After scheduling my classes for my first semester senior year, I knew what to expect from my usual communications classes. However, I had heard so much about SOC 119 and wasn’t sure what the class would be like. I obviously knew we would be learning about race relations but I was unaware of all of the other various topics we touched upon throughout the semester. The experience of being in SOC 119 is very hard to describe to someone who has not taken the class. I am thankful I had the opportunity to attend the lecture and in class discussions for the past 15 weeks.

I think one of the major learning tools used in the class is the discussion room. It can often be hard to stay tuned in the lecture if you are thinking about other things. The classroom discussion allows you to vocalize your opinion on certain issues and hear from others’ perspective. My discussion group was mostly females and two males. Although some of us had conflicting views on certain situations, I still learned by hearing these differences. You may think you believe in something until someone else introduces you to a different approach or scenario.

I think everyone at Penn State should take this class. With so much diversity in the United States, it is essential to know how to approach race relations. Our country is only going to become even more diverse in the years to come. It is really important to accept all different cultures, races and ethnicities. Taking this class has made me confident that in my future experience in the work force I will be ready to have these types of conversations. I highly anticipate having to participate in work diversity programs and other types of workshops so I need to be comfortable in these types of situations.

Although it sounds cliché, I was so naïve before being in this class. I knew so little about race relations and all of the problems and issues existing in our country today. At many points during class, I felt guilty or sad for the discrimination that exists and will continue to exist against certain people. I feel as though the education on race relations I have received through this class will allow me to have these types of conversations and sound intelligent. Also, I think to respect other people you have to know something about them. I have grown to have so much respect for many ethnicity in the United States today and their background stories.

I am thankful I had the chance to listen to Sam’s lectures and see his perspective. He really has provided us all with such great insight and the ability to understand the culture we live in.

I grew up in a very Catholic family and attended Church every Sunday as well as the Holy Days of Obligation. I attended Catholic grade school and Catholic high school. Each year in grade school, we would concentrate on different subjects but our religion class was always the most important in the eyes of the principal and instructors. Entering high school, the class regarding religion was theology, the study of religion, rather than a concentration of Catholicism. This was because our high school recognized not everyone in attendance was of the Catholic religion. However, the vast majority of our studies focused on just Catholicism.

Coming into my first year at Penn State, I was accustomed to being surrounded by people just like me. White and Catholic females and males were the demographic I had grown up with for the past eighteen years of my life. I began to slowly recognize there were many cultures, people and religions surrounding me at this huge university. It wasn’t until I joined my sorority, Delta Gamma, that I really had first hand interactions with girls from all types of backgrounds.

With this being said, I am completely unfamiliar with the Jewish religion. I have little to none of interaction before coming to college with Jewish people. I have attended only 2 bat mitzvahs for my neighbors and really did not get what was going on during the ceremony or meaning behind the ceremony. A girl in my pledge class, Kimmy, had grown up in a predominately Jewish area. She had a similar experience of being surrounded with people just like her. We both would laugh at the fact that we both thought everyone was Jewish or everyone was Catholic.

Since my freshman, I would say I have not done much to expose myself to other religions, Judaism in particular. I have read about the Holocaust and learned about the devastating events in history class as a little girl. However, I was never aware of the discrimination and hate toward Jewish people throughout history.

I think it is sad we live in a world where anti-Semitism still exists. Why does hatred for a certain group of people still exist? Why do we feel we can use something such as religion as a segregation tool for our reason to hate an entire population?

If I were a Jewish person, I would feel extremely confused and vulnerable. I would feel like people were always judging me based solely on my religion. I would probably begin to be very cynical and judgmental of other people who were not Jewish. I think as an American population we need to educate our youth more on Jewish history in hopes to reduce this vicious hate.

In today’s society, more cultures, races and ways of life surround us. In recent years, more topics of diversity have been more popular than others. The topic of homosexuality seems to be a part of conversation more today than in past years. More men and women are coming out. More people are embracing the homosexual orientation. Some are not accepting at all and may possibly reprimand the gay community. It leads to a popular question in many people’s minds. Is being gay a choice or is something you are born with?

This question is something I have thought about before. In my personal experience, I know someone who has come out to their mom proclaiming they are gay. However, this person has never told me that they are gay. Around my family and me, the person does not act “gay.” Yet, on the person’s Facebook, they make comments pertaining to their sexual orientation and are very open on this social media. It has come across my mind a few times is this person really gay or have they chose this gay community because they feel they fit in there? It has lead both my family members and me contemplating this very question.

I think it was so brave of everyone in class who openly acknowledged they were gay. It takes a ton of courage to do such a thing in front of a huge lecture hall of seven hundred of your peers. I could never imagine the obstacles they have had to overcome throughout their short life. They must have so many emotions constantly occupying their mind. I commend their bravery and optimistic attitudes. They have nothing to be embarrassed about themselves. Gay, lesbian and transgender are just like you and me. We are in no place or status to be judging him or her.

I was particularly impressed with the two males who volunteered for the exercise. They were comfortable with who they are and had no problem helping out with the activity. I thought the activity was very beneficial. It made the scrutiny and criticism toward the gay community appear so sill.

I felt terrible for the one boy who had said he knew he was gay since he was five. It made me so upset that he remembers praying to God asking if he could like girls. I think it is terrible someone at such a young age had to question their identity and feel bad for being who they are. I attended Catholic school as well and can empathize with the beliefs and values taught in the Catholic school atmosphere. I think religious institutions need to be more accepting of all people and take a step back and think about what it really means to love your neighbor as yourself.

When thinking about Thursday’s class, there were a bunch of topics brought up. We ended with a few questions from class members regarding what we have learned thus far. I was put off by the tweet saying, “Sam only talks about racism.” I think we have touched upon so many subjects covering a wide spectrum of different political, racial and cultural views.

When the topic of rape was brought up, it created much attention in the lecture room. Rape is a very sensitive subject in the United States. With the presidential election coming up, I feel like it may be even fresher in society’s minds about their stance on the issue. It seems as if one candidate will always be pro-life and the other candidate will always be pro-abortion. The roles typically stay consistent for the Republican and Democratic Party.

I was raised Catholic. I attended Catholic grade school and Catholic high school. The majority of my life I have been accustomed to the traditional customs and beliefs of Catholicism. Sometimes I wondered what I truly believed in and what I had supported within the Catholic Church.

From a young age, I have heard about the topic of abortion. It was normal to hear about this in school and be taught that all life is precious from the moment of conception until natural death. In school we would pray for the unborn babies who were never given a chance to live. We were encouraged to attend the Walk For Life in Washington, D.C. to walk for unborn babies in an effort to terminate abortion. We had a Respect Life Club that would meet monthly and make efforts to help the cause. All of this was to protect human life. I believe that we need to respect life and realize the precious gift of life.

However, I am torn when thinking about if abortion is applicable to certain situations. I think being raped is one of the saddest things a woman can go through. I personally do not know anyone who has been raped. I am sure my view would be different if I had known someone who had been raped.

So in certain circumstances I would possibly stray from my religion and say it would be okay to have that done. As long as the baby is not developed, I think you are making an okay choice. The woman should have the option. We can never bee one hundred percent sure of someone’s background, how they were raised and the events that have lead to the person they are today. Sometimes you need to take a step back and refrain from judgment. Sometimes we all need to open our eyes and let our beliefs and education be set aside and deal with the real matter at hand.

Following Tuesday’s class, I can not say I was necessarily surprised. I believe discrimination is still very common in the United States. Although many citizens like to believe equal opportunity exists and everyone is treated fairly, it is sometimes more often than we think not the case. I have never had personal experience in this area but I have had previous classes that have incorporated these types of scenarios and issues.

In the past, I have seen the clips from “What Would You Do” demonstrating the prejudice existing in our culture. It is interesting to witness how the reactions of bystanders differ based upon the ethnicity or gender of the perpetrator. Although most of the class was laughing when the man was more inclined to help the attractive woman, I thought it was a prime example of how shallow and materialistic our culture can be. Would the scenario have been different if the woman was not attractive and pleasing to the man? Of course the situation would have been different. He would not have been as willing to help a less fortunate looking woman.

The statistics portraying the differences between white and black incarceration rates convey discrimination in the criminal system. I think many Americans, displayed by the statistics, associate race with crime and the likelihood of an individual committing a crime. How can we reverse this statistic? Is there anyone speaking out on this drastic issue? I think it is the duty of the criminal justice system to reevaluate how the sentences of criminals are addressed and the severity of punishments. It just seems very odd how the criminal justice can get away with punishing a certain race more severely than another. I don’t understand how discrimination like this slips through the cracks and is not acknowledged.

I think American citizens need to be more cognizant of the discrimination that exists in the workplace and social settings. Many people could get caught into a bad situation if they are not careful about how they treat others and the verbal communication that occurs between different parties.

I think many Americans would like to believe that we have come so far in history and our views on different races and cultures. However, after taking SOC 119, I have been exposed to so much information that I was not familiar with. Discrimination still plays a serious part in American society and culture and it beneficial to turn a blind eye. I think one of the main reasons solutions or efforts are being formed because people like to enjoy the idea that their workplace or educational setting accepts all races, ages and cultures. The truth is that discrimination is still a main issue in our nation and it should be our concern to stop the negligent and biased opinions we have of people unlike ourselves.

It is really a crazy thought to think about how the people who originally owned the land in America are being kicked out of their own territory. I think it is extremely inconsiderate of how we have taken over and basically have run the Native Americans out of their land.

The man who talked to the class was very insightful and I thought it was great how he was able to come and share a little bit with us. It definitely had a bigger impact on the portrayal of the message, as we were able to witness the tone and emotion of his experiences.

I thought it was extremely sad to see the statistic for teenage suicide and the other negative consequences of the Native Americans experiencing such great poverty. It is shameful how many women are assaulted and raped. It is astonishing the men committing these acts are not their own people. Why are these women such a target to abuse? Why do white men think it is okay to treat any human being this way? There needs to be more protection for these women and children on the reservations.

I am sure it is so disheartening for the lack of opportunities for people on the reservations. I do not understand how discrimination can exist on the reservations. These people are looking to help themselves yet they are being turned away and shut down with every attempt. How will the Native Americans ever come out of poverty if they are constantly being denied of the freedoms for other people of this country?

Watching the demonstration by Sam of people taking over someone’s land posed many questions that I was unsure of how to answer. If you were kicked off of your parent’s land, you should be entitled to retrieve that land back. However, how far down the line should this apply? In the case of the Native Americans, we are disregarding generations of people that have come before us and are ignoring their existence and everything they have provided to this country. Who is the root of this fault?

I am wondering how this issue can be addressed and how the Native American people can rise above this. Is there a chance for them to rise above their situation? Will they ever come out of their oppression? Who do we need to go to have some positive result take action?

I thought the way we ended Tuesday’s class was very nice to reflect on the situation that I feel many of us are not educated surrounding the issue. The chant/prayer he sang was very touching and you can tell he has a great passion for his family, friends and people. We need to make an effort to help the Native Americans and provide some restitution for the wrong we have done to them.

Today in America it is a social norm to attend a college or university, whether it be to receive an associate degree or bachelor degree. For many of the positions in the work force, it is a requirement to have completed this level of education.

In high school, I was a member of student council and National Honor Society as well as a member of the girls’ soccer, lacrosse, cross country and track team. I chose all of these extracurricular activities because I enjoy playing the sports and being involved at my high school. However, participating in all of these activities helped my applications for college. In the back of my mind, I knew the extracurriculars would be an asset for the application process. I had the free will to opt for the activities I was interested in doing however I believe the determinism was a factor in my decisions.

All events leading up to attending Penn State are all apart of the deterministic aspect. I was trying to achieve the best grades for my GPA as well as have a good SAT score to be able to be accepted into the colleges of my choice.

Fortunately for me, I had the ability to select schools I liked with little regard to the tuition amount. My older brother and sister had already gone through college and had selected high-tuition universities. Although I had the free will to select any school, I felt I should apply to a more conservatively priced college. This caused me to apply to Penn State University.

I applied to four colleges, Saint Joseph’s University, Scranton University, University of Delaware and Penn State University. I was accepted to all of the colleges except for the University of Delaware. Despite my hard work and involvement at my high school, I was unable to freely choose where I wanted to go.

Sometimes the section to select what race you are bothers me. I understand universities need to have a diverse environment. However, I should not be reconsidered due to the fact that I am white. Each student should be looked upon for his or her grades, SAT scores and extracurricular activities. It bothers me that there is a required number for international students. I studied abroad and I know it is a great experience to grow and learn about you. Yet, how many American students are being denied each year due to the requirements of accepting international students. My guess is that most of the international students will be taking their degree with them back to their country and working.

I believe coming to Penn State was based off of both free will and determinism and I am happy to say I am a student at one of the greatest universities in the nation.

When I think about the lecture incorporating the salaries for the different races in America, I was not exactly shocked. I did not realize how drastic of a gap existed between the highest household income race and the lowest household income race. I was not very surprised that Asians were at the top and black Americans were at the bottom.

I completely agree with Sam when he said the wealthy people in America control the government and how they make decisions. I think the political leaders are completely influenced by those with money. The people with money want to assure they will remain wealthy and will do what they have to to be at the top of society.

I like how Sam said you can’t just look at your own personal story. Everyone has a personal experience or a reason for how their views are about certain topics. You have to look outside of the box and realize all of the contributing factors.

I appreciate everything I have been given from my parents. As one of five children, I am extremely lucky for having my college education paid for as well as my rent, food and clothes. I think college kids who have to provide for themselves should be so proud. I sometimes feel selfish that I have had everything provided for me. I am extremely fortunate that I will graduate college without any student loans to pay off and have zero debt.

I think if you work hard you can accomplish what you want. I think you need to work hard to make the connections you want. It is a lot easier though if you start higher. I think it is really discouraging knowing you are at the bottom and as hard as you wok you can still be so far behind. I think we need to become more involved and not let the wealthy completely control how society will work.

Although Asians are the actual leader, I agree that white people are really at the top since we are the majority. However, I think America has become so diverse and white people soon may be the minority.

I thought it was interesting how wealthy Asians are the ones who are coming to America. I am curious of their reasoning to move to America and not stay in their countries with their families. I know America has so much to offer but I don’t know why so many of them choose to uproot their families and move to this country. From some of the international students I know, I have heard them say they are only coming to America for the education and plan on moving back to their countries when they are done school.

In Thursday’s class, we saw a picture of a female student from Ohio State University who has extreme courage and dedication to her religion. I did not know anything about the Sikh religion and their beliefs prior to Thursday’s class.

I think it is disgraceful that her photo was posted on Facebook with negative and hurtful comments regarding her appearance. The people who posted the photo should be ashamed of themselves. There could have been serious consequences to posting that photo with the mean remarks. What if she was dealing with something really serious that no one knew about? Seeing the picture and comments could have put her over the edge. People need to start using common sense when it comes to social media. It is completely unacceptable to make fun or make cruel comments on the Internet.

It is upsetting to see how many shallow people there are in today’s society. Not to mention so many people today hide behind their computer screens and think they can say whatever they desire.

Although she did not need to offer an explanation for her appearance, I thought it was so great the way she responded. I think the respect and loyalty she has for her religion is very inspiring. She demonstrates how devoted she truly is to Sikhism by not allowing her physical appearance to be an excuse to shave.

I think the tweet from the male in class was so rude after Sam had just begun to discuss the subject. The female in class who was so honest about her own choice to not shave was so brave. To announce that kind of information to seven hundred of your peers is something not many people our age would do. Although her choice to not shave is for her own personal reasons and not tied to a religious purpose or belief, reflects on how few people choose something against a “norm” of our society.

I think this was a good lesson for people of our age. Today so many females are obsessed with how they look and what the male population thinks of them. Appearance is something ranked highly in our culture and the media has us consumed by looking beautiful and being thin. It is so sad to think that many males would judge her instantly and possibly not give her the opportunity based off of her appearance. I think she is so strong and a great role model for all females, young and old.

As a society, we need to stop following the crowd and each take a stance for what we believe in. We should become more educated on the traditions of different religions and cultures within our country. However, we don’t always need an explanation for something someone chooses to do. We need to be a more accepting society and also stand up for what we believe in no matter what other people may think.

The quote displayed in Thursday’s class originally shocked me. When I first viewed the quote by the Iranian spiritual advisor, I thought he was close-minded and evil for saying such a thing. I almost expected his statement because I believed Islamic people were not fond of Christian people. I believed a good amount of the reason behind the terrorist attacks on September 11th were due to religion and a hate for the United States.

When Professor Richards revealed the quote was from an American, Christian advisor, I originally was taken back and almost felt embarrassed for judging the Iranian spiritual advisor. The quote was so ignorant and unnecessary. I was unaware there was a spiritual advisor to the president and government. How much influence do these advisors have on the final decisions made by the United States government? Why is the spiritual advisor Christian when there are various religions in the United States?

I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school from kindergarten until 12th grade. I know there is a certain mindset within the religion and certain beliefs of how certain aspects in life should be handled. However, it upsets me that retaliation at the hands of innocent civilians would be considered a solution.

I can definitely see some extreme Christians agreeing with the spiritual advisor’s statement. It is not satisfying to believe that your religion could have so much animosity and no consideration for the many innocent people who will suffer the repercussions.

After Skyping with Pedram, I am more curious about how similar our cultures may be despite the opposite view. Although our cultures differ in obvious ways such as language and customs, we have a variety of topics on which we can relate.

In America, I feel we are sometimes not as welcoming as we could be to different people and their way of life. We are not as accepting of different cultures as we could be. We have the mentality of “If you choose to reside in America, learn our customs and adapt to them.” Yet, we travel to other countries and often expect the inhabitants of that land to welcome us and even speak to us in English!

By being a part of SOC 119, I feel awful for judging the Middle East people over the actions of a small portion. Although I take the blame for not doing more research of my own, the stigmatization of these people is mainly due to the portrayal by the media. I think the view of Americans by Iranians is very commendable despite the opposite feeling felt by Americans toward Iranians. I hope the remainder of this course can help me have a better understanding of how cultures, ethnicities and races around the world all share common grounds and how we can relate to one another in a peaceful way.