State Patty’s Day is easily my least favorite weekend of the year. When my friends beg me to come visit this year, I will undoubtedly tell them that I am not hosting anyone and if they would like to come visit, they need to come another weekend. I am not one of those holier than thou students who protests against State Patty’s because it is “a disgrace to our school.” My reason for hating State Patty’s is quite the opposite. I am a member of a fraternity and I participate in all the drunken debauchery that any frat boy would approve of.
The reason I can’t stand State Patty’s is because it actually inhibits my ability to partake in the shenanigans that constitute the majority of my weekends at Penn State. The campus all of a sudden becomes filled with random people who I don’t know and have no interest in meeting or being with. Most of the kids that ask me to host them are barely even my friends, they just want to exploit my high social standing at a front-running drinking school so they can have a fun filled, blacked out weekend that they probably won’t even remember much of. Fraternity row, which is my favorite place in the world, quickly becomes a place that I want to avoid for the weekend for a multitude of reasons, the first being, I do not want to risk walking around in my inebriated state, because its very possible that a fired up police man looking to fill quota, will pick me out and make my record worse than it already is. Reason number two is, I do not want to have to take care of a sorority girl who can barely string sentences together. The final reason, is that my fraternity house, which I love because its usually packed with my best friends and very attractive women, becomes a haven for strangers who try way to hard to keep up with Penn State proud partiers.
State Patty’s day will never be stopped. Its been going on for years and its something that many kids look forward to. Its also very appealing because the town makes a big deal out of it and kids love sticking it to the authorities, hence the recent Sandusky riots. I am probably going to get out of State College and go somewhere like New York city to visit some friends. When I come back I want to hear that underages rose even more this year and that the majority of them were given to novices who don’t attend Penn State.

As Penn State students we are truly distraught about what happened and the victims that were involved. I keep them in my prayers every day and hope that one day they may find healing. Being a Penn State student means that you are apart of something bigger than yourself. I am proud to be a Penn State student and always will be, no matter what. With the negative emotions brought by recent events it has left the Penn State name with a shadow. Over the past few weeks Penn State has been the all over the news, television, Facebook, Twitter, and newspapers addressing the alleged scandal that has surfaced. My family and friends have been calling me telling me how bad we look as a university. My close friends have had future employers call them saying that they no longer will be employed due to the recent events that have taken place. The riots that took place were for many different reasons not what the media has portrayed them to be. Students came together because we weren’t going to let one man tarnish the students, faculty, alumni, as well as the Penn State name. Students came together for the way the Board of Trustees handled the firing of Joe Pa. Lastly, students came together for the victims in this crime. I’d say that majority of the students there were not there to riot but just for the sole purpose of being able to say that they were there and to see what was going to happen (myself included). The media is greatly responsible for this image that Penn State now carries. We know that while many people had responsibility, the most visible one almost always goes down first. We are not disputing the need for this to happen. We are not "defending" anything. We are simply crushed and heartbroken. This is not the Penn State we love, the Penn State that is part of our being. I have taken this last part from a recent article, it states, “WE ARE...not closing our eyes, ignoring reports, pretending this isn't a wretched occurrence. WE ARE...angry that innocents would be violated under our care. WE ARE...in support of appropriate punishment for every person involved. WE ARE...demanding change to a system that would allow this. WE ARE...not concerned if you do not understand our love and devotion. WE ARE...PENN STATE proud and we will rise again."

This is a topic that my opinion has dramatically changed upon. If I encountered an immigrant that could not speak English my immediate reaction would be to get frustrated and loose my patience. I always said to myself, “You are in America, speak English.” I found it offensive that someone could come to this country and not even attempt to learn the language. My thoughts were that, “Not only are they probably here illegally but they didn’t even try to learn how to communicate properly”. Well looking at the way I thought, now I understand that these thoughts are completely judgmental and stereotypical. I am looking it from an American standpoint. I needed to take a step back and look at this whole thing in an entirely new perspective. I put myself in the immigrant’s shoes and things were completely different. These people are coming over to this country for opportunity and to make something of their lives. I don’t blame them for that and everyone wants to make something of they’re lives and be able to support a family one day. America is the greatest country in the world and that’s why so many people immigrate here. Most immigrants do have a hard time though because of the communication barrier. English is not an easy language to learn and immigrants know this. It is the first step towards becoming successful in this country. So when immigrants come to this country the may not learn English right away but they know if they want to make something of themselves learning the language is their first step. Americans don’t think this way. When Americans travel to other countries they assume everyone knows English and if they don’t know English, they should. I don’t know what makes Americans feel that they have this sense of entitlement or they feel like they are superior to other countries. We can’t just go to another country and expect someone to be able to communicate with us, it doesn’t work that way. Americans need to learn the language of the country or culture they are submerging themselves in. Yes, learning another language is hard and it takes a while to become fluent and clear but if we expect immigrants to learn English when they come to our country we should be doing the same. This is putting ourselves in a different perspective and understanding that we are not the only/primary language in the world. I do believe Immigrants should learn how to speak English but over a reasonable amount of time. I do not think that it should be expected or an immediate requirement for immigrants to know how to speak English. I am sure they understand what it takes to become successful and communication is key, so eventually they will learn and we do not need to make it a requirement.

The survey taken in class about whether or not we should give the land back to the indigenous people that we took when we first came to the new world was a very predictable survey. It has been way too long to just give back something that we have had for so long. Yes, I agree that it is unfair that we took it in the first place but I have no control over that. Back then, during the Age of Discovery, many European countries were on a quest to broaden horizons, spread Christianity, and establish power in newfound territory and didn’t know much about exploration. Reaching the New World, explorers like Columbus, Verrazano, Vespucci, and Cabot were all on a quest to claim territory and were not aware of inhabitants in this New World. When they arrived they declared it theirs and began to establish settlements. This was the start of it all. Immigration was soon to follow and people from all over began to move to the New World. So what happens to the people who were originally living here in America? The Native Americans were virtually forgotten. They had to choose to stick together, adapt to their surroundings, or get left behind. They did not establish dominance or declaration over the land and the Europeans were to powerful for the indigenous people to claim their territory. There is no doubt that we took the land from the indigenous people but it was the Age of Discovery. The New World was not a declared territory and therefore was taken. I do not agree with the statement that we should have to give back what we took. I do agree with making a very strong effort to help the indigenous people reestablish themselves. There are very few left and they are the start of this country and we need to honor them. This is a new day in age where land cannot just be taken and we know that now but we shouldn’t feel guilty over something we had no control over. The best way to settle is to help the indigenous people reestablish themselves as a people or race and honor the ones who were here first.

I often wonder about this question. To be perfectly honest when I see someone hanging out with a group of people that aren’t of his or her own race it catches my eye. My first initial thought is that, ooh that person is just hanging out with those people to stand out. He or she is probably doing it to look cool so they can say I have friends of different races and include themselves in a minority. It then makes it okay for that person to crack jokes or say certain things that they necessarily wouldn’t say if they were with that group of people. I’ve come to realize however that this is very wrong. Yes, this may be true in some cases and those cases are quiet obvious but I know now that its because they feel comfortable around that certain group of people. What I mean by this is that we are drawn to people we most relate to. If that means that you are white and maybe you grew up in a primarily black community that you are drawn to those who are black and that you can relate to. It looks unusual but that is something that today’s society is not always used to seeing. In my recitation I brought this topic of how fake diversity is. Meaning that everyone believes in diversity. Whether that is in the work place, schools, or a community. Being diverse is what we are taught is politically correct. I agree with this and I do believe diversity is a good thing but I think that we try to hard. Look at Penn State for instance, referring to the pole taken in class today, 72% of Penn State students are white. This seems wrong, why is this? I also brought up the fact that our Soc 119 lecture is full of many different races and ethnicities, probably the most mixed classroom I have ever been in. Why is that we sit with those of our own race? If we stress how important diversity is, why do separate ourselves? The learning environment should be the most comfortable place to interact with one another because we are all there for the same reason. Yet we refuse to be diverse. This is because we are comfortable with that certain group of people not because we are trying to be “posers”. I am completely guilty of this myself. I sit with my friends who are all white and that I feel most comfortable around. It is just the way it is. I respect those who hangout with a group of people who are not the same race because they are just hanging out with those they feel comfortable with and they represent diversity.

I like this topic because it is something that everyone is subconsciously aware of but something that everyone is afraid of addressing. God for bid you are not politically correct now a days you may end up having a problem If you don’t watch what you say around certain groups of people. Our soc 119 recitations are a perfect example of people in different stages. I remember the first day of recitation and entering the classroom looking at the desks arranged in the shape of the circle. Both of our TA’s were already seated one being white and the other black. There were also three students that had their seats. The three students happen to be three different races, black, Middle Eastern, and white. I sat down in between our black TA and my black classmate. I didn’t think anything of it at the time but I chose to sit where I was comfortable. After the lecture on Thursday I wondered if that decision has anything to do with what stage I am. Does being comfortable sitting in between two peers of a different race make me a higher-level stage? I also thought about the topics generated in my recitation and my participation in them. Topics that touch on differences between races specific to black and white and if I was refraining from speaking my mind. I honestly can say that I do not hold back from stating the obvious and what is on my mind. I am aware of being politically correct and having respect for other races but our soc 119 recitations is a time to let go of our insecurities and hesitations and it is a place of discussion where we have the chance to speak our minds. I compared myself to others in my class and analyzed how others approached certain tender topics. Addressing things like interracial relationships and our opinion on the confederate flag. Some students chose to not participate so they would not run the risk of saying the wrong thing and others who would say what was on their mind but immediately justify there means and try to play neutral so they would not offend anyone. I look at situations like these as the different stages and where I fall is probably a 3 or 4. I speak my mind but I am conscious of other races and I have complete respect. If I where to change my stage I would first change myself and put myself in others shoes and learn what it is like to be of another race.

I had brought up this question in my recitation earlier today. I found this to be a very interesting topic because I’m not sure how I would feel if my son or daughter were gay. I know no matter what, I am going to support my child 100% whether they are gay, lesbian, or straight. My beliefs are that one is born gay and that it is not a choice. This is something that is predestined, I just think it takes time for someone to discover them selves. My dad is someone who I really admire as a person. I think he is the perfect parent and I hope to be half the dad he is when I have a family of my own. He always told me that no matter what I can always come to him for advice and he will support in whatever I want to do in life. I am going to be the same way when I am a dad. I won’t know right away if my son is gay or straight but over the years I’m sure I will pick up on certain characteristics that could give me a clue. I would be lying if I said I don’t mind if my child is gay or straight. Of course I would want my son to be straight because I want him to be able to grow up and find his wife that he will spend the rest of his life with and have a family of his own. Same if I were to have a daughter, I would want her to find her husband that she can spend the rest of her life with and start a family. I say this because this is what I know and this is what I was raised to believe. I come from the catholic faith and in my religion this is how it works. This does not mean that this is all I know however. In today’s society I feel it is a little more accepting for someone to be gay. If I were to find out that my son or daughter was gay I would be perfectly okay with it. I would make sure they know they can come to me for advice and that I was supporting them in everything that they want to do in life. Yes, it would be harder to relate to my child if he or she were gay because I am straight. I have to clue what it’s like to be gay but I would be the best parent I could be and hope to understand what it’s like.

Watching the videos from the project Haiti really made me appreciate everything I have and not to take anything for granted in life. The entrepreneurs of Haiti struggle to survive and work really hard to support their families. Children are working at a very young age and it stays that way throughout their entire lives. It is sad to see that this is the life that these people live and that they do not have the opportunities that we have. The only thing they know is work and this lifestyle isn’t healthy but it is what they need to do to survive. Something I noticed from watching the videos is the fact that they do not have the necessary tools to mass-produce. This is the biggest problem with the products that come from Haiti. Haiti cannot make any income on the products they produce because they do not have the tools to produce high quality items that are desired by the world. There is no way that these people can compete with industries in china that make clothing for nearly nothing and sell for a fair price that still gives them a profitable income. The people of Haiti work 10 times as hard as the people pushing buttons on machines in factories those mass products that are shipped around the world. What Haiti needs are modern tools that can make quality items that can compete with those of china. Imagine the export of products that Haiti can produce if they apply their hard work ethic with modern day tools. Haiti would improve exponentially. The biggest problem in Haiti is the fact that the people work so hard just to survive that they cant even sell the products that they produce to their own people. This means that they have to export their goods to other countries in order to make money. The problem with this is that by the time the products reaches other countries the expense to ship the products their exceeds the expense that it cost to make the product in the first place, so the people barely any income. This is a problem that needs to be fixed and actions can be taken place to help with the Haiti project. It was mentioned in class that if we donate to third world countries the people whom actually need the money never get it because the government takes it all. If we could bring a dollar to our recitation each week and build a donation we can help the people in Haiti.

What I think you mean by this is, are their certain characteristics that people have that classify them as a type of athlete. Someone with an athletic build is pretty identifiable but that doesn’t mean they play a sport and someone who is not in the best shape can also be a very talented athlete. Characteristics don’t necessarily classify one to be an athlete but there are certain characteristics that athletes have that can allow them to excel at a certain sport. Someone in good physical shape wearing running shoes and an Underarmor sweatshirt, I would assume is athletic and plays a sport. This may not be true but typically it is.. There are other characteristics though that we use to classify someone to be an athlete. If I were to see a kid who was 6’4” and had an athletic build, I would assume that he plays basketball. This may be a stereotype but majority of the time it is true. People adapt to the changes their bodies go through. For example, being short like myself definitely put me at a disadvantage on the basketball court. So I would not expect someone to assume that I play basketball. In this sense characteristics could classify one to be a certain type of athlete. I played every sport growing up and that was because my dad made me try everything once to allow me to find the sport that I was good at. I played basketball for a while in middle school but once puberty hit and I realized I wasn’t growing, I decided that basketball wasn’t the sport for me. Everyone told me that I should join wrestling but I never knew why. I didn’t understand how they were so positive that I would be good at wrestling but they were right. They classified my characteristics and body type to be that of a wrestler. I decided to wrestle my freshmen year of high school and I found the sport that I was good at. Being shorter definitely gave me an advantage in wrestling because the closer you are to the ground the better and the more compact you keep your body the less vulnerable you become. This characteristic gave me a big advantage in wrestling and I can even tell now if I see someone whether or not they wrestle just by their body type and their athletic characteristics.

I like this question because it isn’t often that I see interracial couples walking around campus holding hands. I’m not just talking about Penn State either; I really don’t see it often anywhere. In today’s society you think it would be perfectly normal and acceptable for two different races to be dating but its not. What I mean by this is two completely different races like black and white, I just don’t really see that often and when I do see it, it catches my eye and it’s awkward. We discussed this same question in my recitation on Tuesday and it was a pretty open conversation. Everyone was up front about the subject and everyone gave their honest opinion of how they felt about interracial dating. The funny part was, was that we all felt the same way. We just don’t see it often in today’s society. My question is, is it socially acceptable to be dating someone from another race? We happen to use the example of a black man dating a white woman or black woman dating a white man. I believe it is more common for a black man to be dating a white woman rather than a black woman dating a white man. I told everyone from the start of the conversation that I wanted to be perfectly honest about the subject because I want to know why things are they way they are. Where I grew up it wouldn’t be socially unacceptable for me to date a black girl. That doesn’t include my parents, they would be perfectly fine with me dating a black girl but everyone else is the problem. My type is a typically white girl who is olive skinned with dark hair. Personally I am not attracted to black women and there is no reasoning behind it, that’s just the way I am. If that changes then so be it, I believe if you are attracted to someone then you are attracted to someone, don’t let anything hold you back. Where I grew up though it would not be acceptable. If I were too introduce, “my black girl friend” to my friends and friends parents, it would be hard for them not to give a look like, “what are you thinking dating a black girl?” That’s the honest truth. I have a black cousin and when my friends met him for the first time they were in shock. They were curious as to why I had a black cousin and they asked if he was adopted or if his dad was around. I don’t understand why people immediately think of that when they see differences. His dad is Haitian and his mom is my aunt who is whiter than a ghost. This was a controversy in my extended family and I will still hear comments to this day about it. It’s just something that doesn’t happen often.