I like the way you compared cultures between people from New York and people here in pennsylvania. I am from New York and I am constantly tell people the exact same thing. I think it is a very interesting topic and I also can understand that you can not imagine how it is because honestly it is a very sticky subject but black people should not be compared with people in this country now. Simply because people here see black people once in a while but think about how it was when black people first came to this country. Honestly there is no comparison between the two. Do not worry I still think your cool man!

Honestly I love this class and usual agree with Dr. Richards comments and topics. However I do not think that black people should feel guilty about the genocide of Native Americans. Keep in mind that black people did not create that problem nor did they really contribute to the genocide of Native Americans. Which means Blacks can not feel guilty about something they had no control over. To be honest I was a little offended and disturbed. Dr. Richards usual is completely honest and is very much doing a great job, however this time I feel he went to far. Blacks people as a whole were shipped to the Caribbean as well as America for the purpose of free labor or cheap labor. The Native Americans were being killed by the hand or disease of the new comers that came to American and wanted to seek political freedom. In that process they gave the natives deiseses and sickness that they have never seen before. Black came to what is not the US by way of Whites, and some Native Americans were shipped right along side them. They were in bondage right along with the Native Americans. Honestly maybe I feel this way because I am black and I think that society has a very bad opinion of us as a people. Also another spin on it is that young African Americans are going to believe that they should feel guilty about something their ancestors did not take part in. Honestly I believe blacks were to busy taking care of themselves and trying to survive their own hardship. Whites are taught to view everyone as equal, but how far does that go when the same parents that told them that hold up picket signs because Blacks are being bused into the community. It makes me wonder how we are supposed to move forward as a society when mind set like that still exist. To be honest parents teach their children racism or a new form of racism and when they confronted they say they teach their children to treat everyone fair. However, children usually follow what there parents usual say and think. I don’t think one White person should feel guilty about who and what but as a whole I do feel that they should try to change or understand what there ancestors did before them. It is a very complicated situation and honestly I do not want to completely put the blame on only them. Honestly white people love black music but would most likely not bring a black person home to meet there family. After few generations race is not, going to be color, but it will be what you are wearing and how much money you are worth.

While watching this week’s lecture I realized so many areas of my life are ones in which I never really stopped to think about in a whole. I think this class does a good job of forcing you to stop and think. I might feel that I am normal in certain people views but I know I am not. I also think my family has done a great job in making feel as normal as everyone else. I went to catholic school all my life and my parents have been together for 23 years and are very happy. I am also black latino since my family is not from here and speak spanish but I look just like every other black kid. I was born and raised in brooklyn and was brought up with my parents being able to provide for me. Since most of these qualities are normal as I just went through life I have never really thought about them and how they impact my viewpoint on life. It is through is class I realize how lucky I am and that these week lecture hit me right on the head. It is very strange to think about how if I was white person that it would most likely make an impact on everything I do. I sometimes think how life would be different is I have white and how much more opportunities I might have but never really truly thought it as I do now. Another topic Dr Richards brought up that I thought was interest was if you are gay you have that “light bulb moment” and how did you realize or now when you were not straight. Thoughts like that would never cross my mind, honestly I just always thought gay people knew from the beginning and was just to afraid to tell people. It is strange to think about. Well I have to say that this by far was my favorite lecture. Not only was the lecture hilarious but it was very interesting as well. The Dave Chappelle clip about white people was so funny yet so true. I am very glad he played that and was completely shocked because it is one of my favorite shows. In State College going to Penn State I realize a lot of that skit was completely true and on the money. I also believe why he was so successful was because he allowed people of all colors to see a little about themselves and their actions but in a funny way. Dave was totally right if that happened to a black person that individual would wake up swinging or come after you because they don’t tolerate that immature stupid stuff like that. I never really noticed that only white people do stupid things like that until I actually started thinking about it and seeing it for myself here at Penn State.

I completely agree with what you are saying. I also believe that how you view other people come from the training you get at home. I honestly believe family starts everything and is a center or core of your thinking. I also believe is a very logical approach to look at it that way because I have met several people who tell their children not to treat anyone differently and be good to all people. I also think it is a very touchy subject and I also think my thought process does not fit with all people but honestly who do most people go to for everything and majority of the time is their family.

I never thought about what it may be like to be white because I can not since I am black. However I can see how white is not considered as different, it is normal in my opinion. The professor started by talking about your sense of “self” is shaped by other people around you. I also think it makes no sense that white people may not be aware of their themselves because people generally do make white people feel more comfortable or feel normal. When you are in a different environment where white people become the minority which happens very rarely then they became aware of the fact that they are actually white but I think they still understand that they will be just fine with no major worries. Something entertaining that I thought about while watching the lectures was how people often do not put themselves in sections based on just their actual color. However in New York I do believe that happens but up here not really. I believe they base themselves on cultural background like Latino or being international student. I find that to be so funny because in a major city they are put into a box and up here they try to find themselves and fit where they want to be. To the people who are not white they are white people, however not all are really all white which to me is extremely interesting. I honestly think race relations are the first step to really understand our differences. Also not just to notice them or be afraid to question or explore our differences in culture and simple things like food. Using the wheelchair example was a great way of showing how we are not able to understand things that we do not know about. In most cases people are not exposed to different people, and it is going to be hard to understand them or try to relate. It is hard because people by nature make generalizations of people from their own experiences and just what they think. Also a few people who may be a representation in their eyes for a type of people or culture. These types of situation makes me appreciate getting to know people on many different types of levels. Which I believe is more effective in helping us understand different people as well as try to relate to one another. I am a young black man and I was not offended by Senator Byrd words. I believe the point he was trying to get across by using the term “white nigger” is that nigger means ignorance and you do not need to be black to be called a nigger.

I don't know If i agree with what you think. In my opinion honestly like Sam said white people are at the top of the mountain. Where you are the minority or majority being white is always an advantage. I think you should consider yourself very lucky. The law and society we live in honestly if favor towards white people. I understand this country is a very diverse place but it doesn't mean it a fair and equal nation. Also I understand you have may feel funny in a black neighborhood but that is just one neighborhood when white people own the whole country as well as the world. I think honestly we all go through discriminations or being stared down however I believe it happens way more for blacks as well as other minorities.

The topic of wealth completely got me thinking, especially because I am an Economics major and that is what we do on a daily basis. There are many ways that a person can succeed like going to college. Society today makes you believe that college is the only way to get ahead in life. However on the road to success a little luck with some skill can put in the position you want to be. When Dr. Richard's asked why the people of Haiti are so poor I was so shocked, I have several Haitian friends and for him to put out there like was so outrageous. I couldn’t really come up with an answer to why they are so poor. I read an article in Sociology one written by Dr. Richard's about poverty and cellphones. He basically explained how people are so poor that they can not afford food but will have a cellphone. I honestly do not have an answer and if I was in class I just would have been thinking and came up with absolutely nothing. The fact is they don’t choose to be poor, most of them work so hard to provide for their families. I am positive many parents send their children to school and want them to be successful. So why are Haitian people so poor? I honestly believe it is the government and that they need to establishment of a better society for people to live in and maybe they will not be so poor. It is the same in most 3rd world countries in this world, poverty is so dominant that know has an idea how to fix it. It makes you wonder, is hard work really all it takes to succeed in life? I honestly do not think so because while hard work is a major factor in trying to be successful, it is also God and natural luck plays another important role. Some people may have a great job and work very hard at it, but if you are not blessed to t know they right people or be in a good position, they may not be able to advance or have a good paying job. Sometimes success or wealth is all about being just plain old fortunate. I do believe networking plays a major role in succeed in life, the people you surround yourself is very important. I also enjoyed how Dr. Richards discussed the invisible strings that we all have, that reminds me of Sociology 1 and made me feel good to conitue with him for this course. It is amazing how many outside factors shape us as a whole. Who we are and the choices we make are all controlled by these invisible strings.

I agree with you. I am from new york city and most of the time that is all I see. Statistics show every bad result but honestly no one is perfect and people sometimes go down the wrong path. Especially in big cities from my experience because they feel like life is crushing down on them. I am not saying it acceptable but you have to understand people situations. When Sam brought this topic up I was extremely intrigued. I also think we all know one person that is in that particular situation. I think life is what you make it and I am proud of people like that because they accept their responsibility and handle the situations they put themselves in. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

I really liked these two lectures. Sometimes I do not always agree with what Sam says. However with that being sad I thought these lectures were cool classes. I am glad he finally talk about difference between whites and blacks, even worse how the native Americans have been treated throughout history. He also explain how is came to be and explained exactly how it happen. I thought it was good for him to do so because this is how I felt for many years. People have this preconceived notions about other races especially African Americans because we built this country from the ground up and receive nothing but ridicule. This makes me think about my future and my family for the money situation as well the recession we a facing now. I knew that Africans were way better at running than Koreans for obvious reasons, because of the longer legs and are built completely different than Koreans. They also have smaller torso, unlike the Koreans who are the opposite. When he started to talk about the possibilities of why black people dominate basketball I was so excited. A lot of the things that he discusses in class is something that I already knew, but I never applied it to life or thought about it the way the Professor does and that is why I enjoy this class so much. When he started talking about what kind of professor he was I started to laugh. He stated was not an ivy league professor, but plain old Penn State professor was so funny. He made me feel like he was just like everyone else. He made it seem like he grew up in a working class family and not a rich upper class family. For that I really and truly respect him. I thought it was interesting to why white people play hockey and other expense sports because of the cost of how much the equipment may cost or for lessons, but basketball is free all you need is a ball. When the girl in the front of the room stated the reason why was because white people more than the blacks come from cooler climates which I think explains a lot more than just sports. So they have ice as well as access to other things, unlike the blacks where it is hot where they live. I never thought of the reasons of the cause of inequality and how it can be related to people’s choices. It just made me wonder should I start concentrating more on society as well as my own personal life. Also how things related to people’s socioeconomic differences. According to what Professor Richard's said in lectures biological differences can be explain social inequalities and different climates.

I am replying to this comment because I can relate. My mother did the same thing for me and my sister. she made a lot sacrifices so that she could provide for her family. Since my mother as well the rest of my family was not born in this country she has showed me time and time again that americans especially me are lazy and do not try to excell in what they do. I am also extremely humble and proud that i can take this class and be at home in New York with my family and tell them about this great class.