I think the main thing that I learned this week is to stand strong and defend my beliefs. I learned that I need to hold my head high in order to get through this ordeal. Over the past two weeks, I have had people accuse me of supporting a child molester and basically being a child molester because I was defending my university and my fellow students. I am disappointed in those people because I thought of them as intelligent individuals who always tried to gather the most information they could before coming to a conclusion about something. Sadly, I was wrong about these people who called me an idiot and did not even attempt to realize what I am going through. At Rutgers University last year, a gay student committed suicide because he was bullied by his roommate. I never wrote any statements saying that ALL Rutgers students were homophobes or accused any of the students except those charged of bullying any other students. What is strange is that once a scandal is revealed at Penn State, they jump all over it and accuse students of being immoral. Going home, I will not be afraid to defend my beliefs and take a stand against these people who continue to tear me down. I will continue to be the honorable and successful person that I have grown to be at Penn State. Penn State will always be my university and I will always support it.
Another lesson that I have learned is that people need to be much more open to discussing sexual assault cases. I know of a courageous individual who overcame their shame and fear to discuss their personal experience from a sexual assault. This story and the reaction of my classmates in my recitation have inspired me to get more involved with protecting men, women, and children from sexual assaults. I want to teach people how to protect themselves from being sexually assaulted, especially high school students and young college students. It is vital for people to start talking about sexual assaults because we will eventually have the tools to prevent many people from being assaulted, raped, or molested.
I will always take pride in my university. In fact, I have never been more proud of the actions of the majority of my fellow students. The football game was the best game I've ever been to because it showed that we can get over this. It also showed that we can come together to celebrate what Penn State was, is, and what it will be in the future. As Penn State students, we need to do more for these victims. We not only need to support them, we need to attempt to understand what they are going through and thank them for coming forward with their stories. We, as Penn State students, would never have learned the lessons we have learned through this incident. While I am horrified at what happened to the victims, I appreciate them coming forward because I understand what their feelings were and are regarding their experiences. They have a tremendous amount of courage.

WE ARE PENN STATE!

This past week has been one of the hardest weeks in Happy Valley that I have been through. In addition to the events involving Sandusky, I had three exams this week to study for. I am horrified at the acts that Sandusky has done and was in disbelief at the evidence that continued to come out over the week. I'm especially disappointed in the way that the administration is handling this. While I believe that the Board of Trustees was right to fire Spanier, I believe that they could have done this after they fired Curley, Schultz, and McQueary. To fire Joe Paterno, a man who has supported this University and community, before his final season ended is disappointing to me. I understand that he should have done more, but I don't think that a man who has been seen as a moral person should just be taken down for a single, if yet large, mistake. The fact that he is human and not God-like, like most people make him out to be, has made me like Joe Paterno even more.

The reactions that I have been getting from people who do not go to Penn State disgust me. They choose to believe in the misinformation that the media is feeding them and to make assumptions based on incomplete facts. I am trying not to make judgments on certain aspects of the situation because we will NEVER know all of the facts! It's impossible to have EVERY SINGLE FACT! I had people from my high school, who I haven't seen or spoken to since then call me an idiot and a supporter of a child molester! This cannot be more untrue. Over the past few years, I have been dealing with certain instances where I have learned that molestation of any kind is a bigger deal than expected. You don't know how much abuse can affect a person mentally, physically, and socially. To be called a person who supports child molestation is something that I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive.

I think the thing that bothers me most is the way that the media has portrayed this whole situation. Most of the media, if not all of the media, are misinforming people of the facts. I see Joe Paterno making headlines involving the sex scandal, instead of Sandusky, Curley, or Schultz. People are making the assumption that Joe Paterno is molesting football players for playing time! To inform the entire nation with the facts is something I would be able to handle, but to misinform the nation with bullshit is angering. I read an article that not only called ALL Penn Staters alcoholics, the writer also insulted the student body's intelligence. I do not read the stories that come up anymore and I do not answer people who are misinformed any more because they will learn how horrible it is to make assumptions. Frankly assumptions make an ass out of you and me.

The thing that I am hopeful for is that Penn State will be able to grow and thrive despite this scandal. Maybe instead of being just a football school, we can put more pride into our academics and our philanthropies. That way, when the media moves on, we won't be just a football school. We will be recognized around the world for our academic achievements and our desire to be better people. I am proud to call myself a Penn Stater, and I always will be. WE ARE and always will be PENN STATE.

I personally am not afraid of becoming the minority in the United States. It would be very interesting to see how other people react to this ever-changing world. The neighborhood that I grew up in was predominantly Asian. Many of the Asians were immigrants that had just moved to America and were still getting accustomed to living in the United States. I knew of many white people who moved to a neighboring town so that they could be the majority again. I believe that they will be in a rude awakening soon because the United States is constantly becoming more diverse, with more and more different ethnic groups and biracial couples. I know a lot of those people are probably closed-minded and do not like change, but eventually they will have to face the fact that they will not be the majority anymore. However, because I went to a small Catholic high school, my life was not particularly integrated and I did not have the opportunity to socialize with people who were of different religions. However, I had friends of all races in and out of school and both of my prom dates were Asian. This was different than my classmates because they mostly took white people to prom. I feel as though living in a more diverse neighborhood has helped me grow as a person and be much more accepting of others.
If white people do become the minority, the job market is going to change and the economy is going to change. Our education system will also change, hopefully for the better because we will have even more people to educate so we need to reform our system. I don't think people should be concerned about this occurring because people in my generation are becoming much more open to people of different religions and races. This open mindedness will not lead to wars or oppression because people will strive towards the American Dream and will try to get the best education, best job, and be the happiest they can be. Currently, everyone strives towards this American Dream. Why would it be any different in 20 or 30 years. After all, this is the land of opportunity, so we should give the opportunity of achieving what they want to everyone living in the United States. Even with all of these opportunities, people will still complain because they do not have what they want and they will most likely try to blame another race for their problems. There will always be racial discrimination and unhappiness because an event happens that makes people dislike a certain group. Fear and hatred spreads more quickly than acceptance and love, so people who are different will be discriminated against. They will be discriminated against only because they are different than the majority of the population.

I believe that I, like my immediate family, am in stage 5. I grew up in a predominantly Indian/Asian community in central New Jersey. I was aware of race, and my parents helped me to explore different cultures at a very young age. However, I went to a Catholic school, so my exposure to people of different religions was very little. At my school, we had a predominantly white class, with a group of minorities. When I was younger, I was friends with a lot of different people, many of whom were Asian or black. As I grew older, I was afraid to associate with my African American friends because I did not want them to see me as a racist. I tried to speak in politically correct terms and I tried not to offend anyone. As I entered high school, I began to get angry at the white people around me because I was tired of trying to be politically correct. As a result of this anger, I began to experience white guilt, especially when my history teacher went over slavery and the Civil War. I started to see the injustice and the mistreatment of people of color. Eventually I grew out of this stage because I watched the news too much. Many people still discussed the inequality of colored people. However, I was tired of people yelling at me or my mother because they believed they had been mistreated. It seemed that all black people around me were trying to make excuses for their misfortune and usually blamed it on white oppression. Currently, I believe that I am in stage 5 because I am no longer angry at people for complaining about white people in general. I try to get approval from my friends of color but I do not usually change my personality, just the way I act around them. I try to treat everyone equally, even if I don't understand aspects of their culture and I try to be friends with everyone so I can learn more about others.

I believe my family is mostly in the same stage as I am because my parents always tried to introduce my brother and I to different cultures by taking us to New York and teaching us about different places and peoples. Because my father works in New York, he has many friends of different races and is always open to meeting new people and going to new places. My mother works at one of the most diverse college campuses in the country, so I am used to seeing many different kinds of people in her office. I am glad that New Jersey has people of many different races because if I grew up in a different place, I might not be as accepting. Some members of my extended family are very closed minded because they grew up in a predominantly white community. They did not grow up in a very diverse environment so the way that they treat people is a little different than the way I treat people. I am grateful at the opportunities that I have been given and will continue to try and treat others with justice and equality.

In this male centered world, there is a standard in the way that women dress. In order for a woman to attract a male, usually she needs to be dressed in a seductive and sexy manner. This outfit usually includes four inch high heels, a skin tight dress that flaunts her figure and shows off her assets at Penn State. Many women feel sexy when wearing these clothing items because men seem to be more attracted to them. Women in sexy clothing seem more confident because they are not afraid to show off their figure and men are generally more attracted to confident women. When a woman dresses in provocative clothing, she is searching for a potential mate who will complement her personality. Most women are looking for a more intimate relationship, not a relationship that is purely physical. Women would like to get to know a male for their personality and their interests. After they feel as though they have gotten to know this potential mate, the woman will attempt to have a more intimate and physical relationship with them.
However, men do not seem to vie women as potential mates, just "chicks who are DTF". Men do not treat women with the respect that they deserve. Although women would like to be treated with respect, men usually only have one thing on their mind: sex. College aged men are usually not mature enough to be ready to enter a relationship. I know that most men will disagree with that statement, but it has been scientifically proven that their brains develop more slowly. When a man sees a woman dressed provocatively, he thinks that she is open to just having a fling.
If a woman is not interested in having sex with someone she does not know very well, she should make it very clear to that man so she will not be in any situations that will not end well. Also, for all the men reading this, NO MEANS NO. If she does not want to do anything with you that particular night, she does not want to do anything with you. Women should not be treated as objects. Many women having been reading about all of the sexual assaults that have been reported on this campus. This is largely because men have overstepped the boundary or have misread signals. In order to prevent more sexual assaults, women should report being sexually assaulted and men should treat women with more respect.
With that being said, I enjoy dressing up with my friends and having a good time. I like to feel confident about myself and my body. Wearing heels and tight clothing helps me to do that. Having confidence is something that is important to every woman and should not be confused with wanting to have sex. Men should treat women with respect and women should treat men with respect.

While it is very hard for the United States to give out different types of aid because of the economy, the United States government still has almost an obligation to help developing countries. This is because other countries consider the United States to be a super power that has the resources and power to aid their country. If the United States is going to aid other countries, I believe that they should do it in a cautionary way. Many times, it seems as though aiding countries does not really help the country because the countries' governments do not distribute the aid to the people, especially if it is financial aid. The United States should reorganize the way that they distribute aid to needy countries. They should distribute financial aid only to those countries who will be able to use the money for the betterment of the country. They should distribute medicine or food to countries that have a problem with malnutrition and many illnesses. Also, the United States should aid more destitute countries so that those countries could further the global economy and there could be more wealth.

However, this means that the United States should not interfere with their economy because the country will not be able to recover from a disaster. Therefore the United States should not donate money or food but supplies and seeds for farming. If America donates seeds, the farmers of the country should be able to plant the seeds and contribute to the global market to bring in revenue for their country. If supplies are donated, homes could be built, hospitals could be reopened, and businesses could be reformed. This could help the country get back on their feet and earn more money to improve and upgrade their existing systems.

Another thing that individual Americans could do if they feel strongly about a country's well being is volunteer and go to that particular country to serve the people. People could visit and do service projects to help people living in the country learn new techniques and increase production. People underestimate the things that they could do to help other countries. They could donate supplies, medicine, and volunteer their time. This is more important than money because you are providing people not only with basic needs, but also with the skills that they need to succeed. This will give people pride and they will pass on their knowledge to others and make their country stronger and more successful.

All in all, the United States should not donate monetary sums to better other countries. Instead, they should donate supplies, food, and medications. Americans who are willing to help others should go over to the needy country and help teach the people living there basic skills and more efficient techniques for the skills that they already have. This would make the global economy better and the United States would eventually stop donating resources to help other countries.

I've always thought that gay marriage is an important issue. However, I do not believe that it should be the complete focus of politicians or Americans. A more important issue is education. As we saw in class today, our education system is failing the newest generation. The number of people who do not graduate from high school and who do not do well on their standardized tests is a staggering amount. Our standardized test scores are being overshadowed by China and other countries. Teachers do not last long in the profession anymore because the relationships with the students and their parents has diminished greatly. Teachers sometimes are not considered to be the authority figures because the parents believe that their child can do no wrong. This creates mistrust. The teacher also gives the student the grade that they deserve whether or not that grade is the grade the parent thinks they should get. Increasingly, inner city students are dropping out and joining gangs because their teachers are not encouraging them to succeed. Their parents also are not helping them to become better people and go to college.
Because China has a greater number of people going into science or mathematics programs, we are falling behind in technology, which will reduce our economy and make it harder for us to recover from the recession. We need to increase the amount of women and men in the sciences so that we can further our technology. By increasing our technology, we shall increase the amount of people interested in the sciences.
To reform our education system, we need to pass laws that make our inner city school better by trying to increase longevity and enthusiasm among teachers. We also need to give inner city students better technology so that they will be getting the same education as students in suburban areas. This way, the students in cities will be able to have access to computers and televisions. Our teachers should also be protected from parents lawsuits, which are becoming more and more common.
Overall, our education system needs to be reformed, but people also need to value education more. Not every person is going to end up becoming an actress or rock star or reality star. People need to start recognizing that even if your parents did not graduate from high school, you should still strive for success by educating yourself. In order to become a more open minded person, you need to be educated about differences in others and you should travel to learn about other cultures and countries. Education should be the foundation of our country. It should be what we build our society around, not celebrities and being famous. Our leaders, CEOs and scientists all have a good, strong education. I am thankful for the opportunities and the education that I have received through Penn State so far.

I see President Obama as multiracial. When he was running for president in 2008, I believed that he could change our government. I did not care that he was half black and half white; I considered him to be the best candidate for the job. I supported his stances on different subjects and agreed with his positions more than I did McCain's stances and positions. According to statistics, more young people voted in 2008 than in 2000 or 2004. This is because of Obama's willingness to change the government. His race may have discouraged many old fashioned people to vote for him because the idea of having a mixed race, black, or even a woman president was too radical for them. Many people I know did not vote for Obama because they did not believe that he was an American. I believe that they did not vote for him because they did not want change. They wanted to stay with former President Bush's ways of governing because change is a scary thing to deal with.
While I am mostly supportive of President Obama's changes, there was not enough change to help the United States of America get out of debt or to help millions of Americans without health insurance gain the insurance they deserved. This is because there is too much fighting between the parties and not enough support for Obama's ideas. While President Obama has worked very hard to fix the economy and help America, people do not support him because of fear of change, racism, and many other reasons. For those who earn a large salary, changing aspects of the government would not be beneficial for them, so they oppose the laws that need to be passed for the middle class and poor people. Unfortunately, it seems as though the wealthy people have more power because they have the money to get certain things done. This class gap needs to change so that the poor and middle class have more say in what they want from their government instead of just listening to those who can pay for different opportunities. The future of our country depends upon those who built it, the working class, and their children.
Many states are cutting funding for education, which is going to have a negative effect on every child put through school. Teachers will not be paid as well and will put in less effort for the children. Reading and Math scores are decreasing because we do not put enough emphasis on those subjects. Gym, the arts, and even some science classes are being cut from schools because they do not have the funds. I believe that if education was focused on, there would be more intelligent, determined people in the country who could make the changes needed. After fixing the education system, all other problems should be focused on. The changes will come, with or without Obama. Now that people believe in change, change for the better should be easier to obtain. With more open minded and educated people, we may even see a woman as President. I hope I am alive when that day comes.

My faith is Roman Catholicism. It always has been. My mother brought my family to church every Sunday and enrolled my brother and I in Catholic school. I have studied at various Catholic schools up until coming to Penn State. While Catholicism has shaped my morals and values, it has definitely not shaped certain beliefs, such as naturalistic evolution vs. intelligent design. Even though I attended Catholic school, I learned a lot about other religions besides Christianity. This process really opened my eyes to different beliefs and ways of living. By opening my mind, I have gained a better perspective on different religions and I now do not consider myself a Roman Catholic.
I believe in a little bit of everything, including reincarnation from Hinduism and the different paths to enlightenment in Buddhism. Even though, my devotion to Catholicism has changed, I have not lost my faith. I am just trying to learn more about myself through my beliefs and my faith.
Faith is an integral part in any human community. It includes traditions shared, a sense of unity, and most importantly hope. This hope is what drives humans to seek for something to believe in. Humans hope to find happiness, to find understanding, to make sense of the phenomena that occur daily. Whether a person chooses to believe in a faith is based on their choices, values, and morals.
Regarding naturalistic evolution versus creationism and intelligent design, my head wants to believe in naturalistic evolution but my heart wants to believe in intelligent design. Being a Biology major, I have taken many classes and have learned a lot about evolution. There is evidence that shows that humans evolved from monkeys, tracing the ancestor back to chimpanzees. However, my hope influences me to believe in Intelligent Design, at least for now.
By questioning my faith, I have begun to understand more about the world and other cultures and peoples. Dr. Stephen Hawking, a famous physicist, has made me question everything that I believe by asking one of the most puzzling questions in history: Did God Create the Universe? His hypotheses, which were documented on the Discovery Channel's new show Curiosity, made me question whether or not God exists. I do not want to start a controversy with this but I believe that it might change the way that I think. Basically, Dr. Hawking claims that before the Big Bang, there was no time. Therefore, there was no time to create the universe so there was no God to create the universe. Like faith, you can choose whether or not to believe in this statement. Ultimately, humans need hope and understanding. Dr. Hawking has increased my understanding, but I will always be hoping for a connection. My religion may change, but my hope will not.