Sam’s presentation of immigration greatly changed my view of immigration. My parents immigrated from Vietnam in the 1970s and were initially illegal immigrants here. I never took into consideration that without illegal immigration, I would not be here today. When illegal immigration of the Mexicans crossing the US border became a subject, I now shamefully would get frustrated about the topic. I ignorantly saw them as invaders; however, I never realized that my parents invaded themselves and without that, I would not be on this earth today. It used to annoy me and I just wanted those who were here illegally should just leave. I thought they were simply taking the easy way out and taking someone else’s job and wage. Several people in our country see it as an advantage because they can work for cheap labor and are perfectly fine with the salary that they are receiving. Today, I believe that several Americans’ views on illegal immigration is very skewed. They believe that it is completely wrong and needs to be entirely expunged as soon as possible. However, others believe that removing individuals is utterly immoral, corrupt, and not a well representation of our country’s morals and values. My parents came to America decades ago to start fresh and new. To begin a new life away from the poverty they previously underwent back in Vietnam. To work hard for the benefit of their future family. All that I am today and all that I am so thankfully blessed with, I owe to my parents. Those who are illegally immigrating here in America are merely starting a new life for themselves and their children. Everyone deserves the chance to start a new life if he or she are willing to put tremendous efforts to reach their goals of bettering his or her life in a country that has so many resources to so. I believe that if you are immigrating for the pure sake of coming to America, then it is very unfair. If you are not working and paying for yourselves, it is a burden on someone else in this country. After Sam’s presentation on Tuesday about illegal immigration, my perspective completely changed. Before, I just thought of it as morally wrong and I wanted all of the illegal immigrants to leave our country. Illegal immigration is wrong and indeed illegal; however, if one is willing to work out and live the American dream then he or she should be given the opportunity to do so. He or she should have the opportunity to become successful through an great amount of hard work. I would not be here today if my parents were not given this kind of opportunity. I am truly thankful for that and am also thankful to have Sam change my perspective of illegal immigration for the better.

I think that is a great shame that in today’s society, schools are more segregated than they were in the 1970s. We are all aware that discrimination was an enormous issue decades ago and the fact that it is more of an issue today makes me question what have we learned from history and what are our values as a nation? Today, there is most certainly aggression between the different races in our society. Sometimes it is not just aggression and hostility that differentiates people of different races, but the fact that as individuals, we always try to remain in our comfort zone. Here at Penn State, I am sure that every one of us has observed that races tend to hang out with each other. They travel in what we call “packs” or “flocks”. I have heard the statement “The international Asians travel in flocks” multiple times here at this university. We tend to associate with people of our own race simply because it is more comfortable. To attend a university that predominantly white, it would be much more comfortable for an international Asian student to befriend another international Asian student. To enter a country that is completely different from the culture and background that you have been so wholly deep-rooted in for basically your entire life, is certainly overwhelming and intimidating. For any person of a particular race, he or she is more drawn to associate himself or herself with that certain race merely because of comfort purposes. In our society, I think we believe that it is alright to hang out with those of our race as opposed as escaping our comfort zones and associating ourselves with individuals who do not have the same ethnicity as we do. I think we should try to befriend those outside of our race and learn more about each others’ cultures. I think that this occurs very infrequently here at Penn State, because I have observed that whites tend to hang out other whites, African Americans tend to hang out with other African Americans, and international students tend to hang out with other international students. Nowadays, individuals make racial remarks and slurs for joking purposes; however, this just perpetuates stereotypes and increases hostilities between races today in schools. Our country is extremely diverse and I do not think it will ever be possible to fully expunge racism and segregation in schools and in other circumstances. I do not think schools will ever have no segregation. I think no matter how much we try and not to be racist, we still have natural inclinations and thoughts that lead to segregation. We should try to embrace diversity in schools with several different races. We are going to always be in environments that our predominantly white and not look down on those with races separate from our own race; therefore, we need not to continue segregation but embrace diversity and the equality that needs to go along with it.

After Tuesday’s lecture and indeed one of Sam’s greatest lectures all semester, my views of the War in Iraq were most certainly changed after putting myself in the shoes of the Middle Easterners. In all honesty, I was initially unaware as to why we were actually there in Iraq at war in the first place. Shamefully, I really had no high interest when it came to politics. Whether it was about the war in Iraq or in Afghanistan, elections for anything, anything that President Barack Obama did for our country, my knowledge for whatever thing relating to politics was at its minimum. I knew the war in Iraq was purposeless and extremely expensive. I knew it was something that I and many others refused to support and that countless people were dying every day. I knew that the war had to do with obtaining oil. After Tuesday’s lecture, my knowledge and understanding of the war drastically increased. I truthfully am thankful that we were given the opportunity to fully place ourselves in the shoes of Middle Easterners outside an American’s point of view. My understanding of the war in Iraq grew increasingly and my perspective was greatly changed. The videos we watched on Tuesday were completely shocking. The Jihad video was so frightening and the creator’s intention was to convince the viewers to raise some awareness of Jihad and how horrible it is. The other videos we watched were also very disturbing. Watching the “Christian Invaders” videos of our American soldiers simply acting like jerks in Iraq was very humiliating. Completely destroying the taxi driver’s car was completely unreasonable and the soldiers’ actions do not make our country look good to these people. Yes, our soldiers are going to other countries and risking their lives for us; however, when actions like these are occurring, it makes me embarrassed and question why they would do such a thing. Our country is so strongly affiliated to Christianity to us and to other countries like Iraq. I feel as if I were in the Middle Easterners’ shoes witnessing these illegitimate actions of these American soldiers, I would not see Christianity in a positive light. These Americans evidently portray that they are not applying such Christian doctrines and ideals when they are doing things like using their vehicle to shove a slow driver off the road. It is simply shocking to even think that American soldiers would do such a thing when they are so greatly looked up to here in our country. After placing myself in the shoes of the Middle Easterners, I would be extremely offended and unappreciative when these “Christian Invaders” our committing such non-Christian-like actions and trying to steal my resources and oil. Many of these Iraqis do not publicly display these negative feelings and would misjudge us based on our actions just how we misjudge their actions after the tragic incident of September 11th. After Sam’s lecture, I am truly thankful for him letting me have a better understanding of what issues are at hand today and the perspectives of the Middle Easterners.

My feelings toward when two people are speaking a different language around me vary with what situation they are in. I have grown up in a household in which English was a second language. Both of my parents are from Vietnam and speak Vietnamese on a daily basis whereas the children of the family spoke mainly English. Ashamed, I speak mainly English and little, if not, no Vietnamese at all. I can understand Vietnamese very well, but I am not at all conversational with the language. My parents speak in Vietnamese to each other; however, they speak mostly in English with me. When they speak in Vietnamese to each other, I do not feel awkward or insecure because I know that it is simply because it is easier to speak to one another in their own native language as opposed to English. I feel the same way when I encounter and am around people who I do not know speaking in another language here at Penn State. For those who have trouble speaking English that may or may not be a second language, I do not mind when they speak in their own language around me. Often those who have difficulty speaking in English are the international students. They converse in their own language because it is much more comfortable and less difficult. Why communicate with one another in a language that you are not as familiar with as opposed to the language you grew up speaking your entire life? I think it is very ignorant to mind and feel discomfort when others are speaking in their native tongue. I previously said that when people I do not know speak in their own language, I generally do not mind at all. However, if they are two of your friends who speak a language that you cannot understand, I would very much feel uncomfortable. I would get upset and feel that they have the need to say something about me when I am around and take advantage of the fact that I would be unable to understand what they are saying. So with that said, if I am not at all associated with the people speaking their language, then by all means go ahead and continue to speak in your own language. With people I do know, I find it rude if they do speak in their own language. Not only would I consider them taking advantage of the language barrier to talk about me, but I also find it offensive and discourteous because I am being excluded. There are some cases that have contradicted the previous statements. Sometimes, my parents underestimate how much Vietnamese I do know and I certainly have heard them speak badly about me in Vietnamese. At the nail salon, I have heard the women doing the nails (being Vietnamese ) talk about me and not have not an inkling that I know and understand some Vietnamese. Overall, my feelings when people are talking in another language around me depend on the situation itself.

I have absolutely nothing against other interracial relationships. If anything, I think that a relationship between an interracial couple is most certainly a beautiful thing. Intertwining two different cultures and embracing both in a relationship is a truly wonderful thing. The couple disregards social standards and is willing to stay with someone he or she deeply cares about. Inevitably, an interracial couple will encounter certain issues due to social ideals today. I respect those who follow their hearts and disregard society’s standards. Undoubtedly, they are going to face conflicts and barriers at some point in their relationship. It is mind-boggling that people have certain issues with interracial relationships including my own parents. I am of Asian descent; both of my parents have Vietnamese backgrounds. I have been in an interracial relationship in high school. At the time, my ex-boyfriend was white and my parents did not have a problem at the time. My ex-boyfriend was and still is extremely intelligent. He was the top five students in the class and goes to Cornell University today. I firmly believe that because he was so intelligent, my parents did not really have any problems with me dating him. Also, they knew it was just an ordinary harmless relationship. My sister even told me, “Of course mom and dad don’t care that you’re dating him. He’s going to Cornell. If he was going to a community college, they wouldn’t let you date him.” Also, if I were to marry a Caucasian, there would be most definitely several issues with my parents. Like I have said before, they believe that my relationships in both high school and college are not long-lasting; therefore, they do not really have any problems. My parents want me to marry an Asian and not just anyone with Asian background, but someone who is strictly Vietnamese. My oldest sister married a Chinese male. At first, countless problems arose and the relationship between she and my parents was not stable. In the end, my parents eventually let my sister marry whoever she wanted. My brother is engaged a Filipino, and my parents as close-minded as they tend to frown upon others who are not Asian and Vietnamese. I am aware that this sounds ludicrous, but that is how my parents have been and always will be. Now if I or any of my siblings would date or marry a black male, catastrophe with my parents would undoubtedly occur. Whether they are racist or not, they would not approve of me having a relationship with a black male. Of course, I am going to date and marry whoever I desire. If I am in love with the person, I am going to marry him regardless of what his race is. Overall, I think every aspect of an interracial couple who are in love with each other is truly beautiful.

The moment I entered Penn State University as a freshman last semester, I immediately realized that it was undoubtedly not diverse at all. The university is obviously and predominantly white. Because the population is so large here, it has been recognized as a diverse campus. During the application process last fall, Penn State was known for being widely diverse during my research. However, as I entered this university last semester, it was so very clear that it was not diverse at all. The pamphlet that Sam Richards displayed during last class clearly illustrated how falsely portrayed Penn State really is. Anybody who would go through the pamphlet with interest in attending Penn State would see that diversity is a key element that the campus possesses based on the individuals with evident ethnic background in the pamphlet. There are most certainly several people with different backgrounds here on this campus. People such as the UCLA female student in the Youtube video can agree that there are definitely large groups of international students of some sort of Asian background. The students here come from all over the country and from other countries as well proving some sort of diversity present here. However, the campus is most definitely and primarily white. Because I am of Vietnamese descent, it would certainly be nice to attend a university with much diversity and with people who simply look like me. However, when applying to this school, diversity honestly was not a huge factor on picking which university I would attend in the following year. It never even crossed my mind. Although one may think that because I am of color, the amount of diversity a campus has would come into much consideration when applying. I was born here in America, and both my mother and my father were born and raised in Vietnam. I was born and raised in a predominantly white and suburban town in New Jersey and became very Westernized. I tend to act more American-like and I have more white friends. Throughout my academic years up until senior year, my classmates were white, my friends were white, and I tend to associate with Caucasians as opposed to Asians. So because I grew up very Americanized, the amount of diversity Penn State had or has did not affect my application process. Yes, Penn State is majorly white but how much significance is in the amount of diversity? Most universities have little diversity and his predominantly white anyway. Picking a university should mostly be based on how prestigious it is, and Penn State most definitely fulfills that qualification.

Our world is only getting bigger as each day passes. Our enormous population most certainly takes a toll on how scarce our resources are, and it only gets progressively more in short supply as our population gets larger and larger. The larger our population gets, the larger our responsibility is to keep this population healthy with food, shelter, and a financially secure lifestyle. It is very frequent where we are kept unaware of this and how detrimental it is towards our society itself. Unfortunately in the country that we live in, we Americans have great difficulty in having a grasp on reality and doing something about the fact that three billion other people do not have the resources that we have. In our extremely wealthy country, we have more than we need and we take great advantage of that. By doing so, resources such as food are constantly being wasted when we do not realize that there is always someone else going to sleep hungry. Other countries are aware with how scarce the world’s resources are but they cannot afford to do anything about it. Because we are so far from being limited, our country is most certainly one of the most unaware about how existent this problem is in the world and how much we need to conserve the world’s resources. Some of us do not know a thing while others are certainly aware and are not willing to make a change and help others in the world. Until our world’s scarce resources negatively impact us in our country, we will do something about it. With how selfishly we sadly act now, we will not do things great enough to help other countries. I think with how advanced our country is, it is undoubtedly possible to make differences and aid others. Doing so comes with an abundant amount of effort from several of us. Instead of wasting our excess resources every day, we should give them to other countries. I think we should also publicize this issue. We have several powerful leaders and icons that can begin campaigns that will fully publicize this problem and educate others to become aware and do something about it. I was definitely unaware with the actual number of people who starve every day in our world until this class. The issue should be brought about in the media including in the television, in the news, and in newspapers. This would definitely enhance peoples’ knowledge of this serious matter. We should also create back-up resources when our current resources become very limited. Today, our world can be incapable of supporting our massively growing population. Overpopulation is unquestionably a problem in our society and by decreasing it will definitely somewhat resolve our lack of conserving resources; however, I do not think that it will lead to mankind being limited with how many children he or she can have. Such a thing sounds ludicrous: being forced to only having a certain number of children. It would never be accepted because it unethically takes away our rights as a free individual. The government for proposing such a thing would without a doubt be discredited upon and our society would definitely protest and controversies would be endless. It will most definitely take a tremendous amount of time and effort from several of us to make this difference and resolve this matter, but to help others live a better life will make it extremely worth it.

I do not think that it is true that people in poverty more often tend to have more children that people who are not in poverty. I do think that it is very selfish for the parents to have that many children when they are fully aware of their financial status. My oldest sister and her husband did not have their first child until they were financially secure. They did so because they wanted to raise their child in a healthy environment where money is not a problem, where their child can have a good education. Therefore, I believe it is very selfish on the parents’ behalf to have this many children knowing that they are in poverty. It would be extremely difficult for the children to grow healthfully when they are already in a family with lower income. Why would a parent want to bring more and more children into the world knowing their financial status and having their children forced to live in an unhealthy and uncomfortable environment in which money is tight? The more and more children they have, the harder it is to provide for each of them. Even though with some families, they did not intend for this to happen, but it truly boggles my mind for parents with lower income to believe that they are able to provide for more than ten children. How can a financially unsecure parent believe that are able to provide college education for twenty-something children? Maybe they are unaware of the costs of how to provide for a child, but I would think they would learn after the first two or three children. I have pity for the children being born to a family where disadvantages are countless impacting much of their childhood and future. Not only do I think that this is selfish towards the children’s behalf, but the behalf of society as well. When some of these parents that have more and more children are at the point where they can no longer support themselves, society has to support them which I believe is very unfair. It is most certainly irresponsible to raise multiple children who are forced to live in the situation the parents are in. How is it fair to the children to be raised in a lower class society because the parents were not aware of their situation and economic status? They could be raised in trailer parks, have terrible education, and in live in a society that is frowned upon. A lot of the students in class on Thursday had pity towards Tammy because of the way she lived and that she has to walk over ten miles to clean toilets at the Burger King. They believe that because she was raised the way she was raised in the past with over twenty siblings, that it is not her fault for living the way she does now and having the job that she has. I beg to differ. She brought this onto herself, because she could have applied herself by getting an education and fulfilling her life and future children. My parents immigrated to America from Vietnam with literally nothing. My dad has six brothers and a sister so starting a living in America was rough to say the least. He had to work three to different jobs as the oldest child to help support his mother and family. When he met my mother, they went to Millersville University, received an education, and created a company in the food industry that is very successful today. So with that said, I have no mercy on Tammy because she could have applied herself with the circumstances she was in and better the future of herself and her children. The bottom line is that if you cannot afford to have children, then you should not have them.

I can say that the choices that I have made throughout the course of my life have shaped me into the individual that I am today; however, my parents have played a huge role in making these decisions. Several of my decisions have been based on my future and my career path. My career path is hugely important to me, and I try extremely hard to excel in my academics and to do well for my future. I chose to study, overachieve, to be involved, to be a leader throughout high school and now in college because it is so beneficial for my future. Throughout high school, my accomplishments were established with a goal in mind. That goal was to get accepted to the university that was believed to be top ranked not only to myself but to my parents. I graduated high school in the top 10% of my class, I played field hockey and ran track, I was in the student council and several other clubs. With that said, I got great grades, was well rounded, and surrounded myself with like-minded people to indeed go to the school that I wanted to go to, but to also please my parents. I am of Vietnamese descent and as a child of two Asian parents, my life was extremely pressured to excel academically which influenced my determination to do well as well. Nothing other than straight A’s was acceptable throughout high school. I am also the youngest of two sisters and a brother so I had to live up to the accomplishments of mostly those of my sisters. My parents had higher expectations for the daughters of their family. My sisters went to Tufts University and the University of Pennsylvania. They were extremely excellent students and my parents expected me to be the same way. They wanted to me to have a good education from a school that was well-recognized and prestigious to their eyes. With their overbearing parenting, they raised us to be very academically-inclined students. They chose the university that I would attend for the next four years of my life and the major and career that I would pursue. I dreamed of going to a school that was located in the city. My choices were Boston University, Fordham University, and New York University. I fell in love with Fordham University; however, not only was it expensive but it did not offer pharmacy as a major. Initially, I did not know what career path I would follow and wanted to be undeclared; however, my parents said refused to pay for my college tuition because they believed undecided majors were unrealistic and ludicrous. To them, majors that were communications related or business related were absolutely unacceptable. I came to Penn State in the Elberly College of Science with a chemistry major, because they wanted me to become a pharmacist. Over break, I finally told them I no longer wanted to become a pharmacist, and I am now in the Division of Undergraduate Studies going towards engineering which is acceptable to them. They both expect me to work hard and obtain a very successful job that would provide me a financial secure future for the rest of my life. I can honestly say that with their overbearing parenting and pressure on me to excel academically, my relationship with both of my parents is unhealthy if not, non-existent. I am envious with the love and compassion I observe from other father-daughter and mother-daughter relationships. I can say that I have indeed made choices to where I am today, but most of the decisions that were based on which direction my life was going had been made by my parents. Many times I regret letting my parents and their overbearing and stern approach to parenting control my life; however, I know that today I am a strong and extremely motivated individual that strives to do well throughout my entire life.

In my opinion, there is no such thing as one certain race being the most beautiful. We have been told time and time again that all races are equal even though at times we may act otherwise. No race is more beautiful than another, and that should most certainly not be why people may hang out more frequently with those within his or her race as opposed to others outside his or her race. Yes, people do indeed have pride within their race and can embrace it fully; however, it should not be to the extent when he or she will limit to he or she hangs out with simply because of another person’s race (at least not in today’s society). I believe that each and every person in this society, no matter what ethnicity he or she is, is beautiful entirely inside and out. Unfortunately, our world does carry countless ignorant people who do have their own judgments on others based on that person’s ethnicity and will believe that their own is better. Some of us carry a sense of superiority over other which leads to racism and discrimination. We are all equal human beings no matter what race we acquire and whether you make think that yours is more beautiful than another. People tend to hang out with other people within his or her own race, because it is simply more comfortable that way. Most of us have grown up with people of our ethnic background and is more comfortable with associating with that background today. We are more at ease to approach one who is of the same race than someone who is not. I think we can all agree that we very often see international students from Asia traveling in what we call “flocks” or “packs”. It may seem peculiar that they seem to hang out with each other; however, we need to see it from their point of view. To enter a country that is completely different from the culture and background that you have been so wholly deep-rooted in for basically your entire life, is certainly overwhelming and intimidating. If I were in one of these students’ shoes, I would feel much more at ease to approach a student from my own race than a black or white person. I would share many more things in common with someone of my own race who is also entering a different country and experiencing a completely different culture. We would have more things in common from our own cultures while discovering things in a new one. Not only do I think that the international students hang out with each other because of comfort purposes, but because there are no language barriers among them. For some of the international students who have trouble speaking in English, creating a relationship or friendship with someone outside their race is very difficult due to speaking purposes. They have to try very little to converse and associate with those of their own race when communication is not an issue. Overall, I do not believe that people hang out with only those within their ethnic group because they believe that their race is more beautiful or superior over others; we are all equal in our own individual and unique way.