Prior to this class, I had a very negative outlook on illegal immigration. It wasn’t even that I knew an overwhelming amount of information about this topic; I actually didn’t know anything about it at all. All I did know was the opinion of those around me, and the opinion of what people in the media had taken. When I had thought about illegal immigrants entering our country, I immediately thought that our borders should be tightened. I thought that no good could come from those who entered here illegally. They had no rights, however they were taking out jobs and causing more trouble for our legal system. Now, I know how terribly wrong I was.

Living in America we often take for granted the number of rights and quality of living we have. When I put myself in the shoes of those who live in countries ruled with strict dictatorial powers, I can help but feel that I too would do whatever it took to get my family to a safer living environment. Coming from a more humanitarian outlook, our Country should allow for refugees that are fleeing their country in order to escape. After studying abroad in Italy, I was able to see first hand how another country handles illegal immigrants.

Throughout the streets of any Italian city you can find Albanians roaming around, doing whatever they can to make a living. Italy opened its borders to Albanian refugees in order to help them gain a better life. However even though they allow them in, they do not grant them citizenship. Technically they are given no rights, but they are allowed to be in the country without fear of government interference. Although there can be many faults to this system, it is important to think about the number of lives that have been saved since Albanians were given the change to escape their country. Even though they have no actual rights, they do have the right of safety that is arguably a right in itself.

I think America can learn a lot from the way other countries handle illegal immigration. I am not saying that they should copy the way Italy handles illegal immigration, but what I can say is that there is a better way to handle this situation.

I can admit that I am not in favor of supporting illegal immigrants because there are many people in the world who are suffering. Now that I realize how much suffering goes on in the world, I believe there must be a way we can help those in need. If it means allowing immigrants into our country, I think that is what we should do. I believe there must be a way that be can help more than we currently are.

I think the entire concept of nepotism is a completely grey area in many people’s lives. I will even use myself as an example of nepotism falling into a grey area. Myself, much like most other people in the world have been a beneficiary of nepotism at one point or another. However, I completely see and understand the issues surrounding nepotism. I understand the problem where one person doesn’t get a certain position for a company because another applicant had an “in” even though the first was the more qualified individual. I think in circumstances like that, nepotism is a problem and even though it is completely unfair it unfortunately happens more than not.

In my personal opinion, trying to purposefully reject nepotism would be an idiotic route to take. There is no need to feel guilty for being fortunate enough to have connections that will ultimately take you places in life. However, I feel that an individual who is a recipient of nepotism should be 100 percent grateful for all that they have been given in life. It does not mean that people should slack off simply because they have been granted an opportunity because of who they know. I actually think the opposite. If you have been granted a position because of nepotism you need to work ten times harder than everyone else simply to prove that you deserve to be there. Yes, in certain situation I have been granted a job because of whom I knew, and unfortunately I received harsh backlash from friends when I told them about a job opportunity. People would not give me the credit I deserved and just credited my opportunities to the people I knew. When I hear these kinds of things it really upsets me. I feel like I have worked hard my entire life, never slacking off or working less than I should simply because my life was fortunately laid out for me. If I had to do it again, I would never change my decision to be a recipient of nepotism. However, what I will promise myself is to reach out to as many people as I can help. Even though it will deepen the issue of nepotism, I will always make a point to try to help those who seek me out for advancement in life. I see how this could potentially be problematic, but to be quite honest the issue of nepotism is going nowhere. However, what people can do to turn this into a positive is to make sure that nepotism is granted to those you know who work hard to deserve it.

So to answer this question, I will always actively try to benefit from nepotism. It is a concept that, if used correctly can help many people. The best advice about nepotism is to get out there and meet as many people who can help you in life as possible.

I must admit that out of the 700 students enrolled in Soc 119, I am probably one of the less active listeners. It is neither for a lack of interest in the subject matter, nor a genuine interest in learning about other races. I am very interested in learning about other races and how they fit into the world, and wholehearted think Sam Richards is one of the most interesting people I have ever come in contact with. I can only think of two reasons as to why I am not one of the more active students, as an eighth semester senior I find it hard to sit through any class and give it my full attention, not to mention that Tuesdays and Thursdays are packed full of back to back classes. I believe that by the time I get to Soc I am ready to sit back, relax and listen to what is said. However, my friends talking about meaningless topics, or my eyes threatening sleep more often than not interrupt my interest. However, Tuesday’s lecture entitled “The Christian Invaders” has 100 percent of my interest throughout the entire 75-minute class.
Christian invaders really touched on a sensitive topic, in a way that not only got me thinking, but also more importantly help me better understand an issue that I simply didn’t full understand. I believe that many Americans chose to believe only what they hear on the news and from their friends. It is the rare individual who makes the effort to investigate deep into a situation, which our government has chose to frame the way we are supposed to feel. I, wish much regret have to admit that I was one of those people who was fell for the trap created by the government and fed through out media system. I truly thought that all Arabs and Muslims were extremists who were meant to be feared and not trusted. I think it was due in part by fear, but also the fact that as a person in my early 20s I never knew to question was I was being told until now. Soc 119, along with my Comm 410 class have completely changed the way I viewed the world. I know that many ulterior motives are behind what we hear and see in the media, and it takes lectures like “The Christian Invaders” to make me realize that I need to be a more active member of society.
My only regret about this lecture was that it took me four years to hear. I think Sam was right in saying that it was the most important lecture of the semester. When he said this, I don’t think he was referring to exactly what he was saying but more along the lines of how we was conveying the message. I completely agree that this was the best lecture of the year because such lectures will help better our generation from believing everything we hear in the media. Hopefully in the future we will be able to have a society full of individuals who readily question what they are being told.

I think the entire lecture on “The Needy Penis” was completely eye opening, and discredited everything I had thought about sex. It is difficult for me to say which gender I learned more about during this lecture because being so young there are many aspects of sex that I don’t fully understand. What I do understand is the now. Sam and Laurie spoke about how everyone is pretty much equal in terms of sex in their early 20s. I never really thought about this before, it is hard for me to see and understand that sexual desires change over time. I guess for me, I found it more useful to learn about my own gender other than males. To know what to expect in the future is a lesson everyone should learn. All females of any age should listen to Laurie and her ideas and experiences. It should be known by both genders that sexual drive for females is not the same as males, especially people in long-term relationships. People in long-term relationships who are growing old together, need to realize that their sex lives will be drastically different.

While I was listening to the lecture, although it was hilarious and I honestly think a great use of class time, it took me a while to fully understand the meaning of the lecture. It wasn’t until after class, when I can home and started thinking about what they spoke about did I truly understand the message of the day. What they were saying, without ever really stating the words were that out bodies are different, there is no way to understand how the other gender feels, acts or behaves. Since no one ever talks about the emotional and sexual differences between the genders it is difficult for many people to relate to the other gender. If more people spent time talking about emotional differences instead of physiological differences than I believe that people in American society would be overall much happier.

When I think about the question asked in this post, I think it is really hard to say, for anyone which gender is better to know about. I think having an idea of how both genders operate is the most helpful tool anyone could have. If you want to be involved in healthy, happy relationships then you have to understand where the other is coming from. However, if you can never fully understand it is better to have some sort of idea than be left in the dark.

I really hope they continue to give this lecture in following semesters. In my own personal opinion, it is a topic that needs to be talked about more openly than it currently is.

I feel this is a really good question to have on the blog page. Usually questions are more vague, never truly hitting any hard racial questions. I think it will be really interesting to see how people answer. Being a white female, I can honestly say that I would have no problem dating a black man. However, I think it is really difficult to categorize all white females, or even categorize the majority of white females as to whether or not they would date a black man. I don’t think that the reason some females would be against dating a black man is because of race in itself, I think it is more along the lines of whether or not they would feel comfortable with the other factors that go along with being in an interracial relationship.

Personally, I find people of other races extremely attractive. My personal belief is that being difference is sexy. I have no problem being different, or going completely against the status quo. I know I am not the only white female who thinks like this, so all of you black men out there can rest easy in knowing that many white females are willing to date a black men. As I said before, I really believe that if a white girl were to say she wouldn’t date a black guy is because they are afraid to be seen as different from those around them. It is no secret that interracial couples do not have it as easy as a couple with two people of the same race. Being involved in an interracial relationship brings upon unwanted stares, comments and judgments by outsiders. Although it is completely unfair to be perceived in a negative way merely on skin color, it is a sad fact that it happens more often than many people care to believe. In my opinion if two people are dedicated to each other and believe they have a sacred bond and want to share that with the world, then who is anyone to judge them for that. If only more people would be willing to take the leap and not care what other people think of them, then the issue of interracial relationships would no longer be in question.

I do believe that the issue of interracial couples is getting better as time passes. More people are open and willing to accept people who are different than they are. One can only hope that within the next 20-30 years people will no longer have to worry about going out in public while dating someone of another race. Hopefully our children will grow up in a world where race is not a serious issue.

I believe that this scenario is based on the question, can money really buy happiness? Throughout time we have seen this theme become a common trend in both movies and TV shows, as well as personal stories on the news. Although it is a question that could be up for debate, in my personal opinion there is one solid answer. To me money cannot buy happiness. In my eyes money can only buy stability in a world where financial troubles are the burden of many. However, does stability equal happiness? Most likely, it does not. Happiness is a state of being; it often comes and goes brought on by many shapes and forms from many different sources. Therefore to simply have money cannot guarantee a lifetime of unlimited happiness.

When I asked my newly married friend who is the main bread winner of the family while her husband is in grad school if they had more money do you think you would be able to lead a happier life? Her answer was simple. She said that having more money would definitely make life easier, and would create less stress for her but did not believe that this money would make her any happier. She went on to say that life is isn’t, money is one of those situations that if you have it there are still a multitude of other problems that could lead to both an unhappy marriage and life. Money, she said is not the end all be all, there would be no guarantee that having a deeper bank account would rid them of all of their problems.

My conversation with my friend really got me thinking. I think that it perfectly aligns with the thought process that winning the lottery may not be a blessing. As referenced in the question, there have recently been lottery winners who have experienced what you can call “a series of highly unlucky events”. You have to stop and think, was this bad luck brought on by their onset of money, or is it simply a coincidence that brought upon the stints of bad luck.

I think that no matter what winning the lottery is a life altering experience that will, without a doubt, change your entire life. The life you had lived prior to the winnings has dramatically changed. You never really see who your friends really are until you are in a situation where the chance to show their true colors is given. Being that you don’t really know people until these situations, and that your life has dramatically changed leads me to believe that winning the lottery is a curse. It is in people’s natures to go through life never really changing who they are or whom they know. Changing everything about you at that point in your life leads you down a path that will ultimate test your own sense of well-being. A change as drastic as this could lead to many detrimental side effects which is why I believe that winning the lottery is a curse.

(PART 3/3)

Almost instantly we saw people of Muslim decent being stopped by airport security to be questioned as to why and where they were going. Seeing people who looked like the pictures of the terrorists from 9/11 being stopped in airports made the average American citizen think highly of the airport security. They suspected that these people being questioned were indeed dangerous people, and once it became a common trend to see these Muslims because questioned it became common to think of them in the same demeaning way. In the short film we watched during Tuesday’s class, we saw that many people applauded the store worker when we refused to serve the patron of Muslim decent. Seeing that film clearly shows that discrimination against Muslims in a common practice in today’s society.

(PART 2/3)

The war that broke out soon after the events of 9/11 did not become known as the War against Afghanistan or the War against Iraq, it became known as the War against Terrorism. Terrorism is a strong, powerful word that immediately instills a sense of fear among media consumers. The underlying meaning of this name was that our military troops were in both of these countries; making it seem that everyone living in these countries were terrorists. Knowing only that one of the religions of these countries was Muslim, it became associated as the religion that was dominant upon the people living here, ultimately saying that these populations were terrorists, they were Muslim and they were evil, and they should be feared. We then started to see a common trend when many Muslims in America, with little or no ties to the Arab world were given a hard time when trying to do normal, everyday activities (i.e. board a plane).

(PART 1/3)

I believe that in today’s culture people are more racist towards people of Muslim culture. I do not say this as a product of my own feelings towards different groups of people, but purely by what I have witnessed by both people I know and the media. In my own opinion, prior to 9/11 racism had been more directed towards African Americans, however in the post-9/11 society in which we live today, we have noticed a dramatic shift. As a whole, I think the American population is very ignorant to what goes on within the rest of the world. It is no secret that America was the victim to a terrorist attack; however it is the ignorance of our population that refuses to look deeper into who, exactly the perpetrators were. Instead of realizing that it was a small group of bad people who did this to our country, people saw the attackers of people of Muslim descent. In most people’s eyes everyone of Muslim descent was a radical, anti-American extremist who needed not only to be feared, but to be treated as the face of evil.

I think there are various reasons as to why people with an education believe success is a result of hard work. First off, everyone knows that college is no cake-walk. It is four years of dedicating yourself to your education. Staying up for countless hours of studying, spending semester after semester focusing of specific areas of interest that will one day aid in your transition from your educational process to landing your first job. We worked hard to land the degree that we will leave here with. No one handed it to us, we had to earn it, and better yet no one did it for us. Everything we accomplished while in college was a direct result of our hard work. Now, I do understand the phrase “C’s gets degrees” could act as devil’s advocate, proving that not everyone in college worked hard to get a degree. However, even those people had to dedicated themselves to wanting to graduate, and even though the chance to drop out was always there, they stayed with it and left with a degree. This means that even though an education may not have been their primary focus during college, they did dedicated themselves to finishing, which to me is hard work.
Personally, I want to believe that after putting in all this time during my collegiate career, it will pay off. That over a candidate who did not attend college, I would get the job because being more educated should mean that we are more qualified. Even though this is not the case in all situations, I do understand that there are indeed people who struggle with school but are extremely successful in life. I think one reason educated people think success is a result of hard work is because we have been conditioned to believe that we have “earned” the right to be successful. Ever since we were young children, we have been told that after high school you go to college, get a good paying job and boom, you are automatically happy forever. Therefore we are measuring success in terms of happiness, which, in this theory would be a given destination. Proving that if you work hard in college you will be successful and happy. Where as the people who did not attend college would have to settle for being less successful and happy.
I do not believe this thought process will change in the future. There are hard working people in every facet of life. Although I believe that success could come to any person, at any time I can understand the flip. If you want to be successful you should get an education, simply because it puts you on a path to a bright future, if you so chose.