There are two parts of this confrontation that I had. The first part takes place over the summer; a few friends of mine drank too much and ended up sleeping at my house, the next day we wake up and start watching TV. The show cuts to a commercial and my friend says “OH MY GOD, what is all over that girls face” his girlfriend and I look at the TV to see a teenage girl with red hair and freckles, nothing out of the ordinary right? I was appalled that he would say that about a little girl. His girlfriend and I called him out on that and told him that he was very ignorant for saying that. His reply “I am from a diverse area, I am allowed to say that” I didn’t understand, I feel that if you are from a divers culture, you are more inclined to be accepting of different ethnicities, religions and ways of living. Also, it is not uncommon for people to have red hair and freckles. It’s not like he has not seen someone like that before.

Anyways, over break, I was hanging out with the same two friends again and something similar happened. I proceeded to call my friend out again for whatever it was he said. I brought up his comment about being from a diverse culture and how it made no sense to him. I talked to him about SOC 119 and told him what we learn about in class and how he should open his mind more because there is so much to be learned from other cultures. I explained to him how we all started out with black pigments in our skin and lost them over time, why people in Middle Eastern religions wear head scarves and much more. He was kind of amazed that I knew so much and he did not know how to respond. We are from the same area so I think it had a bigger impact on him that it would have coming from anyone else.

However, I do not think that he learned anything from the conversation that I had with him. he is a person that does not like change (he’s still bitter that our favorite late night spot redecorated two years ago) I believe the only thing that he took away from the dialogue was that he now knows not to open his mouth like that around me again. I take pride in saying I have had a friend from each continent, except Antarctica at one point in my life and seeing how other cultures interact and theirs norms always intrigues me. I don’t understand how people can be so ignorant to others ways of living.

I could not tell you why this is so hard for people of different races we are all just people living in this world but if I had to narrow it down; I would have to say that it would be a cultural thing because white people do not know how to interact with black people and vice versa. And not to bring stereotypes into this, but I would have to say that another big reason is that white people cannot understand the way that black people talk. All the words get mumbled together and it is hard to hear at times. I would not want to talk to someone whom I cannot hold a conversation with or understand for that matter. With that being said though, I feel that black men do not approach white women that often because they think that white girls are afraid of them or they do not like black men. I find this false though. I find black men attractive but I don’t show it. I also feel that there is a stereotype of white girls who go after black men. Just from what I have noticed looking at interracial couples, I always tend to see that the girls the black guys choose have more ghetto qualities than girls that don’t have as many qualities.
I feel the same goes for white guys and black girls. Rarely do you see the “typical black girl” loud, with a big ass and such. It takes a certain type of guy to go out of his comfort zone to even ask a black girl out. I feel that this is what happens with all my guy friends. They are not the type to go and talk to a black girl at the bar; they would talk to a white girl over a girl of a different race.
When it comes to the factor of sex, I would say that it should only be done with someone you know decently well, but this is college and that isn’t going to happen. I would say that if you like what you see, go for it. Just because a person is a difference race does not mean that you should have to not miss out on the opportunity to at least try to make a friend. You never know what you could get from the friendship; it could lead to something more, a job offer or something else. And if someone has a problem with they can go deal with it alone, by themselves because with a close mind like they have they are never going to experience anything that would lead to any type of anything. Sucks for them.

Out of all the stages that we learned about I feel that I would be in stage four. This stage is based on realizing that race exists and people start making connections to race and prejudice. Also, you are able to confront people about this topic and slowly integrate yourself into the different races that exist as well as being award of all the terms that fall into these different races. Talking to all my friends now I feel that even though I grew up in a majority white community we had more multi-racial kids in the school I graduated from. I come from the higher end of the community but a lot of my friends lived in the lower end and we would hang out there a lot. This gave me the opportunity to see how they lived and get to know the cultures as well. I graduated with about 400 kids and I would say about 30 were black or of mixed races and I feel that is high for a mostly white suburban area.
I also, think that I am on the verge of stage five as well. Some of you may not believe this but I can attest that it happened the exact way that I am going to describe it. During the election of 2008, I was a junior in high school taking a US government honors course. In class we were closely following the race and those who could vote were talking about who they were voting for a why (I was too young to vote at this time, just missed it by a month) while the kids in my class were giving their presentations and a picture of Obama came on the screen. I looked at the photo for a while and then BAM, I noticed something that I never noticed before, Obama was mixed. Yes, I have seen pictured of him previous to this and we watched a few of his speeches but I never took notice to the color of his skin. After letting this sink in, I turned to my best friend sitting next to me and I said “Obama is black!” she just stared at me and didn't know what to say, she started laughed and said called me a blonde and went with her note taking but for me it was a crazy experience. How could I go months without know that he was of a mixed race, colors of skin are identifiers but for me I literally had no idea that he had a different color skin. This experience is why I feel that I could also be on the verge of stage five or even possibly six, but I doubt that.

Compared to my friends I feel that I have a greater hold on religion than them and growing up as a Catholic has taught me that. Now, I do no fully follow what is written in the bible and some views the church has, I do not agree with at all, but going to CCD for many many years has instilled a sense of a higher power within me. And I would have to agree with Sam’s statement of saying that Jorge Munos is a present day Jesus with a truck. Like Sam said he gives everything away and expects nothing in return. There are stories in the bible that tell of Jesus using his flesh and blood to make wine and bread for people to have nourishment off of and not that Jorge uses his flesh and blood he uses what he can to provide for others that have less than him. Also, I feel that we can compare Jorge to Moses. Although all immigrants make their treck to America in their own way, Jorge is like the light at the end of the tunnel for them, just the one small meal a day is all these folks have to look forward to on a daily basis. They escaped their homelands for many different reasons but they still needed a leader to help get them the essentials of life. He guides them through the sea of the city that is New York to give them hope of a better life on the other side once they can have their families come to live with them. No one could ever be Jesus in today’s world. There is so much temptation lurking around every corner and times have changed so much that it is impossible to live fully to these expectations that one “greater being” wanted us to follow. These rules/guidelines/commandments need to be updated. I feel that as long as you are a good person, do things for others without expecting anything in return and out of the goodness of your heart and you continue to do this day in a day out there is room in heaven, we do not have to listen to what one group of people wanted everyone to follow thousands of years ago.

First of all I would like to commend you on having the same phone for that amount of time, especially in today’s world with the mentality of “I got to have it now”. However, I do not think that your small deed makes much of a difference. When you compare your act to how many people pre ordered the new iPhone, it seems insignificant. Also, the fact that so many people wait in line for days on end to get the latest in technology to say that they can have it. It is a status thing, sadly but it is the way of this disposable culture that we live in today. There might be other people out there that do the same thing but it seems that there are not enough to make any kind of impact. Before this last test, I did not know that there was this war going on over what is put into the cell phones. With the rapid change of technology that we experience everything has to be at the tip of our fingers and it is almost like you are looked down upon if you own a phone that does not at least connect to the internet. As a solution to this problem we have to look to the manufactures of these phones and put pressure on them to get them to use these materials from a non-conflict area. Yes, although there is probably an abundance within the area that these materials are mined from but there are other options getting these materials. It almost needs to be like blood diamonds, the purchase is at the cost of the consumer as well. There needs to be research done before the purchasing the phone to make sure the materials within the phones do not come from conflict areas. Companies that sell these phones should have a sign within the establishments that say these phones are made from non-conflict areas to ensure the safety and well-being of people in these countries, specifically girls and women. Personally, I have never seen any sort of these signs within cell phone stores and any other retailer that sells phones.
Everyone can make a difference but with your act it seems like it is not helping a cause that needs to be helped. There are other ways to make a difference that might affect people’s lives more than what you are doing now. There are so many organizations and ways to volunteer within that part of the world, if you took the time to look it could be a great experience for you and the satisfaction you would get out of helping someone’s life in a more personal way would be beneficial than keeping the same phone for years on end.

Given his appearance I do not find him approachable based solely on the fact that I have nothing in common with him. I feel that you strike up conversations with people that you have similar interest with, for example getting into the elevator with people you are more likely to talk to the other person in the elevator if you have something in common. I usually do with this when I complement girls on their shoes, phone cases, clothing etc. but I rarely talk to guys in the elevator when it is the two of us? Why because if I tell a guy I like his shoes it would be odd because I do not wear men’s shoes. If I do compliment a guy on something I usually be more specific saying I like the color of the sneakers.
Also, there is a stereotype with people with dreads saying that they are stoners. And while seeing you in the front of the class and watching your body language, it said more about you than you appearance did. Slouching in the chair made you look uninterested, like you didn’t want to be there. I know standing in front of a class room can be awkward, especially in front of 700 people but your nonverbals give off more than you realize. When body language is unwelcoming it gives off the impression that you do not want to be dealt with, and you keep more to yourself. No one would want to talk to someone that looks like they are having a bad time or not interested in what is going on. Another thing is the headphones around your neck. It gives off the vibe that you like music but wearing them during class I consider to be rude. I feel that it distracts from listening to what is going in your surroundings and you are not completely tuned into what the professor is saying.
I am not saying you are completely un approachable but from what I saw I would not run up to you after class and try to strike up a conversation with you however, if we were in an elevator or saw something crazy happen on the street and were near each other I would comment on what happen to you and such. He has many differences than me, but that does not mean we do not have anything in common. It takes some effort to get to know people and a real firm opinion cannot be formed about a person until you know them very well. Judging people based on their appearance will only get some people so far in life. People are just people at that, we all have feelings and need to treat others equally.

Given his appearance I do not find him approachable based solely on the fact that I have nothing in common with him. I feel that you strike up conversations with people that you have similar interest with, for example getting into the elevator with people you are more likely to talk to the other person in the elevator if you have something in common. I usually do with this when I complement girls on their shoes, phone cases, clothing etc. but I rarely talk to guys in the elevator when it is the two of us? Why because if I tell a guy I like his shoes it would be odd because I do not wear men’s shoes. If I do compliment a guy on something I usually be more specific saying I like the color of the sneakers.
Also, there is a stereotype with people with dreads saying that they are stoners. And while seeing you in the front of the class and watching your body language, it said more about you than you appearance did. Slouching in the chair made you look uninterested, like you didn’t want to be there. I know standing in front of a class room can be awkward, especially in front of 700 people but your nonverbals give off more than you realize. When body language is unwelcoming it gives off the impression that you do not want to be dealt with, and you keep more to yourself. No one would want to talk to someone that looks like they are having a bad time or not interested in what is going on. Another thing is the headphones around your neck. It gives off the vibe that you like music but wearing them during class I consider to be rude. I feel that it distracts from listening to what is going in your surroundings and you are not completely tuned into what the professor is saying.
I am not saying you are completely un approachable but from what I saw I would not run up to you after class and try to strike up a conversation with you however, if we were in an elevator or saw something crazy happen on the street and were near each other I would comment on what happen to you and such. He has many differences than me, but that does not mean we do not have anything in common. It takes some effort to get to know people and a real firm opinion cannot be formed about a person until you know them very well. Judging people based on their appearance will only get some people so far in life. People are just people at that, we all have feelings and need to treat others equally.

Given his appearance I do not find him approachable based solely on the fact that I have nothing in common with him. I feel that you strike up conversations with people that you have similar interest with, for example getting into the elevator with people you are more likely to talk to the other person in the elevator if you have something in common. I usually do with this when I complement girls on their shoes, phone cases, clothing etc. but I rarely talk to guys in the elevator when it is the two of us? Why because if I tell a guy I like his shoes it would be odd because I do not wear men’s shoes. If I do compliment a guy on something I usually be more specific saying I like the color of the sneakers.
Also, there is a stereotype with people with dreads saying that they are stoners. And while seeing you in the front of the class and watching your body language, it said more about you than you appearance did. Slouching in the chair made you look uninterested, like you didn’t want to be there. I know standing in front of a class room can be awkward, especially in front of 700 people but your nonverbals give off more than you realize. When body language is unwelcoming it gives off the impression that you do not want to be dealt with, and you keep more to yourself. No one would want to talk to someone that looks like they are having a bad time or not interested in what is going on. Another thing is the headphones around your neck. It gives off the vibe that you like music but wearing them during class I consider to be rude. I feel that it distracts from listening to what is going in your surroundings and you are not completely tuned into what the professor is saying.
I am not saying you are completely un approachable but from what I saw I would not run up to you after class and try to strike up a conversation with you however, if we were in an elevator or saw something crazy happen on the street and were near each other I would comment on what happen to you and such. He has many differences than me, but that does not mean we do not have anything in common. It takes some effort to get to know people and a real firm opinion cannot be formed about a person until you know them very well. Judging people based on their appearance will only get some people so far in life. People are just people at that, we all have feelings and need to treat others equally.

The video that we watched Thursday brought back memories from the past few years. My mom would always watch the show at home when it would air on TV, I never saw it for myself but watching that video, did not amaze me that much. I predicted everything that would happen except for when they brought the woman in to steal the bike. The fact that the man helped her astonished me. Honestly, if I asked someone if the bike was theirs and they said no, I would think twice about calling the police but end up doing so, and I would carry my actions through. I can speak from experience also. However, I believe that actions did not match up with the words and beliefs set forth by many at all. They man who called to cops on the black kid, I feel said one thing but his actions spoke another. The fact that he said that he would call the cops on anyone I did not think was believable at all. I think he was saying that because of the cameras in his face. To the extent of his actions I feel that he would have either ignored the white kid trying to break the chain or asked him if that was his bike and then went on his merry way. There were too many excuses for the actions of the people who observed the crime taken place. I personally would like to take this one step further, what if we changed something about the female stealing the bike? What if she was not a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes? What if she was a curvier and maybe with red hair? Would someone still help her steal the bike? Or what if the black kid was dress in more for fitting clothes, with no hat and looked more “white” to these the mostly white people’s standards? Would their actions change. There is so much that can be done with this scenario , they could create a whole season based on this one “crime”.

Also, the data in class did not surprise me either. It is sad that just because of a skin color people assume that one race is more likely to commit a crime than a person of a different race who has already committed a crime. I feel that there is a notion among society that if a white person goes to jail for a crime he has learned his lesson and will not do it again, but if a black person commits a crime, they are going to do it all over again and end up back in jail. This is not always the case but society makes it seem that way.

I believe that the biggest personal decision I have ever made is one to come within the next upcoming months for me. Being a senior means the world we once knew is going to change. For me I am applying for job currently in the Pittsburgh area, when I currently reside in Philly. Out of this decision I believe that most of this decision will be based on free will. When I was younger I lived in Pittsburgh and have been traveling the turnpike my entire life but I have always been attached to Pittsburgh. I feel that it is a great city for me to start my career and possibly the rest of my life. On the other side to this the “strings” I feel would come from my family. As I said I grew up there and still have family out there so I know if I did need anything they will be there to help but I also feel like this will make my parents feel better knowing that I am in a city I am pretty familiar with, I have people to help me out if at all necessary and I am only across the state, not the entire country.
Now, for a past decision I have made was coming to PSU. This decision I know was made by the invisible strings that shaped it. My grandfather, aunt, uncle, and parents all went here so it was not even much of a decision for me. However, I did apply to seven other schools besides here because I did not know where I wanted to go, I was uncertain. I had it narrowed down to here and Albright in Reading; I visited Albright, loved it and got in. I was honestly more excited about my acceptance letter there than I was for my acceptance letter here. But when it came down to it, I weighed my options but and settled on State but the thought of would I excel more somewhere else, would I be happier somewhere else has always been in the back of my mind. Now don’t get me wrong, I love state college, and after all the bull that we have been through this past year made me realize that I did make the right decision, but the thought is still stuck in the back of my mind. I know that my parents would be heartbroken if I did not attend school here and being 17, making this decision was hard enough, but making it right one is harder. The strings of the past definitely weighed me down on this decision, luckily I did make a good decision in the long run but the uncertainty is what makes the decision making process so hard to overcome in the first place.