I definitely agree with you on many cylinders especially not knowing who the biggest beneficiaries of affirmative action are. I definitely also agree that the government could give certain school grants and money to try and alleviate or even fix some problems. However knowing the debt that we are currently in how could the US justify this or even allocate enough funds for this? I certainly believe we can but how can we do so in a way where no one would disagree. I feel as though as Americans or even humans all people should have the right not only to be educated but also to be educated in the same manner as someone else who is getting a better education. In a country that is constantly stressing innovation and remaining the top power in the world why not ensure our own people are good. We are in so many wars and conflicts yet here at our home front so many people suffer. I haven touched on food and poverty because that is a separate issue but education needs to be fixed and it should be all of our duties as humans to make sure it gets fixed no matter what.

I think it is quite amazing that the biggest beneficiaries of affirmative action are white women. When I associate the term affirmative action, I also associate it with colored people. I believe this was ingrained in me however because when taking standardized exams or applying to high schools and colleges, I always had to select a race. I always taught my guidance counselors that although my GPA was slightly lower than a white male’s I would have a greater chance of getting into an institution. I always believed this to be true and learning that the middle class white women are the biggest beneficiaries make me feel as if it not doing its job. I look back at the countless individuals in the inner cities struggling to get jobs or to make it past grade school and who constantly have to go through their daily lives wondering if they will be able to do better for themselves or their families. The video Sam showed where he switched students from an inner city school from a lower income neighborhood to a better school. The stat showed that 40% had a graduation rate. The graduation rate at this school is 99% and the fact that the institution was worth 62 million is so shocking. Coming from an inner city, I cant help to imagine what schools in my neighborhood would be like if that much money and devotion would be placed into the buildings and children’s. The pools and gyms in these schools are so crazy. Its such a shame that these inner city children might never get to experience a school let alone a building such as this. The sad reality is that these school differences are not just in Chicago but is around so many American cities. It makes me really want to change the education system where I am from to help my peers excel in life but it’s so difficult to do it alone. I always wonder why cities that are known for sculptures and nightlife can’t be known for great education systems. I can’t help but imagine if the children at a school such as harper high had the opportunity what would become of their lives. It’s sad and mind-blowing and makes me wonder what can honestly be done about this. The scarier notion is that these schools are merely 30 miles away and there is such a major difference. What is the honest answer for this? It makes me wonder how can the government really solve these inequities. It makes me ask why is the biggest beneficiary of affirmative action middle-income white women when clearly those in dire need are these inner city kids. Of course I am overlooking those poor rural children but either way these children deserve to have the same opportunity.

I think its interesting that you brought up how you were ignorant to the topic of what would come of two homosexual couples raising a child. It’s very interesting because I had this conversation with a friend the other day before even seeing this lecture. I’m not sure if my view has completely changed but at the time with my friend I argued that this would be completely unhealthy for the child. I don’t think there would be a lack of love or anything of that matter but I wondered what ridicule the child would face or suffer if the couple came around his/her friends as he /she grew older. Yes we as a society are moving forward and becoming more of accepting of such things but at the end of the day I don’t feel any community is that accepting where that child wont have o face an issue at some point or another that affect him/her greatly.

I think it was a quite interesting question Sam posed as to whether or not we would like to live in a community with people of only our same ancestry. When I see a question like this I don’t identify with my Hispanic race but identify with my Puerto Rican ethnicity. The most honest answer is that I truly wouldn’t mind living with just Puerto Ricans in a community. The Puerto Rican culture is based on so much pride and culture and we value this and instill this in current generations and future generations. The culture to me is amazing and I love experiencing new things but I don’t think I would have a problem if my community and life were all surrounded by that culture. The difference however is that I don’t feel my culture is better than any other cultures. I just so happen to cherish it so much that it would be very interesting to imagine a life such as this one. I currently believe growing up in New York City I have experienced much of the most diverse culture possible. Travelling from borough to borough I can across any race or ethnicity and this is amazing. We all have our differences and many times these differences divide us but it also brings us together. It is not shocking to me that suburbs as Sam put are getting more colorful. I don’t think many colored families are leaving suburbs to become more diverse but more so to leave the situations they are currently in which in many inner cities is dangerous and fast paced lifestyles. However it is quite interesting looking at the dynamics of my own city. I look at a traditional borough such as the South Bronx. Traditionally and historically this was known as a very poor area of the Bronx and also a quite dangerous one as well. Many immigrants live in this section and many first generations live here as well. There are many projects in this area and also many people live on government assistance such as welfare. However currently contractors are currently building beautiful edifices and buildings in these areas and making the rent very high. This location is extremely prime for New Yorkers because it is right at the edge of the Bronx and such h a close ride from the hustle and bustle of New York. Eventually many of these underprivileged people will be pushed out of the South Bronx and to another section they afford and it makes me wonder what other areas in cities like this will become in 50 years. I love how I was able to apply the things Sam are talking about in this class to my own neighborhood and make me ponder what will become of this place and what is in store for my children if they so happen to grow up where I did.

I think it was quite interesting that you brought up a point that black children notice race at an earlier age than a white child. It made me take time out to really think about it. I would agree with you not for the fact that it is so ingrained in culture but moreso because it was quit simple to look into crowds constantly and see you are literally the minority in number. I figured this would only happen once children go to school but then I asked myself don’t most children go to school with individuals that are like them in the same neighborhood. This might not be the case for most or some but in an inner city such as mine minorities when to schools which were full of other minorities unless there was an opportunity to go to a more renowned and affluent school, which was predominantly white. In this instance I feel both whites and blacks would realize that I am either the majority or minority but the race would definitely impact the minority more. If this isn’t the case the media will certainly portray this race difference when showing “success” and how it usually applies to one race.

These color patterns are ingrained into us as young children and I see why the young black girl chose the white doll. How often has anyone ever seen a colored doll in a commercial or this heightened in the media? I would argue close to never. The media often portrays black families and men and women alike, at least in my opinion, in negative lights. I feel as if it hasn’t been until recently that there has been a positive image of the black man in the media with the election of Barack Obama. All of the black role models were always found to be in some sort of scandal or made out to be these horrific individuals. It made me think how institutionalized racism is still prevalent in today’s society and how we often overlook these things because life as it seems normal.

Growing up in an inner city such as New York City the video, which showed the young black females, was so relatable. Those issues really plague communities such as the one I live in. Within our own races we divide ourselves on based on anything such as skin color or hair texture. The doll exercise was honestly one of the biggest eye openers that I’ve experienced. To me, it was shocking how the young black girl chose the white doll over the black doll and the rationale behind it. It really made me ponder. I realized that as a society we are taught that dark or black is gloomy, dull, and bad yet lighter or white things are associated with good. It goes beyond race. When two couples get together in matrimony the symbol of purity and the color of the bride’s dress are white. At a funeral the common color to wear for those in mourning or even those in attendance and which symbolizes death and sadness is black.

I found it quite interesting that Sam compared the experience or life of a colored individual as the tale of two amphibians which experiences both “land and water”. I found it extremely interesting that Sam spoke about how close blacks and Hispanics manage how white they want to be. I think to a certain extent this does hold true. I know certainly if I were to go to a job interview or speak with a professor I would change the way I pronounced words or even the words I used. My etiquette would change almost as if it was instinct but this was all done to progress in whatever the endeavor would have been. At the end of the day, whit individuals run the world for the most part so in this capitalistic society unless I owned a business it is highly likely I would work for a white person.

I definitely agree with how you feel we all are inherently racist especially when using the example, “I’m with my white or black friend.” I'm unsure if I would classify any friend of mine like that. I can’t quite say for sure but I feel like if I'm being honest and with a group of all Hispanic friends and my friend coming over or to hang out was white I probably would let them know he was white. I wouldn’t do this to be racist or to tell them to act differently its almost as if its second nature. I wonder if society will ever totally make it to a place where a situation such as that would ever come up. If this were to happen I wondered how long it would be before his happened, 50 years, 100 years? I am a firm believer that people are good and if society has been progressively changing than this change would happen and the race would be used as an adjective in the future; we would all be seen as one.

I think it was quite interesting that Sam stated white people are taught to not speak about race. I don’t know if I quite agree but I certainly like the way he broke it down and said they are taught to treat everyone as an equal, which means to not speak about race. It had me thinking until the video of the two children girl came up. That was one of the most alarming videos I have ever seen in my life. It made me wonder if when Sam had said that white people are taught to not speak about race, how often does that occur? Regardless of that, however, the ways in which those children were brain washed was something that I truly have never seen before. It made me think about what their town is like or what the children at their school think. I wondered if these children have actually done any acts of hatred or if their parents had done something. I think it’s interesting that Sam called it their awakening to their whiteness and to that being their only liking. I know immediately I thought they were racists and had committed some horrible acts. It’s very interesting how he as humans always prejudge or make assumptions about individuals. This video certainly helped me see that. I do identify as a minority and it made me question the motives that these parents had. Why were they so insistent on continuing these practices and ingraining them in their children as well? It makes me believe that we as a country are from where we need to be, even in 2011. Laws have been passed, years have gone by, society has changed for the most part, yet these problems still come up and are ever present in today’s society. The only major difference I believe exists is that racism is present in its covert form as opposed to the Jim Crow day overt forms. I wander what would happen if the twins grew up and attended a Soc 119 course. Would they be open to speaking about race and accepting other race? As they entered high school would they have already been taught this or would they still be the image of their parents. It made me wander if these children felt they had to hold true to these beliefs for fear of their parent’s reactions and if they would have some sort of change of heart if their parents had passed away. It also made me think what would happen when these young women get older and have their children. Would they implement these beliefs and values into their daily lives and would their husband have to believe these same things. It makes one really think and wonder but these ideas are great foods for though and help me speak and dialogue about race.