I think that over the course of this semester, it’s hard to pick out what I learned the most.
I think the most important thing was exposing myself to the culture of other races, which I was never familiar with. I remember the beginning of the semester the class debated on whether the term “colored people” was offensive. Those types of conservations I was never exposed to and had never even thought about. There is so much about other cultures I simply have never been familiar with.
Aside from cultural familiarity, learning about the Native Americans and their struggle still going on today really was unexpected for me. After this class it is hard for me to think of our country in the same way. Even on Thanksgiving, I couldn’t help but think about why we celebrate Thanksgiving and WHY it’s so hypocritical. Through the discussion groups, it was fulfilling to see how other students my age felt the same way I did.
My favorite part of the class was the lecture on how just because someone is a certain race doesn’t mean that they are going to look a certain way. I remember seeing the different pictures on the screen and thinking, “that person is Philipino, Puerto Rican, etc.”. Every single time I was completely wrong. This class completely changed my way of thinking when I meet people. I never assume anything of a person’s race anymore and I am so much more aware of being gentle about it. Just because someone is black doesn’t mean his or her kid is automatically black! It’s so important to be aware and mindful of the different kinds of families and races these days in the 21st century. Going along with this, another thing Sam brought to my attention was how often we add a person’s race in conversation when we actually don’t have to. I find myself never describing someone by his or her race anymore unless it actually is necessary for the conversation. I remember Sam’s example of, “That Asian lady cut me off.” Do we REALLY have to add race there? NO! I find myself even correcting my friends now who speak in those ways.
I think Sam’s class helped me become more aware of my surroundings in my everyday life. Some people may say they learned some major topic they had never heard of or it changed their opinion on a certain race. But for me, it helped me in my simple way of living each day. I am more culturally aware and more sensitive, and I respect/appreciate different races MORE now. Like Sam said, we’re in a large community like this to explore all the different kinds of people exposed to us not to simply just stick with our own kind. I think that’s a huge thing I’m taking with me from this class and that I hope to share with my friends around me who didn’t get the chance to take a class like this.

I had learned about Anti-Semitism in school from World History class and World Religions in high school. However, I had never been exposed to the level of hatred that Sam showed us in class on Tuesday. I have several Jewish friends and never in my life would I think to hate them simply because of their religion. As a Catholic American who grew up in the middle class with never a person to hate me, I wouldn’t have any idea what it’s like to grow up in a culture where there is so much history and animosity. I don’t feel educated enough to ever face the root of this problem of anti-Semitism.
I know one thing for sure in my life that being a Catholic Christian I have never “blamed” the Jews for the killing of Jesus like Sam said in class. I don’t believe that God wants Christians and Jews to be angry at each other. Jesus himself was Jewish, and just because the Jewish people aren’t on the same page as me does not mean that I “BLAME” the Jews for the fate of my religion. I believe that God had His hand on Jesus’ fate and I wouldn’t be a real Christian if I hated the Jews. It is actually hypocritical in my eyes. Although there are some things we don’t agree on, we are all from the same foundation and we are called to love and support each other. One day, we will all find out the real truth and I’m sure there are things that we are ALL wrong about it. So until then, what is the point in holding grudges or allowing hatred to eat at humankind?
I also don’t know anyone in my immediate Catholic community that has ever said they have anger against the Jews for the fate of Jesus. I believe that that is such an old concept. However, after having Sam’s class I think his main point is that even the oldest ideas of hatred are still alive and we don’t even know it.
I believe that was the point of Tuesday’s class. Those videos of the civilians screaming to exterminate the Jews- I would never imagine things like that still exist today. Even my friend sitting next to me who was Jewish was appalled. It made me feel uncomfortable because I kept thinking; I wonder how this resonates with her. It made me think about how heartbreaking that must be for Muslims living here in America that are completely peaceful. MOST Americans hate Muslims- and Anti-Semitism probably doesn’t even compare to the hatred they feel everyday in this War on Terror. I can only hope that the Jewish people are discouraged and they work towards uniting their people in prayer and faith.

After Thursday’s class, I definitely learned a lot from Sam’s demonstration of putting yourself in a Muslim Arab’s shoes. I am the type of person where every time I hear people talking about “crazy Muslims” or “terrorists”, I consistently try to say that not ALL Muslims are terrorists. I have gotten in several fights at the dinner table at holidays with people that feel the need to discuss politics and bring Muslims into it. I expected to not learn anything new since I tend to think I have a pretty open mind. However, Sam’s demonstration did help me to learn more about our country that I didn’t know before.
I guess I was unaware of the Christian undertones that resonate with Muslims in our country’s involvement with them. I can definitely see why they could have every reason to feel uneasy with us. I didn’t have much trouble seeing that aspect of it, but what I DID have trouble with was the fact that there ARE still Muslims in the Middle East who have bombed our country and continue to try to do that. I didn’t expect the demonstration to be challenging, but the thought of 9/11 was difficult to forget.
Aside from that however, on the other hand, it’s EASY to see that not all Muslims were involved in that act of terrorism. So the average Arab Muslim, day to day, can be easy to understand why we would confuse them. It’s easy to see their view after hearing Sam’s lecture, but it’s EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to imagine their daily life… How they get up in the morning afraid for their life. How can they possibly walk outside, see our troops, and immediately trust us? When I complain about things during my day that annoy me or mess up my routine, I now think of how lucky I am that I can walk outside my dorm and not see troops in the streets.
It’s very hard to separate what I see on TV and what I know from Sam’s class. It’s also even harder to convince people that there is a difference, and that they have reason to feel uneasy with us as well. The story Sam told about the family that simply wanted their picture taken to send to us, THAT was a challenging thought. Why would I EVER want someone to take my picture to a country that is so controversial?
Overall, it was an eye-opening lecture. There are always several sides to a story however. Not all we are doing is bad, and not all THEY are doing is bad. We can only continue to try to spread awareness among our country of the TRUTH going on, and pray for peace.

After Thursday’s class, I definitely learned a lot from Sam’s demonstration of putting yourself in a Muslim Arab’s shoes. I am the type of person where every time I hear people talking about “crazy Muslims” or “terrorists”, I consistently try to say that not ALL Muslims are terrorists. I have gotten in several fights at the dinner table at holidays with people that feel the need to discuss politics and bring Muslims into it. I expected to not learn anything new since I tend to think I have a pretty open mind. However, Sam’s demonstration did help me to learn more about our country that I didn’t know before.
I guess I was unaware of the Christian undertones that resonate with Muslims in our country’s involvement with them. I can definitely see why they could have every reason to feel uneasy with us. I didn’t have much trouble seeing that aspect of it, but what I DID have trouble with was the fact that there ARE still Muslims in the Middle East who have bombed our country and continue to try to do that. I didn’t expect the demonstration to be challenging, but the thought of 9/11 was difficult to forget.
Aside from that however, on the other hand, it’s EASY to see that not all Muslims were involved in that act of terrorism. So the average Arab Muslim, day to day, can be easy to understand why we would confuse them. It’s easy to see their view after hearing Sam’s lecture, but it’s EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to imagine their daily life… How they get up in the morning afraid for their life. How can they possibly walk outside, see our troops, and immediately trust us? When I complain about things during my day that annoy me or mess up my routine, I now think of how lucky I am that I can walk outside my dorm and not see troops in the streets.
It’s very hard to separate what I see on TV and what I know from Sam’s class. It’s also even harder to convince people that there is a difference, and that they have reason to feel uneasy with us as well. The story Sam told about the family that simply wanted their picture taken to send to us, THAT was a challenging thought. Why would I EVER want someone to take my picture to a country that is so controversial?
Overall, it was an eye-opening lecture. There are always several sides to a story however. Not all we are doing is bad, and not all THEY are doing is bad. We can only continue to try to spread awareness among our country of the TRUTH going on, and pray for peace.

After Thursday’s class, I definitely learned a lot from Sam’s demonstration of putting yourself in a Muslim Arab’s shoes. I am the type of person where every time I hear people talking about “crazy Muslims” or “terrorists”, I consistently try to say that not ALL Muslims are terrorists. I have gotten in several fights at the dinner table at holidays with people that feel the need to discuss politics and bring Muslims into it. I expected to not learn anything new since I tend to think I have a pretty open mind. However, Sam’s demonstration did help me to learn more about our country that I didn’t know before.
I guess I was unaware of the Christian undertones that resonate with Muslims in our country’s involvement with them. I can definitely see why they could have every reason to feel uneasy with us. I didn’t have much trouble seeing that aspect of it, but what I DID have trouble with was the fact that there ARE still Muslims in the Middle East who have bombed our country and continue to try to do that. I didn’t expect the demonstration to be challenging, but the thought of 9/11 was difficult to forget.
Aside from that however, on the other hand, it’s EASY to see that not all Muslims were involved in that act of terrorism. So the average Arab Muslim, day to day, can be easy to understand why we would confuse them. It’s easy to see their view after hearing Sam’s lecture, but it’s EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to imagine their daily life… How they get up in the morning afraid for their life. How can they possibly walk outside, see our troops, and immediately trust us? When I complain about things during my day that annoy me or mess up my routine, I now think of how lucky I am that I can walk outside my dorm and not see troops in the streets.
It’s very hard to separate what I see on TV and what I know from Sam’s class. It’s also even harder to convince people that there is a difference, and that they have reason to feel uneasy with us as well. The story Sam told about the family that simply wanted their picture taken to send to us, THAT was a challenging thought. Why would I EVER want someone to take my picture to a country that is so controversial?
Overall, it was an eye-opening lecture. There are always several sides to a story however. Not all we are doing is bad, and not all THEY are doing is bad. We can only continue to try to spread awareness among our country of the TRUTH going on, and pray for peace.

I think people often assume that gay people CHOOSE to be gay because they have a hard time understanding the sexual attraction of same sex couples. I believe it is a way in which people can try to explain WHY it happens. It is such a foreign concept to some that they try to justify how it could potentially be possible. Since it is something that is becoming more and more socially acceptable, I feel as though older generations believe being gay is a choice, not the more recent generations. It wasn’t as “popular” then, so they believe that gays are choosing it NOW in this type of more welcoming society. This is just what I’ve seen first hand. They also feel that since there are so many different “kinds” of gay, LGBTA and different centers to form a safe haven, people often believe you can simply “pick” whichever one you feel like belonging to.
A common trend I see among friends of mine or family is that people often believe your childhood and life experiences can shape your sexuality. If you maybe had a troubling relationship with one of your parents, had trouble with a sibling, or had trouble with friends in school, maybe you would pick being gay because you could find a way to be “different” or cope with your situation. This is another way that people who aren’t familiar with gay people, or have a family member that they are trying to analyze their situation, may exude to this perspective.
It is extremely difficult to cope with a loved one who suddenly is someone you NEVER would expect them to be. It doesn’t mean that its wrong that that’s the way they are, it just means that the person on the other side of the situation has to try to cope with the fact that the person had kept such a secret for so long. People in our society have to ALWAYS explain things, and saying that being gay is choice is a way to do that.
I personally think that there is no way of knowing- and only the gay person themselves can understand their situation. I think every story is different, and there are probably people who choose and probably people who don’t. As people of different backgrounds, we can’t be mad at each other when we don’t understand or try our best to make sense of something that seems so foreign. Like I said before, when people say being gay is a choice, it is a way for them to make sense of the idea of being gay. From Sam’s class lecture, it seems the majority of people in our class believe it is NOT a choice. However, that is for each individual person to decide for himself or herself.

While one person’s decision may not have a massive affect on the amount of slaves that are being worked through our production of technology, the message in itself that one person is sending is powerful enough to continue the act. I am a firm believer in nonconformity. It would take multitudes of people to stop buying smart phones to change the slave labor. However, nothing can change the message you are sending. By not giving into the slave market, you are educating people around you as to what issues are NOT being discussed enough. Before Sam’s class, I knew nothing about this subject matter. After hearing Sam’s stories and now seeing this blog question about boycotting the sales of smart phones, it is making me think about the things I am not aware of in this country.
I think that every great idea started small. If every person in the world with an idea thought, “well my one action isn’t big enough to make a difference”, NOTHING would ever come about. I like to think that someday people will catch on to this issue. I can’t be proud of myself because I have an iPhone myself. I still think it’s extremely admirable though.
I also LIKE to think that this slave labor will end someday. I’m not sure how we could do anything to help, besides this act we are discussing right now. SPREADING AWARENESS. Like another blog I read responding to this question, I don’t think one person not buying an iPhone will save a life. Maybe some day! You never know.
There are all kinds of evil in this world, and unfortunately this is only one of them. And there WILL be many more in the future. It’s unfortunately inevitable. Technology is something that our culture craves and as long as it makes money, we’ll do anything to produce it. We have to accept that we aren’t innocent in all of the evil in the world, which SOC119 is teaching all of us students. The United States fights for justice and world peace, yet we have done a lot to stop this from happening.
Through education and spreading awareness, we can bring these things to light. Continue to not buy smart phones so that one day you will know several people in your life who are doing the same thing. Even people that simply can’t afford one or prefer a flip phone, maybe they’ll embrace their choice for YOUR reason instead.
By posting this video for SOC119 to comment on, you are already taking a step forward. It’s the little things that can become the big things someday. These slaves need a voice. I know we may be more concerned about saving lives directly, but take little steps first! It’ll get there someday!

If I was to describe my beliefs based on the individuals shown in the videos, I could judge something about each person without even knowing them. I could “assume” that the white blonde has the most money out of all of them. I could assume that she is the nicest since she is smiling the most.
No matter what race, all of the students (which I am assuming they are) seem to be wearing nice clothes with accessories such as headphones, watches, or jewelry. I can presume by watching them in the video that the darker men seem tougher and more powerful than the white boy. Most of the time, a man with darker skin seems stronger to me with a bolder personality.
Although these beliefs can be completely wrong, they are still there. The blonde can be a sorority girl; the guy with long braids can be a break-dancer. I have no idea, but those first impressions are still there. The adult in the video seems to be smarter, professional, and educated.
This lesson that Sam is trying to teach us is a valuable one. Similar to the “What Would You Do” video, we often judge peoples’ appearances and use those judgments to decide their behaviors. Based on how a person dresses, they can be assumed to be stealing a bike or assumed to have simply forgotten their lock.
Is this the “R” word? IS this racism? I believe that it is an unconscious reaction to what we are brought up with. We are trained from when we are little kids to stay away from boys with baggy pants and backwards hats. It’s in the movies, the media, books we read, and the way our parents teach us to “not talk to strangers”.
Your appearance says a lot about you whether you would like it to or not. Our appearance creates an initial belief that can be right or wrong. Seeing how I based my beliefs on the individuals in the video from what they are wearing, their facial expressions, and their accessories, it is scary to see how I fit the mold completely of whom Sam is referring to in class… The people who are usually wrong.
How do we break this cycle? I am completely unsure. I wish there was a way to break the way we base our beliefs, but how else would we do it? We can take the time to get to know people but first impressions will always be there. All we can do is not base a person’s behavior and assume they are doing it by the way they look- just like in the video shown in class. Just because you are black with baggy pants does not mean you are automatically stealing a bike!

Thinking about the fact that we may one day be in the same situation that the Native Americans are disturbs me. None of us can ever fully understand what they go through and what their ancestors have fought through. Seeing the man who talked in class about his family, it puts a pit in my stomach. I am not surprised in hearing that it could one day happen to us. History tends to repeat itself, and with the way things have gone in the past, greed and revenge can take complete control over people’s competencies.
What can we do to make sure it doesn’t happen? I’m not quite sure. It makes me feel as though our nation can be so powerful, yet we allow others to have all the power in the world.
What the United States has done to the Native American people has only asked for it to happen back. If you treat an entire human race in such a horrifying way, you cannot expect that it will not come back later in life. We have to treat each other with respect and dignity. In class when Sam asked a clicker question about if a certain group of people have the right to attain their land back, I was shocked by people’s reactions. Almost half of the students said that the child, parent, or whoever else did NOT have the right to attain their land back. Why would ANYONE ever have that opinion? I am not sure, again.
Power, jealousy, and greed can control human beings in the worst way possible. If we breed these deadly sins, we will create exactly what happened to the Native American people.
It sickens me while it also scares me. It makes me nervous that my kids, grandchildren, or great grandchildren could suffer. It is inhumane. The Native American people have religious and spiritual respects to their culture, and have never done anything to harm other races. Now, I feel as though if it happened to us in return, we would see our race deteriorate. We would see MORE suicide, MORE rape, MORE depression, MORE drugs, and MORE declines in our race.
We have enough fear in our lives for the next generation; we don’t need more things to worry about. We should be focusing on our economy, preserving good morals for the next generation to come, and electing a president that will respect all humankind.
I keep the Native Americans in our prayers and hope that they will be the last ones to suffer in this horrific way. Our country was founded on freedom of religion, speech, and expression. It is depressing to see how so many of our founding principles have been tarnished so sadly.

I would tell Tammy that if she changed her attitude, the things around her would start to change. It’s easy to point the finger at other people and say, “Get up and do something about it”. It would be hard to not do that in this situation. However, she does not treat her kids with respect and that is why they don’t respect her either. She works at McDonald’s, which shows that she has some type of dedication to making money, but why didn’t she have a job for years before then? Also, is it really that difficult to find a place to dump your trash?
She is not setting a good example for her kids and puts extreme pressure on them. Her son is embarrassed of her for a reason. The world understands that she was brought up in this environment and can’t change it to a certain extent, but why is it acceptable for her to bring it upon her own kids? Wouldn’t she want a better life for her own kids?
There are ways in which children, especially, can receive funding for college. Her children have such perseverance and it would be a shame to see them go down the same road as she is. Her children are her only way out. Tammy needs to start reinforcing her children’s behavior, and start from there. Maybe, if she started going to church services and develop a spiritual life, she could receive some guidance. Going to church services not only calms the body and soul, but there are many opportunities to receive help from the community.
Tammy needs to work on her physical appearance as well, because then she will start to feel better. If you make yourself look good, you start to feel good. If she started to work on her outer appearance, she would start to display an image of responsibility and respect for herself and those around her. Her son’s friends would respect her more and that would help their relationship a lot. She needs her family’s support first and foremost. Tammy needs to start putting her family first aside from her lazy tendencies.
From what Sam was talking about in class, it can be a consequence of free will, determinism, or both. Tammy has free will to decide in which lifestyle she wants to live. She can decide what type of mother she wants to be and what type of employee. However, determinism affects the way in which she has been brought up. There are unchangeable acts that have been made that have decided Tammy’s fate. It is extremely hard to rise above poverty and living in a trailer. Sometimes, it can seem almost impossible to get out of it. On the other hand, Tammy can at least improve her lifestyle of living in a trailer as best she can. She needs to change as much as she can, even if it isn’t EVERYTHING or as much as she’d LIKE to.