Since this entire scandal started, I have been none stop thinking. It has actually gotten quite annoying to be honest, and I also kind of wish there was more variety of questions on the world in conversation website, because I feel as though I am going to be very redundant in this blog compared to my last one. Many of us, I believe, feel this way. It is not that I am tired of talking about the victims and keeping them in my thoughts, I am just tired of talking about the same things before any new information comes out and listening to people who know the same amount of information as everyone else but think they know so much more. Anyway, I also believe that many of us have taken a lot away from this entire experience. Personally I have not only learned a lot about social issues, but I have learned a lot about myself and my character. First of all, I have realized that the silence must be broken when it comes to any form of sexual assault and sexual abuse. The smallest thing should be taught to be brought up because that minuscule thing could lead to something much worse. Not only does this silence keep these criminals from being caught and allowing them to continue the awful actions they are taking part in, but I cannot imagine what kind of mental problems these victims start to get when keeping such a HUGE secret like that in for so long. Silence does no good for anyone, and I think that is one thing our society today really needs to emphasize. As for myself, I have learned that the type of person I am really does come from the school I go to. It has been so great seeing how Penn State students are not letting this get to them and not letting the bad publicity and the negative remarks dealt from the media and other students from different schools affect them. It shows that we are bigger than that and we are able to focus on what is truly important in this entire case: the victims. What really bothers me is that people from other schools are making jokes about this entire thing and the only thing that is doing is making this issue a lot less important than it really should be. I believe this is what makes the victims and witnesses stay silent. It seems as though nobody really cares about the victims, as if they only care that JoePa got fired and some red head did not tell. This entire situation is being dealt with so wrong and I believe that is the reason people stay silent all the time, because this wrongdoing, this sexual assault, is being forgotten and being mocked all for the good humor of people who were not involved and have nothing to do with the situation. Where people could be making this situation much easier to deal with, they are making it ten times harder. And that, is where I have learned that I am a lot more mature than some of the people my age and even those who are many years older. I am able to deal with such harsh situations in a respectful way and not worry about someone calling my ENTIRE school sex offenders, but actually sympathize with the victims and keep them in my thoughts over anything else.

This week has been so strange to me. I have not been able to get on the computer without reading a new article or watch a new video on this entire Penn State scandal. I have literally wanted to delete my Facebook because every time I get on it there is seven thousand more updated statuses with stupid college students expressing their opinions when they do not know any information that would cause them to come to the conclusions and judgments they have reached. This entire scandal is just heartbreaking and saddening to me as a Penn State student. I have been non stop talking about this entire situation all week that I feel as though I have nothing more to say. I should have written this blog on Wednesday night after the riot. Only then it might have turned out to be a six page paper. It is so disheartening to know that the people you put all your trust in and who gave this university the great name and tradition that it has been known by, are in the wrong no matter how much you do not want to believe it. When I think about being a student at Penn State I immediately think about pride for my school. There is nothing harder than finding out something you once believed in to be a complete lie; it is the same feeling as a kid first learning Santa Clause does not exist and that fairytales are not real but worse because you did not find out your favorite fairytale will not come true but turned into a horror story instead. In no way do I feel ashamed to be a part of Penn State though, I believe that we as a school and community can overcome all of these hardships and unite to be the amazing school we have always been known as. It is sad to know, however, that when people look at our school and the people who go here all they can think are negative thoughts. I feel as though I am looked down upon and as though all that is going on is my fault. The only reason I might feel ashamed is because people think that our student body is out of control because of the riot that turned into something a lot worse than it should have. Our school did not need any more bad publicity and from that riot all of the students got a bad reputation. I feel annoyed that we will no longer be the number one school for recruiting because of something that went on that we had no idea about and is now “our fault.” I am honestly just so speechless now because there are too many thoughts running through my mind that I cannot even express all the emotions I am feeling in words. I still feel that we can overcome this, and that we will.

I do not think the question should be why will Americans not do the hard labor work that Mexicans do, I think it should be why DO Americans not do the hard labor work that Mexicans do. I believe that Mexicans are doing these types of hard labor jobs because they immigrated here to do whatever they can to make more money and more of a living for their family. They are taking the jobs that are easiest to find. I think that there are also a lot of Americans out there who do not have jobs and who would be willing to accept those jobs and make more money for themselves and or family. I am not saying that Mexicans are taking these jobs from Americans, I just think the question should be worded differently. Yes, some Americans may choose to not do those jobs, but I think it is because they can make that choice. They can afford to turn down a job that they do not think suits them and find a better job that their education prepared them for. For those Americans who cannot afford to make such picky choices, I think that they do take these hard labor jobs and work very hard for their families. The reason many Mexicans are coming to America in the first place is that so many of them are uneducated and need jobs that will keep their families running, so that is why they take whatever job they can get. Although I said that many Americans who need jobs and need to do whatever it takes to make money will accept these low standard and low paying jobs, some Americans will not. Some Americans have too much pride in themselves and are too proud to take a job that they believe they will be judged for having. This is where the Mexicans step in and actually do whatever it takes to get money for their families. Because Mexicans have been hired for these types of jobs for years and years now it has become almost a habit to just hire them for these kinds of jobs. They prove to be very good at what they do and they prove to be very hard workers, so why would the people running the business want to hire anyone they think is lazy or not suited when they have previous experience with Mexicans doing a great job. It has pretty much become part of society and I think that is another reason Americans will not take those jobs because now it is almost a thing where “Oh well, I do not want that job, that is for a Mexican” is what some people are thinking when they decline job opportunities and that is why these types of Americans need to swallow their pride and start making a living for themselves and their families.

I absolutely agree that there is latent racism amongst whites and blatant racism amongst blacks. I have no idea why this is, but I know that it is definitely there. I think maybe it has to do with the fact that our history kind of set it up like that because whites enslaved blacks and treated them like complete shit. So now, because of that, some blacks have an outspoken hatred/racism towards whites and I feel like it is more blatant because obviously the whites today had nothing to do with all that awful stuff but they are still people that they can take their feelings out on and because whites did that back then it kind of allows blacks to talk about how badly they were treated. I actually have no idea if any of this makes sense, especially the way I’m typing it, I just do not really know how to put this into typed words. Also, because of the way people of color were treated back then and how awful it was, I find that more white people feel a little uneasy when speaking with people of color because they feel everything they will say would be wrong. I also feel that when people speak of racism they usually just see it as people being racist against blacks when in fact many people are very racist against whites. I’m not just saying this because I am white, but it is something I have noticed. In class I know that sometimes there are examples of how people of color think of whites and “play” us, but other than that I feel like it is never really talked about. Which is why I think it is more of a latent racism towards whites and more outward towards people of color. I think the main part of this is really history. People of color might feel obligated to feel a little bit of hatred towards whites because of what their ancestors had to go through. I know that that is not really a good reason to hate a person, but it is an explanation that I have come up with and that a lot of other people probably have too. Racism is such a touchy topic and it is also a pretty difficult topic to touch upon because when you are one race, you obviously cannot relate to what someone of another race is feeling and also what they may have felt a very long time ago. I have noticed that it is very hard for me to type about, I feel like it would be a lot easier for me to just talk about in discussion or something.

So as I was sitting in class I honestly could not figure out what stage I am currently in. I am not even kidding when I say that every time he introduced a new stage I would always be like “Oh, I am totally that stage. Yeah definitely that one!”, and then a new one would be introduced and I would say the exact same thing all over again. I feel like my feelings towards other races are all over the place. I feel like I can be stage one because I do not really pay attention to race sometimes. I would never introduce myself to someone of another race and be like “Hi, I am white and you are not.” That thought does not really ever cross my mind when first meeting someone. Obviously it is apparent that we are not of the same race but I do not come right out and say it. I know I am about to move on to explain how am like all of the other stages and it is kind of making me feel like I am not really in stage one anymore...oops. Instead of describing how I think I fit into all of the different stages, I am just gonna describe how I am, and then maybe you can decide because honestly, I am having a really tough time with it. When I am in a situation with or meeting someone of another race I find myself seeking their approval and hoping that they think I am “cool.” I also sometimes find myself thinking about what I should say and how I should say it, even if it just describing someone to somebody else of my same race. I do not want to say the wrong thing and come off racist so then I sometimes get nervous. That happens more when I am trying to describe a person to someone else, not really when I am in a situation with someone of another race. When I have encounters with people of other races I am not really ever different with them as I would be with someone of my own race. I guess the only time I feel uncomfortable is when I am describing them, which I just said about three different times. This is why I am so confused as to what stage I am in. I also get angry sometimes with my friends when they say racist things and spit racial slurs, so that adds an entire other stage into the mix. As you can tell I am very confused about this entire
“stage” thing. I am actually really excited to talk about this in the discussion group and I hope we get to next week!!

I think race definitely plays a huge role in how we view criminals. I think people are definitely more afraid when they see a black person dressed sketchily, then when they see a white person dressed sketchily. In general, and I know it’s awful to say, the public, I believe, is definitely more afraid of a black man, and quicker to judge them of doing something wrong. African Americans have always been viewed as the people who are most prevalent in crime scenes and jail rooms. This may not be true, but for some reason that is how society views everything. I think it all has something to with the fact of African Americans being enslaved and just history in general. Obviously racism is not as prevalent now a days as it was back then, but because all of that did happen it is obviously going to have an affect on how people look at certain things. It is kind of similar to religion. Parents raise their children in a certain religion or no religion at all, and that is what the children tend to live by or believe. Granted as they grow older, their beliefs may change because they start to learn more and begin to think for themselves, but in the beginning they will generally believe whatever it is they are raised to believe. I think this kind of goes along with racism because some of our ancestors may have strongly disliked African Americans and relayed that to our parents who relayed that to their children. I believe this is how a lot of negative habits form, and that is why sometimes they are so hard to change and even so hard to try to change. Many people are so set on their beliefs, that it is hard for anyone to get through to them about anything. I think this is why people tend to judge criminals more on their race. I thought the videos we watched on the different people stealing bikes was really interesting because it showed just how quickly people assume that a black man is stealing the bike, but then ask the white man and white female if they need help. I also kind of disagreed with the video to though because I think the “thieves” should have all said the same thing. Instead the white man never really said that it was not his bike, but the black man came right out and said he was stealing it. Obviously when you say things differently then people are going to have more suspicions. I think this played a big role in why people reacted the way they did to the different races. The race probably did have a huge part in it but I think if they had each said the exact same thing then there may have been different results.

I understand that the question is asking whether determinism or free will shapes peoples lives in general, but I am going to narrow it down to homosexuality. I believe that people are born homosexual, but I also believe that a few exceptions choose to be. I do not think people choose who they are attracted to, which is a big argument for the whole determinism, free will debate. I do not walk down the street and say “Hey! I am going to choose to be attracted to that guy right there.” Yes, I may have a certain type of guy that I like, but that does not mean that I go walking down the street only looking for that type of person. I see guys that I find attractive all the time who are out of my preference range. I know that that is a very poor example, but that goes to show that I am not CHOOSING who I like. Attraction is just a natural thing, and sure I may be attracted to someone at first but then realize I do not like their personality. I’m not choosing to not like it, but it is just something I instinctively do not like. Homosexuals do not just wake up one day and say, “Oh I think I’m gonna be gay. I’m really looking forward to all the ridicule and bullying that I’m about to get out of this.” No, they are born that way. I have met some people in my life however that I can tell truly are trying to be homosexual. One girl in my class was just trying way too hard to be “different” and I could just tell she was not a lesbian. Low and behold in college she now has a boyfriend and is still able to be unique. I believe the only people who choose to be homosexual are those who are going through identity crises. Other than that, I do not think children are born and as little kids choose to be gay. It just does not make sense that a little child would want to choose to be ridiculed and hated all throughout their growing up years. Sure, I agree that some people choose it for whatever reason they may have, but for the majority of people, I just cannot come to believe that any child would choose that for themselves. Some people may argue that it is the environment the children grow up in, but how do you explain gay parents raising straight children. I am not trying to disrespect anyones beliefs, but I am just having a hard time understanding why it is they think that way. The points argued are very easily rebutted and until more arguments are made with more evidence, I will stick to my beliefs.

When I think of Haiti I think of a very poor country that will take any help anyone is willing to give. I’ve never gone in to too much deep thinking about it, it’s always just been a country that needs help (no more or no less). After reading all of different articles and watching all of the different videos I can now see that Haiti is so much more than that, and can be so much more. I never thought very hard about the help that we are giving the people of Haiti, I just knew that we were helping them by sending things over, and I thought that was wonderful. After reading the first article on peanut butter and shoes, I was so surprised and felt even very stupid, because I was so naive to “helping” and the article seemed directed at people specifically like me. It reminded me of a quote that my high school kind of set it’s mission statement by: “So you say you love the poor, name them.” This quote reminds me of this Haiti project because we think we’re helping, but we did not actually take the time talk to the people of Haiti and ask them what they needed, we just assumed. Yes, it is an awesome and nice gesture, but we should have taken the time to actually talk to the people of Haiti and ask them what kind of help they needed. The quote above is kind of saying the same thing. It is saying that yes you think you may be helping the poor, but are you actually taking the time to get to know any of them and make them feel comfortable and loved? That is why I am really looking forward to this Haiti project and learning more about it. I watched a couple of the videos on the different entrepreneurs including, Euclid (“Boho” clothing designs), Anaes Blaise (original designer totes), and Yvrose Noncent (sandals and evening wear). I found these people so inspirational, and I also felt very bad for them. All of the “help” we were sending was not really helping these people at all. I am very glad that all of this is being brought to our attention so that we can be more mindful of the Haitians and their economy. I thought it was interesting seeing the different prices that Anaes was selling her things for. Seeing as so many people in Haiti are not very well off, I thought the price was a little high. I think if she was able to sell her stuff in the United States to Americans then it would be okay, but if Haitians are the only ones purchasing them I was a little confused. I thought all of the things these people were making were awesome, and I think that we should help them by making them available to Americans, making Americans aware of the different situations in Haiti.

I partially agree with the saying that the higher the income the better the SAT score will be. I also have my own opinions on the SAT test in general. Standardized testing, to me, is kind of stupid. I do not agree with how important these tests are to colleges and universities around the United States. To bring the income level back in to the picture I’ll first address the different classes you can take before the SAT. You can pay hundreds of dollars to go to a “How To Pass The SAT” course, and they will teach you all different tricks on how to pass the standardized test. To me, this defeats the purpose of even taking the test in general. The SAT is supposed to show colleges our intelligence level and how well we can do with basic problems and exercises such as the ones on the test. Taking the classes is a way of getting around the test and getting a higher score than you usually would with your own knowledge. This is why I agree that the higher the income level the better the SAT score will be. The SAT prep classes are not cheap, and not many people can afford them. Not to say however that the people who do not take the classes are dumber than those who do. Those who do take the classes just have an edge up on everyone who doesn’t because they know the tricks and and different ways to read and take the course. This is why I think the SAT is unfair. For some, it is showing their true intelligence level (well, according to the stupid questions asked on the test), and then for others, it is not. I was given the option of taking one of the courses, but I decided not to. I wanted to see how well I could test on this standardized test without any outside help, just me and my brain. I scored fairly well actually, and for that I was very proud of myself. I knew that I had done it all by myself and without knowing any tricks or ways around the questions. I believe GPA should play a bigger role in universities decisions to accepting students to their schools. Classes in high school show more about what a person knows then whether they can do algebra, correct a grammatically incorrect paragraph, or spell “onomatopoeia.” So yes, to me if you can afford the prep class then you should be able to get a fairly above average score on the SAT. If you cannot afford the class, I’m not saying at all that the other people will score higher than you, because you still may be just as intelligent if not more, than them. If everyone could afford to take the prep class, then everyone’s SAT scores would rise significantly and universities would have more trouble choosing which “exceptional” students to accept.

I also always wonder why anyone chooses religion at all. My parents raised me Catholic. I went to a Catholic elementary and high school, so I have had my fair share of religion shoved down my throat and into my brain. When I was in fourth grade I became the lector who read one of the readings during mass. I was so excited to do this and I felt like I was really setting a good spot for myself with God. I remember being in middle school and still being the lector and my brother being in high school and having completely different thoughts on religion. He hated going to church and I do not think he even believed in God, which at the time I thought was so weird and awful. As I grew older, my thoughts on religion and on God started to become more like my brothers. The more religion classes I had in school and the more forced I was to go to church every Sunday, the more I began to hate Catholicism and religion in general. I began to think about all the different religions in the world and how I do not and could not ever have a clue as to which one is the “right” one. I would get angrier and angrier when I had to go to church because if I didn’t believe in what they were saying, then why did I have to go? I think most people choose religion because that is what they were taught to do. Their parents raise them in a certain way, practicing a certain religion. This is why I do not understand religion. Sure, people may feel a little better about pushing all of their problems off on to someone who may never exist, but most people are just doing it because that is what they think is right and it is the only thing they know. I know that growing up Christian made me a good person, but growing up Catholic made me a very non-religious person. I find it so hard to believe in one God and in one religion’s beliefs when there are hundreds and hundreds of religions out in the world that I know nothing about or have never even heard of. I think some people choose religion because they are scared of death, and so they believe that by practicing their certain religion they will secure a safe spot for themselves in the afterlife, wherever that may be. Most people, I believe, practice religion because that is how they are raised. If we were all raised in a way where we were able to choose our own beliefs and faiths, I would have a little more respect for it. I don’t mean to be cynical at all, and I’m not saying I don’t respect people who are super religious, I just truly do not understand it. I used to be religious because I was so young and that is what I thought was right because my parents said it was. Once I was able to think for myself and truly understand what religion was in my own opinion, I was able to realize it was not really for me.