I honestly do not think health care should be an equal right to everyone. If you are here illegally and you’re not paying taxes and you’re not on the books, then why should you get the same size slice of the pie as everyone who has been doing it the right way? American citizens pay taxes and fees for a reason, including to obtain these rights for health care, and to reap other benefits of the government. If illegal immigrants were to still receive healthcare, it’s almost as if they’re cheating the entire system and unrightfully receiving these benefits. Therefore, I personally think if immigrants want to come to America and make money and improve their lives, as well as receiving other benefits that other citizens receive, then they should realize that they can’t take the easy way out, and have to become a citizen just like everyone else.

I think if people needed money to obtain their legal rights, then that’s just extremely hypocritical and goes against the whole MO of America. I know when my ancestors came to Ellis Island, they, along with pretty much everyone else on the boat, were dirt poor. Yet they turned it around and put in their blood, sweat, and tears into their work. A main reason why everyone comes to America is because they don’t have money and want to make a better life for themselves and their families. Having to buy legal rights may shut down immigration altogether and those who do purchase legal citizenship will hardly even appreciate it, because it wasn’t even earned.

I think these two stories are very uplifting, and everyone can learn something from them.

I found the first video about the kidney transplant pretty interesting. Giving someone a kidney is a pretty serious thing, and the fact that this man just seemed to do it without really thinking it over that much and without that much hesitation is almost shocking. For a family member, I’m sure anyone would give their kidney. For a friendly grocery clerk? Maybe not so much. Just the fact that this video proves that people like this man actually exist is uplifting in itself.
Another hidden gem in this video is what this kidney transplant means deep down. Here is a Caucasian male and a Latina (I think?) woman. On the outside, racially and genetically, they probably couldn’t be any more different. Yet, they beat the odds of 1 to 4,000 chances and they were a match. There are instances every day where best friends and family members attempt to match for a kidney transplant, and they never will. This just goes to prove that while we all may be different on the outside and treat each other differently because of the color of our skin, on the inside, we are more alike with those of different races than we may ever imagine. This is science, and science is an objective power.

Also, the Tan Hong Ming video on the surface is so adorable. Nothing is cuter when a little boy has a crush on a little girl and wants to ask her to go on romantic dinner dates. You want them to stay that cute and innocent forever. If you dig a little deeper, though, this video has a more profound significance. Children aren’t born with the racial stereotypes that separate and divide our world. They’re all brought into life on equal ground in their eyes, and it isn’t until their parents and society instill social parameters and prejudices in their minds do they lose their innocence.
I wish people can stay like this forever. The Chinese boy and the Malaysian girl don’t see any difference between each other, yet when they’re older, who knows how they will feel about different races. They may separate and only hang out with others of their race because of society or what their family and friends have to say about the other. This is a huge step backwards in regards to race relations.
It just goes to show that children are born without the colored glasses that filter us away from others of a different race. More people need to be simple-minded like these two children. You should like a person because YOU like them, and you shouldn’t let society dictate who you can and can’t like. These children haven’t been influenced by society yet, and hopefully they never will be.

This is pretty interesting! Personally, if Mandarin were being offered in high school, I would definitely opt out of taking it and stick to French. But that’s just me thinking how difficult it seems after watching this YouTube video. Honestly, he dumbed down a simple sentence to the easiest level and I still have no idea how to say “the weather is good today.” Marketwise, I can see how Mandarin can be important, as the Chinese market is a huge factor in business and global companies, so it’s kind of like a recognition of the power they hold. But honestly, I can only think that knowing Mandarin will be helpful only with helping a college grad get a job. It looks impressive, but realistically, are they really going to translate Mandarin enough times so that it’s relevant in the work force?

I think the end goal is just to be able to have everyone become a little bit more aware. Not everyone has to become a humanitarian, but I think everyone should leave this class with a little bit more understanding than when they walked in. I know personally, I have thought more about the differences between myself and others of different race. I used to think that race relations wasn’t such a big deal, but I’m more aware now of the differences of different racial groups when I walk on campus. I think about why everyone’s so separated and why certain races have certain stereotypes. I may not be a master at fully understanding everyone who is different from me, but I am more aware of the fact that those differences do exist, and I think that’s one of the goals for race relations.

I really like this post and I think more women should adopt this attitude. I feel as if girls, especially adolescents, pre-teens, and college-aged, are constantly comparing themselves to who they see in the magazines and on TV and in the movies. I think that’s a travesty. We’re at an age where we’re trying to find ourselves and identify the types of people we will become, and unfortunately, most of the media that showcases the unattainable ideals are geared towards us. The media and society definitely plays a huge role in this issue, and I think that whatever it deems as beautiful, everyone else will want to follow suit. For instance, in the 1600-1800s, most painters painted women who had rounded and healthier looking bodies, and that’s what many people believed to be beautiful. It’s the total opposite today, where rail-thinness is what many people sicken themselves over.
The media and society throw these ideas into our faces, and it becomes hard to see past them and think for ourselves. What do we really want? Why do we even care? Why do we keep comparing ourselves to our friends and to those that we pass on the street? To me, all of this is silly and thinking about it is a waste of time. I think that it’s important to realize that that how we look or dress isn’t important, and it in no way has any influence over the type of people that we become. I think that’s what we need to be thinking about. The types of career women we’re going to be, how we treat others, and what kind of role models we are want to be for our daughters is what we should be thinking about.
As for our bodies, I think one of the things the play did a good job with was expressing how ridiculous an obsession over your body is. The part that stuck out to me was when one character exclaimed that her aunt with breast cancer could benefit from a breast reduction, and yet the other character was taking her spot just so she can get attention from boys. I find it sad, because I know someone who cares so much about what others think of her appearance, and I could see her going to such lengths to fit in. Personally, as a woman, I find that utterly embarrassing. I don’t think anyone should compromise themselves or their bodies just to get someone to like them. What the play really made me realize is that you should live for yourself, not for anyone else. You’re body is beautiful no matter what shape it comes in, and the person who agrees with you and loves you for it is the one that you should stick with, not the guy (or girl) that only wants the Hollywood stereotype clone that so many girls strive to be.

I think there could be many benefits and many negatives to shutting down the welfare program, but overall, I think it would be a pretty bad idea. I say benefits because I think a lot of identifying with poor socioeconomic status comes from whether a person is on welfare or not, and that seems like welfare just stamps an unwarranted label on someone’s forehead that they need special treatment. Also, I think sometimes people who are on welfare are more likely to rely on it more heavily for money to buy food and other necessities, and might be less likely to venture out and find that job and find those means to get ahead in the economic world. However, I think getting rid of it would be a bad idea too, because the job of the government is to help out the citizens who they represent. What would happen to those who really, seriously, could not afford food and clothing on their own? This might drive more to go out and work harder to make more money, but in reality , society doesn’t work that way . When you’re down, you’re more likely to stay down. The welfare program needs to find that happy medium where they can provide for those who qualify and need it, educate those who are on it about getting ahead and saving, but it shouldn’t ever be used as a crutch.

I feel like we were in the same discussion group, because this sounds very familiar. But anyway, this class has changed my opinion on a few things, but most of the time I can’t say that the issue of race has been radically transformed in my mind since before the start of this class. The one aspect of this class that really has taught me the most is the discussion group. Like mam5474, I’m in section 033 so I only got to do it once, but I must say, I kind of regret not being able to do it every week. The group dynamic was amazing and I think we had a really great and open conversation that seemed to help me come to my own conclusions about how I personally feel about people who come from a different race and background as myself.

This game is absolutely horrifying. As a woman, I’ve never felt so disgusted in my life. Taking such a traumatizing event such as rape and making it into a video game (let alone one that people could BUY this in public places) is not only despicable and full of perversion, but it’s absolutely the most morally corrupt someone could get. I would be willing to put money down that this video game was made by a bunch of old horny men who will most likely die alone, and now, thankfully disgraced. As a woman, seeing what this video game entails just makes me really really angry. It objectifies my gender in the worst way and reminds me why men can be so disgusting. If the premise of the game “Rapeplay” (ugh that title is atrocious) actually happened to me in real life, like if someone happened to stalk my sisters and I in a subway station and proceeded to grope me and rape me, I’m pretty sure I would be left with serious psychological damage. And to think that people can make a profit off of this sick and twisted shit just sickens me to the core. What also makes me really mad about this post in general is the woman from England who test drove this video game. The fact that she didn’t find this disturbing or wrong AT ALL astounded me. She wasn’t even fazed by it the tiniest bit? She didn’t find it degrading and demoralizing and completely horrifying? I’d like to think my reactions to this videogame aren’t overreactions and that they’re warranted. Maybe it has to do with the fact that censorship in Europe, especially regarding sexual images in the media, is much more lax, but there is nothing about these Japanese video games that are meant to be sensual and nonviolent. No, this video game is strictly sick and disturbing. Sure, maybe if a rapist got his hands on this game, he would be able to play out his fantasies without actually harming anyone. But what if this game fell into the hands of a child or an impressionable teenager? They’ll play it and they’ll think it’s fun in real life, but what would happen if they decide to take it out into the real world and try some of these things? This argument reminds me a lot about violence in the media, which is a major problem here in the United States. It’s giving the youth these crazy ideas that certain things like walking into school with a handgun or raping women in a subway station is actually OK, because they don’t see the consequences of these horrifying actions in their video games.

I think that the fact that minority groups are soon to become the majority is an interesting sensation. As a white person, I’m not worried that my race is going to be forgotten and left behind. If anything, I think that this is a great thing for our country. Maybe in the future, when those minority-turned-majority babies grow up and start to run our country and take charge, there will be more equal benefits and opportunities for everyone. Sure, whites may lose some control, but some may argue that they have too much control now, which is a very bad thing. More people from different backgrounds and cultures need to be included in the decision making to truly have a society where everyone can have a fair shot at success and equal opportunities.