Sam was very adamant about canceling State Patty’s Day. State Patty’s Day is a pointless holiday to some, but a “holiday” that others look forward to from the moment it ends the year before. If Penn State was to sacrifice State Patty’s Day this year, it would have to take a lot. I am willing to bet that the same minority of students who went out and rioted (despite other students’ pleas to not make Penn State look even worse) would be the same students that celebrate State Patty’s Day if told not to. I am just generalizing in this case, but it also brings me to a good point. If the whole community decides not to participate in this student-made holiday, there is always going to be some who rebel and participate. To get a movement started, I think Facebook, Twitter, newspapers, and any form of media or word of mouth would be the best way to get the word out there. Whether it works or not is yet to be determined, but I think it would take a hell of a lot to cancel State Patty’s Day this year. I am putting this in the middle of my paragraph to see if the TA’s really read these blogs, or if they just copy and paste the blogs into word to see how many words we actually have! I’m hoping its the latter one, because I will probably get points taken off if they are actually reading this. If Penn State were to sacrifice State Patty’s Day, I think it would somewhat benefit us. Judging from the media’s representations of the scandal, if we still had State Patty’s Day they would have a field day making us look bad and filming all of the drunk students on the streets. On the other hand, if we were to cancel it, I don’t think it would get nearly the attention that it will get if we proceed with it. I know that Sam said that we are completely missing the point if we are thinking like that, but I’m just predicting what will happen media-wise. This is one weekend a year, and Penn State is infamous for it and everything that comes along with it. State Patty’s Day can hold off for one year- this University does enough drinking in a year to make up for it, and it won’t hurt for students to not have an excuse to go excessively crazy for one weekend of the year. It would be a difficult task for State Patty’s Day to be canceled this year, and I’m not sure if the students would go for it or not. If they don’t, I am curious to see what the aftermath will look like.

A lot of lessons are to be learned from this scandal. First and foremost, I think the biggest thing to be taught is honesty. Honesty goes a long way, especially in this case. If everyone had been honest, none of this would have ever happened (well it might have happened, but it wouldn’t have been shoved under the rug for so many years). I think that a lot of people involved were too scared to be honest because it might have cost them their job or made them look bad for “tattling” on Sandusky, but they were obviously wrong in not being honest. This leads me to my next lesson learned: one about power. It doesn’t matter who you are or how high or low on the “food chain” you are, you should always do the right thing. People might have kept their mouths shut about the whole thing for fear of losing their job or being reprimanded by someone higher in command. No matter how much power you have- or lack- doing the right thing in every situation is better than doing nothing and knowing something horrific is happening but you are too scared to say anything to anyone. J.C. Watts once said, “Character is doing the right thing when nobody is looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.” This applies perfectly to this situation because the fact that no one spoke up and continued on like nothing happened showed their lack of character. These lessons, among others, will stick with me for the rest of my life. I will never forget reading all of the articles, the Grand Jury report, and listening to everything unfold right before our eyes. The sickening feeling that I felt was one I will never shake, and the shame I felt about the people who were involved will never go away. This situation has tarnished our school for a long time, all because people have lacked the character, balls, and integrity to end something to shameful going on behind the scenes. I know that if I ever experience or witness something like that, or anything of this caliber in my life, I will make it a point to end it right away- no matter how much is at risk for me. This situation is completely unacceptable and hopefully the only good thing to come out of it will be the lessons learned.

It’s no secret that Penn State has been portrayed as the Big Bad Wolf in the media the past week. The story, as it is being peeled down layer by layer, only brings more shocking news as it gets deeper and more scandalous. Every classroom I am in, every person I am walking behind on the street, even people that don’t even go here have opinions about it and I haven’t heard or been in a conversation in days that didn’t include talk about the scandal. No matter what everyones opinions are, we are a school of 40,000+ and not every students opinion is going to be heard. The outside world has absolutely no idea what the students here are feeling and going through. I think the outside world’s view of Penn State students is now skewed from what it used to be because of the scandal and the riot in the aftermath. Many think that because of the riot, we are supporting Joe Paterno and what he didn’t do about the situation. Many also don’t realize that a) the rioters were only a fraction of the student population here and b) the majority of rioters (I think) were rioting about how Joe Paterno was fired- over the phone- and other things. The riot was a very unfortunate event in the wake of the scandal and brought even more negative attention to the grieving students. Sam brought up a very good point in class about how we view the people of the Middle East and other countries when they riot, and now we are experiencing it first hand. Although I did not participate in the riot, I am being stereotyped as one of the students that did and now I know how it feels to be on the other side of the spectrum. The media obviously has a big part in all of this. The media is blowing up Paterno’s face and making it seem like Penn State only cares about him and the football program being tarnished. As students, we definitely care about that, but we also care about the many other things about our school that are being tarnished, we also care about the victims that were harmed, and we care that WE too were and are victims in all of this as students. I know that everyone is grieving about the situation and will be for a long time. This situation makes me see what it’s like to be under the eye of scrutiny and has taught me to not be as quick to judge when the spotlight is on other groups.

Mexican laborers are definitely more willing do more hard work than American workers. While vacationing in Mexico every summer, I see Mexicans every day working in the scorching heat while I am lounging be the pool. This definitely makes me feel guilty in a way because I am coming into their country for a vacation and leisure time while they are working their asses off. The opposite never seems to be true- whenever I see a Mexican in America, it’s not like I am doing the hard labor and they are lounging by the pool or relaxing- they are doing the hard labor in our country as well. A part of this whole “fad” (although that’s not the right word for it, it describes it well) is that I think Americans don’t think that they should have to do that kind of work in America, and the Mexicans don’t have a problem doing it. I feel as if they are used to working that hard in their own countries (exhibit A- the Mexicans working next to the resort I stay at and around Playa del Carmen, the beach I go to) that when they come to American to try to make a better life, it’s not that much of a difference. If anything, it might be easier to work in America because I know for a fact that the weather here is cooler and less humid than in Mexico, especially up North. Although that is no excuse for the Mexicans working harder than Americans in our own country, it could be a contributing factor. Americans seem to have it already made for them living in this country. Even if they don’t have a job, with the amount of social secutiry being given these days, many don’t feel as though they need to work because they will just have money handed to them. On the other hand, Mexicans don’t have social security (I don’t think?), at least in America they don’t, unless you are a citizen. Therefore, Mexicans have to work hard for what they earn, and have to work hard to support their families or they will be out on the streets again. This is another contributing factor to Mexicans working harder than Americans because in a way, Mexicans have to work hard to stay afloat, especially if they are illegal. The factors of the heat conditions in Mexico, and Mexicans being used to working hard and in the heat for what they have, are two big factors (in my opinion) to Mexicans working harder than Americans.

The topic of legal and illegal immigrants living in America is very controversial to many people. There is so much to debate about this topic that I could go on forever about it. My feelings towards it change all the time. When I watch TV shows like Border Patrol, the sneaky ways that Mexicans try to get across the border anger me in a way. I always wonder why they can’t just apply for citizenship like the thousands of other people do every day. I’m not sure if its because they can’t afford to, or they want/need to get out of Mexico and into the United States quickly, but whatever the case may be- sneaking into the country is not a very good option. Hearing about the Mexican drug cartels emerging and it becoming more and more dangerous makes me angered that many are coming into the country illegally. That is just one way of looking at this question. I know it may seem like I am targeting Mexicans when it comes to this, but that’s what I hear the most about so that’s what I know the most about. When it comes to aliens living illegally in this country, I really don’t see a problem with it if they are doing good for themselves. Like I said before, the aliens who being harm and violence to this country make the aliens who are trying to start a new life for themselves look bad, and they get a bad rap for it. One of my best friends is from South Africa, and her family moved here when she was about five years old. They live here legally, all have jobs or go to college, and are making a very good life for themselves. In fact, they are starting to take their citizenship tests and half of them have passed so far! In that case, I don’t have a problem at all with the aliens living here because they are obviously helping themselves and helping our country- not harming it in any way. Eric’s story in class was very interesting to me. When he first started telling it, I was kind of angered that they were trying to sneak into the country like so many other illegal immigrants do. Then I realized that his family was trying make themselves and him a better life. When you see where Eric is now- a student at Penn State- you can tell that his family obviously made a great life for themselves and are doing good in this country.

I really don’t believe that someone is a poser if they hang out with a group of people that are a different race from themselves. First of all, it should not matter what other people say about you. If someone is going to say something, that’s their fault for being judgmental because they don’t really know how the person really is. If a person is going to say something about another person for who they hang out with, it is wrong on their part in the first place. Diversity and being able to look past skin color is a positive thing, and people that make it a negative thing is the reason why racist tensions still exist. Especially in this situation, being a “poser” doesn’t even apply in my opinion. I think of a poser of being someone who copies someone else. When my sister got the same pair of shoes as me, I thought of her as a poser. When my friend went to the movies with a Mexican, an African American, and an Asian, I definitely didn’t think of her as a poser. If I see a black person hanging out with a group of white people, I think nothing different of it. I think it would be outrageous to call someone a poser just because that person is hanging out with a group of people that are a different race. A person probably chooses to hang out with that group of people because he or she gets along with them and they are alike in many ways. Growing up, my whole neighborhood was white except for my next door neighbor, which was a black family. The boy grew up with us, hung out with us daily, and did the same things we did. We belonged to the same country club and our families did a lot of things together as well. When all the neighborhood kids were together, he was the only black kid in the group, but no one thought any different of him- especially not that he was a poser. It was just convenient for him to hang out with us because he lived right next door to us- not because he wanted to be us or “pose” after us. I would actually be curious to see what he thinks of this matter and discover his opinion on it- if he thought people looked at him like a poser or not. The bottom line is that people should be able to hang out with whomever they want and not be ridiculed or judged for it.

Money can buy happiness on an extravagant vacation every couple months, but if you just sit in a mansion with video games surrounding you all day, that won’t lead to a very happy life- in my opinion. Freedom of choice is the point that I agree with the most on this topic. I am such an indecisive person that I wish someone could just make all of my decisions for me. Every time I come to a crossroad and have to make a decision, I agonize over the pros and cons of each decision. It doesn’t matter if both options are great ones- my freedom of choice is something that I find to be the most difficult, and thus making me the most unhappy when it comes down to it. Treating happiness like a goal is one way to not achieve happiness. As I said before, I think happiness is a never ending cycle. If I always expect to be happy and set my expectations around that, I will be let down all the time when the happiness doesn’t come to me. I know I will be having good days and bad days and that I won’t be happy all the time. But I do know that with unhappiness usually comes happiness, and I both of those emotions are what makes life the way it is.

This article brought up some really good points that I can relate to on every level (and I’m sure everyone can as well). Happiness is a never ending cycle. One day I will be feeling the happiest I’ve ever felt and be having a great day, and the next day I can be feeling very depressed and having the worse day ever. The point that you can’t physically feel happiness for very long is very true in this instance. When something good happens to me, I get a really good feeling- but indeed not for long. That feeling will eventually fade away, leaving me in a neutral state until the next good thing happens to me, in which I will feel happiness again. I don’t wake up every morning screaming “I’M SO HAPPY TO BE ALIVE!!” etc, I have good days and bad days just like everyone else- and that partially depends on how happy I am that day. I also agree that money doesn’t buy happiness. To an extent, money can make a person satisfied and happy. After a while, like the article says, the fancy cars and extravagant stuff will have little meaning without someone or others to experience it with.

People would react to this situation in very different ways. For me, I would like to say that I wouldn’t have any reaction- that I would think of my child in the same way that I always had and treat them no different. I would LIKE to say that, but I can’t be sure that that is how I would react unless I am actually put in the situation in the future. There are so many different emotions that can result from your child coming out to you as a parent, just like there are so many different emotions that can result from you coming out to your parent as their child. As a parent, I would try to be as supportive as I could about the situation. My child is my child- I gave birth to them, they are my blood, and they are only human. The unconditional love that I feel (or that I will feel) for my child will still be there, I have no doubt about it. However, whenever I hear stories about parents “disowning” their children because they are gay, or reacting in a bad way to the news, I can understand the reasons behind it. Maybe not so much the disowning of your child, but the bad reactions parents have may be coming from a good place. In today’s society, I feel as though gay people/couples have it way more difficult than straight people/couples in terms of a lot of things. They are constantly being judged, there are laws that prevent them from being married, etc, and they just don’t seem to have it as fair as straight people do. From a parent’s perspective, I would take all of this in to account and it would make me actually worried for my child- that they might have to go through all these hardships just because they like a person of the same sex. I think all of these issues cause parents to worry about the future of their gay child and the hardships they will have to face coming from other people judging them and their lifestyle. All of that worrying might be displayed as resentment or anger, but on the inside the parents are just worrying about the well being of their child. If I could go on for more than 450 words about this subject I would, but there is just too much to say about it! The bottom line is that I would like to say I wouldn’t react in a bad way, but there is always two sides to the story and maybe the other side of the story (bad reactions) aren’t what we always think they are.

Women are definitely seen as more innocent than men. Being a woman, this works to both my advantage and disadvantage. For however long anyone can remember, this has probably always been the case. Part of this issue deals with the way society has always viewed women. Women are primarily the sympathetic, child bearing, nurture giving type. We have always been expected to “be in the kitchen” or “do work around the house,” whilst men go out and bring home the bacon. The fact that women are seen in this way (maybe not so much anymore as it used to be) leads to them being more innocent because how can women be bad people when they are at home taking care of their children all day? Women are also weaker than men, making it seem like they can never do anything wrong. It is not often that you see a woman holding someone at gunpoint or trying to rob a bank, and the lack of that also contributes to them being seen at innocent. In the video shown in class, no one thought the woman was trying to steal the bike, they just thought she was a damsel in distress and needed help unlocking the bike. In contrast to that, the black man stealing the bike was immediately questioned and had the police called on him. It seemed to be because he was black, because the white man and the white woman had way less people questioning them about their removal of the bike. I definitely think black people got the short end of the stick when it comes to this stereotype, because it seems as though fingers are always pointed at them first (mainly black males). Even if they didn’t commit the crime or do the deed, the suspicion is always about them before anyone else. Also becoming more common is Mexican or Latino people being stereotyped for crimes, etc. It’s not all too often that you see an Asian being blamed for robbing a bank or anything like that- although it does happen! I think the main reason for this is because the people of different races who commit crimes seem to be from these same groups over and over. However, I also think that people blow the stereotypes out of proportion. Everyone commits crimes from all different races- white, black, latino, asian, etc. Just because it is a black male doesn’t mean he is not innocent. On the contrary, just because it is a white male or female, doesn’t mean they are innocent. It all depends on the person, and race shouldn’t overlook whether a person is innocent or not.