The Muslim groups responsible for ridiculing the South Park episodes are guilty of hypocrisy to the “n”th dimension. They immediately labeled Matt and Trey (South Park creators) as bad people for their attempt on humor and then proceed to threaten their lives. This seems like a bit of a paradox to me. My opinion is that the show is purely for entertainment. You can watch if you want and laugh at it or hate it. Or you can turn the channel and be a South Park hater. Many people have disagreed with messages the show has sent in the past, yet they still love others. The point is, it is completely up to you whether or not you watch it and/or let it get to you in a negative way. The show is a satire. So you have to have a decent base of knowledge pertaining to current events to understand certain episodes. The past two South Park shows delved into censorship issues. This then involved censoring Muhammad, an obvious reference to the Muhammad cartoons of the past. Now, I have to be honest: not much, if anything, truly offends me. Sure, some jokes may hurt my feelings or may be uncalled for in myopinion, but not much really bothers me to the point where I would consider taking vindictive action. Not only did numerous Muslim groups consider taking vindictive action, but this response involves death threats. And this is all over a joke TV show! It is just a shame that people cannot let their guards down enough for even 30 minutes not to be upset over the most ridiculous of affairs. It only upholds my pessimistic yet terribly true view of society that, “It’s always something.” You cannot make everyone happy of course, but it seems like more people are always pissed off than even somewhat content. South Park may go too far. But then again, what is too far? They cleverly craft whatever views of individuals/society into a strategy of free speech presentation to the audience. Therefore, they are legally covered. This does not spare them the disapproval of many critics at home (and apparently death threats from radical Muslims) but they will continue to do it. Because their goal is to push people’s buttons, and they do an amazing job at it. But they are not trying to harm anyone. They are trying to make us laugh. I just wish people would accept it as that much. And I am not expecting all Muslims to laugh at these past two episodes. Disagree with it all you want. But calm down just a bit and do not take it as Americans hating on your religion or mocking your culture. It has nothing to do with that. It was just two episodes of a cartoon TV show that probably went a bit too far in some people’s eyes.

I understand your frustration with Sam’s often judgmental views (as a Catholic Christian), but I do not think Sam intended to directly link Iraq’s invasion with Christianity. I just got home (in my dorm) from Soc 119, so I wanted to write this blog entry while my thoughts are clear and fresh. Ok, so everyone in their right mind knows that this war in Iraq is not solely directed at terrorism as our United States government has led us to believe. Oil plays a massive role in our invasion. And I feel as though Sam was merely trying to get us to change our perspective on things by looking through the eyes of a Muslim or an Arab over in Iraq. With that view, I did not believe he was saying that Christians are attempting to take over the world. While he showed numerous videos highlighting crazy, radical Christian groups that may have their own independent goals involving the forcing of their religion on another, Sam was not sparking a direct correlation between Christianity and the war in Iraq. I look at faith as a personal endeavor. Who is to say that the God that I believe in is right? Or that He even exists? It is my belief, my faith. And I would hope others to understand my belief as such; I would never attack another’s personal faith or beliefs. What Sam was hoping to convey (what I think, at least) is that if we were Muslims in Iraq, we would view the American troops as radical Christians coming into our country and engaging in a hostile takeover. I think we can all swallow our pride for a second and admit if we have ever looked at an Arab (whether we saw him or her at an airport, college, or anywhere) with a hesitant eye. I know I have. I have certainly casted suspicious stares at these people, and they are completely innocent. So what does that mean? We, myself included, have associated these people directly with the very few terrorists that have bombed thousands of innocent people. This leads to Sam’s point: If we were Arabs in Iraq being bombarded with bombs, shells, and shrapnel, would we not label the actions of these Christian troops (most of them are indeed Christians) as wrongful invasion and slander Christianity? We most certainly would. Sam took a large current issue (the war) and spun it cleverly so as to make us take a look in the mirror. Coming from someone who thinks Sam’s lectures and crazy socialist views are mostly absurd (I hardly ever agree with any of his views), I actually enjoyed today’s class. And as a Christian, I understand completely what he was saying today.

I was born in Baltimore, so I was immediately exposed to a greatly diverse environment. Albeit, I did not reside in the city (I lived in the county); however, I had many white friends and many black friends, the best of which was my next-door neighbor, who became my best friend for the first 14 years of my life. I am not going to really address the stages much because I still do not know what the hell they mean, but I will say the environment you are raised in has a colossal effect on how you view things and how much you are informed about other cultures. If you grow up in a predominantly white town with little interaction with people of color, you may be at a disadvantage for being enlightened about their customs. However, just because you are born into a diverse environment, this does not mean you automatically are more educated either. For example, even though my best friend—and someone who I spent multiple hours with every single day (including his family)—was black, I do not know what it means to be black. How could I? I am not black. And my friend does not know what it means to be white. That does not mean that we cannot be more enlightened about each other’s culture though. Growing up in Baltimore, I still saw many racists, black, white, and those representing other races/colors/whathaveyou. Thus lies proof that growing up in a diverse environment does not simply catapult you into the “Revisionist” stage. Life is what you make of it. You will educate yourself and immerse yourself in other cultures to better understand people’s values and beliefs only if you want to. I wanted to. Therefore, I came to such a great relationship with my friend that we could each poke fun at our races for common stereotypes.
As far as addressing your side rant on The Lion King. That was a great fuckin movie, pardon my French, and if you honestly are bothered by the fact that no Africans were used in it, please do yourself a favor and calm down. That’s taking a lighthearted topic to the extreme and probably making something out of nothing. As far as I know, that movie used no people in the actual film, yet many of the voices were prominent black figures i.e. James Earl Jones. I am not one to ever pass judgment on other people because I have no idea who they are, or where they come from, but every once in a while I am perplexed by someone’s viewpoint. And your negative and extremely sudden, random outburst at a Disney classic produced over a decade ago just strikes me as a bit absurd. Everyone loves that film. I mean…Lion King kicks ass.

Good God Almighty, I am shocked at myself for even attempting to answer this. What follows will probably not be an answer as to why men are not educated on the whole female menstruation topic but rather a response or solo opinion. I can say that generalizing is never really a good idea. A lot of guys are somewhat educated on the whole subject. I do not consider myself an expert on a girl’s period process, but at the same time, I am not ignorant as to its process and purpose. Having said that, I do not like to talk about it. In fact, if I ever overhear a group of girls (or guys…) talking about menstruation, I immediately walk the other way. Why? Because, call me crazy, but I like my image of the vagina to remain what it is, and that would not include bloody discharge in any facet whatsoever. I understand that it is a natural body function. I feel for girls who have to go through this once a month, especially for how it makes them feel. Many say they feel “gross” or “disgusting” during the process. While the whole process of menstruation is off-putting to me to say the least, I would never agree that a girl going through her period is gross.
My question is simply why? Why did this have to become such an issue in class? I agree that race relations involves a closing of the gaps of conversation. However, closing the color barrier and the barrier between male and female reproductive areas is a stretch (no pun intended). Most guys understand the cycle. It is simply something that we are not in a hurry to discuss with you. That probably is not going to change, so if you are one of the women who are upset by the fact that we are uncomfortable, get used to it. Most of us guys, including myself, learned the in’s and out’s (OK, maybe pun intended this time) of a girl’s menstruation cycle. Yet, I am still not interested in delving into the topic.
Ladies, without seeming like a pervert, because that is the last thing I would ever hope to be: we (guys) appreciate the body you all have to offer. The female body is the most beautiful thing on the Earth. So please just let us maintain our appreciation of its beauty. Blood is never viewed as beautiful (other than weird emo kids). Believe me, I have a beautiful mother and sister. I have heard things I do not want to hear. Guys have nothing against the natural process you endure; we just do not care to be involved with its discussion. I am not sure as to how that would upset any girl.

The whole texting responses/feelings in class is a toss-up. I feel like it’s a great idea for everyone to get their two cents in and it provides a medium for multiple responses to be viewed in a short time. However, this advantage comes at the expense of many students’ tendency to be immature and text in answers for the sole goal of obtaining a laugh or stirring up drama. I’m not going to lie…some of the responses are hilarious and give me a laugh, but at the same time, I do wish I could get a somewhat accurate representation of the viewpoints held by my peers.
I love the question posed by this guy. I have always asked myself and others some question pertaining to this subject. I do believe that people of color often “get away” with some things they say towards white people. Is it because they have been persecuted more in the past? I do not know if this is the case or whether or not that even matters in the first place. I think we should all be held accountable for our actions; I feel the same way about the things we say. People are always going to have their own true feelings. That is a good thing. Not everyone will agree. There is no problem with this. But to hide behind the screen of your cell phone and text hurtful responses so everyone can see only because the source (you) will not be made known is simply pathetic.
Consider this: Why do we see the lone white kid on the basketball court being referred to as the “white boy” by his black teammates as funny when we would immediately label a group of white kids referring to the lone black player as the “token black guy” as racist? In a way, I can only answer this blog’s question with questions of my own. I completely agree that white people have to “tip toe” around political correctness more than other groups. This may be wrong or unfair. I am not sure, once again. One thing I cannot stand, maybe one of my biggest pet peeves, is the term “reverse racism”. When a person of color is prejudiced against a white man or woman, it is not reverse racism. It is simply racism. By constantly segregating privileges and terms alike, the color barrier will never be destroyed. It is certainly unfortunate that some of the people in SOC 119 cannot take it seriously. With everyone just being honest and serious, I think some headway could be made in at least the minds of those taking this course. Maybe we could then learn to look at race relations in a different light. Maybe we are too stubborn to even be concerned with that in the first place. Until then, this whole texting thing—and the aim of many of its responses— will remain nothing more than frustrating.

I agree with this post completely. Now, first I should say this guy probably needs some screws in his head tightened. No fully sane white man would pursue such a project in the face of terrible race issues in the present day. Having said that, I do not feel that this would-be “league” is racist, even with it being as exclusive as it is (disallowing non-whites and non-Americans). However, from the quote presented in the story, Moose might need to work on his views towards equality. It is undoubtedly true that the best basketball players in the world are black. And the clear majority of NBA or NCAA basketballs athletes also are people of color. They are the best, so they earn their roster spots. There are definitely great white basketball players, but they do not compare with the overall athleticism and talent level. Moose’s idea of starting a white league may be crazy, but I do not think it is racist. As ekg5041’s post points out, there are such events as “Mr. Black Penn State” and many other clubs, organizations, or events exclusive to only black people. Therefore, a basketball league for only the less-gifted white basketball players is serving no prejudicial argument. I am not convinced that Moose will sell that many tickets, for the record, since the most entertaining and capable basketball stars of people of color. A slower version of the sport might lead to spectator boredom. Then again, there may be people out there waiting for such a development. I know I would not be in that group. But before I go off-topic, I will state that although Moose’s idea for an all-white league does not bother me, his comments pertaining to black basketball athletes certainly do. Generalizing the actions of carrying guns or attacking the game’s fans is unacceptable. To say that every black player is contributing to such antics is preposterous and downright immature. There could just as easily be a white NBA player hiding a firearm in his locker who has only had the luck not to be caught in the act. And attacking the fans in the stands? This has happened a mere couple of times (which is still too much by the way); the sample size for such a prejudiced insinuation is nonsensical. Moose definitely needs to wrestle with some of his views pertaining to black people. It appears that he has some racial skeletons in his closet that he let slip in one of his interviews. Even if his bogus idea for an all-white basketball league catches on, I am sure that many people would not respond well to it considering the proponent of it is a racist. I doubt we will see this league formed. Yet again, crazier things have happened.

I am not sure that I agree that people are not “taking it home”. Let’s face it…Sam likes to generalize, but in a way, he almost has to. When he says that no one thinks of Native Americans or acknowledges the harms done to them in the past, he must know that this is not true of everyone. However, he cannot go to all 800 people sitting in the room and ask how educated they are on the topic. Going back to your video question, I can only speak for myself. I have heard people talk about feeling guilty walking out of class. I think this is ridiculous. Although Sam presents his opinions in an interrogating fashion, why should I feel any remorse for what happened long ago to the Native Americans? I have zero regret, because I had nothing to do with it. Do I think the genocide that occurred is awful? Absolutely. I wish it never happened. And to some extent, I think people should feel that way. If that is what you were addressing, I cannot answer why people do not feel bad for the situation. Because it is upsetting. But the fact remains that I am my own person living my own life. I wish more people did recognize the struggle of the Native Americans. But to hear some of the things presented in class or especially muttered by students near me about feeling guilty because we have never experienced anything like that is, to me, preposterous. I think the best thing that can be done is for one to just take a minute and think about what happened in the past. Enlighten yourself about the genocide. Offer sympathy if you feel like you must. But to walk out of class and downright feel depressed? Why would you do that unless you had anything to personally feel regret about? My words may seem strong, and some may misconstrue what I am trying to say, but I feel strongly about this. It is the same reason why I listen to everything Sam has to say, while also trying to let some of the Socialist blame game jargon go in one ear and out the other. His presentation is too interrogative sometimes; that is why people responded with the questions as they did. They may be misunderstanding him to some extent, but I feel like the poster of this video maybe misunderstands him as well. It is not that the genocide doesn’t affect me. It is definitely not that it doesn’t upset me. It is simply that I can offer nothing my deepest sympathies (not empathy because I haven’t experienced it myself) and acknowledge the grave wrongs that were committed in the past.

You are the kind of person that I simply cannot understand. You stand up for what you believe in, something to be commended, but then proceed to talk down others for holding their own beliefs. Your comments are way out of line. Holding racist views and holding views opposing gay marriage are no where even close to each other. In fact, they’re not even in the same ballpark. Racism involves hating another person solely because of their skin color. You can oppose gay marriage and not hate gay people whatsoever. I fall into this category. I have one gay friend and one bisexual friend. Do I say that to protect myself from possible backlash or to try to establish credibility in this area? No, because I honestly do not care what others think. I will continue to feel the way I do. I can only hope everyone has this attitude, including the gay people out there who choose to fight for marriage rights, despite people (like me) who oppose it. I do not oppose gay marriage because of my Catholic background. I oppose it because I believe the sacrament of matrimony was intended to produce future generations. This cannot happen between two males or between two females without the help of modern sperm donation technology. And I am not going to fall in line with the dozens of people in SOC 119 who sit in Sam’s class as if they are under a spell and just eat up everything he says. Sorry, Sam, but not everyone is a little bisexual as you claim. If you are, and I clearly think you are, that’s fine. But please stop generalizing everything to the point where you say we are all the same. We are not all the same, and that right there is the beauty of life. If we were all the same, life would be bland. And if people did not stand up for whom they are, be it their race, sexual orientation, or religion, then there would be no pride in this world. Going back to my beliefs, I support love first and foremost. If two men love each other, then it is my belief that they should be with each other. The same goes for two women. I would never be kept from the one I love. It is merely my humble opinion that marriage should not be included in these bonds for there is no chance of reproducing. Many agree with me; many do not. And I am happy that there are people who oppose me. It proves that there are people willing to fight for their beliefs rather than simply accept defeat. As to the poster I am responding to, grow up. The fact that you support gay marriage does not make you the best person in the world. Stand up for your beliefs, but refrain from insisting those whom you disagree with are “wrong”.

What was coolest about Tuesday’s class was how passionate Sam was for the discussion. It is that exact passion that is lacking in many people that lead me to support the argument for Freedom more than Determinism. However, I am not naïve enough to declare everyone starts on an equal footing and has the same chance for success, whatever you deem “success” to be. It is not like that. Still though, it is my belief that hard work gets you to where to want to go. I grew up a middle class kid with only one parent (dad) working a good job with a relatively high salary, but my mom was a stay at home mom so we were living on one salary still. I have not been excessively spoiled with the most lavish of gifts, and I have worked hard for every achievement of mine, mostly because I learned work ethic from my father. I was always taught that if I want something, I should go get it. I do not expect anything to come easily or be handed to me, and that attitude has led to positive results so far. I feel like many people complain first and work second. Others take the nonchalant approach and hope the answer hits him/her in the face. I have never been like that. But like I said, I know some people are born into destitute conditions or are burdened by several economic, social, or familial catastrophes that can break down even the strongest of wills and determined minds. For this reason, I agree with Sam in that we should probably sit somewhere in the middle pertaining to the freedom versus determinism debate. And I take that stance because it averages out when looking at the big picture. If you go case by case and analyze people’s lives, you will see that some refused to put in the effort to succeed and that some were just placed at such an extreme disadvantage that living a mediocre-at-best life was almost unstoppable. But the point that I think Sam was trying to make is that we should not look at each case. In fact, we should not be analyzing others’ lives whatsoever. That is the effect of sitting in the middle of the argument. Some are more affected by determinism; some are more affected by choice. It is then left to each person to take his or her situation (whether it is a fortunate, unfortunate, or average one) and make the best of it. We always have a choice. That is true. Some may be more desperate to make tough decisions, but hard work and persistence always helps. I know I feel lucky with the life I was born into, but I refuse to sit back and wait for opportunities. I’m too busy making calculated decisions, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing, and trying to take the next step.

My race relations group delved into this particular story in detail just today, and everyone gave very nice feedback. It is definitely a controversial topic, and what is interesting is how many different opinions and viewpoints were presented. Simply stated, I cannot blame the flight attendant. As unfortunate a situation it is (especially for the young boy), safety measures must be taken first and foremost on an airplane. I try to always put myself in the situation presented and go from there. If I was on the plane, and I saw a young boy mumbling as he held or was wrapped in wiring, I would absolutely keep an eye on him or at least have pessimistic thoughts as to what business he was up to. Granted, I know extremely little about Jewish religious traditions or culture. A Jewish kid in my race group did not even fully understand what teffilin was. Therefore, considering the unfamiliarity with this custom, part of the “blame” should be placed, if any is placed whatsoever, on the kid. It has not been a decade since the worst terrorist attack in the history of our country took place – there will obviously still be some concern as people take to the skies. Consequently, everyone should just realize that anything appearing even remotely mysterious, “shady,” or concerning could evolve into a more-than-mild issue. Easier said than done, right? Maybe. But again, I put myself in the situation. I know I would do anything in the world to protect the safety of my family, even if it may involve creating an inconvenience such as redirecting a flight. In situations such as helpless as an airplane flight, it is my belief that you should take every precaution to ensure everyone’s safety. Therefore, I have no grievance at all with identifying the boy as a potential threat and landing the plane for further investigation. What I do wonder is why the boy had to be arrested (physically placed in handcuffs) without a simple interrogation or conversation taking place first? I feel this could be an unnecessary measure that could not only embarrass the boy but damage him. This, however, could all have been prevented if the boy prayed to himself silently, and used the teffelin upon landing. Once again, I do not know the ritual and apparently the flight attendant did not either. Should she be taught customs other than the ones most popular in the United States? Maybe this enlightenment or increased awareness could help the situation or even eradicate further false alarms in the future. For now, though, I would stick to my humble opinion that plane travelers should just try to abstain from looking suspicious or creating any misgivings with unfamiliar “props.” It is regrettable that it has to be this way, but terrorists create unfortunate realities. And the reality now is that we need to be cautious first, and trustworthy later. What a shame.