I can't imagine being a lifer at all. The thought of waking up everyday and knowing you aren't going anywhere for the rest of your life is so sad. Yeah, they all did something to get themselves in that position, but at times, i think it is worse than getting the death sentence. If you get the death sentence, you don't see tomorrow. But as a lifer, you see tomorrow and the day after that and so on just suffering inside the gates of a prison. It sounds so horrible. This piece of writing though we enlightening for me. Hearing what this man had to say wasn't completely surprising to me since Sam had given us some insight in class, but it really does break some stereotypes. When I think about lifers, like most people, I think of them as violent, mad people. But, this man seems especially compassionate and sensitive to others. It was shocking to hear what he had to say. I feel like this man has had a lot of time to think, though. But, I do give him a lot of credit for not going insane. I think if I were in his shoes, it would take me a long time to come to piece with myself after a crime like murder. Although this man broke my stereotype of lifers, I think the amount of men who can speak like that and have grown a lot since their crime are very few. I think the times I feel most sympathetic for lifers is when it comes to people like these. Nevertheless, this man is in prison for a reason. Unless he is extremely unlucky and was wrongly convicted, (I feel really bad for those people) he deserves to live within the barbwire and chain-link fences. I know it sounds harsh, but those men or women are obviously in there for a reason. When Sam said one day, "He is an awesome person. Sure, he's a murder, but he's so cool" I was asking myself if he was really crazy. But, I think this guy gives me an idea of what he was trying to say. I wish I could meet a lifer, because I think they experience a lot of things many people don't even realize. I also think this letter proves that people can change. This man did something terrible years ago, but has really grown since then. Overall, this letter really helped give me more of an idea of what lifers really think like sometimes, and they aren't just violent people all the time.

I thought Sam's lecture today was extremely eye opening. I don't know if I still fully understand everything, but I think overall, it made me really take a step back. I never really understood the negative impact that the United States has on the Middle East. When Sam told us to put ourselves in the shoes of Muslim students, I felt much more emotion about the whole situation. Knowing that those people must feel such rage about this situation is terrible. What makes the situation even worse is knowing that this whole argument that has lasted so many years is because of oil. Now, Christians are looked at in a bad light because of the impact they have had on the Middle East. I'm Christian and I don't believe Christians are bad people. In fact, I feel like they do a whole lot of good in the world. But, when you look at it in this situation, I can see why people look at Christians in such a light. In the video where Sam said he understood, I felt like I agreed. I don't know how you couldn't. Even if the US doesn't want to give up their oil, I think people should be able to see why people are so angry at us. The example Sam used about China and our coal was a good parallel. When Sam told that story, I was thinking how wrong it was for them to take so much of the coal and how we don't get nearly as much. But, essentially, it is the same situation with us and the Middle East. We take all their oil and they probably feel angry over it. I really can see why people despise the United States as much as they do after Sam's lecture. The US bullies other countries and uses their power to its advantage. When I look at the people who run our country, such as presidents or people with high up positions, I never look at them as bad people with bad intentions. It's probably because I am from here. But nevertheless, I still wouldn't expect it. Now though, I look at it a lot differently, and I can see why the US is hated by so many other countries. Even though I understand why other countries despise us, I still feel so much grief for terrorists attacks and incidents like 9/11. Seeing innocent civilians being killed in any country, good or bad, is completely wrong. Sam's lecture was very eye-opening overall, and I think I will think twice about a lot of things from now on.

This question is very interesting because I've thought about it a lot. Sam has been very vocal with his opinions over the semester, and sometimes I wonder if Sam's class should be called 'Sam's opinion on the World'. That is not to say I do not respect what he thinks, because a lot of it makes sense and in my mind is accurate. I think his opinions on how certain people rise to power and how we think of each other are all true. Overall, I think the class is thought provoking, like Sam intends it to be. When I sit in class, I don't necessarily change my opinions, but rather think about if what Sam is saying is what I agree with or not. I'll be honest--sometimes I roll my eyes at what Sam says. I think I am a lot less cultured than he is, and he has experienced a lot more over his lifetime, so some of the stuff he says I just can't wrap my brain around. However, as confusing or ridiculous as some of it sounds, I still try and evaluate it and think about it more deeply. I think it is easy to push away Sam's opinions because many of us have grown up and formulated our own opinions on these types of topics from such a young age. But I think when we are forced to think about them on our own, we can reconfigure what we previously thought, and maybe change our opinions, or keep them as they were. Personally, I don't think many of my opinions have changed, and if they have, they have only to a small degree. One thing I admire about Sam is how he touches on topics many wouldn't feel comfortable talking about. I thought his LGBT lecture was pretty good, although at points I thought he was preaching to us. I think just the fact that he so openly talked about it was good, and it really got me thinking. His boldness and they way he puts people on the spot makes the class a lot more interactive, especially when people get fired up. I hate classes that are boring and repetitive. I like hearing people's opinions and feedback on controversial topics, because it makes class a lot more interesting. I think when people share their opinions it shows how diverse the class is and how different we all think. Overall, I think Sam doesn't really change my opinions, but rather provoke me to take a stand and formulate my own opinion.

Affirmative action, in my opinion, has many different pros and cons. On one hand, it helps to create equality and give people who didn't get that head start, but on the other hand, it can quite possibly take away an opportunity from someone that doesn't benefit from affirmative action. This whole idea that Sam was explaining in class was interesting. I think the way Sam explained how those who are not white and do not have a head start, are given one with affirmative action in hopes to present more equality. I think providing equality is important, but the truth it, there will always be countless glitches with laws like these. No matter how much we try to provide and create equality among all Americans, we will be taking away something from someone else. In this case, it is the white supremacy power. Sure, it can make whites uneasy knowing that their chances of not getting a job because it is given to a person of color, but it is just one of the consequences that has come up as we try to move forward. However, the question asked above did present an extremely important thought, and I think it ties into the questions that were brought up in class. If a job is given to a black person over a white person even if they are not as qualified, won't that hurt someone in someway, whether it is the company or people? The idea that giving a job to a black person over a white person that is less qualified for the field of health care is probably the most uneasy case. When someone goes to a hospital they want to be sure they are getting the best care possible. When a parent brings their child to the doctors they want to rest assure that they were given the most precise prognosis. It is extremely important that we take into account how not choosing the most qualified and professional doctors/medical professionals could seriously hurt us. This is not to say that if a black person were more qualified over a white person they shouldn't get the job. It is simply whoever is more qualified should get the job. I think that depending on the field of work and how skilled you have to be should depend on the strictness of how affirmative action is enforced. I certainly think it should always be taken into account, but the choice should truly be based on skills and how qualified someone is for a specific job.

The whole topic of periods that came up in class the other day was somewhat shocking. When Sam used the word "bleeding" I was a little taken back. Sure, it's a literal term because that is what essentially happens, but I think the words "period" and "menstrual cycle" were invented to respect the fact that it isn't pleasant. I know this person said a period is a beautiful thing because it allows women to be fertile and give birth, but I'm a woman and I hate having a period. I mean I would rather have it than not simply to have children, but I despise those days when my period comes around. Lori said it perfectly in her monologue. Women count down every 28 days to when their period rolls around and the pain, bloating, and fatigue takes over. It is not fun.
I think many women do not feel comfortable discussing it as well as men because it takes away from physical beauty. When a woman has their period, they are looked at as dirty. I remember watching some morning talk show and back in the 1950s women were told to use Lysol to clean themselves. That is crazy to me, but I understand the feeling of feeling dirty when that time of the month comes around. It really does take away self confidence and spunk that I have the rest of the month.
I also agreed with Sam when he added that if men had periods our world would be a lot different. Let's face it, the world would come to a daunting halt if men experienced what we do every month. They would complain and fight for rights. I also agree with the another one of the video posts that said tampons would be free. That brings up a good point, because I think they should be free. They are expensive, especially for something we cannot control. If tampons were free women would save a lot of money.
I think if we were able to talk about periods more, women would not feel so dirty and bad about themselves. Periods are so natural, so I agree with Sam that we should be able to talk about it. I don't see it as a form of "art", but every woman gets it and it is the reason we can reproduce, so it shouldn't be a topic off limits. Although Sam's talk about periods was shocking, I think it brings up a good point and we shouldn't feel so embarrassed to talk about something so natural.

This question brought up a very interesting point. In many ways, I think people are confused by the system for that exact reason. Not everyone is just white, just black, just hispanic etc. Most of us are a mix of a bunch of races. I don't even know what I am to be honest. I know I'm white though, so I always just go into that category. But for someone who is a clear split between two or a few different races, then I can see why that would be more difficult to decide. I think in so many of our discussions too it is white against black. Like the other day white people had to write what they thought and black people had to write what they thought. In a lot of ways I think people took that as an excuse to take hits against the other race. I was at times offended when people wrote that white people were stuck up and snobby, because I don't think I'm like that. The whole concept of writing what we thought forced people to write stereotypes and generalizations. I don't know how effective that was. I think when you are a mixed race it makes it harder to even know what stereotype you fall under, which is even worse. It's like asking, do you act black or do you act white? It is a very confusing concept. But on the other hand, Sam does say how absurd the system is. I know he is trying to just get a general idea of what people think to make a point, but for those who aren't strictly one race or the other, it still makes things confusing for them. What also makes things a little more generalized is when sam asked for black and brown people to answer in one group. To me, black and brown people are in a totally different category. Sure, they both aren't white, but their experiences with racism or whatever they may encounter might be totally different. To me, black people have more problems with racism, but I may not even be true about that. But, I don't even know what the circumstances are because black and brown people are in one category. I think by splitting them up in these types of questions would give us a third perspective that is very important considering there are a lot of brown people that live in the Unites States. Overall, I think it would help at times to not generalize and split the groups up a little more.

I must admit I've watched many of the seasons of the bachelor, ever since I was young. The concept to me is intriguing and humorous, especially when there are "scandals" and such. I suppose I have never really taken notice to the large amount of white contestants on the show, maybe because I'm white myself. I guess what comes to my mind right away is that although many people are starting to marry inter racially, many people still are not. I think that when they pick a good looking guy or girl who has always been white, they pick people that they see could form a perfect perfect couple. Yes, I do agree with the posts above that the shows such as 'A shot of Love', 'Tila Tequila', and 'Flavor of Love' are created predominately because our younger generations are a more diverse group of people who are more open to diversity in general. However, with 'The Bachelor' it is not so much the case. It does try to appeal to an older audience, as well as younger adults, but more so older people. My mom who is 50 loves the Bachelor and watches it every week, which is probably where my addiction began. She follows all the scandals and inside stories that are posted on the internet and in tabloids. It sounds kind of pathetic, but the bachelor has definitely done that to some older people. I think people who can relate, aka white people, watch it a lot more. As sad and as against it as I feel, I think there is a chance ratings would go down if there was a lot of different races thrown into the choices. But, on the other hand, if people did accept it, it could do a lot of good things for a society. If people watched the show and saw a white man choosing a woman of a different race, people might take that and think it is becoming more common. However, I think ABC doesn't want to take that risk because 'The Bachelor' has done so well thus far, and they want to continue to keep the ratings as high as they have been. As an avid viewer, I definitely am not against the idea, because I think it would create a very insightful show for people who may have been against the idea in the past. Before, I never really noticed how 'The Bachelor' always picked white people, but now I really have taken notice to it.

As I sat in class on Tuesday, I didn't know exactly how to respond to Sam's lecture. In one way, I felt like Sam was making us feel guilty for our ancestors coming over onto this land, but on the other hand it made me feel really bad for Native Americans who were kicked to the curb when our ancestors kicked them aside. I didn't know whether to feel defensive or to feel guilty. The truth is though, is that we are all guilty of this, which is why no one takes personal blame for the actions that have been taken. Sure, Native Americans are living in complete poverty, suffering, and are disregarded by the government, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't take steps to become aware of how we can help them. How exactly we should go about helping others become more aware of this is the task at hand. For one, there is a huge stereotype that is pretty inevitable in our world. Like the one girl said in another question posted, children do not know who Native Americans are, but instead, they know them as Indians with feathers around their heads and holding weapons. But, Native Americans, in many ways, are just like us. As someone stated above, they shop at Wal Mart and integrate into our culture in many ways. How can we help to become more aware, though? I think it roots in education. I never was aware of how much we took from them until someone told me. I think kids need to know who Native Americans are and what they are all about. If people aren't told, they will never know. With that said, I think we need to also become more aware of the poverty they live in and how we can help them to get out of that. If we ever give ourselves the chance to become more aware of their conditions, we will find ways to support them. In addition, I think it is important that we somehow immerse ourselves in the Native American culture. By understanding it, we will have a much better handle on how they live, what their traditions are, and what they believe in. This will also help to further educate ourselves about them and to fully understand. Native Americans are a very unique culture, much different from any other, which is why it can be difficult for us to understand. I think if we, the people of the United States take steps to understand Native Americans more and find ways to help them, we will be a much better nation as a whole.

This is absolutely shocking to me. I'm surprised someone was stoop to this level to get sex, and it is shocking to me that someone would create a doll like this. This doll really says a lot about how far (not necessarily in a good way), our culture has come. Although the price of $7,000 for one of these dolls is outrageous, I'm not surprised that so many men are interested in purchasing one. However, what do these men think of themselves when they resort to having sex with a fake person like this? I could never do that to myself for so many reasons, because it's not real. Even though this doll has five different personalities, it is astounding that someone would want to buy and use Roxxxy. Our technology has advanced so much that we now can have sex with a fake person made of silicon...that is just disgusting to me. Some people above discussed how this might decrease rapes and assaults, which could be true. I think it's sad though that people resort to a doll. Furthermore, people may buy it because they are shy, scared, socially challenged etc, but I don't know how this doll will help. I think using the doll only hinders their abilities more, because it isn't real. I think you should find another way to spend $7,000 instead of on a piece of silicon like this. The sad thing is, I think if Roxxxy were cheaper many more men would buy it. I feel like many males wouldn't be appealed to this because they think it's absurd, although the numbers conflict with that belief. I think if Hines were my husband I would tell him he can just have the doll he made and leave him, because I can't imagine being around someone who thinks this is a positive product. Roxxxy isn't even cute. Waking up next to Roxxxy would give me nightmares.
Roxxxy may look appealing now, but by next year they're going to have another doll out that can cook and clean while she can have sex. If I were to resort to something this low, I would wait for the next big thing to come out, because to me this is a waste of money, and it causes further damage to someone's life for not giving them true love and relationships. I think people to just do the real thing with a real person. I'm sure it's a lot better.

After watching this video, I completely agree with what Sam is saying. I think a lot of the time I don't know what to say, whether I'm conservative or liberal...maybe because I'm an indecisive person, but I think it has to do with how I look at things, by looking at every situation differently. Like the person who posted two above, I was raised in a somewhat wealthy family where money never seemed to be an issue. I was provided with a good house, good school, things that I needed and wanted, and I was able to go to Penn State and not worry about the expenses. But, I do not consider myself a spoiled brat or anything like that. I work really hard and simply look at my situation where I have been very blessed and am going to use what I have been given to succeed in life. The truth is, even with all the money a person or family may have, obstacles will still come up in life, and people with still have issues. I think with the skills I have been taught and learned, I will hopefully be able to face those obstacles like I have with the ones in the past. Staying in the middle is extremely important, because not everyone is given opportunities like I have. I have always been taught to not judge a book by its cover and that everyone deserves a chance to succeed in life. I hope that by trying to stay in the middle I will look at every situation differently and realistically. As I continue to get older, I will realize it is impossible for everyone to be in the middle. Many people just don't find it to be that easy. Even for me, someone who hasn't really had much to worry about in life besides grades and other issues, I must remind myself to take a step back and reevaluate things. Although I've never suffered through something extremely traumatic, the situations, I feel I have endeavored are lessons that go beyond what people may expect. I think it's difficult for people to fully see sometimes that making a decision to get out of an obstacle is really not worth it, like lying, for example. Obstacles will always come up in life, and when they do I hope I can look at them from all views and face them strongly and with determination.