The idea of being a “lifer” in prison is a difficult reality to imagine, being in prison for the rest of your life, knowing that there is probably no possibility of parole. When I first read about Sam’s meetings with the “lifers,” I was immediately intrigued. Hearing the positive and inspirational stories from the “lifers” was difficult to relate to. I found myself wondering what these people could actually have to offer. However, after reading this piece I was able to get a clearer understanding of what “lifers” can offer. The man in this article is clearly not the same person he was when he was first incarcerated. And while yes, I know this man committed a crime worthy of his punishment, when reading the article I began to see him as a human being rather than just an offender. It caused me to question our justice system. There are plenty of dangerous people roaming the streets who may be more likely to commit a crime than this man. However, at the same time, this man was undoubtedly dangerous at one time. Who can ever be sure that he actually is a changed man? Can you ever really redeem yourself after committing such a heinous crime? Should “lifers” or any prisoners who have learned from their crimes, ever be given the opportunity to start over?
This story of kindness within the prison walls was truly eye opening. It allowed me to begin to see these prisoners as people rather than just violent predators. I have never been an advocate of the death sentence and this story validated my beliefs. I think prisoners who commit crimes worthy of the death sentence should be forced to live out their lives in prison. The death penalty, in my opinion, seems like the easy way out. Prisoners should be forced to live with what they have done and be encouraged to come to terms with their actions. I do not believe the prisoner who wrote this piece deserves to be released from jail. However, it does show that people can change. This man is not the same person he was when he committed his crime. His time in jail has allowed him to self-reflect and has enabled him to seek victim-offender reconciliation.
It was interesting to read about the humanity portrayed in this story. The two prisoners typically did not get along. These men had no incentive to be kind to one another, but in the face of tragedy they were there for one another. When reading this story it is easy to forget it is taking place in a prison. It could have been anyone, anywhere, just being there for a friend.
The letter says a lot about the prisoner who took the time to write it. Before reading the letter, I had always imagined “lifers” as people just waiting to die. It seems to be the most miserable existence one can possibly imagine, to be stuck in prison for the rest of your life with no chance of parole. However, prisoners such as this man really caused me to question my previous notions of “lifers.” This man is clearly trying to make the best of his time incarcerated. Anyone can change and kindness and humanity can be found in the most unlikely places.

As I female, I too have wondered the extent to which men feel the need to conform to societal pressures. Examples of the numerous ways in which women are encouraged to conform are all around us. Whether it is shown by mass media, or by celebrities, or even by our peers, women often feel the need to conform. While I believe women take the brunt of the pressure to conform in our society, I think that men also feel societal pressures to conform, although it may not be as obvious because it is not as often discussed.
In my discussion group this week we talked about the idea that some women dress for men and other women dress for themselves or for their female friends. In addition, we talked about whether some men feel the same societal pressure as some women do to dress for others. Everyone seemed to agree that there was not the same amount of pressure for men to “dress to impress.” However, why is it that when attending a frat party, the majority of men are all dressed alike? We also discussed the need for people to conform in particular settings. For example, if a man is going on a professional job interview, he is expected to conform and wear a suit and tie. Why is that? And why do we follow these rules of conformity?
In general, it seems as if women are encouraged more often to conform in the way they dress, look, act, etc. Men are encouraged to conform in various ways as well. We often expect men to be athletic, enjoy watching and participating in sports, and to portray “manly” characteristics. When a man enjoys fashion, decorating, and shopping he may be type-cast as metro or gay. Men are also encouraged to conform in their physical appearance. Many men drink protein shakes and Muscle Milk, take supplements, and even use steroids in order to achieve the ideal sculpted manly physique. Some men feel the need to take even more drastic measures in order to possess what they feel is the perfect male body. Similarly to women, some men undergo surgical procedures in order to enhance their bodies and conform to what society tells them is attractive. Some examples of these procedures include pectoral implants, abs sculpting, and calf implants.
I believe some men try to pull off the attitude that they do not care how others see them and do not feel the societal pressure to conform. However, I think this is just an act. Perhaps it affects some men less intensely than it affects some women, but it is definitely still there. Many people feel the pressure to conform, but not everyone allows the pressure to change the way they act or how they live their lives.

I, like many others, have pondered this question at various times throughout the semester. Unfortunately a lot of what we have learned in this class has gone in one ear and out the other. However, at the same time this class has at various points caused me to question my belief system and how it has developed up to this point in my life. I consider myself to be a fairly open minded person. Some of the topics we discussed including the LGBT community and racial profiling matched my own viewpoints rather than questioned them. I think Sam’s goal in this course is not to make us change our views and coincide with his own, but rather to have each of us question why we believe what we believe. In addition, I think the objective of this class has been to learn about other people’s beliefs and get a sense of how others view the world.
One of the more interesting things I have taken away from this course is the issue of modern day slavery. Reading the book “Disposable People” by Kevin Bales, was an extremely eye opening experience for me. I did not know that slavery was still such an issue and I was unaware of how it has adapted to modern day society. It was frightening to read about the horror stories from people all over the world and their experiences with slavery. What is even more frightening is that we all are responsible for allowing slavery to continue. I am just a guilty as anyone. I felt physically sick as I read this book and I could not believe this is happening today in people’s lives. At the same time I have done nothing to help the situation. I read the last chapter about ways I could make a difference, and yet, like many other students in our class, I imagine, I have done nothing. I wonder what it will take to get us all to act and decide that this is inhumane and it is our duty to stop these crimes against humanity.
My favorite part of this class and what I feel I have gained the most from have been the weekly discussion groups. It is extremely eye opening to sit in a small intimate forum with people and have the opportunity to speak freely about controversial issues. Each week I am fascinated by my fellow students’ different experiences and how they have shaped their belief system. I enjoy being questioned on where my values have come from. I value the fact that I can discuss issues about race without being afraid I will say something offensive. I believe the discussion group is an extremely valuable learning experience for everyone. There may be less prejudice in this world if everyone had the opportunity to explore racial issues without the fear of being judged.
While Sam’s class certainly can be over the top, I think that’s just the point. He is not afraid to hurt others feelings and get to the bottom of where racial stereotypes stem from. Whether or not you agree with everything he has taught us, you cannot deny he had opened our minds to different aspects of race.

The video I viewed about children’s dolls was alarming. I was shocked by the black and brown children’s views on race and beauty. When asked about their preference between white dolls and black dolls, 15 out of 20 children preferred the white doll. They chose the white doll based on qualities such as attractiveness and kindness. When did these children learn that being white was more favorable and how can we stop children from having negative connotations about being “black?”
The film clip was particularly interesting to me because as a young child I, a white female, owned a black doll. When I was about 3 years old, my grandparents took me to a toy store and allowed me to pick out the doll of my choice. I chose a black doll without any outside influences. While I don’t particularly remember what was going on through my head when I chose my doll, I would imagine it was nothing out of the ordinary. I probably was not thinking about her skin color or race. More likely, I believe I was focused on her outfit or something else that was superficial. I do not think I was focused on the fact that the doll was black. I wonder why I had a different reaction to the race of my doll then the children in the film did? When, why, and how were these children taught that white skin symbolizes beauty, kindness, and other positive attributes?
I speculate that these children are receiving negative messages about race through the media. I find it unlikely that most parents would teach their children self-loathing behavior. Magazines, television shows, and movies more often than not, show beauty as being represented by someone who is white. So it is no wonder that children are taking these messages to heart. I think it is important for black children to see beauty being represented by someone who looks more like them. If there were more positive representations of black people in the media, some children may have a more positive view of how anyone, regardless of their skin color, can be beautiful. Maybe there would be no market for skin-lightening products, hair relaxers, and some plastic surgery procedures.
I believe it is important to explain to children that race determines some parts of who you are, but not everything about you. When I hear the phrase, “beauty is about what is on the inside,” I immediately think back to my elementary school years when I was bombarded with this concept. Have children stopped hearing this message? It is necessary for all children to learn about their culture and where they came from in order to appreciate who they are inside as well as outside. Parents need to expose and teach their children to appreciate many different types of beauty.
It is up to parents, teachers, and the media, to help current and future generations of children develop positive self-identities. Self-loathing at any age causes detrimental effects. It is important for us to address the issues of race when children are young in order for them to appreciate their own unique beauty.

Why is it that women’s menstrual cycles seem to be a taboo topic? Many people feel uncomfortable discussing the subject matter. Sam brought up the notion that perhaps this is because we live in a male dominated society. In lecture, Sam discussed the possibility of people’s views on menstruation changing if we lived in a matriarchal society. In addition, this post brought up the idea that if men “bled” would tampons be free?
Discussing a women’s cycle is not unheard of among women. However, it is not necessarily something I think women feel open and secure talking about with men whom they are not close to. Sam spoke about how women get stigmatized for being a bitch because some women experience hormonal changes possibly causing them to be irritable and moody a few days out of the month. He even went as far as to say that if he was menstruating he would announce it to anyone who would listen and not be ashamed. While I don’t believe that a woman’s “time of the month” is anything to be ashamed of, I also feel like it is not something I need to share with the rest of the world. It is my personal business and not something I feel the need to announce to a class of 700 strangers.
I do however; find myself wondering if people would have the same views of menstruation if men were the ones who bled? Would people be more open to talk about it? Personally, I think little would change. I believe women do not talk to everyone about their periods not because they are embarrassed, but rather because it is their personal business. I think men would do the same and that this issue has little if anything to do with gender.
Sam’s views of women’s menstrual cycles seem a little archaic in my opinion. From a very young age, most women are taught that our periods are a natural and healthy process. They symbolize our fertility which is something to be proud of. In addition, I disagree with the idea that women are embarrassed to talk about their menstrual cycles because men are uneducated about this subject. In my high school, we had co-educational health classes where both sexes were taught in depth about the menstrual cycle. Most school systems require male and female students to take classes that teach about both the female and male anatomy, which includes lessons on menstruation.
I believe that many topics that deal with human sexuality are often not discussed in public. These topics may only be discussed with close friends and family. They are personal matters and not something all people feel comfortable in speaking about openly.
I felt a little taken aback by this week’s lesson. As a male, Sam doesn’t know what it is really like to menstruate and therefore, I do not think he has the right to judge how women respond to menstruation. It seemed as if he didn’t have facts to back up what he was saying and I thought he made some women uncomfortable. Perhaps the point of the lesson was to provide an example of what he felt was an inequality that women face. I think his point of view was lost in the graphic and blunt nature of this lesson.

I was astonished and disgusted while reading this article. I cannot believe that a school in this day and age would have the audacity to ban students from bringing same sex partners to their prom. It seems so old school and something that should be unheard of today.
One of the more terrifying concepts in this article was the fact that the school officials were the ones implementing this homophobic rule. McLillen, the student interviewed in this article noted that the school had memos circulating that prohibited same sex couples from attending their prom together. In addition, the school officials warned McLillen that they had the right to ask both her and her girlfriend to leave the prom if they were making other students uncomfortable. McLillan and her date were also prohibited from arriving together and were not allowed to wear tuxedos to the event. When McLillen confronted her teacher about the schools’ homophobic rules, the teacher replied by saying, “remember where you are.” School children are being influenced by these school officials. How could this be allowed? There may be many families who are homophobic in this Mississippi town, because only one brave girl had the courage to speak up and get this story published. The school officials should be reprimanded for their intolerable actions and views. I believe that it should be mandatory for this school, and all schools, to become educated about the LGBT community. Perhaps if they had positive experiences with the LGBT community they would better understand their daily struggles and develop more tolerance. I give McLillen a lot of credit for being able to stand up for herself in a homophobic environment. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for her to “come out” not only to her friends and family, but now to the general public as well. Hopefully her actions will have a positive impact on her community and allow others in similar situations to feel more comfortable speaking out.
The school officials’ ignorance is offensive and for lack of a better term, outdated. People who influence children should have knowledge about the LGBT community and understand that being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender is not a choice. Schools should be focused on teaching tolerance, rather than spreading hatred. I am very curious to know how the LGBT community reacted to this article. The LGBT community deals with numerous prejudices everyday unfortunately. I am very interested to know how many other schools there are where this behavior is accepted. A school should be a safe place, where all students feel safe and secure enough to express themselves freely. The school officials and teachers should be embarrassed and ashamed for being associated with homophobic acts. I hope that the community will become educated about homosexuality so that such intolerable policies will never be allowed to happen again.

Why is it that the contestants and main characters on the television show, “The Bachelor” are predominately white? What does this say about the network and its viewers? After 13 seasons, The Bachelor and Bachelorette shows have not had one non-white main character. In fact the only diversity we have seen has been on spinoff shows on stations such as Vh1 and MTV.
As we learned in class, people are more likely to find people of similar ancestry to be more attractive. Based upon this notion, can we really blame ABC for picking an all white cast when the bachelor is always white? Perhaps that is his personal preference. I think that there should be some variation, but maybe the cast should be predominately white because after all the objective is to find love for the main character and not to be politically correct. However there should also be some people of different ethnic backgrounds because love should be about what is on the inside, right? Better yet why can’t there be someone of a different ethnic background as the main character? Perhaps ABC is scared the number of viewers would decline.
Maybe this issue should be more directly focused on the viewers. ABC is an older network, and perhaps their audience is more mature and inclined to watch non-ethnic people. America however, is racially diverse. I wonder why ABC doesn’t take advantage of the consumer market and put people of different ethnic backgrounds on The Bachelor? ABC might attract a larger group of new viewers. However, at the same time I suppose it is fair to assume that they risk losing some of their loyal viewers as well.
Another interesting concept to think about is the notion of what American’s consider to be beautiful. The ideal American woman is often depicted as white. This is reinforced by the media that surrounds us daily. The mass media shows who is considered attractive by showcasing many non-ethnic actors in television, movies, print media, and pageants. Much of the beauty market is focused on white women. Many people all around the world associate white skin with beauty. There are people who purchase products such as skin lightening cream and there are some who even go so far as to have surgery in order to appear as the American ideal of beauty in their minds. Can we really blame a program such as The Bachelor for marketing this notion of beauty? ABC is certainly not the only place where one sees this occurrence.
The notion that only white people are willing to humiliate themselves on public television was also discussed in the post. I disagree with this statement. Perhaps on this particular show that was true, however, many other television stations have reality shows where people of various ethnic backgrounds participate. I don’t think it is an issue of race but more likely a question of who really wants their 15 minutes of fame. I believe this is one area where race has little to do with it.

Why is it that many Americans are unaware of the injustices Native Americans have faced throughout history? While most Americans know about the Holocaust and America’s racist past, many are unaware of Americas’ history with Native Americans. In an attempt to make up for past mistakes many ponder what they can do to help.
An interesting question to ask is what we as Americans can do to make up for our forefathers mistakes? I think the answer is education. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to reverse the mistakes our country has made in the past. However, we can acknowledge what occurred in order to insure that history never repeats itself.
Many children have not learned about Native Americans’ tragic history. For the most part children are taught that there were Indians who lived in America, they lived in tee-pees, hunted for food, and wore traditional Indian garb. In order to make a change in the mindsets of Americans we must begin teaching the truth to our youth. Children must learn about the hardships Native Americans faced. In addition, it would be beneficial for students to learn about our past from Native Americans. Putting actual faces to stories often helps children gain compassion and a better understanding of history.
I feel that many Americans are uneducated about the genocide Native Americans faced due to the fact that many people have not had personal experiences with Native Americans. In addition, the conflicts that occurred between the early colonists and Native Americans are not part of our recent history, so people tend to forget. Personally, I know numerous people who have been affected by the Holocaust. Growing up in an area where Judaism is prevalent, I find myself able to relate to people who were directly affected by the Holocaust. Not only have I been taught about the events that took place in Nazi Germany in school, but I have also learned about the genocide extensively in Hebrew School. Injustices faced by black people throughout American history are also relevant to me. In school, we are taught about Martin Luther King Jr., segregation, and racism in depth. We are shown pictures, read books, and watch film clips about what it was like to live in time when being a black person made you inferior to others. It is easy to empathize and understand these events because we have been educated. We understand that the color of one’s skin does not define who that person is. The Holocaust and racism are part of our recent history.
Some people still have the “Indian” image stuck in their head. In my opinion, not knowing many Native American people unfortunately makes this topic seemingly irrelevant in the minds of many Americans. We, as Americans, do not think of the genocide as something we still must apologize for today because it happened so long ago. I feel people have the mindset that while they are sorry for what happened, there is not much they can do about it now. However that is simply not the case. It is our job to teach children about our history and pass down the stories of our nation’s racist past. The moment we stop passing down these stories we are doomed to let history repeat itself.

Why is it that lesbians are generally more accepted in our society then gay men? Perhaps we should evaluate the customs in American society that have caused people to think this way. In order to evaluate the reasons behind this it is essential to look into the mindset of Americans.
First of all, I feel that lesbians are able to hide or be more discrete in their intimate relationships. Women generally tend to be more outward in their displays of affection, whether that may be with a significant other or with a close friend. I have many female friends who walk around holding hands, not because they are attracted to one another, but simply because they are close friends. Therefore, if I saw two women holding hands I would not necessarily assume that they were lesbians. I would more likely assume that they were just close friends. However, if I saw two men holding hand, my first reaction would be to think that they were romantically involved. Showing affection by holding hands is not generally accepted among straight men.
I also feel that women, in general, tend to be more accepting and open to the LGBT community. For example, in my discussion group of Soc 119 we discussed how we would feel if one of our close friends “came out.” Most of the women thought they would be able to maintain the same relationship, while the men felt that it would be difficult for the relationship to remain unchanged. I am not certain for the reason behind this distinction, however it does seem to account for the difference in comfort levels among men and women.
Men tend to be attracted to the idea of two women “together.” This seems to be a turn-on to many men and something they are comfortable or might enjoy viewing. However, viewing two men displaying affection is not necessarily something I feel straight women or men would be “turned on” by, although that is just my personal opinion.
Perhaps this distinction comes from the underlying belief of how our society believes men and women should behave. Many men in our society are taught to act in a masculine manner, be strong physically and mentally, play sports, be aggressive, not to cry, etc. Many females, on the other hand, are taught and raised to be lady-like and feminine. Both lesbians and gay men are also stereotyped. Lesbians are thought of as being masculine in nature, somewhat butch while gay men are stereotyped as being flamboyant and overly feminine. Women can be athletic and strong and not be assumed to be gay while a man who appears flamboyant and/or more feminine is often assumed to be gay.

Reading the statement made by Senator Bauer, a South Carolina politician, made me feel disgusted. Using a metaphor alluding to Americans on welfare as animals is inexcusable. It frightens and embarrasses me that Senator Bauer is helping to lead our country. Not only did he make this remark casually, but he later attempted to redeem himself by saying he wished he had chosen a different metaphor. Not once did he take back what he said and apologize to those he offended. Traditionally politicians and government officials are criticized for tip-toeing around issues and never saying what they really intend to say, clearly Senator Bauer did not get that memo.
The majority of these so called “animals” that Senator Bauer is referring to are children. What did they do to deserve such a title? The senator continued with his speech stating that he feels that the poor should only receive welfare subsidies if they comply with drug testing and attend parent-teacher conferences. While I understand where his thinking may lie on this matter, I do not agree. Perhaps there are some people receiving government assistance who do take advantage of the system and something should be done to ensure that the program achieves its ultimate goal, which is to help people become financially independent. However, the process of achieving this goal should not make people feel embarrassed due to circumstances in their lives that may be beyond their own control. There are women who are victims of domestic violence, single mothers who are not receiving child support, minorities who face job discrimination, and immigrants who are unable to get a job. These are just a few examples as to why a family might need help paying for food, rent, and health insurance. There are many families who are receiving assistance who are also hardworking and honest Americans.
It is a difficult challenge to ensure that some people are not taking advantage of the welfare system. Many improvements have been made to the system over the years and there is still room for improvement. Being on welfare is not something most Americans would opt for. I imagine it is difficult for a parent to admit that they cannot afford to feed their own children. Perhaps the Senator should examine the circumstances of some families on welfare. Maybe some of these families did not receive the opportunities in life that he has received. I believe Senator Bauer has no real experience with these families, otherwise I do not believe he would be able to refer to them as animals. It is important for government officials to talk to families receiving assistance and understand the hardships that they go through on a daily basis before making decisions that will affect these family’s futures.