Today in class, I was so interested to talk about illegal immigration and hear what Sam had to say about this very controversial subject. Before the lecture in class today, I had always thought of the issue of illegal immigration as a strictly political subject. Although I have heard stories of illegal immigrants that were definitely not from a political view point, but when I have heard about it in the past, it has always been spoken about as a political issue and what effect it has on our country and our economy. In this class, Sam definitely showed a different point of view that was interesting and really did make me think about the issue in a different light and re-evaluate my opinion and feelings and thoughts on illegal immigration in our country today. After speaking about it, I feel that everyone does deserve the right to freedom, just as we have in this country. Also, I had never thought about the fact that our fore fathers who started this country and everything we know, were actually illegal immigrants themselves. Many people never think about the fact that the men and women who came to this country first and started it to be the country that we know and appreciate today, they were intruding on the native americans. The native americans saw our fore fathers the in the same light and in the same way that we see illegal immigrants now, namely those crossing the border form mexico and such. Today in class, I was so interested to talk about illegal immigration and hear what Sam had to say about this very controversial subject. Before the lecture in class today, I had always thought of the issue of illegal immigration as a strictly political subject. Although I have heard stories of illegal immigrants that were definitely not from a political view point, but when I have heard about it in the past, it has always been spoken about as a political issue and what effect it has on our country and our economy. In this class, Sam definitely showed a different point of view that was interesting and really did make me think about the issue in a different light and re-evaluate my opinion and feelings and thoughts on illegal immigration in our country today. After speaking about it, I feel that everyone does deserve the right to freedom, just as we have in this country. Also, I had never thought about the fact that our fore fathers who started this country and everything we know, were actually illegal immigrants themselves. Many people never think about the fact that the men and women who came to this country first and started it to be the country that we know and appreciate today, they were intruding on the native americans. The native americans saw our fore fathers the in the same light and in the same way that we see illegal immigrants now, namely those crossing the border form mexico and such.

Today in class, i highly enjoyed discussing nepotism because, although I always knew about connections, i did not know the exact word for it. When Sam asked who in the class had benefited from affirmative action, not too many people in the class raised their hands or even thought twice about having benefited from affirmative action. Many people felt as if because they were not a person of color or a minority that they themselves had never benefited from nepotism. However, as Sam soon thoroughly explained, everyone has really benefited from affirmative action, through nepotism in their lives.

Almost everyone has experienced nepotism some time in their life, especially with first jobs, positions in high school clubs or on sorts teams, or even in getting admitted into the college of their choice. Nepotism is everywhere and it is very hard to avoid in today's modern and well connected society. With the new social networking sites such as Facebook and with the obsessive use of cell phones and other technology, we are always in touch with one another, making connections that will help us in the present and in the future as well. I, personally, have experienced nepotism a number of times, even with the moderate job experience I have had in my almost nineteen years of life.Almost everyone has experienced nepotism some time in their life, especially with first jobs, positions in high school clubs or on sorts teams, or even in getting admitted into the college of their choice. Nepotism is everywhere and it is very hard to avoid in today's modern and well connected society. With the new social networking sites such as Facebook and with the obsessive use of cell phones and other technology, we are always in touch with one another, making connections that will help us in the present and in the future as well. I, personally, have experienced nepotism a number of times, even with the moderate job experience I have had in my almost nineteen years of life.

I have to say, if I ever had a chance to take a job or position that I was offered because of nepotism, I would not want to turn it down. Although I am well aware that I may be taking a person who is more qualified for the job out of the running for a job they deserve, nepotism is the way that many people get jobs and positions in todays society. I have personally experienced not only nepotism, but I have also been the person who does not get a position I have wanted because of nepotism. Although it is not always a great feeling to be the person on the other side of a deal made out of nepotism, it is a known fact that connections are always stronger and speak louder than qualifications. Like people always say here at Penn State, a school with one of the largest alumni networks in the world, "it's not what you know, it's who you know."

Upon coming to class on Tuesday, I was definitely very very curious to see what Sam had in store for his lecture. I had heard so much about the Christian Invaders class for Soc 119 even before I had signed up for class and every student I had spoken to said that it was one of the best lectures that had ever listened to here at Penn State. Having such a reputation, I literally could not wait to see what this lecture is all about and why it was even called Christian Invaders in the first place.

When we got to class and Sam said that we were going to spend the entire time thinking as if we were teenagers ad young adults in the Middle East, I was excited and knew that it would be a good class already. I thought that it would be extremely beneficial to see the war from a different perspective and another persons point of view, especially those who are so directly affected. I felt as if this would truly help me better understand a subject on which I have never been totally clear and have never fully understand. Although many Americans, especially younger adults and college students, like to think that they know everything about the war, unless provoked to do so, many people do not truly take the time and effort to actually attempt to fully embody the other side and see what they may think and feel about our country and our soldiers.

I am not one for politics, speaking about them or even really paying attention to them, which I know is slightly bad, as we should all know what is going on in our own country and around the world. So through this lecture I did not exactly change my view point on the war completely, but rather simply further and more completely develop my understanding of the situation at hand. When watching the videos of American soldiers, it is hard to think that young adults in Iraq would think that the way those soldiers act is the way that all soldiers act because, knowing many people who are and have been in the U.S. military, I know that those idiots who do things like the videos showed are a select group and would be severely punished if they were to be found out. However, the more I thought about it, the more I could see how Iraqis would think that way because they do not have anyone to tell them otherwise. The video, however, that really made an impact on my point of view, was the video that was a news cast on an Iraqi news station. I think this impacted me the most because from that, I knew that they are only being fed the bad things about American soldiers and Americans in general. I knew that it went further than just stupid youtube videos and messages sent through the internet, it was on their evening news, their main source of knowledge about their country, the world, and especially the war. That part was easy to relate to because even we know that our main source of information is also the news, because why would one not believe what they are saying: they're well informed, right? This lecture just truly showed me that we cannot believe everything we hear and see on the news or internet. It made me realize that we need to go out and seek our own knowledge on the war and anything else we want to know about in this world.

Interracial relationships is a topic that has been greatly and more commonly spoken about it today's recent culture. In previous decades and generations, interracial dating was something that was not heard of and definitely was not seen very often in their culture back then. When speaking to our grandparents and older generations, and even many of our parents' generations, many of them and many people whom they know will say that interracial dating is either unacceptable or just not heard of and they had never encountered it in their lives. However, in our society and culture today, interracial dating, while still a hot topic and definitely still not seen as often as same race couples, it is seen more and more and is being increasingly well known and seen as normal. Because of the fact that social norms have changed, I, and many other people and students my age whom I know, completely support interracial relationships.

Because we live in a time where everything seems to be changing and things and social norms do not seem to be the same as they were in previous generations. I feel that, as cliche as it sounds, if you love someone for who they are, then there is no reason to not be with him or her regardless of anything, whether it be race or gender or any other factor. If someone likes and is genuinely attracted to a person for who they are and their personality alone, it should not matter what color skin that person has or any other factor that is about an outer appearance for that matter.

A reason that some people are opposed to interracial dating is because of the sole fact of what others may think about them and their relationship. Whether it be people passing on the street or a family member or a friend, many people to not want to feel judged or unaccepted by people who are close to them. While it definitely is not ideal to not feel supported by family and friends, if it makes you happy or if someone makes you happy, then it should not matter.

A person's skin color is such a very small part of who he or she is as a person. If you are truly in love with someone for who they are, then race should not make a difference in the relationship. These reasons are why I support and would not be opposed to an interracial relationship. I believe that race should not matter in a mature adult relationship, especially in today's very accepting and advanced society. I do not understand why people are opposed to interracial relationships, especially in our society today, and I fully support and am not opposed to interracial relationships.

In class yesterday, Sam's comments about white guilt really made me think about how I truly feel about being white. Although I can imagine that it is common and I can definitely understand it, I personally have never felt guilty for being the race that I am. However, I can understand the feelings of those who do feel a sense of guilt for being white.

While I was not an extremely sheltered child and did see diversity throughout my life, I did not greatly see it. I have always lived and currently still do live in a dominantly white neighborhood and area. I went to a small high school, which was even more so predominately white. And, although Penn State is working at becoming more diverse, it is not as diverse as other college campuses which I had looked at on my college quest. Having said my experiences with diversity, I feel that it is easy to see and understand why I have not really ever experienced a string sense of white guilt throughout my life.

There are also other factors that go into why I have not experienced feeling guilty, like others have and many do now. Firstly, even if I were ever in a room or setting with many people of different races, I never really felt uncomfortable or guilty in any way. I was always taught to embrace who I am and to be confident in myself. Therefore, I have never really had a string sense of feeling awkward, uncomfortable, or guilty about my racial background and the fact that I am white. Secondly, which kind of correlates with my previous reasoning, I feel as if there is no sense in feeling extremely guilty because, after all, its not as if I chose to be white. When speaking in class about different race issues, I definitely feel bad that people of color have such a disadvantage in this world and that they have had such a rough history. When I think about the way people of color were treated in the past, I do feel sad about it and cannot imagine having had those experiences. Also, I cannot imagine growing up feeling as if my race puts me at a disadvantage in life or having been bullied or made fun of purely for the color of my skin. And although I do not feel a sense of guilt for my skin color, it does not mean that I support those who are racist or prejudice against other races and ethnicities. When I hear about acts of violence or discrimination, I am angry at those who performed those actions and wish that I could change the way that they view different people and situations.

Although I have never experienced white guilt, I do think that this class is opening my eyes to different situations and hearing different stories that I had never known before coming here. It makes me think about what it really means to be white and it makes me think about my race. While I do not experience white guilt, it makes me sad that other white people and people of color ever feel guilty for having certain color skin. After all, we cannot help who we are and no one should feel guilty simply for the color of their skin.

Affirmative action is a difficult subject to debate for many different reasons. One of the most glaring reasons, I believe, is that one's opinion on affirmative action, or other similar systems, differ greatly based on your own personal experiences in life. Secondly, affirmative action is a subject with which it is hard to simply agree or disagree. I, similar to most people, fall somewhere in the grey area regarding affirmative action, both agreeing and disagreeing with it.

My first thought upon discussing affirmative action is that it really is amazing that our country has come this far. To have a system that is specifically designed to even the playing field for all people in our country, regardless of race, economic status, or gender, is truly amazing and something to be proud of as Americans. Because a sense of discrimination is so deeply instilled in our society, even today, without something like affirmative action, it would be nearly impossible to ever even be on our way to complete equality. Affirmative action aids people of color who have the skills and intelligence to do what they want and to succeed without being largely discriminated against.

On the other hand, as a person with no background of color at all, I have seen how the system can also work against white people. While I believe that it does benefit people, I also feel that it can hinder the success of white people who work just as hard. If affirmative action is taken too far, it is aiding people of color simply by hurting people not of color. For example, most of the scholarships for colleges all over the country, and especially Penn State, are based around ethnicity and background. When going to apply for scholarships, I could not even apply for many of them because I'm only white. While its great that there are scholarships to help those who need it, there was definitely not an equal chance for those who also need it just as bad, but are not a person of color.

Although affirmative action is a great triumph and a step in the direction of complete equality for our country, like most things in the world, it is good in moderation. It is amazing that affirmative action truly does make America the land of equal opportunity, helping those who have not had equal opportunity in the past to obtain it now in the future. However, if affirmative action begins to completely rule the way employers hire those seeking jobs and administrators accept prospective students, then were only helping one group by hurting another, which is not the way the system was meant to be used. As with anything, if affirmative actions is used the correct way and where and when it is necessary, then it will continue to do wonderful things for our country, and help us achieve the equality we all deserve.

In class this week, we spoke about discrimination and about how almost every person has at least a little bit of discrimination deep in them somewhere, even if they do not show it all the time. We also spoke about the differences in people admitting that maybe they do have some discrimination towards other races, or even saying that they definitely do have discrimination against other races. While it seems like some races do not have too much of a problem just coming out and admitting their prejudices, others are never seen or heard portraying any action that can be construed has racist or slightly discriminating. A racial group that is often said to not like to speak about discrimination, and one that we specifically brought up in our class discussion is white people. There could be many different reasons for this because issues about race are so large and there are so many various components to discrimination and racism. Although there are not many people that are accepting of racism, especially in today’s modern society, I feel as if many white people feel that is they were to admit that they were slightly discriminating towards a person of another race, than it would be a really big deal. If someone of color says that he or she discriminates against people of another race, although it is not accepted, it seems that people are more willing to listen to them and hear them out about their reasons. On the other hand, if a white person were to say that he or she was discriminating, it would not only be totally unacceptable, but would also probably cause a big scene and an uproar. I think much of this difference has to do with the media. The media almost always only reports on discrimination and racism against those of color. Because of that, white people feel the need to be extremely politically correct and act like they have no discrimination what so ever. Also, I have heard many people say that they would never say if they felt a certain way about another race because other people would see it as selfish. I believe that many white people think this way because the most prominent issue of racism and discrimination was between African Americans and white people. Because of that, it seems as if people who are white cannot be discriminated against because they are the ones who discriminated against another race for so long in our history. I definitely enjoyed talking about this topic in class because it was interesting to see what everyone had to say about this subject because there are so many different points of views and input on a topic such as this.

On a day to day basis, when I go to the grocery store to shop for food, or go to the mall to buy some new clothes, or even when I got a new phone for Christmas this year, I am being honest in saying that I never really think about where the products come from, where they are made, or who they are made by. As a matter of fact, the first time I have really thought about modern day slavery in depth was in today's class. Although I had certainly heard about it and had thought about it a little bit, it never really had a huge or major impact on me in my everyday lifestyle, or in the way i think. However, after today's class I have begun thinking more about modern day slavery and how it affects everyone throughout the world.

I think that the aspect of this class that made the thought of slavery in today's world really resonate with me was the video that we watched towards the end of class. Putting a face to any sort of issue always helps in building sympathy, compassion, awareness, and driving people to do more to help. In this situation in particular, I think that putting a face to the thought of slavery and actually hearing from the slaves themselves made me realize that this is definitely slavery, no questions asked. These people documented and interviewed in the film are not payed even one penny for their labors and some have been there for years and years.

Perhaps one of the most influential parts of the film as a whole was the line that has been blogged about above. Hearing someone say something such as this makes me feel almost guilty in a way. I do not feel guilty in a way where I feel personally responsible for the situation and the fact that slavery is going on in these countries. I feel guilty that I was not informed about the depth of the issue and I have not been able to be educated enough of the subject to make an informed decision in whether or not I am going to make the effort to buy goods that are not manufactured and made by enslaved people. While I do not think that slavery is able to be stopped by any number of people, it is good to be aware of the issue, so that we can buy fair trade goods and other goods that are not made by slaves. Because this issue is more complex than any of us can understand, it may not be able to be fully solved in our lifetime, but every little bit helps. I felt as if this statement made in the film, helped me to realize that we need to educate other people on this subject so that we can at least begin to start to abolish this form of modern slavery.

Today in class, after speaking about the history of African Americans, slavery, and racism in general, we watched a game that Sam demonstrated with other students in the class. He picked a few different student who were all of different races and ethnic backgrounds and told them to all stand around a table in the front of the room. I was definitely wondering what he was doing, but when he jumped on the table and said that he was king of the mountain, I realized what he was going to explain. He explained that whoever is on top, brings their own people closest to the top with them. I thought that this was avery interesting way of demonstrating something that is both complex and simple at the same time. When Sam explained how the same people come to power and stay in power for so long, it actually seemed a lot more simple than it had seemed before when we were discussing in class. I just thought that it was interesting that people will help other people who they think are similar to them, whether its skin color or religion or anything else that is similar. When Sam started explaining who he would definitely bring up on the mountain with him, he listed close family members mostly. He said that he would bring any children he had, and his wife, and grandchildren, and many other close relatives. I also thought it was interesting when he said that certain sides of the mountain had different things wrong with them, therefore enabling other people, usually of different races, to also get to the top of the mountain, representing the peak or top of society and the social latter. I liked that this game and demonstration made everyone think that certain racial groups are just born with naturally having disadvantages that other racial groups do not certainly have from birth. Someone from another country or of another race could be just as smart, if not smarter, than someone else who has a lot of power or has a lot of money, and who is closer to the top of the "mountain." It just goes to show that you cannot always judge somebody's social status or country where they live or living conditions based off of how hard they work or how smart they are. Sometimes people can work ten tomes harder than other people but still be no where near as wealthy or powerful as they are. I think that this king of the mountain game also showed a great deal of how racism got started and how it developed into such a big issue in society in the past and today still as well.

I definitely so the same thing, describing my background and ethnicity differently in different situations. I am of Irish, Polish, and German decent. If someone were to ask me what ethnicity I was or my ethnic background, I would change my response based on to whom I were speaking. For example, if in a classroom setting, whether here at Penn State or in high school, if someone were to ask my ethnicity, I would simply say Irish, Polish, and German. However, when I was in London, people would ask where I was from and my response was American every single time. I think this is because when in the United States, I can almost be sure that the person with whom I am speaking is also American, especially if it is just in a casual setting. So, when they ask me where my family is from, I give my ethnic background, because I know that they too are American. On the other hand, if I am in another country, I feel as if I were to respond to this same question with Irish, Polish, and German, they would not be satisfied with this answer. When I am in a tourist-y area of another country, I am almost certain that whomever asks the question of where I am from would like to know what country I am from, not my ethnic make-up. In a more specific situation, if someone asks me where I am from in the United States, I am very likely to give them different locations depending on where I am. Here at Penn State, it seems silly to respond by the question of where I am from by saying Pennsylvania, seeing as many people are from here also. Instead, I am likely to answer with the more specific response of Philadelphia. If someone also says that they are from Philadelphia, I will then specify my answer even further by saying which neighborhood I am from. Looking at the question from a different point of view, another way one could respond to a questions such as this are with his or her religion. If you are in a church setting or other religious setting, one could respond with an answer about his or her religious background and it would be a sufficient answer. However, if in another country, your religious background may not be the answer that he or she is looking for when asking about your ethnic background or country of origin. In conclusion, I think that many, even the majority of, people will be able to say that they too change their answer about their ethnicity or racial background based upon with whom they are speaking. Taking into consideration how much information we perceive the other person knows, or in which context they are asking the question, I believe that most people reform their answer.