I think that your statement that you "probably have a better chance at affecting the world in a much greater way than the people in other countries do" is true in some ways but not all ways.

First i think its true in the sense since as an American and/or as someone who can afford to attend classes at Penn State you have many more resources available to you. We are blessed to be able to live with such freedom from financial burdens and to have the ability to choose what to do with our time. Therefore, i don't think the statement that we probably have a better chance is true but more along the lines that we have a better set of resources to make a greater impact. However, it is not about the resources but how we use them that makes the difference.

I would like to argue that as an American, you might have less chance of affecting the world. I say this only because we are raised in a very egocentric country (this too you know, since we talked about that also in class) that while we may hear about the need, we don't see it or feel it. We can easily give a few dollars here and there and make ourselves feel good about helping the "cause" but are we really affecting the world? Nahhhh. However, because of our money supply some of us may step up and travel across oceans to where there are people in truly desperate need. I think we all would agree that this is so much better than just chipping in a few dollars. But this is where the lecture we had teh other day on Haiti changed my thinking. I had always thought of the humanitarian work for other countries as 100% good. Now i see that there is more to think about.

After class, I went up to talk to Sam and to the guest lecturer and I heard talk about wanting to go and make a difference. Even my own thoughts were about "making a difference" but I think that when we think about this and want to go to a foreign country maybe just maybe some of us are doing it because it makes us feel good. We know that our resources that we are practically bathing in here are being put towards something good and we are proving ourselves as worthy. We try to prove ourselves as "good" people; (and here's where the racism issue comes in ) we might even be trying to prove ourselves as "better" people.

So, while i dont think you are necessarily racist for thinking that you have a better chance at helping people, i do think that if we allow ourselves to help out for the wrong reasons we all could very well find out that there are egotistic and racist motive behind them. Be careful of what you do and why you do it. Examine your conscience and do a check if the benefit to others is out weighing the benefit to you.

I hate the fact that i compare. I know i do. Im sure that a good majority, if not all other females reading this do too. It happens and it sucks. The thing is though, its not even the media that makes me feel this way. I am not into celebrity gossip or having role models who are in Hollywood, My comparison issue stems from right here, the people I walk around with each day. Sociologically, its pretty interesting to think about how we all change to be like others. Yea yea, there are those people who wear crazy outfits with combining fabric and styles that Ive never seen before but, i bet you those people do that to stand out, to "be themselves" and to compare themselves to the people around them as different and unique. But i don't feel at all that they are above the comparison. neither are those people who wear sweats and "simply dont care". I wonder if they just dont want to worry about comparing, and if they put on this front of not even bothering, well then no one can compare them since they are beneath the caparison range. But oh i bet those girls, wearing the sweats are still looking round and comparing wondering if i did wear that how would i compare? Now i know this seems pretty vain, and it is, your right, but thats why i hate it. I would love to not worry about wearing cute clothes, being the right weight, having the best skin, wearing my hair the right way. I remember one time taking to my roommate saying how great it would to just be way over weight. That way, i said, i wouldn't have to worry about going to the gym enough, eating only just what im hungry for, or wearing the perfect fit jeans. But instead, im "cursed" with being average and feeling the need to worry endlessly about all these thing and i jsut dont know how to get over it. I think us women think that the best girl is gonna get the best guy, or even get a guy at all. Even when we are in a relationship, the fear is there that tomorrow he will leave you for someone better and you will be alone again. And isn't that our worst fear? Living alone? This issue is just so woven into our society that even if we take a piece out, there are still ten other issues that keep us comparing. So then what are we supposed to do? Well, we are told to be ourselves. Be you! And be proud of it! But how does that work if the me that I am naturally, just doesn't fit in and i just don't feel comfortable? I want desperately to be me, to be the person i was made to be, so then why am I always looking around at other women? If anyone finds the secret to being a women, let me know, you'll find me. Ill be the one looking around comparing.

My first reaction was similar to everyone else's, disgust. So you know how i feel about the general idea of the game but I think a point that only a few have brought up is the relationship that this video game has to porn. I think both are horrible because they degrade the people/people represented by cartoons that are involved. Now, i know that porn is way more common in our society than i would like to know about and so thats why i am troubled by this. As much as everyone is saying how disgusting this video game is where a little floating hand gropes the cartoon, how can some of those same people watch porn where that same stuff is done BUT WITH REAL PEOPLE? Now im not pointing fingers and saying that every single one of the above comment-ers are addicted to porn but, by even my very limited knowledge of the prevalence of porn users suggests that a good deal of people who found this "offensive" and "disturbing" engage in pornographic activities. And still, im not trying to point fingers and be accusatory, the idea im trying to get at has to do with the idea that I know many people who think of porn as an awful and disgusting part of society. They would use the exact same adjectives that people keep using here to discribe their opinions of porn. This makes me wonder if when the porn industry started if it was widely thought of as offensive and disturbing by everyone just as most of us seem to think of this video game as offensive and disturbing. So that leads me to think (and worry) that maybe 10 years down the road these video games will become as immersed in our society as porn is. "So whats the big deal anyway if that happens? I think porn is fine" you might say. Well I still believe its not. And i feel that if we are not careful, and dont stand true to the initial thoughts that most of us had about this new trend in Japan that it will become the new trend over here in the United States. For a lot of us, this is where we live, where we grew up, the society and culture we know and love. And for most of us, this will be the place where we raise a family. how many of us want our future children to watch porn? How many of us would be ok with our sons or daughters for that matter, playing this game. I know for sure i would not be. So I am going to stay true to my thoughts about the entire Porn Industry including this video game and continue to oppose them. Its not needed. it is disgusting. It is degrading. It is simply not right. I hope that we can all stick together to continue to feel these same intense feelings for as long as this epidemic over in Japan continues to threaten our society. Don't let it become mainstream, dont continue to sex-ify our society. This is a disgusting thing that japan is involved in and lets keep it that way.

I personally didn't understand the problem with the LLBean catalog. I don't understand why Sam even brought it up. LLBean has been delivered to my house since I was little and those images he showed are nothing new to me. Its a normal thing to have black people in retail magazines, so why make it into an issue. There are a couple reasons for why i feel that the editor of the magazine wanted to include black people in the advertisements.

1. who says what kinds of clothes someone can wear and what they cant?

Thankfully here in America there are no restrictions on what we all can wear, as long as you're wearing something. Clothing is a freedom of expression and can even be seen as an art form. It is a chance to express how you want the world to view you and a way to fit in with those who you associate with. So then why must we confine black people to wearing the stereotypical fubu brand or ecko clothes? There are plenty of black people who dress in the preppy style presented in LLBean and many white people who feel most comfortable in the styles presented by Fubu. Should it really matter who you hang out with and what you want to feel a part of in terms of race and clothing?

2. If LLBean hadn't included some black people in their advertisements, people would have been upset.

Even if no black people wore the clothes that LLBean makes, it would have been a big issue if they didn't include any black people. In our current "PC" society, people would take that as LLBean won't sell clothes to black people and think that their clothes are for white people only. Unfortunately, despite the awkwardness that some people think there is with this picture LLBean probably feels a pull to put black people in to make sure they avoid lawsuits. The interesting thing about this however is that LLBean is a New England based company. A New Englander myself, I can speak to the amount of diversity...very minimal. I think there may have been 5 black kids total in my high school. So should LLBean represent the diversity of the area they represent? Or represent national statistics?

Another random but somewhat related thought occurred to me when discussing this with my roommate; when we talk of "fashion" what fashion are we referring to? There are definitely many styles of clothes out there, but when we say something like oh that's in style now, whose style is that? And why did i just use the word "whose"? Does that style belong to one group?

I say just let LLBean keep doing its thing. They aren't hurting anyone.

I think this is pretty ridiculous. I have read a couple peoples responses to this clip bringing up things that aren't important at all. The fact that there is so much debate or even any at all is kind of maddening to me. She is a woman yes, but she is a football player and that is what matters here.

The first issue i have has to do with the "problem" of locker room talk in regards to guys being sweaty, ready to shower and naked. Do girls not get sweaty? Last time I checked girls sweat and can get dirty. While maybe not all girls are interested in getting hard core into something to a point where they are sweaty and dirty, there are many more who are. Ms. Randolph is one of those women. She briefly talked of her years running track in the interview and then her experience with tackle football. I wonder how many manly men there are watching this right now who have never experienced the pain of a track workout. The goal at my school was to get to a point where you have given so much of yourself that throw up from pure exhaustion. And that was only high school. College track is a whole heck of a lot harder then that. So im pretty sure she has been a little sweaty before. The other point made is that the athletes will want to shower. well don't we all after a workout/practice? But I think it can wait for 10 minutes so that the team can meet after a game. If showering is that important to you then maybe sports aren't the thing for you. Plus there are plenty of other places that a coach could talk to the team or meet up for a peptalk.

My second issue is the fact that the guys could be distracted by the female anatomy. Should we get rid of cheerleaders too? What about the girls that paint their stomachs to cheer for the team? Are they forbidden from football games too? Get over it guys. Get your head in the game and play.

Thirdly, the stress that was referred to due to in working with men is crazy. Women can take care of themselves, we don't need another girl around us at all times to hold hands and share secrets with. What about women working in engineering? Should they not be allowed to work there because the stress of working with men?

Fourth, the comment about it being the same as a man coaching a women's team. That is exaclty true. So why is it that there is allowed to be so many men coaching women but hardly any women coaching men? My Cross country coaches in elementary school, middle school and high school all were men. (let me note that my track coaches however were all females) Please check out this chart I found at http://www.secwb.com/index.php/articles/view/381/... and even read the article. And here is an awkwardly formatted version of it:

All Division I

Head coaches of men’s teams
2389 males

57 females

Assistant coaches of men’s teams
5738 males

320 females

Total number who are coaching men
8127 males

377 females

Head coaches of women’s teams
1394 males

1245 females

Assistant coaches of women’s teams
1827 males

2440 females

Total number who are coaching women
3221 males

3685 females

so men are able to cross that gender gap that shawndawn was referring too but women can't.

Finally, I honestly didn't even care that much when i saw the interview that she got the job. Woo! Good for her for being employed in this economy. But she is just doing what she loves and is good at. My intense feelings about this only came after I read though what some guys had to say about it. It really crushes me that so many guys think that girls are so inept. Sexism is so woven into so many different societies that people don't even see it anymore until something like this comes along and people congratulate the person who challenges the ever present but ignored sexism. I think that the mindset that Ms Randolph has right now is great. Hopefully amongst all this drama she can keep a steady head to coach, because right now in my opinion, the only things that are gonna keep her from doing as good or better than any male coaches are the hype, controversy and gossip.

I also thought that Thursdays class was very intriguing but for different reasons. I was shocked that people in the video could be so supportive of the behaviors of the store clerk. I thought that was disgusting. The thumbs up and the you are a good American comments are dishonorable and just unfair. I know that if i was in that store it would definitely not be me that was making those comments. However, I don't know if I would be the one to make comments in support of the Muslim woman either. I know maritzy, you find this "morally wrong" but its the truth. I feel that it might come from a couple different reasons. The first is just like the kid in class said about how he was raised. Although a huge gasp came from the class after the comment was made about not being disrespectful, I think that everyone should really look to the things your parents taught you or what even society has taught us growing up and reconsider what they think they would do. I have learned that you respect people older than you. Older people have the last say and when we get older we too will have that superiority given with age. This is ingrained in our heads from the time we are born. Do what your parents say, listen to what is asked of you, do not speak back, respect what people older than you have to say. People older have more wisdom, more experiences, and more control. I feel it is "morally wrong" as maritzy said for someone to talk back to their parents or elder at home, never mind in public. This is the reason I feel that the kid in class might have said what he said. The other reason I might have stayed quiet is because I am a female and the store owner is an middle aged man. I feel like I am so out of place for me to speak up to him. Thinking about this, i am not really sure why i feel this way. But i guess it comes down to the fact that males are dominant and have more power in today's American society. I guess i would be scared for myself in this situation. My thinking might be along the lines that if he is doing that to her, i better keep my mouth shut cause who knows what he would do to me if he is that mean of a guy. I realize that we should speak up about social injustice but i feel like my safety could be at risk with this. Instead I would follow the woman outside and ask her if i can help her in any way. That way Im not being disrespectful, causing a scene, risking my safety but still helping someone in need. I think the main concern is someone who does nothing at all. If you can find a way to make the situation better at all then you are doing good.

(all in response to cram...read "first of all" first, then "now in response" then "while this is")

While this is a different kind of reaction that some one saying they are gay would produce, it still run along the same line. My parents dont really get my new choice in beliefs, my friends think it's strange...isn't that what a gay person may be experiencing too. And hey maybe im nieve, and dont understand the extent of negative treatment of gay people, but I think it should be noted that its not jsut them that are choosing a difficult path in life. In another case that I bet everyone can relate to, I am pretty sure that many people would not say they like the Willard Preacher or the man outside the HUB, but they are using their freedom to believe in what they want and are living with the reprocussions of people not liking them for it.

I think it all comes down to respect. Lets respect everyone's personal choices, but at the same time lets respect the traditions and sacraments of long ago established religions and keep them the way they were meant.

(read "first of all" comment first)
Now in response to why would someone be part of a dispised group, I think that people choosing to belong to those groups is more common than you think. For example, while it may not be on such an extreme level here in America, think about people defending their CHOICE of religion. There are people who are dying for what they have chosen to believe. As a Christain here on campus I definatly do not need to defend my life everyday but on Wednesday, which was Ash Wednesday (a holy day for many Christain groups on which ashes are put on the foreheads of believers as the holy season of Lent leading up to Easter starts off) I was walking around with black ash in a cross formation on my forehead. As I walked around that day I go many double takes, stares, questions and some harsh words. It was my choice though to get the ashes and even my choice to believe in the traditions and faith behind the ashes. I know for a fact people treat me different if I say im a Christain.

First of all I think I should point out that I don't support gay marriage. I think that a union of some sort is ok but a marriage is something that was orginated in the church and so the use of the word in cereomonies that occur in vegas or in a court room, seems wrong to me. I am not a person to discriminate or call people unequal, i just feel that marriage is a holy sacrament and should be kept that way. Also, you said "If someone loves each other they should be given the same rights as anybody else". OK great. But see question number like 5 or something about Sex vs Love. I think there is some issues with the whole Sex vs Love thing and its role in marriage.

Today in one of my classes we had to talk about one group that you identified with the most. The choices were race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, and physical/mental ability-disability. The 5 females in my group individually all chose gender. Now why this my not seem to be in any context related to the video clip of "Why Is the Conversation Always About Black and White People?" it is, just trust me. So as we began to talk about why we associated most with being female (it may be important to note that all of the group members were white females) we got to the topic of how male supremacy is so culturally accepted yet so completely wrong. Then it was brought up, "If we were talking about Whites vs Blacks then everyone would take an issue." So, yes, while I didn't originally think that every conversation always ends up becoming about Black and White people, there was evidence that it is.

I agree with what the video clip said in terms of the reason she thinks that it does always come down to the Black/White debate, the fact that there was a huge civil rights movement here in the United States. I know that I sometimes do not see someone is having trouble or upset until they finally voice their opinion and just tell me that something is bothering them. I mean I try to get a sense that someone is upset but I think we all can agree that the people that say loud and clear. "I AM UPSET" will get your attention first. That's exactly what the civil rights movement was too; people were upset (and rightfully so) and needed to show everyone what was really going on.

That got me thinking too, why did each one of my group members pick gender as their most identified group. I think that the same logic for the Black/White issue can be applied here as well. There was definitely a time of incredible change and public protest with regards to woman's rights. People see that women were upset and wanted change just like supporters of the civil rights movement and so both of those issues have become fragile and at least noted in our culture while others, who are in similar situations, are just not seen since they have yet to make a big appearance in the public eye. I wonder who will be next? Who will make their case to the nation and show their plight? Or will they need to? Or should they?

My last thought is regarding why I feel it has became socially acceptable to have males be sexist. Sexist, I feel, is not as big of a crime as it is to be racist. You're sexist? Ha! Way to go man! But your Racist?! What's you're problem? Maybe that's just my view as a white female but I wouldn't be surprised if i wasn't the only one. Well, at least my all white, female group thought so too...