en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2403224 Comments by thefullmonty http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/would-you-help-out-or-turn-away-immigrants-in-the-poor-situations-we-saw-them-in-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment145274359 Today’s class on illegal immigration really affected me because I could relate. Personally I am not a an illegal immigrant but many of my distant relatives have connections to coming to America illegally. However I am a first generation immigrant. I was born in the Philippines; my parents had moved from Vietnam to the Philippines because my father was offered American citizenship because his father was an American soldier in the Vietnam war. My mother also taught english classes in the Philippines for people who were about to immigrate to America. We immigrated to Chicago about 9 months after I was born because my mom got pregnant with my little sister, who ended up being born in Chicago. Yes, I have a green card also known as a permanent resident card. I would have become a citizen if one of my parents had been granted citizenship after taking the exam. My father passed with a hundred percent but he declined citizenship. I never really knew why he did this... I think he wanted to prove that he could be a citizen if he wanted to be... he is currently the president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Vietnamese Amerasian Society, which works on getting citizen ship for other mixed Vietnamese adults and children who are the children of American soldiers and Vietnamese parents. These mixed individuals are viewed as scum in many Vietnamese people’s eyes, especially in North Vietnam which was more “communist” than South Vietnam (which is where both of my parents are from). As a result of all of this, I am very sympathetic of other immigrants. Since I moved here at such a young age, I assimilated really well into American culture. Although I could not speak English when I entered kindergarten, I was enrolled into an intensive ESL program almost immediately. And now, my english is perfect with no Vietnamese twang whatsoever. That was how I was “helped” as an immigrant. It’s helped me get to where I am now, since I did earn the right to attend Penn State on my own merit. Therefore I would definitely extend a helping hand to immigrants who need help, afterall that is what my father does for a living. I actually cried, like bawled by eyes out, during the video of the guy who made meals for illegal immigrants who lived on the streets. The part that really upset me was the part with his mother. When she started tearing up talking about people going hungry, my heart went out to these people. I know that helping people can sometimes be counterproductive. They usually become dependent on your aide... but how can we just let them live like that? We can’t. Therefore I think that we should help them. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 02:33:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/would-you-help-out-or-turn-away-immigrants-in-the-poor-situations-we-saw-them-in-and-why-119-blog/#IDComment145274359 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/14/what-do-you-think-about-the-telephone-game-and-why-does-information-travel-that-way-119-blog/#IDComment143286446 The telephone is a great example of how in our society, especcially in the adolecent age, information can drastically change as it passes from person to person. Our society is very "well my friend said" driven. A story about two people dancing together gets passed through a dozen people and suddenly people are swearing that they had sex. A simple wrong word heard can drastically change a story. And then there are people who change the stories on purpose, because they think its funny and like creating awkward situations. Also, it should teach people that once you say something, you cant take it back....even if you said it wrong. Once you say it, its out there and its hard to take it back. Sat, 16 Apr 2011 03:01:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/14/what-do-you-think-about-the-telephone-game-and-why-does-information-travel-that-way-119-blog/#IDComment143286446 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141158802 Radical Muslims are a rarity. But somehow, we think that ALL Muslims that live in Iraq are strapping bombs to their chest… and blowing up innocent citizens and United States soldiers. We need to change how they are portrayed. This lecture really opened up my eyes to how Middle Easterners feel… when you think about it, we are just as much in the wrong as they are. And it’s not even the whole entire country that is at fault. It’s a group of rogue rebels, the Taliban. And although they do have a huge impact on the government… that does not mean that we have the right to bomb them. It makes me think that the world is so horribly corrupted. How are we ever going to fix it? part four Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:43:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141158802 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141158732 I also found it interesting how Sam Richards attempted to put us in the shoes of every day human beings, just like us, living in the middle east, specifically Iraqis. That actually sounds sarcastic now that I read it… I actually sympathized more with terrorists then I ever have… That sounds horrible… I sympathize with the daily struggles that the Iraqi people have to go through. They walk around in streets littered with debris caused by rogue soldiers. They have to deal with people disrespecting their religion, just because people are ignorant. And then it makes me think… Americans were, and are, still conditioned to believe that Muslims are the enemy. Our minds are wired to group things into schemas, even from a young age. And as we get older, we fit things into our schemas. We have been conditioned to think MUSLIM when someone says terrorist. And that’s horrible. part three Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:43:26 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141158732 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141158656 We saw Christopher Columbus do this when he was sent by Spain to find “India” and what he found was the new world instead… the Americas were exploited for their immense abundance of amazing resources like silver, potatoes, peppers, etc. And now, the United States is repeating history… colonization might be a practice of the past… but declaring war over “terrorism” is not. And they are actually quite similar. We colonized to gain resources. And in this day and age, we are basically doing the same thing. The more I think about it… the more I think that 9/11 was just a catalyst for a war that George W. Bush wanted to start to begin with. And the plane crashes to the twin towers gave him the opportunity to do just that. part two Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:43:02 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141158656 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141158630 I think that Sam Richard’s lecture this past Tuesday about “Christian Invaders” was truly the BEST lecture that we have had so far. The Iraq war has always been a heavily debated topic among me and my friends. And I have to say that I completely agree with Sam. The Iraq war is essentially a war centered around our economy and our lack of resources, aka OIL. As most of us know (common knowledge from years of history classes) historically… many countries, like Great Britain aka England, sent explorers or conquistadors to invade other lands to exploit their exotic resources. part one Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:42:53 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/after-this-class-do-you-still-blame-terrorism-119-blog/#IDComment141158630 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment139276634 I actually laughed out loud in class when Sam and his wife started to talk about those girls on weekends who wear skin tight skirts that show off their wonderful vag's and tops that don't cover any tummy but reveal our favorite assets, the girls. Because to be honest, I am totally one of those girls. And I will admit this, I do not dress like a freaking whore to impress guys because I could honestly do that in jeans and a white tee shirt (and maybe some water hahah). But I dress like a complete bimbo because I want to impress other girls. It is all a mind game. Girls dress like barbie clones on weekends because they want to impress the other bitches that are out walking frat row. i would be more offended if a girl said something horrible about my outfit then a guy. And I dress the way I do to show the other girls, who are dressed exactly like me, that I know my shit. I know what to wear and damn it, I can probably wear it better than most of these girls. It is all a status thing. Because when it comes down to it, no matter how vain it sounds... I want to believe, if not know, that I am better than these other girls. Because when you think about it, girls seek to be at the top of the pyramid. And to be absolutely frank, I am dressed in the tightest shortest skirt I own AND I'm wearing four in heeled knee high leather boots. Yes, I sound like I am dressed like a slut or a "sorostitute" as some people on campus call them... but I like it when I look good. And I'd hope to think that other people like it when I look good. And this may sound conceited but I hate looking grungy in sweats and a hoodie because it makes me FEEL grungy. When I'm wearing a cute skirt and fucking awesome shoes, I feel like I can take on the world. And I'm sure that a lot of girls would say the same thing. When I look my best, I act my best. However I will agree with Sam about the cold thing, it sucks to go outside in the shortest skirt ever when it's blizzarding outside. I have done it this whole entire winter. And to be honest, I have also suffered the repercussions of braving the cold. I've gotten bronchitis twice this year... not to mention I fell down a flight of icy stairs one night... completely sober might I add. It really is a mind game... if you believe that it's warm out then it's warm out. Sat, 2 Apr 2011 02:59:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment139276634 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-factors-in-your-race-make-it-difficult-to-date-outside-your-race-119-blog/#IDComment137592779 What your peers think of you can seriously have a huge impact on who you choose to date because they will end up spending time with your significant other. If my best friends said that they didn’t like so and so, regardless of color, I would probably not date him. After all, my friends know me better than I know myself at times. But throw in the color factor, and they might feel even more inclined to not like him… which in turn makes me more inclined to not date him… Interracial couples face some of the biggest problems because they push the racial envelope and make people think about race in a way that they do not when they see two individuals of the same race dating… In our new generation, we will definitely see more interracial couples and marriages. So it’s time to accept these couples as who they are, rather than what color their skin is. part three Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:27:20 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-factors-in-your-race-make-it-difficult-to-date-outside-your-race-119-blog/#IDComment137592779 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-factors-in-your-race-make-it-difficult-to-date-outside-your-race-119-blog/#IDComment137592742 My first boyfriend was white, which my mom enjoyed. But my second boyfriend was Indian… which my mom felt uneasy about but in the end, she accepted him because she wanted me to be happy. There are also other factors that influence relationships… like the social pressures that are put on a couple by peer groups. Your peers are with you wherever you go, especially if you are in school… particularly college. When people see black guy and a white girl, they might be thinking, “hey that is really cool”… but a majority of people might be thinking, “that is really fucking weird, why the hell are they dating?”. Or even worse, a black girl with a white guy. That might be the rarest of all interracial relationships, now that I think about it. And then you have Asians with whites, Asians with blacks, Asians with mexicans etc etc. The list goes on and on, with endless combinations and possibilities. part two Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:27:02 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-factors-in-your-race-make-it-difficult-to-date-outside-your-race-119-blog/#IDComment137592742 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-factors-in-your-race-make-it-difficult-to-date-outside-your-race-119-blog/#IDComment137592706 I honestly do not think that the problems that arise through interracial relationships stem from factors in the couple’s races. I mean, race can be an issue for two people in a relationship… don’t get me wrong, but it primarily has to do more with outside factors. For instance, one’s family has a major role in relationships. I, myself, am interracial (Vietnamese, French, and Irish) so my family is pretty open about who I date. However, my mom (who is full Vietnamese) has made a few comments about not bringing home anyone who is darker than I am, which is actually not saying much since I’m pretty tan. But this means that she doesn’t want me to date anyone who is, for example, Mexican, black, or Indian. But even though family can have an impact on who you choose to date, they can only affect so much. part one Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:26:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-factors-in-your-race-make-it-difficult-to-date-outside-your-race-119-blog/#IDComment137592706 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/what-do-you-think-of-the-diversity-at-penn-state-119-blog/#IDComment135956978 The diversity at Penn State is actually really interesting. When applying to Penn State, I was looking for a school that was insanely diverse. All throughout high school, I was THE token asian. A majority of my friends were white because my whole entire town is full of white people… with the occasional black, asian, and latino thrown in. Originally, I looked at schools like Temple, which were known for their immense diversity. Although they appealed to me, I did not really like them other than the fact that they had many students of different races. When I visited Penn State, I saw mostly white people on my tour. But I still loved the school, so I decided to come here regardless of the lack of diversity that I saw. But now… I see that it actually is pretty diverse. My group of friends is still predominantly white but everyone brings something different to the table. They all came from different towns with different opinions and backgrounds. And I realized that diversity is more than just skin deep. Diversity is not just about what color your skin is, whether it be black, brown, yellow, white, or anything in between. It is about what you can offer to the world. It is about the perspectives and ideas that you can enlighten others on. Because we are all diverse in our own ways. I am half white and half asian. I essentially grew up living with two different cultures, both of them somewhat conflicting to the other. And I grew up in an area dominated by white people, which has white washed me a lot. So I am somewhat different from other Asians and other white people. And my background has shaped the way I perceive the world. And it has also shaped my beliefs. Because my mom is Buddhist and my dad is Christian, I grew up in a pretty non religious household. My parents did not want us to have to pick one or the other so they just ignored it completely. Although I did go to temple on occasion as well as church, I decided that I am agnostic, if not atheist. Everyone here at Penn State has something to teach someone else. And you would be surprised how race does not affect a person as much as their background does. The diversity at Penn State is especially concentrated in certain regions at Penn State. For instance, in East… the FOBS or Fresh of the Boats (Asians, etc) always stick together in large clumps or groups. My roommate only hangs out with native born Chinese people. It is quite interesting to see that her race affects who she hangs out with. I have also noticed that certain church groups, like Harvest (which is predominantly Korean), also make Penn State seem more diverse. Diversity at Penn State is an interesting thing. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:59:26 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/what-do-you-think-of-the-diversity-at-penn-state-119-blog/#IDComment135956978 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment134345700 Part three. The sentence that really got to me was when he or she said that people fear what they do not understand. It is horrifically true. Last year, when I would see someone who looked mentally handicapped, my first reaction was to shy away from them. But this past year, one of my best friends roped me into working as a volunteer at a local special Olympics event that took place in my town. And it truly opened my eyes to a whole new perspective. I am no longer living in fear of something I do not understand. I am living in awe of these individuals. As I watched these little kids participate in these events, I realized that they really are special and not just in the sense that they have physical or mental disabilities. Their smiles made my heart light. The effort that they put into their events made me want to become a better person. To this day, I really try not to use drop the “R” word just like I try not to say the word gay in a derogatory manner. Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:48:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment134345700 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment134345655 Part two. I thought it would be interesting to see how urban dictionary defined the “R” word… and I was pleasantly surprised. The first definition that came up (aka the one with the most likes or ups) was one that criticized the use of the “R” word. It said, “A person born with a mental condition and therefore has to work a million times harder to be able to do simple things that we take for granted. On top of this, a retard will usually suffer a lot of ridicule from society because people fear what they do not understand. The people who choose to make fun of the mentally retarded tend to be complete morons and cannot comprehend that these people have feelings and emotions just like anyone else”. To the unknown stranger who posted this… I couldn’t have said it better myself. Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:48:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment134345655 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment134345534 Part one. When I think of the “R” word, there are many things that come to mind. For instance, who usually uses this word? In a general sense, it is people who are my age, insensitive teenagers who do not think carefully about what they are about to say. I will admit… there have been moments when I have slipped up and allowed the “R” word to blurt out of my mouth. However this video from CNN proved that there are many adults, particularly adults in politics, who use this word to refer to something being stupid or annoying (which is a completely inappropriate use of the word). Like the word gay or the “N” bomb, the “R” word is one of those words that have become taboo to say. Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:47:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/09/the-r-word-and-the-oblivious-others/#IDComment134345534 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment129969731 As my taxi drove me further from the city, I began to see other smaller towns. On the way to my grandparents, we passed by a town that was literally composed of teeny tiny wooden huts. The roads weren’t paved. There was dust flying everywhere. The sides of the “roads” were paved with garbage and litter. It was horrific. Many of the kids were wearing rags that were hanging off their bodies. I started crying immediately. I knew that living conditions were bad around the world but it’s a completely different thing to witness it with your own eyes. You can look at as many pictures as you want, but you don’t fully understand the extent of what these people have been through until you walk their streets. When I made it to my grandparents house, I felt horrible about the way that I live every day. Americans, myself included, consume everything in large amounts from energy to food to products like shoes. I took a step back and looked at my life from a wider perspective… and it made me realize that I had to change something. I could not continue to live the way I was living. part two Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:19:07 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment129969731 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment129969148 Since then, I’ve tried to recycle everything recyclable. And I try to stop myself from buying unessential items… but like any other teenager, I can’t resist buying things that I have absolutely no purpose for. I have been conditioned to consume and consume. And it is borderline disgusting. We, as Americans, are possibly the most fortunate people in the world. Even the poorest people in our country can look like the wealthiest people to another nation. We need to be aware of how much of an impact we are making on the world and the environment through our consumption. We need to change. Simply put. part three Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:15:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment129969148 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment129969078 As my taxi drove me further from the city, I began to see other smaller towns. On the way to my grandparents, we passed by a town that was literally composed of teeny tiny wooden huts. The roads weren’t paved. There was dust flying everywhere. The sides of the “roads” were paved with garbage and litter. It was horrific. Many of the kids were wearing rags that were hanging off their bodies. I started crying immediately. I knew that living conditions were bad around the world but it’s a completely different thing to witness it with your own eyes. You can look at as many pictures as you want, but you don’t fully understand the extent of what these people have been through until you walk their streets. When I made it to my grandparents house, I felt horrible about the way that I live every day. Americans, myself included, consume everything in large amounts from energy to food to products like shoes. I took a step back and looked at my life from a wider perspective… and it made me realize that I had to change something. I could not continue to live the way I was living. Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:15:08 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment129969078 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment129968751 I feel like as Americans, we are quite unaware of how other people live around the world. Many of us know that we are one of the biggest nations in terms of consumption. But many of us do not realize how fortunate we are to have roofs over our heads and food to fill our stomachs. This topic actually really hits home with me. When I was thirteen, my parents sent me to Vietnam to live with my grandparents for the summer. They thought that it would be an eye opening experience for me, and they were right. My grandparents live right outside of Saigon, a major city in Vietnam. When I arrived at the Saigon Airport, I was amazed by how normal it looked. The city itself was very industrialized, looking much like New York City or Philadelphia except a little dirtier (but not by much). part one Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:13:19 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment129968751 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/do-arrests-of-different-races-occur-more-due-to-racism-or-more-police-in-urban-areas-119-blog/#IDComment129030341 I thought it was really interesting that Sam Richards brought up the intense issues with our justice system in class. Like in one of the clicker questions in class suggested, a lot of people in our sosh class believe that our justice system is racist. There were a lot of interesting points made about different statistics on the relationship between race, drugs, and amount of arrests. Although crystal meth is mostly abused amongst white people, the majority of people getting arrested for crystal meth are, simply put, black. There is an unfair distribution in the amount of arrests with blacks and Hispanics. And in class, we also discussed how the color of someones skin can affect their futures. The example used was about the juvenile systems. Children or teenagers of color were much more likely to get moved out of the juvenile system and into a different system where they would be tried as adults. Being moved out would completely alter their futures. In the juvenile system, they would have many chances to change themselves to become upstanding citizens of society. But if they got moved out, these chances would be eliminated. They would ultimately be convicted for the crimes they were arrested for. And they could end up in jail for years on end, wasting their youth away. Honestly, I am still unsure as to whether or not I think that the justice system is racist. It might be because I am always completely in the middle about most issues or it could be how easily I am convinced. Before class, I thought that the justice system was not racist. I thought that everyone was over exaggerating because it just seems like there would be more crime in cities. And cities are usually ridden with Hispanics, Asians and African Americans, not be racist. My cousin goes to Temple in Philadelphia and she is always talking about how everyone is scared of the crime there since it is located right next to a bad part of the city. She was telling me about how she was out one night with a group of friends, some of them asian, some white, some black. They were black out drunk walking down the street, screaming and stumbling, when two cops came up to them. She was not arrested but her two black friends were. And as drunk as she was, she screamed at the cops for being racist. They told her to mind her own business or they would arrest her too. It would seem that her friends were arrested because of their skin color. And that would suggest that the justice system might be racist. But who actually knows? Its all a matter of perception. Sat, 19 Feb 2011 04:10:03 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/do-arrests-of-different-races-occur-more-due-to-racism-or-more-police-in-urban-areas-119-blog/#IDComment129030341 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/08/interpret-the-lupe-fiasco-lyrics-119-blog/#IDComment127455157 He threatened her, demanding that she come back to Saudi Arabia. He demanded that she come back so that she could repent for her actions. He said that he would make her younger sister’s life a living hell if she stayed in the States. And he withdrew all of his financial support too. She was forced to go back at the end of last semester out of pure, unadulterated fear. And there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think about how her life must be now. To have that little taste of freedom… but then to have it ripped away from you in a blink of an eye. That is true hell. She made me realize that I’m blessed to live the life that I live. And I’ll never take that for granted again. (part four) Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:11:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/08/interpret-the-lupe-fiasco-lyrics-119-blog/#IDComment127455157