Thursday lecture was very interesting. I learned things about my gender as well as the opposite gender. With that in mind it is a really tough question to answer. But if I had to choose one I would say that I learned more about the opposite sex. I learned about the certain things like the feelings and if we lived in a female- centered world. Also how they act in a “bonding” moment.
I can truthfully say that I know some of the feelings that females go through. Being raised by women, I was taught how to respect the stature of a women and how to be put through the challenges that women face. So I know it is hard for women to go through certain obstacles. With the information we got from Sam and Laurie, it was very interesting to learn more than I have to. I think we do not look at the way our society is now. We do not give a second thought on if our society could be a female-centered world. Before class started we had to comment on what we thought about a female ruled world. It was interesting to see how many men, commented on it saying things like “it won’t happen, we [men] are inferior.” One other thing was “it would be a life of torture for men. We it would be a life of Lifetime, Snapped, and Bad Girls Club. It was horrible to see the comments that were out up on the screen, but that is how people really feel in this world today.
Another thing was to hear how women deal with sex. Having a girlfriend now, we realize how it is get the same feelings a man gets when he is aroused and ready to get working. Also it surprised me how certain magazines such as Cosmo that teach a women to look good, how to please your man and other stuff. In this society now we are fitting into the male gaze and it will not end. This lecture was really interesting and know the relationships I have I will keep in mind what was said by Sam and Laurie.

This article really touched me. It shows a lot more than it tells. The sentence that C. said, “It’s our relationships that we as inmates have and continue to build that will determine who we become in the future,” speaks to me. I do not have a close relationship with my family, especially my mother. The only person I am close with is my grandmother. Being raised, my mother always told me, “I’m raising you to be a man, someone that will treat everyone the way they should be treated,” she said. “Not to be your father.” But what I was going through and what she was teaching me seemed like she wanted me to be my father. Because of our relationship I have anger problems and I have stepped up to be someone I never thought. I can be an asshole, but I support my family (mainly my siblings) every day. I work four jobs; go to college, pay my own bills, send money to support my family and try to have just me time. But because of how our relationship is with each other it is just not enough. I have two sisters (18 years old, 8 months) and two brothers (16 years old, 13 years old) and I support them all, but they feel that it is not enough. They all feel that the only reason I went to Penn State is to not be near them and forget about them. With that in mind one brother went and joined a gang and never comes home. My sister got a full scholarship to University of Virginia and never comes home at all and changed her number, so she doesn’t hear from any of us again. Which leaves my two youngest siblings at home and unprotected and the little brother is following in my other brothers footsteps. The last sentence that C. said, speaks to me because what if it is my fault that I led my siblings to go their separate ways. Maybe I am accountable for not having a close relationship with my mother and that led them to not have a close relationship with each other. What if my way of thinking of myself being a man and taking on these responsibilities was just me having an ego? My relationships have not determined who I have become today or even in the future. Well I don’t think so. This guys “family” is his inmates. They have been there when he had no one and he is leading them somewhere to build a better future than they have now. He also has family with people that stay in contact with him, such as his English teacher or his friends that are now businessmen/women and doctors. I don’t think I have any of that. I believe this person should get another chance. I do not know him and do not know what he has done to end up where he is, but I believe he should get another chance. If this article is real I will keep him in my prayers.

This article is really inspiring. It shows how soccer is more than just a sport to this country. After the earthquake, it seemed like the country could not look forward to anything, but with the inspiration that this sport brings to the people of Haiti, they never have their heads down. The people do not look at how talented a person is or the statistics of each person like we do here in the United States. Soccer is something that brings the country together. Like in the article, soccer is important, it is their second religion.
How track and field keeps me going is the same how soccer keeps Haiti going. Through these hardships that they face, something that keeps them going every day is this sport. They always have their heads high no matter what they are put through and they show pride when in tough situations. I guess soccer means that much to them. It shows that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and with a sport close to them as this makes them know that the country will get back on their feet.
Money being donated to HFF shows the people that there are steps being taken to rebuild Haiti and they oar on their way back up. My best friend Jason background is Haitian. He always supports them no matter what and in fact he plays soccer all the time. When he plays he puts on something that has to do with Haiti (flag, jersey, etc.) He has every FIFA video game that has come out for a system and plays with either his favorite team or Haiti. To me it is just showing his sense of pride for his country and how he represents it to the death. What the people of Haiti are going through now, if they keep that pride and respect, they will overcome, that is Trials and Tribulations.

I come from Brooklyn, NY. Two or more people speak another language around me all the time. Sometimes I am not offended, but other times I am. Even though it occurs all the time in that city and it should not bother me it does. On the bus, train, anywhere, there will be a couple or just two people that will board the mass transit and look at you then begin talking about you in another language. You know they are talking about you because of their movements and the way they look at you besides everyone else. It could be me just paranoid, but I think they talk. One day I was on the bus and these two Spanish girls came on the bus and started talking in English and changed the language to Spanish. Because I am dark skin and do not look anything like I am close to being Hispanic or Latino, they thought I could not understand them. But I am Panamanian; all we do is speak Spanish. So I went up to them and started speaking Spanish to them saying “I understand what you are talking about and all the jokes you both are saying does not offend me because at the end of the day you both look like fools.” After, I just got off the next stop.
There are other reasons why a person might feel uncomfortable around two people speaking another language. One main reason would be just because they don’t understand the language. If two people start a conversation in another language while you are with them the person might try to understand so they could interject and participate in the excitement and the laughs, but they end up not comprehending, so they just sit there and listen. It makes it feel like the two people speaking another language, shunned you out and you really cannot do anything. Something you can do to prevent this in the future is to try to be around people who speak a different language. Try to get the little words that they speak. Then you will advance to making sentences and eventually understand and speak it. It is to become more culturally aware and not make it seem like you are just a person there.

I know that racism still exist, everywhere. But as I was growing up I did not realize that it was very extreme in a lot of cases around the world, especially in the United States. When I first experienced racism was when I came to college. I went to Penn State Schuylkill, located in Schuylkill Haven, Pa. In this town, you have some people who are nice and if you live off campus and see you walking will offer you a ride to campus. But there are people who do not like us coming to the town and would do everything for us not to come to their town. The Schuylkill campus has a great majority of African Americans living both on and off campus. The first time I witnessed racism was at cross country practice. I was one of 3 black kids on the team and we practice on the streets of Schuylkill Haven/Pottsville, Pa. One day we ran 3.5 miles and while were running cars are passing us honking and stuff (because were on the side of the highway), then there is this pick-up truck that passes us and the passenger in his car sticks up the middle finger to me. I thought he waved, so I smiled and waved back and kept running. All of a sudden the driver pulls over and they both get out of the car and approach me. They both cursed me out and one of them said why dont you take your brown sugar ass back to the ghetto ass town you came from. We dont need any niggers in our peaceful town. I did not know how to react to the situation. I just stood there and took the comments. It is then when my team mates came and told me to move and reacted by yelling at them and resulting in a fight. I was angry at myself for not speaking my mind, but at that instant I was just surprised that this situation was going on, especially to me. I think from that situation is when I became more aware of the situation (pre-awakening). Without that I feel I would be closed minded to the issue of racism. From that day though, I look out for racism and realized while being in that town, that it happens a lot. You cannot go anywhere without someone of a different race judging you and making a comment. I also realized that I have witnessed a racist event in my hometown and because I was shy and did not know the person I kept my distance and did not say anything. Now that I have become more aware of things, I try my best to call someone out when they are doing it or try to see ways that I can prevent it from happening.

This might be hard to answer only because the answers by everyone can be right or wrong. This was a really good question that the person asked and something he makes us all think about. I feel that black and brown people are more expressive of their problems that white people because of two reasons. One reason is that maybe because they have the same issues going on and they want to make it noticeable to the public. Another reason I feel is that they want to be dependent on someone because they feel they didnt do this to themselves. White people may not be so expressive because of the opposite. They may feel like they ended up like this because of what they have done or the certain actions they have taken to end up where they are now. From watching the video that Mr. Richards showed us in class it seems like the white lower class people feel that they dont want help from anyone and because they ended up there, they can find a way to get out. It is more of an ego that they have or maybe a sense of embarrassment for letting others know how their living or how their way of life is. Black and brown people are taught to be more expressive or more outspoken of how they live because they try to get someone to help them improve their homes, community, and even themselves. The poor white people blame themselves and because of that, try to make a better living for themselves and their family. Like I said before, this is a difficult question to answer, because we dont know the real reason. We are just giving our opinion.

When I came across this article(s) and reading what Mr. Richards commented, I thought about just being against Valentine’s Day. The way I thought of it as, was a day where you have to cherish your boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife by buying flowers, cards, bears and chocolate. When you should be doing that every day that you are together. That is how I feel. My mom always told me it is a Hallmark day, I never knew why, but as I grew older and started buying things for either someone I liked or my girlfriend, I realized why she told me that. When you get into a relationship, you should treat her/him very special like it is a day of love. You have to share the moments that make you both smile and enjoy, not just get a bear and candy. But the article explains something else. When I read the article I felt that at first it was unnecessary. As I read on to finish the article I also felt that is their way of life. It is pointless to put people in jail for the actions that couples do. On the other hand, they are taking steps to prevent premarital sex and maybe child birth at a young age. I feel it is the choice of the people. If you feel that you should not celebrate then have it banned, but if you do, just know the consequences that follow.

Part 3: If not then you either make matters worse or making yourself go unnoticed. Lupe is deep and this line could mean something powerful, but it could just be that people should just speak up when they have something to say instead of not saying anything. I will keep this in mind because it reminds me of myself. I am a very shy person, but I have a lot of things to say and I just let everyone else talk. When I get the opportunity to speak my mind, I just say “I have nothing to say.” I will keep this close to always jog my memory to let me know that I need to be more outspoken.

Part 2: This quote can have a different affect on everyone. Also, it could relate to some of the issues we discussed in class or just see outside of class. I feel it just goes back to free-will. You have the power of saying what you want or doing what you need to, but there is someone or just yourself that is holding you back from it all. In addition to that I think it’s saying that in the society that we are in now, we stay behind the curtain and don’t act on the things we hear. It could be either that were too afraid to do things that we hear or that we choose not too because it’s not our problem. Violence is never the answer and saying silence is worse should speak out to people. It says that everyone has an opinion and making your voice heard is very important.

Part 1: Lupe Fiasco is my favorite artist. He has a lot of deep songs. He is not just a rapper because of his mentality and what he says. He is more of like a poet to me. The quote, “I think that all the silence is worse than all violence,” means to me that with everything going on in this world. It’s not good at all just to keep quiet. Sitting in silence is not the best decision. It implies you have a fear of stepping up and fighting against the violence. Also, just keeping silent is pushing forward the violence. For example if two people have a problem with each other and don’t address the situation, they are both making a bigger problem. I know that Lupe’s song is mostly about regret (to me), and he is venting to a person because it not best to hold in the problem that you are having.