en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/4255226 Comments by rferrall18 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/17/voices-from-the-classroom-151/#IDComment343508103 If I were to come out in front of my parents, they would be pretty upset at first but I think after time they would accept the fact. I know my mom really would not have a problem with it but it would be a totally different story for my dad. I come from a very catholic family so that probably has a big factor in it. In this video, the two sides are drastically different because the one girl has a strict family and the other girl has a gay mom. I feel as though it would be much easier to come out if you had gay parents because they would know how you felt and they underwent the same process. Coming out to straight parents would be extremely difficult in my eyes because they do not understand how you feel or what you are truly going through. It is so much easier to understand a person when you can relate to them by sharing common experiences and feelings. Religion plays a huge role in how we look about gay people. I am pretty catholic as well but I understand that everybody is different and I do not hate someone just because they are different than me. Growing up, I had a few gay kids in my class and I treated them no differently than any others and they were extremely nice and caring so I never had a problem with them. The only problem I have is when people display strong signs of affection in public, that stuff should not be shown to everyone but would be appropriate behind closed doors. What one does with his or her life is up to them and who cares what somebody else thinks; life is too short to worry about what others think of you. Being a gay person would be very tough because so many people hate on you for being different so I truly sympathize for them because they put up with a lot of shit everyday. For our parent’s generation, it was much different in regards to homosexuality so I think that’s why our parents have such a hard stance on it. In today’s age, it is a little bit easier to be gay because you have more people to support and defend you. The prominent role that religion plays on many people’s life is also a major factor in regards to homosexuality. Over time, reality sets in so I believe my parents would be okay with me coming out but the initial blow would disappoint and shock my parents. But at the end of the day, they would want me to be happy and live my life with no regrets. Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:46:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/17/voices-from-the-classroom-151/#IDComment343508103 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/12/voices-from-the-classroom-147/#IDComment338292424 In that scenario of whom I would save in regards to my mother, my wife, or my child a lot went through my head. I love my mother with all my heart but she would want me to save my child, as would my wife. It would be an extremely tough situation to be in because I would want to save all three but I know realistically I could only save one of their lives. It is a parent’s responsibility to take care of their child at all costs so I think it would be an easy choice to save my kid’s life. My child would have the most amount of life left on this planet out of all three so it would be my obligation to make sure that he or she would be saved. As I stated earlier if my mom was put in that similar situation with her mom and my dad, I know that she would save me without hesitation. The person in class who said she would save her husbands life because they could make another kid upset me. Why cant she just find another husband? It just wouldn’t be the same having a son or daughter pass away and I could never truly experience that feeling unless it happened to me. That would be the worst feeling a parent could ever feel and I express my greatest sympathy for a parent who had to experience that. Growing up, I had a few friends pass away and the distress that their parents underwent devastated me and they truly were never the same since. Seeing my mom and wife helpless would completely devastate me but I stand my ground in saying every time I would save my child. It would take me a very long time to get over that feeling but I feel seeing my child grow up would take away some of that pain and eventually I would be able to date again. This is a situation that I hope no one ever has to experience but life is unpredictable and sometimes unfair. In this situation I would give up my own life if a combination of two of those people on the boat could survive because as the man on the boat, it is my responsibility to do everything in my power to protect the women in my life. I just hope I am never put into that situation and everybody in my family is able to live a great life. It is a very unfortunate situation but at the end of the day, the child is the most important on that boat. The children are the future of this world and my mom and wife would want me to save the child. Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:30:20 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/12/voices-from-the-classroom-147/#IDComment338292424 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/01/the-saggy-pants-problem/#IDComment332569291 After reading this article, I think it is completely ridiculous and unnecessary to pass a law in regards to saggy pants. The only time my boxers show is when I forget to wear a belt and I hate always having to pull up my pants. I do not understand how people walk with their jeans or shorts halfway down their legs because it is uncomfortable and weird to look at; however, I don’t think a law should be passed to make them pull up their pants. Are we going to create a law that requires all citizens to tie their shoes too? I do however agree with Sam that if a white male proposed this law, a lot more attention would be stirred up for the public. It would definitely been seen as racist because this fashion trend started with people of color but now it has quickly been adopted be a lot of people in our society. Walking through the halls of my high school, I would always see kids pants pretty much falling off and they would stay like that until the teachers told them to pull up their pants. It my opinion it doesn’t matter if a man of color or a white man created this law but it is unnecessary because that’s how some people dress. I would like to see if go away but it should not be a government problem but up to the person wearing the saggy pants. Whenever I walk around my house and my pants are falling down, my mom or dad yells at me right away to pull them up. A simple solution to this problem is to invest in a belt and not have your pants all the way down at your ankles. It is a much more confortable way to wear your jeans or shorts and it makes you look a lot more presentable. I feel as though politicians should worry about great issues that our country faces instead of this. This has been a few rough years for us in regards to unemployment and poverty and this politician is worrying about sagging pants? Let’s be real here, he should think about ways to get this country back to a prosperous state not that a man should be required to have his pants around his waist. I don’t know why the saggy pants trend even started in the first place but it is up to the individual on how they want to wear their clothes and present themselves to the rest of the world. I wear a belt so this issue does not pertain very much to me but I have seen numerous kids who hobble when they walk because their pants are all the way down at their ankles. There is a very simple solution to this problem and that is to wear a belt! Thu, 5 Apr 2012 21:13:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/01/the-saggy-pants-problem/#IDComment332569291 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/29/voices-from-the-classroom-137/#IDComment328007340 I feel as though the students with black sounding names are almost always negatively impacted when it comes to voting because they don’t sound as intelligent. That is completely unfair and unjust because you do not measure a person by how their name sounds but by their overall body of work. I would never not vote for someone because of his or her name and that is a great flaw in our society. I am also upset to see that only 7000 people voted for the UPUA elections out of the 50,000 students who attend this school. The people running for office have put so much time and dedication into their speeches and planning and it is a sign of disrespect to only see a few thousand kids vote. I understand that you may not be into politics and all but at least take 5 minutes out of your day to give them the respect they deserve because a lot of time and thought goes into the planning stage. The UPUA president could make some great changes to this school that would positively impact so many of us. I am not that into politics myself but I felt as though I needed to vote because this is my school and I want to see the positive changes that can occur from this election. This also is reflective in the election for the President of the United States. Every American who is eligible to vote should definitely vote because it has major implications on the course of our history. It is a sign of weakness when the final numbers come out and so many people do not vote. I understand that if you believe none of the candidates are qualified then you have the right to note vote but I believe that is not the case for a lot of the people who do not vote. It is up to us to determine the fate of America. I would like to see a much stronger turnout in this upcoming election but I fear that the same thing will happen. The president of the United States should be elected by a majority of the public so lets make a difference. This is the first year that I can vote and I am really excited to experience the process and I will urge all of my friends to do the same. If we can all do this, the numbers should sky rocket and reflect the population. As I vote for the next president, the name will have no impact on my feelings toward him and I will vote for him based on his credentials and previous policies because that is all that matters. Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:26:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/29/voices-from-the-classroom-137/#IDComment328007340 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/22/voices-from-the-classroom-128/#IDComment322430672 I completely agree with that statement if the shooter was black he would be in jail. It is completely unfair and unjust but it is the way the world is. I am completely enraged by the Tayvon Martin murder and how it was handled. George Zimmerman should be in jail where he belongs. The fact that boggles my mind the most is that they drug tested Tayvon Martin just because he was black and not George Zimmerman, the man who called 911 and was told to stand down but continued to follow him and fire at him twice, ultimately ending his life. A major change is needed for our justice system because the United States should not be racist against people due to their skin color. They have been discriminated against for way too long and when is it going to stop. I don’t care what color the skin is of a person when it deals with murder because they deserve to rot in jail where they rightfully belong. I don’t know the answer to solving this problem because I am not that familiar with the criminal justice system we have in America, only that you are innocent until proven guilt. The evidence is overwhelming that George Zimmerman committed a heinous crime so why the hell is he not in jail awaiting trial. Tayvon Martin was not a threat to anyone and was just walking back home with skittles in his hand. This is just another example of racial profiling and another great example was brought up in class today with the girl and her boyfriend in Brooklyn, New York. He was walking home by himself in a predominately white neighborhood and the cops told him to put his hands up in the air or he would be shot. What grounds do they have to threaten his life just because he was walking in a white area? That gets me fired up and is something that is so wrong with how we handle things. Cops should be instantly fired if they are found guilty of this and this is a great way to change how African Americans are perceived by the police. Everyone in the United States should be entitled to the same rights and have the same respect from law enforcers. I would have liked to see the handling of the terrible and tragic death of Tayvon Martin much differently because we need to set a precedent that the death of any racial group is unacceptable. George Zimmerman IS innocent until proven guilty but the evidence is overwhelming that he committed a serious hate crime and ended the life of a 17-year-old kid, whose life was cut way to short. Fri, 23 Mar 2012 04:22:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/22/voices-from-the-classroom-128/#IDComment322430672 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/15/voices-from-the-classroom-123/#IDComment317862501 I completely stand behind the United States’ actions in regards to war because it is for the betterment of our country and many other countries are better off. Being the most powerful nation in the world, we have to police and monitor what other countries are doing, especially if they are a threat to the citizens of America. Obviously some bad things happen but the positive effects outweigh them. From what was said in class, my feelings and attitudes have changed drastically in regards to how I feel about Muslims. I am from New York and the attacks that occurred on September 11th really had a big impact on my life. Two of my mom’s cousins were firefighters and were killed trying to save the lives of others. So after the attacks, I absolutely hated people of Muslim decent. After hearing what was said in class, those radical Muslims only represented a small portion of the population so it was wrong of me to judge an entire group of people because a few did something wrong. I also really like the point that the Muslims fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are defending their families and that is exactly what I would do if I were in that situation because family comes first over everything. You truly have to put yourself in other people’s shoes because it changes your perspective entirely. I was really touched by the soldiers telling their stories in class because they had first hand accounts of what was actually going on and I didn’t hear it from the media, who skew a lot of information. A lot of people die in war but it is necessary to defend the freedoms of our country and help out other countries. In regards to Iraq, we removed Saddam Hussein and as Bosum stated the people of Iraq were happy about that. The United States does not have bad intentions but obviously negative things occur that harmfully impacts the image of the United States. I definitely think the last class we had was the best one of the semester because I was engaged the entire class. The room was absolutely silent and rightfully so. The story that Aaron told really touched my heart because I could not image having my best friend die in my arms and also being wounded by the blast. I have the utmost respect for the men and women who serve in our military because they put their lives on the line for us every day. Without them, the United States would not be the greatest country in the world. Star athletes like Lebron James or Sidney Crosby should not be our heroes but the soldiers who fight in remote countries to preserve our freedoms. Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:54:16 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/15/voices-from-the-classroom-123/#IDComment317862501 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/29/what-more-do-you-want-to-think-about/#IDComment305856840 Throughout the lectures that Sam has presented, each one continues to spark my interests. I have never really thought of race and the implications it has on the world because I come from an all white area where it is rare to talk about race. The one fact that startled me the most was that a white person with a felony is more likely to get called backed for a job before a person of a different color skin. That completely boggles my mind and it represents something that is so wrong within our society. The color of your skin should be such a meaningless fact when one applies for a job because it has no outcome on the work produced. I have met many people of different backgrounds who would be perfect for a particular job and I would be very upset and annoyed if they did not get the job solely due to the color of their skin. What is wrong with the world we live in? Also I was very interested in the sports and race. I am an avid sports fan and it was interesting to see why Kenyans are so good at running. I was told that black people have an extra muscle in their leg but that is not true. It is all about their genetics and how important their longer legs are. Without them, they would not be able to survive in their environment. I have really learned to open up from these lectures and not judge people before getting to know them. I know that sounds corny but it is completely true. Being able to talk freely about race is something that everyone should experience because I have been bottled up for a long time and the only thing I knew about race was the stereotypes that existed and I believed that they were mostly true. They exist because racist people label and hate against people who are just different then them. As the article in shadowboxing with race talked about why we drink milk from cows, that may be different than what other cultures drink but that should not be considered wrong rather just different from how they were brought up. Not everybody on this planet was brought up the same way so we must be accepting of their cultures and customs because there is not just one way to live life. I would be offended if someone criticized me for how I lived my life so therefore I would criticize someone else because that would just be hypocritical and ignorant of me. In conclusion, this class pretty much has exposed me to the other cultures and races in the world and has gotten me out of the bubble that I have been in for so long growing up in an all white community and not really being able to interact with people of other backgrounds. Fri, 2 Mar 2012 00:33:00 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/29/what-more-do-you-want-to-think-about/#IDComment305856840 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-115/#IDComment300823825 I completely agree with Sam when he says the name of a person has a major implication on a resume when applying for a job. It is completely unfair but it does exist in our society. It should play no role whatsoever and the person with the better credentials should be the one who at the end of the day gets the job. As a white male, I do not want any advantages when applying for a job and I truly what to earn the job because that’s how I was raised. The color of a person has no impact on their performance when working for a company so why should it inhibit them from getting the job in the first place. People of color should not be subjected and I would be very upset if I didn’t receive the job because of the color of my skin and I was better suited for the position. As a company, you want the hire the person that will better represent your company and provide the best work to reach company goals and quotas. So why hire someone that will not put you into position to do that because of the color of their skin? That is just flat out stupid and it should never happen in the business world because at the end of the day, it is all about the company’s success and many companies crumble in the United States because of that. It is a survival of the fittest world and this definitely applies to the business world because it you sit back and don’t perform, you will be out of a job. I truly feel bad for people of color because they have suffered enough in the history of the world and it is time for us to take a stand and provide them with all the equal opportunities because we stress that in the United States of America. But is that really true as in do we all have equal opportunities in the land of the free? I question that statement because racism exits all throughout this country and it prohibits people for really living their life because it restricts them from certain opportunities and chances that others are provided with. To set the precedent, we must take a stand against this because I would turn down a job if I got it just because the color of my skin. I go to this school to prepare me for the real world and I think I am in position to succeed. In conclusion, it is complete and utter crap that the color of someone’s skin prohibits them for earning a job that they have the credentials for. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:27:15 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-115/#IDComment300823825 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/16/voices-from-the-classroom-108/#IDComment295045155 In regards to why some racial groups dominate certain sports, I think the biggest factor has to deal with the money aspect. Sports such as ice hockey and lacrosse have large upfront costs because the equipment is very expensive. I grew up playing ice hockey and it was a burden for my parents because of the equipment and in addition to that, ice time is a lot of money. I played for 7 years and in that time; I only played against a handful of African American or Hispanic people. On the other hand, I also played travel soccer and it was a lot more common to play against kids of different races. I believe that was because of the costs associated with soccer which really only require cleats and shin guards. The league fees were a lot cheaper because it is much easier to maintain a soccer field than an ice hockey rink. Basketball is another example of this because it only requires shoes. It is much cheaper and easier for parents to have their son play soccer, basketball, or baseball than ice hockey or lacrosse. I would really like to see the costs related to hockey and lacrosse diminish because people who are not as economically fortunate should not be able to play these great sports. I would like to see more athletes using some of their enormous salaries to set up leagues in less fortunate areas. Communities should have a set amount of skates, chest pads, sticks, and other equipment needed to play and allow these kids to be able to enjoy and experience other sports. It wouldn’t be too much of a cost because you can get pretty decent pads for cheap or even buy in bulk to reduce the overall cost. I think that athletes, who are ambassadors of the game, could spare a few hundred thousand or even a million dollars out of their annual twenty five million dollar salary. Kids should not be restricted because of the economic status of their parents. A perfect example of this can be seen with a kid I grew up with. His parents worked hard but just didn’t make that much money so he couldn’t play ice hockey. A few parents from my community gave him some of their sons equipment who were too small for him and he was able to play hockey. He wasn’t too good at first but we worked harder than any other teammate I have ever had and he earned himself a full scholarship to the University of Vermont to play Division One Ice Hockey. Stories like this should be heard around the country because every kid should have equal opportunities when it comes to sports. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:01:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/16/voices-from-the-classroom-108/#IDComment295045155 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/10/voices-from-the-classroom-101/#IDComment289034880 I do not believe in the Shaman example that Sam said in class. I have been nursing a high ankle sprain since the Saturday before the Super Bowl and it is still giving me a problems. I highly doubt that a cream could instantly help my ankle overnight because of the continued day-to-day pain that I am going through weeks after injuring my ankle. If it were so effective, why would professional athletes use this cream when they suffer injuries so they would not have to miss a game? A very prominent example would be Rob Gronkwoski, tight end for the Patriots who played injured in this years super bowl. I am a Giants fans and have no complaints about it but he should have had a Shaman Monk come to Indianapolis and heal him. It could have made a big different since he could not run on his ankle and there were two weeks leading up the Super Bowl for him to heal. I just cannot grasp the fact that the Shaman monks use drugs and then can find the ability to heal. Imagine being in a doctor’s office and your doctor is high on drugs bending your ankle around and rubbing cream on your foot. I would instantly hobble out of the office and find a new doctor because that is not expectable. The only way I would ever believe the abilities of a Shaman Monk would be to see it for myself. Realistically, that would never happen so I will forever have the same mindset on the issue. I believe in credibility when it comes to the medical field and with this case, credibility is clearly lacking. However, I value the great wonders of this world and am not one hundred percent counting out the monk’s abilities because I truly believe anything is possible. If this were true, why would we not send some of the brilliant minds in this country to go to their homes and watch them in action so we can learn from them? This could be very beneficial to society and most importantly the medical field. It could not hurt either way because if not, we lose nothing but if something is there we have a lot of gain. This could just be a stepping-stone because if this example was true, I am sure they have many other secrets they could reveal to us. In conclusion, I do not believe in the Shaman monk’s abilities and I highly doubt the example Sam gave in class due to the lack of credibility. It comes down to evidence and in this case, the lack of evidence is what makes me not believe in their abilities. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:36:16 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/10/voices-from-the-classroom-101/#IDComment289034880 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/02/voices-from-the-classroom-97/#IDComment283267852 I agree with the comments made in class that being a minority makes it easier to get into a college. It definitely aids students and I think in some cases, it is unfair. A kid from my high school was admitted to North Carolina Chapel Hill and his grades did not reflect those of a student who should have gotten in. He used his Puerto Rican background to get an advantage to get into the school and I do not see how that it is far at all. It is a competitive process and it should be the student with the better credentials to earn the privilege to enroll at the school. Skin color should have no impact on who gets into what school because that is discrimination and it has no affect on the student’s ability. There shouldn’t be a quota for different groups of minorities at college campuses because it’s a survival of the fittest world and no one should have any advantages that we can control. I have heard many other stories through friends and families regarding to this subject and how kids have gotten into schools with lower grades than required but still somehow manage to get it. I do not know to what degree this is true but I have seen enough cases to really grasp the situation at hand. In another instance, my friend applied to Penn State as a joke and was telling us how funny it would be if he got in. He was of Brazilian decent so he checked off the box on the application. He found out that he got in way before I did and I had much higher GPA and SAT scores. I was perplexed by the situation at hand because it didn’t make sense other than the fact that they needed to meet their quotas for minorities. I would have been upset if I did not get in and he did, but it all worked out in the end. I personally think the race box should be taken off the application because it serves no purpose. That should play no role in deciding if a student should get into a school because either way its discrimination. Either way, someone feels as though they are negatively impacted by the race question. By simply just restructuring the application, it can eliminate this problem and will make it a fair process, with everyone having the same chance at admittance. I would like to actually see the selection process for myself to see if the issue is a big as I think but I know that will never happen. Everyone should have the same opportunity and where you are from shouldn’t give one an advantage of another. Sat, 4 Feb 2012 01:31:16 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/02/voices-from-the-classroom-97/#IDComment283267852 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/25/ill-eat-a-taco-thanks-pal/#IDComment275376230 The comments made by the mayor are incredibly stupid and I truly believe he should be forced to resign from his position. Mexicans are treated negatively within our society and I do not see why. Many of them work much harder than the average American and do not have half the things that they have. Why do we keep kicking people down who are just trying to make an honest living doing jobs that many Americans wouldn't take. Is our ego just too big? We should actually be thanking them because they are an integral part to our society. By doing these jobs, they are keeping our economy afloat during these hard times. Without them, we would be in an even deeper hole. Mexicans are also leaving everything behind to come to the United States to better their lives and most importantly, their families’ lives. I admire their determination and it should motivate other Americans to work with the passion and drive that they have. People need to realize the overall positive impact that Latin Americans have on our economy before it is too late. I do not take back his apology because he is only doing so to keep his image safe. It is completely disrespectful to such a hard working group of people. The only way he can make up for it is by doing something good for the entire Latin American community. If I was Latin American, I would be very hesitant to take back his apology because it is not sincere. I understand people make mistakes but this could have been very easily avoided. He used the stress of the situation as the excuse to why he made the taco comments and quite frankly, I think that is a weak excuse. As a mayor, you should have the knowledge that you have to be careful with what you say because you represent an area and you should not bring any negative light to it. You should always think before you speak especially when you hold a government position. These comments could come back to hurt him if he were to explore higher government positions. In conclusion, we should be more thankful to the Latin Americans who work so hard everyday and get paid minimum wage to preform tedious but important jobs. The ignorance of the mayor really upsets me because many other Americans have the same feelings toward Mexicans but they truly have no knowledge of how important they are to our society. I just think about being put in other people’s shoes and the opportunity to be born in this country is a great privilege. We should not knock anyone who is willing to sacrifice so much just to want what we have. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:06:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/25/ill-eat-a-taco-thanks-pal/#IDComment275376230 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/20/questions-from-class/#IDComment270004087 What is the American dream? That answer would change entirely with whom you would ask. To me, the American dream is raising a family and being able to provide for them to live a very comfortable life. I would say my parents provided me with everything i wanted as a child and i would hope to do so for my family. I was very fortunate growing up because i had the ability to pretty much do everything i wanted from playing ice hockey to traveling all across the country to attend lacrosse tournaments. I benefited from my parents because they worked multiple jobs to be able to pay for their college tuition and now my parents are financially stable enough to pay for my college education. I really took that for granted and because of my parents, I was truly able to live the American dream. For immigrants, the American dream may just be living in America because it is a privilege to live in the greatest country in the world by providing endless amounts of opportunities. I, along with many other Americans, truly take living in America for granted. As Sam Richards said in class, the entire lecture class was "rich" and part of the one percent and that changed my perspective on life entirely. I sometimes got into arguments with my parents because i didn't have the new Xbox or a laptop but looking back upon that, i realized that i was selfish because kids are struggling everyday to just have one meal. Immigrants who leave everything behind in their country and come here with nothing but the willingness to succeed by working eighteen hour work days is inspiring. They work so much harder than the typical American but still are on the poorer side and struggle to feed and clothe their children. They know that coming in but at the end of the day, it is worth it because the United States of America provides many more opportunities than any other country in the world. Any person born here already has one leg up on the majority of the world and by that we should strive to help out the less privileged because we are all somehow related. The American Dream can be attained by anybody who has the willingness to succeed and what that dream is depends on what the person wants to accomplish before they die. For some the dream could just be calling the United States of American his or her home but for others it could be living in that nice two story house with the white picket fence and the perfect family. Therefore, the American dream differs from person to person but we should not take life for granted and the luxuries of living in the United States. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:57:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/20/questions-from-class/#IDComment270004087