Woah. The first word that came to my mind after reading this letter. The program that Sam has with the “Lifers” of Pennsylvania’s prison system is a slight look into what these men and women face in day to day instances. Most people think of inmates as heartless murders, thieves, rapists, and the list of derogatory names goes on, but does this man fit the bill of the aforementioned? The soulless perpetrator of the community, has find that his life will be without love? Yeah, doesn’t fit that an inmate would write such deep, thoughtful, and mind jarring letters. But the men and women of Pennsylvania’s prison system do have hearts, souls, and minds. All humans do, that’s how God, or the being you believe in, created us, equally.
I always use my comparison to ARMY ROTC, and eventually later my deployment all over the world, but for me I think a lot, and the ARMY is a large commitment of my life that should have some weight in my daily thoughts. Anyway, my biggest concern of being part of the ARMY is as well as this letter’s main statement is companionship. M. states very clearly, that all men want to mean something, more than just a physical relationship to women, and other men will tell you otherwise, but deep down they are lying, and trying to put on a front. Men want to be loved by women, as women want to be loved by a man, and that’s a fact of life. And for a life sentenced man of prison, this is something he will never feel or be a part of. This is a concern of being part of the military for me, that once I graduate college I have an eight year contract with the United States government for duty to my country. Now you may say, ok 22 years old plus 8 years in the military equals thirty years old when this kid gets out, what’s the big commotion. Well the commotion is, that there is a large chance I may make the military my career, and somewhere down that line I would like to find a women who wants to be part of my life. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, and should be living in the now, with a positive outlook for the future, but this is a dilemma that I face every now and then, and it scares me, as much as it has done to M.

The video we watched in class was informative, but nothing that I had not seen before. Throughout my years in high school, we had assemblies about suicide, and these assemblies always touched on some sort of aspect of PTSD in the military. My father is a subscriber to Time magazine, where the article is from, but it’s not the first time I’ve read an article from Time about suicide in relation to the military. The video we watched did shed some light on what our troops see, experience, and act out overseas. But the hardest thing that our soldier’s deal with is what to do with what they’ve seen; do they internalize it, most do, do they talk about it, most won’t, or do they just leave it over there and try and carry out their regular lives back home, most try but few succeed.
I had always contemplated joining the military while I was in high school, but one of the biggest obstacles in my way, was my fear of PTSD. I well knew what the consequences of seeing some serious shit, excuse my language, over there would do to you. It honestly scared the living crap out of me, even to points where I would just give up thinking about joining. But the saving grace that re-assured me was that my father, had served in the United States Navy, and he turned out to be a fine person. You may say that the Navy doesn’t see any combat, or any other excuse, but you never know they are all cooked up on a boat, for months on end. I finally made my decision earlier this semester, when I joined the ARMY ROTC here on campus. I knew the decision I made took a lot of courage from my inner being, because I am signing that I will serve 8 years for the United States government. One saving grace that may slightly help me, pending my deployment after I graduate is that, I am a nursing major. Most nurses, to my knowledge serve in hospitals behind the front lines, which is good because I will not see very much combat, I will just see the effects of combat on our troops. I hope to be deployed to Landstuhl, Germany which houses a very large medical facility, which is the first stop back from the Middle East. But there is always a chance that I may not get my deployment choice, and I will have to be deployed to the Middle East in a hospital, where I will see severe combat related injuries, so PTSD will honestly affect me. It’s always in the back of my mind that PTSD will affect me, but hopefully my inner strength will let me revail.

This is the true definition of what a man should be; an upstanding, courteous, respectful, and protective human being for the better good of his lady. What men should be, and what men are today are completely different. With all of the different media outlets swarming our brains with information that is poisonous to our hearts, we men are brainwashed into thinking what we see on television, hear from friends, and are exposed to in our daily lives is true, but it is oh so wrong.
My father is from Southern Georgia, an area where women are highly respected. I attribute 110% that he instilled upon me that women come before men, in any manner, out of sheer respect. I learned from an early age to treat women with honor no matter whom or what they are. Without this knowledge I will tell you now, that I would not be the person I am today.
But in the defense of men, we are not perfect. We do make mistakes, we do create unnecessary situations, and we are not the ideal people of who we should be. In my previous relationship, I honestly dropped the ball, on what my entire father has taught me. I was totally disrespectful, did not show her the worth she deserved, and did not honor her the way she should be honored. I have a sense of overwhelming guilt to this day, that what I did was severely wrong. I cannot change what has happened, but I can make choices to improve on what I can do in the future.

The men who write on this blog have deeply powerful minds, with insight into what life truly is, and how as humans we should treat each other.

There’s no way of getting around it, there will be poor people, and there will be rich people, and then those who are in between. Could a civilization ever survive without working class, undereducated, “grunts” that do menial labor for low pay? No. Could a civilization survive with nothing but ultra-rich super spending individuals that do nothing but spend their wealth carelessly? No again. So we find ourselves at a divide, we cannot survive without those that are treated without respect, and we can’t survive with those who demand respect. That is life.
I do agree with you Sam, that people who do not play by the rules are cheats and hacks. My parents and education taught me, that if you work hard, and strive for doing your best, then you will reap your rewards. Besides the fact that one must, WORK, a word so commonly not done today, it really is not that difficult to succeed. Yeah you have to bleed a little bit here, sweat a little bit there, but then when you have reached your final destination, knowing that you accomplished your objective by playing by the book; in itself is a feeling of being rewarded.
That’s why I choose not to take additive supplements for increasing muscle mass for working out. If we look back to the 1940’s and the 1950’s you can see men who are fit and very strong, but what you don’t notice is that, these men did not take steroids, they didn’t take protein shakes, nor did they use any other type of additive to increase their performance in working out. So my thinking is that, if these guys of yesteryear did this without using all these crazy products, that are mainly rice flour, then why do I need to take them? In my eyes, I think of it as playing by the book, and following examples that those before me had set, and what I will follow, and hope for others in the future to follow as well.

The R-Word has definitely been one of the most insulting, disrespectful, and hurtful slurs that has slipped under the radar in our politically correct society. I ask, “Why?” Why has the disgusting and demeaning term been put on the back burner for a long time, and is now coming up the media? There is something wrong here. I believe why recognition for the R-word has gone silent is because the community whom the word is being used against, those of our fellow society who have mental and physical impairments, do not have a great voice to be heard when expressing concern with our nation.
Even now, in the daily life of students, I would bet that this word is still used in regular conversation. Is it right? Hell No! Is there a way we can change it? Yes. Had I known of “Spread the word, to end the word,” of course I would have participated, but not for the sadistic enjoyment of using the R-word, but for letting people know, how hurtful this word actually is. But as with everyone wanting to be in the know, where was the information regarding this day? Yes, everyone suggests that we use social networking applications to let people know of what is going on in our lives we key events, but I never received any word of this. This resembles the efforts of students rallying against the proposed budget cuts, there is very little participation, even though the support, or “Those attending” on Facebook rarely even come out.
This relates to the topic at hand. My younger sister attends a public school in our area, and she is placed in smart classes. One day when she was having problems with the material at hand, I believe it was Math but I digress, she was slowing down the class, but it wasn’t her problem because this what teachers are for, so slowing down the class…oh yeah one of the kids called her a r&*($d which deeply bothered her. The students in that class were very ignorant in using the R-word, and I wish we can all stop using this most awful word.

Man that guy can speak! Pfew.
With the video we watched in class about the gay couples adopting children, and this video, I don’t understand why the view of same sex couples is so frowned upon. The video of the two men, and all of their close friends adopting children, what is so bad about two people who love each other, making a wonderful decision in accepting and caring for life in their lives? And we as Americans, let alone the world as a society, condemn this? This is awful. If you were raised in a religious family, as I was, and were taught that only opposing sexes can be partners in marriage then we accepted that at the time. But as I’ve gone out and experienced the world, and the multi facets that this planet we live on has, then why be close minded about love. If you love someone dearly, truly, and honestly then why must that rite of love be withheld from you if you and your partner are the same sex? Love is love, love has no boundaries, has no color, has no type, love is true.
In regards to this video, this man has A. serious talent in oration and B. strong beliefs in same sex parents. Yes his parents are both of the same sex, but do you see any differences from him to any other white male with opposing sex parents? I sure as heck don’t. Whatever the topic of discussion is at this meeting, this man is opposing it, strongly. He is proving to the board that his parents who are both females did the same job of raising him proper and honest as any other straight couple has done.
Like you Sam, I get a lot of my ideas from my mother. When I was a younger, there was a family who lived across the street from us. They had 3 children, of whom were all very pleasant hard working students in the classroom, as well as respectful in the neighborhood. But one thing was there parents were drug dealers, and had a fair amount of drug trafficking through their house. They finally were arrested by the police. But my point I’m trying to make is that my mother, said any day of the week that she would have a same sex couple live in that house rather than a straight couple because of the activity that they harbored within the confines of their home. The world needs to understand that same sex couples are no different from straight couples.

Since the dawn of man, humans have been outside. In our early years, we were born outside, we played outside, we got hurt outside, and we laughed outside. But all of this outdoor romping was with one very important thing, sunlight. Sunlight, take a second and think of all the advantages sunlight give us. We take advantage of the limitless uses of sunlight and it’s equally limitless resource. Now imagine a world where when you walk outside, and there is barely any light. There is no smiling, laughter, or people enjoying the world around them. Does this place seem appealing to you? Would you want to live here? It would be a very difficult time living in a place where there is little to no sun light. How would you take your children out and take them for a walk, without sunlight? How would you expect your favorite roses, or your vegetable garden to grow, without sunlight? How would survive day by day trying to keep a smile on your face, without sunlight? To put it short, it would be very, very difficult. The people of Helsinki, Finland struggle with this “disease,” if you so call it, a season without sunlight. Now you may have read that Finland ranks in at number two as the happiest country in the world, but after watching that video do you see unhappy people? I didn’t. Albeit the Finnish people endure one of the worst winter seasons in the world, the facts prove that they are happy. Whether it be those lights, that give a sense of the sun, when there is no sun, or walking through downtown viewing the light exhibits, or even just strolling down the avenue walking past all the finely lit up shops, the people of Helsinki are happy. As a community the inhabitants of Helsinki are coming together and working with one another to solve a problem and make community life better. They have, and the United States government should take note.

WOW. I am speechless, no words can really express how much this video is totally awesome. Why can’t more men think like this man? WHY?! The drawing also depicted the speech PERFECTLY. Visuals aside this video is right on track with everything that is today’s educational system. What resounded with me was the topic of ADD/ADHD. I know friends who have told me that they were diagnosed ADD/ suggested that they take a type of medication to limit their energy. I personally have experienced this, two weeks ago!! I went for a physical, and everything checked out, up until the Physician Assistant suggested that I should be tested for ADD/ADHD. WHAT!!?? I’m eighteen years old for god’s sake, I’ve been through schooling for over 16 years without teachers noticing any kind of attention loss, my parents haven’t noticed it, and neither has anyone else. Strange huh? Yes, very strange. If doctors, medical professionals, what have you keep suggesting this, and they have been, what will our society turn to? A drugged up, senseless, emotionless child who will turn into a zombie, just like the video suggested.
The next topic that hit home with me is when the lecturer spoke about divergent thinking and creativity. Where has it gone? Creativity? Out the window along with everything else that has made people original and unique today. We have been dulled down and not allowed to express our inner thoughts because society has told us that we are not allowed to do so. If we were allowed to express how we felt inside the society we live in, would not be so mundane and boring. Hopefully in the near future, there will be resurgence in allowing originality to be shone through our self.
All in all, and as hard as it sounds, we, people need to be more free in expression. Acceptance of out of the ordinary should be more widely accepted instead of widely accepted/oppressed

From a foreign cultural standpoint, I am not going to sit here and type that this is wrong. A) because I have never been to the Himalayas and do not know they’re way of life. And B) what does my opinion matter to a culture that has been thriving for multiple generations before hand? It doesn’t. With the connotations in today’s society that are associated with males and females about having multiple partners is a double standard. (Consider the college audience) Men who have multiple female partners are considered “the man,” or a “pimp.” Whilst women are considered to be “sleazy” and promiscuous. Why the double standard? I’m all about equality, but why must women always get the short end of the stick? In every situation, voting, rights, job equality, women always are the last to receive what is due to them. Except in India; all kidding aside. In India, women are now “the pimp,” and men are the new house wives, or so it seems in the video. Role reversal, finally.
I was born in the city, so I have no relation to owning large acreage of land or property used for growing crops, so this is new to me. As mentioned in the video, the area where this family lives, there is shortage of land to where crops can be grown. As with most of undeveloped populations, the man was in charge of the household, and held the majority of the property. When the time came the father died and then passed down the belongings to his son, if he had any. In the Himalayas, this theory really cannot be utilized properly, because of such a shortage of land. So instead of spreading the land evenly amongst the sons, it is shared and so is the wife. This works, yes it may be foreign to some closed-minded individuals, but in theory it does work. Land is not sparse, and neither is food. But the main thing of which is under debate is, the wife.
Mentioned last is a huge problem in China, the shortage of women. If there are no women to be married, then there will be no children produced, then the world’s fastest growing nation will spiral downwards. China severely needs to rethink it’s procedures on how they manage their population , but that is a issue in itself for the future.

Conformity. Why do we have to conform? Yes it’s good to fit in, but when does one’s originality or uniqueness shine through when your just like everyone else? My motto is, being unique is being original. Your being your own person, not like every other Penn State student. But in regards to the video, it was entertaining to watch, for the shear fact that during the Nineteen-Twenties to the ‘Forties ( just a guess) that this era got a rise out of other people’s doings, opposed to today’s generation when this happens on a daily basis. But to the issue of conformity. Conforming has been a daily occurrence since the dawn of man, but why must people be like other people? If this were rampant, every family would have a neutral colored home, well-manicured lawn, and a white picket fence. Imagine driving down that street, and saying “Ohhh and Ahhh.” You wouldn’t because there is no variety in this situation. “Variety is the spice of life,” a quote that when you hear it doesn’t particularly stick, but when saying it within this context, means a world of difference.
Being on such a massive campus, there are plenty of people who do not conform; and I wholeheartedly support them. Yes they may be the jest of a supposed high ranking socialite group, but when looking at said group, look at how unique they are. They are not. Being different in dress, hair style, how you carry yourself, etcetera is such a wonderful thing, but today we do not recognize this but merely make fun of those take stand in what they believe in, and are proud to do it.
^^^ In response to PennState20’s blurb about collegiate alcohol and marijuana use. In my eye, I do not agree with that. Yes students do go out and drink, but they majority of them had done that in high school, so it is just carrying over from one setting to another. But for those who had not drank in high school, and are not drinking multiple times a week, they are students who do not have a strong inner person, and need to fit in with a group. (which is called conformity)
If you can get through all of this stream of consciousness mash-up, basically what I am trying to say is: Be yourself, you don’t need to be like everyone else to fit in, and most importantly, be unique.