This video was sickkkkk. Anyways I actually really enjoyed this lecture because I was able to see this event from a different perspective. and honestly I think it is completely true, or should I say I understand. I am a very religious person, and I don't think that this war is over religion, but this is how others would see it. I never saw those clips from President Bush and Sarah Palin, but the stuff they said is just well let’s just say it could get twisted around. I don't know how everyone is taking this but, Sam knows it’s not really a "Christian Invasion", but from another stand point it is. Just like we say it is the war on terror, it is also about oil and using their resources. We learned in the lecture that there is not that much radicalism, but of course we see what is the most extreme, so it turns into this. People in Iraq are seeing these out of control religious view points, and build on that so they see us as religious invaders, even though we are not all extremists. There are so many things that I don't know about on the War in Iraq, and that is why I am swayed by the media. That is what Sam was trying to say. WE ALL KNOW...the video clips he showed us where extreme people.....but ethnocentrism changes this so Islamic people take these things very differently. I mean I don't know everything there is about politics, and what is exactly going on in Iraq, but as for the lecture it did go along with our past lecture on ethnocentrism, and I can see where Sam is coming from. Yea he could have just taking a whole bunch of random clips and made them sound like this and that, but those clips where legitimate. Bush called it a crusade; he was in office when he said this. How can that be taken lightly to another country, Bush isn't an extremist. All I know is that I wasn’t offended by this lecture. I know it’s really not a Christian Invasion that just how we may look because of the media. I support our troops and I know they are over there to fight to keep us safe. It is just a very hard to say what both side of the part truly think because we come from such different places, and our ways of living and thinking are so different of course we are bound to have different opinions. To me that am all Sam was trying to get at. I know we were supposed to be really offended with things he was saying, but I didn't really if you try to see it from a different prospective this is what it could look like. ORRR maybe I just didn't really get what he was trying to say at all?

That was SOOO cool! I wish I was able to learn Chinese in my high school. I think this would be an amazing step forward. Many students in high high school, and even younger grades are very excited to learn new languages, however, learning Chinese would definitely better students on a whole other level. I really thought how this teaching video was presented could be very revolutionary in languages in school. The video was fun, new and very educational. The thing is that many school are stuck with only teaching french, and Spanish. These are important languages to learn, but schooling needs to work with our global issues so that students are prepared for their futures. Many schools are stuck in a rut because their systems get students in and out of school, and it simply gives them the bare minimum. I also think students would be very interested in learning Chinese because it is so different from anything we have ever learned before. I want to be an art educator, so with this I will always be able to change what I want to teach and how I would like to teach, but many other classes must teach on a schedule, and they must teach given material. This is a reason why many schools do not think about new innovative classes. But, we need to think about our society and change some things about our education system. However, I never thought learning Chinese because of my field of interest, but it would really help many students work their way up in the business world. One thing about education that I have learned is that many students don't focus on what they are learning if they think they can't use the information in the future. This is what is going to be hard for me as an art teacher. Many students won't find it necessary, but that is my job to make it interesting and apply it to their life. This goes for language teachers as well. They need to make it apply to the students life so they know how important it really is. I think letting students know about how this could better them might get them more involved. I also think the fact that they are learning Chinese will spark their interest as well, because it is such an interesting language. I wonder how many years it will take schools to offer Chinese in their curriculum. I do not think it will be long, but by the time I have children I would really like them to have the opportunity to learn Chinese as their second language.

I also grew up in a neighboorhood that was multiracial and I was always questioning things about race in my head. I never knew how to talk about race when I was younger so I just ignored it I would never act rude to a person of color I actually had two really close friends that were sisters and I hung out with them all of the time. It never bothered me at all, but other kids had different feelings and I think that is because of the way their parents raised them. My one very close friend does not like black people she is always commenting on certain things and that is because her parents are racist. THis is not the the extreme other wise I would not consider her a close friend, but I do try to make her think a little more when she does stereotype. However, taking this class has really opened my eyes about how I should talk about race. It is still hard for me but I personally really want to break that boundary. I hate feeling white guilt more then anything. It is a terrible feeling, because I want to feel comfortable in a room and I don't want to feel hat tension anymore. however I do feel that I am reaching my goals. I am able to talk about race without hesitation. I think hesitating is what is also keeping me down. instead of saying what I feel I think about it to much and then in my head I feel white guilt. White guilt is causing my hesitation which then keeps me silent about racial issues and topics. But, like I said I am trying t change that and I want to go through these steps so I am concious of this world that we live in so I am not stuck in the bubble of PSU. As for the Lion King that was def out of the blue. lol. I do agree I think that it is very rude however the lion king is an amazing movie. AND I think it is better then the Disney princess movies! You are right though, it is kind of sad that Disney did not include other races earlier on. Think about the Princess and the Frog though.....I think that was an amazing movie as well! I know many people where annoyed that she was a frog most of the movie, but it really incorporated alot of southern black culture, and they did not portray her as a stereotype. Some of the animation for songs where inspired by Aaron Douglas who is a famous black artist, and it also showed her home which was a traditional shot gun house. It was really an amazing movie because she was a hard working girl trying to make her dreams come true. It wasn't about a princess falling in love hopelessly for a prince it was really about her and making her dreams come true and finding love along the way. Honestly it has the best storyline out of any of the Disney Princess series. ANyyways yea I love that movie and I can't wait to buy it!!! haha okey so yea thats my blog for the week.

I really liked this post because I think this exact same thing. The way same worded it was just sooooo ehh haha bleeding....first of all I have never called it bleeding ever!!! I call it aunt martha or Flow or yea I have my period....but really same sharing with the whole class that you like to look in the toilet after your wife takes out her tampon !!!! thats insane.....but very funny and hey were all going to die soon anyways right lol. I Actually like getting my period and it does show that I have a regular cycle and that I will be able to have kids one day which is so important to me. Not getting your period really psychologically messes you up. LAst month I didn't get mine and its because I stop taking BC and everything I knew I was at no risk for pregnancy and I knew that it was irregular because I stopped taking BC...but....I was freaking out I didn't know what my body was going through and I was all messed up....PMS ....for a whole month it was terrible. Anyways what I am getting at is that it is a normal to have a period and I don't think guys should get grossed out about this...Im sure alot of guys wee fine with it. I know I usually talk about it normally lol I don't think its a big deal...and In class when he asked who was "Bleeding"...which was gross wording I almost wished I was haha I just wanted to raise my hand. But it is interesting getting a guys perspective about menstruating. I remember when my dad first found out that I was a "woman" I was completely embarrassed. To make matters worse he says to me " so you know that now you have your period you CAN get pregnant.....soo don't have sex"....my dad is always so good with words. That has always stuck with me though and I think its hilarious. ANYWAYYSS I think guys should be more open to menstruating and not get so grossed out about it....and YEa tampons should be free thats for th other video post. I really wonder how Sam is going to come back with this next class haha I mean it all got us thinking about it so that's good. All I have to say is menstruating is a normal body function and I think most girls understand that, but many guys are very disturbed by the fact that we go through this.... and that needs to change.

I really agree with what you are say. I think white people who don't live in a mixed race community are very blind to race until they are finally awakened to the fact that there are other people with different experiences. I never really thought about our history books and how we never really touched on racial issues. If we were all taught more about race in our younger years we would be more open minded about race and the way we speak about it. Personally I hate how I feel like I need to be politically correct in certian situations. I really want to be able to say whatever I feel and I am working towards that. That is why I took this class. I want to learn more about other races and different situations so I can speak freely without guilt. I am slowly working towards that but it is hard. I agree with what sam is saying we all feel guilt even though I didnt put a race down myself I still feel like I have a part in it because of my skin. I don't want to feel like this anymore I have always been open to race I grew up in the heart of Pittsburgh so I was around alot of black people when I was younger but the older generations felt a certian way about it because they grew up in a different era. We eventually left our home because the town was getting "Bad". More black people where moving in and many whites who had lived there most of their life felt the need to pack up and more to a " good" community. Now my dad never said it was the black people but it was a known fact that the black people who were moving in where low income families so the town was slowly becoming run down. I dont know where I am going with this but there are just so many memories from my old home and race relations. I remember me and my friends walking home from school and girls starting fights with the black girls from the local public school walking home them starting fights with us. I just feel like we went about it all wrong, and so did our schooling. That is why I have been taking courses that involve race relations. I am an art education student and I would like to work in a multiracial public school oneday and I want to be able to work with these issues and to help younger students feel more comfortable with race. Once again this blog response does not make sense, but I am still working through my thoughts and how I feel about this internal battle I at times feel.

This is actually a good question...the bachelor has never been very diverse....I have seen a few minorities but it has never gotten past a handful. On another note there has never been a minority as the Bachelor or Bachelorette. I don't know why this is because there are other shows that are very diverse, but this one seems to stay the same. I think that if they had a show where the minority was the main focal person and they chose other girls or guys that they would be interested in, assuming that they where mostly of the same color. I think it would be a great if the show was more diverse especially if they cast it in the same light. It would be a great change from shows that are like Flavor Flav. The Bachelor is made out to be a classy dating show. They wear long formal gowns and drink champagne. This show is made to seem like these people are high end and very classy upstanding people. I think that if they did this then it would give a better representation of minorities and take away the after thoughts of shows like flava flav and other sequels. It is actually funny though to see the pictures of passed Bachelor shows every one is standing looking like clones....But in reality I think they should have a black or brown contestant it could really be a positive thing set aside from corny dating shows like those on VH1 where many people are picked to cause trouble and make fools of themselves. I would like to see if anyone did protest it if they would change it and possible pick a minority. This just makes me think of commercials today and how different cultures are portrayed. I know McDonald's recently has only focused on black people. If you watch a commercial today they rarely show a white person. Which I think is really cool I think that many commercials today have maybe like one black person, but to a see a commercial with only black people is pretty cool to see because it reminds me how we are slowly working through are racial differences and trying to make everyone equal. I think we are going to keep working our way up there to make thing equal, but is just going to take a while. Getting back to the Bachelor I think there definatly be a point where people of color will be on or another show like it, but I def think it is time someone is because the VH1 shows are very misinterpretation and it casts a negative light on minorities. But like I said we are slowly making our way and I think that is a good thing.

I really don't think Sam means that we have to take the blame as in we should feel really bad about it all the time and drowned in our sorrows about it. I just think like he pointed out in class that we have to recognize the wrong that is going on in our own country. Native Americans where pushed out of their land and their ways of living are completely gone. I think we should be more aware of this genocide. Our country is sometimes very oblivious to what is going on in our own society that we tend to forget where we came from. I just really think that we should teach this in our schools more often and try to figure out ways to help the Native Americans. Now many people don't believe this same thing, and many people just do't care what so ever. That is OK people in our class are now away of what went on with our ancestors. I know many black and brown people are upset about how Sam said we are all involved and I can see where you are coming from, but think about if people didn't recognize passed slavery and how we are working towards a better tomorrow for all races to live equally without any tension. It is almost like Native American aren't even acknowledged. The live on the reserves ad they are out of sight out of mind. They are trapped in a falling cycle that the can't get out of. The thing is that not everyone is going to feel this way. We were talking about settling in our TA classes and I think that some people feel strongly about certain things and other people feel a deep connection with a situation and the act upon that and make a change. I think Sam was just trying to "kick it out there" to help people realize that we are living and breathing on stolen red land. Some people will agree feel strongly about this and potentially make a change. Not everyone is going to do this but education is the only way for people to gain knowledge about certain events. I don't know how I want to approach this and try to make a difference because I do feel a certain way about this. I plan on becoming a teacher so it is possible to educate students about this. However, I think people are taking Sam's statement that it is all of our faults a little to far. I understand many of you are not white or your ancestors weren't even around what the Native American's had their land or religion taken away from them but in all reality we are all reaping the benefits of a solid foundation that was laid for us so we can succeed in life.

I agree I think that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman. Yes it is not being held as a sacred union anymore and people are getting married on a whim and for the wrong reasons and we should fix that in some way it needs to change. I don't think it would be easy obviously but it will prob never happen.But marriage is a religious commitment and it has been brought down. I think gay and lesbian couples can be together. I am not for it, but I understand that it is not a choice and people will feel how they feel. If they feel love that is great they should be each others companion, but I do not think they should be married in a religious sence. I feel that a marriage that takes place outside of a church is not a real true marriage. That was how I was brought up and that is what the catholic church has taught me. It is even grounds for an annulment if the wedding is outside of a church. So what I am trying to say is that if gay couples want to validate their commetment they should do it outside of the church and call it a union. It doesn't matter how hard they try to legalize gay marriage it will never happen in a church. I know I am not making complete sense, and it is because I am a very open person so I try to see all sides of the argument. I have many gay friends and I do feel that it is not their choice to be gay. I just dotn think they should be married in a church, people are going to do what they want and fight for what they want I am not trying say that I want to hold people back from their goals, but they should not get married in a church it should be a union outside or religious matters. I agree with the comment above from hannarose. there should be a new term that is created to indicate that two people are committed to each other. I do believe that two people of the same sex can have the same love as two people that are heterosexual, but they can celebrate their love in a different way then getting married to prove they are in love. I feel the same way about different sex couple who want to get married right away like after a month or so. This is just such a huge topic that I don't know if it will ever be solved. There are so many opinions and I fell that there are they states that will allow same sex unions and if you want to marry so bad go there and do it??

I agree with this I really hate how there is so much controversy about black and white rather than other races. When I first started taking this class I didn't realize that many people aren't african american. So many peoples ancestors in the room where never in slavery. Of course other people with black skin that weren't African American when there where jim crow laws and segregation. I do agree that because of the civil rights movement we have seen images of black people struggling under a white supremacy. But luckily things have changed and they will continue to change. However, I know at times many young white people feel like they have guilt about something from the past because of what happened in the past. I don't think we should feel this way. We need to get over this and move on and live with every race and color. There is just such tension between two racial groups because of our past and it is so sad how both the white and the black team feel about each other. It is always about white and black and I think it is because of the past event that happened here in America. This is a little off topic but it goes along with white and black. I would like to bring this up in my next discussion group but how do black people feel whenever they here people say how some black people are so "white". What I mean is if there is a black girl who talks more "white" whatever that means, but people will say she is the whitest black girl I know. I think that is sooooo interesting because if I were black I would get so offended by this statement. I just would really like to talk about how black people feel about this, and if they take offense to it. There is just so much prejudice on both sides and people don't realize it. I really want to be comfortable talking about race and talking to people of a different color but I feel like some black people have a prejudice against me because of the way I look until they get to know me. I have a great friends who are black and even sometimes I think about what I say because I don't want to offend them. For example this one time I was at a party and I was look for a certain type of soda I wanted and I couldn't find it. I looked over and saw that my black friends and one of my white friends had it and I said "ahhh you people have it". Now when I said that I knew my white friend was there I didn't mean oh you black people have it, but they made a joke out it like ohh you people. They weren't offended but I didn't get upset about it because I didn't mean it like that and my words got twisted.

I thought this blog post was really interesting because When i saw avatar I kind of though the same thing. It was like this great culture was being ruined because white explorers want claim their land for a certain purpose. However, I never heard this plot referred to the messiah complex. SOOOO many movies are based off of this plot and it is insane. Of course all of the movies are different in their own way, but so many revolve around a white (MAN) saving the day..... I think it is a little unoriginal, but then again their are other plots that have been used over and over as well. When I was watching this I did recognize that it was going to involve a white man trying to save a colonie of people that his people are trying to destroy. I recognize it right off the bat. I am white, and I even recognize the "white messiah" was well...white. I dont know why this struck me, because it has been in so many movies before maybe it was because the people where huge and blue and I was kind of laughing like this little white people are so tiny compared to them. I really don't know. BUT it is interesting to think about how if the main American character was black or brown how it might change how the movie was. I don't think Brook's was looking to far into it. Thinking about this is actually very simple and he is just stating a fact that is right in front of our eyes. What I thought was really cool about this " white messiah" was that he was handicapped. Because he was able to turn into an avatar and lead a completely different life this was a different element of the standard plot. This new body allowed him to do things that he never dreamed about. He was able to run and feel free in his own body...well actually a big blue body. Whatever the case, he was able to be free from his will chair. This brought some sympathy towards the main character. Im NOT trying tosay that if it was a black man we would have had sympathy towards him like aw look it is a a black messiah saving the day. I am just saying having the man have that empowerment made the story a little better then the standard plot. Now if there was a black of brown main character I don't think that the story would have been better or worse. I could definatly see a man of a different color playing that role and it still being a great movie.