Being from a large diverse city, I always thought that I really knew a lot about race and ethenicities, just because I have a very diverse group of friends and neighbors. I grew up going to school with people from all races, so for the most part I have always been open to people of all races. Just because I would see different people from different places, and was not afraid to interact with them, I thought I was a pretty diverse person and there was not much that I needed to learn about it, because I already felt comfortable enough with different people.Being part of a minority group, I already assumed that it automatically placed me in the category of a diverse person. After taking Soc 119, the way in which I view race has definitely changed tremendously. I thought that because I was part of the minority group I knew about everyone else, failing to ever put my self in the shoes of people of other groups like the majority group. I have realized that a lot of my focus has always been on the diversity of the minority group, and everyone else but the white people. Until I took this class I never really thought about the "white" perspective on things. I always just thought about myself and the fact that I am a minority, but I never really thought about how white people feel towards certain things such as race. When Sam taught us about the six different stages, I really got insight into how other people think. Not all of us are on the same stage, so we all feel different about race, and in turn act different towards different racial groups. In a way knowing this now makes me more understanding of people and the way in which we view each other. There are so many things that go into the way we think about each other, that is so much more deeper than the way we look.

Being in this class has taught me that there are different things about my race that I should not ignore. Sometimes I used to feel that in order to get through certain things it would be better to just simply ignore the facts and go along with the flow. When it comes to me being a minority, I often tried to always tell myself that we are all equal in this county and maybe I did that just to make myself feel better.But as Sam pointed out we are truly not. Instead of ignoring the facts, I have learned that no matter what, certain people are always going to be on top, whether it as a racial/ethnic group or an economic group. I have learned that I can not ignore race when it comes to everyday life, and as much as I want to say that I don't see race, I should because our race impacts not only how people view us and the opportunities that are given to us, but also how we decide to live our everyday lives.

After learning how common sexual assault is, I can admit that not only am I shocked but I am also scared. In my family, we are all mostly young girls which scares me even more. When I think of all of the great friends and family that I have,I could never imagine any of them going through something like sexual assault, but the truth is that someone has been through it, and that really worries and hurts me. Sexual assault is something that we could never imagine going through because we think that it could never happen to us, or the people around us, but the fact is that it does. The older I get the more I think about issues like this, which is why I have started to worry more about my younger sisters and my friends. Growing up I've had a few friends admit to me that they have been victims of sexual assault. It was hard for me to understand why people would do such a thing, but I have always supported those who have shared their stories with me. After Sam explained how often sexual assault happens, I really started to get worried. A lot of times, when I think of sexual assault I only think about females, but sexual assault happens to everyone. It breaks my heart when I hear stories of young kids specially boys. A lot of girls have friends or family that they can trust to tell them about such a sensitive issue. Even if its just a best friend, a girl can share her experience instead of keeping it all in. For boys, it is a lot harder because there are not many people that boys would feel comfortable with sharing that they have been sexually assaulted, which makes this a deeper issue. As a parent I know that I am going to be VERY careful with my children and the people around them. The only thing that really worries me is that most of the people who commit sexual assault are people who are really close to you, the people that you would never suspect. Another thing that I find shocking is that many people are sexually assaulted but because it was by a partner they feel that it is ok. Under no circumstance, no one should ever force anyone to do something they don't want to do or feel uncomfortable doing. I guess what I have learned the most is that sexual assault is common among all of us, and within our families, and the question that will always stick with me is, can I really trust anyone?I know that it is not ok for me to go on in life paranoid about the well being of my siblings,friends, and my future children, but the truth is that this is an issue that matters to me and worries me.

I think that the reason why only twelve percent of white people think that they will do better than their parents, is because of how our generation is being brought up. The previous generations before us, usually work harder and really want to get ahead. For many of us, our parents work harder and harder everyday because they wanted us to have a better future. They want to achieve the American dream so that by the time we are around, we do not have to worry about the same things that they had to worry about. This can create a mentality that doesn't incorporate working hard for some people because things have just been handed down to them.
White people are less likely to say that they will be more successful than their parents because their families have had the American Dream for more generations than other groups like African Americans and Hispanics. Since white people have had more chances to be successful and have not faced some of the same struggles as other minority groups, it would make sense that while other groups were struggling they were still able to get ahead and be successful .Since they have had success for such a long time, this leaves the new generations of white people with not much to succeed in or stand out in, because the previous generations in their families have achieved it all and are all in a good place. For some, working hard is something they will never know because of the advantage of having a many generations in their family that have been successful.
Some Hispanics, for example, come from immigrant families who have been here for only a few generations. Since these families have only been here for a short period of time compared to white people, they are still reaching for the American Dream, or to just get ahead in general. Every generation makes more and more improvements, for the next generation. They work harder and harder because they don't want the next generation to go through their struggles. The more and more adjusted the group gets and the more the generation works towards success, the more opportunities the future generation has, therefore making them more successful than their parents. Many Hispanics today are still working on the American Dream,but I think that the longer this group is in this culture, eventually there will be a generation that will feel that they will not be a successful as their parent, just like some white people feel. We are a generation that is getting things handed down to us, and some of us don't really have to work for things,which makes us lazy and just go with what we are giving instead of going out there looking for bigger and better things.

If immigration would come to a halt in the United States, it will really affect everything about the American culture. When I think of the United States, and what it stands for, I right away think of a melting pot of ethnicities races, colors, and different cultures put together. The United sates is the only country that has the diversity that we have. Immigration laws will really have an impact on our unique population and culture in general.
Immigrants play a big role in the American culture, not only because of how diverse they make our population but because of the contributions. Many immigrants, specially the ones like my family who come from Latin countries, are willing to work for very low wages. The main reason why they come here is searching for jobs so they are willing to do whatever it takes to provide for their families. Many immigrants are stuck doing the jobs that many "Americans" will never do or will not be able to handle a good example of this is what Sam showed in class, where the farmers in Alabama were suffering and losing a lot of money because many were not able to handle the jobs that were previously held by these illegal immigrants.
There will also be a change in the way we advance in the future. Many of the smartest people who are here in the United States do come from other countries. Education in many other societies is viewed and emphasized in a different way than it is here in the United States. We have a bigger freedom to explore more but in other places in the world, one must be successful at math and science, like we discussed in class. This is where a lot of the great technological advancements come from, people from other countries who immigrate here to the United States. It would be extremely hard to advance and be one of he best countries in the world without the intelligence and contributions from immigrants of other countries.
Since the beginning of time, America has be the land of the immigrants. It will be hard for me to think about this country and not think about what we stand for. The combination of cultures and the diversity, are what I believe will continue to make this country successful, but if immigration ends I can see things going down hill. Who will do the hard low wage jobs that everyone avoids? And who will come up with the next great technological advancement? Not us. We need to work together with people from all over the world, in order to continue to advance in this fast changing world.

When I was younger I lived in a Spanish speaking country so obviously, Spanish became my first language. After moving to the United States, it was very easy for me to pick up the language, but it was not the same for the older people in my family. Many young children come here and English becomes their language of choice for everything because their parents want them to speak the dominant language. For me that was not the case. My mother made it clear that in order to communicate with our family we will HAVE to always speak Spanish, they didn't speak English so I just didn't have a choice. In a way I feel very lucky that even though its been 10 years of living in this country and going to all English speaking schools, I have been able to maintain my Spanish. When I am home with my mom and other older family members, Spanish is all I speak. When I am with my sisters and cousins Spanglish is our favorite way to communicate! I love that it comes so natural to us and in a way, you don't really have to think about what you have to say because you can play around with words. It basically comes down to which language pops out of your mouth faster and which words come easiest to you, either in Spanish or English.
After being in college and away from home, the only person that I truly speak all Spanish with is my mother, so when I go home for longer periods of time my Spanish can be a little shaky at the beginning. I do wonder how I would sound if I didn't practice Spanish with my mother, since lately I have been getting too used to speaking Spanglish with the people around me. One thing is for sure, I will always try to maintain my language as much as I can even if it is through Spanglish.
When I watch shows that are in Spanglish, I do feel more connected to them. I feel like they understand my generation and my culture more. The only bad thing is, that it creates bad Spanish usage because people don't learn how to properly speak the language. Many people are shocked when I tell them that I am fluent in Spanish and can read it and write it. People are surprised because Spanglish or English is what's common today for my generation.Many people think it is bad when you are Hispanic and can not speak the language. For me it is not about what people think, but about what my culture and family means to me. I feel very proud of myself when I go back to my country and can hold a long conversation in Spanish.It gives me a sense of belonging and makes me realize that even though I am not living there, I am still part of the culture.When I have children of my own ,I know that Spanglish is going to be used around them the most, but at the same time I want them to be able to properly speak the language and represent our culture.

I don't think that hanging with a crowd that is different than yours will make you a poser. I actually have respect for people who decide to step out of their comfort zone and be different to reach out to different people with whom they feel a connection with. Many of us have friends that are very similar to us because that;s how we feel comfortable. To me it is not about your race but how your personality is. Just because I am a certain race I should not be expected to hang out with people that look like me. Just because we look alike, does not mean we have anything else in common but our skin tone. I guess it is a bigger deal for different people, depending on your specific background. When you see a black or brown person in a group of white people, some might see that as a sell out or poser, who thinks they are better than their own group. Another case is when you see a white person in a group of black and brown people, some might see it as "cool" because they see that person of the superior group is laid back enough to hang out with the minority group.

I think that at this point I feel very comfortable being part of different racial groups because to me it is not about race but about who you are as a person and the things that we share in common. Some people go their whole lives rejecting other racial groups, maybe because of pure racism or because of comfort issues.The only problem that I see with "selecting" the race of your friends, is that you miss out on so many great people and you also miss out on great learning experience from people that are different than you. Most of my close friends are from a different racial background than I am. I never really had a group of latin friends until I came to college. Through high school we had a group of friends that was very diverse, and I think that being part of such a group has definitely made me very open minded to so many things and people. I don't think I acted as a poser, I just happened to join a group of friends that I felt really connected to, and they all happen to be a different race than I was.

Many people see you as closed minded if you decide to stick to people that are of the same racial groups as you,but you are also seen as a"poser" if you hang out with people that are different than you. I guess what I can take from this is that no matter what you do, people will criticize who you hang out with, so just go find people you feel comfortable with and be happy!

Having a gay child might be a scary thought for many people I know. To me having a child that is gay, would not be a problem at all. A lot of parents from past generations clearly state the fact that they are not Ok, and will never be Ok if their child was to be gay. I think that for my generation, it is something that will not be an issue since we are becoming more and more accepting of it. I feel like we should accept everyone regardless of their orientation, because at the end of the day we are all human and we need love and support from our families, and the people around us.

A lot of my family members are not accepting of the gay community, specially the older men in my family. Most of them grew up in a country in which being openly gay was something that you never saw, so to them it is still something that they do not accept. Most of them have never really opened up and given a gay person the chance to be their friend, which is where I think the misunderstanding comes in. Since they have never really had any relationships with gay people they assume that all gay people are bad, but in reality they are not really giving them a chance.If there was a gay person in my family today, I know that it would be very hard for that person to come out. In a way they see it as a disappointment.

I do not have any gay family members, but I always say that if anyone's child were to be gay in my family, I would much rather have it be my child. To me it doesn't really matter if my child is gay or not. I know that I will support him or her to the fullest and at the end of the day that will still be my child. Sometimes I do wonder how as a parent I would deal with it, but I am sure I will treat him or her, as I would treat my other children.I guess the hardest thing would be trying to convince the rest of my family that only because my child is gay, he or she is not a bad person. I know that it will be very hard for some of them to understand, but in the end of the day I know for sure that my family would support my child. I feel like by the time I start a family, the gay community will be more accepted and it will not really be a big deal if my child is gay or not. All I can do is be there for him/her and hopefully the people around me will do the same.

In our society, and in other societies throughout the world, women have always been seen as being more innocent than men. From the time we are very young, girls are taught to behave in a certain way and you see that aggressive behaviors for example, are more tolerated for boys than for girls. As human beings we want to fit in, which is why most women behave in ways that make them be seen as innocent, because that is what society expects from us. One common thing that I see throughout cultures is that men are able to explore more and be more out there than women.Society allows men to behave in certain ways, which is why there is such a difference in between the way a man behaves and the innocence of a woman. Cultural expectations and stereotypes, are what make it hard for us to see women as a criminals or being capable of committing brutal acts. Women are just as capable as men to commit crimes, the only thing is that they are able to get away with it more often, because it is not expected from them.

Compared to other cultures, I think that American girls are the least innocent. Girls from other countries are very uptight and have a lot more pressure than we do here. I love the freedom that we have which allows us to do and say more things than women in other societies can't. Back in my native country, a girls image is everything. By everything I mean from the way she dresses, to the way she acts, even the music she listens to! Girls are supposed to ALWAYS behave as ladies, and many of them really fear judgment just because respect is so important to us. Many of the girls that I know are always aware of what they are doing and what they are saying because they don't want to be seen as disobedient or ruin their good girl image. One mistake can really ruin a girls self image, which is why many of them are afraid to mess up. Whenever I go back and visit, they find it so shocking that I am so open minded and that I am willing to speak up and say what I feel whenever I want. Even though I am more outspoken than most of the girls there , I still find myself watching how I behave and the way I dress, because I do want the respect from my family and I do want the culture to accept me. Sometimes I feel like in a way I don't truly act like myself when I am there.I have a lot of respect for my culture, but I can not imagine growing up like some of my family members. To them it is an American "thing", and I do agree with that. I don't think that if I were to live there, I would be as independent as I am today. What innocence entails varies depending on what country you are from and the things that are expected of you as a female. In my country I am seen as more out there, while here in America I am told that I am probably the most innocent person that people have ever met.

I think that it is easier to support a war, when you are not living in the country where the war is being fought. many of us go on with our days and we never really think about all of the violence and death that is going on, on the other side of the world. We can not fear something that we do not know and are not familiar with, so we continue to fight this war because we are not the ones who live through it everyday.

One thing is for sure though, we who live on the western part of the world, have been lucky to not have so many of these deadly wars happen to us. As an American who lives here, I sometimes feel ashamed because I don't take the fact that I've never lived trough a war, for granted. There are many people who have only known war their whole lives, which to me is not fair. Not only are many innocent people the victims of these conflicts, but also the families of the people who go to these wars have to suffer as well. As we have spoken more and more about war, I continue to think about my life and how different it would have been if the war that is currently going on Iraq was to instead be going on this part of the world. I know for sure that our outlook on war would be very different