I am extremely impressed by this man's use of language and the way he expresses himself. It's not that I don't think prisoners can't write well, but for not graduating high school, he comes across as very educated.

His letter brings me back to a question that I've discussed in classes across my years of education: are people innately good or bad? There are so many arguments for each side of the question. If people are innately good, why is there so much hatred? Would racism and sexism, etc. exist if we were good? Part of me believes humans are innately good because of little acts like the one this "lifer" has described. Humans are able to come together when we truly need each other, putting hatred and other hesitations aside. It could possibly be the reason that some of us feel compelled to help others for a living, or maybe not even for a living, but just for periods of time. We feel the need to have children and to fall in love so that we have companions to share our love with and to be happy with. More often than not, we would to anything for those people. We hold doors open for strangers with packages, or a woman with a stroller.

On the other hand, there is a lot of evidence to say that humans are innately bad or evil. Is racism learned or is it something we are born with? It makes me wonder why that little black girl said that white doll was the good one. People can be so ruthless. We murder each other every day, and some are only murdered with words. Hurtful things are said with the purpose of being hurtful. Why would someone who's innately good feel that way or do those things? We judge each other and often feel superior for no reason.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this question. I really feel that some of us are better than others in the "good" department, but that we have both caring and hurtful tendencies. We are able to have evil thoughts and do hurtful actions, and yet love others at the same time. For example, members of the KKK belong to an organization known for hating and discriminating blacks and Jews, yet they love their families and their country. How is this possible?

I think that people need to keep in mind that we will get frustrated with others and some will just plain piss us off, but we are all people, no matter the skin color, religion, etc. Whether you believe in a Christian god or not, the teaching of treating others the way you want to be treated is a great one, and we all need to keep it in mind a little more often.

I think this topic is one that hits home with women every where. Instead of focusing on body image, however, I'd really like to take a crack at the questions Laurie has posed. What does it mean to be a woman? Women come in all shapes and sizes. We have different physical features, hair lengths, opinions, and yet we are all considered to be women. In a lot of ways, the only thing separating men and women are physical differences. So what makes us women beyond that? I believe that to be a woman is to have a certain mindset. There are plenty of people who are physically woman, yes, but feel more like a man, and that's the gender that they identify with. Or, take female body builders for example. They are not really the norm for women. Men tend to have more muscle definition and strength, however these women work to have more masculine features. That doesn't mean they feel like less of a woman, though. They might feel as slim and sexy as a Victoria Secret model. On the other hand, there are many people who are physically men, but identify with and as a women more than they do men.

I know that life is never easy for anyone, but being a woman is so damn complicated sometimes. Not only do we have to deal with the physical difficulties women face, such as menstrual cycles and pregnancies, but there's also the pressure to look nice in every possible way. I want to be able to look myself in the mirror, butt naked, no make up and say, "I am beautiful" and be completely happy with the way I am. I could say that I am, and at some times in my life I really do feel that way, but every morning I wake up and feel the need to cover my face with make up. Today I babysat my three and four year-old cousins. The three year-old, Chloe, came upstairs with me to my room when I went to put my makeup on this morning. As I put on my foundation she asked, "Why are you painting your face and making it dirty?" Oh, the innocence of a child. I miss the days when I thought boys were yucky and didn't care what they thought of me. I couldn't bring myself to finish my makeup while she was around.

I think in order to make a change in the overall outlook of beauty, men and women every where need to realize that we are all human and we are all beautiful. I know that that sentence may sound corny or ridiculously hippy, but it's true. Unless we change the way we see each other, we're not going to change the way we see ourselves.

As a white female, I'm not quite sure what exactly my reaction SHOULD be to this article. My explanation for the upcoming minority to majority is culture. I really believe it's as simple as that. I feel that Hispanic/Latino culture, as well as African American culture, put special value and emphasis on family life, especially large families. I believe that unless a white person comes from a large family, they don't really want a big family themselves when they begin to have children. What does this new minority to majority mean for whites? Honestly, at first I was worried that people of color would secretly love every minute of it and bask in their new majority glory. The more I thought about it, however, is that even though whites may not be the majority anymore, at least for some time, whites will still have a majority of the wealth. I'm not saying that I'm happy/sad about that, it just seems logical.

It's inevitable. Every woman, whether she admits it or not, feels pressure to be beautiful. That pressure comes from everywhere: society, friends, family, media, etc. It's not necessarily important to be beautiful, or to feel beautiful, but to be considered beautiful by those around us and then ultimately, ourselves. As a white woman with brown hair and athletic body, I've always grown up thinking that stick skinny women with long blonde hair are the epitome of beauty. Secretly, I've always wanted blonde hair. And now that I've cut my brown hair short, I feel like even more of an outcast.

Watching this video, however, definitely has made me think about the struggles that black women have in their pursuit of beauty that white women never even think about. Not only do they feel like they have the wrong color hair, but the wrong texture, length, and skin color. Never once growing up did I think my skin color was not beautiful. It was something that never crossed my mind. I felt ugly for other reasons, without a doubt, but skin color was never one of them. The look on that little girl's face when she was asked to pick the doll that looked the most like her was heartbreaking. There's no other word for it. She had just said that the black doll was the bad one, and yet she was forced to associate with it. Why do children that young feel that way? Who teaches them that? Their parents? The media?

Another interesting comment made by one of the girls in the video was her concern over her lack of cultural or ethnic identity. Not only am I white and American, but I also know for a fact that I am half Italian, a quarter Lithuanian, and a quarter Polish. My dad, who is obviously then 100%, and his family are very proud to be Italian Americans. I am proud to be an Italian American. I love listening to Dean Martin and Al Martino and thinking of family parties and Sunday dinners. I like that my 100% Polish grandfather eats smelts, a traditional fish dish, every Christmas because that's what he did growing up. I know where my ancestors are from in those three countries. Like that girl said, she obviously knows her family is from Africa, but where? I think that's why many African descendants living in the United States take pride in parts of several different Africans cultures because they're not sure exactly which one they belong to. I can imagine that it's confusing and upsetting at times.

But now the question is this: how do we change the perception of beauty? Not only during middle school and throughout the rest of our lives, but during the youngest years? How can we let girls, and boys, know that no matter the skin color, they are beautiful inside and out? With changes being made in the media, throughout the fashion industry, and in race relations hopefully that can happen one day.

I don't know about anyone else's high school, but at every homecoming and prom I've been to at mine, heterosexual couples basically have sex on the dance floor. There is so much bumping and grinding, you'd think you were at some kind of club instead of a school dance. Honestly, it gets to be a little out of control. Yet, there is no problem with it. Teachers and faculty may not agree with what we're doing, but they shrug their shoulders and assume we're going to do what we want. I'm sure somewhere in that massive dance orgy, two girls danced together. I'm also sure no one thought twice about it.

Another thing oh so loved about my high school's dances were some of the outrageous dresses my classmates would wear. Trust me, as a woman, I am all for looking sexy. It's empowering and when it comes down to, it's nice to look and feel damn good. However, I can't stand when some girls decide it's better not to leave much to the imagination. Constance wanted to wear a tux. If girls can wear the sluttiest dresses imaginable to prom, she should be able to wear a tux, in my opinion.

Personally, I don't agree with homosexuality and I'm willing to admit to that. However, I don't think that homosexuals should be discriminated against. That doesn't fly with me. I think many people have a hard time empathizing with gay couples because most of us prefer to be with someone of the opposite sex. I don't think many people stop and wonder, would I want to be treated this way? I'm sure the attitude is more of a "I'm glad that's not me" type of thing. I think many people in the Bible Belt forget that as Catholics and Christians, we are supposed to love our neighbors and treat others the way we want to be treated. I would be devastated if prom got canceled because they would let me bring my pale, freckled ginger boyfriend, who I obviously love very much. I can't imagine how this girl feels.

On another note, I've noticed that a lot of comments on here state that they can't believe it's 2010 and this is still an issue. Yeah, it's 2010. Which means it's only been about 50 years since the civil rights movement and a time when "coming out" was making strides in becoming socially acceptable. We're doing pretty darn good if you ask me. It takes a lot to change the way a person feels about something so deep-rooted, like racism or discrimination. Situations like these can be used as turning points. We look at this problem, knowing that it's wrong, and now we can work together to fix it.

Our recent discussions on the issues of Native Americans have been interesting and eye opening, but none of it made as much of an impact as the video of the Muslim actress and the bakery clerk. I understand that some people believe it wouldn't be their place to say anything because of where the scene is occurring or for other various reasons, but then I put myself in the shoes of the Muslim woman. It's disheartening to be judged and refused service because of what you're wearing or what you believe. If I walked into a store and was refused service for being a woman or for having brown hair, for instance, I don't know what I'd do. I'm sure having even just one person on her side could have made a difference. I understand she was an actress, but these problems are real and they happen every day. Like the soldier's father explained, everyone deserves respect. I can't imagine living in a country whose people, the same people from which I came, seemed to hate me.

One thing that kind of bothers me is that the bakery cashier and those who agreed with him claimed that those people weren't Americans, even though many Muslims who deal with these issues were in fact born in America. If they can't be considered Americans simply because of the way they dress or what religion they believe in, what makes me an American? The fact that I'm white, Catholic, and like to wear clothes from H&M or the Gap? Maybe what makes me an American is the fact that I don't stand out in any special way. I blend and don't seem different from the masses. People are scared of the unknown. However, isn't America supposed to be the land of the free? Freedom of religion, freedom of speech. Aren't these the principles on which we were founded? So why do "true Americans" seem so close-minded? If that's what a "true" American really is, then you might as well consider me a foreigner.

I know many people in class thought that the twenty-two silent bystanders seemed like terrible people, however, I believe that they were so surprised by such blatant racism that they were left speechless. I would love to think that I would have stood up for this woman, and knowing me, I most likely would have. However, if I had a shyer personality, I might just stand there in disbelief and then simply walk out. I don't blame those speechless people and I don't think they had no opinion of the situation in front of them. Of course I wish the numbers had been higher, however, I'm proud of the men and women who stood up for the actress. They set a wonderful example and help remind others that people do care, even for a stranger.

I agree with DanLando1 on the meaning of her question. I think she's asking why someone can't truly be bisexual instead of simply "confused" like they are believed to be. I think it's a good point to make and should be addressed. Why do people insist on labeling others and their behaviors as black and white when we can all admit that things are never that easy?

Natural and universal bisexuality aside, I do believe that some bisexuals are confused with their sexual identity and/or sexual orientation; they are stuck between their sexual drive, society, and ultimately, their own emotions. The question remains: which to choose? Legally, a person can't have it both ways. There's no way that I know of to legally join three adults in a union, so a bisexual man or woman is forced to choose or to remain confused. I believe this is a sign of some bigger underlying struggles. Perhaps he or she is having trouble admitting open homosexuality or something along those lines.

On the other hand, I believe that there are many people who are bisexual not because they're are confused, but because they admit that they are attracted to both men and women. They are comfortable realizing that we are innately sexual beings and can be aroused by either gender. I have an issue with the word 'attracted' however. What exactly does it mean? I think there are two "types" of bisexuality, if you want to call it that. I believe there are people who can be bisexual on a completely and purely sexual level. They can be aroused by straight and gay porn, encounters, whatever, but they haven't invested themselves emotionally in those bisexual/homosexual acts. I think there can be a man who enjoys both men and women, but doesn't necessarily care to have a relationship with another man and prefers a woman in that case, and I believe the same thing can apply to a woman.

However, I also agree that some people can be emotionally bisexual and that may be where the confusion sets in. Along with being sexually attracted to both sexes, a man or a woman could also want relationships with either a member of the opposite sex or of the same sex; and when that happens, it often leads to a fork in the road and a problem for that individual to struggle with.

When it comes down to it, I wouldn't want to hide my relationship with my wonderful boyfriend. We're in love and I couldn't be happier. Why shouldn't a LGBT be able to express those same feelings openly like I have been able to? Whether you like men, women, or both, everyone should be able to love freely and give their love to whomever they choose.

I think it's incredibly interesting that it's even possible for an entire language to die out. How does something like that happen? Which other languages will it happen to? As I recall, Sam mentioned in lecture that sooner or later, we would all simply become so mixed between "races" that we would eventually not be able to tell who is what. Part of me believes that it will also happen with languages one day. Esperanto, a language created by combining already existing languages, is spoken by almost 2 million people world-wide. It is used for business purposes and in some government agencies. A world-wide language would be preferable because we have the means to communicate with others around the globe. We are no longer confined to our own neighborhoods, cities, or countries any longer because of what technology has provided for us. We want to be able to work together and understand one another obviously. However, how much are we willing to compromise to do so?

What I don't fully understand is how this language died out. Why did this woman not teach others this dying language? And if she was the only one in the world that spoke it, how do we know what her words mean? I wonder if another language will cause English to become a dead language as well.

I personally cannot stand talking about politics. I agree that many voters have no clue whatsoever in regards to what their party stands for and what they as voters are actually looking for in a government. I think that labels play too big of a role in the way Americans think about and relate to politics. They feel as if they need to be a Republican or a Democrat, a conservative or a liberal. The truth of the matter is that many voters lie somewhere in between the far left and the far right. It's a vicious cycle. Politicians are essentially forced to be completely left or right because if they're not, they won't get their party's vote or enough of anyone's votes for that matter. I really think this is a shame. Why can people not be on one side or the other?

On the other hand, if voters do not make politicians left or right, then politicians do not give Americans the choice to be diverse in their political views. Like I was saying earlier, many people do not completely agree with everything the Democratic Party or the Republican Party stands for or believes in, however, there isn't a candidate around that encompasses all that they themselves as a voter believe in, so they are forced to choose one or the other. I understand that if this were the case one person may not win the majority, however, I think it's something to be considered.

Another issue I have with American politics is that people often vote against a particular political party instead of voting for one that is more in tune to their own beliefs. For example, a die hard Republican voting against Obama, not because they disagree with his views, but simply because he's new and is a big advocate for change. Another example could be of a Democrat who voted for Kerry in the 2004 election simply because they didn't like Bush and wanted someone new in office. They might not have necessarily wanted Kerry either, but they would have settled for anyone else beside Bush. I think this is a hard habit for Americans to break. The Yankees don't suck just because you prefer the Phillies and Penn State isn't better than Michigan State simply because (even though both the Yankees and Penn State are just plain awesome anyway).

When it comes down to it, I think people should vote for who they want to vote for and for all the right reasons. Voters need to keep an open mind and listen to all sides of an argument and decide on the person that best represents the changes they wish to see for our country.

I don't even know if I can find four hundred and fifty words to say about that video. Appalling does not even begin to describe my feelings toward it. It is completely normal and natural to argue with others, even to disagree and dislike some individuals, however, the utter hatred these fans have displayed for these players absolutely blows my mind.

Why do some people feel this way? Why is there such hatred in the world? I often wonder if we are born with these strong feelings; and if we are, why is that so? If we were created by a "perfect" god in his "perfect" image, wouldn't it make sense for us to be happy and loving? Why does skin color matter so much? I understand that once the Europeans traveled to Africa they were made aware of different races and ethnicities, but what made them feel superior to these new, darker skinned people? What if Africans had sailed north and enslaved the whites of Europe? Whites would no longer be the skin color of choice, but considered as weak, fragile, and worthless.

Sometimes I'm led to believe that people with that kind of hatred in their hearts really in fact don't even have one.