This is a very interesting turn on events. All we hear about when it comes to Haiti is how porr and devastated the country is after the earthquake. We hear about how many buildings have collapsed. We hear about how people have lost their lives due to the hurricane. Then, we hear about the multiple support groups that have constantly given aid to Haiti with not much drastic actually being accomplished. Finally, we hear about how there economy is in absolute shambles and that it will take decades in order to just back where they were which is not very far in the first place as well.

What we don't generally hear about is the story that this report takes us on. How these Haitian people have taken this tragedy and have been able to move on and restart their lives in these "tent cities". I had no idea that they have already come this far and it truly is amazing how how they have turned their lives around to an extent. These people have been persistent entrepreneurs that have been able to find ways establish businesses and begin to restore the wealth and economy of the country.

It is amazing to see that a woman was able to reestablish her nail salon business in one of these tent cities and have a consistent customer base to make it worthwhile to her. These people have learned the true ways of starting a business by beginning with next to no resources and turning it into something that people will actually pay for.

To me, I would much rather see success stories like these making the news more often then the traditional stories we hear every day. I would rather hear the stories of how these people are changing their lives around and adjusting with the conditions they are to dealing with rather than the classic stories of how devastated and poor the conditions these people are living in. I would love to see these people make the best of their situation which it seems they are doing by the looks of this video. The have already been anle to set up a metropolitan area with a consistent customer base and the beginning of an economy. they have been able to turn a bunch of tents into a lively culture induced city. You even see smiles on many of their faces.

This really makes you think where would the Unites States of America be at if we experienced such a terrible tragedy. Would react and adjust the same way or would we just be absolutely miserable and feel sorry for ourselves. You can really say how far these people have really come when we are not even sure if we would be that far. It shows you the heart and character of the Haitian people to work together and make the best of their situation.

The issue here is of course a matter of perspective. It's a vicious cycle that really won't be changed until after we manage to sit down and reasonably deal with our issues; or kill off everyone who disagrees. The problem is that there will always be people who disagree with you in your policies. Every time you create a point you make at least one dissenter. Everyone can accept that a policy change will cause someone to disagree, and even argue against a point. However, there are occasional dissenters who can further motivate others. That is where the serious issues come from. Most people will have a negative view on an issue, but it's seldom the case where someone will actually resort to terrorism on their own; it requires a source of motivation - someone to ignite their fervor.

There are of course odd cases for this. There are obviously people who will go to any length to avenge a wrong, be it against themselves or their family, but they are not the norm. Most people won't actively fight against a wrong. However the issue anymore is that the amount of people willing to actually fight is growing - or at least the amount of tools willing to be used by the fighters is going up. That's the actual issue. The amount of people actually incensed by the current political issues might not have gone up any, but the amount of poor and undereducated people who are willing to lay their lives down has gone up geometrically. It's similar to age-old mafia practices. Larger terrorist organizations will protect the families of those who lay their lives down. Frequent offers of helping with family expenses or allowing housing and living accommodations will add incentive to underprivileged families for a child to lay their lives down for 'the cause'. It also helps that imams and other terrorist leaders will actively recruit from younger poor children, and similar demographics in order to further indoctrinate their followers at a younger age.

With that in mind it's hard and yet easy to understand the appeal of terrorism. Can you understand why someone would lay their lives down for a cause? Of course. You can look back at the Jedburgh teams from World war 2 - they gave their lives for a cause; freedom. What's the difference between them and a malnourished palestinian destroying a sbarro pizza in protest of Israel keeping their land? Nothing. The difference is simply that the allies won world war 2 and the middle eastern conflict isn't over yet.

It is absolutely true that history is written by the victors. People who blow up bus and police stations will either be freedom fighters or madmen, depending on who actually wins this current conflict. To ask if you would become a terrorist to avenge your family or friends is not a fair question. It's a serious question depending on your financial and emotional perspective as well as your social atmosphere. You need to understand that people can be pushed to extreme ends when they've got nothing else to loose. It couldn't happen in America, we don't have that level of loss and strife, it would be very rare to have someone pushed that far.

Terrorism is perspective and understanding. It's a being able to go beyond what most people would view as reasonable actions for a cause that someone views as extreme, but you're willing to die and fight for.

Wow. All I can say is wow. This is very disturbing to say the least. A video game about raping people, really? I can't believe anyone in ghere right mind could even think to make something like this. What does this accomplish and how possibly can it be fun. I understand that video games are in some ways supposed to be a sort of "gateway" to do things and experience things that you would not normally be able to do in real life. For example, not everyone gets to experience playing in the Major Leagues or street racing across the streets of Los Angeles in a modded car or even experience war in a certain sense. This is what video games have allowed us to do.

Now, an ongoing issue in the United States is whether or not the Grand Theft Auto series of games is moral. Many critics say that these type of games put violent thoughts and ideas in our childrens' minds. I will not disagree with this argument; however, the game is rated mature for a reason. Kids should not be playing this game. This is just like why children should not watch rated R movies. There is really no difference in that respect. Now, other than this argument, I don't see much wrong with these games. Yes, there is killing involved in these games, but it is just a video game and should have no effect on a your vies on real life.

Now, this game that has come out in Japan is a different story. This game is just plain disturbing. Who really has fun from raping a girl in a video game? Why would someone even think about doing this? Or, even more disturbing than that. Why would someone think about buying and playing this? There is enough sexual violence involved in world today, between sex slaves, prostitution, and things like rape, our society already has enough to fight when it comes to things like sexual violence. Now, what is this video game going to do for society in the long run? Will this give people an opportunity for people to that have urges to rape to not act on them or will this give people that would have never thought about it before actually begin to act and not believe it's a big deal? I don't know the answer to this question, but I do believe that this will give more people the wrong idea then the right idea. That part is very very obvious.

In conclusion, there is no other way to put this, but that this is very disturbing and sick and twisted that someone would even think about making this game let alone actually anyone buying it and playing it. I just don't get what would ever come good about playing this game.

For some reason it seems to me as if Native Hawaiians are left out of the conversations when considering United States Native Americans. I know most people don't think of them as far as I know. When I hear Hawaii, I think beautiful beaches, the sunshine, palm trees, volcanoes. I pretty much think of a place of paradise all around. No one thinks of whose land it used to be and who we stole it from, just like the rest of the native Americans. It is just unfair to them. Especially the Hawaiians, why do they get overlooked?

I hope this gets passed. They should have this opportunity to have a say for themselves. We raided and stole their land. The least we can do is give them a little say on what is theirs. We can at least give them the opportunity to succeed and get their community revived from shambles. It is absolutely absurd that these men and women are left unnoticed living on the streets of our country.

This whole thing makes me think even more about our relationship with the Native americans and the largest genocide in human history that no one knows about or talks about. It is incredibly interesting about how much we do not talk about what happened to our Native americans on the mainland, yet they were still able to muster together 564 different governmental tribes. This just puts into perspective exactly how overlooked the native Hawaiians seem to be.

However, this interesting because how much they are overlooked they are also praised and right in the limelight at the same time. With things that tourists like to do like luaus, hula dances, etc. It is interesting how much these things are looked at as fun things to go and see while they are on their vacation. So, there is a bit of a double standard here. Their culture is praised and looked at as being interested and part of the Hawaiian vacation experience except credit doesn't seem to be given where credit is due.

These people are living in horrible conditions. Many are homeless. Others are struggling financially. The large chain hotels are making big money off of these scheduled luaus and cookouts where americans from the main land learn about the culture about the native hawaiian culture while these people can not even have the opportunity to have a say with a government until now possibly. It really is a shame that these people have to be treated like this. This is just another injustice in our nation that is left somewhat unnoticed. This should be dealt will easily and immediately and non one should be criticizing their opportunity to do this.

This is very interesting point and a great question to raise. Where do those of multiple races fit into a white vs. people of color argument? Do they just go with the race because they have at least racial background or do they go with whom they feel more allegiance to? Do they go with their mom's race vs. their dad's? These are questions that can not be clearly answered.

There is one real simple explanation to be brought up here. This goes back to how Sam introduced the course to us in regards to race and race relations. There are no races. They are simple society - created separations to help us better justify our physical differences in color, size, weight, appearance, hair, noses, etc. So if you follow this ideology and approach to races, this question would not even be a question because every person would be in the same category and 'multiracial' would mean absolutely nothing at all.

As much as people may hope and dream the world worked this way, we all know, however, it does not and has not by any means. We all understand that race has been an issue for as long as man kind has been in existence and will be for many many years to come. So this is my take on it, coming from a white person. It does not really matter whatsoever. A multiracial person can associate themselves with they seem fit. In many circumstances, though, the points and question that Sam raises in class deal with our feelings in situation that deals with our appearances of being 'white' or being 'black' or being 'brown'. In these specific cases it would make the most sense to associate your feelings with the group you look more like. If you look more 'brown' being are going to have feelings towards you about being 'brown' regardless of what you actually are. That is why in this certain instances this would make the most sense.

So, in my conclusion, it does not really matter at all. It is just a simple way for Sam to get different groups reactions to different ideas and situations that he brings up and that are curious to see. A multiracial person might as well just go with whichever group they feel more comfortable or just not respond at all if it does not even seem to apply to you.

One last thing that is kind of interesting is that Sam started the class explaining how race is something that we created and it doesn't really exist. At the same time, however, we continue to use the classifications of white against the people of color. I understand why. For one, there would be no need for the class if we did not actually discuss race, but it is just interesting to think about.

This is a very interesting idea, but I believe that it is misplayed and misunderstood. What "Moose" seems to be wanting to do is create a league that players a slower teamwork-type game with skilled outside shooters and many plays and passing rather than the popular fast-paced one on one type game that we currently see being played today in the United States. Moose is referring to this game as a "white-style game", which is very interesting because as much as it might be true, it really has nothing to do with race.

Today we associate the black players of the game with the fast athletic skilled players who can jum out of the roof and have the ball-handling skills to take anyone one on one. then, we usually associate the white players as being the more slow-paced guys who don't much more than having great shooting three point shots and feeding the ball to their temmates.

When Moose refers to this and if he does great a white league, What happens to the exceptions to this rule? What happens to the black guys who much rather play this style game? this then brings up the controversy of segregation and excluding blacks solely for the color of their skin. It isn't fair to segregate due to skin tone, even if the stereotype seems to segregate playing styles. Instead it should be more of a variation in playing styles; making a more arena-based basketball format for one type of player and a slower-paced system for others. This shouldn't be an issue of race.

There is another issue that comes up if this type of scenario may occur. How does one decide what type of basketball style they play? Is it chosen by a third party of what league they are "allowed" to play in or would one just decide for themselves? If it is the latter, why wouldn't a more skilled, athletic-type player join the more slow-paced shooting league so he could stand out as a star? Then if this may occur, what is the real point of the two leagues? Over time, the leagues will become mixed and we will be back to where we are now. We would just have two leagues with the similar style play.

The very simple fact is that the reason there is not room for the "white" players or the more slow-paced shooting-type players is because the game that is played today just does not have room for it. The reason there is no room for it is the simple fact is that the NBA game is simply better. The game is just better. Simple as that.

The NBA is the professional basketball league for a reason. It is because it is the absolute best players in the world. So if his desire is to create a new league, it might as well be a minor league or semi-pro.

This kid is saying that since he has immigrated here when he was young and no one in his family or himself has ever done any wrongdoing or discrimination towards Natives Americans he doesn't believe he should feel anything towards the wrongdoing that the white man did to the Native Americans many years ago on this land.

The point that Sam is trying to make is that we are living on red land and that it doesn't matter whether or not ourselves or our ancestors were ever directly related to the genocide and destruction of the Native American culture that took place. He is saying since anyone who is not Native American today who lives in the United States has reaped the benefits of living and developing this land that has been stolen through violence and genocide that we should feel something regarding this.

Both sides of this argument make very valid points and there is not necessarily a right or wrong answer. I believe this is a similar situation to the one Sam mentioned in class in the very beginning of the semester regarding slavery. He explained how many parts of almost everyone's person's cell phone have been made at the expense of treacherous slave labor in foreign countries. So, by association, every single one of us is supporting slave labor. Every one of us are supporting the products and services that slaves have suffered to supply for us at the profit of the slave holders.

This is the same situation because Sam is making the same point towards Native Americans and their 'red land'. Since every single one of us living in this country own land or at least live somewhere on this land that was stolen and where many Native Americans lost their lives, it is like we support what the ancestors of this country did to the Native Americans and the very extensive genocide that took place. Since we are now reaping the benfits of this stolen land, we all have a part to feel about what happened to the Native Americans. This is just like the cell phones. We don't necessarily ask for cell phones that have been created at the expense of slaves labor, but we still use these phones that we buy and support the slave holders to keep their way of business flourished and to keep them from changing.

So the point that is trying to be made is that it doesn't matter whether or not you were an immigrant and have lived here for a month or you have been directly related in killing Native Americans. The point is both parties are still reaping the benfits of kicking the Native Americans off their land.

Why are lesbians more accepted than gay men? This is a question than seems to be brought every now and then with this topic. It is really a pretty simple answer. It is the same reason why a girl can hold another girls hand or even say "I love you" without any even noticing. The answer is that it is our culture. It is as simple as that.

Then again, this question needs some breaking down. What do we mean by lesbians? Is every girl that kisses another girl a lesbian? The answer is no and this is why this question is somewhat skewed to some degree. This is because I am not sure that lesbians are necessarily any more accepted by gay men, but straight girl that happen to kiss are more accepted which should not be considered in htis question because they are all and all straight.

Men have a tendency to like it when girls kiss, etc. For example, the porn industry has taken advantage of this and has filmed scenes with girls on girls; however, even though these may be considered "lesbian scenes", they are not necessarily lesbians. They are just straight girls kissing. These are the types of things that people might see as lesbians that are being accepted. I really do not believe that true lesbians are any more accepted the average gay man. Overall, homosexuals are equally not accepted in our society. If you see a real lesbian couple walking down the street holding hands that are not just two hot girls making out, they are just as much judged and looked down upon by certain people as any gay male couple.

It is really just a guy thing why guys like seeing girls kissing, but why would the guys wish the girls that are kissing to actually be lesbian? Does that make any sense, if these guys are attracted to these women? If two real lesbians are kissing, how is this accepted? I still think some people still look at lesbians as if it is wrong and unnatural and only a man and women should be together.

So, in conclusion, first, our culture and history is why some things are accepted and some things are not. Second, it is not that lesbians are more accepted, per se. It more that girls are more open about their feelings and sexuality and straight women to have any problem kissing other women in most cases. These are not homosexual women however. Real homosexual woman are not treated or accepted any more than gay men. They may still be looked down upon and people still seem to think it is unnatural when they are in public together.

Race relations tends to come back to the basic debate between white and black for a few simple frustrating reasons.

It has been the most publicly debated topic for centuries. Since Dutch slavers started to bring african slaves over to Europe for agrarian tasks and household chores. Since the whites viewed it as their 'burden' to spread their intellectual advancements to the other races; the 'lesser races'. Blacks have since then fought back with their own publicity, first by working towards civil freedoms, and since then by having key media figures with which to rally behind; a la martin luther king jr. They have been able to expand upon the earlier media features they had, first when whites championed their causes, and later when educated blacks took up the reins They learned to play the white game of influence long before the other races did.

Not to say that other races haven't had their own discriminations, they have in spades. The Israelis have been at war with their arab neighbors for decades, and will continues to be so for the foreseeable future. The Latin american countries have been fighting amongst themselves for decades, as they each fought for their own independent, from whichever oppressors happen o be there at the time. Asian culture has been slightly less convoluted, though their peace has been interspersed with explosive violence, such as what happened in manchuria in 1936. Though the various plights are in all ways just as serious they have been either covered up or simply ignored. I'm referencing here both Rwanda, in which society simply sat back and watched a nation turn in on itself, Somalia; a country that literally imploded, and of course the Sudan currently. All of these are serious issues, but they're not important simply because they're not local enough. The Taiwanese people are still technically traitors of the Chinese mainland, but again it's unimportant because they are thousands of miles away.

Even though Blacks are no longer the minority majority in many regions of America, such as the southwest, they are still the most vociferous; crying out about their continued plight, real or not. This is not a race-based issue to be fair, there are figureheads to this continued debate, Al Sharpton, the reverend Jesse Jackson who continue this struggle. It's by continuing to keep these issues on the forefront of the media that keeps other minorities ignored.

All of the other races have had their problems, some caused by whites, and they will continue to have them. However the issue is that they lack the philosophical understanding that these race 'wars' are only swayed by who happens to be listening. To get their voices heard they must have them echo across all available channels. It's because the whites have done that with their various propagandas over the years, and equally so because the blacks have been able to countermand those same propaganda with campaigns of their own that the race war will remain a two-man race.

I usually am not one to read too far or in much depth at all into movies. Movies, to me, are normally just a way of entertainment. It is something that is fictitious (well, the majority of the time) and my life goes on as it normally does regardless of what happens in the movie. It is just simple entertainment. This article brings up an interesting point of this ongoing theme of the white man helping the indigenous people and saving them from destruction. It really does seem to be repeated time and time again over the past couple decades and Avatar is no exception. It seems to be just a science fiction version of this popular "Dances With Wolves"-type story line. It makes you think of how movies and television shows and other forms of media have so many different conscious or even sub-conscious underlying themes that we don't consciously think about or notice, yet these themes may still have some kind of affect on our outlook on life.

It is also interesting though is how this is created with made up alien creatures from another planet that are blue and have only some physical human characteristics and critics still bring out the issues with race in our world and apply them to such an off the wall fictitious movie. It brings up an interesting point of how it almost makes us, "the white man", feel almost envious of the indigenous people. They are all in phenomenal physical shape, they can run and jump like no other and they have a major sense of unity and community within in their people. It is almost like it is the things that we value, but can not have. It is the simplicity of life and worry free environment that usually makes us look up to these people and makes their ways of life seem so appealing.

This is not the most interesting part about Avatar, however. The most interesting part of this record-setting movie is how popular it has become among all different varieties of people. A movie that seemed to be an incredibly ridiculous and expensive science fiction production, which normally does not appeal to the masses, has become a movie that everyone could enjoy. It is truly amazing how the character development and romantic side has appealed to those who are not usually into the all action-type movies and then there was plenty action for people as well. It is a movie that all people were generally skeptical at first except a little intrigued as well by a movie that took such an incredible amount of money to make. However, after people got themselves to go see it, my reaction, at least was that everyone was blown away and it far exceeded everyone's expectations.