The topic of discussion in class revolved around the war in the Middle East being driven by “Christian Invaders,” and the fact that this war was being driven desire for the oil that’s located in the Middle East. The videos themselves were shocking to a certain extent, but the concepts were not that new or shocking to me. Just from recent events with the Sandusky scandal, it’s very apparent of how the media slanders information and events to look as extreme and irrational as possible in order to make good news. It’s no shock that the individual’s living in the Middle East think that’s we’re the monsters based on the little information they receive about us from the media and what circulates around the communities. For example, there was one picture Sam showed us in class of an individual who brought a gun into church. By no means is this standard behavior at all, but if that’s all one sees and that’s all that publicized, then that’s what you’re going to think is the standard. It was kind of disturbing though to see the differences in what pictures circulate each culture of American soldiers. Sam showed up one picture of an American soldier cradling a young child that had passed away due to the war, looking extremely heartfelt to give a sense of the wholesomeness American soldiers carry themselves with. I must admit, these are the pictures I’m used to seeing. Sam then showed us another picture of a family who had been killed by a US bomb. It almost looked as if the child’s leg was blown off. Of course these pictures don’t circulate our culture because of the message they send. These pictures give a negative connotation to American soldiers. I’m not oblivious to the fact that these things happen, I just never thought about these being the pictures that go around in another culture. We think they’re the monsters, and they think we’re the monsters. The truth being that we’re pretty similar. The videos and pictures only emphasized this concept, and this is the concept that I was referring to when I said at the beginning of this blog that I believed the concepts presented in this lecture were not that shocking. It’s this concept that can be used as the universal concept for this class. Sure a lot of individuals appear vastly different on the surface, but all in all, we’re the same. It doesn’t matter about the color of our skin, our beliefs, ect… instead the only thing that really matters and that everyone needs to realize is that everyone is human. We’re more similar than different, we just create these divisions by what we see and think nothing more of it.

How do I feel now that I know about the commonality of sexual abuse? Is it weird to say that I’m not that surprised? I know that sexual abuse is a taboo topic, but it is something I’ve thought about. What’s surprising to me is the commonality of sexual abuse among adults and children specifically. I found it quite disturbing that Sam bet on his mother’s honor that everyone in the room knows someone personally who has been a victim of sexual abuse from an adult as a child. We also talked about this unspoken silence that is placed over all those victims of sexual abuse. Who is going to stand up and speak against someone who has been abusive to them and call attention to the situation? Individuals in society don’t know how to talk to those who have been affected by abuse, so those victims don’t reach out to talk about it. The fact that the majority of these abusive encounters are with someone that the victim knows personally, whether they’re family or a teacher, doesn’t make it any easier to speak out. This means that speaking out could sever family ties or ruin relationships. It could change reputations and the way everyone in a community treats someone. My point is, this silencing is why the commonality of sexual abuse is not addressed regularly. It’s pushed aside out of our everyday conversation, yet it’s a very current topic and happening to individuals all around us. I feel that because I have had close friends with personal experiences who have reached out to me, I’ve thought about this topic and have talked about it way more than the average person. Talking about it made me much more aware of how common this is, because after hearing personal experiences, I’ve come to the realization that this abuse can virtually happen to anyone. It’s scary to think about how many people this affects. And it’s extremely terrifying to know that society is completely oblivious to this. Now that the commonality was sort of thrown out there for a classroom of 700 or so students to ponder, it makes me wish that more people were aware of this and how serious it is. People should start talking about it, because addressing it is the first step to preventing sexual abuse in the future. I feel bad that most victims of abuse don’t speak out and have to live with this awful secret. It’s one this to be sexually abused, it’s another to be sexually abused by someone you know personally, and it’s another thing to have to face the aftermath alone. I wonder how this is ever going to change and if it ever will when this is a topic that’s not on everyone’s minds regularly.

The question is whether or not it makes me uncomfortable to be around people speaking a different language. I’m going to have to say that it depends on the situation. I don’t see anything wrong with people speaking in their native tongue, but I must say, for the majority of those encounters I’ve had being around individuals who speak a different language, I’ve felt a little uneasy. I know a lot of the time when I go to a nail saloon for a manicure or pedicure, I’m often treated by an Asian who speaks poor English. While I’m getting my nails painted, a lot of the employees (the employee treating me included) tend to interact and have conversations in a different language. A lot of the time I can tell by their mannerisms that their just having everyday conversation, but I can’t help to think in the back of my mind that they talk about their customers occasionally. This makes me a little uncomfortable, because I have no idea what they could possibly be saying about me right in front of my face. Another time I’ve felt uncomfortable around individuals speaking a different language was during the two weeks I spent in Chile. It was a huge cultural shock to me to be put in a place where virtually no one spoke English. I had taken many years of Spanish in school, but I still wasn’t even close to being fluent in it. It was very clear to me that it was obvious, if not only by my pale complexion but also by my inability to speak Spanish fluidly, that I was a tourist. I clearly remember trying to order a hamburger and getting snickers for my pronunciation. I was sort of on edge when the employees of the small local food stand were talking extremely fast in Spanish to each other and looking at me awkwardly. I didn’t like not knowing what they were saying to each other. Another time that I felt uncomfortable on the same trip was when a guy tried to offer my friend and I free ice cream while we were tanning on the beach. It was an extremely awkward situation to say the least. He didn’t speak one word of English, and our attempts at talking to him in Spanish did not seem to be successful. It’s really uncomfortable when you’re trying to talk to someone and have no idea how to communicate with him or her besides waving your arms around like a buffoon and trying to act out what you’re trying to say. If I’m passing by individuals having what seems to be daily conversation in a different language, it doesn’t bother me. On the other hand, if I’m interacting with individuals who speak a different language, it’s more times than not an uncomfortable situation.

I really have to live this to know exactly how I would feel in this situation, but I can make the best guess possible for how I think I would feel. I feel that Sam truly believes that the majority of the white popular would be closed minded and freak out if whites became the minority, but I can’t say that I feel that way in the least bit. I’m not sure exactly how I would feel, but I wouldn’t have the scared feeling that Sam proposed in class when asking white students how he or she would feel. I know this change isn’t something that would happen overnight either. Yes, thirty-five years is an extremely short period of time, but it’s still gradual when you’re living it. I’m white and come from a predominately white neighborhood with little racial diversity, and I didn’t feel any different coming into Penn State’s diverse population. I feel like the America is pretty diverse as it is, I just don’t see a lot of the diversity back home in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. That being said, I have been put in a situation where I was one of the few white people within a room of a few hundred black kids, some that I personally coached in rowing over the summer. Did I feel uncomfortable? Not really. It was different, but it really didn’t bother me. Did I feel like a minority and excluded? Well, I noticed the difference, but I didn’t feel like I was being treated differently or anything. I truly believe that the change that is supposed to happen over the next thirty-five years won’t affect how I feel too much. With that being said though, America is a white-centered area of the world. I don’t really know how the dynamics in the workforce and places where there are still discrimination would change. For example, I know that a love of African Americans, Indians, Mexicans, ect. use skin whiteners, because white skin is seen as beautiful and of higher status as we discussed in class. I wonder if a different skin color would better fit the definition of what’s beautiful if whites were the minority. I also know we talked in class about how whites get job preference over all other races, with the exception of Asians. If whites were a minority, I wonder if this would change the dynamic of race preference in the workforce. It’s weird to think about, but I’m curious if America will still be a white-centered area even if whites are the minority, if that’s even possible. I guess that’s what would affect me the most if whites were the minority, the shift away from a white-centered area.

Whenever we were going over the stages of being white in class, I automatically knew where I fit when the slide came up. I’m definitely in Stage 5 of being white. I’m all about the minorities, and I’m not even sure if that’s a good thing or not, because sometimes I feel biased to always prefer the minority. I look for extra approval from people of different races. I hands down would not mind in the least bit adopting an African American, Hispanic, Asian, ect. child and might even prefer it. Embarrassing as this is to admit, when I was younger I actually wanted to adopt four children of all different races. I have no idea what my thought process was there, but it’s funny to look back on. I feel completely comfortable around all races, have friends of all races, and love having such a wide spectrum of friends from all different minorities. In addition, I wouldn’t have a problem in the least bit dating or marrying a minority. I’m not worried about being discriminated against or if I would be looked down upon by anyone else for reasons I don’t quite understand. When I think of my friends, I’m going to say that most of them fall in Stage 2. They are aware of race, but feel awkward sometimes addressing it and always try to say the politically correct thing. The majority of my white friends only have other white friends. I come from a predominately white area in Pittsburgh, and that’s all most of my long term friends have known. While I got pumped about the diversity at Penn State, most of my friends feel the need to point out different minority groups and whatnot (not technically in a bad way or good way, but just as something different). This summer I actually ran a summer camp and taught inner city school kids in Pittsburgh. I showed my white friends some of the pictures from the experience while I was doing it, and most of their initial reactions were, “Oh, they’re all black.” I didn’t really see why that would be an issue or why that was weird. My white friends notice race, but they don’t have much feelings about it and are uncomfortable discussing it in detail. In my family is one of the few places where I can find someone in Stage 5 like myself. My older brother is definitely in Stage 5. He has a diverse friend group and is pretty much obsessed with Asian girls. He’s all about the minority and doesn’t have any discrimination within himself. It’s nice having someone to actually discuss race with and who doesn’t have biased views towards the white race.

I’ve actually watched this segment on Abby and Brittany a few years ago after it aired. Initially this was just a video I watched, because I found the girls fascinating. Now I see it as an extremely interesting video that can be used for the freedom vs. determinism debate, because it looks at determinism in the form of physical appearance and abilities in a new way. Being a conjoined twin creates an excess of difficulties, especially when surgery to separate individuals is impossible from having connected circulatory systems. This is completely determinism, because each girl could not survive without the other. Though their physical state was predetermined, Abby and Brittany have the free will to proceed with their lives in whatever way they choose. This free will of choice is limited in a sense though, because they have to talk and compromise on most of the decisions they have to make from the determinism of being born conjoined. They do have the free will though to have their own attitudes, beliefs, and feelings on certain topics. They have the free will to date independently and are viewed as independents when testing, even if it’s a test that requires both of their physical cooperation like when taking a drivers test. It’s pre-determined though that these girls will never have privacy. They will always have to compromise on where they want to physically go. They will have to decide together on the smallest of activities. These activities include simple everyday tasks, such as going to the bathroom. They will have to face the hardships of not only looking different, but struggling with daily things that are more difficult because of their physical anatomy. Abby and Brittany use free will to make the best of their physical state based on determinism. Free will and determinism can also be seen in the choices their mother made. It was pre-determined that she would have conjoined twins. Although the birth of conjoined twins was from forces outside of her control, Abby and Brittany’s mother had the free will to decide whether or not she was going to expose these girls to the entire world. Although she chose to expose her daughters to the world on a larger scale, she also decided to keep a lot of information private and within their family. Abby and Brittany’s mother understands the hardships that her daughters have to make on a daily basis. She was born with two daughters that would require extra care and attention. Their mother could have put them up for adoption or rejected them, but instead, she chose to create the best life she personally could for them. Determinism created an undesired situation that seems unfair. It’s free either trumps the situation as best as possible or handicaps an individual through life.

What would I do if my child were gay? I wouldn’t even think twice about this one… there’s no doubt about it that I would support him or her and give my unconditional love. Being gay is not something that anyone should be discriminated against, including my own child. Although I do believe that some individuals surround themselves and partake in gay culture because they enjoy it without actually being gay themselves, I also believe that being gay isn’t exactly a choice. Any one individual can’t help whom he is attracted to. My best friend is gay, and we have discussions about this on almost a daily basis. He said it took him years to come to accept himself as being gay and that he still struggles with it. He tells me how he tried to like girls and wished more than anything he was straight, but his body told him otherwise. He also told me of the time he finally came out to his parents. What was their reaction? Well his father didn’t say much, thinking he could be kidding but then was in full support of his son being gay. My best friend said he was so fortunate that his parents were so accepting. The support from his parents made him feel a little less alone and a little more comfortable. I would like to do the same for my child and let him know that he has a large support system behind him. Honestly, having as many gay friends as I do and having as many discussions as I have with those friends, I feel like I could appropriately accommodate the emotional needs of my child if he or she was gay. I wouldn’t know from personal experience what my child was going through, but I would know from some close friends how to help them cope in the real world if ever faced with being uncomfortable or having faced rejection. With the discussions I have had with some of my gay friends, I am aware that coming to terms with the fact that you yourself are gay and accepting yourself can be extremely scary and hard. Not being a supportive parent would be a complete lack of care on my part. The last thing I ever want my child to feel is alone or unhappy. So yes I would support my gay child. I would set up my son with my friends’ gay son. I would take prom pictures of my daughter with her girlfriend her senior year. I would do anything and everything to treat my child just the same with even a little extra care to make sure he or she is always at full potential for being happy.

When I try to think of a stereotype I buy into, it’s kind of hard, because there’s always an exception. I have caught myself in stereotypical thinking before, but overall, I tend not to buy into the typical stereotypes. One stereotype that I have realized is false throughout my lifetime is that “all people of Asian ethnicity are geniuses and do exceedingly well in academics.” False. Yes, some of the smartest individuals I know are of Asian ethnicity, but that also reaches to the other end of the spectrum. I personally know a large handful of individuals who are Asian and struggle with grades. Of the dozen or so individuals I know who have had to drop out of school, a fair amount of them were Asian. Instead of this striking me as being weird or an exception, I see it as being normal. I think it helps to not buy into stereotypes when you personally know people and can talk to them about it. One of my best friends is Asian and just talking about the annoying stereotype with him and making blatant jokes about it helps opens one’s eyes to see just how faulty this stereotype is. Another stereotype that I definitely do not buy into is that “all black individuals are uneducated.” That’s probably one of the worst common stereotypes around. The stereotypes of black individuals extend past being uneducated and go into being criminals and gangsters. I come from a mainly white populated rich suburb that had about ten black individuals in my high school of 2,000 kids. Although some individuals pushed to be under the delinquent category and gave teachers and students a hard time, for the most part, every single one of those individuals had a very bright future in front of them. Not one of them could have be considered uneducated. These common stereotypes have a weak base from which they are coming from. “Mexicans are lazy,” “Italians are mobsters,” and “Jews are cheap and greedy” are all stereotypes that I find myself joking about just because of how ridiculous they are. I’ve been to Mexico (rich and poor parts) and the proportion of hardworking individuals was higher than to those bumming around. I am mostly Italian and my family is probably the furthest thing from being in a mob. Lastly, a bunch of my closest friends and family friends are Jewish. I can honestly say that the most generous couple I have ever met in my entire life is Jewish. These stereotypes are overrated and have more than enough examples to disprove them is anyone who bought into them just opened their eyes. Ignorance is never going to disprove these dumb stereotypes.

The Haiti group project is great for raising awareness and potentially impacting a large number of individuals. After watching various videos of different entrepreneurs, I was impressed to see how many women were running their own businesses. One entrepreneur who I would buy from myself would be from Anaes Blaise. Her handcrafted bags are diverse and unique; some are crocheted, others are painted, some are large, others are made for laptops, ect. I agree with Sam in that these bags could do well in the United States, but I wouldn’t limit it to only finding “the perfect” bag that Penn State students would be interested in. One of the beautiful things about these bags is that you can pay between twenty-five to forty dollars for a unique, one-of-a-kind bag. Having a variety of these bags available in the United States, with sturdier handles of course, would have customers buying more if pleased with their first purchase, further helping Blaise’s business. Because each bag is different, Anaes Blaise could truly utilize scrap fabrics, such as old jeans, and make something beautiful, original, and desirable to consumers. Donations of these products and fabrics that can be collected would benefit her a great deal. Another entrepreneur who I believe has a likely bright future is Clorene Blaise. She’s an amazing seamstress who not only makes bags similar to Anaes’s, but she also makes shirts and clothing. I definitely agree with Sam that she needs her own tags to display her own logo in shirts. In addition to having uniform logos, addings features of extra pockets and whatnot to her purses will make them more desireable to the consumer. She could also benefit from a new silk-screening machine so that her prints can last multiple washings and so that she keeps her customers satisfied. Micro finance loans would help her buy these things and possibly a new sewing machine to increase efficiency. Increasing efficiency would increase sales and in turn increase profit and allow her to pay off the loans. Just about all of these entrepreneurs, and those who work for them, rely on these simple businesses to survive and make a living off of. Going off of the “out of sight, out of mind” principle, we don’t readily think about what’s going on elsewhere and more importantly what we can do to help. I think that Sam’s push for the Haiti group project is a great way to raise awareness and to start making a difference. We have the ability to help. We can provide the resources these people need. We’re all college students with creative minds that contain fresh ideas and new solutions that could benefit multiple entrepreneurs in Haiti. I’m curious to see how this project develops and to see to what extent Penn State students can make an impact.

What makes an athlete? Well, that’s a difficult question to answer, because it all depends on the sport one is taking into consideration. Having a heavy-lifting ironman body type, for example, won’t necessarily give an advantage on the golf course. As we discussed in class, different body types and origins from which these body types arose give certain individuals advantages above others in various sports. We know that sprinters have short torsos and long legs. Basketball players are tall and have outstanding hand-eye coordination. Gymnasts are flexible, muscular, and have a low body fat content. The ideal body type and traits of a cheerleader are to have rhythm, be able to project ones voice, to be short, little, flexible, coordinated, and to have small feet. The ideal body type of a football player is to be large, bulky, muscular, tall, and have broad shoulders. Although some sports have body types that overlap, for example basketball and hockey, the variety of ideal body types for all the sports in the world varies drastically. Because of all the different body types for various sports, it’s hard to define what makes an athlete. If there is a sport for every body type, one could say that what makes an athlete is motivation and success in the sport one chooses. The sport I’ve done for six years now has been crew (rowing). The ideal body for a good rower is to be tall, have a long torso, be muscular, have strong legs, and have a broad back. It’s also crucial to have a very keen sense of timing and consistency. Typically larger individuals tend to be the ones that excel at the sport, because they have more weight throw back and excel the boat forward. Some of the traits I have that make me good for this sport is a long torso, broad back, strong legs, and a good sense of timing. Traits working against me is having short legs and not being particularly tall or large. The traits I have let me succeed in the lightweight division of crew, but I would be dominated against any open weight female individual. My friends and family consider me to be an athlete because of my determination and success in excelling in the sport for my size and body type. An athlete is defined by the parameters one places on himself by sport selection and what aspects of being athletic one is looking at. Different aspects that could define being an athlete include being muscular, fast, strong, having a low heart rate, and being coordinated. Defining what makes an athlete all depends on the sport one is looking and/or the various aspects one considers necessary to be considered athletic.