this is interesting to see and read. as many people read this one finds a sense of humility. it is hard to see someone who has committed murder to find compassion in the world. i thought that these people who committed acts of murder, were completely emotionless and did not care for anyone, but when you step back and think about it, they are human. these people were once young innocent children who found happiness in the smaller things in life. this does not mean that i would feel comfortable around murderers. this is quite the opposite. i would feel completely uncomfortable to be around these murderers and still find it hard to think they are human with human emotions. its crazy to hear that these people will spend their whole life in prison. i get extremely bored sitting around for a few hours with options of going out, i cant imagine not having the freedom of going outside or picking up the phone or checking the internet. Looking back at previous comments, I do not understand how people can rehabilitate after a murder. I feel like if you have in you once you will have the desire to do it again. Evil people seem to be hard to change and do not seem to have the ability. I find it hard to believe that an ex murderer can function in society. I would not trust working alongside an ex murderer. I understand people change, but people who commit these awful acts, can not. Those who commit small acts of stealing or get into a fight with a friend can change. The human emotions of compassion and love will continue to stay with the person for a lifetime. I never knew how some people forgive those who killed their loved one, I wish I could do the same. I guess the murderers could show regret and feel bad for their actions, but these people are con artists. It is so hard for me to realize there are signs of human emotions in prison with people who took away life.

this past class was very interesting. i have been recently very interested in why we are over in the middle east. i have also thought that it may be more of a religious fight than anything. it seems that the christians are being hypocritical since they feel that those who follow islam want to convert everyone, but this seems to be what christians are doing. the one scene i saw was that pretty interesting was the scene that the govt sent over christian missionaries to islam. it seems that its what the christians did to the native americans too. christians are just at fault that they are accusing islams for. i do not understand why religions are fighting each other, this seems contradictory. religion is suppose to bring peace not fight to prove who is right. i was at a museum in london this past spring, and there was a plaque stating that muslims, jews, and christians all lived together in peace for a short amount of time. i could not help but wonder what that was like. i dont understand why we can not do this now with everyone worshipping a very similar god with the same rules and laws to abide by. no one can claim their god is the right god, because that is a lose lose situation. you can not argue something that you will not know the answer to until you die. the catholics, jews, and muslims all acknowledge many of the same prophets and have similar readings and values. the extremist view is happening in every religion. christians way of extremes is trying to convert the world. people dont think that this is bad but it really is by shoving a thought down someones mind and force the religion. extreme islams are viewed as the worst since the pain inflicted is tangible while the christians way is mental. both cause harm to people but since our country was founded on christianity no one thinks twice about our ways.

i feel the information sam says needs to be taken in with a grain of salt. obviously not everything sam says in class i agree with. with that being said, this class has helped me open my eyes to myself and our society. this may not be due to the fact of what sam is teaching or the stories he shares, but more through the discussion group i am in. our class has really helped me become more comfortable with race and being able to talk about race. the idea of race is no longer taboo with me anymore. i feel i can be free to talk about my feelings and share my true beliefs. the group i am in is very open to others opinions and beliefs and welcomes new ideas. our group has shied away from quoting sam and rather has been able to question this. i believe that this is what sam is trying to do. some of his stories are far fetched and seem a little exaggerated. i think this is what he aims to do, since this then leaads to more discussion. i take what he says and shape it into my world, and surprisingly this works and helps me gain a better understanding. i would hope this is true for everyone and i actually through my naive self, did beleive this. i did believe everyones eyes were opened to the harsh world of our society. i thought that everyone in class eyes opened as did mine when we saw moving videos and unbelievable facts. i feel sorry for those that can not get anything out of this class and change the way they live. that lack of desire to change shows their true ignorance to what is going on in the world, to what is going on at our campus. this class was recommended by a friend and i wanted a class that had that wow factor. the first day it happened and from then on out i have seen myself change through the process or revisioning. i am beginning to become angry at my own race for the atrocities that we have put other people through, and for no reason. today in class i thought to myself, why are blacks the ones getting enslaved and being the center of racism? i couldnt help but think that white people were the cause of all this since they are the ones at the head of companies using black labor. the media is owned by white people, who portrays blacks in a negative light. i just cant think of how to change the minds of others. i truly feel this class does that through sams teaching and the discussion groups that cover these sensitive topics.

this video really struck a cord with me. i was so taken aback watching it and wondering why these children felt the way they did about their own race. i couldnt help but think the way society makes us think from an early age. being a media studies major i can go back to cases we have learned and stories i have read. one reason why i feel this may be possible is that children shows capture the feel of white people rather than black or brown. disney movies have never been geared to people of color, and if they are claimed to be the characters still have very white features. jasmine from alladin has darker skin but her physical features and the way she talks leads many to view her as white. this could be the reason why the kids chose the white doll since they are used to seeing this through our media. i was so disturbed to see the young kids view the white babies as nice and vice versa towards the black. i wanted to know why and i wanted to see how they would view this in a few years when they grew up. i feel like i am to blame, the white race is to blame for this. i go out and support the white media by going to see these disney movies and not boycotting them or buying products that are geared toward whites.i am upset that it has taken me this long to see what problems the white race has caused minorities. i wish i could have taken notice years ago. my eyes have opened to the wrongs my race and has began to lead to me to have an overall negative view of them. it seems the whites try to do anything they can to keep others down while only helping themselves. i can only hope that other white people are beginning to notice and try to make a change to the way our society is. i find it hard being all the people in our country to say that our society will soon accept since i have come across many people who are stuck in the white power phase but claim to not be racist. its sad to see smart and intelligent whites claim they are not racist but when jokes are told and phrases being said, it takes their view to a whole new level.

this video is very alarming as is the events going on at ucsd. It is ridiculous that such racist events are occurring there, but it is also occurring here at penn state. I have been invited to parties that are similar to the “ghetto” party whether it be beer Olympics or a race theme party. The stereotypes are still present no matter what the theme may be. For example in beer Olympics “athletes” dress in the clothes or wear culturally significant clothes that are similar to those of their country they are representing. It is seen in good fun by those involved but from the outside I can see how it can be viewed as racist. This seems to be a minor racism problem at penn state. With penn state being in the middle of Pennsylvania, I have come across 2 accounts of extreme racism. One was sophomore year at a party, and this was my first run in with racism. While at the party a white kid was playing a black kid in beer pong, and he turned to me and said “I can not wait to beat this coon” I immediately looked at this kid and told him my feelings of the words he chose. I do not know if he took my threats seriously or not but I knew I did the right thing. The other time was this past state patty’s day when I went to a party to see my white friend. My friend was not there but his white roommate was there who were suppose to have a party. I asked where the party was and his response was to use the N word and accuse black kids from stealing their tap, although he used a much more offensive way to state this problem. I was horrified and could not believe what was just said in front of me. I had 2 friends visit from another school, and I was completely embarrassed. I could not believe this kid would represent penn state like that to myself, who he had never met, and my 2 friends. I was happy to get out of the situation but looking back ashamed I did not say anything to this kid. Racism is all over the world, and do not think it is not at penn state. I think that maybe the kid who put the rope in the library may have been trying to make a political statement. Yes he may have gone about it wrong, but it should make other students at various universities reflect on the racism at their universities.

i have often wondered this same question. it seems that television is secretly, which is not really a secrete to those who are educated, a racist form of media. all over forms of media know no color; radio, internet, and newspaper. it is interesting to take notice that the less "classy' shows do involve those of color, i.e. flavor of love, mtv dating shows, and other forms of reality shows on the specialized stations. i have to say it is pretty offense to notice this. i am a white male and have found myself attracted to all types of women, and i find it unfair to those on the show to be left out. i know many happy couples of mixed races and probably more unhappy or divorced couples of the same color. this may be due to the idea that those of mix marriage have already overcome so much, there love has multiplied.

looking at the picture really puts this idea of white dominance and lack of acceptance into picture. no one is remotely different looking than anyone else. i did notice a woman of asian decent in the first picture, but she even looks like she is trying to whiter. i can not believe that all these girls are blonde haired tanned women, it is such a bad reflection of our society. this seems another way, though not as intense, to purify our world. by putting these women in the media, society is telling its people to look and act like this. although not verbally or blatantly, but is it there. i think i walk around penn state everyday and see this. most of the girls here look like each other, whether it be due to the media or not, there seems to be a form of purification even at penn state (although it could just be the sorority girls).

it is interesting to view this as i am a comm major viewing a lot of these problems in my classes. i have looked at this many times. when minorities are portrayed they are done so in the stereotypical manner. an example of this is the use of hispanic women in the show modern family. the one hispanic women is shown as sultry and sexual with nothing more to say but sexual comments. this is unfair and maybe the fact that these dating shows do not portray those of color is because the networks are afraid of the backlash from people. i mean by this that people will view the minorities in the television shows as false and stop watching the show.

This idea of a sex robot is very scary. It obviously takes away from the emotional side of a companion and is only there for a physical aspect. This not only hurts those using the doll, but the people this person knows and associates with in real life. The person who uses the doll will begin to alienate themselves from society and others and may feel the need to not speak with people. It also gives women a bad light as well. Males who may use the product will view women as nothing but a sexual object and nothing more. This could potentially lead to a rise in rape and a lack of interest in a true woman. It also will begin to show young children who see the doll as a way out of being intimate. The doll promotes nothing more than loneliness and self loathing. The only times the user will feel better is for those few minutes of use, but then go back to their world alone. If married men buy the doll is will inevitably break up a marriage. Finding a companion in silicon is not normal is downright wrong. Before the idea of an inflatable girlfriend or roxxxy was even created, people found other ways to bond. This takes the idea of sex toys to a new and scary realm.

Luckily as stated this is a very small market place, but still promotes a lack of relationships. Human beings need to have relationships, and those who do not interact have a scary road ahead of them. I do not understand how one can have a sexual encounter with a woman and not need some sort of feeling or connection. The doll just sits there and I am assuming sounds like a machine. This scares and worries me that that turns people on. I think women should be the most worried that some men are steering away from a woman’s touch and personality. I think if this doll takes off, the amount of rapes will rise. This is scary because the men can do whatever they please to this doll and may feel the need to carry this out on a real woman.

I feel the reason that its only black and white compared to white and Asian, or Asian and Native American; is because throughout our early education we were taught this idea. Ever since I can remember I learned about black slavery. Maybe one year we learned about the Asian slavery work they did for the railroads. We also learned a few times about the Japanese concentration camps in the USA for being "communist." Until college, was the idea of this concept brought to my attention? I often now wonder what the other races feel about this; do they feel less important or significant? Do they feel they deserve more appreciation? Considering there is no Asian American month or Native American month, one must think they feel left out. The African American population, which I group with everyone who can trace their ancestry to the African continent, did a lot for our country. They built our country from the ground up, giving up their lives in the process. This may be why we make it black and white. I don’t think you can argue it being another race but white and something else. Since our country was founded by anglo Saxon Europeans this cannot be changed to substitute.

I think that the problem that it is black and not another race is because as a country we feel bad and in debt to the people who we wronged more than any other race. As a nation we are in the greatest debt to the black race, and those who teach/write books feel they owe an apology to those individuals by teaching mostly about the wrongs. I would have liked to get a more open and broad history lesson growing up but this did not occur. I think do to the lack of education the media has turned black into a race that engulfs those who are not white. Black is a color not a race, so I feel the media use the word black to explain colored people.

I definitely think the media, educators, and government are to blame for the ignorance that is put on color. Grouping minorities to one color that associated with African Americans is ignorant and other minorities have the right to be upset. It is still a continuing battle for rights and this is a perfect example.

this guy seems like an idiot, and i would have to agree with that somethings need to be kept to yourself. to insult people you are trying to get elected from just seems like a no brainer not to do. politicians amaze me with the things they say that insult either their community or the nation. the acts they committ to jeopordize their job, astonishes me. the state of south carolina is not looking so great with all these awful things being said and done. maybe the politicians should, i dont know, help these people rather than offend them and criticize them. it seems to me that those who are on welfare are being made the butt of a joke, the government are the ones that look stupid.

having the poor people in your community look like they are troubles, instead of that why not change the fact that there is a problem. it seems ironic that the same people who make the mistakes and criticize others are in the end criticized themselves and ridiculed worse than the others. maybe he thought calling these people animals would motivate them, but i would assume it would make them feel worse about themselves. i think that the government deep down wants to keep the jobs for thier families and other rich families anyway. this is probably the worst motivational speech i have ever seen or heard. i wonder if he said this because his grandmother was one of these "animals" he wanted to prove she could still think logically? maybe or he just wanted to prove animals could breed winners. either way he seems like a complete loser who feels to much gratitude towards himself and looks down on others.

this article has strong points that i never really made click in my mind. i have seen avatar and unlike many, did not like the movie at all, as the author pointed out, it was too predictable. i told my friends it was a mix between fern gully and apocolypto. when the author pointed out the idea of racism in his article i immediately thought back to when i saw the movie. it was interested that his article is written about this because, as i viewed the movie, i could immediately tell who was not white and who was. i could tell that the marine's love interest was black and the other avatar who was the main fighter was black as well. i went home and imdb the movie and there it was in plain view, my assertions were correct. i did not think anything of this, but did find it interesting.

when finish reading this i realized that this author's view had some validity to it. thinking back to all the similar movies like avatar, the white man is the leader and helps out the natives, or in the movies "the less capable ones." this seems to be setting a wrong example to our youth and uneducated. it says that only white people can help out those who are not white, out of a rut. an interesting example i noticed the other day was on 60 minutes. there was a segment on the green berets training the afghan army. out of about 10 american green berets one was black and one asian, but he was never interviewed. only the white men were interviewed on camera and profiled while the non white members of the crew were shown as background men. i dont know why the white men were shown, but they were shown as heroes while ignoring the others.

a way to view this type of movie "genre" is to look at it as a compliment to the native or non white people. it shows that they seem to have life figured out which is why the white "hero" engulfs their views. it shows that the way whites are doing this is not the best way to live ones life. a compliment is what needs to be shown rather than racist overtures.