en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2430524 Comments by mcg5135 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/were-you-surprised-by-any-of-basums-responses-or-his-appearance-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment145191028 It reminded us that he is a person who does not like to see misfortune, and that many of our “enemies” are like that. What I thought was most interesting was when we asked him mundane questions like the weather and what there is to do on the weekends. As I was sitting in Soc 119 in State College, I pictured Basum in his home in the 26 degree Celsius weather with thunderstorms. He mentioned that he worries for his son on the weekends, not unlike our own parents do. His appearance from the picture definitely looked like an Iraqi, but I would not be surprised if someone that looked like him moved in next door to me. Overall, I was really happy to be able to connect with someone so far away and gain a new perspective on the issue in Iraq. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:08:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/were-you-surprised-by-any-of-basums-responses-or-his-appearance-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment145191028 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/were-you-surprised-by-any-of-basums-responses-or-his-appearance-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment145191003 Personally, I think speaking to Basum was the coolest thing we have done this semester. There are so few chances to actually speak to an average Iraqi. Most people will never get the chance to ask someone like Basum any questions, especially people who follow the war closely. I thought his responses were extremely insightful, although most answers were simple. If you really take the time to think about it, most of his answers were obvious. We asked about how he felt about Americans and the war and he answered truthfully that they did not mind Americans, but asked us how we would feel if someone came into our own backyards and started messing with us. It was important for us to hear his perspective because we usually can not be connected to people like him. Sam’s lecture about viewing the war from an Iraqi perspective definitely opened my mind and had me thinking in a different way, but hearing the words from someone sitting in their home in Iraq makes much more of an impact. I was not necessarily surprised by Basum’s answers, but I appreciated all he had to share with us. In respect to the war and how he views Americans, he obviously has a very open mind. Having lived and studied in America, he knows Americans on a different level than many Iraqis. Therefore, he can be a little more even-keeled when thinking about it. If I were in his position, I do not know if I would be as understanding. I took into consideration what he had to say about the media, because that is definitely a huge influence in our world today. No one wants to be misinterpreted, and in our societies today the interpretation of the media is one of the driving factors of national relations. I know I cringe when I see manipulated stories being distributed and people believing them, often causing issues. It was also interesting to hear how devastated he was on 9/11 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:08:23 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/were-you-surprised-by-any-of-basums-responses-or-his-appearance-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment145191003 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/transgendered-complications/#IDComment143218776 Would a gay man be fired for that same job? Its not about being attracted to these people whatsoever. Its a weird an awkward situation to begin with, and finding a good employee who can get the job done is all that anyone really needs to worry about. Sexual harassment is a big part of the corporate world, and I believe that extends to crossing all lines of being inappropriate. In this case, Mr. Devoureau’s boss asked him about physical operations to change his sexuality. Mr. Devoureau should not have to explain himself every single time someone finds out about his life. I’m sure he would just like to live as an individual and not have to constantly be reminded that his life is complicated. He has chosen who he wants to be. It is not a fluke where someone is on the fence about their identity. Mr. Devoureau is regarded male in his name. at the Motor Vehicle Commission, at the Social Security office, at home and at job interviews. So why is it questioned while performing the job? Unless he was fired for being a poor employee, I feel that this is unfair to Mr. Devoureau. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 21:05:13 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/transgendered-complications/#IDComment143218776 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/transgendered-complications/#IDComment143218744 In regards to this article alone, I believe that being a transgender is not a reason to fire Mr. Devoureau. I do not know if there were further circumstances to Mr. Devoureau’s termination, but based solely on his gender, I believe he was wrongfully fired. First and foremost, the person hired for his job must be a professional. Man or woman, his job was what many would consider awkward, but necessary. The person hired for the position, again either male or female, must approach it as a professional for it is necessary to help those recovering from addictions stay clean. In my opinion, gender does not matter at all in this case. As far as anyone is concerned, Mr. Devoureau is a male. That is as far as it has to go in this position, and further questions about his anatomy or sexuality are not relevant as long as he is a good employee and approaches his job professionally. In a business setting, everyone deserves to be treated as a human being, whether male or female. Nothing sexual or implicit should be occurring, so why his sex vs. his gender allows him to be fired is something I do not understand. He is trying to be a parent and support himself and his child, which is not unlike any other male or female in the world today. I believe it is right that Mr. Devoureau guards his privacy, for it reiterates the fact that personal things should not crossover into a professional world. Just as I am regarded as a woman, Mr. Devoureau is regarded as a man, and no employer needs to know much more about that. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 21:05:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/transgendered-complications/#IDComment143218744 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment140808525 But then, I understood his point that not every Middle Easterner is Muslim or radical. Sam was trying to show that it is annoying to have people assume something about you just because of where you are from or what people around you act like. Many in the Middle East, Muslim or not, are not the radical terrorists who we are fighting. By putting that in terms that I related too, it was much more enlightening for me to understand the mindset of someone else. I thought that through this lecture my mind didn’t necessarily change, but it was opened to much more to understand that our “enemies” are more similar in mindset than we think. Thu, 7 Apr 2011 19:30:38 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment140808525 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment140808515 These fundamental ideas begin to explain the absolute terror that has been occurring. I am not simply implying that media coverage is the sole reason for war, but it is useful to keep in mind both sides of the same issue. I think if more people thought in terms of the other side, some of these issues may be avoided. Most of what I took from this lecture was less about religion and more about perspective. When Sam brought up Americans praying before battle, army men reading Bibles, etc, I once again opened my mind the thought that our society is not as different from that of the Middle Easterners. The execution of our religious practices is completely different, but the base of prayer intertwined with culture is prevalent for both sides. The thing in regards to religion I took from this lecture was the “clumping” of people with religion and negativity. At first, as someone who is not a Christian, I was annoyed. I didn’t like how he kept clumping everyone in with one particular religion. Thu, 7 Apr 2011 19:30:35 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment140808515 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment140808463 I definitely think that the lecture on terrorism opened my mind to understand the mindset of Middle Easterners. It’s easy to see Middle Easterners, from our perspective, as “the enemy.” When we watch the news, see videos, or hear of instances of interaction with them, they are usually the worst of the worst. The people who make the news here are those who are most extreme, radical, and dangerous. By pointing out a simple fact, Sam made me think. If we are exposed to the worst of the Middle Easterners in regards to this war, what do you that they are seeing in their media as well? Those videos of American soldiers running over a taxi drivers car with their tank or pushing another car off the side of the road would certainly make me angry if that was what I was exposed too. It’s easy from our perspective to think that we are doing a good thing or that we are justified, but those people feel the same as we do. Thu, 7 Apr 2011 19:30:20 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment140808463 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment138711768 My point in this is that religion has already changed so much in our short run as a species, and it does not surprise me in the least that it is changing once again. The more mysteries we solve about our existence, the less we need to rely on a higher power. We know how rain is formed, how bad weather comes about, why wars are started, etc. No longer do we think of rain as a God’s tears, or a tsunami as a God’s spite. In a thousand years from now, what will our future generations know and believe? Another thing is that I find it ridiculous when people try to measure emotions and feelings into statistics. Religion is the deepest part of a person, and while I do not have very religious emotions, I am envious of those who do. We cannot project numbers for religion. What people will believe in the future is entirely unknown. Perhaps a new form of religion will spring up that we cannot even fathom to think of now. I am sure the Ancient Egyptians who worshiped the Sun God in a Pyramid could never imagine a Catholic worshipping only one true God in a Cathedral. We do not what the future holds for any situation, least of all religion. Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:58:52 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment138711768 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment138711739 First of all, I have always been extremely interested in religion. I was raised in a religious school and practiced my religion every week. However, I also wondered about people who were a different religion than I was, and how if they as surely believed as I did, who was wrong? Someone must be wrong if there is only one true answer, but yet we believe so many different things. Not only do I find that interesting in a modern sense, but I think back to history. Our earliest ancestors believed in so many different religions that were so different to what we believe today. We went from being a polytheistic species to mostly monotheistic in a few thousand years. From remnants of the earliest civilizations we find sculptures, paintings and relics of religious practices. What makes our religions of today more sophisticated or more accurate from those of the dawn of civilization? Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:58:40 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment138711739 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment138711698 I was really interested in this article, both in how it fascinates me and how it makes me feel like it is ridiculous. I was raised religious, but honestly have no idea what I believe now, leaning towards believing in nothing at all. Therefore, I do not really have a bias against these people who say that religion is withering away in the sense that I am an extremely religious person. I say that it is ridiculous because I find it amusing that news is reporting on statistical numbers that reflect a person’s beliefs. Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:58:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment138711698 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment137583057 I have never been involved in an interracial relationship, but I do think they are pretty cool. I do think problems can arise in an interracial couple having to do with cultural and societal difference. However, people of the same race can be just as, if not more, culturally distant than people of different races. For example, my sister Marisa, an Italian, Irish and Polish American is currently engaged to a man from Osaka, Japan. Tomonori is quickly becoming a member of our family, and is accepted by my other sister, my parents and myself. Before meeting him, my sister seriously dated two other men-one was white and one was Taiwanese. My family got along really well with her white boyfriend, and he and my sister had a lot in common. Her Taiwanese boyfriend was very nice, but my parents did not like him as much because he put in very little effort to see her when they were not at school together anymore. Of her three serious relationships, never have they once said anything about race in a derogatory sense. They judge each of them on their character and their interactions, not what they look like. When Tomonori, my sisters fiance, comes to our home we speak English and participate in our own cultural practices, such as Christmas, a holiday he does not celebrate. However, we often ask him questions about his life and how he grew up. Our differences are obvious and noticed of course, but not in a bad way. We are curious, and just share our customs with each other. Its actually really cool to have him as a part of our family and I wouldn’t want my sister to be with anyone else. I believe part of the reason why it works so well is that my sister is very interested in Japanese culture. She not only speaks Japanese but also teaches it, so she and Tomonori speak both English and Japanese to each other. She also specialized in Asian studies and lived in Japan for a total of two years. Therefore, she not only knows the language but a lot of the culture. If she were to date a white person, she might way less in common. Although another person may be the same race, she is much more interested in being with someone from a place she is very knowledgeable and passionate about. I believe interracial dating is not a big deal in the sense of race, but in the sense of cultural identity. People find connections in both friendships and relationships through shared hobbies or common interests. If people are really different, it may be harder to find that initial spark. However, I think that goes for both different races and people of the same race. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:24:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-do-you-think-about-interracial-relationships-119-blog/#IDComment137583057 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/where-do-the-messages-come-from-119-blog/#IDComment135941821 What I found most disturbing is the instance where the researcher asked the children to pick the “nice” and “bad” dolls. A majority of black children chose the white doll as “nice” and the black doll as “bad.” I believe this is an awful representation and I have no idea how to explain it. Just choosing the white doll is one issue, and can be blamed on white dominance in the media. However, the fundamental principles of “nice” and “bad” and the fact that little children associate their own race as “bad” is absolutely intolerable. Some children may learn this from environmental circumstances, while others may observe racial issues in a different way. Either way, noticing differences is one thing, but pairing fundamental values with race is an extremely deep issue that needs to be addressed. Another student in class mentioned that parenting is a large influence in this matter. At first, I completely agreed and was thinking the same thing myself. Parents should teach their children that their race is beautiful, and build their character from the inside out. However, Sam’s response also made a great deal of sense. Almost every girl is told by someone near to them, whether it be their family, friends or significant others, that they are beautiful. Still, almost every girl is also filled with some degree of insecurity. No matter what race, gender, age or culture, we all need to accept ourselves as good and beautiful, regardless of influences that tell us otherwise. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:20:27 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/where-do-the-messages-come-from-119-blog/#IDComment135941821 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/where-do-the-messages-come-from-119-blog/#IDComment135941805 I had heard about the study of the white and black dolls being done in the 1950’s where children then chose the white doll over the black. In the context of this study, society was an overtly obvious cause of this mindset. During this first study, racism was an obvious part of American culture. When the young children picked the white doll over the black the cause was easy to see, for it was still at a time were segregation and active discrimination was present. In the video we watched in class, children of today showed us that not much has changed over the past fifty to sixty years as black children continued to pick the white doll over the black. There are so many contributors to this choice, most of which we do not even understand or are aware of. In class, someone suggested the media as being a factor and I completely agree with this. In our culture, white characters are much more prevalent than any other race. Children may not grow up seeing discrimination like they did years ago, but with the lack of diversified programs on television, movies or any other medium, it could be concluded that children may see the white doll as more “normal.” Perhaps more diverse characters were created, this mindset might change. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:20:19 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/where-do-the-messages-come-from-119-blog/#IDComment135941805 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment133929302 The biggest thing I get out of this comes from what Sam wrote when describing the video-- “It’s an issue that is revealing in how so many people do not pay attention to the views of others, especially when those “others” are so clearly saying “Hey, stop calling me that because it bothers me.” This really got my attention because there are so many gray areas in political correctness today. Some people don’t like to be called white, black, caucasian, hispanic, muslim, african american, native american, Indian, etc. But one thing we know for sure is that the word “retarded” offends a group of people. Defining a person by their outward appearance is an entire issue that also needs to be addressed and changed, but this problem, like other racial words of hate, has one clear cut answer: to stop being used. Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:44:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment133929302 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment133929270 The word “retarded” to many people does not normally carry much significance. It is used to insult another or oneself, but usually when it is said it is not really thought about. I have used that word before, but my head is never thinking about the people of who it really bothers when I say it. I have been trying to limit my use of the word “retarded” when talking to other people because of two people in my life-my cousin and my friend. My cousin Justin has autism, making him actually “retarded.” I have always admired the way my cousins, aunt, and uncle treat Justin when I myself don’t really know how to handle him for the most part. He has missed many family events because of the severity of his mental illness, so I rarely see him. However, when he is around the only difference is that we are happy he is there. Having an autistic person as a part of my family makes me understand how hurtful it is to use that word as a flippant insult. Another person in my life is my friend Emily who is majoring in special education. She has had a passion for helping mentally ill children for many years now, and she is around to point out whenever I slip up and accidently use the word “retarded” without thinking about it. I think it is definitely important to stop using this word in everyday life, and do my personal best to stop it. Moreover, it appalls me to see it in public life like shown in the political examples of this video clip. I can not believe that people out there would be so worried about political correctness but forget to include this word. There is not much else to say besides the fact that using the word “retarded” in the public realm and private realm is offensive, rude and ignorant. Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:44:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment133929270 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/rethinking-education/#IDComment130461575 Another point I really agreed with was the way he compared to the schooling system as a factory. I think this goes along perfectly with the either being smart or not smart mentality. There are so many different ways for individuals to think. I could study a physics question for hours on end and still be lost in the dark, but if I see the same thing presented in a way thats more tangible, I may be able to grasp it a little more. I am definitely a learner that needs to see and experiment. But even though institutions try to break people up between visual, auditory and sensory learners, that is still not enough. Like the video explained, age, whether you work in a group or alone, time of the day, subject matter-it all makes a difference. The subject you learn and way certain peoples minds work have so much variation that maybe people who are “smart” in school are really just the lucky ones who happen to be good at what society told us we had to learn about. There were so many more great points made in this video, and overall it definitely gave the audience something to think about. It is scary to think about changing something as rudimentary as our educational system, especially since education is directly linked to how we see the world and live our lives. However, at least noticing some of the issues is a start. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:52:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/rethinking-education/#IDComment130461575 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/rethinking-education/#IDComment130461554 I really enjoyed watching this video and thought it brought up many great points. The first point that really stood out to me was a small one, but one i greatly related to. The idea that there are only two types of people--smart and not smart--really hit home. He said that the way most learning institutions have been set up is based on the Enlightenment View of Intelligence, and that there are those at the top or those who are not. He proceeds to say that “many brilliant people think they’re not, because they have been judged against this particular view of the mind.” I agree with this wholeheartedly. My schools have been very competitive, and countless times I have heard students (including myself) complain when they got anything less then the highest possible score. People who get B’s feel average, because after all, that is what the “B” ranking has come to mean. I remember being graded from kindergarden until fourth grade with “O” for outstanding, “VG” for Very Good, “G” for good, “S” for satisfactory and “NI” for needs improvement. I also remember being six years old and feeling a knot in my stomach seeing a “G” on my report card. Even then, in my first real grade at school, I recognized the importance of having the highest grade. Although I am much more relaxed about my grades then most, there is no doubt I have feelings of insecurity with my intelligence because I am not at “the top.” Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:51:55 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/rethinking-education/#IDComment130461554 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/do-arrests-of-different-races-occur-more-due-to-racism-or-more-police-in-urban-areas-119-blog/#IDComment128695305 Realistically, however, racism plays in to this by being a fundamental problem in the organization of society. There is no doubt that white people also partake in drug activity, but these statists show that more black people are arrested for it. This shows that black people are the ones living in poorer, urban areas, that are more focused on by cops. It also shows that white people are the ones living in areas of less suspicion, so their illegal activity is easier to get away with. I believe that this issue has more to do with the socioeconomic effects of racism, beginning from the expansion of the suburbs and rural areas and the growing poor areas of cities. Going all the way back to the beginning of the twentieth century, white people tended to take their wealth out into their new affluent areas while poor black people moved into the cities. The effects of this social change is still seen today. Black and white people are starting to merge more in terms of wealth, but we are not even close to being completely equivalent in population per area. Therefore, I believe that the real racism behind these statistics is not necessarily current racism by cops, but historical and cultural racism that has led to the current social and economic situation between white and black people. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:39:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/do-arrests-of-different-races-occur-more-due-to-racism-or-more-police-in-urban-areas-119-blog/#IDComment128695305 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/do-arrests-of-different-races-occur-more-due-to-racism-or-more-police-in-urban-areas-119-blog/#IDComment128695237 I think that the arrests of more black, urban men and women in respect to drugs are not due to their race while being arrested, but to more police patrol in urban areas. That is not to say, however, that I believe racism does not play a part. There are definitely many more black individuals living in urban areas that are being arrested for drug use. I believe the arrests are a result of illegal actions and more police patrol in areas known for drug activity, not necessarily because of their race. That being said, I do believe the deeper issue of racism spans not from the cops but from social racism that has led to these circumstances. Many who have moved out to the suburbs run into less issues with the police. Drugs, mainly marijuana, are easily dealt and sold through the comfort of homes that provide seclusion. Cops will not just walk into a home and question their drug use, rather only act only if there is evidence of illegal activity. In urban areas, drug activity is more open and public. Not that it is obvious, but more is done outdoors, on the streets, or in homes that are very close together. Also, there is such a higher concentration of people in one area which would inevitably lead to a large drug business to be noticed. Police resources are therefore pulled towards city patrol where problems arise as opposed to patrolling for evidence elsewhere. If you look at this situation with race aside, I believe it makes sense. Police are sent to areas with more people and more blatant issues. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:39:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/do-arrests-of-different-races-occur-more-due-to-racism-or-more-police-in-urban-areas-119-blog/#IDComment128695237 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/08/how-have-the-choices-youve-made-and-determinism-affected-your-life-119-blog/#IDComment127181194 At the time, I was too scared to change from my comfortable albeit annoying setting, so I stayed where I was. However, I still believe that if I went to public school I would have made the choice to go to college. I worked hard in high school and that choice was mine. Although my father and sisters are well educated, my mother did not go to college but is still an extremely smart woman. I never felt any pressure from either of my parents to go to college, but just to be successful. They would have been completely fine if I decided to go to school for free and work right out of college. As long as I was trying my best, whether at school or at work, they were happy. In my personal case, it was definitely determinism that brought me to good schools growing up, but it was my choice to continue my education through college and my effort that brought me to Penn State. Thu, 10 Feb 2011 20:16:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/08/how-have-the-choices-youve-made-and-determinism-affected-your-life-119-blog/#IDComment127181194