Although I feel like people have come along way with accepting people who are LGBT, I still feel like we have along way to go. My parents would accept me more if I was in an interracial relationship more than if I was in a LGBT relationship. As a dancer, I grew up with a lot of guys who were gay and my parents were also subject to them. They never had a problem with them, but I could tell my dad was always a little uncomfortable. We also had black people in my dance classes and he never seemed to have an issue. America has dealt with racism and abolishing slavery along time ago; we have had a chance to accept the differences and people have adjusted to it…that is why I think my parents would be much more accepting of me being in a relationship with a black man. Our president is even black so you can tell we have come along way. But could you imagine if we had a gay president? That will not happen or ALONG time…if ever. I think eventually, over the next fifty years, people will become much more accepting of LGBT relationships that it may not even differ to being in an interacial relationship. But I do know, that right now, my parents would be completely against me being in a lesbian relationship. My family is catholic, and I was raised Catholic...My sisters and I we were brought up to date boys and then marry men. I don’t know if my parents would disown me if I was in a lesbian relationship, but I know they wouldn’t accept it. If I dated a black man, they would accept it even though it’s not necessarily their first choice of a mate for me. I think as people become more open with being gay things will change. I have a great gay uncle that has been with his partner ever since I was born. His name is Tony and they always called his partner his “friend” who was named Zeke. He came to all of our Christmas parties, Thanksgiving parties and birthdays. He was never treated any different than any of my other relatives. I hope they would do the same for me if I were gay just because I am their daughter. It would be so sad to me if I knew they would disown me for a relationship I chose to be in rather than the person I was. I understand their Catholic reasoning, but they are my parents and I will love them no matter the choices they made…I hope they would love me the same.

Although you are right, he did scream those things making it seem racially motivated, I honestly am still confused on whether the Trayvon Martin case was racially motivated. This case has gained so much national attention that you can’t turn the TV on without hearing about Trayvon or another case involving a black person that they want to link to him. Although I think this is an important story, I do think they are putting too much attention on this case just because people think it is racially motivated. I personally think that Zimmerman said “those people” because of the way he was dressed and how he looked suspicious, not necessarily just because of the color of his skin under the clothes. I’m sure, however, it didn’t help Trayvon that he WAS black. As a lot of us know, black people are often stereotyped as being involved with crime so I can see how he might have subconsciously thought that. He also was wandering around the neighborhood so that might have made Zimmerman feel a little uneasy as well. I have to admit, that if I saw Trayvon wearing what he was wearing I probably would have felt uneasy myself. We grow up with these stereotypes of bad people being in gangs and wearing this type of clothing and having guns that it’s understandable that he may have been worried about Trayvon’s intentions. I definitely don’t think Zimmerman should have followed Trayvon, I think he went too far, but it is hard for me to completely and fully balme him for this being racially motivated. Many black figures like Sharpton and even Obama himself are shifting feelings of the people watching the news to think that this is definitely racially motivated. Who knows…it might have been. But no one knows this except Zimmerman himself and last time I checked we lived in America where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. If he claims it was self defense and had no hate behind it, I have to give him the benefit of the doubt because I respect and cherish our system and hope that it can bring both Trayvon and Zimmerman the justice they both deserve. On the other side of this whole thing, some people feel that this was DEFINITELY racially motivated and people are outraged that Zimmerman is not facing what he deserves. People feel that Zimmerman acted out of hate for “those people” and saw his skin color and hoodie and not that he was an innocent boy walking home from the store to buy a bag of skittles. People are angry that this “racial-profiling” led to a young mans life being taken away and I have to agree that it is very sad. However, like I said before, we cannot make any decisions until Zimmerman has been charged and sentenced.

I think it’s pretty ridiculous that at this day and age, when we know that anyone can commit a crime, not just the people who are stereotyped, to not be putting metal detectors and having drug searches and schools that are predominately white. In my high school, as a freshman, there was absolutely no kind of security in place. The only type of security we had was our high school football coach who walked around the school all mean and scary. As I became a sophomore, and then a junior it became more strict because we kept hearing in the news of kids shooting other kids in their own schools…even white kids. They began having drug dogs come in to search the school, lockers and even parking lot. I think it’s a funny point that Sam made on how the teachers would alert us that they were coming so that kids wouldn’t get caught because that is exactly what they did in our school. My school was a very white, wealthy school and had an amazing reputation. That is the last thing they wanted on the news. My sister still attends my old high school. Now, they have security cameras in several of the hall ways and a buzzer system that doesn’t allow people in unless buzzed through the office. I think predominately white schools have caught on that the people that commit crimes don’t only come from underprivillaged neighborhoods. Other neighboring predominately white schools near my town even have metal detectors. So althought I do believe they take more precautions in more minority areas, I think it is expanding to other areas as well as people begin to realize that crime does not just belong minorities.

Although the schools are taking steps to apply these types of security measures everywhere, I think it’s sad that racism is embedded in us that we feel we need to do this. Whether it’s subconscious or not, we all have racist tendencies I think.

I am curious however to know what the crime rates are in places with metal detectors versus schools without it. I bet they are close although people would guess the minority schools would be higher in crime. That is just what is said in TV, movies and pop culture. What else are we supposed to believe than what we are exposed to and told?? Although I think it’s not right and needs to be changed, it’s understandable to me why this has happened.

I also grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood and did not have a lot of interaction with minorities. With that said, I would consider myself to be stage 3. It is my belief that regardless of where you grew up in America, if you are remotely intellectual and have at least a mediocre intelligence you are very much so aware of the differences in races and the stigmas that may be associated with them.
As you mature and start to discover what is going on around the world and as most teens do, invest in popular culture, you begin to get a sense and realization of the differences in races across the world. The way our immediate culture/community interprets and the beliefs that they have about different races may or may not affect the beliefs we develop regarding races. Because of the world we live in, it is impossible to literally view the entire world as one race. It is more so accepted to distinguish between different races. The difference lies in whether or not there are negative connotations associated with the differentiation that we see in the races.
With that said, if you are open minded, coming into college you understand that you will be interacting with people of different races. In today’s world, if you are so narrowed minded that you either ignore racism or are yourself racist you are either extremely naïve or were brought up in an environment where racism was heavily enforced and you may have had a difficult time escaping these beliefs. In other words, these beliefs were instilled in you.
In relation to how I feel about the environment in which I was raised and how it has affected me, I believe that I was fortunate in the fact that despite being brought up in a predominately white community, my beliefs towards different races were in no way, shape or form molded to bring about any negative connotations in regards to racism. It has in no way affected the way that I interact with people of different race. If anything, it has made me more aware and has intrigued me to meet and interact with more people of different races. Furthermore, I think it has contributed to my growing and learning experiences at the University. I think Penn State is unique in the fact that it is surrounded by predominately white communities, and while still being predominately white, there is a lot of culture that has made its way to Penn State, and I can appreciate that.

As a broadcast journalism student I know that the media’s main goal is to be unbiased and give the truth to the people whether they agree with it or not. Although this is the goal, certain news platforms lean left or right and can sometimes pass those opinions on to the people. I know a lot of shows on TV that are considered “news” like Nancy Grace can affect people’s opinions. But those shows are NOT news. They are opinions coming from that anchor and not just factual information. Unfortunately some people take it as news and adjust their opinions accordingly. Now about the news regarding war, I feel it is hard to get all of the truth by JUST watching the news and doing nothing else. I feel like, with anything, you cannot get your information from one source. If you want the truth about something, you have to do your research. So yes, the media can be one source. But you must also talk to others to hear their opinions, you have to talk to soldiers who have been there and you have to put all of those facts and opinions together to form your own opinion on what is actually going on in the Middle East. As for how much of the media I actually believe…there’s middle ground I’d say. I watch the news everyday, and when it’s about things regarding just facts and numbers for the most part I’ll believe it’s for the majority true. If it wasn’t true, which sometimes people find out it is not true, people are fired. It’s the media’s goal to give the truth to the public and being a journalist myself, I know we try our best to do so. I think if we want to gain more information about the war, we can’t rely on others to just give us that information while we sit on our butts. We have to go out and find out for ourselves what is going on. I know it’s not possible to go over seas to see what is actually going on, but I mean we should go through more resources than just the TV. Unfortunately though, I feel like many people are either too busy or too lazy to take the time to do so and for the most part will just rely on the news.

I think it is so interesting that the statistic exists where someone who has a more ‘white name’ is more likely to get an interview over a person with a ‘black name’ or a ‘muslim name’. To be fifty more likely to get a response to an interview is such a high number and can really affect a person’s chances over different letters strung together to make a name at the top of a resume. Ever since I was little, I always told my parents how I wanted to name my kids with an usual name like Jailin or Kyra. At first they would just nod their head and say ‘yeah Ashley those are pretty names.” But as I’ve gotten older, and closer to actually having kids someday, their opinions have changed. When I bring up names that are unusual and different and usually given to African-americans and say that I like them for a baby’s name, my dad immediately says ‘What? Really?’ He then went on to say how it sounds like ‘a black person’s name’ and how people discriminate against the types of names they see on top of a resume. I always was just like ‘yeah, ok Dad. Whatever you say.” I never actually thought it made a difference because if it were me looking at the names on the top of resumes I would see a different one and be like, “Oh wow! That’s such a cool name!” It wouldn’t affect my decision to give an interview…at least I don’t think. I didn’t think it would affect my decision until Sam actually brought up the exact same topic in class. He said that it actually DOES affect a person’s decision to give the ‘differently-named’ person an interview. I always just thought my dad was just closed minded until Sam told us the statistics and that it really does make a difference. It was shocking. Then again, is it really? I mean again it’s just that ‘white power’ working its way into our society. Even the people of color who were hiring made the SAME discriminatory decisions. If people know this statistic (and maybe they don’t) then why would they give their children a less of a chance to get a job by naming them some name that isn’t ‘white.’ After hearing this, and realizing that it actually is a true stat, I am going to really re-think the names I like for babies and be super careful when naming my kids. I want to be the LAST person to ever mess up a chance for them to get the job of their dreams. Hopefully by the times I have kids this stat will change and I can name my kids the creative, cool names I want, but lets be honest…it’s not going to anytime soon.

It is inaccurate to make the statement that white people shy away from talking about race. It is especially inaccurate to offer this as a general statement. It is my belief that white people, for the most part, fall into three categories, as do all other races.
1. There are those who are strongly opinionated and will insert their opinion, warranted or not, regardless of their race. These people can further be dissected into two categories. Either they feel that they have been cheated or directly affected by racism in their life, or they have been influenced by others and encouraged to be overly opinionated. With that said, there are those who have been affected by racism and have incentive to act the way that they do and have a strong stance on the issue of racism because of this.
2. There are those, who have no opinion on the matter, and can truly see past the color of a persons skin. It is important that this statement not be over analyzed. With that said, everybody is aware that there is a difference in race, but to them there is no meaning or negative connotations associated with race. These people were most likely brought up in an environment where there were multiple races existing in the community, but the environment was one that was harmless. With this, they were exposed to different races, and are able to separate some of the negative connections associated with certain races.
3. There are those are aware of race, have been exposed to and have at least a minute understanding of the connotations, positive and negative, and have had experiences that have lead their current stance. These people are not afraid to speak up. This is the category which most people fall, or should fall. They know that there are certain connections and trends among each race. They however, are able to look past a persons race and form an opinion unbiased of race.
In summary, it is not accurate to state that white people shy away from race. White people, especially those who make up the majority of Penn State students, are brought up in predominantly white communities. The connotations associated with racism are bad and for that reason they tend to shy away in certain environments. That statement speaks for a small part of the white population. That is why it is unfair to label the white culture as a whole as to shy away from the topic of racism.

I feel we have come along way in our society with accepting different races. You now see every race at college campuses, working at major companies, and even becoming our president of the United States. It is also now allowed for different races to come together and date, get married and have kids. Although this is much more acceptable in this day and age, some people are still very against inter-racial dating and having kids of a different race. I know for myself, I just am not attracted to different races. We talked about it in class and saw how the white girl couldn't pick who was most attractive out of the Korean guys. I would have had the same problem because we just don't know what to look for in different races. It would be highly unlikely for me to date a different race, and therefore I feel many people who are like me might have negative attitudes towards people who look past race and still date them. I also know that if I chose to date a black guy or Asian guy, my parents and especially my grandparents would be very against it. Although they are not racist and are for equal opportunity, I know that if it actually involved me dating a different race they would change their opinions and influence me to date white guys. Also, if I decided I wanted to be pregnant with sperm of a different race they would also be against it. They have the opinion that races should stay with their own races and produce kids of that same race. Although I wish I could say that I was different and say that I wouldn't mind having sperm of a different race, I know I would be against it. I would want the baby that I have to look like me so that I can pass on my same traits generation after generation. A girl in class also mentioned that she would want her baby to be white also so that people wouldn’t think she was having an affair. I definitely see where she is coming from and I feel the exact same way. I have nothing against people who would decide to begin a relationship with another race or have a kid of a different race. For me, however, I was brought up thinking that I should stick to my own race and are attracted to only white men.

Over the past few months, as the story has developed and a scandal has unfolded in front of our eyes, we have learned a lot about ourselves as "Penn Staters". Since enrolling at Penn State as a freshman I have continued to involve myself at this University and that has lead to my becoming who I am today. I can, with all sincerity, say that I believe that Joe Paterno plays a large part in the development of each and every person who comes through Penn State, and all those who involve themselves in the University. As a Penn Stater, you develop a certain sense of pride that you do not see in other students enrolled in other Universities. What has become evident within the past months is that Joe Paterno built a legacy that is instilled in all of us. This is evident in the pride that we all have for this University. Amidst the scandal, you would be hard pressed to find a Penn State student or alumni that has unfairly placed the blame on Joe Paterno to the extent that the press has. The belief that JoePa did not do enough when he knew was taking place is absurd. It has been taken out of context, and ultimately lead to the demise, and arguably the death of one of the greatest men that will walk the earth. Joe Paterno did not try to hide any of the information. He did what is expected of him and what many would do in going to his superior and to the highest of law enforcement on campus. As Phil Knight, CEO of Nike explained, the blame lies in the investigation and not Joe Paterno. (For a direct quote refer to the YouTube video and look for me sitting in front of Urban Meyer :) ) I personally have learned a lot from all of this. I have learned that people are quick to place judgment and change their opinion over somebody before they know all of the facts. This rings more true because we still do not know all of the facts. We know that one man committed an unfathomable act and that another man is paying for it. A shadow of judgment has been cast over Joe and an unfair one at that. I have learned how strong a community can pull together one their leader needs it the most and I have learned how strong the connection is in this Penn State Family. I have learned that I am part of one of the most proud, and strongest communities of people and that I will always have a family in fellow Penn Staters.

I disagree with affirmative action and still do after hearing the lecture. Although the idea of affirmative action looks good on paper, realistically it does not work when applied in the real world. In my past experience, affirmative action allowed an unqualified individual the opportunity to join a team that she was not qualified to be a part of just because she was a minority. The idea to give those underpriviledged individuals a chance to be a part of something they would not normally have the opportunity to participate in is a nice idea, but it can result in the inclusion of unqualified people over those that would be better able to contribute. In my example, the girl that was added to the team was under qualified and less talented than dozens of other girls that had tried out but she was given a position on the team because the majority was white and there needed to be greater diversity according to university policy. When it comes to sports teams I don't think that the team should be penalized in order to fill a quota. Putting a person that is not as talented as another individual on the team doesn't make sense when our ultimate goal is to compete and be the best that we can be. It brings down the moral of the team to think that we have a under qualified girl on the team when there was someone just as qualified that could have contributed better to winning competitions. I know that affirmative action was not meant to operate in this way but the reality is that it does and will continue to do so unless something is done to fix the situation. Increasing diversity has its benefits, bringing people of all different backgrounds together but I don't think that it is worth compromising teams just to fill a quota at the expense of the rest of the team. I think that affirmative action should either be stopped or amended so that there are no mandatory quotas to fill. This will put everyone on an equal playing field and better the environment for sports teams and other areas where affirmative action is now in place.