I don’t get why anyone would think that pretending to be in that sort of situation would be ok either. But I do think it’s cool that you got to see a Gypsie. What’s even more interesting to me is that I know college students who do the same things those gypsie’s you saw do, they pretend to be poor etc. to get money and it’s a scam but a lot of people fall for it because it’s probably less easy to identify here than it is in Italy. But I’m with you on the questions as to why? In both cases.

I think if more people were open to being exposed to other cultural practices and beliefs that they’d be like you and come to accept them or be comfortable with some of it as well. Even if it not the bigger picture and concern is just to be respectful of all cultures and their beliefs, because we’re all equal. But this lecture also made me question like are we really aware of all the beliefs and practices of own cultures and if not, then how can we come to accept someone else’s? Or would we even still be comfortable in a culture we identify as if we knew all there was to know about it?

I agree with the ending more than the beginning. The story of your friend in an Ivy League school who came from a lower class background and the difference in how people accepted this as oppose to if he’d been white is a story that probably happens to many people. But for this reason I believe that it’s race and social class rather than just wealth that makes it hard to break barriers. More so race honestly. Because it doesn’t matter what have or how hard you work to some people you’ll always just be a black person and for some we’re second class compared to our white counterparts.

I don’t think being color blind and just not talking about the problem is going to be effective nor is reasonable. The bottom line is that the world isn’t color blind and not talking about the subject and the issues that come along with it, is not how we as a people have gotten this far. I’m all for being angered at the statistics and the harsh reality of how we get treated but at the same time I would assume this just called for more action. Instead of being silent and “color blind,” how about educating our officials and judicial system on racial profiling and instilling in them that this is not to be tolerated. At some point, I’m a bit fatalistic because I don’t believe you can change everyone’s mind on this matter. We are a product of older more hateful and discriminating generations. But in trying to change the last thing we need is to not talk in my opinion

I agree that freedom isn’t pure based on what you said. It’s like you we have the freedom to do as well please within certain boundaries and it ultimately is shaped by things we can’t control and some we don’t realize. We just acknowledge these lessons of do’s and don’ts as proper manners and such. Like your example of not adjusting your bra in public because it’s considered awkward.
The only part I would say I don’t completely understand is the choices you made as far as college and the orgs you chose to participate in. Like I came to college because I didn’t feel I had any other choice, school is must. But not necessarily where I went or what I did while I was here just the fact that I came.

I like the lecture as well, he did do a good job of helping to better understand what’s it’s like to be white. Although I didn’t find it surprising that white people don’t discuss being white. I guess because I was one of those people just assumed that they didn’t care and weren’t very aware of their surroundings. It’s a very narrow minded view to have had. But I guess I was so focused on thinking that they couldn’t empathize with being a minority that I never actually considered that I can’t empathized with what’s like to be white. And as you mentioned they are very aware their surroundings despite contrary beliefs.

I I’m glad that after learning more about immigration and how it drives business and other aspects of life your opinion changed. It’s not uncommon for people to view immigrants in a negative light and have some of the same sentiments you originally had. The media doesn’t shed light on the positive aspects for some odd reason, I guess that’s not what they feel is more important to tell the people. But the simple fact is immigration is an integral part in American life.
As for some being illegal versus others being legal, becoming a citizen is not easy at all and for some it’s just more convenient. I don’t feel they should be chastised because of it either. But when I actually looked into all they had to go through to get here. I understood more why they would accept it. The test alone is something ridiculous. It’s questions on there that the majority of Americans can’t even answer, I took it for GP and failed miserably.

I don’t think your opinion is coarse at all, honestly I don’t think PSU is “too white.” I think like you mentioned some of it is location. It’s in the midst of a white community and above all things PSU is pretty diverse. The numbers may not be exactly close in comparison but I’d like to think we have a nice variety of people. Personally, saying it’s either “too white” or “not white enough,” doesn’t make sense in either case. Because then like what about HBCU’s are they too black or not black enough? Some of them are in the midst of a black community and more importantly they too are becoming diverse. The majority doesn’t make a school too much of that race, it just means more people of that race are there. Who cares?

I think everyone tip toes around using racial identifiers. I know people who use them around their own race, but are hesitant around other races. Honestly, if I had to guess, I would say white people probably feel more pressured to see past racial identifiers because if they are perceived to be racist, whether that was the original intent or not, they stand to lose a lot and people get easily offended simply because it’s coming from a white person. Seems really petty but that is a reality for some. I think political correctness is another false security for some people.

“Guilt” was an important part of these lectures and I’m glad Prof. Richards discussed this topic. I think it’s not completely uncommon or common for white people to feel guilty if they have any sense of history. I say this because although you can feel bad about how black people were treated and repressed, how bad can you really feel if you aren’t directly responsible. I’ve talked to a few people who originally did not feel any guilt at all, they just feel like the past is the past and it’s time to move on. But I’ve also known people who just feel that blacks are still dealing with the repercussions of what happened in the past and so they feel I guess not guilty but sympathy for them. Some feel guilt. Honestly, I think guilt although it’s not really controllable in some circumstances, when it comes to the history of blacks and whites. I don’t understand why they’d feel guilty about the past; I think it’s more important to make changes to rectify it all in the present and future. On the other hand, I also don’t think black people shouldn't use guilt to like get back at white people for the past or like try and use that as an excuse to get ahead in life or any other circumstance. Again let the past be the past and make good of the present and future.
At one point in this lecture, the discussion of homophobia vs. racism came up. There were some very interesting points raised that sparked my interest. First of all, someone mentioned that you can easily hide that you are gay, but there is no way to hide your skin color. This point was followed by yes, you can be in the closet when you are gay but that is not who you truly are. When you are gay you always have to second guess yourself and figure out which situations it is appropriate to be gay and when it isn't. I agree with that. And You can’t do this with race. But on the opposite end of that, homosexuality is becoming more accepted. Like I think in a few years this going to be like interracial marriages were and just become a thing of the past as far as homophobia is concerned. Race on the other hand it hasn’t really gone anywhere. We just kind of patched it up with laws and everything else to make it seem like it was rectified. In general though, hate is a taught mindset. Children don’t just naturally hate anyone or anything; they have to learn it from somewhere. So in that aspect, I think both are similar because people could be taught to hate or dislike both.
Also, it was mentioned, that people of color seem to be more sympathetic to homosexuality because they are a minority. I don’t know how true that is. I think I have mentioned it before, but I think that’s like one of those things everyone can agree about that they don’t like. In reality it would make sense for people of color not to put someone else through what they’ve gone through as far as discrimination. But in reality I don’t really know how much of that acceptance or tolerance is coming from any one specific race.