I guess when I think of people in prison I don’t really think twice about it. I just assume that they did something in their life to deserve to be there and that’s where they are…plain and simple. My point of view on people that kill other people is a life for a life. I am not saying that I necessarily support the death penalty because I don’t really think killing somebody is the answer to solve the problem. However I do think that if a person takes somebody else’s life then they should spend the rest of their life in prison having to think about the crime that they committed and how it affected the lives of that person they killed. I understand that people make mistakes and that we should give people another chance but I guess I kind of look at it as the person who dies doesn’t have another chance at life or to make up for anything so why should the person who committed the crime be able to? This letter that the “lifer” wrote really got me thinking though that despite how heartless I may think they are because they could kill another human being, they still are human and they still have lives outside of the jail. Whether it be children or a spouse or just family in general, it makes me sad that they never have the chance to go back to that life that they had outside of the prison walls. I understand where this letter is coming from, that he is trying to make people realize that just because the people in jail for life have killed another human doesn’t mean that they don’t have feelings like you and I. That they do feel hurt and pain and sadness when somebody they are close to dies. That despite the fact that they killed somebody when something happens they act like normal people and feel just like normal people. Just like in the letter that he wrote, that it’s just a natural instinct no matter what to feel remorse for somebody who has lost another person close to them or even that despite how much you may hate somebody, you still feel bad for them and you want to try and comfort them to the best of your ability. I completely understand that people in jail for life feel hurt and remorse and they are just like you and I…and that they made a mistake in their lives that I’m sure a lot of them wish they could take back but sadly it doesn’t work that way and the reality is that they still killed another human being. I guess that’s where I get held up…on the fact that they killed another person and they have to pay for that…as sad as it may seem and sound. I don’t think people should get a second chance even if they do feel bad about it because the person they killed won’t get a second chance and that’s just the way it is.

I personally think that the play hit on a lot of good issues. Women care way too much about what they look like and what others think about them. Women are always trying to outdo one another in appearance and when they are in class or out in public we tend to look at what others are wearing to see if we look better than them. But why do we do this? Society has put such pressure on women to look good all the time and that if we dress down or not what guys expect us to look like then we are considered to be “tom boys” and guys aren’t attracted to us…and it goes the same way for a girl looking on a girl. If a girl sees another girl that is dressed down or hasn’t done her hair then they are thought to be dirty or even a lesbian. Though what would happen if women didn’t care about what they looked like? Women didn’t have to wear makeup or dress up to impress one another. Would our society be any better? Would we have less to stress about or would it just make people worse off?
I personally thought that the play was really good. It kind of took the opposite approach to what you would assume women would want. Usually women are getting their boobs larger and the thing to have is large breasts. However the play depicted the girl as not wanting any breasts at all. It really makes you think that “wow, so women really don’t want big breasts or they would rather have small ones” But I guess it confuses me as to why some women would want that? Almost any guy I know would say that they want a girl with bigger breasts or even girls for that matter. Ask any girl that has small breasts and they would tell you that they want bigger ones. So the fact that it was the opposite through me off a little in the play but at the same time it proved a good point. That all women are different and that we need to realize that no matter what we are all beautiful in our own way. We don’t need plastic surgery to make ourselves more beautiful or for magazines to show the prettiest women. It just makes people feel bad about them which can be attributed to the high suicide rates among young women. Is it really worth selling products when tons of young women are being affected in a negative way towards these perfect body images they are idling to be? People just need to be proud of who they are and accept that they are beautiful in their own way.

These video games are unreal. I don’t understand why anybody would want to play a video game where the main objective is to rape somebody and torture them. The only thing that is going to result from people playing these video games is the actual thing happening. People may argue that its better that these perverts do it in the game rather than in real life, however at the same time it is only feeding their desire to want to do it and for them to want to go out and do it for real. These games are acting on sick perverted people’s pleasures and it really makes you wonder what our society has come down to that we have to make these kinds of games now. What is it teaching our kids? That it is ok to rape somebody and hurt them…it’s the cool and fun thing to do. That’s messed up and it is the last thing we should be teaching our kids. However at the same time all the other video games out there are just as bad and corrupting kids just the same amount…however we don’t see too many people up in arms about the fact that you can shoot an old lady with a bazooka or kill thousands of people in tortures ways. The thing that really makes me wonder is why our society feeds off these games so much? You see people standing in lines for days in order to own one of these games and then to sit there and play that games for hours upon hours. What is the fascination that the world has in harming and killing people? It is just making our society more corrupt and telling people that it is ok to do these things in the game because it is against the law in reality. Well there is a reason that it is against the law and people should understand that. If it was something that was good for us and wasn’t going to harm us then it would be legal…but it’s not. So where do we draw the line on it being ok to portray this stuff in games and what people can’t portray in games? What will the end result be on the effect on kids and what they will grow up to want to do and think is ok to do? People really need to think about the consequences that these games are going to have on our society. Even when they are playing these games, what sick fascination do people have in being able to do these things? It’s as if they wish they could do it to other people in real life but they can’t so they do it in a video game. Well it’s wrong and people need to think twice before they support these games by playing them and buying them.

These video games are unreal. I don’t understand why anybody would want to play a video game where the main objective is to rape somebody and torture them. The only thing that is going to result from people playing these video games is the actual thing happening. People may argue that its better that these perverts do it in the game rather than in real life, however at the same time it is only feeding their desire to want to do it and for them to want to go out and do it for real. These games are acting on sick perverted people’s pleasures and it really makes you wonder what our society has come down to that we have to make these kinds of games now. What is it teaching our kids? That it is ok to rape somebody and hurt them…it’s the cool and fun thing to do. That’s messed up and it is the last thing we should be teaching our kids. However at the same time all the other video games out there are just as bad and corrupting kids just the same amount…however we don’t see too many people up in arms about the fact that you can shoot an old lady with a bazooka or kill thousands of people in tortures ways. The thing that really makes me wonder is why our society feeds off these games so much? You see people standing in lines for days in order to own one of these games and then to sit there and play that games for hours upon hours. What is the fascination that the world has in harming and killing people? It is just making our society more corrupt and telling people that it is ok to do these things in the game because it is against the law in reality. Well there is a reason that it is against the law and people should understand that. If it was something that was good for us and wasn’t going to harm us then it would be legal…but it’s not. So where do we draw the line on it being ok to portray this stuff in games and what people can’t portray in games? What will the end result be on the effect on kids and what they will grow up to want to do and think is ok to do? People really need to think about the consequences that these games are going to have on our society. Even when they are playing these games, what sick fascination do people have in being able to do these things? It’s as if they wish they could do it to other people in real life but they can’t so they do it in a video game. Well it’s wrong and people need to think twice before they support these games by playing them and buying them.

I always knew that race was an issue that affected everybody in the world but I never thought twice about it affecting children that young. We grow up with all these ideal images in our heads of what is pretty and what is not pretty…who is good and who is bad…but I never realized how much it truly does affect how we think when we get older. Watching this video of these children and how most of them didn’t even think twice before they picked up the white baby doll shocked me a lot. I guess it’s one of those things where you subconsciously don’t want to believe that our children are growing up thinking that black people are bad and ugly and that white people are pretty and good. If anything we should be trying to teach children that race doesn’t matter…because it doesn’t. Who cares if I have white skin and you have dark skin? A persons personality matters so much more and I just wish that people could understand that and try and teach the next generation that. However seeing this video I realized that isn’t how it is and it probably isn’t going to be that way any time soon. Society doesn’t help this either since they always make white Barbie dolls or doll babies so much more appealing than ones of different races. Growing up, I never had a baby doll or Barbie doll of a different race, it was always white. I don’t think that it was every because I thought that other races were bad and I didn’t want them because I had been told they were not as good as white dolls, it was just something I didn’t think twice about. Even in Disney movies you see the white characters always so much prettier and always in a good role. Then ones of a different color were never quite as pretty but at the same time they had the same facial features as the white characters. Along with that the ones of color were cast in “evil” parts as well, not just good parts as if saying that white people were always good and could never be evil. These were things that I never thought twice about when I was younger and I’m sure that the kids in the video didn’t think twice about the roles they are seeing on TV. I think that it is sad to see the generation that is coming about growing up racist already. It is sad to watch the kids in the video feel bad about themselves because they aren’t the same color as the doll they picked and wanted to be. I think that we need to start teaching kids to love themselves and to not feel bad about themselves on the color of their skin.

When Sam first brought up the issue of “bleeding” in class I was a little uncomfortable and frankly disgusted. Even though I am a women and I am not ashamed by the fact that I get a period every month, it just isn’t something that I want to know about other women or for others to know about me. I suppose it is because I just don’t care when other women have their period, is it going to benefit me in any way to know that another women in bleeding? No…it is something personal and is in no way beneficial to know….Sam gave the example that it is just something that women face and is part of our bodies, just like our hair growing or our nails. However I don’t go around telling people that my hair is growing or that I need to cut my fingernails every 2 weeks. Those kinds of things just aren’t talked about and why should they be? I agree that people should be able to speak freely about the fact that they are bleeding and that we should not be ashamed by it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we should.

The only reason that I feel it would be beneficial to speak freely and openly about bleeding is to make guys understand what goes along with getting a period every month. I have so many guy friends that just don’t want to know when I am on my period or anything about it, yet they get upset with me and make fun of me for the way I am acting because of my period. Even my boyfriend for example cracks jokes and gets disgusted by the fact that I have my period. He will tell me that I am bitchy or that he is expecting more mood swings than what I am having…or if I am in serious pain he just doesn’t understand why I can’t just suck it up and move on with my day instead of curling up in a ball on my bed not wanting to move or to be bothered. Then there is the whole issue of guys not wanting to touch a girl when she is on her period. I am not saying this is true for all guys but most guys I know will avoid anything involving too much touching or being affectionate. I don’t have some kind of disease and I won’t harm you in any way if you touch me… most guys are just disgusted by the fact that you are bleeding and it turns them off greatly…but why? Nothing has changed about me besides the fact that there can be no sexual things done during that week, but does that mean that there can be no kissing or cuddling or anything normal for that matter done in that week? Guys need to get over it and realize that we have no control over our periods and if we could we would make it stop and not have it just as much as they would like it not to be there.

The story of Yvrose is an inspirational one. She literally took a bunch of chicken heads and corn meal among other things and turned them into a business that profited her. Even with a fifth graders IQ she was able to understand difficult economic principles and come up with the most profitable ways to run her business. Even in deprivation and the harsh circumstances she was able to overcome all the obstacles of education, poverty, slavery and harsh environments. If she was in America she would truly one to go up against. If she was given a proper education and everything that Americans are given then she would probably be a very rich successful women. People in America really don't realize the benefits that they really have. Americans go through the educational process without realizing how lucky they really are to have that kind of education. This woman was able to learn how to become business savvy with basically no education at all. If Americans took that initiative and actually took their education seriously because they had to make it in this world without all the money provided to us in America then our society would benefit greatly.
However at the same time it makes me wonder if this woman had to become this way because of the circumstances that she was living in. She had to become business savvy and learn how to support herself and make money in such a harsh unforgiving environment and country. We do things that need to be done when we are in trouble and need to survive. Our survival instincts kick in and we have to figure out what needs to be done to make it in this world. However if she was in America and had money, would she have needed to learn how to become such a good business woman? Or would she become like what most Americans are, lazy? Americans seem to have everything handed to them in one form or another; we don’t really know what it is like to be poor and have to do what it takes to survive. If we weren’t handed everything would it make a difference in our society as to how people’s work ethic would change? Would they want to work harder and actually apply themselves and value their education? Americans don’t seem to value their education or the opportunities they have. It is like Americans are ignorant of what they have. So if somebody like Yvorse was born in America and grew up in our society would she have the same drive and apply her smarts the way that she HAS to in Haiti to survive? I really don’t know and it makes you really wonder how much our developed country matters in how much people apply themselves and how smart we would really be.

I personally don’t think that it is right to tear a family apart just because of a same sex partnership. People need to realize that by deporting people back to countries or whatever isn’t really solving anything or making anything better. It is just causing more animosity and people need to just butt out of other people’s lives. Personally I am against calling same sex union’s marriages because I am religious and I don’t just say that I am a Christian, I follow and read the bible. I personally do not have a problem with people that are gay or that want to live their lives with somebody of the same sex but I do not think that they should call it a marriage. However calling it a marriage or a union is one thing, but tearing a family apart and deporting them just because they are of the same sex is outrageous. However if they are really that worried about it then maybe they should go to another state that legalizes gay marriages and try and get one. Then they won’t have such a problem or at least less of a problem when it comes to immigration problems. There is always some kind of solution for a problem that we have. I’m sorry but if you want to live in America then you have to go by our laws and rules, even if it doesn’t make you the happiest all the time.

I think that this guy is an idiot and there is no excuse for what he said. Calling people animals just because they are poor or on welfare is absurd. Just because he had money and thinks that he is better than other people he thinks that he can call people whatever he wants and thinks he can get away with it. The fact that his grandmother told him this when he was younger, that they are like animals just makes it worse. To say that you shouldn't feed the stray animals frustrates me to no end. Why would you not help another human being no matter if they are rich or poor. If you see somebody in need of help and you are able to help them, then that what you do. You don't just say to yourself, ' oh, they are just animals, if i help them then it wont do any good so I'm just guna ignore the fact that they are starving or homeless." People cant help their economic status and whether they have to be on welfare or not. Just like Sam said in class, if your family is poor then you are most likely to be in that same economic status when you get older. Sometimes things are just out of our control and we try our best to pull ourselves out of a hard time. But just because some people aren't able to do so or they have something that is stopping them doesn't mean we should call them animals and there is no need to help them because it wont do any good. This guy should not be in politics at all, he shouldn't be in charge of anything involving people...he is a jackass.

I think that Brooks in blowing this whole white messiah crap way out of proportion. Where I agree that white people are usually seen as this powerful savior of some kind, I really don't see why it matters. Who cares if white people are seen as saving other races or if other races are seen as saving white people...who cares? Though I am white and I obviously don't know how other races feel about this depiction. They may be highly offended by this depiction and see it as being put down by the white race. Though honestly in the bigger picture why does it honestly matter how a MOVIE of all things depicts heroes and people in trouble.

However I do see why the white race may be portrayed in such a light. America seems to be the country that everybody turns to when they need help. Just like in Haiti now, America was expected to help Haiti and give them resources. Just because WE ARE America. I am not saying that we should not help out other countries in need but what do people expect when that is what we are being told by society that we need to do...go and help countries/races in need. So of course when we go to a movie we are going to see the white race depicted as the heroes of the story because we are not able to be seen as anything else. I am not agreeing that this is wrong or even right...I just think that people are blowing this way out of proportion and there are a lot more pressing issues to be worrying about then what some guy trying to make money is making a movie about.