en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/4254680 Comments by Hakuna_Matata http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/20/voices-from-the-classroom-156/#IDComment343747041 I think that my parents would be somewhat open to both LGBT and interracial relationships. My mother would be very open with me having an interracial relationship, seeing as she herself was in one for over a year; he lived with us and he acted like sort of a step-father during his time with us. Although my grandparents forced him to move out because of their opposing views, I believe my mom would strongly support me in my decision if I were to pursue an interracial relationship. I have had friends of other races during my time in college thus far and my mom has met many of them and always approved of them. My father, on the other hand, would most likely be more open to me being in a LGBT relationship because there are many homosexual members of his side of the family, most recently his sister (my aunt). He has spoken with my brother and me on how he thinks that gay people are the way they are because it is something they are born with; he is very close with his sister and never discriminates against her, and supports her relationship preferences and choice of partner. My aunt has been in a relationship with her current partner for as long as I could remember. I am doubtful that my parents would agree with this topic of conversation; I would believe that my mom would be strongly supportive of an interracial relationship and my father would strongly prefer a LGBT relationship. I am not positive that my mom would approve of me being with a female as this would be something new for her, and she has always really grown close with my past boyfriends. My father has made racial comments in the past due to his upbringing, so I am uncertain that he would support me in an interracial relationship. We have never discussed this topic, but I could definitely see him having a problem with it. My grandparents would most likely be in disagreement with both options due to their very traditional beliefs. I do value my parents’ opinions in many things in life, but If I was to be happy with someone of the same gender or someone of a different race, I would have to listen to my heart to be truly happy; I would hope that with time, both my mom and father would realize that my happiness would be one of their higher priorities, rather than their instilled beliefs. I find it disheartening that people can tell you who and who not to be in a relationship with, when in reality, it is strictly a personal preference and choice. I hope that as time goes on, I am really hoping that everyone will be more accepting of these kinds of relationships. Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:45:54 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/20/voices-from-the-classroom-156/#IDComment343747041 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/12/voices-from-the-classroom-148/#IDComment338378392 I thought the activity in class was interesting where we had to choose who we would save if they were drowning; our mother, our significant other or our child. I initially knew I would not choose my mother because she would be the oldest and has the shortest amount of life ahead of her along with other reasons. It was really hard for me to decide between saving the child and the husband or significant others compared to others in the class who were able to make an obvious answer so quickly. Morally it probably makes more sense to save the child because it is younger and more helpless and your job in life is to care for them but I don’t know what its like to have a child because I do not currently have one. It would probably be easy for parents to say they would save the child because they know what this experience is like but I do not yet so it was a harder decision. I have a boyfriend that I would want to save above most other people in my life so I was leaning toward choosing the husband/ significant other. Some people in the class had some interesting points like the husband can be replaced and the child can be replaced. It is true that maybe you could find another husband or have another child so technically you would have one in your life again but that doesn’t mean they will be similar or comparable at all to what you had with the current people in your life so I found it strange that people thought you could just replace a husband or child. At this moment in my life I would probably choose the significant other because that is what I have in my life right now and I am not looking to have a child within the next few years but once I have a child I’m pretty sure my decision would change. The guest speaker said that the reason most people choose to save the child is because America is future oriented. I think this is a positive thing because we are thinking about the future and planning ahead instead of dwelling on the past but I think it is also important to be focused on the present. When people are asked this question I think more females would be likely to say they would save the child and males may be slightly less likely to answer this way because females usually have a stronger desire to have children and have a motherly and caring personality. Men aren’t as likely to want children but I learned in another class that when they do have children they then enjoy it more because their testosterone levels decrease. I thought the whole lecture with the guest speaker was interesting and fun. Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:07:20 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/12/voices-from-the-classroom-148/#IDComment338378392 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/03/voices-from-the-classroom-141/#IDComment332695674 I do not really think that wearing a bikini or revealing clothes is not respecting ourselves but I can see the other side and where people are coming from. It may be not respecting ourselves in the sense that we are drawing attention to the wrong things and attracting people for the wrong reasons. Girls that wear skimpy clothes often want to be looked at and they want the attention, which is why many girls wear short skirts and low cut shirts to parties and the bars. So in a way I can see where the Muslim girls in class were coming from and why they choose not to dress like this but it really is a personal choice and no one is telling you what you can or cannot wear. Wearing revealing clothing often attracts negative attention or unwanted comments from males and sometimes girls may not feel comfortable in this clothing so I think this is why some think it is not respecting yourself. I see the point that if you want to get to know a girl it should be for her personality and who she is and not for what she wears or what she looks like on the outside because it is what is on the inside that matters so I agree with the Muslim girls in class on this point. On the other hand I think that most girls wear skirts and low cut shirts because it makes them feel good about themselves when they look good. What looks good is also subjective to the culture, media and current times. In a way I think wearing a bikini or revealing clothing and being very open with your body can also be a form of respecting yourself if it makes you feel good. Some people work very hard for their body so that they can wear things like that. I do not think wearing a bikini on the beach is being disrespectful to yourself, especially since so many people do it. I respect those who do not wish to wear revealing things but those who do should not be looked down upon. I do not think that girls should feel pressured to wear revealing clothing though, especially if it makes them feel uncomfortable. People have the right to wear whatever they want and should wear whatever they feel like wearing or what they feel comfortable in. The media does have an influence on what many people wear but it should not be the only thing people rely on. You do not have to wear extremely short skirts to look good when you go out or to be pretty. I don’t think what you wear is really that big of an issue when it comes to respecting yourself and your body, your other actions like how healthy you are and what you let guys do that is more of an issue of respect. It is also about self esteem and how you feel. Fri, 6 Apr 2012 00:58:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/04/03/voices-from-the-classroom-141/#IDComment332695674 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/29/voices-from-the-classroom-138/#IDComment328210059 I thought the video we watched in class with the differences between the white and black kid trying to steal the bike was very interesting. It was extremely obvious that race played a role in whether or not people would stop and ask the kid what they were doing. Even though the people would not admit that they stopped the person because he was black it was definitely a choice based on race and the numbers showed that. It was wrong that every person except one couple just walked by the white person trying to steal the bike even though they knew it was morally wrong. This happens a lot every day especially in cities and busy areas. If more people are around everyone is less likely to step in because they feel that it is not their responsibility. There are things that happen every day that we could step in and do something about but I think most people are too scared, intimidated or don’t really know what to say. I know I probably wouldn’t step in because I am generally shy and don’t like to speak up in weird situations. This doesn’t really explain the huge difference in numbers between the two situations but it may explain why everyone doesn’t just step in. People should step in and do something in situations when they are witnessing a crime but it just doesn’t always happen. I guess people may also not feel obligated to do so and want to just stay out of it completely or think that it is none of their business. This experiment shows that we may be innately racist still and it may be very hard to overcome. Even though these people are not thinking about the race of the person it must be in the back of their mind so they are subconsciously racist still. I think most people still are a little bit racist and it is a very hard thing to change because we are conditioned to believe that colored people are different all our lives. I think even though they only tried these situations with about 100 people it happens every day and could easily be repeated to show similar results. I was shocked that only one couple stopped the white kid but within minutes people were calling 911 on the black kid. These racial stereotypes are all around us and I think it will take a really long time for them to go away. It is very evident when they do experiments that racism still exists in the world and maybe more people should see the eye opening results of experiments like this to at least become aware that it is still a current problem. Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:36:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/29/voices-from-the-classroom-138/#IDComment328210059 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/22/voices-from-the-classroom-128/#IDComment323108908 The whole Tayvon Martin incident angers me because it is wrong that the shooter is still not arrested even though they have proof. It also is not right that if the shooter was black and the victim is white the shooter would already be in jail but it is okay for a white person to shoot a black person in Florida. Their new law somewhat makes this okay because it states that someone can take action if they feel threatened. This is a very vague concept and I feel like there will be more murders that are not justified just because people can say they felt threatened. The neighborhood watchman said Tayvon was looking suspicious but this was not based on anything besides his color and the fact that his hood was up. The whole situation is upsetting and I hope more events like this don’t continue to happen. I think if the shooter was black he definitely would already be in jail, which is not necessarily a bad thing because he should be in jail, but I think this thought will be around for a while. In order for this to change everyone needs to look at race differently and not be racist. This would be a very hard task because it is hard to change people’s thoughts and attitudes if it is something they grew up with. I think that we might see some change throughout our lifetime because our generation seems to be less racist than the last and our parents more so than their parents so things are changing but it is a slow process and takes time. This incident is definitely based on race; there is no doubt about that. The shooter has a questionable background because he apparently assaulted a cop but they said he was not arrested because he had a clean record. The investigation is definitely flawed and there is no reason why he should not be in custody right now. I like that Penn state had a march today to support Tayvon as did other places around the country so it is good that people are aware and taking action. White people as well as black people are responding to this tragic incident so that is at least a start to the issue of race. I hope that the shooter is put in jail and I feel bad for the family because they are dealing with the death of their son and also the fact that the shooter is still out there and still has his gun. I hope something happens with this situation soon. Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:09:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/22/voices-from-the-classroom-128/#IDComment323108908 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/15/voices-from-the-classroom-123/#IDComment317799833 I usually do not pay much attention to war or think about it on a daily basis but the past two classes have been really interesting. My perspective on war has changed a little bit because I wasn’t very informed before. I knew the war was somewhat about oil but not to that extent and I never really thought about what the other countries think of us. I enjoyed these lectures because they made me think and put myself in others peoples shoes which I do not do often enough. I don’t have a very positive attitude toward war right now after hearing how many people die, especially how many civilian deaths there are. I was not aware that the majority of deaths in war are civilians. Also the 29 to 1 ratio was scary and eye opening. It is strange that we can put a value on one American life and say that it is equal to 29 foreign lives so that makes it okay to kill 29 innocent people to save one American. It is hard to think of this concept because if it was a family member or close friend many would choose to save that one person but it is hard to see the justice in killing so many random people to just save one other person that you do not know. It is also unsettling how many civilians die and, like the soldiers stated in class, they are not bad people. People in other countries are just like us and they said they had very positive experiences with most of the people they interacted with overseas so it is hard to feel right about killing them so that we can have more oil. I never really liked the idea of war that much but I think I dislike it even more now. I know Sam supports war and many of his friends are involved but his Christian Invaders talk made me rethink things and feel empathy for the ones we are at war with. If there were foreigners from another country coming into America just to take our resources we would definitely fight back for our land and resources so it is understandable that the insurgency is fighting us back, if it were us we would do the same thing. Most people probably don’t see that side because they don’t put themselves in other people’s shoes. It is hard to do but I am glad we had these lectures to push us to do so. I support our troops and everything they do for our country but I do not really understand why we are at war if it is mostly to obtain oil that belongs to someone else. Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:19:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/15/voices-from-the-classroom-123/#IDComment317799833 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/02/the-kiss-seen-round-the-web/#IDComment312335256 I enjoyed the video on the kiss seen around the web about the gay marine. It is good that the picture is getting positive attention and there will probably always be haters. I liked what Jayar said about how he can’t wait until seeing a picture of two gay people isn’t shocking and I agree with him. I wonder if this change will happen during my lifetime but I hope it does. I also agree that the times are changing and it is a great thing. I hope things continue to change and that gay couples will become more common and acceptable. Many states are making gay marriage legal and it makes me happy because my aunt is gay as well as other people in my family. There will always be people who are not okay with gay couples but hopefully that number will continue to go down. Why can’t a gay couple kiss when coming home just as many male/female couples do? I disagree that it is gross that the marine has his legs wrapped around his boyfriend, he is coming home from being deployed and was just excited to see his loved one. If you don’t like seeing gay couples showing affection than just don’t look. Gay couples are just like other couples and can have meaningful and long lasting relationships just like everyone else. This picture was sweet and touching because I love watching videos or hearing stories of soldiers coming home and I also support the gay community. It bothers me that some people are saying you cannot be born gay and that it is 100% a choice because there are so many studies and findings that biology does play a role in sexual orientation and people who disagree with it just choose to ignore them. If anyone could choose to be straight or gay why would you choose the side that is constantly criticized? Do you think people just wake up one day and decide they want to be gay? I was shocked by the story about the lesbian woman who was denied communion at her own mother’s funeral because the priest says living with a woman is a sin in the eyes of the church. It was unfortunate that it was at her mother’s funeral, which was a hard time for her. It was also very disrespectful that the priest left the altar while she gave the eulogy during the funeral. Everyone has a right to their own opinion about gay couples but a funeral is not the time or place to show your disapproval. Hopefully one day gay couples can be treated fairly and will be able to get the same benefits that heterosexual couples get because they really are just like everyone else. Fri, 9 Mar 2012 17:50:58 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/03/02/the-kiss-seen-round-the-web/#IDComment312335256 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-114/#IDComment300767285 I think that attractiveness or looks definitely play a big role in the hiring process. Interviewers are often influenced by an applicants looks and attractiveness. There is a lot of evidence and studies out there that say an attractive person is more likely to get hired than an unattractive person. I’m not sure if it is proven or not but it is often thought that good looking people are smarter, better at social skills and are healthier. If group interviews are conducted, more often than not the more attractive people are hired. This is not really fair but it happens all the time in society. Weight also plays a big role in whether people get hired. Overweight people are way less likely to get hired than people who are in shape and skinny. If two people have the same credentials or if a hiring decision is between two individuals, it is most likely that the attractive, healthy looking person will get hired. I don’t think this is always a conscious decision by the employers but it still happens and is hard to overcome. I even noticed myself doing this the other week when I sat in on group interviews, I found myself thinking oh wow that girl is really pretty, I would like working with her. People generally prefer looking at attractive people; even babies will choose to look at the more attractive person when looking at two pictures. It is weird that attractiveness determines so much and it is something that cannot really be changed because a lot of it is determined by genetics. Our society and many others around the world put so much value and emphasis on looks and how attractive someone looks, it is a little extreme sometimes when it affects who gets hired for a job position or who gets a promotion or accepted into a grad school program. This bias of hiring more attractive people may partially explain why there is also a bias in hiring minorities when the employer is white. The majority of the time, white people find other white people attractive and they know what traits to look for when looking at a white person. As demonstrated in class, they might not be attracted to someone who is a different race, Asian for example, because they are not used to them and don’t know what to look for. It is not really fair that someone who is born unattractive will have a harder time getting a job and is similar to the bias when it comes to black or Hispanic people getting a job. It is unfair but is hard to overcome something that is so natural to us. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:54:39 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/23/voices-from-the-classroom-114/#IDComment300767285 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/10/voices-from-the-classroom-101/#IDComment289356792 I really enjoyed the part in Sam’s lecture where he talked about the Shaman and how they can go into a trance and can heal people and speak to another world or to spirits. I definitely believe that learning from plants and the world is a more legitimate form of learning than falling asleep in class. I believe that the healing and work that Shaman do is legit and real and that there are spirits out there guiding us, some people are just more perceptive to them. Its believed that they are messengers between our world and the spirit world and that they can communicate with nature. I think this is a really cool thing and is probably a really enlightening experience for them and I wish I could know what it feels like. I think it is good to have a strong connection with nature because it is all around us. We are just on the earth, we do not own it. I wonder what the shaman experience like what they feel or what is going on through their minds when they are crossing over to this different world. I think it would be interesting to talk to one if you are having a hardship in life or medical troubles. I wonder if it would be similar to talking with a psychic. I have gone to a few psychics and they believe they are able to communicate with spirits who are trying to guide us in the right direction. Do they believe in the same spirits? And what kinds of things do they try and communicate with them? I think it would be very interesting to speak with a shaman. I also believe getting an education is very important, at least in today’s world where a college degree is almost required to get a good job. I think for me I like to find a balance and be able to separate school and my own personal journey and connection with nature. I try to set aside time alone outside to reflect and think for myself instead of being told what to think, even if it is just sitting by the duck pond for an hour or so talking with the ducks. I think both of these are forms of learning and they are both important in their own way. My opinion is if you want to be well rounded, a balance of nature and also the kind of education we know today would be best. Not everyone believes in spirits or a higher being and that is okay but my belief is that there has to be something else out there that we can go to if we need guidance. I think it is so awesome that things like shaman exist, I even looked up some you tube videos after talking about it in class. I am very interested in this type of stuff so I am glad that it was incorporated into class. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:12:50 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/10/voices-from-the-classroom-101/#IDComment289356792 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/02/voices-from-the-classroom-96/#IDComment283136798 The point that was brought up in class about adopting a child of a different race or using a sperm donor of a different race was interesting to me. I have thought of the idea of adopting a child of a different race before but the sperm donor point was new to me. Ever since high school I have had thoughts of adopting a child from Africa or Asia so that idea was not surprising and I definitely would consider it and still am. Using the sperm from someone of a different race was a new concept that I never really put thought into before. I support interracial dating and have no problem with it or having a child of partially another race; children of mixed race are often very attractive. My mom dated a black guy who was from Jamaica for a few years when I was younger and it seemed normal to me, he was a part of the family and lived with us. What I just found out in more recent years is that the reason they broke up and he moved out is because of my grandparents. They are from the coal region in Pennsylvania and are somewhat racist. My grandpa is very open about it at times when he makes remarks about black neighbors walking down the street, my grandmother not so much. But I was told that they threatened to take my brother and I away from my mom and disown her if she continued to see this black man, who I saw as part of our family. He took us to the arcade and drove us around in his cool sports car so it’s hard for me to imagine where my grandparents were coming from, they didn’t even know the guy. It kind of disturbs me that people are so quick to judge when they don’t even know a person. After thinking about class I would definitely consider adopting a child of a different race and even using a sperm donor of a different race. The only problem I could see with it is my grandparents, if they are still alive I would want them to support my decision but I am not so sure that they would. Problems that surround adopting a child of a different race or using a sperm donor of a different race along with interracial dating are not problems that arise because of my personal opinions or view on things. The problems are from society and family members that are not very open or accepting. I think everyone has the right to choose what kind of child they adopt and others shouldn’t criticize them for having a child that is not the same race as them. Many people who adopt do it for amazing reasons like rescuing children from poor areas who would never have the life that they now have. Just because the child is black, does not make a difference. It is still your child and you can love it just as much as any other child. Coming from a somewhat racist family I can see where this decision may be hard for some people because they love their family and don’t want to disappoint them. I think if it was me, I would explain my case and hopefully my loved ones would support me. If they don’t I would still know that I am not doing anything wrong and if I adopt a child in need I would be doing something great. You can change a child’s entire life so who really cares about what other people think when they see you walking around with a child that has a different color skin. Fri, 3 Feb 2012 22:06:33 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/02/02/voices-from-the-classroom-96/#IDComment283136798 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/26/voices-from-the-classroom-92/#IDComment276412720 The past few months here at Penn State have been hard for many. From the scandal to Joe Pa’s recent death; it has been a hard year for Penn State students. Everyone reacts to things differently, some rioted, some stayed civil, some were sad and some got angry. I think many of us have learned some life lessons and become stronger people after the past few months here. I have learned a few things along this journey. One is that you shouldn’t take life for granted and that you should enjoy every day in life because if you are always looking ahead and trying to get through every week your life will fly by in an instant. I realized that my time here at Penn State will probably be one of the best times of my life so I shouldn’t wish for it to be over just so that I don’t have to study for a test or do some homework or readings. I am already on my second semester of Junior year and am wondering where the past few years have gone so I realize I need to cherish my time here. Another lesson I’ve learned is don’t let what people say get to you. Some people that are saying horrible things about our school and one of my role models just do not understand what it is like for us here at PSU. If you don’t understand it is because you don’t go here and don’t have the experience that we have. Penn State has a huge sense of school pride and community and those who want to insult it are just ignorant and I’ve realized their opinion really shouldn’t matter to me. I feel lucky that I go here and don’t want to let people’s harsh words upset me anymore. Another thing that I have realized recently is that if I have an opinion on something it is okay to stand up for it or what I believe is right. I am often shy and just let people say whatever they want to me but I am trying to stand up for my thoughts and let people know what I believe in. People on Twitter and Facebook have been really annoying over the past few months when concerning all of the stuff going on at Penn State. If you post something saying how you don’t understand why we’re making a big deal about it, it’s because you don’t understand and never will if you don’t go here! What if one of your role models or idols that you aspire to be like just passed away; I wouldn’t post a status saying who cares or who gives a crap. Everyone is making a big deal about it because it IS a big deal to them. Some people are just so ignorant and insensitive and not empathetic and I have learned to just ignore them. Hopefully this will be a lesson that I take with me after Penn State. Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:35:27 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/26/voices-from-the-classroom-92/#IDComment276412720 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/17/voices-from-the-classroom-90/#IDComment269266742 Before this lecture I did not really have a strong opinion on Native Americans and what happened here. I knew that they were here when America was “discovered” but I did not know how badly they were treated. It is kind of sad because they didn’t do anything wrong and then their land was just taken. I don’t think about things like this on a daily basis unless it is for class or I am watching the history channel or something but now I am a little more aware of what went on. It is horrible that immigrants coming over to America, who could quite possibly be some of our ancestors, killed so many Native Americans. Also a lot of the documents and records written about this time period were written by those from Europe so of course they aren’t going to reveal things that would make them look bad. I read a little about the Indian Removal Act and was so surprised that they could just tell the Native Americans to move because they wanted to expand their land. I never really thought about this period being one of the largest genocides. Also I find it strange that many of the articles say so many of the Native Americans dyed off from disease, is this an accurate account or was this the Europeans covering up what they did. I also did not have a strong opinion on immigration coming into this class. I don’t watch the news much or read up on immigration so I don’t really know what’s going on in depth but I do not really have a problem with people coming to America, especially after this class. My grandpa on the other hand has a big problem with Mexicans taking over his town so maybe I should share some of what I have learned in this lecture to give him another perspective. The immigrants that want to come to America now to find new opportunities are just like the Europeans and our ancestors who came to America in the past, there really isn’t much of a difference. I think many people do not make this comparison because we were never really taught about “discovering” America from the perspective of the Native Americans. I wonder what they think of all of us. Also most documents said the Native Americans acted in a civil and cooperative way until they were attacked; I know if someone was trying to take away my house or land for no reason I would not have that same reaction so we need to give them some credit. They were already living here and had established the land so why was it okay for us to just barge in and make it our own? This topic now angers me but I’m not really sure if there is anything we can do now because it is already done. Maybe Native Americans should be given some privileges back? Or be treated better or have some help to improve their poverty and alcoholism rates. I feel like the majority of Americans could care less about Native Americans and don’t think about them very often but hopefully this will change. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:31:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2012/01/17/voices-from-the-classroom-90/#IDComment269266742