Yeah, that probably won't happen.

I think I'll continue to try to benefit from nepotism regardless that it's similar to affirmative action. There’s just too much to gain to stop. It doesn’t help that I’ve been raised on this type of thinking. It’s always better to try to get ahead of the competition. This is the mindset that I have had taught to me by mostly my family but also a lot of the capitalist society. How else do people get ahead of their competition? Good work and skills can’t account for all of it. It would be ideal, but it’s so very hard to make everyone follow the rules. Especially when there are so many people who don’t hold the same moral values as others.

It makes me a little bit sad that people would try to out compete others through dirty means. But unfortunately this is how a lot of things end up being in our lives. I can’t speak for everyone, but I can contest the the fact that most people have--at some point in their lives--played dirty. They’d have to, we can’t all be saints.

This doesn’t mean that people are inherently bad or immoral or anythings. This just points towards the fact that we’re just people and people have faults. Because of those faults I can say that I have taken advantage of nepotism. This is the main idea of internships and the like, within the business world.

But if nepotism is so closely related to affirmative action, does that mean that it’s bad? Why would it be bad? Sure it may be thought as giving someone a chance to get ahead of their competing or viewed in a more extreme manner as an inside trade idea. But I don’t believe it’s inherently bad. I just think it’s become so ingrained into our society that it simple exists. Sure there are circumstances where the people who are benefiting from the situation are inept and incapable of their work. But for the most part, I think that the overall intention of the initial action doesn’t necessarily have bad qualities. It’s the results that may end up causing bad events and a poor future.

Of course, I won’t condemn the entirety of humanity to think that we’d all always take advantage of nepotistic situations. There are times when I want to have done something on my own. Through my own means, because there is a sense of honor and possession. It’s like ‘I did this, and I really, truly deserve the results’.

Do I still blame terrorists?

Yes, I do. I do blame terrorists, but not just Arabic, Islamic, Muslim, etc. But also American 'terrorists'. The American Terrorist is a bit harder to picture, especially when you are an American. What I end up picturing are people who are from those extremist groups that begin with a thought or idea, and start building it up towards something bigger and more dangerous. Something like deciding to blow up an IRS building. Something like that. To me, those actions are just the same as terrorism in the middle-east. Both have the same effect; they cause destruction, chaos, confusion and terror. That is what terrorism is supposed to be. To create disorder and begin or contribute conflict. It's not simply in the middle-east, but everywhere.

To say that I don't believe that terrorism is a problem or that I don't blame the actions of people who are actively contributing to terrorism, is wrong. Hatred beget more hatred. This concept is universal and cyclical.

This does not mean that I don’t understand why some people continue to create terrorist acts and contribute to this endless cycle, but it does not help anyone. People are going to continue to suffer and more people, ‘innocent’ people are going to suffer from the consequences. It does not matter what side an individual is on, there are still injures. It can eventually get to the point that it does not matter which side began the initial problem, both sides have suffered too much to even begin letting go and forgetting. Those two sides get so caught up in the present that the past begins to fade and be pushed aside for the current painful memories. Those memories are fresh, and they are what individuals focus on. Not the past and the beginning, but the immediate and memories that are relevant to them.

Again, this isn’t a message that I ‘hate’ terrorists, nothing of that nature. I can’t hate someone when I can image things from their perspectives. I understand why people who commit acts of terrorism, I don’t think it excuses these actions, but I can image myself committing those same actions if I was placed in their shoes.

And I know this may sound a bit righteous. But I believe that killing is fundamentally wrong. This isn’t to say that I condone all killing. Sometime, it’s very much necessary. In times of war, criminal situation, etc. Things that remove the a hurtful entity from society, it is sometimes necessary to kill. But that does not make it right. Being right and following through with the belief are two different forms of the same coin. They can go hand-in-hand, but at the same time, they can functions separately from each other. Like me, you can believe killing is wrong, but necessary in some circumstances. This is a reality that many people strugle with. Something I’ve thought about many times and something I’ve come to terms with.

Although ideally, I would love to see the world without terrorist acts. Or any acts of hatred for that matter. But I don’t live in an ideal world. This isn’t the case where terrorists can see past their hurt, pain, suffering, anger and hatred and look to see what they are themselves contributing to. This isn’t realistic, not matter how much I wish it was.

I blame terrorist, of all nationalities or peoples, for [choosing] continuing to contribute to the chaos already covering our world, but not for their circumstances in which they exhibit their actions.

I have always been very interested in other cultures, with the exception of most of the US. But other countries, specifically other cultures, are something that the world needs. A fundamental need.

By this I mean that the world that we live in right now, here in America, involves new innovations and ideas. This is one of the main concerns and fears that many within the business world have, people aren't coming up with new things to get the economy stimulation that they want. I would disagree with this to an extent though. Yes, there needs to be more 'made' within the US, but also the fact that America out-puts so much things is still a profitable area. This means things like our culture within America is one of our main out-puts to the rest of the world. The fact that there are so many different and bizarre occurrences within the US, is amazing by itself. And the fact that we give all this 'crap' to other countries and thus their cultures, be it entertainment, politics, or the like, is what keeps people at looking at America as the Big dog within the pound.

Now how all of this is related to multiculturalism becoming a good things is based on the fact that were are globalizing. Regardless if people are want to or are content in isolating themselves within a giant box, it is happening. Because of globalization, America is becoming more diverse and has even more differences happening. With these differences, there comes change, and changes brings about new development. New development brings about new ways of thinking about things. And if people begin to think about things from different perspectives or points of views, we get new ideas. This all comes down in improving out ideas and thoughts to create more innovations and thus, further our profits as a capitalist society.

Cultures are not simply limited to countries though, there are cultures within states or cities, something as small as towns even. Hell, even the internet is starting to build up cultures. Because it's creating a group of people with similar interests or backgrounds within their community('s). Taking these differences between cultures and combining them, is a recipe for alternative perspectives and solutions.

Ultimately, isn't it our goal to try to move for progression? Don't we try to come up with new practices and expand our minds to see things through another pair of eyes? Culture varieties just moves it along a little bit quicker.

I don't believe its a bag thing. Being focused on helping the community your more involved with and have more contact within your daily lives isn't anything bad. Why would it be? Your helping others regardless of the fact that they are people you'd 'know'. Your still doing something about what ever problems that arise.

Ideally, if it was possible, we'd want to have as many people who were in the fifth or sixth stages. The more people there are within these stages, then the better of an understanding we would have in the overall populace. People would be able to move away from being so focused on race and the taboos of race. Of course this is the goal, but not all goals can be realized. This being said, I think in a way, reaching only the fourth stage is doing a pretty good job of things.

This isn't to say that being in the fourth stage is all that great either. Because being within the fourth stage limits your from understanding other races, and see things from another ethnic perspectives. And by having this limitation within a majority of people, there isn't as much racial understanding between people. Although, with enough conversation, there might be a way to improve upon what is being said between people, but not enough progress will transpire unless people take more initiatives to comprehend and open their minds to the lives and experiences of others.

I thought this was a very interesting perspective. Not in the sense that it was anything unexpected, but more along the lines that I didn't think people would realize this-especially CNN-so soon. I was really betting on this awareness being hidden from the general public eye for another few years, really. Maybe even a decade or so. I would even bet that even after this article, people (specifically white peoples) won't realize just what position their in.

But frankly, this isn't something that should be all that surprising. It should have been a given for many people. Especially within the last few years or so when concerning scholarships and the like. So many of those scholarships go to minorities that it's crazy. But it's not like I'm complaining because I honestly try to take as much of an advantage of those scholarship as much as I can; while I can, too.

The whole argument of the article isn't by itself a bad thing. Though I don't think many people, white people too, would openly state they agree with the main message. It's not something that America, at it's current stage in racial development and understanding could attest too. The problem that I see with it is the fact that you have blatant ignorance within the argument too. People like Glenn Beck, really aren't helping the image of this piece; he's hurting it because he continues to spout ignorant statements and gains support from people who haven't really looked at other perspectives to truly understand the essence of other cultures/ethnicities/races/etc. That's the biggest problem that I find with this type of argument.

There's potential for something to be done about helping the better parts of white racial, but there's also parts that I find have succumb to too much ignorance.

At the same time, I can't help but think, "Well, don't whites deserve it? It's it about time that this 'reverse racisim' takes place? After all the 'white' people have done, isn't it just fair that they get this type of treatment too?" And with this mindset, i know it isn't really helping with making this argument any better. I know it's not something that helpful, but I really can't help it. Though my thoughts aren't really completely out of place because there's still so much racism against minorities (not whites); and until I see that racism fall away, I don't think whites really have that much to complain about.

Ultimately I hope that this is a good way to get people to mix more often. Mix with other cultures, groups, peoples. Anything like that because we live in a global community, and it's no longer an option to have a superior isolationist perspective.

The general consensus says that its Muslins who are getting the heat. And I can't really argue with that. Especially in America where many people are far too ignorant and confused about the middle east. Even using the Middle East description isn't the best of wording to describe this collective groups of people. And I really can't talk about what it means to be Muslim. I'm not very familiar with the logistics of the faith. Not only that but the overall history of regions where Muslim is more prevalent, is also not something I know. I'm more aware of Judaism then Muslim. Even Taoism or Shintoism then Muslim!

But I never have the audacity to think I know more about a culture or group of people simply by the standard Americanized portrayal of a religion. I can't even argue too much about Christianity because I'm not aware of so many things within the religion. But then I know I can say I know more then the average "supposed-to-be-Christian" joe. But the concepts of practicing Muslims is beyond my knowledge. All I can say that I am open to a great understanding of the background. Especially the history of Muslim regions.

And just because Blacks aren't getting the red-eye from media guided-stereotypical-Americans doesn't mean that they aren't having problems. I just think that the racism against Blacks has evolved in a way. Now it's not so much about being a national terror--unlike Muslims-- but more along the lines of inner stress. Blacks, nowadays, seem to bring this little sweat to people.

The predominant problems are fading in the backdrop. Where people aren't noticing them on the front lines, but now to the sidelines, a little to the left, closer to the back. This is where the consciousness is starting to make the 'gut' assumptions for our "supposed-to-be-rational-brain".

But then again, these are my thoughts, an I'm always going to be a little bit biased. This is just a little personal disclaimer, if you will.

I don't know about the rest of the population. But from personal experience, I can definitely say that I was very much informed about the concept of "King of the Mountain". Maybe it's just from my own experiences, having gone to certain class, talked with certain people, done something that allowed for me to be accustomed to the idea of knowing people to get farther in life. But this really isn't something that's all that new. At least for myself.

And now that I think about it, it seems a little bit pessimistic, but at the same time, I've always been aware of the practicality of having a authoritative figure-head of control, with those people in the backgrounds playing us like little marionettes. While this concept seems really bleak if your looking at it from negative perspective, but at the same time it's just the nature of our world.

This isn't to say that I don't agree with the idea that people are taught from a young age that if we work hard well get somewhere in life. I think this is one of the major problems with people looking to come to America poorly funded and educated immigrants. It's not a realistic view of the real society of 'That which is America'. And what's worse is just as she mentioned, children are taught to work hard to get places. America is associated with the fundamental ideal of "being able to come here with only 3 dollers in your pocket and become the next billionaire CEO". The amount of people who actually do this are an unrealistic few, but the message is spread like wild fire. People want to hope they can leave their unsatisfactory situation, and become something more.

The harsh reality is that it is about who you know. That's why colleges ask if you have any relatives that are alumni. That's why the entertainment industry is all about networking. To get in with the big-heads of corporations. Everything a person could do-save going into the woods to live their life as a hermit-is about networking and knowing someone. I dare you to find something that isn't.

I have to say that this kind of makes me happy to see this type of thing happening. Not the brutality of the hopefully-soon-to-be-previous regime vigilantes, as the news anchors stated, but the solidarity that two religious groups could have. Most people should know that Muslims and Christians have not really been what I'd call "buddy-buddy", but this is one instance that I can say I'm happy to have witnessed. It actually almost made me tear up a little because I can only imagine what they people there during this time, were going through. It's very amazing to have gotten this type of thing on tape and really even heard of it. Because too many times do people, news stations especially, depict the conflict and negative aspects of a situation. Over looking the positive, because the simple thing that 'death, mayhem, and destruction sells'.

I've been following the Egypt situation for a while, and I really hope that Marburak will step down and the regime be overthrown. It's bad enough the the government is so corrupt, but imagine if they still stay in power to continue the oppression. It's really awful.

I'd also like to mention that this is really an amazing year so far. It's only the beginning of February and already so much has happened. Egypt is fighting against it's oppressive regime and the latest news, Sudan, the largest countries in Africa (about as big as Texas), is going to be broken in half! What I mean by this is that the Sudanese have being going to war with each other for years and years. Sudan was also placed on the U.S. list of State sponsored terrorism. This is the country where the Darfur conflict/war transpired a while back, and this is the place where militias were acting out a genocide of the people, causing thousands of people to go to the neighboring country, Chad, as refugees. It's also where the Civil war in Chad is transpiring, between Chad and Sudan.

And only a couple days ago did the votes from most of the Southern population of Sudan come in, with nearly 99% of the people voting to breakaway from Northern Sudan, and create it's own country. So it's like another North/Sourth Korea, except very politically different. I'm happy for them, because it's said that sometime this summer, they will become the newest nation on earth. Although it's going to take a lot of work to get things as they should be for the newborn. Sourthern Sudan is basically starting from scratch.

This is definitely something that I instinctively try to avoid talking about. Not because it's so controversial and that everyone seems to have their own fixed opinion about the topic at hand. But because I-myself-feel that I have inadequate information to respectfully rebut enough of the claims. This being said, the whole topic of God being a She, really didn't surprise me. It wasn't exactly my first time encountering the idea of a female God. And I doubt it will be the last.

What is interesting, was just how much I realized that people around me (specifically in SOC 119 students) had reacted to this information. I've read many of the responses before me, and I can't help but feel a little bit proud of the ideas and thoughts going through all these people's minds as their typing away. It actually makes me very happy, that people are more excepting and open minded. They don't necessarily have to think that God is a female or a male, but just understanding that this isn't something we-as humans-should have to go to war (not always literal) about.

There are so many different types of religions out in this world. Just like there are so many different types of races and elasticities too many to possibly count and classify. But I like the fact that students in this class can actually understand the topic and 'talk' about it, not just blindly yell.

My personal views concerning the actual question, is that, yes. God may very well be a female. This isn't to say that God being a male isn't possible, either. I would say that conventionally, God is depicted as a male, because of the type of governing that was going on during the time of the original making of the Bible. Males were the dominant during that period.

Though my concern isn't so much that God was or is a male, but more that God even had to be classified in the first place. For the the last few years, God has been a source of energy and 'conditional' power. S/He isn't able to do absolutely anything, otherwise I don't think we'd have such hard lives. But act more as a guide for humans to find better living. Find a place to belong and live a life of bliss, or as close to it as possible. God, doesn't need a gender, nor do I think humans should give God one. Though I can say it's easier to give God a definite pronoun, it still doesn't it make it right. How can an entity such as God, be relative to such a mortal setting? What right do we, as human, have to tell what is the divine?

As for the idea that males are the sole bringers of all that is holy, this is a topic I would fight against. There are even active members of Priests that are females. Yeah, I know, this seems hard to believe, but it's true! Females are moving towards positions that males once dominated. This again, isn't something that I necessarily thing is right or wrong, but simply something that people should be open to. Why can't a females be a Priest? Is there anything less holy about a women then a man? Do we get any less of a guidance when women are involved, then the typical man? I personally don't see the need for people to associate something so powerful and holy with something as limiting as a specific gender. But these are just some thoughts I've had for a long while.

SOC 119