After taking Soc 119, I don’t necessarily think that my views of other races have changed, but this course has put more things into perspective for me. I didn’t know that a good amount of white people are so oblivious to race because it has not effect on them. After listening to comments during class and my discussion group I heard first-hand how they never really think about race because they aren’t discriminated against because of their race. I guess I have more sympathy for white people because many of them really are oblivious to race. For me race is an everyday thing, but for them it’s not necessary to think about. I never knew that Native Americans are way more disadvantaged than any other race. Learning this made me feel a little sad because my ancestors were Native Americans. I also learned that Asians are so successful money wise because they combine all of their monies as a family. African-Americans rarely do that. I’m not sure why. But maybe if all “racial groups” used this method, more families would have a higher income. The topic of illegal immigration made me very upset because I feel like it is just another form of discrimination. People of Hispanic decent are automatically discriminated against, just like any other people of color. Not only are they discriminated against but some people believe that they should completely abandon their language and culture. Just because they are coming to an English dominated society to make a better life for themselves and their families, doesn’t mean that they need to give up speaking their native language. I really liked the lecture about Muslims. Sam made us put ourselves in their shoes and I really felt bad. I knew that the war that we are in is mostly based on oil, but when Sam asked us how we would feel if another country invaded the US for oil. I automatically knew that I would be upset and would fight against the other side. This made me realize that the Iraqi and Afghan soldiers are doing the same thing I would do, so why do we look at them as bad people? That lecture really put things into perspective, and kind of made me feel a little guilty for the actions of America. I’ve always thought that Americans were greedy, but killing over oil is so immoral in my opinion. And also, who are we as Americans to tell another country how to run things? We need to mind our business, because I’m pretty sure we would have a fit if another conuntry tried to make the US a dictatorship. Like I said before, I don’t feel like my opinion of different races has changed, but I definitely feel I have a better understanding of the races.

If Sandusky was black or latino, I’m pretty sure the uproar would be even worse because people of color usually are automatically viewed as criminals. I’m actually glad that he isn’t a person of color because his life would be at great risk and also it would give white people more of a reason to say “I told you so.” It’s a shame that people would most likely react differently if he was a person of color but it’s the truth. I also think that if Sandusky was a person of color that the students wouldn’t be as united as they are now. I feel like they’re would be a clear separation between the students of color and the white students. I’m not exactly sure why I feel this way, but I don’t think that the PSU community would be as supportive and optimistic about the future if Sandusky was a person of color. The scandal seemed like it tore our school apart for a few days, but if Sandusky was colored I’m sure the school would be in a “depressed” state of mind for much longer. However, I do believe that PSUers are more disappointed that Sandusky is white. Not to sound offensive but like I stated earlier people are generalized as criminals, so it wouldn’t really be a surprise if he was a person of color. But, knowing that he’s white, a group of people who are known to be generally “good” is disappointing. The reason I say that the uproar would be greater if Sandusky is a person of color is because if you look at the news, most of the suspects in the crimes they report are in fact people of color. But since Sandusky was a person of such great caliber the news will not leave the story alone. I guess it is more shocking to believe because he was a role model for many, and even had a foundation for underprivileged boys. I don’t think that if Sandusky was a person of color that the story would necessarily get more media coverage, but I do believe that majority of people would be more even more upset. I’m not trying to make this blog sound like a white person bashing one because I am in no regard racist, but I feel like if he was a person of color he would get more greater charges and he probably wouldn’t have gotten out on bail. Also I believe his punishment would be greater. If found guilty, or maybe if not he would most likely get a longer sentence and crueler punishment. I don’t think a person could be put on death row for crimes other than murder, but if they could he might even get put on death row because of how big this case is and also because of his race.

Money can bring happiness to a certain extent in my opinion. You’re able to afford all of the material things that you’ve always desired and you won’t have to worry about taking care of your family. However many people who are rich often don’t enjoy their choice of career. They are only materially happy. I would rather love what I do for a living rather than dreading going to work each day, but I get paid good money. To me personal success is important. Wealth usually comes along with being successful. I want to feel good about what I do and I want to make a difference. I always remember that when I die I won’t be able to take material things with me, so that shouldn’t be my main focus. Money can also get a person into debt. They forget to spend wisely, and just start purchasing things just because they can. When I get into my career, I want to live comfortably. I want to make enough money to provide for my family, as well as be able to afford some material things. I do not want to have so much money that I don’t know what to do with it. Today’s society focuses so much on money that our generation has grown up thinking that being rich is a necessity. Our generation watches MTV and BET and they see their favorite artist who has the nicest cars, houses, clothes, etc. This is when people start to believe that having money equals being successful. However, there are many hard working people who are successful, but are nowhere near being rich. They have a great career, family, and life, but since they don’t make six figures or more a year, people usually don’t consider them a success. This newer generation definitely has a significantly different definition of success. I bet if I asked someone from who grew up in the 50’s what their definition of success is, it would probably be very different. People living in that decade probably would consider themselves successful if they were fortunate enough to have a job, even if it was low paying. In my opinion, we are way too greedy these days. Money cannot fix all of a person’s problems. They can try all they want to buy things to make up for their unhappiness, but deep down inside the problem still exists. Also many people who are rich have more stress on them, and many of them attempt suicide. It should all be a balance. One should choose a career they love, and in most cases money comes along with it. A person who chooses a career based on their love for it is probably happier in almost all circumstances. Loving your job and getting paid for it is the best reward one can receive.

I think that immigrants should learn English when moving to the US simply for the purpose of understanding things on their own. English would also help Hispanic people have greater opportunities. I am not saying that they should only speak English because they are living in an English dominated society, but it would be beneficial for them to learn the language. Being bilingual is great because they can still be respected by Americans, while keeping their culture. I hate when Americans say that Hispanics should only speak English. That’s like saying you have to speak Spanish all the time if you move to a country where Spanish is the dominate language. I’m sure many Americans would be upset by this, so why are we doing the same to them? It’s not fair in my opinion, and quite honestly it’s none of our business. Are Spanish speaking people really making a significant difference in our lives if they don’t learn English? Probably not, unless you work with majority Hispanic people. My point is, who are we to say who should speak English, just because majority of our society does? We do not rule this country, so in my opinion it should be up to the person who is immigrating. Immigrants learning English would definitely make interactions with them easier, but I don’t understand why and how this has become such a big issue. This country has better things to focus on. Hispanics probably feel very insulted when Americans tell them that they need to learn English. I know I would feel insulted. America is supposed to be a place of freedom, yet we are still oppressing many ethnic groups. I was reading an article about how learning English makes Hispanics feel like they lose their cultural identities and this is probably the main reason why they don’t want to learn English. Many Hispanics that embrace American culture and language abandon their own culture and language. Some of them don’t even pass the Spanish language onto their children. This results in many generations of Hispanics feeling disconnected with their culture just because they live in America. Americans should think about this, and try to put themselves in these people’s shoes. I’m not saying that Spanish people should not attempt to learn the language; however, it would be unfair to tell Hispanics to only speak English and completely abandon their Hispanic origin. Like I said before, Americans need to mind their business. If Hispanics are hesitant to learn English, that’s their personal decision. It’s not our place to judge, point fingers, and tell them what they need to do in order to be an “American.” Sam even said that people who are not tied to slavery in past generations (the majority) are immigrants, so technically no one has the right to tell Hispanics to speak English.

I define racism as having hatred for a person or group of people based only on skin color, and nothing more. To me there is a difference between prejudice and racism. Prejudice could just believe popular stereotypes about certain races, ethnicities, and cultures, or even judging the whole group based on these stereotypes. For example, if a white person thinks Asians can’t drive, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are racist; it could just be that they have heard the stereotype or have personally witnessed it. In most cases, stereotypes have some truth to them. Racism would be if an Asian person hates all black people just because they are black. They don’t get to know them on a personal level; they just automatically hate them because they are black. This could be because they feel superior to them, or it could be what they have been taught at home. In my opinion, racism is passed down from generation to generation. Children believe everything their parents or guardians tell them, so they are most likely to accept what they say as the truth or the right thing to believe. If my dad told me that all white people were evil and that we should hate them because they are white, I would probably grow up hating white people and thinking they are all evil because I was taught that growing up. In my life I have witnessed and been a victim of racism many times. Being African-American and living in predominately white towns and going to predominately white schools set me up for the experience of racism at a young age. In fourth grade, my elementary school basically segregated the two fourth grade classes. One class was made up of mostly white students with the exception of about 2 or 3 minorities; while the other class, which I was in, was made up of mostly children of color with the exception of maybe 2 white children who were thought of as “less intelligent.” At the age of 9 I realized that people of color definitely are treated differently than white people. But even earlier, in 2nd or 3rd grade about 5 white boys in my class began to chant “Chocolate Chip” at me because I was one of the only black girls in the class. That made me feel confused because I didn’t really understand what racism was then. Last but not least, about 3 summers ago, my family and I traveled to Clearwater Beach, FL for vacation and as we walked down the street 2 men in a car yelled “Niggers!” at us. I was about 15 so I understood racism. It just made me feel hurt, and then I started to feel angry. How could people be so cruel?

I don’t think HBCU’s prepare students for real world experiences. I support HBCU’s because it is great to have school specially designed for black students; however, I believe it doesn’t prepare students for experiences after graduation. I say this because HBCU’s have almost all black students, so the people who attend them never are really exposed to people of other races, ethnicities, and cultures. I think this is dangerous for people who also went to predominately black high schools, then continue on to an HBCU. They might have a difficult time dealing with other people, because for all of their life they have been around mostly people of color. When students get into the work force, they will quickly discover that the “elites” are mostly white people. Dealing with and cooperating with white people is a necessary skill needed to be successful in this white dominated society. Honestly, this is why personally I decided not to attend a HBCU. I felt like I needed to expose myself to a variety of people. I also felt like it would make my college experience more exciting. Being around black people all the time would get on my nerves. I decided to come to Penn State because I am a huge advocate of diversity, and I believe we do have much diversity. Of course white people are the majority, but I always see different kinds of people every day. Although I don’t think HBCU’s prepare students for real world experiences, I do think that they have many positives. Attending a HBCU can help students feel united and comfortable. Also, most HBCU’s have great education systems, so these black students will be receiving great education. Many of my friends go to HBCU’s but went to predominately white high schools. So, sometimes it is someone trying to find their identity, or their “blackness.” These black people want to connect with other black people, because they didn’t have the opportunity when they were growing up. I feel like I am connected with my race, so I have no need to attend a HBCU to make me feel “accepted.” It also is empowering saying you attend or attended a HBCU. The black community seems to have more respect for people who do go to a HBCU. Blacks who attend Predominately White Institutions (PWI’s) are sometimes seen as sell-outs, or like they want to be white. I believe this is completely untrue. Blacks who attend PWI’s are thinking about their future. Graduating from a PWI will come with more prestige, and in most cases jobs will hire the black person who graduated from Penn State, over the person who graduated from Howard. I also think that the experiences of people who attend HBCU’s depend on the person.

In my opinion, majority of society is still “stuck” on stage 1. Since race and racism doesn’t really apply to white people on a daily basis, they don’t really think about it. This is not necessarily wrong, it’s just that since they don’t have specific experience with it, they can’t really relate. I feel that many white people are in denial about racism. They don’t know how much it still is a factor in society because they are not the ones being discriminated against. If it was the opposite way, I’m sure people of color would be the in the same denial. However, white people should try to understand the experiences of people of color, and even if they can’t personally relate, they can recognize that society still has a lot of evolving to do. Once white people are willing to accept that racism is still prevalent, and then they can continue to move through the rest of the steps. I don’t witness a great amount of white people that have made it to stage 6 and I am not judgmental about this. Making change is a process, and changing the mentality of a whole race is not going to happen overnight. I do see some white people in stage 4. They are very upset because they believe that people of color automatically categorize them as racist. Some of us do, and I’m not going to lie about that. However, that is because most people of color have underlying issues/experiences that make them feel this way. I can honestly say, I am one of the people of color who often take offense to the actions/words of white people because racism has been prevalent in my life for as long as I remember. Not all people of color feel this way, but many of them fall into this category. I can understand white people in stage 4’s frustration, but they must step back and try to understand why people of color may be feeling this way. After white people have taken this course I believe that most of them will fall between stage 2 and 3. They probably will be more accepting of racial differences, and begin to understand that racism still does exist. They may even feel guilty about it. It is not my place to say all white people are in a certain stage, but I am simply stating what I believe from my observation. I think that background can also play into what stage a person is in. If they grew up around mostly white people, they probably don’t think twice about race; but if they grew up in a more urban or diverse neighborhood, they might have a higher chance of realizing and understanding the experiences and injustices of people of color.

I believe that gay inequalities will be diminished before racial inequalities simply because in my opinion they are already diminishing more. Gay inequality is a fairly new issue compared to racial inequalities. Racial inequality has existed for centuries; however, gay inequalities have been brought to the forefront probably in the last twenty or so years. I see with my own eyes that homosexuality is becoming more and more accepted, especially in pop culture. But race is always a touchy subject. Gays have already gained the right to marry in some states, and this took a shorter time to accomplish than racial inequality issues. It took centuries for slavery to be abolished, and decades for racial segregation to be ended. It just seems like gays are progressing more than colored people. Colored people still are discriminated in every realm of society. Don’t get me wrong, gays still have great inequality, but the progress they have made seems to be faster. I believe the reason for this is because it is easier for people to accept someone having a relationship with the same gender than to accept colored people being equal to whites. It has always been that whites thought they were better, and it has always been the standard, so completely eliminating that would be almost impossible. Changing the opinions, beliefs, stereotypes, etc that have been passed down for generations is what is needed to equalize colored people and gays. I’m usually an optimistic person, but I personally believe that people of color and gays will never be on the same level as whites. It has always been that way, and most likely will always be that way. A great amount of white people hold the power of this country, and the world. So, we are basically living through their means. With saying this, since race always plays a part in society, I feel that white gays will receive equality faster than colored gays. I say this because when a person is of color and gay, they have even more odds against them because they are not seen as normal. Like I said before, it is a matter of what people are willing to accept. Most people can be narrow minded when it comes to people who are not like them, and they just happen to be the people that have a significant amount of say in what happens in the world. I believe that everyone is unique. It shouldn’t matter what their differences are. We are all people, most working towards the same goals. It is my hope that both issues will continue to make advances, but society has to cooperate together greatly in order to achieve this.

Society automatically puts people of color into the category of being criminals. It’s just a stereotype that has existed for a while now. Mostly men of color are viewed as criminals, or seem like they have potential to be criminals. Society finds it difficult to believe that a white man can do wrong or commit crime. I don’t believe that people of color are more capable of being criminals, but it is the matter of them getting caught. In class we talked about how more people of color are caught with drugs, however; white people use them just as much, maybe even more. They just have less of a chance of getting arrested. In my opinion, law enforcement always keeps an extra eye on people of color. This seems to be a factor of racism. How many white people are pulled over for being white? Probably none. But how many people of color are pulled over for doing absolutely nothing wrong? A great number have been. I myself have even been pulled over. Yes, I was speeding, but I could tell that the officer wanted to find me guilty of something else. Don’t get me wrong, there are many criminals that happen to be people of color, but putting all people of color in that category is simply unfair. Not every person of color is doing wrong, and every white person isn’t innocent. Also, in class we discussed how race plays into receiving jobs. A white criminal would most likely to still receive a job over a black man without a criminal record. This repulses me. Why is this? There has to be some sort of racism in every part of society to allow this to happen. Another thing we discussed in class was Casey Anthony vs. Troy Davis. Many people are quick to point out race and the result of their court cases. However, Sam told us that we cannot automatically assume that race was the blame. In my opinion, I believe that race played a significant role in both of the cases. Troy Davis was a black man, and Casey Anthony is a white female. Society is just more likely to believe a white woman is innocent, rather than a black man who allegedly killed a police officer. It’s sad that this country has so much injustice in it; a country that is “supposed” to view each man as equal. I don’t think that inequality of the races will ever be completely eliminated whether in the justice system, or in the work force. It is a very difficult task to change the way people have thought for centuries. We can only hope and pray for a better tomorrow.

I watched two videos about female entrepreneurs (Euclid & Clorene Blaise) in the clothing businesses that are from Haiti. These women interested me the most because I am very into fashion. Clorene makes handbags, and Euclid makes clothing. It was nice to see women in Haiti who have the same aspirations as some women in the US. However, the women in Haiti lacked resources, materials, and staff unlike majority of fashion designers in America. Euclid’s only current employee is her husband. I’m sure that if she had the funds, she would be able to hire more staff, and her job would be a little easier. In the video Sam was saying that Clorene needed her own logo or trademark. I agree, but often times entrepreneurs from less fortunate countries don’t get the respect that others would get because they don’t have money to put into their brand and make it successful. Watching the videos made me appreciate even more what I have, and how blessed I am to live in America. I have more opportunities, and more of a possibility to become successful. It’s great that the HPCD helps these Haitians with their entrepreneurship. It gives them options and helps them with leadership skills. I also was happy to read that this organization helps people from the poorest parts of Haiti. They reach out to the youth; some who were gang members, and help them get jobs. Right now there are only six members in HPCD, and they are working on getting high speed internet. Reading about this organization makes me want to help them. Internet will cost about $100. That is very minimal to a US citizen.
The question for our Haiti project is: What should be done to support socioeconomic development in Haiti? These videos tie into what can and should be done. We as American’s should try to raise money for programs such as HPCD, to help those in Haiti with a dream to become an entrepreneur. One of my goal’s in life is to make a difference, and I believe that helping those less fortunate is a great way to accomplish this goal. Imagine if every American or every person in our Soc 119 class made an effort to raise money to help these people. Our effort would help these people significantly. Reaching out to people outside of our classroom would make an even bigger difference for these Haitians. Whenever I’m put into a situation like this, I always try to put myself in their shoes. What if I didn’t have the same opportunities? What if I didn’t have enough money to make my business progess? I want to help. We all should want to help.