Thank you Sam for posting this letting, and thank you to the man who wrote it. After Sam had discussed how he and Laurie visit the ‘lifers’ I was extremely curious as to how these visits went. I found it interesting how Sam stated that they had a certain light in their eyes that most people do not have. I guess this sparked my interest because in our society and throughout most pop culture and the media, we are led to believe that these people are monsters. We are taught to believe that they do not deserve to be let out or possess compassion, caring and understanding

However, this letter goes to show otherwise. When I first read this letter, I thought that the beginning scenario took place before this man was placed in jail. I honestly thought it could take place at a park or anywhere else. However, when I kept reading and realized it took place in the jail yard, it changed my opinion of the whole story. I guess it just goes to show that you really cannot understand something until you have really heard the other side. I would never have imagined this scenario occurring with men and women sentenced for life.

I suppose some of this comes from being able to reflect. While the people on the ‘outside’ are able to about our everyday lives, the people in jail are forced to suddenly confront everything. Thinking of this all, to be honest, is quite humbling. I guess I took for granted everything that I have and everything I have been able to experience. This has almost made me realize everything I have taken for granted. I’m not sure what I would do if I were put away for life at 21 years old. Living with the knowledge that I would never be able to be a part of the real world again would be frightening.

I give this man all the credit in the world. The attitude he possesses and the wisdom amazes me. He certainly does not, with his writing; show that he has never graduated from high school. He also goes to prove that compassion is everywhere. Just because of one act (he is obviously sorry for) does not take away from the fact that he is a person. It also does not take away from the fact that he has real feelings and that he –and other prisoners in the same situation—can have a great deal of compassion and empathy. I guess it goes to show that you truly cannot judge a book by its cover.

I feel that it is a good idea to teach Chinese to elementary school children. It is also, in general, a good idea to teach children all sorts of foreign languages. Studies have shown that children learn languages better when they are younger, in the elementary grades. Chinese is a language that children should have the option to learn. It has a growing prevalence in the world and with China becoming an emerging world power; learning to speak Chinese is an excellent option.

I know, for example, my high school is now offering Chinese. About a year or two after I graduated the school started offering it because of the increasing demand. Although Chinese is the only language not offered at the AP level, it is still a step in the right direction. Students and the school are realizing the importance of learning this language.

When the article discussed educators going to China to learn, this struck me. Recently this year, many principles and other educators from my home school district were able to go to China for about a week. While there, they were able to see the school system. They were also able to take back many ideas from the Chinese school district. After talking to one of the principles that went, he said it amazed him that although the classrooms there had many more students then we do here; the students were much better behaved. They seemed to take their education much more seriously.

It also did not surprise me when the article said that Spanish was the language that was remaining constant. I know at my high school, Spanish was the language that had the most students. Most other languages had one class for the fourth level, while Spanish normally had three or four. I feel that this is because many people still believe that Spanish is the language that will get them ahead. Maybe if more people realized the power of Chinese and the growing need for the language more people would take it.

I think something to take away from this article, is the importance of learning languages early. As Sam pointed out, only taking a language for four years realistically is not going to do much. I took four years of Spanish, and although I did learn a lot, I hardly remember much. If we as a society want our youth to truly become fluent in another language, language programs in the school need to begin in kindergarten. This way, children will have years upon years of experience with the language and can truly become fluent. I feel that this is the only way we can compete in an increasing global market and world.

After watching the video, I am speechless. And to be honest I do not think you can even consider this a game. The point of raping women to win is disturbing on many, many levels. I want to know what sick mind came up with such a game. The people who buy the game and play it for entertainment also disturb me. The fact that people are finding pleasure in groping and raping young women is something that sickens me and makes me wonder about our society in general. I understand the argument that this type of game is similar to a violent ‘shoot ‘em up’ game. They are both equally violent and inhumane. I feel that it says something about our society that the shooting games are deemed acceptable by many, but the rape games are not. To be honest, I think they are both disgusting and censorship needs to be done on all fronts of the gaming and entertainment industry.

The Japanese government needs to take steps to make laws to govern the video game market. Obviously the gaming industry over there is not doing their job of censoring their material that they are producing and distributing. The government needs to make laws banning this type of sexual violence in games. Children can apparently easily get their hands on the game through the Internet. If children are growing up playing such graphic and horrific games, what is that teaching them? Boys will grow up to believe that this type of behavior is okay and normal and girls may even believe that it is okay to let boys do that to them. There is something seriously wrong inhumane with this idea.

I guess advocates of this game would say that it is some sort of a release for people so they don’t actually rape. However, I do not buy into this at all. Many rapists crave power and playing a video game is not going to give them the power they crave. This game, to me, only facilitates violence and I feel may produce more rapists. As people see what they can do, will they act it out in real life? I would like to think not, but in our society with minds making this sort of game, who knows?

Overall, I am sickened by this game. Something needs to be done, quickly, about the gaming and entertainment industry in general. Raping women, as an object of a game is simply unacceptable and these games need to be taken off the shelves and off-line immediately. There is no reason that people need to play a game in which women are violated in the most grotesque way possible. The Japanese government needs to step in before it is too late.

To be honest, reading this article was not that surprising for me. Being an elementary education major this is a fact that has been explored and brought up in many different classes. The fact that many future students will be of a minority is something that we have to keep in mind. I wonder if in the future different majors in college will deal with teaching different multi cultural backgrounds. It is important, I believe, because many of these different backgrounds have different backgrounds and cultures at home. These children have diverse experiences at home and with so many different cultures that can and will become the majority, being able to correctly and effectively teach this children is necessary.

On another point, I like many other bloggers, am curious if whites will truly ever be considered the minority. Sure with numbers there is no doubt that other cultures and races will become the majority, but I think there is also a piece of mind that many whites have in being the majority. It begs the question that when white do become the minority, will some be able to accept it? Many whites are still in power and still for the most part control a large portion of the money. However, there is a shift occurring, as according to Forbes, the richest man in the world is not Bill Gates. The richest man in the world is now a man from Mexico, Carlos Slim Helu. This is goes to prove that whites will not always be the majority.

I think this shift is best to happen in our generation and ones to come. I feel that our generation is so much more open to change and for equality then previous ones. As the article asked, how are our parents and older generations going to react to this? Are they going to want to pay higher taxes to support minority schools? It is an interesting point to think about. It is also slightly unsettling. There are many people that are so set in their ways that I fear they will be so opposed to this change, that there will be consequences, such as less funding for children and a bigger gap.

Overall, this article is not all that surprising. This change is something that was bound to happen with our diverse population and the great immigration that has occurred in our country. I feel that this change is a good one though. I think our country is ready to truly embrace a multi cultural society. Being an education major my only wish is that we could be better prepared to effectively teach students from different backgrounds from our own because let’s face it, most elementary education majors (at least here at Penn State) are white females.

Like other bloggers when I think of Hawaii I think of beaches, beautiful sunsets, getting a tan and mountains. I have always wanted to go for all these reasons. I guess it is slightly hypocritical of me to only think of the beauty that Hawaii has to offer and not of the injustices that are occurring. But isn’t that what seems to happen when people think of America? How many people first think of the injustices that have occurred to our native people? More times than not, people think of the beauty of America not the injustice.

I have never stopped to realize that Indigenous people lived in Hawaii, let alone 400,000 of them. What shocked me even more was the statistics that were given. It is sad that they make up 28 percent of the homeless population, but only 20 percent of the state’s population. This statistic simply does not add up. It is also disturbing and unnerving that they earn less, are more likely to end up in prison and typically live shorter lives. The fact that they earn less money is not helped by the fact that things typically cost more in Hawaii. We live in a country that is supposed to be equal for all and clearly this is not occurring, especially for the Indigenous people.

I feel that by ignoring the problem, Hawaii is simply making the problem worse. If they already make up 28 percent of the homeless population, I am sure that it will only get worse. With the economy in a slump, more will lose their jobs and their houses. So by ignoring the problem, Hawaii is going to be paying more. The state will end up paying for these people. Also, with the Indigenous people ending up in jail more, the state will be paying for this also. I understand people’s objections that it will cost a lot of money, but the state will pay for these people being in jail or being without a home.

I agree with the one blogger that I had never heard of this issue before this article. I also find it ironic that it took President Obama, a Hawaiian born President, to finally see progress on this issue. Maybe he sees the injustice and problem that is occurring and will work to correct it. This bill is the first step in giving back what we took from these people. Although this occurred before my generation’s lifetime, I still feel guilty and bad. But because happened before my lifetime, as Sam said, it is talked about less. However, America does need to be the land of the free for all people. This bill and retribution will be the first step in fixing the wrongs these people have faced.

To be honest, this article disgusts me. But in another way it does not surprise me. Many people are still so closed to homosexuality. It is sad that it came to this. To cancel a prom because a girl wanted to bring another girl is something that should not happen these days.

My neighbor went to Catholic school for his whole life and expressed these prejudice to me. He said that he knew of a close friend that is gay, but had to bring a girl to prom just so he could go. He knew deep down that if he tried to go with his boyfriend it would not be permitted. That is simply a sad fact. The face that he was not able to go with the person he truly wanted to go with is sad.

The school district is mistaken in thinking that no gay or lesbian couples would try to come to prom. It truly sad that the school district would live in times where gay couples would be discriminated against. I am sure the school district had encountered real world experiences where there were gay and lesbian couples. They are actually hurting themselves. I am positive that people did boycott shutting down the prom. It is simply ridiculous. That is the bottom line. Because the school district made it seem like their fault is even worse. In today’s society there should be equal treatment and this school district is clearly unaware of this. She should have been allowed to go with whom she wanted to go with. I am sure not every parent at the school approved of who their daughter or son went prom with. However the school seemed to be okay with it because it was a straight couple. This simply does not add up.

The fact that the article stated that she needed to remember where she was is even more ridiculous. This girl is in America and should have all the freedoms that every other person does. Even if this part of America is more ‘religious’, it should not matter. She lives in a free country that is supposed to protect her rights as an individual. This school is denying her rights to express her feelings. I also, find it hard to believe that others at the prom would find this offensive. In my experience, young people are even more open to new ideas. They seem to be more open to homosexuality because it is something that exists in society and always will. I sincerely hope that people look at this act as discrimination and act accordingly. I would hope there will be laws that will counteract this type of discrimination, but until then it is up to the people to act out against this awful discrimination.

I will be the first to admit that I watch The Bachelor every week that it is on. I couldn't tell you why, it's not quality television, just fun to watch. I never noticed until this post that the majority, almost all, of the contestants are white. I'm sure maybe I subconsciously noticed it, but it was not something that I made a point of, so to say. I do agree with many of the people that ABC does cater to an older audience. I know my grandparents watch that network.

I feel as though ABC is trying to be safe. There have been some other races featured on The Bachelor, but they are few and far between. I feel as though in playing it safe, and keeping to basically one race, ABC is attempting not to offend anyone. Our generation is more open to inter-racial relationships, but what about the older generations? I'm not saying that all, but many older people are still against inter-racial relationships and marriages. In only showing basically one race, ABC is essentially ensuring that they have viewers. They are ensuring that many of their older viewers will continue watching and will not be offended.

There is another side of this though. Many shows on MTV and VH1 show predominately black contestants. These networks mainly cater to younger viewers. Many of these younger viewers are fine with and open to inter-racial relationships. These networks are more free and open to show different races because many of their viewers are fine with it.

I personally, do not feel as though as a white person, I am being humiliated because of the show. I do not think whites are more willing to put themselves out there and be humiliated (as the title suggests) than other races. If you look at other reality shows that feature these other races, it is clear, I believe, it is just American culture. We love watching people on television to see what they would do in various situations.

I think that maybe in a couple of years, the major networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS will be more open to dating and reality shows with several different races. It would go to show how far we've come as a society. If major networks that serve mainly older demographics show reality, different races being together.

I think one of the first steps, would be having a Bachelor or Bachelorette that is of a minority. Maybe I’m being naive, but I don’t think there would be fewer viewers just because of this. The show would then show more of what the real world is like.

I do wonder if ABC deliberately casts all white people; I highly doubt that. So this makes me wonder what the producers of the show would think of this question. I’m sure they would have an answer that would cover it, and maybe even one that would surprise everyone. So maybe we shouldn’t be too quick to judge.

Yvrose Jean Baptiste's story is one that is inspiring and frankly left me in awe. This woman, with a fifth grade education, is doing things that, honestly given that situation, I doubt I would be able to accomplish. She is working for her family and showing everyone that it is possible. The fact that in such adversity she is able to make something of herself is truly inspirational. She was born in an extremely impoverished nation and still is managing to make money in a way that many of us could not think of ourselves.

I think what strikes me the most about Yvrose Jean Baptiste is the fact that she travels to a richer nation, The Dominican Republic, comes back to Haiti, and loans the goods out to shopkeepers, only to then return to collect interest. The business knowledge this woman possesses is something to be admired and respected. I'm not sure I know anyone, who after receiving simply a fifth grade education, would be able to go out into the world and accomplish such things. It is almost funny that this woman with a fifth grade education, seems to understand things that people pay thousands of dollars to learn. Don't get me wrong, I think a college education is essential in our society, but it just kind of makes you think.

This leads itself to another point. What would have happened if Yvrose Jean Baptiste had been born in a more modernized country, such as the United States? Maybe I'm being a little hopeful, but I would like the believe that she would rise up and become a successful business woman. But then I get to thinking, what would happen if she would have been born to a poor family? Would she still have become successful? Maybe her story lends itself to the answer of yes. Obviously she possesses some type of 'street smart' by doing what she is doing. I find it almost disconcerting that just because where you are born can determine how much money you make and how 'successful' you become in life.

I feel so fortunate to have been born in the United States to a family that pushed me through school and never let me think anything other than a college degree. But had I been born in Haiti I would not have had that opportunity. I feel that it is such luck. I am lucky to be at Penn State. I am lucky to have been born in a modernized, developed country.

Sam always talks about the race and how some people got a head start. This is a perfect example. Because of where she was born, Yvrose Jean Baptiste, almost started with an unfair advantage. She wasn't born into a family or even in a country that could provide her with a good, solid education. She had to fend for herself.

So before people start jumping on this and criticizing what Sam has said, I think this story needs to be digested. We are so incredibly fortunate to be in the position we are in. Because let's face it, how many of us could actually do what Yvrose Jean Baptiste is doing?

I do not think there is a difference between male gay couples and lesbian couples adopting. I do not think one pair would be better parents then another. I also see no difference than with either of them raising a child compared with a male and a female. I honestly do not at all understand why people feel that gay couples should not be able to adopt a child. Who is to say that child will suffer? There is no proof. These children will grow up with as much or even more love than they would if they had not been adopted.

Many children would be better of if they were adopted by these couples. There are teenage moms that get pregnant everyday and keep these babies. Take my cousin for example. My cousin Jessie became pregnant at 17. She ended up getting married simply because of the child and ended up not being able to go to college. Now at 21, she has 3 children and living at his parents house because they do not have enough money to afford one of their own. I'm not saying that every teenager that gets pregnant will lead this life. What I am saying is that if she can have 3 children, why can't a gay couple adopt one when they are probably more financially able to support a child.

It's sad to see many children born into families where the parents are not ready (be financial reasons, age, or any other number of reasons). Many of these parents keep these children. If they attempted to adopt a child, would they be able to? Isn't it sad that just because a couple is straight and they accidentally get pregnant, they can become parents, and a gay couple can't? They have to go through the long, and tiring process of adoption (I've seen another family go through this).

Over the summer, I work at a kid's camp. This past summer we had 2 children who came from lesbian families. Their mothers were all completely involved in their lives. They came to the picnic and talent show, paid their dues on time, and were always there to pick their children up at the end of the day. If you didn't know their parents were both gay, you would never know. Both girls were normal, healthy individuals. As far as I could see, they were not suffering in the least bit. They lived their lives just like anyone else.

If these couples are willing to adopt, why not let them? These children will be able to experience a loving home. My only hope is that as further generations open up more to other ideas, this is one that sticks. These people are no different than you and me. There is no reason they cannot become parents.

This article was one that really got me thinking. The topic of language is one that I truly think many of us take for granted. I do not think that even as I was reading the article at first that it hit me that possibly one day people will not be able to understand this. This language we all know so well could become just another ancient language that was spoken by people of the past. However, after listening to the voice recording I decided to actually listen to it. It is almost haunting that this language is not spoken anymore. This language that many spoke is now just a footnote in history. This language was one that united a culture for 65,000 years. And now it is all forgotten. Minus the sound recording that is left no one will hear this spoken. How sad and unnerving. It makes me wonder though how many more there are. I’m sure that maybe there is more than 7,000 that will be forgotten by the time I am dead. This number makes me rethink a few things. How long will this form of English last? Sure there are different dialects, but this English that I am familiar with, in over a hundred years, will people be able to interpret it and understand it? If you think about, I have trouble understanding old English when reading texts. This is the way our world works. Globalization kicks in and people have different technologies and new terms. The old cultures and therefore their languages get thrown by the wayside.
Johnny Hill, Junior’s statement about having to talk to himself rattled a nerve with me. There are young people, as he states, that are capable of learning his language and through learning this language their ancestor’s culture. It did not occur to me at first that this was the case. I simply thought that the younger generations would learn the language from their elders and continually pass it down. But this got me thinking that maybe the younger generation did not learn the language because, to them, it is out of touch. Maybe to them the language is not current enough. We are so focused on the here and now that we cannot see the future without some sort of fog. We cannot see the implications of letting these precious languages, cultures and knowledge die out.
This article should be looked at as a warning to future generations. We need to preserve our language and the culture that goes along with it. The vast knowledge that we lose if another language dies out is truly devastating. We need to heed this warning and use it to our benefit so that maybe 7,000 languages and cultures will not be lost in our lifetime. It is my hope that many of these will survive and their vital knowledge preserved for everyone to learn from.