With Sam’s take on child adductions I think he is completely right. We live in a very safe world and I would feel like a better father if I were to let my children live a more freely and less bound world. I would obviously let my children know of the dangers that can be presented to them but I want them to live a better life than I had. This lecture started off with a poll question “would you let your child, around the age of 8, walk less than half a mile to school”? My answer is yes, but yet I still have some fears and it would also depend on the area in which I live in. Then Sam addressed this fear we constantly carry with us and I realized I fell into the trap. I know that it is very rare, almost statistically noncurrent, for a child to be randomly kidnapped, but yet I automatically fell into the fear trick when I said I wouldn’t let my child walk to school. It bothered me when I realized that’s what my subconscious thought when just recently I have been so adamant on not living your life by fear. As a child I feel as thou my mother was overprotective of me. We hear of one person committing an act and we all fall into a state of fear, “I can’t let my son/daughter outside because of that guy I saw on the news, etc.” It is clearly all the media's fault for our perception of the world and of crime. An event that has done so much good for so many families. Thon barely had any news coverage besides ABC action news, but even their coverage was limited. We are running the largest student run philanthropy in the world and raised over 10 million dollars this year, how is that not newsworthy? It is because the media thrives off of scandal, crime, and murder. It makes it feel like all of these disasters are happening right outside of my window, when in reality, there is nothing going on out there or even close to going on. On another note people would not be so crazy and fearful of every little thing if they were not glued to their televisions watching the news. The news is skewing our perception of what the world is actually like. We need to stop obsessing over what comes out of the newscasters' mouths and start just enjoying life. If we sit around scared all the time, then we are not really living. In closing, I think we should be spending more time on the good in the world rather than the bad. We should let kids live more freely and less like the story “1984”. Lastly screw the media!

From a males point of view it is hard to say whether a girl is disrespecting herself for what she is wearing. In my point of view girls know exactly what they are doing when they make the decision on what they are wearing. It is up to the woman on what they feel comfortable in wearing; in the United States we don’t force women to wear certain clothing. So if a woman decided to wear a bikini or something exposing it is totally up to her and her comfort ability with such outfit. Going out at night at Penn State is a perfect example on women’s comfort ability and respect for themselves comes into play. At night some women decide to dress more freely than they normally would and by no means are these women sluts but it is just how they want to dress. In no way does it describe the respect they have with themselves. I feel that those two things are separately connected, however at night people still judge these women on what they wear and say “she must have not respect for herself”. I feel it is wrong we judged like that and I do not believe it is a respect for oneself problem more than a comfort ability with oneself. However, I feel women who dress this way should not get upset when they hear people talking about what they wear because they know what they are doing when they go out. In class, Sam asked the Muslim women why they covered their heads. They said they did it because in their culture they are taught to be modest. By covering up people look at them by their personalities, not just by their appearance. They said that being modest meant to not show too much skin, so people could get to know them for who they really are. Any American or non Muslim at the same time has been taught that it is no sin to show skin and in fact clothing is a huge part of self expression. I think that in a Muslims eyes one’s personality is more important than what a man see is for sexual purposes. I don’t agree with this. I think that clothing is enough of a personal expression to get to know someone. It makes people unique and really shows their true colors. When one is covered up it seems as if they are trying to hide in the American culture. This is why I feel like many Americans don’t understand. In closing I feel that each culture has their own reasons for dressing the way that they do, and each culture should take in a little of the eastern and western culture.

In regards to the question, would the video be offensive if the foreigners were white? I believe that there is a stereotype that goes along with every culture, so it may not be offensive for the same reasons as it would for an Asian culture be it can still be offensive. But was the video offensive? In my personal opinion I do not believe the video was offensive, I thought that Fox Sports was just jokingly being playful with the video, I saw no intent to forcefully make fun of the culture. There is always a line in which not to cross that leads a joke into being offensive, and it’s a very thin line because you never know when that line can be crossed. There was one Asian young woman that spoke on behalf of the video, she didn’t think the video was offensive to her, but she said it depended on the intent of the makers. One thing I think about when this video was made was the fact that these people had to sign off to be in the video. They know exactly what they said and they didn’t need to sign to be part of this, in that regards I feel the intent wasn’t to make fun of Asian student at USC. As a side note I found it sad that these students did not know what conference their university was a part of. I know that students here at Penn State would for the majority know what conference we are in. I wouldn’t expect students to know the schools added however. Second, I know there are cultural differences and it takes time to adapt to a new language, but these students should have a better understanding of the English language if they are to study at a school like USC. They have to pass the same if not similar tests in the English language to get into these colleges so to some degree they should have been alright in the interview. Which leads me to the second question asked in the video would I be offended if I were exposed in a video in Asia based off similar instances? I am not sure whether I would be offended by the video, like I said it would depend on the intent of the video and the context. Like I said earlier how the Asian students at USC should know a majority of the English language, If I were given the same interview in Asia and I knew the language at the degree to which the students should have I would not feel a video offensive. Today comedy has changed to poking fun at each other’s cultures and back rounds, and we inch closer to offensive jokes every day, and it is a problem that we should all think about. Next time just think about what you are saying before you say it.

In regards to what we discussed earlier this semester on taking over land, and who has rights to that land, I see only one possible solution, we share it. However, that’s not always the way it works out. To return all the land now as a form of reparations s is not possible, nor would this ever happen. In reality this would be fair, however I think a better way to go about solving this disaster for the Native Americans would be to provide them things through this country that would increase their standard of living. Native Americans were forced off their land and had to move to shitty reservations. A good majority of Native Americans live in severe poverty, crime, and are addicted to drugs and alcohol. This can be changed by providing more government assistance to reservations, and higher funding for education. Native Americans are trapped in this life of poverty, and some way of evening the playing field with Whites and other predominant and accepted minorities in this country. Land rights and property should and could not be shared or split evenly with Native Americans is because we are too far in time from the original owners. To say that a great-great grandchild of a white man must give up his property to a Native American with the same bloodline as who originally owned the land is absurd. Giving back land would have made sense back soon after the land was taken, but a hundred or so years later to make that claim that land should be paid back makes little sense. When I did some research on the removal of native Americans I found this, and I could feel nothing but remorse for what we forced them to do. “Originated by General James H. Carleton, New Mexico's U.S. Army commander, the plan called for the removal of the Navajo from their native lands, including areas in northeastern Arizona, through western New Mexico, and north into Utah and Colorado.” Soon, 8,500 men, women and children were marched almost 400 miles from northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico to Bosque Redondo, a desolate tract on the Pecos River in eastern New Mexico. Traveling in harsh winter conditions for almost two months, about 200 Navajo died of cold and starvation. More died after they arrived at the barren reservation. The forced march, led by Kit Carson became known by the Navajos as the "Long Walk." To see what we as civilians have done to one another is inhumane. But today, what can we do? We have already done the damage and there really are no good ways of giving back. We also must remember that the US is a big melting pot and we all are immigrants. So to speak to the question, I don’t think what has been done is right but in what way can we turn back and just give them land.

Over the past two classes I was able to listen to Sam and others speak their thoughts on war. In those classes and even in my discussion group I remained quiet, because everyone has their own views on what is right and wrong, what should or should not be done, there are many reasons to why this can be such a difficult subject. In the first class Sam stated that an average American believes that his or another Americans life is worth 29 foreigners lives. This is something that I don’t think is right, in no way is someone worth more than the life another. I’m not that religious but we are all god’s children so when is it right to say we can kill 29 other lives to save one. Doesn’t matter who it is, I would not consider my life more important than others. Which leads me as to why we are even in certain wars in the first place? Is it right for us to get involved in other countries disputes or is there another reason as to why we are there in the first place? My thoughts are that we should not jump into other countries business unless they are asking for our help or they need assistance. Throughout the classroom discussion my views about war have not changed, I believe that we should not risk American lives and avoid war. However, today we are not always over fighting for peace and doing the right thing, we are fighting for resources, mainly oil. In the second class about war we had the opportunity to hear from Aaron, A veteran from the Iraq war. After hearing of the terrors he had to witness, losing his friends, seeing citizens get killed and even getting hurt himself, it really set a picture in your head, and in my case really made me angry with the country I live in. The reason I got so angry was the fact that we are willing to send American lives over to fight for what? Oil? Aaron told us to this day he still has to go through therapy cause of the events he witness, so we can spend a little less on gas. We also saw videos of how some American soldiers acted wrongly and committed acts that make our country look bad. This goes to show why so many people hate America. We also had the opportunity to talk to an Iraqi citizen in class; there were a lot of questions asked to him but one response stuck with me throughout the class. “ You made this mess, the least you could do is fix it”, Which kept making me think why are we there. Overall through our discussions on war I have come to two conclusions. One, and from the beginning, why are we getting involved? And two, I felt nothing but remorse for the other countries in which we have ruined, and or have made more problems.

There are so many eye opening topics that we have discussed about in class this semester thus far. I like many people in this class fell into the category of people who as I learned are in more of a denial about racial issues than against it. In today’s society I have reference to believe that people of white decent avoid discussions on race in most occasions. Race in its own has always been a touchy subject. There is no set reason to why this occurs, however I believe it is due to the fact that we (or at least I was) to judge people on their character rather than nationality. Race is defined as each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical characteristics. Nowhere in the definition of race is there characteristics creed or personality. So to talk about race is to talk about how we are different from one another. This is where things can become difficult for white people. It’s hard for white people to openly talk on subjects and traits that make us different because we were taught to see everyone as the same. However, I do believe that race can be discussed openly by anyone in certain environments and surroundings. In smaller groups, with people that everyone trusts and feels comfortable with, race can be discussed without a sense of fear. It goes along with the concept of white supremacy that has been brought about in class a few times before. It is like a conspiracy among white people with the purpose of exiling minorities. Sam stated that everything revolves around whites and white supremacy; everything is affected by “white-ness.” I believe that while whites own a stronghold in government and other offices of power, other races affect our society in other regards. More importantly I never realized how much race and culture meant to people until taking this class. I look around and see that a lot of people have assimilated into this culture and mixed in to the point where they seem like they just exist in the culture and are a part of it. Some of my best friends come from all different back rounds and countries. It is important to everyone to look past how a person may be different from you and more towards how they are alike. Already today I feel we have made huge strides from where we have come as a society and mankind. You look back to white Europeans enslaving Africans, treating them as if they were nothing. Even People discriminate for gender, race, and backgrounds. People would also choose family over a stranger when hiring. We all play favorites and it occurs in the work place. It is hard to believe that the racism in which we have come so far from still affects us in many ways today. In closing, I think the most important thing I can take away from this class is to learn how to live and contribute to a more diverse world.

After hearing this lecture I am held to believe that Sam’s statements were correct. When Sam stated that a person with a common white name, like Katelyn, is fifty percent more likely to get the job over someone with a traditionally black name, like Tashika. This is a disturbing fact, especially if you are a minority with a name that depicts your race. This is unfair in the opposite way of Affirmative Action. It goes along with the concept of white supremacy that has been brought about in class a few times before. It is like a conspiracy among white people with the purpose of exiling minorities. This is not the right thing to do, but it happens. Personally being a white person I have no problem letting a person from a minority get five more points on some test, because I know that being who I am and coming from the background my parents gave me I am already set to excel with what I do. It feels wrong saying that, but I have worked hard to get to where im at today. I feel like everyone should being given a equal shot to succeed but we are in an imperfect world. But there are all sorts of discrimination occurring when people are hiring others. People discriminate for gender, race, and backgrounds. People would also choose family over a stranger when hiring. We all play favorites and it occurs in the work place. It is hard to believe that the racism in which we have come so far from still affects us in many ways today. The Nobel prize-winning economist Gary Becker showed in his book The Economics of Discrimination how the markets automatically punish the companies that discriminate. So there are things being done to help discrimination but the question is how much? If a company discriminates, it typically losses profitability and market share to the companies that do not discriminate, unless the state limits free competition protecting the discriminators. No company wants to be known for being the bad guys or racist, it’s not going to play out well for that company. However, there is also a view that discrimination to satisfy customers’ preference can increase profits. Even in our government there is discrimination. For example, around 1900 the afro-Americans started to compete of jobs that had previously been all-white jobs. Because whites had more voting power, they enacted a law that made photographs of the applicants obligatory in civil service job applications. The number of blacks in federal employment plummeted for decades. After researching, and looking at all the things that people of a different skin color than I had to go through just because how they look or their name it makes me sick to see how unaccepting we are as a society.

Getting to know others view points on the purpose of life has changed me to the person I have become today. From birth I was instilled to believe in god and the bible (and I still do). However, over years of growing and learning to understand the meaning of the passages from the bible I question whether my beliefs can be correct. It is scary to think that I doubt my own beliefs, or the beliefs that I was raised into believing are the right way to think. Today, I still believe in god and when I look at the bible and see such stories as the arc, I do not discard that these events did not happen. However, I think all stories change over time. Each time you hear a story it usually changes in details and magnitude. For the case of the arc, I believe there was a flood and Noah did create an arc however the flood wasn’t as big as historically told, and there wasn’t a need to have an animal of every species. Its stories just like this that make people question their thoughts or beliefs of what actually happened. In terms of the creationist theory, I believe god created the heavens and the earth, however, I think people could have evolved. I grew up believing that god created humans and that was it, but over time I looked at others views and beliefs and I began to change mine. Now I’m not the most religious person you will meet, I haven’t been to church in quite some time. But I’m a person who believes in the lord’s plan, and to leave this earth doing more for others than you have done for yourself. It’s hard for me to cross the fact that everything on this earth was created through science or some other theory, I believe some higher being had to have made the world to what it is today. All the time you see people try to sway a person to their beliefs, their god. Some bring up these mesmerizing messages that really question whether or not my religious beliefs can be true, others try and persuade you to a greater being or no being at all. But I think it is important to see where they come from, why they believe these things, and not to judge them for their beliefs. I’m not going to lie and say I know of everyone’s beliefs or religions, because I don’t. However, each religion or belief has their own thought to the puzzle of life which we can either be ignorant or disregard what they say, or we can listen and maybe shed view into another light which we never thought of before. In closing I would like to say everyone should have their own view on what they believe, and we should not disregard others views but rather learn as much as you can so you can decide which the best belief for yourself is.

In today’s society I have reference to believe that people of white decent avoid discussions on race in most occasions. Race in its own has always been a touchy subject. There is no set reason to why this occurs, however I believe it is due to the fact that we (or at least I was) to judge people on their character rather than nationality. We were also taught the golden rule, to treat others the way you wanted to be treated. So basically being white we are in essence raised to look at people from different back rounds as if they looked just like us. Race is defined as each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical characteristics. Nowhere in the definition of race is there characteristics creed or personality. So to talk about race is to talk about how we are different from one another. This is where things can become difficult for white people. It’s hard for white people to openly talk on subjects and traits that make us different because we were taught to see everyone as the same. However, I do believe that race can be discussed openly by anyone in certain environments and surroundings. In smaller groups, with people that everyone trusts and feels comfortable with, race can be discussed without a sense of fear. I feel getting to know a person really pushes you forward in life. Some of my best friends come from all different back rounds and countries. It is important to everyone to look past how a person may be different from you and more towards how they are alike. Already today I feel we have made huge strides from where we have come as a society and mankind. You look back to white Europeans enslaving Africans, treating them as if they were nothing. One film that really hit me on how terrible humans can act towards each other on the subject of race was the film “The Amistad”. In the film, Africans were forcefully taken from their homes and forced onto a ship the Amistad where they managed to break free from their capturers but were found in US waters and were put on trial to test their freedom. This was the start of a change that would cause white people to fret discussions today on race. In class on Tuesday, Sam talked about white supremacy. He used an example of king of the hill as a demonstration to where we got today, and how slavery was the stepping stone to putting whites on top. This act was a main cause for the racism we deal with even today, making discussions about race between different ethnicities even harder for whites with the fear of being called a racist. What next to come with how we deal with this in the future is unknown, however, I feel we should forget the wrongs that we have seen and push in the positive direction of seeing everyone for who they are, and not judge on their ethnicity but by their actions as human beings.

There’s an old adage that I believe carries some weight in this discussion: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. I believe that there has to be a dominant language for economic sake and for the ability to provide a common platform for communication. Without a common denominator for language in a given country, we simply deteriorate into a Tower of Babel, and lose the ability to efficiently and effectively communicate. It’s kind of like the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), an international organization that mission is to develop common web standards that span the globe, and which will facilitate the ease of communication across the internet. At some point, common sense must prevail and a single language must be designated as the dominant language of that country. If we decide to cater to all second languages, the amount of money and effort involved in creating the infrastructure and collateral to support this additional language would be prohibitive.
At the same time, I see great advantage to being bilingual, and I would really like to see us begin teaching second languages to our youth at earlier ages. Other countries, such as China, make concerted efforts to begin teaching English to their children early and often, with the end result that their students can usually speak English fairly fluently by high school. I do, however, think that it is unfair to compare us to European countries, for example, where much of their population speaks two or more languages fluently, as these countries are actually in very close proximity to each other. This proximity necessitates providing the ability to speak other languages in order to do business with close neighbors.
It is my belief that it enriches our nation to encourage people speaking other languages to immigrate to the United States. I also believe that it is important for them to retain their original customs and language, as much as possible, while at the same time making efforts to learn to speak our native language – English. If I moved to France, I would definitely hope to retain my family customs, while at the same time would, through immersion, hope to learn to speak French fluently. Families moving into the United States that are not native speaking should strive to make the effort to learn English. If we have to spend money to educate these families I feel it would be more beneficial than detrimental.
When we look at this decision economically illegal immigration has helped the economy and the work force in times of need. As stated in professor Gordon’s report, “In 2008, they represented 25 percent of farm workers, 19 percent of building and maintenance staff, 17 percent of construction labor, 12 percent of employees in food preparation and serving, 10 percent of production labor, and 5 percent of the total civilian labor force.” Without the help from our neighboring country our economy would be much worse off than it is today. That why I feel we should let more immigrant workers into the United States, and give them the benefits we have as Americans with schooling so that they can help our economy while at the same time learn our language.