I have taken so much with me from my time spent in soc 119 this semester. Aside from learning lots of new and interesting facts and statistics about pretty much everything and everyone around me, Sam Richard’s class has opened my eyes to the world around me, allowing me to view everything and everyone much more fairly than I had just 4 months ago. Soc 119 has taught me about the issues and struggles of people such as Native Americans that, quite frankly, I didn’t think about much prior to this semester. Additionally, Soc 119 has basically shattered any and all misconceptions that I believe are commonly held by myself and many of my peers here at Penn State, whether it be realizing that people do not typically get randomly kidnapped as we see on the news or that Israeli’s and Palestinians actually just want the same peace. Additionally, this class has taught me to drop any preexisting notions I have about the people who I encounter daily in life, as it is important to not judge people and to constantly be open minded. Coming to each lecture, I can honestly say I was never bored. I don’t know if it was the skype video conferences with people in far away places like Haiti or Iran, Sam’s strong encouragement of class participation, or tendency to drop “F-Bombs”, but the fact that Soc 119 is more on the unconventional side is certainly a huge part of what makes it great. I honestly sometimes enjoy awkward conversations and interactions, and really liked that Sam is not one bit afraid to “push the envelope” in terms of discussion material. Through this extremely open conversation, students, such as myself, are able to actually learn about issues that are extremely prevalent in today’s society, rather than simply “sweeping them under the rug”. Having an educated and unbiased understanding of these important issues, including race, socioeconomic status, gender inequality, and even sexual orientation, will make the world a more open, accepting, and empathetic place. Above all, Soc 119 has given me the knowledge and ability to put myself in the shoes of others before coming to conclusions or making judgments. By understanding other cultures, you notice that most people have a quite logical way for thinking what they think and acting the way they do. If everyone in the world took a moment out of their day to do this before they spoke or acted, everyone would get along much better. This is something that I believe is essential for everyone in the world to do in order to eventually reach an in-depth understanding of each other’s cultures, religions, and values. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to take Soc 119 as it has been a significantly enjoyable and eye opening experience.

Growing up in a Jewish household, you are made aware of the prevalence of anti-Semitism at a very young age. Growing up in an area with a large jewish population, however, you can be blind to exactly how common anti-Semitic views are, even among fairly well-educated individuals. Growing up in a suburban town on Long Island, New York, I hadn’t really faced any anti-Semitism until going to college. Once I arrived at Penn State, however, which prides itself upon being a very accepting environment, I began to notice hatred against Jewish people in both obvious and subtle ways.
Something as simply as a girl leaving a fraternity and dropping change when going to pay for her cab, followed by a remark about how “She’s so cheap, she must be Jewish” as she picks up her money off the floor, is an anti-Semitic remark. Something as extreme as noticing a girl having a swastika key chair on her green backpack in front of you on the Starbucks line in the HUB is another display of anti-Semitism that I have been confronted with since beginning school at Penn State.
I am aware that there is a long history of hatred against the Jewish people, however I am still in some degree of disbelief that it has continued to occur to such an extend in the United States for such a long time, being that there is absolutely no basis for anti-Semitism at all. It isn’t even like people are making generalizations about the entire Jewish population based on the actions of a few—I believe that hatred against the Jewish people is oftentimes completely arbitrary.
After studying something like the holocaust, of visiting Israel, your eyes become opened and you face a rude awakening regarding the world around you. Although society has become more progressive in many ways, many people are still very much so un-accepting of others. While it is important, especially as someone who is Jewish, and faces anti-Semitism on a small or large scale, each day, to remember that many people are ignorant and un-accepting of any others who are different than they are, it is still frightening that many hold such deep rooted hatred against an entire religion or group of people.
I was glad to see Sam take on this topic. Although I consider myself to have studied anti-Semitism rather extensively, I have never honestly thought to compare it to the hatred of other groups of people. Now that Sam has mentioned it, I have noticed that nowadays, other hate acts are sometimes more closely covered or given more attention than anti-Semitism in the media. I believe that if more light is shed on this issue the way that Sam has, it can eventually be minimized.

Today's lecture, in my opinion, was extremely powerful. While many Americans have close ties to the Middle East, many do not. Whether or not you are connected in any way, it is always important to keep an open mind and consider both sides of any situation. The Middle East is not going to find any resolve if all of its parts do not work together to coincide and make a universal decision as to what to do and how to function properly. These important decisions must be in regards to culture, government, military practices and tactics, and borders. Also, America must be open to learning what the actual people of the Middle East feel in regards to American soldiers continued presence in Middle Eastern territories. Not everyone is going to be westernized as many people in the region prefer to follow traditional religion, which is absolutely fine too. We, as Americans, see a small portion of sensationalized media portraying all Muslims as Islamic extremists, which is absolutely not the case. For that reason, we must always be sure to keep an open mind allowing for open conversation and positive change.
Through Sam’s lecture we were exposed to images of U.S. soldiers destroying civilians homes in the Middle East. This reminded me of a particular instance this past fall when my friend told me of a boy from her hometown who was killed in Afghanistan. He wasn’t, however, killed in actual combat, or an explosion like you would imagine when you think of casualties in the Middle East. His job was to train civilians to use weapons that the U.S. has provided, so that they could protect themselves from terrorist militias had they decided to attempt to overthrow the government. The civilians had grown very irritated and hostile, and had requested that the U.S. soldiers leave. Obviously, there are people ahead of them and they weren’t able to just pick up and leave. Her friend was killed when an Afghani civilian used the weapon the U.S. had provided for him and trained him to use to kill him. Had the U.S. (not the soldier specifically, but people in the military who are in charge of making these types of calls) been more responsive to the civilians requests, this would not have happened. Oftentimes, although as Americans, we think we are helping, it would be in our best interest to listen to the civilians in these areas we keep sending troops to, and leave at their request.
A last point the video helped me notice is that as these counties see Christians portrayed in videos is probably parallel to how we see Muslims portrayed here. Both of these videos are examples of how a few extremists are sensationalized in the media to make it look as though an entire group of people are completely radical.

I believe that although I don’t think being gay is a choice, people who disagree with homosexuality find comfort in insisting that it is a choice in an effort to constantly remind them selves that people can still turn around and “reverse their sins”. I think that believing that being homosexual is a sin is a form of denial in which people who disagree or are not accepting of gay people are trying to say “this is not necessarily how it has to be”. Also, I believe that when people see things they don’t agree with, it is easy for them to say that it is some ones fault that happened to them or things are the way they are. Because of this innate tendency, I believe homophobic people almost “blame” gay people, claiming they weren’t born the way they are and instead that they chose to be that way, basically saying it is their fault that they aren’t strait. Similar to the way many people say it’s a poor persons fault that they’re not successful and that they should have worked harder. These people don’t want to face the fact that other things such as lack of education, parenting, and socioeconomic status probably led this person to be in the current state of poverty they are in, so instead, they ignore them, placing the issue on them as if it is only their fault. Not that its anyone’s fault they are gay, because there is absolutely nothing wrong with being gay, but this is the same concept as what people do when they say homosexuality is a choice. People have the tendency to ignore all outside (or simply other) factors, and basically use free will as a way to rationalize something that they cannot accept or understand. Through this rationalization, people almost transfer a very subtle blame, or even sort of a “responsibility” for the person whose actions they do not agree with. People who constantly do this with gay people find a sort of comfort in this because it’s a form of rationalization for them, and people rationalize when they don’t necessarily understand something or feel great about it but desperately want to make sense of it all. Many people try to hide fact that they are gay, some even remain in the closet for their entire lives. If people had the choice to not be gay, why would they even bother hiding it? They would simply choose to not be gay. When people say that homosexuals have a choice of whether to be gay or strait, they are just transferring blame onto them in a very subtle manner. Through free will, many people come up with excuses for why things are the way they are with a blatant disregard for other contributing factors. This applies to people describing homosexuality as a conscious choice, in an attempt to rationalize something that they simply to not accept or understand.

Aside from the fact that I think I tend to hold pretty liberal views, if I were the most religious, conservative thinker in the world, I still do not think I would agree with the notion that women who are raped should not be allowed to get abortions. There are several things in my mind that come into play when I think about this issue, and I am continuously baffled by the fact that politicians actually endorse the idea of making women who have been forced into sex against their own will to carry the child of the man who raped them. First and foremost, I respect those who honestly believe that pregnancy is “gods will” and are religious. That being said, however, I do not think that the god that anyone believes in would want rape to happen, or view anything that were to come out of such a heinous crime as a miracle. Needless to say, those who don’t believe in abortion for religious reasons, I believe, must draw the line at rape. Along that line of thinking, a baby is a beautiful miracle that comes from a nurturing man and woman, not a man forcing someone to have sex with them. Also, I believe before people such as Mitt Romney make statements (very publically, might I add) backing people supporting this position on this issue, I completely agree with Sam in the sense that they should definitely stop to think about what it would feel like if they were told that their daughters, wives, nieces, aunts, and girl friends needed to deliver a baby after they have been raped. How would they feel watching their beloved daughter carry a child for 9 months that they didn’t intend on having? I sort of understand where people are coming from when they say “if people are willing to have sex they are willing to have a baby”, but since rape is not consentual sex, these women were not intending on even assessing the risk of potentially becoming pregnant. How would Mitt Romney’s daughter feel explaining to her child that they are the unplanned product of their mothers rape? Before making controversial statements, it is essential that people stop and empathize with the other side for just a moment. Not even specifically regarding only this issue, but regarding any issue present in the world today. If people begin to empathize with others, they may begin to see a side that they had previously been blind to. Putting someone you love and care about in the position of a random “Jane Doe” may help you to assess the situation from an entirely different perspective. You may find you aren’t as conservative or liberal as you think you are, which could lead to great change. Everyone must remember to empathize and fully think out statements before they speak on issues.

Nowadays, given the way that the media sensationalizes news in order to intrigue society, it is not the least bit surprising to me that anytime you turn on the TV, you are instantly bombarded with ridiculous news. Americans face a slew of overdramatized new stories that are mostly aired with the sole purpose of inflating ratings everyday when they get home from work as they turn on their nightly news. News outlets, in deciding what to cover, can be strategic in their choices depending on what else is going on in the world on that day in particular.
Another factor that contributes greatly to the issue of misinformation within the media is the way that news outlets often pick one view, outlook, position, or side, and stick to it. When this happens, there is usually a subtle (or sometimes, not so subtle) bias in the reporting. This does not allow the average American to accurately learn that is going on, which is problematic and ultimately leads to them being misinformed about important issues within society.
Someone in my recitation brought up the Casey Anthony trial when we were discussing the issue of misinformation. This is such a great example of the issue at hand. Casey Anthony may have been guilty of killing her daughter—she may not have been. Whatever the case may be, a jury found her innocent. Despite the jury’s decision, she will be stigmatized as a “baby killer” forever because of the negative way that the media consistently portrayed her throughout its coverage of the trial. Other news, that was likely way more relevant to most peoples everyday life in regards to their community, family, and children, was also probably neglected during the Casey Anthony trial. Aside from being misinformed in terms of the slanted coverage that the trial received, American’s are additionally misinformed in terms of what crimes and issues are REALLY the most prevalent in today’s society.
The things that may be most important to society may not be the most interesting. Half of this country would rather watch the Kardashian’s get their earwax extracted from an overpriced LA spa than watch the presidential debates. This explains a lot about why news outlets oftentimes chose irrelevant stores, or turn to extremely biased, slated reporting, in order to draw in views and cause ratings to skyrocket. Children being abducted, freak accidents, serial pedophiles, and baby killers are just some of the bizarre guilty pleasures that we, as Americans, cannot seem to turn away from, so instead, we tune in to our nightly news for a quick fix. In order to stop the issue of misinformation and ensure that Americans are properly informed, we must first change what is reported on the news and the way in which the information is presented. An informed America is one where relevant, important news stories receive airtime and are reported on in an unbiased manner.

I still believe that affirmative action, at least nowadays, is completely necessary in order for our society to become truly equal. When Sam lined everyone up with African Americans at the bottom of the lecture and rich white people at the top of the stairs, he was trying to illustrate the fact that white people and African American’s can work just as hard, and from their hard work they can both make the same amount of progress, but because African Americans were at a disadvantage to begin with, many of them still lag behind.
In order to fix this issue that has reoccurred throughout all of history, help must be provided for those that are disadvantaged from the time they are born. In doing this, people who would have normally been disadvantaged will be able to have access to things such as higher education and other opportunities that they may have not been afforded otherwise. This will help them to gain access to things such as better jobs and more money, which will eventually lead to social mobility and economic prosperity.
Affirmative action can also help to ensure that those who hold jobs that in govern society, such as congress, have an even racial make up. If America were to have a congress that consisted of only white people, it would be blind to the issues of several people. This lack of diversity is what affirmative action prevents. By allowing those who do not normally have access to resources new opportunities, you are helping to close the racial income gap for years to come. When someone is well educated and has financial stability, it is more likely that their children will have access to the resources needed for success in school. They, too, will then be able to grow up, be well educated, and financially stable. This trend will insure a level or equality where policies like affirmative action is no longer needed in America. There is no difference between what white people and what black people are able to achieve if everyone is afforded access to resources and equal opportunities. If we continue to have policies of affirmative action, the opportunities made available for those who would have otherwise been at a disadvantage will lead to success for many individuals. This success, particularly in regards to financial stability and education, will continue for generations to come, leading to a gradual but effective change in racial income gap.
While I believe that in order to get ahead you must work hard, I also believe that oftentimes, in the “race” to success, many African American people are forced to start 100 yards farther back than everyone else. Because of this, I believe a continued policy of affirmative action could benefit those at a disadvantage by giving them access to resources and opportunities needed for financial stability and higher education. This will eventually allow for true success and equality.

Yes, I believe that we ABSOLUTELY have a responsibility to help those less fortunate then ourselves! If we don’t help those who don’t have much control over their situation from the very start, the wealth gap will never close, especially between those of different races and prevalent social issues will never be rectified. By helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves, we are bettering their situation and opening them up to new opportunities. These new opportunities, such as maybe continuing their educations, having access to medications and medical treatment, or even simply having food on their dinner tables will ultimately help those less fortunate achieve vertical mobility. I believe that through vertical mobility, eventually, those less fortunate will be able to do better for themselves and help improve their situations. For example, with the proper resources and support, those less fortunate than others are capable of continuing their education and earning a degree. This makes their situation significantly better in terms of getting a job. You are much more likely to get hired once you have earned a diploma, and without the help of those more fortunate, many born into poverty are unable to seek a higher education to earn a degree, making them extremely disadvantaged. Without help from those more fortunate than themselves, they would most likely have not had the opportunity to pursue a higher education. If those who are born less fortunate than others do not receive help from those who can help, they will miss out on the opportunities necessary for them to eventually have a chance to better their situation. What is basically equivalent to a “speeding ticket” to someone who is more fortunate than others may be all that is needed to change a poor persons situation entirely. Through the ability to obtain jobs and work, those less fortunate will eventually have the opportunity to close the wealth gap and achieve vertical mobility. All they need are the resources. Therefore, it is certainly our responsibility to aid those born less fortunate than ourselves so that they can better their situation. They we’re born into poverty and cannot help it—their actions are not responsible for why they are less fortunate. They deserve the same opportunities to do good for themselves and their families as everyone else. If we fail to help out those who are born into poverty by providing them with resources and support essential to succeed in the world today, we are allowing social issues to grow, and the wealth gap to continue to widen. It is the responsibility of those capable to help when they can to better the situations of those less fortunate, as many times the issues are out of their hands and cannot be fixed without access to more opportunities.

As a Jew who has relatives living in Israel, I cannot stress more how I do not support those advertisements! I completely agree with Rabbi Jacobs when he states “Yes, these ads are lawful. But they are wrong and repugnant.” Just because freedom of speech is protected under our first amendment rights does not mean that U.S. Citizens should abuse it in order to convey hateful messages. While I completely understand why the court needed to rule in this woman’s favor and that the MTA didn’t have much of a choice when it came to displaying these adds, I do not agree with the fact that Pamela Geller created them in the first place. I find Pamela Geller to be ignorant, racist, closed-minded, and misinformed. Perhaps someone should remind her of the fact that not all that long ago, Jewish people—her people—my people—we’re scapegoated, persecuted against, and subject to negative stigmas along with terrible acts of hatred, which, ironically, is exactly what she seems to be inflicting upon jihadists. One would assume, or at least hope, that through not only the Jewish faith, but world history, that Pamela Geller, as a Jew, would have learned, at the very least, to not be prejudiced. There have been many other occasions aside from just the holocaust where Jews have been persecuted against, and most Jewish people, with the exception of, apparently, Pamela Geller, do not make incorrect generalizations about entire groups of people based on the acts of a small representation of them. Her feelings on Islamic people are not representative of those of the entire Jewish, Israeli, of Pro-Israel community.
These advertisements portray Islamic people as savages, which is dehumanizing and ignorant. For Pamela Geller to make such extreme generalizations about an entire ethnicity of people based on the acts of several terrorists groups is ludicrous. I’m pretty sure the two troubled boys in the “Trenchcoat Mafia” who are responsible for the Columbine High School shooting we’re Jewish—what does that say about the entirety of the Jewish religion? NOTHING at all. It is logical to assume that many level headed New Yorkers, as well as travelers from all around the country and world will be as disturbed by these advertisements as I am. That being said, it is important to note that hurtful message conveyed throughout these advertisements does not illustrate the views of the entire state of Israel, those who support Israel, or Jewish people. These advertisements only represent the views of Pamela Geller. These advertisements will not serve to enlighten anyone who passes by them—rather, they will simply either give people an incorrect message about Islam, or an incorrect message about the views of the Jewish community. They are also likely to anger both Islamic and Jewish people, portraying them both in a biased and negative light.

I believe that music, in general, is an excellent channel of communication between people. Historically, people have always turned to music as an outlet of emotion, expression, and story, dating back to times of ancient civilizations. Being that hip-hop music is practically a universal phenomenon, it is utilized in many different regions all over the world in order to share thoughts, emotions, stories, and ideas. For this reason, it is a medium of communication that I believe can certainly help bridge the gap between the East and West . People from all corners of the world spanning from East to West frequently listen to hip-hop music to stay in touch with various social and governmental issues that are prevalent in today’s society. By discussing these issues through a peaceful yet extremely widespread and effective outlet, such as hip-hop music, both sides can begin to understand each other more adequately, which will ultimately lead to increased empathy between the East and the West. Through exploring empathy and understanding the positions of one another, the way counties treat each other and act towards one another will begin to improve.
Hip-hop has served as both an outlet for emotion and a bridge between groups that have had disagreements and a lack of understanding of one another’s values, ideals, and beliefs. In the past, people have turned to hip-hop to make statements and voice their opinions regarding issues that are prevalent in society, making a statement and making it known how they feel.
Hip-hop is an extremely effective method of communication because of both it’s significance in pop-culture as well as it’s prevalence and popularity in today’s society. Throughout hip-hop lyrics, people from both the East and West can begin to gain insight in to the lives of one another, truly exploring “how the other half lives”. These lyrics will not be sensationalized by the media ; these lyrics will not scapegoat groups of people or strive to portray them in a negative light; these lyrics will serve as pages from a diary, truly explaining what life is really like on the other side. The sense of honesty, and sometimes vulnerability that is created when someone opens up to you, allowing you to learn a little bit more about them, will get people from both sides putting themselves in each others shoes. This will undoubtedly lead to increased levels of sympathy. Through sympathy, I believe people are more likely to think twice the next time they go to act in a judgmental manner, make a snide or racist comment, take on a closed, biased position regarding an issue, or even drop a bomb. These important qualities that are unique to hip-hop music, coupled with the empathy that will come from increased, peaceful conversation with one another, is powerful enough to ultimately lead to the change and improvement this world desperately needs regarding relations between the East and West today.