en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/5368184 Comments by nsanders1 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/12/07/voices-from-the-classroom-224/#IDComment514659007 Taking this class was definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has opened my eyes to so many things I never even knew or thought about. This class has changed my way of thinking for the better. But I would have to say the things that stuck with me the most were the discussions on why white people and Asians are at the top of the economic ladder and black and brown people are at the bottom. I always knew this but I never really thought about why or thought to think that the possible reason for it goes way back to the times of slavery. Another thing I’ll always remember is the video of the black children, around seven years old, being asked to pick which doll they would rather play with, the white one or the black one, and a number like 15 out 21 of them choosing the white doll. This video was bone chilling to me. It’s so sad to think that kids that young, who haven’t even experienced the world themselves already have perceptions like that. It goes to show how messed up society still is and that there is still inequality and prejudice when it comes to race. I always knew there was but I think the reason this video really got to me was because the kids were so young. The lecture just the other day on multiculturalism really made me think too. The whole controversy with Chi-Omega is a great example as to how Penn State and I would even say a lot of society are still insensitive and ignorant when it comes to different cultures that are not our own. I think this a tough issue to touch base on because when problems like the Chi-Omega one arise it’s not always an issue of race or prejudice but more so an issue of ignorance. That doesn’t change the fact that matters like these are not offensive and shouldn’t be taken seriously but I do think that ignorance should definitely be taken into account. A lot of people, especially in college are always in their own little world with their friends, frat or sorority, or even own culture and don’t think about or try to learn about other ones outside of their own. So I don’t think we can necessarily punish them for that reason, but just try to educate them and then if after that, issues like this still arise, it will say a lot about the persons character and can be viewed as a matter of prejudice or racism. I could honestly blog all day about how much I have taken from Soc 119. I can’t think back and recall any class when I was bored or uninterested in what was being talked about. Every class has influenced me in some way, shape or form. I also enjoyed the separate discussion groups that come with this class; they have influenced my way of thinking as well. I loved hearing other people’s views on certain issues that no one would probably ever bring up with their friends, especially not before this class. I also liked hearing what others took from Sam’s lectures and I found it interesting that certain things that affected some people had no effect on other people. I just love bringing up social issues now and taking about it with my friends to hear their views on them. I recommended this class to all my friends and to almost every person I met and have a conversation with. I’m honestly going to be sad when this class is over because I enjoyed it so much and it really made me appreciate learning. Sun, 9 Dec 2012 19:07:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/12/07/voices-from-the-classroom-224/#IDComment514659007 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/12/01/voices-from-the-classroom-217/#IDComment508343937 I feel like most peoples main issue when it comes to deciding if they would interracial date or not is what others such as their friends and family will think of them. I have always thought that people who are against interracial dating were silly because I really see no issue with it all. My mom is white and she has only ever been with black guys. She has four kids and all of them are mixed, but I, although mixed, prefer white guys. I have nothing against black guys at all, infect I have a good amount of black guy friends, I have just never felt attracted to one before and there’s still a chance that one day maybe I will. I think a lot of people are concerned with keeping ones culture or changing to be more like the other race. I also feel as though that people think about stereotypes too much and are not even open to the idea of interracial dating. I still know a lot of people today how are against it, a lot of black women seem to be the ones who have the biggest problem with it because they see it as the white women taking all of the good black men. _Another factor could be if you grew up being surrounded by people of all different races and nationalities then you would be more willing and accepting of possibly pursuing a relationship with someone who is of a different ethnic background and most likely so would your friends that you have in that area, so you wouldn’t have to worry about being judged. Also, that would make the person more comfortable seeing other people who are in interracial relationships. If you are comfortable with the issue of race and feel little or no prejudice towards any other race than it is more likely that you will engage in an interracial relationship. _If you are a person who has not been exposed to people of the other race as much as others than the idea of interracial dating is more likely to be completely foreign and ludicrous to you. A lot of my white friends have a problem with interracial dating and always say they would never date a black guy but I think their reasoning goes back to stereotypes and also a lot of my friends have grown up in predominately white areas so they were most likely never exposed to it as a child. They always say that their parents would be so upset if they brought home a black guy so I think your upbringing and the way your parents view interracial dating definitely has an impact on how you view it. _ Mon, 3 Dec 2012 04:02:23 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/12/01/voices-from-the-classroom-217/#IDComment508343937 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/06/voices-from-the-classroom-204/#IDComment487652886 I thought Tuesday’s class was a very good class. The topic of the LGBT community is a very controversial and touchy topic for some but it needs to be talked about. In my opinion being gay isn’t a choice. A lot of people who, when first realize they have feelings for someone of the same sex they try to fight it and are ashamed of it because they know how most would treat them if they were public about it. I honestly don’t know anyone who would choose to go through the kind of ridicule the LGBT community endures daily. Another thing is why would a gay person be “in the closet” if they chose to be that way. I don’t understand why anyone would make a decision they would be ashamed of. And being gay in America isn’t even half as bad as being gay in other countries. Some countries overseas shun and lock people up for being gay. Some places your own family will even disown you or try to get you help, especially if their culture is very religious. I think being gay definitely has some scientific reasoning. Even if there aren’t facts to back it up yet, but then again there is still no cure for cancer. I’m not saying being gay is a disease, I’m saying there’s a lot of things out there that we don’t have the answers to yet and we may not ever but I still don’t think that gives people the right to go around talking about things they have no idea about. Most straight people most likely wouldn’t ever even try to put themselves in the shoes of a gay person, because they’re so closed minded. I don’t even mean that “try to think how you would feel if you were gay” it doesn’t even have to go there. I just simply mean, think about how you would feel if someone ridiculed and mentally abused you on a regular basis just because your idea of being happen isn’t the same as theirs. I don’t understand why there was ever an issue with a person being gay in the first place because at the end of day how do two guys or two girls being together affect you. It doesn’t. Seeing two guys being together has no effect on my life whatsoever, and it would be a waste of breath and time to complain about it because when it all comes down to it a person could say how wrong it is that their together but it’s still not going to stop them from being together. I think the only reason why people say that other people choose to be gay because it gives them comfort in the way that they know it was never possible for them to be gay if it’s a personal chose and they’re against it. Mon, 12 Nov 2012 03:36:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/06/voices-from-the-classroom-204/#IDComment487652886 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-201/#IDComment480612814 I think the topic of rape, pregnancy and abortion is definitely overlooked and more complex than people seem to think it is. Many people have strong views on this matter and it can be a very touchy topic sometimes. But I feel it’s much deeper than just pro choice or pro life. Growing up was I was prolife because I had gone to catholic school for so long and in my religion classes they basically teach you to think prolife only. It actually wasn’t until about after I graduated high school that I really sat down and thought about the whole ongoing debate of prolife or prochoice. I did think of it as what if it were me or my younger sister and then I started to realize that, I love kids but I’m still not ready for that and I know my sister isn’t either. I should be the one to decide if I want to have an abortion or not, its my body and the decision I make has no affect on anyone else but me. Going to the issue of when a woman gets raped than pregnant, I definitely think its up to her and that there should be no judgment on her decision. I’ve never been raped but I can only imagine how traumatizing that has to be. And then to have a baby, that looks like the rapist and have to be reminded of that experience everyday just isn’t fair. I mean I know it’s not the little baby’s fault but it’s also not the woman’s either. I also feel like people don’t take into consideration the other factors that might cause a woman to get an abortion. If you don’t know they’re story than you have no room to judge at all. A lot of people don’t try to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and if they do they would always say that they would keep the baby or that if their daughter got pregnant they would make her keep the baby. But if your daughter is 14 and gets pregnant and you’re not doing too well financially, would you really want to bring a newborn baby into the picture? I feel like this is always going to be a never ending debate and people think its bad in America but they don’t realize that it’s ten times worse in other countries. Most women in other countries don’t even have the option of birth control or abortion. They are at a much higher risk for rape than women in America and I feel like no one ever thinks about that. Young girls get raped and pregnant in other countries all the time and can never do anything about it. I definitely think that people need to get a better understanding of this issue, especially if they’re are going to try and preach about it. Sun, 4 Nov 2012 23:04:51 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-201/#IDComment480612814 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/25/voices-from-the-classroom-197/#IDComment475252612 I don’t find his appearance intimidating and I don’t see it to be a reason to think that he would be unapproachable. I am not a judgmental person at all but I know that some of my friends would definitely find someone of color who looks like this to be unapproachable. I’ll never understand why because unless I just saw him do something to give me a reason to think that he is unapproachable then I’m not going to think that. Most people apply what they see on TV shows and in movies about certain races and cultures to everyday life. Like I know people would assume that he probably looks mean and ignorant based off his appearance when he is most likely smart and a very down to earth guy. In the past few months I’ve learned that most people who look unapproachable are usually very approachable people. We unconsciously use stereotypes to judge people everyday. Because of those stereotypes we find people unapproachable or we assume that we already know what they’re like without even trying to get to know them. I know this because I am guilty of doing this too, I try not be anymore but I know I was before and after talking to people I thought were unapproachable or intimidating I ask myself why I even thought that in the first place. Mon, 29 Oct 2012 02:52:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/25/voices-from-the-classroom-197/#IDComment475252612 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/18/voices-from-the-classroom-191/#IDComment469602214 If I had a dollar for every time somebody told me that I was given something because I was black, I would be fairly wealthy. I have always had friends of many different races and sometimes they would forget I was not white and would slip up and say offensive things to me. I will never forget the day I was chosen as a student ambassador over my friend Erin Farley and she whispered to me, “its because you are black”. I wanted to say something really mean back to her, but I didn’t. I just smiled and said you should be careful of the things you say to people. Our friendship was always a little awkward after that because I now knew how she really felt about things. Affirmative action has come to be a sensitive subject among people and often times people not of color do not think it is fair. I have heard so many times that I was given an opportunity over someone else just because I was black. I don’t think this is true. People sometimes in anger look at things and do not take everything into account. This has happened to me many times, but it was very obvious when I was applying to college. I remember when I got into St. Joes, and received $30,000 dollars in scholarship and was excited and told my friend at work and he simply stated that I only got that much money because I was black. I only got into Penn State, because I was black. I didn’t get into these schools because I had a 4.0gpa all four years, over 1,000 hours of community service, took 5AP classes and was in my schools accelerated program. Affirmative action laws are in place for a reason, even if not everyone agrees with them. Last year in my philosophy class we watched a video, which showed how some schools are opening up the question of sexuality on applications. This is interesting to me because I personally never thought of doing that however, if you look at the situation it is somewhat similar. Gays, Lesbians, Bi and Transgender people are discriminated against on a daily basis (similar to African Americans, when Affirmative Action was put in place). This would give the LGBT community higher chances of getting into colleges and receiving scholarship money. I wonder if this would take money away the money colleges give to minority students or would it be entirely separate? This hasn’t been a huge issue, yet but with the changing times I could see this becoming a big deal and people being bothered by this. Affirmative Action, is a result of discrimination. The next time somebody says something along the lines of …. It’s because you are …….. they are only showing their ignorance and jealousy. Mon, 22 Oct 2012 03:53:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/18/voices-from-the-classroom-191/#IDComment469602214 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/10/voices-from-the-classroom-181/#IDComment464001519 I think to some extent everyone is afraid to die. To one day leave your life here on earth. To leave your family, your friends, your children, your job, the house you love and everything else that adds value to your life. However, everyday people sign up to fight for our country. They enlist to fight in the army, as a marine, in the air force, in the navy, as a coast guard or in the National Guard. They enlist in something that could possibly claim their life. Something that takes them away from their family and friends for days, months and maybe even years. They do this willingly; they do this to serve our country. They do this for freedom, for democracy, for justice. It would be impossible to sit here and list the reasons why every solider enlists in war, however there has to be some sort of common theme. As citizens of the United States, I think it should be instilled in our minds to respect, love, and support our troops. To never blame them for the reasons why we are at war, to thank them for volunteering so we don’t have a draft, for willingly sacrificing their lives for our freedom and safety. They deserve strong welcomes home, support while at war, and even more support when they come back. One can never understand what it is like to go away to war and then come back. We will never know what they face there. However, what we can do is continue to help them once back in whatever they may need. Learning that soldiers have the highest suicide rate is frightening and really sad, for lack of better words. Just as they fulfill their civic duty by going to war we must fulfill ours and help them help themselves. However, also as citizens we need to pressure our government to support our troops more. VA coverage is not good at all. The majority of soldiers do not get depression treatment because the government is bad at catching it and treating it. There are no programs that help soldiers reintegrate into life back home. When a solider comes back from war, it can be hard to deal with life and find a job, to become readjusted into life t home. We need to help them. We need to pressure our government to do more our troops. America invests so much money into military spending, yet we stop investing in our troops once they come home. This is very crooked and wrong. As citizens we need to make our voices heard and light the fire under the government and make them help our troops. That is what it means to support our troops; the gift baskets we make in class and the cards we send only do so much especially when they stop as soon as he/she gets home. Side Note: Another thing, I find extremely interesting is since Vietnam was not actually declared a war those veterans received almost nothing, they got the bare minimum of everything post war. Another overlooked flaw of our government. Mon, 15 Oct 2012 03:36:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/10/voices-from-the-classroom-181/#IDComment464001519 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/07/voices-from-the-classroom-177/#IDComment457909716 The question of do we have the responsibility to those born less fortunate than us really makes me think. My first instinct is to yes to this question but then after thinking about it, I find reasons to say no but when it all comes down to it I would argue yes. No one gets to choose the family their born into or what their financial income their going to have. The people who are born into wealthy families are the lucky ones, and I believe that if you have morals than you’ll feel right away that you have a responsibility to help those less fortunate. I think of this situation the same way as I think of helping handicapped people, they didn’t choose to be handicapped and therefore the people who are not handicapped have a responsibility to help them. The poem “The White Man’s Burden” written by the English poet Rudyard Kipling in 1899 even talks about how those more fortunate have an obligation to those less fortunate whether they like it or not. The poem can be viewed in many different ways though, “one view proposes that white people have an obligation to rule over, and encourage the cultural development of people from other ethnic and cultural backgrounds until they can take their place in the world economically and socially.” The term "the white man's burden" has been interpreted by some as racist, or possibly taken as a metaphor for a condescending view of undeveloped national culture and economic traditions, identified as a sense of European ascendancy which has been called "cultural imperialism". Another view is the philanthropic view, which was the common view around the time this poem was published. This view stated that the rich have a moral duty and obligation to help "the poor" "better" themselves whether the poor want the help or not. Although there may be many arguments against this poem I do think it’s a good example of this issue and that it’s not silly to think that people who are wealthy should help the less fortunate. I also think that if someone were to disagree with this that it says a lot about what kind of person they are and what kind of morals they I have. I guess I can understand the view that “why should we help them, they’re just lazy and need to work”, but then I again I can’t. Not everyone is in the place to work, some people who really need and want work, can’t get work because of their background or lack of experience. I feel like it’s stupid for people to say that poor people are lazy, no one wants to be poor. And the people who say that are the ones who got a head start in life because of the family they were born into. Mon, 8 Oct 2012 02:56:26 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/10/07/voices-from-the-classroom-177/#IDComment457909716 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-172/#IDComment452525266 I think Dr. Jones’ statement is completely true. When people hear stories that have been passed around between a few people before it got to them, the story is most likely lacking information or contains false information. This is a big issue in today’s society because when people are told something they only hear what they want to hear. Most of the time people are so eager to the next big news or the hot gossip going around and are ready to put their own spin on it, even if they have no idea who the person is that is being talked about it or what the issue may even be. It’s so easy to put a spin on a story and have someone believe it regardless of how ridiculous it may sound. For example, last Tuesday when Dr. Jones had a student read a story and remember as much of it as he could then tell it to the next person and so on, by the time it go to the last person it didn’t even make sense. I believe one of the lines of the story by the time it got to the end was “there this black kid who wanted to become African American” or it was at least something along those lines. But still once you hear something like that why even repeat it, it makes no sense whatsoever and it’s in no way possible true. I know that was just an in class exercise and the students had to do it but stuff like that really happens in today’s society. People hear stuff they know isn’t true or at least have some kind of idea that it’s probably not true but repeat it anyway just because they want to be a part of things. Everyone always wants to fit in and they’ll do whatever it takes to. Another thing Dr. Jones mentioned was the use of the word “nigger” and how powerful and hurtful it can be. I am half white and half black, so I’ve never been called it because people always just assume I’m white or something else. Although this is true, the use of the word still bothers me regardless of who it’s being used against. One of my very good friends is black and someone called her a nigger in my presence when she wasn’t around. This made me so angry. I don’t see the need for this term to be used it doesn’t make anyone using it any cooler and in my eyes it says a lot about what kind of person you really are. This happened recently too which made me even more upset and the fact that all of my other friends that were around laughed about it. They didn’t seem to see any bad in the kid calling my friend a nigger, and if they did they didn’t speak up or show it. When I said something they all defended him and said he was only joking but I would never find that word being used in any way funny at all. I also think that one of the worst parts of this situation was the people that were laughing also considered my friend to be their friend too. This goes back to what I was first talking about how people will do anything to fit in, no matter how wrong it may be. Mon, 1 Oct 2012 02:55:11 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/27/voices-from-the-classroom-172/#IDComment452525266 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/20/voices-from-the-classroom-169/#IDComment447266404 The quote of the day is very close-minded, unfair and unjust statement in reference to the Islamic people. A religion does not define its people. Everybody has a story; everybody believes for a different reason, everybody worships for his or her own personal and spiritual growth. Graham is very ignorant to make such a profound statement, especially as someone with so much power and in such a high place. As a man with so much influence, I think that they should be more open minded, well rounded and cultured. His statement says that all Americans blame Islam, which is not the case. However, at the same time 9/11 was a very hard and confusing time for everybody involved, including all Americans, the president, everybody. Despite conspiracy saying that it was in an inside job, everybody was affected by the events of 9/11 and were looking for somebody to place blame on, similar to the Holocaust. It would be wrong to have blamed all the Catholics for the Inquisition and it would be wrong to blame all Catholics for the events surrounding the molestation of young boys. It would also be wrong to blame all of Penn State for the acts of Jerry Sandusky. Blaming such a large group of people for the acts of a few is stupid, to say the least. Lastly, America is supposed to be a country that practices the separation of church and state and I find it interesting that the President has a religious advisor. I wonder what his role is, and if it is to help make the separation of church and state clear or find ways around the separation of church and state. This man does not seem fit to be advising anybody especially the President on religious matters, especially after such a traumatizing time to our country. Mon, 24 Sep 2012 03:56:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/20/voices-from-the-classroom-169/#IDComment447266404 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/12/voices-from-the-classroom-162/#IDComment442097542 I think for us to become accepting of those different than us, we have to first embrace the differences and get to know others. When I say others I mean all those of different races and cultures. I can honestly say that even before taking this class I thought I have always been accepting of others, but looking back I don’t know anymore. Since taking this class I have been more aware of any racial comments made by my friends or anyone around me. But now when I really think about the whole race and culture differences issues, I don’t understand why there is an issue in the first place if we were all made to be equal and made in the image and likeness of God, although some may not believe that last statement. I know how to see past the differences because they don’t necessarily affect me or do me any harm in anyway. Just because someone else isn’t the same color as me or isn’t the same religion doesn’t give me any right to say anything bad about them because we grew up in different environments and I wouldn’t want anyone saying anything about me. I am a pretty accepting and laid back person so it may be easier for myself to be more accepting I am also multi-racial so I am I able to form different views. But I think in order for others to be accepting too, the issues that are at hand must be laid out on the table and discussed. I think when other people judge those with disabilities it says a lot about their character and what kind of person they are, especially if someone is making a comment about a person with down-syndrome or who is autistic. The people who were born with their disabilities couldn’t control obviously had no control over it. No one can control what race, culture or economic status they are born into. So when you really think about it judging someone or having a problem with someone because of something that was out of their control is completely Ludacris. When Sam talks about getting past differences and bringing it into our universe then letting it go, I feel as though he is saying to realize the differences, don’t forget them but respect them. Some people just pretend they don’t not the difference and then go talk about someone behind their back, I think that’s worse than showing your feelings towards the person because at least when the feelings are put out on the table there is a way to come to terms and fix them. When people hide their true feelings that’s how the issues remain and no one gets past each other’s difference much less accept them. Mon, 17 Sep 2012 01:48:14 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/12/voices-from-the-classroom-162/#IDComment442097542 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/04/voices-from-the-classroom-160/#IDComment437646153 Slavery was a very dark time in American history. There is no exact date to when it ended, but it is said to have lasted 465 years. That is 465 years of being beaten down, both physically and mentally, that is 465 years of families being ripped apart, that is 465 years of being forced to work against your will, that is 465 years of prayers waiting to be answered. African Americans held on to faith for 465 years that they would be freed. They sang songs, they prayed, they worshipped and they believed. Many were killed on the road to freedom, many died before their prayers were able to be answered, however some lived to see their nightly prayers answered. The one who answered their prayers was God. It can be said that African Americans have a deeper relationship in God because their ancestors were slaves. I agree with this because, during slavery they had no hope of ever being free. Foreigners brought African Americans over here against their will and forced to change their identity, separate from their families, and were often time beaten. In such horrible circumstances, you can either give up or chose to believe in something. Most made the choice to believe that maybe something would set them free. This something they believed in was God. They held on to their faith and beliefs that their God, would free them from the white man. Hence, they placed all their eggs in God’s basket. Their faith in God was clearly very strong since he was their only hope. God, then answered their prayers and they were free. God, came through for the slaves. Such a strong faith was then passed down from generation to generation. As time past more information was discovered, churches were built, and congregations were formed. Thus allowing them to pray together, worship together, and thank God together for freeing their ancestors. With such a big thing to be thankful for, they found certain closeness to God that could only be felt by other African Americans. They held on to faith for so long even after slavery ended, Africans Americans were still oppressed. They still held on to their faith. There is something to be said and something almost programmed in most African Americans to believe in God, to believe that even in the darkest hours he will be there for you, to answer your prayers. It may not always be easy, as shown through slavery but he will come. This is why African Americans have such strong faith today, because they know God will come. Mon, 10 Sep 2012 03:47:23 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/09/04/voices-from-the-classroom-160/#IDComment437646153