not, not everything is about race. Now, in regards to the Trayvon Martin case, at first I did not know a lot about the specifics so I did a little bit of research. Obviously, I don’t really trust most forms of media so I went to a bunch of different sources. And basically at the end of it all, I felt like I knew even less than when I began. Each source said something different, even each witness saw something different (if they even saw anything at all). All of it was just really shady. BUT, although I wasn’t completely convinced of anything, I was really weary about the fact that the shooting was a result of racism or racial profiling. Although Trayvon’s skin color may have alerted Zimmerman (which is wrong), if I saw anyone walking around at night in the rain with a hood on, I would have at least given them a little bit of extra attention, especially if it was my job to keep watch of the neighborhood. I feel like the bigger problem is that Zimmerman took his job way too seriously, had a false sense of superiority/’duty’ and was trigger-happy. Let’s face it; this is a prime example of what happens when you give an idiot a gun. He does not have any training, and neighborhood patrols should only be used as a way to tip off the true authorities, not act as vigilantes. It seems like Zimmerman made A LOT of calls to the police over the course of time that he was on patrol, and I’m sure many of those were not necessary. The fact of the matter is, no one really knows what happened that day. Everyone seems to be saying something different, so we all need to stop accepting everything we hear or see as the truth. Even if race did play a part in this, I feel like this should not have caused such a racial divide as it has. And don’t forget, George Zimmerman is Hispanic not white, so I’m not even sure why the media portrays the world as black and white, nothing really makes sense to me at this point. I feel like the bigger issue in all of this is gun control, and that a young man is now dead. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:46:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/16/george-zimmerman-vs-marissa-alexander/#IDComment342781787 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/10/voices-from-the-classroom-146/#IDComment337242616 Fear is so prominent in our daily lives. I know I love watching shows like Law & Order: SVU or Criminal Minds, because they are so entertaining and interesting. And I can easily get creeped out by what I see on TV shows like that, but people need to realize 1) these are meant for entertainment purposes and 2) they are not real. We really are surrounded by violence all over the media, whether it is a TV series, a movie or even the nightly news. Violence, tragedy, and fear sells. The entertainment industry produces what we want, and it’s not hard to see that the news stations love focusing on the negatives. So I think that is where this cynicism comes from. A lot of us don’t look for the good in things. I know that my parents gave me the whole ‘don’t talk to strangers speech’, but other than that they gave me freedom to explore. I used to always ride my bike to school when I was in elementary school, one time I was mauled by a dog, but that’s not the point. Other than that, I was completely fine and I learned to not fear the world. I feel like with each generation, we as a whole confine ourselves more and more from fear of the unknown. Kids aren’t getting those real world experiences like they used to, and they are certainly missing out on some hilarious memories. A couple of years ago I read the book titled ‘Fear’ (I forget who the author is..) and it was about how society’s fear is used as a way to control us. Whether it is the fear of planes, strangers, disease, or whatever, these fears cause us to stay stagnant. We are so afraid of the consequences, that we never take any action. It was a great book and it really got me thinking about how fear can have such a strong hold on people. A lot of the things that I used to be scared of are things that are out of my control anyways, so why bother worrying about it? The majority of people are good, and as I go out and interact with new people each day, it is reinforced even more. We need to give each other a chance to show our character. Now, I’m not saying that we should all go around handing out fliers with our social security numbers on them, or get into a van with a guy promising us candy, but to just not be so pessimistic. One of the best feelings is being pleasantly surprised by someone, but without giving them a chance, we will never know that feeling. So, overall I would say that we are conditioned mainly by the media to be fearful of almost everything, but we can over come it. Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:08:11 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/10/voices-from-the-classroom-146/#IDComment337242616 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/03/voices-from-the-classroom-140/#IDComment333609661 Interesting, I think this a really loaded question. Not only is it weird that we need a person to act as a ‘middleman’ between us and God, but why do we need an organized religion with a name to feel close to him? Personally I was raised catholic and I do believe in God but I often find myself questioning if organized religion is really the way to go about connecting with God. For a lot of people I feel that it gives them a sense of security to have a relationship with a more ‘divine’ individual that appears to be more deeply connected to God, or whatever you want to call him or her. I know that a lot of close friends or family members of mine tend to lean on their local priest, deacon, kohen, etc in order to make themselves feel closer to the higher being that they worship. In my opinion I think that the main reason these intermediaries are needed is because just the idea of this all powerful creator in the sky is just too abstract of an idea for people to grasp on their own. It is just too out-there for many. So throughout history, we have turned to others who claim to have experienced some interaction with a celestial being. The unknown is a scary thing, and having some sort of explanation offers a lot of comfort. Without a person telling us what to believe, how to act, what will happen to us after we die, we would be forced to practice free will..How terrible! Don’t get me wrong, I have learned a lot about being a good person throughout the years by attending mass and taking part in church activities. But, and this is going to sound terrible (especially since good Friday was an hour ago and Easter is right around the corner), I can’t help but think that all of these traditions, ceremonies and rules are just a bunch of bull shit meant to control us. For me, I don’t need a person to tell me what to believe or how to act, I have my own unique relationship with God. I believe he is there, and I try to be the best me I can be. I’ll never quite understand what gives these religious figures (mere mortals haha) the right to preach the ‘word’ of god. Yes, priest in a sense ‘marry’ the church, but not all religions are like that. What makes these individuals more qualified to interact with God that others? All of this being said, to answer the question: most of the time, religion offers people inner-peace, and many need some type of vessel that carries the word of God to them, reinforcing that whatever religion they are practicing is right. People need others to support them in what they are doing. Sat, 7 Apr 2012 04:58:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/03/voices-from-the-classroom-140/#IDComment333609661 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/27/voices-from-the-classroom-134/#IDComment327367467 This is a great question. I always get confused when people get so offended about certain stereotypes when it does not apply to them. Maybe they are mad because they feel that they are wrongly being judged? Or maybe they think that it is offensive to other people that they know who may reinforce whatever the stereotype is. Most of the time, I find that the people who are in uproar about stereotypes are people who it is not targeted at. If I would fit into a stereotype, I would find it funny. A lot of times the most sensitive are not even affected by the said stereotype. The guy in the video has a great point, and I feel like he went about asking the question the right way. The whole idea of stereotypes is so confusing. Those who fit the stereotype, usually don’t care, the ones who do not fit the stereotype usually have two reactions. They don’t care, or become super angry and defensive. I feel like it is mainly because they think it puts them in an unfair disadvantage. If this is the reason, I can see where they are coming from. If I were to walk in to a job interview and be judged just by what stereotypes that the interviewers believes to be true about me, I would get really upset. In a short time period, I wouldn’t be able to prove the stereotypes wrong, and I would feel trapped. As a white, well off woman, luckily there are not too many stereotypes working against me. But as another race, I can’t even imagine what I would be like to have that weight on my shoulders. Even if people were not judging me for the stereotype, just the thought that they were would really frustrate me. The more I think about it, the more I think that having a bunch of negative stereotypes directed at me, even if they aren’t true, would cause me to become really paranoid. It is hard for me to take stereotypes seriously, because I have found so many to be untrue, and none are really associated with me. So, at first I thought it was so ridiculous for people to react so harshly when people joke about stereotypes. But the more we play in to stereotypes, the more engrained they become in to our society. Humor has the ability to both make things more lighthearted, but also turns these serious issues in to something that should not be taken so lightly. What I am trying to say is that I guess I do not really have a right or enough information to judge why people get so offended, because we are not in the same situation. Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:18:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/27/voices-from-the-classroom-134/#IDComment327367467 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/22/voices-frorm-the-classroom/#IDComment322713524 First off, the way this girl asked this question was very well done in my opinion. I like that she didn't just give the audience two options either give up the chair or not. Instead she also gave the option of sharing the chair, which I feel a lot of people over look as a possible solution. If I had to just chose between the two original options, I would say that the white girl should not give up her seat, because she can't be held accountable for what her ancestors did. This is similar to blacks being enslaved by whites in the past. Our current generations were not the ones taking slaves; we are not part of that atrocity. Although this was a horrible thing to happen, and I’ll never be able to understand how people could be so cruel, we can’t be blamed for what past generations have done, although this is often the case. So, getting back to the question, if sharing is an option, I would absolutely choose that. That seems to be the clear winner. It’s so sad how an entire group of people were forced out of their homes and given so little land that they can call their own, and I truly believe that the Native Americans are probably the worst treated group of people in history. And the worst part is, is that not many will acknowledge that what was done to them was even wrong. Many would call what happened to the Native Americans to be an unfortunate result of progress. But progress can be made without hurting others, and sometimes I feel like people need to step back the see what their actions are doing to others. The downfall of sharing the chair is that many would not agree to it. It is an ideal solution, but the problem with ideals is that they aren’t usually attained. Why would whites and other races that kicked out the Native Americans be willing to give up ‘their’ land and share it with these outsiders? Although I’m sure that people like myself would be willing to help make this a reality, still a majority will probably be indifferent or against the movement for equality. Although we are not responsible for the actions of people of the past, we can still try and make the present and future a safe and happy place for everyone. It’s important to learn from the past, so we don’t make the same mistakes they did. So, overall, I would hope that everyone will pick that the white girl and native American girl should share a chair, there is enough room for all of us and I can only imagine how better our country would be if we could really unify with the natives. Maybe, one day, we can get over our egos and make this ideal a reality. Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:11:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/22/voices-frorm-the-classroom/#IDComment322713524 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/13/voices-from-the-classroom-119/#IDComment317120105 I'm so happy that someone is finally addressing the twitter feed. I love to take part in the #soc119 twitter, but most the time, I'm either joking or being rational. Twitter is a forum for people to voice their thoughts a opinions, but they need to be at least a little logical, or not entirely idiotic. I feel like so much of what is posted is completely, I don't like to usually say this but, retarded! That is the only word that I feel completely describes what is being said. Most of the time I just sit there and either laugh or want to vomit after reading what some students post. I feel like, obviously, the people tweeting the most are the ones who are the most outspoken, and who have the strongest and most stubborn beliefs. This is why they are lashing out so much. They claim to be 'open-minded' but as soon as one of THEIR beliefs is challenged, they throw a huge ass fit. It’s embarrassing and they are making themselves look like complete jackasses. I feel as though the comments have been so negative lately because Sam has been diving into two topics in which people are ultra sensitive about: religion and war. It is clear that the people lashing out are insecure with their beliefs. Those who are truly faithful or open-minded will listen to what others have to say and, if they disagree and actually have a legitimate argument, they will respond accordingly. Coming off with hot-headed remarks will not get you anywhere, and this is one of the main reasons debate and politics are so frustrating to me. No matter how much logic you spew at someone, at the end of the day, they will still believe what they chose to believe. Hopefully, after listening to Eric’s question, people will go back and read some of the things they have posted during class, and see how close minded they are coming off. Until they come to the realization that they are only hearing what Sam is saying, instead of actually LISTENING, they will continue to be lost. So, to go back to what I was saying before, I feel like people have been getting so defensive and closed-off recently is because they are finally beginning to be uncomfortable. Before, Sam was just sticking to race relations, which isn’t too controversial..but now he is beginning to question things that people were raised to believe. Religion and supporting troops/wars are so sensitive for people, because to many, those are black and white. Many people think whatever they believe is right, and until all people of the world become truly open-minded, there will continue to battles over the things that aren't meant to be fought about. Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:12:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/13/voices-from-the-classroom-119/#IDComment317120105 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/01/voices-from-the-classroom-117/#IDComment306355056 This question annoyed me a little bit. Other than the hair argument, I feel like saying that Penn State caters to only white people is false and ignorant. Penn State offers so many opportunities for all of its students, and it is each individual’s responsibility to take advantage of that. The only thing that is legitimate in this question is where she says that there are not salons in state college that caters to people with 'ethnic' hair....or I don't know how else to say it. Anyways, I felt like she is almost blaming whites for the lack of black hair salons. What my response to that is, sorry but you need more black business owners to come into the area then? It's not that Penn State is catering towards white, it’s just that whites don't need as much specialty treatments or stores/products. When she says that there are more Dominican hair salons where she lives, that’s because more Dominicans live in that area. Here at Penn State, some guy in the crowd threw out a statistic about the percentage of blacks in the college and it was a small figure. So, it makes sense that businesses are targeting the majority, because the overall purpose of a business is to make money. Each area has more businesses that cater to the majority type of people that live there. Doing the opposite would be economically irresponsible. That is the fact of business and life. That is unfortunate though if people do have a lot of upkeep of their hair and they have nowhere to go to get it done properly. Maybe they could call out to salon owners to either get stylists that specialize in certain types of hair or maybe even open up a new salon that would target people of other ethnicities. But I must say that the hair salon is the only legitimate point that she raises in her question, in my opinion. I’m getting so sick of hearing about all these complaints. If someone doesn’t like something about their university or life in general, then instead of talking about it all the time, DO something. Very rarely does just talking and complaining actually solve any problems. There are so many groups on campus that are open to all races, genders and sexualities that there is literally a place for everyone. Yes, sure there are some close minded people and close minded groups, but that happens everywhere, not just Penn State. The purpose of life is to surround yourself with people that support you and fuck the rest. If you feel that Penn State is not catering to you, then make it cater to you. Start your own organization, or contact business owners and try to get them to help you out. Fri, 2 Mar 2012 16:10:10 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/01/voices-from-the-classroom-117/#IDComment306355056 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-112/#IDComment301015956 But as long as they do have talent, they can still strive. Life is all about making the most of what you have, and living up to your full potential. Everyone must overcome their personal stereotypes to become happy and successful. I hope that people do not get discouraged by other peoples’ opinions of themselves. The people that mostly play into discriminating groups of people due to unproven stereotypes are unintelligent and close minded in the first place, making their opinions unimportant anyways. It is sad that even when there are talented Asians, they are still good ‘for an asian’ Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:07:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-112/#IDComment301015956 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-112/#IDComment301014225 The backlash of fans saying that Jeremy Lin is only getting attention for being Asian really takes away from all his talent and hardwork. It takes away from his talent and instead focuses on this race. I’m not sure why everything always has to come back to race. It doesn’t make sense but the stereotypes of races are so ingrained in our society that they are going to be hard to overcome. The final line is that stereotypes are an obstacle, but they can be overcome. Life isn’t easy and we all have something or someone that is trying to hold us back, the trick is to not let it get you down. Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:04:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-112/#IDComment301014225 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-112/#IDComment301013718 For example, we were talking about LINsanity in class, this is a good way of showing how rare is it too have talented asians athletes in things other than chess and other mind games. So it is possible that the asian stereotype can hold asians back in areas of athletics and in relationships. Since Sam showed the quote about tiny asian penises, that is a common stereotype..so maybe females wont be interested in them. So the Asian stereotype can cause discrimination, and definitely negatively impact Asians in their daily lives. But as long as they do have talent, they can still strive. Life is all about making the most of what you have, and living up to your full potential. Everyone must overcome their personal stereotypes to become happy and successful. I hope that people do not get discouraged by other peoples’ opinions of themselves. The people that mostly play into discriminating groups of people due to unproven stereotypes are unintelligent and close minded in the first place, making their opinions unimportant anyways. It is sad that even when there are talented Asians, they are still good ‘for an asian’. Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:03:41 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-112/#IDComment301013718 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-112/#IDComment301013516 I'm confused about this question. When Sam asks about how the stereotype that Asians are smarter than other races is negative for asians, I'm just not understanding how that is a bad thing. If asians are considered to be smarter than others, people may give them more opportunities. Employers may be more inclined to hire them etc. In class I feel like everyone wants to partner with the 'smart' asian kid so they can get a good grade, as long as they can speak somewhat fluent english. I guess I can see that maybe then they can get taken advantage of, or maybe others will have too high of expectations of them. Or even maybe they will let down people who think they are smarter than they actually are. They could get really stressed out that they will let people down, even their parents. Other than the education area, the stereotype could affect asians in other areas of their lives. Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:03:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-112/#IDComment301013516 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/15/voices-from-the-classroom-105/#IDComment295156436 It was difficult for me to choose a blog question to respond to this week. This is because I feel that none of them apply to me, and that I don’t have enough knowledge to give an educated response. However this question was the closest one that I could find. I do not consider myself a creationist, or an atheist. I was raised as a Catholic and was taken to Church every Sunday with my family. It was a tradition, we would go get brunch afterwards every Sunday, and unfortunately I have to say that the main reason I would go to mass each week was to keep my parents happy, and to go out to eat. That sounds terrible but it really connects with what Sam is saying how we are raised to believe what our parents believe. If I were to denounce Christianity, my parents would be heartbroken. My father’s beliefs have been passed down for generations. But, as I grow older, I begin to realize that what they have passed down to me isn’t quite Christianity, but it is just molding me to become a good person. They aren’t Jesus freaks, they just want me to be well rounded. We don’t talk about religion ever, we are just all responsible for living good lives and being good people. I believe what I chose to believe, but what I believe is not public knowledge, just because I believe one thing, does not mean someone else’s beliefs are wrong…that is why they are called beliefs: they are not facts, they differ from each person, as they should. When it comes to the talk of evolution, I can’t help but to laugh. Both arguments are so ignorant. Creationists rely solely on faith to guide them. They just believe that God created everything as it is. That is just foolish, there is evidence of creatures evolving over the years, and to just ignore science is senseless. However, the atheists or those who are convinced in evolution have some evidence, but nothing has been proved. It’s insane for people to fight about an issue that no one truly knows the answer too. I cannot say how the world formed, or how we came to be because I wasn’t there when it happened. I have no idea, and neither does anyone else. Creationists: your faith gives you strength, so believe what you want as long as you aren’t hurting anyone and you are not blindly following. Atheists: Keep searching for what you think happened. If evolution is true, eventually you should be able to find some solid proof to prove your theory. It’s just so frustrating to see religion cause problems or fights. Religion is supposed to offer peace, but instead it causes wars. But no, that isn’t true either; humans start wars for whatever reason they can find. Some people just need something to fight about, if it isn’t race, religion or politics, they will find something else to persecute people for. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:59:42 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/15/voices-from-the-classroom-105/#IDComment295156436 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/02/voices-from-the-classroom-98/#IDComment287457591 Honestly, I do not feel that the question the student asked is about race, rather it is about the female gender as a whole. People often want what they don't have, it does not mean that each race is envious of another. I believe that this is a universal feeling that all or most females experience. Personally, I don't feel envious of other people ever. I have naturally curly hair and I love it, and get many complements, but I do enjoy mixing it up. I will straighten my hair usually on the weekend to change my look. I'm sure that some females, especially african american girls who have trouble growing out their hair do sometimes get jealous of others who have long, full hair naturally. But this happens in every race, it is just personal preference that comes into play here. Asians are also known to have great lucious hair, and surely women of other races often wish their hair was a full as theirs. But overall, the question is not a matter of race, it is more the pressure of what society pushes on us. We are programmed at a young age to think certain things are beautiful, and that we should look a certain way. I was raised this way, and I can honestly say there is not one overweight person or someone who does not take care of themselves in my family. It differs from each culture, nationality, gender etc..it just depends on how you are raised. It is sad that everything seems to be about race, when in my opinion, it isn't. A person's upbringing and experiences hold a greater part in their lives than their race does. The society that we are brought up loving in molds each and every one of us, whether we like it or not. I hold more physical stereotypes rather than racial stereotypes in my mind, and this is how I think. It does not matter what color you are, it only matters what you choose to do with your life and the choices you make. To continue, this question of females wishing they had the traits of others and wanting to be seen as beautiful is a great example of how females of all races are truly the most oppressed ones in this world. No matter what race they are, we are constantly being judged. You will rarely see men fussing about their appearance, because the world tells us that men can look completely disgusting, but if they have money or a great personality, they can get a beautiful girl. You constantly see pretty women dating the most disgusting men, because we are taught to look past looks. While most men are looking for that great looking lady. The funny thing is, is that this standard is so engrained in my brain, that I know I am being influenced..but I just don't care and won't do anything about it. If I ever got fat, I could never love myself, if I don't look perfect whenever I go out, I can never have a good time. I hold such a high standard for myself, that I am constantly thinking about going to the gym, what type of heels I should go out in, what new dress I can go and buy today with my parents money. And I love it. It just shows how powerful society truly is. I am such an individual person, but I love pampering myself, and looking great..because that is the only way I know how to be happy. If I look good, I feel good. This doesn't mean that people like me have a low self esteem, its quite the opposite actually, but I think I speak for a lot of females when I say when we are around people that we actually care what they think, we want to look good for them. It's just the way it is. Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:02:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/02/voices-from-the-classroom-98/#IDComment287457591 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/31/voices-from-the-classroom-94/#IDComment282321595 The only people who are originally native to this country are the native americans. People came from all over the globe to make a life for themselves and their family, they either adapted and succeed, or refused to change and eventually failed. Obviously, it is improtant to be accomodating to people who are not familiar with the area, and are not fluent speakers in your language, but this decency is only applicable to a point. If i were to go to a forgein country where I did not speak their language, I would be courteous and hope that someone would find it in their heart to help me out. However, it is a shortterm trip so I would not be expected to learn the language if I am just there to visit for leisure and don't plan on staying. This hospitality should not apply for people who come to America and plan on living here, but refuse to learn the language. I understand if they are newly arrived and are still learning the basics of english, but it is NOT ok to come here and expect everyone to stop their lives to make sure you are understanding everything and adapting. If you move to a foreign country to live for a long period of time, and plan to raise your children there, then it is your responsibility to learn the native language and pass it to your children. You can still be true to your roots and speak spanish, but when it is neccesary, learning english is imparative to survival. It is frustrating enough to try and see people trying to understand eachother, imagining having to deal with someone who doesnt speak or understand english is annoying. If I were to decide to move to another country, I would learn their language so I could thrive in my new environment and not be a burden for anyone. The question about whether or not we are too accomodating to spanish speakers is a difficult one to answer. I myself am not too accomodating, however I rarely come in contant with those who only speak spanish. I think it is great to other minorities scholarships, however it should be based on grades not race or origin. I am sure that some areas of the country are more patient than others. If you are a hardworking individual, you should succeed, it is your job as a human being to adapt to your surroundings. Survival of the fittest, the strongest will prevail. I asked my friend waht she thought, and she mentioned how annoying it is to have to press different buttons for different languages, and it got me thinking about all the other aspects in life where different languages are accounted for. This is actually a difficult reply to make because I don't know much about policies regarding foreigners living in the US. Fri, 3 Feb 2012 01:00:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/31/voices-from-the-classroom-94/#IDComment282321595 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/24/voices-from-the-classroom-91/#IDComment274638494 This is going to sound cliche, but I couldn't help but think about The Band Perry's song, 'If I Die Young' during this past Soc119 class. First I would like to say that everyone was in uproar about the penn state scandal, and quickly turning against Joe Paterno. Yet, as soon as he dies, they start to remember his accomplishments. 'Funny, when you're dead how people start listening'. Joe Paterno's death accomplished three things. First, it brought back attention to what he has done that is positive (it caused people to stop talking about what he didn't do, but instead what he did to). Second, it also caused the current students, alumni and others to come together and unify to mourn his death. Tragedy unifies people like no other. The third, and most important, is that I hope it causes people to focus on the vicitims of the scandal. I can only hope that now that Joe is laid to rest, ideally, everyone should look to ways to prevent child molestation and help bring justice to victims. It really saddens me that perverts exist in this world that would exploit children, and what is worse is that it is a never ending cycle. Sexually abused children are more likely to become abusers as adults. It's the terrible reality, and the only solution is to break the cycle before it can start again. We need to make sure that we are not blinded by Penn State pride, and really recognize that there is a problem. It is hard for me, and I'm sure many other people, to even imagine what it would be like to be a victim of abuse. I was lucky enough to be raised by an amazing family, and I do not even know anyone that has been abused. It is easy for me to become distant to the problem, but it was important for me to realize that this does happen. I can only hope that other don't try and ignore or avoid the problem because they do not want to confront the sad truth. And to the victime, I just wish that they would know that if they need to talk, or confront their abuser that people will not judge them..they have nothing to be ashamed of. We would all understand, and be willing to help! maybe one day, the topic of sexual abuse will become less taboo, and then the abusers will be prosecuted so they cannot ruin anymore lives. I'm really disgusted that people who were abused themselves would then become abusers themselves, I don't get why they would want to spread their sickness. I just hope that everyone will remember the victims of the scandal, and not let their love for Joe Pa and Penn State overshadow the truth. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:40:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/24/voices-from-the-classroom-91/#IDComment274638494 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/20/questions-from-class/#IDComment270087013 Americans take the 'American Dream' for granted. To us, it is all we know. A lot of us did not have to ACHIEVE the American Dream, instead we were handed it. It was passed down from our parents and grandparents, living in nice homes, having fashionable clothes...I honestly don't know anything else. If my parents ever told me 'No, you can't have nice things' or something to that extent, I would throw a huge temper tantrum. I am spoiled and I admit it. People of other nations come into our country and have to work for what they have. They hold the American Dream so highly because they have to EARN it. That is why I feel that immigrants take the American Dream so seriously. Maybe one day they can achieve the dream, and then they can pass the good fortune onto their offspring. Hopefully their children will realize how lucky they are to have what they have. I am not saying that all Americans are spoiled, but I feel that a majority take what they have and what they are given for granted. The American Dream is to strive for happiness and success, in my personal opinion. Also, to me an American is someone who holds the ideals of the United States and have great pride in our country. You don't have to be white to be an American, you don't have to be rich, it doesn't matter what your race, religion, or sexual preference is. The idea of illegal immigration is where things get a little blurred for me. I feel that illegal aliens are capable of being my idea of an American, but the fact that they did not complete the citizen process annoys me. Even if it takes a long time, it is worth it. The fact that they can stick through the process proves that they ARE and American. They are hard working, and care enough to become a citizen is the ultimate way of proving that you are worthy. The American Dream is what you make of it. I'm getting sick of talking about and discussing the American Dream. It exists if you want it to, or you can call it a marketing ploy. Seriously, people need to stop complaining about this American Dream- it is an ideal, but not for everyone. Make yourself happy, live up to your potential. If you live up to your potential, then, there...you have achieved the American Dream! Who created this dream anyway? Who put the word 'American' in front of it? Was it marketers trying to entice immigrants over, and now people are complaining about all the goddamn immigrants that actually WANT to come here? Or was it citizens from other countries that were thinking 'the grass is always greener on the other side'. OR was it the Russians and they knew the American Dream would cause this flood of immigrants, which then would cause the republicans and democrats to fight with each other and NEVER ACTUALLY GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED? Conspiracy... Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:02:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/20/questions-from-class/#IDComment270087013 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/20/questions-from-class/#IDComment270073902 Americans take the 'American Dream' for granted. To us, it is all we know. A lot of us did not have to ACHIEVE the American dream, instead we were handed it. It was passed down from our parents and grandparents, living in nice homes, having fashionable clothes...I honestly don't know anything else. If my parents ever told me 'No, you can't have that new pair of shoes' or something to that extent, I would throw a huge temper tantrum. I am spoiled and I admit it. People of other nations come into our country and have to work for what they have. They hold the American Dream so highly because they have to EARN it. That is why I feel that immigrants take the American Dream so seriously. Maybe one day they can achieve the dream, and then they can pass the good fortune onto their offspring. Hopefully their children will realize how lucky they are. I am a not saying that all Americans are spoiled, but I feel that a huge majority take what they have and what they are given for granted. The American Dream is to strive for happiness and success, in my personal opinion. Also, to me an American is someone who holds the ideals of the United States and has great pride in our country. You don’t have to be white to be an American, you don’t have to be rich to be an American, it doesn’t matter what your race, religion, or sexual preference is. The idea of illegal immigration is where things get a little blurred to me. I feel that illegal aliens are capable of being my idea of an American, but the fact that they did not complete the citizen process annoys me. Even if it takes a long time, it is worth it. The fact that they can stick through the process proves that they ARE an American. They are hard working, and care enough to become a citizen is the ultimate way of proving that you are worthy. The American Dream is WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT. I’m getting sick of talking and discussing the American Dream. It exists if you want it to, or you can call it a marketing ploy. Seriously, people need to stop complaining about this American Dream it is an ideal, but not for everyone. Make yourself happy, live up to your potential. If you live up to your potential then, there...you can achieve the American Dream! Who created this American Dream anyway? Was it marketers trying to get immigrants over, and now people are complaining out all the goddamn immigrants that actually WANT to come here? Or was it someone from other countries that were thinking ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’. OR was it the Russians and they knew the American Dream would cause this flood of immigrants, which then would cause the republicans and democrats to fight with each other and NEVER ACTUALLY GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED? Conspiracy theory. Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:44:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/20/questions-from-class/#IDComment270073902