en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2403885 Comments by chutesanladders http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment144907381 Sam showed an example with the lady in California that sold pears. Without illegal immigrants to pick the pears for her, she ended up losing millions of dollars. The workers that were willing to do the job for her were back in Mexico. I think one of the things that many people forget is that immigrants are not coming in here in order to “steal” our jobs, hurt, or make anyone mad. Their soul goal is to come to the US and make a better life for themselves and their families. No one should be denied the opportunity to make a better life for themselves. If you have the motivation and determination to do so, you should be given every opportunity to do so. Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:38:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment144907381 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment144907348 People give up everything just to have the opportunity to come here. That is really amazing to me considering I was born here and have never had a perspective of living anywhere else. I really enjoyed the personal story of Erics, the TA. Hearing a true story from someone I see twice a week in my class really hit me harder than just hearing facts and nothing from anyone that was a personal story. Hearing his story really affected my beliefs on illegal immigration more than anything else has. No longer do I have such a negative opinion on illegal immigration. I feel bad that people do not live in such a great place that they feel forced to give their everything to come here. I am really glad that Sam decided to talk about illegal immigration. He explained a lot and I learned a lot as to what exactly it is and why it happens. In a way, our country kind of relies on illegal immigration. Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:38:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment144907348 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment144907264 After today’s lecture, my opinion on illegal immigration has definitely changed. Previously, I had not really ever thought about illegal immigration in much depth. I pretty much just assumed illegal immigration was a bad thing merely because the word “illegal” was thrown in there. It just sounds negative and I have heard negative things and statements about it so I just assumed it was bad. I had heard that illegal immigrants took peoples jobs and they were not helping our economy in any positive way. I feel like many people had thought the same way as I had. I also believed that there was no way to stop illegal immigration and that people were just trying extremely hard to stop it when it is nearly impossible to do so. Yes, it can be somewhat monitored but to stop it completely is something that can never happen. I didn’t realize the extremes that people will go to in order to come to the United States. Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:38:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/how-has-your-opinion-changed-on-illegal-immigration-119-blog/#IDComment144907264 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment142710134 It goes along with how you grow up. Some people grow up being more privileged than others. They are just handed things that others are not. Overall, nepotism benefits some people while it obviously then hurts others. Although it sucks for the person that is being hindered an opportunity, along the lines, maybe that will receive something due to nepotism that others are not. It really all goes back to who you know and the connections you have made in life. The more connections you have made throughout your life, the better off you will be in the future. Nepotism is not a necessarily a bad thing and I would and will definitely take every opportunity I am given regardless of if it is due to nepotism. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:12:59 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment142710134 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment142710091 I do not think nepotism is necessarily a bad thing. It sucks for the person that is being denied the opportunity and is better qualified but that is a part of life. All of the people that take over family businesses or family homes are experiencing nepotism. It happens all the time throughout the world. So the main question here is whether I would actively think to say no if I was granted an opportunity due to nepotism. I would definitely not reject the opportunity. I would feel somewhat guilty taking the opportunity away from the better qualified person but you need to think of what is better for yourself so why would you turn down the chance? Chances are you wouldn’t. I would personally not want to risk the benefit to myself. Just as I believe that not a single person in the world would reject the opportunity either. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:12:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment142710091 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment142710038 A few weeks ago, we had a class discussion and talked about how having connections gets you farther than if you work hard. It’s about who you know and the connections that you have that get you farthest in life. These “connections” relate to nepotism. I had not previously been aware of this term prior to class discussion. This word definitely seems to fit along with connections. Nepotism is favoritism granted to friends or family regardless of merit or qualifications. If I was offered something due to nepotism, I cannot say that I would turn it down. If I was offered a job or great opportunity due to this I would definitely take the chance to do so. I am not aware of anyone that would not take an opportunity to advance themself just do to fact that they are being given somewhat of a favor. I don’t think nepotism makes anyone selfish or cruel. It is a part of life and you should take every opportunity you are given regardless if that opportunity is given from a friend or family member. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:12:26 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment142710038 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138988159 I just felt kind of uncomfortable and awkward sitting there while they had a full on conversation. Although this should not have made me feel uncomfortable, it definitely did and every other time I preceded to go there, I still felt very uncomfortable. Occurrences such as this one should not be an issue though. I know of a lot of people that have had the same type of experience that made them feel uncomfortable as well. Language barriers such as these should be uncomfortable. I think if people could get used to them and be more open minded towards other languages this world would be a lot better of a place to live in. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 02:04:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138988159 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138988117 Although I try to be open minded when it comes to different cultures and languages, I have been involved in a few situations in which I did not feel comfortable. In these situations I was not only passing someone on the street or on campus that was speaking a different language. A few years ago, I used to get my nails done for high school dances and special occasions. The place I would get my nails done at was dominated by Asian workers. I would sit there for a good half hour as all the employees would speak in a different language that I could not begin to understand. They would laugh and carry on about things I had no idea that they were talking about. In this type of a situation I felt pretty uncomfortable because you never knew if they were talking about you or what they were even talking about in general. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 02:04:20 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138988117 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138988057 I think it definitely depends on the situation as to whether I would feel uncomfortable with other people talking a different language around me. In most cases, you will merely just pass someone on the street or on campus that is talking another language. It is for only a few seconds that you hear them speaking a different language therefore, it should not make you or anyone else feel uncomfortable. It is like any other person that is passing you but talking in your same language. You have no interest in what they are saying and it does not affect you in any way. No matter where you are in the world, you will always find someone that speaks a different language as you do. In the world today, it is inevitable to avoid people of different languages. If you are only passing someone or merely sitting next to them in class, you should not be affected by the fact that they do not speak the same language. People, including myself, need to be more open to different cultures and languages. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 02:03:56 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/29/do-you-ever-feel-uncomfortable-around-two-or-more-people-speaking-another-language-119-blog/#IDComment138988057 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/15/lgbt-families-theres-a-lot-of-fear-out-there/#IDComment135669296 Zach Wahls is a perfect example of how the sexual orientation of his parents has had no impact on his success. You can tell from his speech that he is an extremely determined human being and will go far in life. Bringing religion into this aspect is not what should be done. It is about being able to function legally as a family without being discriminated against. They should be able to have the same rights as heterosexual citizens. People need to let go of their hostility and learn to accept others as they come. Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:34:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/15/lgbt-families-theres-a-lot-of-fear-out-there/#IDComment135669296 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/15/lgbt-families-theres-a-lot-of-fear-out-there/#IDComment135669246 No person, based on race, color, or sexual orientation should be prohibited against having children. Who is someone else to say that another human is not justified to have a child. Children should not be denied a good family just because a family is gay. Any child can come from gay parents being just as successful, happy, and loved as a child that is raised from a straight family. It also does not mean that the child will grow up being gay. That has absolutely nothing to do with it. I think the remaining individuals out there that are afraid of not willing to accept that gays have made a mark in this society need to let go of their hostility. Gays are here to stay and should not be denied the aspects of being a citizen just for that fact. All in all, I see absolutely no reason as to why gays and others should be denied the rights to have children. Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:34:26 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/15/lgbt-families-theres-a-lot-of-fear-out-there/#IDComment135669246 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/15/lgbt-families-theres-a-lot-of-fear-out-there/#IDComment135669192 Zach Walhs gave a very powerful and convincing speech as to why gays should be allowed to have and raise children. You can tell from the passion of his words that he has come from a very loving and giving family. Throughout his speech he is trying to convince the state of Iowa that children raised by gays will not hinder or have a negative effect on their development. Walhs speech completely backed up his argument and I thought he got his point across perfectly. I would never have been able to tell that he was raised by a gay couple if he had not said so. Like Walhs said, it is not the sexual orientation that binds the family together; it is the love that one another has for each other. I completely agree one hundred and ten percent with this statement. I think sexual orientation has absolutely nothing to do with how a child will be raised. I also believe that there are many qualified gay adults out there that are more than capable of raising children compared to other straight adults that have children who are not capable to provide for their children. Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:34:07 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/15/lgbt-families-theres-a-lot-of-fear-out-there/#IDComment135669192 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/how-can-we-save-our-scarce-resources-119-blog/#IDComment132981165 So back to the limited resources problem. I think a large way to help prevent waste would be to start recycling. I think everyone should be forced to recycle. In general, I think Americans have way more than they need. When it comes to food and everything else, Americans do not have a lack of. In the future though this may be a problem. We should start to conserve now in order to prepare for the future. I think the government should be making progress to new orders of action whether it being laws to conserve or ideas that are aimed at coming up with alternative resources. Unless, the government takes action, nothing is going to change. It will take everyone helping out on the cause in order to change something. It is not enough with only a few people helping out here and there. The world needs to take action. Sun, 6 Mar 2011 22:57:58 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/how-can-we-save-our-scarce-resources-119-blog/#IDComment132981165 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/how-can-we-save-our-scarce-resources-119-blog/#IDComment132981089 The amount of people living in world and this country is really outstanding. And to think that within the next one hundred years the population is going to double is hard to believe. With this to be true, it is almost certain the our resources are going to run out. Another question you asked was whether we should limit the amount of children a person can have or if we should make a limitation on the age a person can have a child. Although this seems like a good idea, I think this would be almost impossible to put in place unless every person that unexpectedly had a child was to have an abortion. Abortions go against many people’s religions though so this idea would be nearly impossible to do. You cannot limit a persons age or the amount of children a person can have because many times births are unexpected and unplanned so it would be extremely hard to regulate the age and amount of children a person could have. Sun, 6 Mar 2011 22:57:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/how-can-we-save-our-scarce-resources-119-blog/#IDComment132981089 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/how-can-we-save-our-scarce-resources-119-blog/#IDComment132981024 The first question you asked is when are we going to realize that our economy is running out of resources. Although you are able to get anything you want at anytime at the present moment, in the long run this may not be true. Years from now our economy is going to be very scarce on important resources that keep our country running and sane. So back to the question at what point will we realize our economy is running out of resources? Honestly, I think it will be too late before the economy really decides that something needs to be changed. I think action should be taken now in order to ensure that when these resources run out, there will be plenty of backup or alternative sources for these important and necessary resources. Sun, 6 Mar 2011 22:57:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/02/how-can-we-save-our-scarce-resources-119-blog/#IDComment132981024 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130696716 It would be selfish on my part to have children just because I wanted them when I knew that I could not provide for them. I felt bad for Tammy’s son that wanted to go to college. It all reality, the kid will most likely not be able to attend college due to the fact that he comes from a family of extreme poverty. I’m sure he would have no means of paying the price that comes with going to college. That is not fair to him and he should be able to reach his goals and not be held back due to the fact that he was born to a family that did not have money. I truly feel bad for him and other children that grow up in poverty because it was not their fault and there is nothing they can do about it. Parents that have children when they cannot provide for them are completely selfish in my opinion. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:19:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130696716 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130696685 Kids have no control of the family they are brought into so it is not fair to them. Parents should be able to provide their kids with plenty of food, clothing, and room. I’m sure that the house Tammy grew up in was extremely small and completely over crowded. I do not think that this is a healthy environment to grow up in. I can’t imagine that anyone would want to live and grow up in those kinds of conditions. Personally, I have always said that I want a big family because I love having a full house and never being bored. I know though that I would never bring children into this world if I thought that for any reason I could not provide them with the things that they wanted and need. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:19:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130696685 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130696627 In my opinion, I do somewhat feel like it is selfish for people to have a lot of kids if they are in poverty. It mostly depends on the situation though. I feel like if you do not have the means and necessary utilities to care and maintain a healthy environment for a child to grow up in then I believe it is selfish to have children. Especially when having 22 children and being in poverty, I believe that is not fair at all to the children. On one hand I feel as though someone should be able to have as big of a family as they would like but then on the other hand the children would have no control of what family they are born into and if that family happens to be in extreme poverty with many other children then it would be selfish of the parents to bring them up in such circumstances. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:19:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/24/is-it-selfish-for-people-in-poverty-to-have-more-kids-because-of-their-lower-income-119-blog/#IDComment130696627 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/why-with-more-education-do-people-believe-that-success-is-mostly-a-result-of-hard-work-119-blog/#IDComment128679262 We learned that most college graduates believed that their success was mostly a result of hard work. They believed that “who they knew” was more of a factor in determining their success. When one becomes a junior or senior, their primary goal is to receive an internship. In order to greatly increase one’s chances, it helps to know someone and have connections into the job you are trying to get. Who you know will greatly impact your future. It wasn’t until recently that I have realized that it is who you know, how you were raised, and who your family knows that gets you the furthest. I really wish this wasn’t the case but more and more it seems to be true. Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:17:44 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/why-with-more-education-do-people-believe-that-success-is-mostly-a-result-of-hard-work-119-blog/#IDComment128679262 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/why-with-more-education-do-people-believe-that-success-is-mostly-a-result-of-hard-work-119-blog/#IDComment128679208 Although this hard work in the beginning greatly influences where you go to college, it does not determine what kind of job you will get in the future. I think that maybe after college when it comes to finding a job or internships, then it may come down to who you know rather than if you have worked hard in high school and in college. I definitely think that good grades do play an impact but there is more to the whole picture. For example, my friend actually was able to get a job for the summer in a hospital only due to the fact that her father knows the woman who owns it. For many reasons such as this one, it is kind of unfortunate for the people that don’t know the right people to get to the places where they want to be. Hard work can only get you so far sometimes, many times you need to know someone and have connections. Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:17:28 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/why-with-more-education-do-people-believe-that-success-is-mostly-a-result-of-hard-work-119-blog/#IDComment128679208