Those pictures have to be some of the most disturbing photos I have ever seen. War is really dangerous. It really messes with you psychologically. Its one thing to take pictures of dead bodies for documentation but to take pictures with them. That is sick. Those soldiers where sick. Know wonder why the people in Iraq are afraid of us. I do not think those soldiers know the shame they have brought to their country. Things like this is what fuels the nations that hate us and want to see us fall. We need to lead by example. Those soldiers should get the death penalty for what they did or be locked in padding rooms. Where did they find the time to do this? If they had time to do this that means that the soldiers must all not be doing anything and they need to come home.

I do not know how any of them can call themselves American soldiers and do the things they performed. We are there to protect and serve. They are supposed to follow the mission at hand. The only other mission is to make sure that they all come home. Where did killing innocent people come into play? I cannot believe they wanted to harm and kill children. They really completely lost their minds. They killed a fifteen-year-old boy though?

This should not be taken lightly by the United States. They themselves should be charged as terrorist. I understand that those are just a few soldiers but one cannot help to think if given the opportunity how many soldiers would part take in that. They are in war, far away from family and everything they have ever knew. These soldiers are vulnerable. I honestly believe they need more training. I know one will never know what war is like until in it but they have to be better prepared. The have to know when to make the tough and RIGHT decisions. One crazy soldier that wants to go on a killing rampage or even a group of soldiers cannot easily sway them.

This is a very interesting case and I cannot wait for the results. As I get older, I am starting to change the way I view homosexuals and transgenders. I do not believe he should have been fired. He is a man. Just because he was born a female does not mean anything. He walks, talks and works as a man. He even got his sex changed medically and legally. I do not see the problem. We as a society have to get over the fact that we are in a new era where things like this is possible.

I really side with him in this case because of the New Jersey law that ban job discrimination based on a long list of criteria including, “gender identity or expression.” That should make it clear that firing him was illegal. This case will set a precedent if it rules in his favor. I am proud to know that he is willing to take all the heat for what he believes in.

He said, “They were judging me for who I am, not for the job I was being asked to do, and that’s wrong, and I was hurt.“I’m doing this so everyone knows it’s wrong, so it doesn’t happen to anyone else.” He does not really want to discuss all the details of his surgery but understands if brought to trial that he will probably have to answer those questions.

I believe that is very discriminating to have to answer questions like that in front of a jury or whatever way it will be done. That is going to be probably be very hard for him. But someone has to do it. If the court rules in his favor it will help to bring other people out for similar cases.

I know that all he really wants is his job back but this case will mean so much more. He has to understand the responsibility that he has now. He is the first to have a case like this going this far.

They had no problem with him before they found out about his surgery so there should not be now. People should only be judged by the content of their character.

The video we watched in class today called, A Soldier’s Heart’s was very moving. It talked about soldiers that were deployed to Iraq and the psychological stress they go through. It is crazy to think that more or even a good amount of soldiers have lost their life this way. I don’t understand why this was not thought of sooner. Did people really think one can go of to war and come back and everything is okay? When someone is at war they are in a whole different mind-set. Life is nothing but an object and your emotionless. Anyone that see’s someone murdered or even a dead body is never the same again. It brings the realization of death. These soldiers’ stories are heart breaking. I am happy that the military is finally noticing the signs and taking the steps to making it a requirement for everyone to get help. Making it a requirement for everyone to get help eliminates the pressure of seeking help and singling people out. Soldiers’ themselves need to learn how to support one another and stop the foolishness. Their attitude toward someone seeking help is foolish and it’s killing them.
I also believe that families can do more by being educated on signs and indifferent behaviors. One of the families in the video pointed out that there biggest mistake was thinking because their son looked okay, that he was. He came home with no scars or bruises but slowly started to break down. A couple months later he ended hanging himself.
These soldiers have to know that they are not alone and that there is help out there. There is no shame in needing help. What they are going through is traumatizing. Soldiers themselves need to be able to recognize the signs and know when they are not stable. Some of the signs are deep depression, thoughts of suicide, having illusions and drug or alcohol abuse. Also, seeing them spaced out or in deep thought could be signs to pick up on. We cannot prevent losing soldiers to war or being deployed but we can prevent losing them at home.

You are so RIGHT. Why wouldn’t the wealthy want to stay wealthy and not give a fuck about anyone else but themselves? Your argument is true and its logical, but what happened to self-pride and hard work? Most of the people at the top didn’t have to do shit to get there. Most of them were spoon feed all the way because to make it big today, on your own, actually requires work. Why are Americans so lazy? Let me point out that there is nothing wrong with getting help along the way. If someone is willing to give you a helping hand and you trust that person, then hold on to it. There is a difference between riding someone’s coattail and receiving help. Wouldn’t applying to medical school on your own, with just your skills and excellence, feel more rewarding if you get accepted? Its nice that you know people and they are willing to help, but the way you put it was like you are just using them for an advantage. I am not disagreeing with your argument but all I know, is that when I make it, I want to be able to say, I was SELF-MADE.

You are also right about the statement, “we are all going to die.” I think people take it in the wrong context. It should mean live life to the fullest and make something out of your life because eventually you are going to die. I don’t know if you are into war movies but one of my favorites is Troy. The most inspiring scene is when Achilles’ mother tells him that he can either stay home, get married, have children and live a happy life. He will grow old and die and his children will get old and die and soon on. His name will eventually be forgotten and his children’s, children’s, children’s would not know of him. Or, he could go off to war and know that he will not be coming back but become a hero and die a legend. His name will live on forever and as long as men still roam the earth, his story would be told. Yes, we are going to die one day but that should be the driving force, to make sure that when you die, you are remembered.

Religion is something so complex that it will take years to truly understand and break it down. My father’s side of the family is very religious so I grew up believing in god. I unfortunately, do not live with my father so as I got older I stop going to church. My mother never really made me go. When my mother’s husband died she starting going to church and even got baptized. I was proud of her but I do not think she really had it in her. She started to take classes on online and that kind of ended her going to church. Taking sociology really opened my eyes to religion and it really has me seeing religion in a new light. I am starting to feel very scared too because I feel myself reaching to the point believing that there is not a god. It really shakes me scared because this is something that I grew up believing in. But as I look, I see beautiful people all around me; people who are not religious. Are they going to hell? While there is people that are “saved” and supposedly going to heaven because of that but are the most disgusting people I know. And how do you know what faith to follow. Who is the right god? Why has something like religion that is suppose to be so up lifting cause so much strife? It really baffles me. Watching peoples so all called testimonies on television is a big joke. These televangelist make religion out to be a joke. I always had a problem with giving money to a church too. I have heard of some many churches taking advantage of that. When there was that outbreak of the catholic boys being raped, I was in absolute shock. Is this what religion has come too? The world trade centers to some people of the muslin faith was a justifiable act. If it was not for religion those towers would not have gone down. Religion and hatred was the driving force. I am not an atheist. I do believe in sprits and a higher being because this world to me is too complex for there not to be. The Westborough Baptist church is another example of what religion has come too and if religion keeps on this path, religion is something I want nothing to do with.

This guy is absolutely awesome. I have just recently changed my mind about how I felt about gay couples having children. At first I thought that it was morally wrong and that the children would more want to become gay if their parents were gay. Now I am starting to see things in a new light. There are so many neglected and homeless children that if a gay couples wants to adopt, I do not see the problem. Its just like in the military. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that if someone finds out that you are gay, you can get discharged. If you are willing to risk your life for your country, then you should be able to serve. We are lucky to have people that want to fight for our country much less to turn them down because they are gay.
We have to come together. We need a new mindset because with this old one we are not going to get anywhere. We have look beyond people race and choice of sex and see people for who they are. The person on the inside is the only thing that matters and that should be judged.
I understand that he is just an individual and it more about how gay couples effect children as a whole but statistics have shown that the children end up perfectly fine. They have the same risk and effects as children raised by straight parents. They should have the same opportunities as everybody else.
As long as the children have a happy home it should not matter whether the parents are gay or not. There are too many children out there with no home and no parents to love them. The greatest thing one can give a child is unconditional love.
We need to open our eyes to new possibilities so we can make this world a better place. A place that is more excepting of all different types of people. If we can do that we can tackle these problems more efficiently and effectively. Hopefully, one day gay people will be excepted for who they are not their sexual make-up.

This topic is really intereseting and not something that I think about. I try my best to not offend people when I talk but sometimes you really forget. This topic came up with me when I learned that the words faggot and gay can really offend gay people. I can understand why faggot offends a gay person but not the word "gay". Gay in my eyes means happy so when I call something "gay", I mean that you or it is happy or extremely excited. Retared I guess, is another story. I do use the word retared but I do not mean it to offend people that are exactly retared. I know that this might sound mean but I do not think its that big of a deal. Its just like when people say statements like "that is so white" or "you acting like a nigga" which are terms that are used around me all the time. I do not take offense to any of those terms because it is what it is.
I honeslty thing people need to stop taking things to heart so much. Unless someone is directly talking to you, you should not be offended. I understand that you should be senstive to people feelings and I would not want to hurt someone especially if I do not know that I am hurting them. That person would just have to tell me that I hurt them or that they are sensitive to that "word". We live in a world today that is so diverse and its really impossible to please everyone. We should show tolerance and respect in a way that people know that what they say should not be taken to heart from people outside the conversation.
I know that a lot people would not agree with me but I believe I think the way I do because I am a minority and I have learned to accept the ignorance of people. It might not be right but it is the way things are and I do not feel like they are going to change in this lifetime but this is good start. Hopefully one day, this world will be a better place and that everyone will feel respected and accepted but until then do not take what people say to heart.

I believe that we are afraid of things that are so uncommon because of the media. The media plays such a vital role in the fear of Americans. The news is centered on drama, everyday the news comes on all tells us about whatever the new “so–called” epidemic is. Whether it is walking to fast can kill you, to the swine flu wiping us out. Yes, ridiculous things like that. The news to me makes it seem like everything is out to get you. “The only thing to fear is fear itself”, which is a famous quote by the late president Franklin D. Roosevelt. This quote really applies to this situation because we are seriously fearing things for no reason. I understand that the video is very troubling and its crazy that the man did it so nonchalantly. I am kind of upset with the baby sitter because she just let him walk away. I understand that she might have been shock but I would have ran after the man like my life depended on it. I try not to live my life afraid of things because I feel like I would be limiting myself of all the things life has to offer. The only thing to fear is fear itself. People should be more afraid to fear things than actually fearing them. People are going to fear themselves into isolation. If there is something to fear, its that, not at all this silly stuff that we fear now. When I have children I want them to grow up without fear. I want them to be able to play outside and go to the movies with there friends. If possible I want them to be able to walk to school without the fear of being kidnapped. I am going to teach my children about the dangers out there but not to the point that they don’t get to live life. I do not want to shelter my children the way we are shelter in this world now because of fear. We need to not let them media control out lives. Hopefully, in the years to come fear will die down but I believe that its highly unlikely to happen.

This video is comical, but so true. These are the concepts that draw me into to understanding and relating to sociology so well. A lot of my friends are so caught up with their boyfriends like they are the only male in the world. There are over 6 billion people on this earth; you cannot possibly tell me that he is the only one for you. A personal trouble for a lot of people my age is that we all think that having a boyfriend or girlfriend is the thing to have. It must come from the strain of everyone wanting to belong and be loved by someone. If my friends could realize that being single is more of a public issue than a personal trouble, maybe the can stop being so hung up on their boyfriends and live a little. You have the rest of your life and millions of other people to meet before one can really think about settling down. And if one relationship does not work, there are a million other people lined up. This video sends the message that yes I love you but you are not the only one that I can love. I do not want to take away anyone’s fairytales and that there is one person out there for you. But seriously, if there is just one person out there for everyone the chances of you finding that person are slim to none. It’s probably safer to say that you will win the lottery some day, which actually is not safe to say at all. When he says, “If I didn’t have you someone else would do and statistically some of them would be just good as you”, even though its funny, I think it is so true. Love and affection does grow overtime and with that said you can possible fall in love with anyone given time. That to me is a very scary concept to think about but one that is found so commonly in relationships. Especially, relationships that are arranged, you learn to love that person through time. You start relationships with others through similarities not because it was love at first sight.

I do truly accept what this man is saying. I have always believed that humans are born more empathic than aggressive. That’s the way I think I was born. When I was younger I always wanted to help people and felt bad for people that was less fortune than me and I am still this way today. I am the type of person that would rather get to the top with someone than doing it be myself, which is opposite of the majority of people that I know. Society as a whole would be so much better off if we thought like this. Its not about America turning into a socialist nation, but a nation that helps and empathizes with each other. He says, “we are soft wired to experience another’s flight as if we are experiencing it ourselves.” We as a society has taken that for granted. I have taken that for granted. I really didn’t know how deep it was and it makes so much more sense. Everyone wants to belong more than anything else. He makes another crucial and interesting point when he says that there is no empathy in heaven because there is no mortality. And there is no empathy in utopia because there is no suffering because empathy is the acknowledgement of death and the celebration of life and routing for each other for the flourishment of life. That is an amazing concept and one that I will take with me everywhere I go in life. So can we extend our empathy? Can we be able to look at everyone as extended family? I wish we could but the way we function as a society today I don’t think its going to happen. I do believe that technology will help us be able to empathize with each other more because we are able to communicate with people all over the world but I believe that it is going to take more than technology to do that. It is something that really must be done. We have to start looking at each other as extended family and broaden our sense of identity. If we were really able to bring out our empathic sociability we could prepare the groundwork for an empathic civilization. I completely understand this concept and will try to model my life around this.