After watching this video and listening to the lecture it opened my eyes to the severity of the devastation in Haiti. Of course after the earthquake happened I felt bad and thought to myself what a horrible disaster, and that I would pray for the people of Haiti. What the lecture made me realizes was how much we don’t think about things that go on around the world, unless it directly affects us. This video helps us to acknowledge the amount of strength that the Haitian people have. Even though they have just survived an indescribable lost, they are piecing their lives together in any way that they can. I cannot say that I am surprised, just because Haiti is a poor country, does not make them incapable of being economically prosperous, depending on how you look at it, and how you view prosperity.

I have Haitian friends and I am sympathetic to what they are going through, however, I cannot truly empathize because this situation did not affect me directly. 300,000 is a lot of people. To process that many people dying is unimaginable. Its easy to go about our daily lives unaffected by this at all, but it makes you wonder, how you would feel if it were happening to you. Of course we cannot let everything that is happening around the world stop us from our habitual routines and mourn, but we can take some time to try and see and understand what is going, not just in our backyards, and maybe do a little to help. Why do some people feel that helping someone is such a burden? Some might feel that since its not happening to our country it’s not our job to help, when In fact it is very much our job. Helping someone in need is not an obligation but a moral responsibility. Even in this video, while people are experiencing their own poverty, they are still helping others, even if they are making a profit from it, which you cannot blame them for.

I liked how this video displayed the Haitians building a community to help themselves and others. Of course they also have to worry about themselves, which is why they are getting all of the resources they can and making a life out of what they have. I liked how the man opened up his tent to allow little children to watch television and hang out. Although they had to pay a little of course, he was still helping them to occupy their time, enabling them to deal and adapt to their situations better. Its unfortunate that they must live out of tents, but it is impressive how shortly after experiencing tragedy they are able to prosper. Opening up nail salons, and other stores, may not necessarily be fundamental necessities, but it makes it easier for them to return to the normal everyday life that they are used to. I guess what I’m trying to say is that even among disaster and devastation people always find a way to rebuild, move on, and profit. It may not be our economy, but it’s their economy.

I agree with you that the war is pointless, if the government pressed harder on these companies to go Green and be a self sustaining society that didn't need oil we wouldn't be having this war or this discussion. It's funny how we can build a atom bomb using the worlds smartest minds, but we will not come up with a solution to end oil dependency. It's all politics, and boils down to dollars and cents. As American citizens we need to stop being complacent. The oil companies aren't going to give up all that money, the government has to make them and the government won't make them unless the citizens make the government do something about it.

Every second we spend in Iraq breeds more terrorist and more hate. America has changed, we used to fight for what was right, fight against injustices, restore peace and hope to other countries. That was what the flag used to stand for, but all I see it a country headed towards destruction because of capitalism.

Before I begin I just want to say that politicians use the Bible out of context all the time. It is a powerful book and people, regardless of their religion, will use it and have used it to gain support for things that are down right unholy. What I want everyone to do no matter what your affiliation, is to pick up the Bible and actually read John 18:10. If you don’t have a Bible put the verse in your Google search engine and you’ll find the story there. Clearly Jesus does not condone killing in His name or for His honor. If Christians want to call themselves Christian’s, which means like Christ, how can we support the blatant genocide of a people for oil? How can George Bush, Sarah Palin, Obama, McCain & any other politicians who consider themselves a Christian represent Jesus? How can they make a group called warriors for Christ in North Dakota and be radical for Jesus. You cannot! It is impossible! What is sad is that they do not even see the error of their ways. Some of the wickedest people in the world can be Christians, that’s why it’s important to know who you are and to know what the Bible actually says.

In the Bible Jesus also speak out against radicals, and while He wants you to go out and tell people about Him and what He’s done he didn’t mean do it while holding an AK 47 at them or shouting at them like many of those radical Christian groups do when they come on our campus. You’ve seen them outside the HUB, passing out pamphlets saying you’re going to burn in hell and die. That’s not the way that God intended his message to be delivered and if you believe all that you hear about Christianity or God from the news, or from Sam, or anyone, without actually reading the Bible or experiencing and developing your own relationship with Christ personally then I feel people have no right to judge. I get so sick in tired of everyone saying Christian like it’s a bad word, and people hating on my religion.

Jesus’s message is about peace and love, how it got so distorted is from man, from people. All throughout history you can go through and see how man has used the word of God out of context to conquer, kill, and destroy lives. The Native American’s, African’s, and Arab’s have all fallen victim to man’s misconstruing of the word of God. This land that we live on was built on the idea of manifest destiny, that God wanted the Europeans to extend to the West and acquire land. First it was the genocide of the Native American’s to acquire land, the exploitation of African’s taking their diamonds, gold, and people to help build America up, and now using the oil from Arab’s to help fuel it. I’m not going to pretend that I do not know that these people who are conquering land and killing, and funding wars are “Christians”, but just because you say you are one, doesn’t make you one.

*Let me start by saying that a lot of you may or may not agree with what I am about to say.*

I have to admit that I feel divided on the topic because I DO condone shooting games, but I DO NOT condone the Hentai rape games. I have played games such as Grand Theft Auto which contains very risqué themes that I will admit some of the missions you have to complete get a little out there. However for me I feel there is a big difference between the shooting games and the Hentai rape games. What makes the violent mafia games different from the Hentai rape game is that it doesn’t target anyone specifically. In the games like Grand Theft Auto it is more of a glimpse into a group like the Mafia that has intrigued American’s so much that several films such as The Godfather (which was made into a game) Goodfellas, and Scarface are now received critically acclaimed classics. For me I view these shooting games or any games that contain a socially taboo element as a double edged sword, because I know that I personally would not go out and practice what I see on the video game on an individual, but I know somewhere out there, there is some lunatic who cannot decipher real life from a videogame will one day take it too far. That’s my defense for the shooting games, because I myself would not personally want to give them up.
I agree with what was said that that particular game is a form of escapism that is dirty and perverted. However when you watch a movie, TV, or read a book that is considered escapism too and I just feel like overall the real issue is not just rape or the shooting games but how people have become so desensitized to violence and disturbing images. Why do you think that a film like Saw, or a program like Real TV Shocking and Disturbing Images Caught on Tape are popular? I’m going to keep it real and say that we all are intrigued by the things that are disturbing and violent.
It may seem sick that the British couple wanted to see what the game is about, even if it is out of the ordinary. But before anyone judges them can you honestly say when you are driving past a car accident do you not stop and look? Perhaps some of us would even go so far as to take a picture if traffic is going slow enough. Why do large crowds huddle at the scenes of crimes or accidents? Why are shows like Dexter so popular in which we sympathize with someone who is actually a murderer? It is in our nature to be curious about things even when we know we shouldn’t be?
In conclusion IAM BY NO MEANS condoning the sale of the rape games, I think it is wrong for you to be able to practice stalking and raping a girl. I think this topic is so deep because it tackles how desensitized we have become. It is a social commentary on our society, because you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that nowadays there is a market for everything, no matter how trashy, offensive, or disturbing it is someone will buy it. It says a lot about the world in general and how nothing is off limits any more.

After listening to this student speak about his race, and ethnicity, it definitely makes me think about how I would feel if I were in this situation, however, I do not feel bad for him like a few others have said. He is lucky to have more than one culture and should embrace the both of them. If he hadn’t said that he was partially Latino I would have never known, however, I can see how this would be a little confusing. If it were me personally, I would probably identify with what I grew up around. Since your mother is Puerto Rican and that is the culture you were exposed to, it’s probably easier for you to relate to someone who is Latino, but I don’t think that you should exclude that other part of you.
Today its seems that everyone and everything tries to categorize us into perfectly square boxes, when in fact, we do not fit those categories. Applications for jobs, schools, surveys tell you to check a box that might not fit the description of who you are. Other than the census, for statistical information, Why should the color of one’s skin, or the race that they are matter? Does being a certain race limit one’s ability to achieve a task, or the quality of their performance?

A majority of people are grouped by their skin color, or classified by characteristics that should be unique to every individual. For example, someone can be “white” or “black” but still multiracial. Someone who identifies as white can be of Italian and Irish descent, but those are two completely different ethnicity. The traditions, customs, and heritage are different. The same goes for someone who is “black,” African American, and of Caribbean descent.

This student is the only one who can identify who he is. Some may see him physically as a part of the “white” race, but his ethnicity is Latino. If one culture plays a bigger role in your life than another, then other distinctions should not matter. If you are categorized into a group with “white” people and it looks like you belong in it, but you do not feel that you belong in the white group, and you can relate to “brown” people more, than go with what you feel.
Once people begin to realize what the bigger picture is, and that all people are similar and different in many ways, then race will no longer be an issue. Life is not just white or black, there are many different colors, and shades of that color. Even if two people identify as white or black, they are completely different individuals and the only ones who can define them are themselves.

After listening to this student speak about his race, and ethnicity, it definitely makes me think about how I would feel if I were in this situation, however, I do not feel bad for him like a few others have said. He is lucky to have more than one culture and should embrace the both of them. If he hadn’t said that he was partially Latino I would have never known, however, I can see how this would be a little confusing. If it were me personally, I would probably identify with what I grew up around. Since your mother is Puerto Rican and that is the culture you were exposed to, it’s probably easier for you to relate to someone who is Latino, but I don’t think that you should exclude that other part of you.
Today its seems that everyone and everything tries to categorize us into perfectly square boxes, when in fact, we do not fit those categories. Applications for jobs, schools, surveys tell you to check a box that might not fit the description of who you are. Other than the census, for statistical information, Why should the color of one’s skin, or the race that they are matter? Does being a certain race limit one’s ability to achieve a task, or the quality of their performance?

A majority of people are grouped by their skin color, or classified by characteristics that are unique to every individual. For example, someone can be “white” or “black” but still multiracial. Someone who identifies as white can be of Italian and Irish descent, but those are two completely different elasticities. The traditions, customs, and heritage are different. The same goes for someone who is “black,” African American, and of Caribbean descent.

This student is the only one who can identify who he is. Some may see him physically as a part of the “white” race, but his ethnicity is Latino. If one culture plays a bigger role in your life than another, then other distinctions should not matter. If you are categorized into a group with “white” people and it looks like you belong in it, but you do not feel that you belong in the white group, and you can relate to “brown” people more, than go with what you feel.
Once people begin to realize what the bigger picture is, and that all people are similar and different in many ways, then race will no longer be an issue. Life is not just white or black, there are many different colors, and shades of that color. Even if two people identify as white or black, they are completely different individuals and the only ones who can define them are themselves.

Rudeness does go both ways between people of color and white people. I have two experiences that I want to share that I have had in college. What was made very clear to me was that the dialogue between white people and people of color is not as open in the North and straightforward as it is in the South. Early in the semester I went to Texas for a LGBT leadership retreat. I was shocked when I went to visit the people of color suite in the hotel for breakfast and saw a sign on the door that said people of color only. There were blacks, Asians, Latinos, and Native American’s in the suite that shared that space and if a white person tried to enter the room everyone converged on that person in a hostile way. I understand that they where trying to show white people how it feels to not be wanted in a space based on skin color, but they did not explain their objectives to the white people who wanted to join their friends inside the suite. I understood that it was a social experiment, but it was the malicious way that they went about it, it was purely not for educational purpose. I felt like I was in a weird twilight zone, were minorities were now reverting to the blatantly racist attitudes that the whites displayed in the during the Civil Rights movement when they were forced to desegregate. Some white people did understand the point that the sign “colored people only” was trying to make and others used it as fuel against people of color as another reason why they didn’t like them.

I was uncomfortable being in that environment, because I did not agree with how the people in the suite handled the situation. We had an opportunity to open up and create a change by being able to have an open dialogue discussion. It was interesting to see how the king of the mountain example came into play once the shoe was on the other foot. When the minorities had the power to control a space they did not use it to repair race relations, but discriminate against whites. I was really disappointed in how everything went down and it took a couple of people to keep me from going off the deep end and telling off every single person in that room. Minorities always speak about equality and how it’s a right for everyone, but I feel that white people aren’t always included in that picture of equality because of what happened in the past. I guess that’s why whites are hesitant to share some of the power, because of guilt and also because they have not have to answer for generational discrimination.

Going back to the question asked by the man in video. If there was a suite for white people and they did not allow people of color in I can guarantee you that it would have been a massive uproar. Letting people have a safe space to talk is step on in the road to repairing race relations and we need more courses like soc 119 and straight talks that allows to have open dialogue and talk about these types of issues. I agree with Sam that you have to allow people to have an open discussion. In my straight talk class I took my sophomore year we had a lot of open discussion and we talked about our fears about discussing race. I remember this White guy in my class who was really concerned about offending people of color in discussion groups. He looked for acceptance before he spoke and constantly kept apologizing and being safe with his word choices. I appreciated that he voiced his concerns and that he eventually opened up and gave his true opinions and concerns. I remember Sam saying along the lines that white people are taught from early on to have a filter and take a passive role in race relations conversations.

I recommend that all students take a race relations course or a straight talks class because not only do you understand your own identity you learn about other peoples identities and to not only celebrate diversity but our similarities as well. There is always going to be “rudeness”, because you cannot make everyone happy all the time. It is in people’s nature to seek out the differences. If it’s not your skin color than it’s your gender, religion, age, class, or your sexual orientation that will be used to discriminate and keep some system of hegemony. Everyone should be held accountable for what they say no matter what their skin color is, ignorance is ignorance.

I had no idea people still acting like that, and the snarky remark that the teacher made. Just because it's Mississippi doesn't warrant the private citizens or the school to withhold prom. So long the South has been holding onto it's rebellious ideals from the Civil War days, remaining resilient to anything that's remotely progressive (no offense to anyone from the South). I was recently in Texas for an LGBT leadership convention and it's still a very white hegemonic based culture even with in the gay community.
I feel like the school went completely overboard with shutting down the prom. It's the culmination of your high school year and you should be able to go with whoever you please and wear whatever you want. I am really happy that Constance stood up for herself even if some of the student will disagree, but at least now the will know her frustration and how outrageous the discrimination is against same sex couples.

It's not just the south that has an issue. I have a friend in Connecticut who informed me that her school was in an uproar because some of the lesbians in her school wanted to wear tuxedos. I find it ironic that Connecticut has legalized gay marriage, but is still unsure about whether gays should be allowed to go to prom.
What I find interesting is that the word comfort repeatedly gets brought up. The school probably did not want to upset any parents by allowing the couple to go. Speaking of comfort if these parents saw what most of their straight children were doing on the dance floor with their dates I'm pretty sure they would ban the prom indefinitely. Just because you are uncomfortable with something doesn't make it wrong of obscene. The more visibility that the LGBT community receives the more comfortable people will become with same sex couples.

WHY DON'T PEOPLE EVER THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS UNTIL IT'S OVER WITH. Based on our discussions in class and the percentage of Native people living in poverty and also with the highest drug and alcohol addiction in the country, why would they jump on the oil bandwagon. The oil is giving the Native American's in the TAT leverage for the first time in over a century. They can provide jobs for their people, freedom from generational poverty, and a new start at life. Essentially they can provide the American Dream, but we all know that the reality of this dream was paid by in the blood of innocent men, women, and children of both Natives and African Americans.

In the Black community the influx of quick wealth has had it's problems to. The stuff that rappers talk about in their rhymes is not fictional. It's this theory of "get rich or dying trying" and it doesn't matter how many people you have to sell drugs to or how many people you kill making it to the top. When you are kept down for long and you have the opportunity to have something you only dreamed about.

I wonder if the tribes in North Dakota are aware of the destruction that they will cause by drilling. I wonder if this information is available to them or if they would even care. This is self-imposed genocide for capitalistic gain. Like I said I can't blame them for seizing the opportunity, however I would want for them to think about this. All that glitters isn't gold and I hope they realize this before they cause permanent damage to their communities.

Many times, we come across things that are very pleasing to the eye and immediately think that they will make everything better, however, it can be very destructive. Its understandable that the Native Americans had so much taken away from them and they feel they are finally getting their reparations, however, at what cost? They are putting their health in danger in order to make money fast. This might benefit them immediately but in the distant future they can become ill due to all of the toxins that they would be inhaling. Since they are actually living on the property that has all of the oil, drilling it would cause a serious amount of pollution that is much greater than they are able to handle.

Since they were stripped from their homes, raped, beaten, and forced to live on Reservations, it’s nice that they are finally being able to enjoy their new-found wealth, it can be used to improve life on the reservation, and give more opportunities to those who might not have been able to get the chance. I just hope that they realize what the outcome could be, and sometimes the consequences outweigh the illusion of happiness.

It is a shame that same sex couples like this one have to face the fear of deportation. I never thought about this problem honestly, it is a fear that same sex couples have to face. Same sex marriage should be legal. Even though marriage is a "religious right", are we going to tell the atheist that they cannot call their marriage a marriage because they don't believe in God. If society wants to play the religious card it should not be biased to only gay people. If two people who are same sex and are in love and of the age of consent they should allowed to be married and have all the rights that straight people have. I don't understand why it is such a big deal honestly. Just legalize gay.