My parents are very accepting parents and I don’t necessarily think that it would matter all that much. On my moms side of the family we have many family members who are gay and lesbian so growing up, I have learned as my parents have taught me to be very accepting. My mom comes from a very big Italian family so I guess if you compared it to an average size family you might have the same amount of percentage of people who’s orientations are different. However, if my parents were asked this question and they didn’t really care but they had to make a choice I would say that they would rather me be dating someone of a different race. I guess this is because they are Christian and when you find out that your child is gay the first thing you think is not oh yay, you definitely feel a certain way about it but learn to accept it. My parents have talked to me about it before and have said that if you are gay or lesbian or whatever orientation you are it is okay we just want you to be happy. So what I am getting at is if they had to choose they would just want me to be happy. I think it depends on how you are raised and where you are brought up. I have a lot of friends who have been brought up in predominantly white neighborhoods and their parents would definitely disagree. For example I asked my friend casey what his parents whould say and how they would feel about this question and he said that if he were gay, his dad would not be very happy about it. He also said that they would most likely rather him date someone of a different race because at least you like someone of a different sex. He said if Ibrought a black woman home they would consider it because obviously he would like her a lot. He also said that if he had to tell his dad that he was gay his dad would not be accepting and would not forgive him . His mom on the other hand he said would be understanding and let him do as he pleases. I think that we can see here how his mother is more accepting because she has a special connection with her son because she bared him for 9 months. The connection between a mother and her son is a lot different between the connection between a son and his father.
I think in this day and age people are definitely more accepting than they used to be. This are different now and it really depends on where you grow up and how you have been brought up.

If I had to choose between my mother, spouse or child, I would choose my child. This is not because I don’t love everyone equally as much; it is just because I feel as if you should never have to burry your child. My mother always tells me that it is normal to see your mother or father die, it is normal to be alive when your spouse dies but it never normal to be alive when your child dies. No parent should have to witness the death of his or her child and I feel strongly about this. This is not only my opinion but know that my mother feels the same way for she has told me this a bunch of times. She always tells me that no matter what happens, it is never natural to burry your child, and that it is extremely hard to get over if it happens. This is also why when last year when one of our close family members son died my mother was such a mess she said that she could never live if one of her children passed away. I would also save my child over my mother or my spouse because they have not lived a long life or even close to a long life like my mother or spouse has. And I know that to some of you this may not seem like a big deal but I fee like it is very important for everyone to get an equal shot at life. Bottom line, if I had a child they would be the most important thing to my in my life regardless of my other family members and I know that my mother and everyone else in my family would understand. I guess being a woman it is different than being a man. I wold actually bear this child for 9 months and give birth. I think that that has a lot more of a special meaning than anyone else in my family. Obviously it is a different connection than I have with my sister or my brothers. TO actually carry a child I think would make it more of a reason to save them over my mother. Im also not saying that a father wouldn’t save their child over their mother I just think that it is a different connection with a child and their mother than they have with their father. Lastly I would like to point out that it is not that you love one more than the other it just simply has to do with the fact that if there was no boat your mother would most likely pass away first, than your spouse, then your child, so if having to save one I would choose my child because they should be the last ones to pass away.

I was also doing a lot of thinking about the Muslim women and their culture after that class and I found something very interesting that has to do with relationships. I don’t know if marriages go well over there or how the divorce rate is but I know that here it is pretty high compared to other cultures and different parts of the world. As I was pondering this thought, something occurred to me. So we talked about in class how Western women expose themselves more than the women in the Middle East and how they potentially see it as us having disrespect for ourselves. I don’t know if I think that that is necessarily true but I tried looking at it from the males’ point of view. In the west, a man sees and gets to know you body weather it be curves, no curves breast no breasts before he get to know and understand who you are as a person. In the Middle East, it is the complete opposite. A man over on that side of the world gets to understand and know who you are as a person before he sees your body not fully clothed. So I sat with this idea for a minute and thought maybe that is why we have so many relationship problems in today’s society in the West. Maybe it is because men don’t get to really see who we are as people before they know that they are attracted in all areas. Also this could completely change a guy attraction for a woman. For example, if you met a guy in the Middle East and you were Middle Eastern, there is opportunity for him to grow to like and maybe love your personality before he can decide weather he likes how you look under your clothing. A lot of men now a days see how you look with tight clothes on and immediately don’t want to get to know who you are because they feel as if there is no attraction. I think this is very important to understand because I do believe it could be the reason that we have problems with so many relationships these days. I believe that we would be happier if we did it the way the women do in the middle east and I feel like the men living here would be completely understanding and possibly happier too because at least they would know that thy love their wife for who she is and not at all for what she looks like on the inside. So this could possibly be a way that we disrespect ourselves or maybe as a culture we disrespect the value of who we truly are.

When I was watching the FOX video I thought that it was a target to make white people
act a certain way in regards to their actions. I personally did think that the video was funny but later when Sam started talking about it, I kind of felt like an asshole for thinking it was funny and I don’t know if I really like that. I would not call myself someone who is racist, I say that I am very educated about peoples’ races and accept every kind of race. Just because something is funny doesn’t mean that it is necessarily racist. One can laugh at something and then leave it at that. One can laugh at something just for the fact to not make something awkward, because they don’t want to talk about it. What I did find that was interesting that I appreciated was when the Asian girl spoke and talked about the people making the video. She brought up the fact that they chose the nerdiest Asians who clearly looked like they haven’t assimilated completely. So in that case, I fell like the people making the video did that so we would act a certain way about Asians, but clearly not every Asian speaks like that or acts in that certain way. I am from long island and I get treated like this a lot. I always have people making my talk to hear my accent and yeah sometimes they laugh or the think its cool how I talk so differently but I don’t take it personally and I don’t care at all if they think its funny it is how I speak. I know this doesn’t relate exactly because I am American and I speak the same language just with a different accent but how many of those Asian interviewed were born in America just choose to speak their own language? We don’t really know we could be making fun of Americans which would be the same as making fun of someone speaking the same language as yourself. I would like to be clear in saying that if they weren’t from America that making fun of them would be okay because it is certainly not. BUT I think if people thought about it in this way it would change a lot of peoples minds about if theyre going to laugh or not when they hear people talking funny. I do think it is important to mention that only the white guy was called out for laughing but the Asian wasn’t. Many people learn from example and if a whit man sees an Asian laughing at something of his own culture how can you say that it is not acceptable for someone who is White to laugh, just being were laughing doesn’t mean we are making fun in any way

I really like this question I think it really makes you think. I would also have to agree. I feel like when we are young and are not really trained to think a certain way we don’t categorize anyone a specific way and we just see the world through our own eyes and our own thoughts, not ones that have been thought through the past or our parents or any of our friends.
I am from a very diverse part of Long Island and before taking this class I would say that I was very well educated about race. I graduated in a class of 700 making it a school of 3000, our school was not predominantly white. I would also say that growing up like this worked to my advantage especially when going to a school like pennstate. Before taking Soc 119 I was racially educated however, this class had definitely opened my eyes a lot more. I have learned many things about certain races, that even growing up in my town I never knew were even true. For myself I would think that I started at an earlier stage than stage one, I don’t know if I necessarily started at stage 6 but I think that coming from what I know, and after this soc 119 I would either change by opinion and go back a few stages or learn more, take it to my advantage and move onto stage 6.
Now I cannot speak for everyone in my town when I say this. There are pleanty of my friends who are not as educated as I am but a lot has to do with the way they are brought up and how their parents act. For example, my best friend comes from a very racist family (her whole family being 100 percent Italian) and she is not nearly as educated about race as I am. I don’t really mind because I am not one to judge but some of the things that are said in her house upset me internally, however I would never tell that to them. Considering their case, I don’t think they will ever move from the stage they are on or ever reach a stage at all. I don’t think that they see that everyone else besides white people are bad I just think that they see themselves as superior, which is basically what this whole entire class talks about. This would be a perfect class for them.
When Sam was talking about the stages of race, I was kind of confused I felt like I was on a very high stage because yes if someone say something racist it bothers me and I feel for them but I also have so many friends of different races and I never think about them as other than my friends.

This picture is very powerful, it says a lot about confidence and the way we have grown as a society. We all know that if this picture were to be on the news fifteen years ago all hell would have broken loose. It really goes to show that things are getting better, slowly, but better. This picture has gotten a lot of positive feedback where as somewhat fifteen/twenty years ago most of its feedback would have been negative.
As for my opinion, I think this picture is beautiful. For someone who has been deployed three times and finally gets to come home should be able to show what ever gesture to his or her loved one having gone that long without seeing them. I don’t care what orientation you are; you shouldn’t have to think about the public and the medias reaction when you see your loved one for the first time in years. I don’t care if you are making out on camera; if I don’t want to see it I’ll turn away, but no one should have to hold him or herself back when it comes to love. We are put on this earth for certain purposes, be what they may; however everyone is destined to find love. If he wants to jump into his loved ones arms after he gets back from serving our country then you let the man do just that; ESPECIALLY if you are sitting peacefully with no worries on your couch at home when there are people like him fighting for our country while you do so.
As for the public and for the people who feel a weird way about this picture, grow up and I mean that in the nicest way possible. It is not your life; you do not have to be gay just because some people are. So this picture comes up on the tv, close your eyes, I don’t know do what ever you have to do but in all honesty, it should not really bother you. I am sure that this is not the first gay couple you have seen kissing unless you come from a town with no diversity at all. And if so, see it as an eye opener to the amazing diversity this country has and accept it. What this man did and how he feels is beautiful. He serves for our country, does the most that he can to help each and everyone of us yet the second he comes home we judge him? That is ludicrous and it should not be happening. I know that this picture is getting a lot of positive feedback as well as negative feedback but I can tell you right now, these two men in this picture, they probably don’t care because clearly they are in love and have each other. What else do they need?

After listening to this question I realized that there is a lot of Asian racism that we see everywhere. I thought about it and realized that even though people believe that Asians are “stereotypically” very smart, that it is not fair to the Asians who are not smart because they feel like they have certain standards to live by it creates unnecessary stress for them and their culture and their education standards. For example, most Asians are very smart so people just assume that every Asian is. But how would you feel if you were that Asian that isn’t “as smart as he should be” Probably like shit. Probably a feeling of in superiority and I feeling that he needs to do better. But what if he can’t? It is not fair at all that these opinions are being pushed on certain types of cultures. Even though being smart is not a bad thing, not everyone has the same level of intellect. I used to think that these stereotypes were just opinions but after thinking further I have realized differently. I have noticed that on this campus that there are stereotypes about Asians and not just ones about intelligence. I’ve heard that they smoke a lot as well. I have not particularly seen this action come about but I have heard it more than once. This stereotype is much different than being smart. This stereotype has a negative connotation to it but yet it seems that this one isn’t used as much. For me I don’t experience these things because I am not Asian. I wish I could understand how they felt so I could make a more direct connection. However, I do know how it feels to be stereotyped as a sorority girl and it is not the greatest feeling at all. I know how it feels for someone to expect something of you that you don’t necessarily want to do. A common stereotype for a sorority girl is that we are dumb. “oh, you’re a sorority girl”? This is not true at all so in a sense I know how it feels for someone to think of you as something you are not. Back to Asians though, although it is a negative thing it is good for their society because it makes it way more competitive because there is the feeling that you have to live up to your stereotype. Which is why Asians might be smarter, also it has to do with how they are brought up. In America we are typically lazy, one who grew up on the outside would say. In Asia, it is a lot stricter with grades and getting an education than it is here. I feel that more pressure if put onto the kids are they are growing up by their families that when they come here, they are used to that kind of work ethic and we are not.

I am not sure exactly what I believe in although I do believe there is something up there, a higher being who I can pray and look up to. Some times for me it’s hard to grasp the concept that one being created life…and the whole Noah’s arc deal. I’m not sure about that but in times of desperation I find myself praying, who to? I’m not so sure but I’m praying to something and that has to mean something. Now just because I pray doesn’t mean it definitely works, I think that for me I pray for hope that even if there is no one up there to believe in at least I think that there is probably so I can have some guidance. Contrary to what I said before about grasping the concept of how one man created life I also think to myself, well okay if one man didn’t create life then how did we get here? What was the initial action that created all of what we are today? I’ve seen man these days create some pretty wonderful things so who’s to say he didn’t create life?

I was brought up catholic well I guess I am catholic. Was it a choice for me? No, but my parents don’t impose any religious pressure on me to follow Catholicism. I think that that could be one of the reasons why religion in a mental struggle for me. As I child yes, I went to communion but that’s when I stopped because of our busy schedule and I think that because there was such little religion in my immediate family, I am less educated there for I don’t have that many events or readings to back up my thoughts.

When sam talks about the underlying energy I get kind of confused. That is kind of a hard concept for me to grasp. Im not exactly sure what he means by energy. I think he means the force of someone or something that keeps life going everyday. If so then like I said before Im not really sure, and I don’t know if I ever will be until death is forced upon me and then who knows if I will even know?

Like I said before, I think I believe in a God. Which one? I’m not exactly sure I don’t really think about it too much but I guess that’s why Sam is teaching it. After this lesson I realized that I should be curious as to my beliefs for they are my own, they are something that no one can take from me. I guess most people just believe in their parents’ religion because they have been brought up with it and it’s easy.

When sam starting talking about the Shaman’s I have to be honest, it didn’t really do much for me. I thought it was cool but I didn’t think much further. Although today I had my resitation and we starting talking about it and that’s when I really started to think about how different they live from us. I took a philosophy class in high school and we talked about all different religions and spiritual ideas but I don’t believe we talked about the Shamans at all, Im not sure. Anyway, as I was thinking about what Sam had said, Im not exactly sure if I believe his ankle sprain story. I mean I believe that they tried to “cure” him with the lotion and my massaging his ankle but Im not sure if I actually believe that’s why he felt better In the morning. I don’t see how we can have all these amazing medical doctors who cant fix a sprained ankle but just only let time take care of it, but you can have people who do drugs and come to realization that they know the cure and then it works. Maybe I don’t know enough about the shaman culture to actually say that but that’s kind of the impression I got from class. I dont think I believe that drugs give them the answer. I also felt like sam in a way is giving off the impression that drugs are okay. I mean don’t get me wrong I smoke weed when I want to but I feel like that lesson gave of the impression that drugs are socially excepted and how that’s why the shamans are so “smart” when really, theyre just poisoning themselves. Im not against people who do drugs because I mean that has no effect on the way I live my life. I guess its just because ive never experience a heavy duty drug and the effect it has on your body so I really just don’t understand. When sam talked about the double helix and how that’s what the shamans drew as what they saw when they reached this level of consciousness it kind of freaked me out a little. Still like the sprained ankle deal, im not sure if I really believe it it really wanted to but it’s a really hard concept for me to grasp. After listening to sam talk about the shamans I really want to research their culture and see other things that they believe. Im not sure if I will agree with it or believe it completely but it would be an interesting thing to look up and read about considering they are so different from our culture in every aspect.

I am a white female who said I strongly agree and would adopt a child regardless of race. I believe that having a family is a beautiful thing and if for some reason you are not able to have children, weather it is due to the male or the female, if you want to have a family that badly then I feel like most people or I wouldn’t care what race or gender. For example, my Aunt is unable to have children, which we just found out. She is 45 years old and wants a family more than anything else in the world. Before the doctors finally ran the right tests to show that she is unable she went through in vitro fertilization about 5 times, she also had eggs donated from someone she met through the whole process. Each time, my aunt had heartbreaking miscarriages. Yes when she had eggs donated it was from a white female but I believe if she was guaranteed a child if she were to choose a black woman’s eggs, she wouldn’t even think twice. I guess what I’m trying to get at is there are different degrees of stages in your life and I believe that as you go through them your opinions on these questions change. My aunt, like I said, is 45 years old if she were 25 and couldn’t have children there is still time for her to search for the “perfect” donor. But now my aunt doesn’t really have that much time and the only thing she wants in life is a child and I know she would take that over any preference of race or gender. To me that is pretty powerful. Now to be clear, I’m not saying this is the case for everyone at that age or anyone who wants a child more than anything but I believe there are more people out there than not who would act like my aunt would. As for adoption vs. sperm donations, I do believe that for many people there is a huge difference in their choice. I believe many people would choose adopting a child of a different race over receiving someone’s sperm of a different race and I kind of understand. I don’t know how exactly I feel about the situation and what I would do but adopting a child is COMPLETELY different than carrying one and I think it is normal for you to want your child to resemble you if you are going to give birth to it. Then again I think that this comes back to what I said in the beginning and the example about my Aunt. My aunt wants a child more than anything and she would rather carry a child then adopt but at this point I know that she will take a child of any race or gender because all she wants is that special bond and connection that every mother and their child has. The one that she is not able to have. And that to her and most people out there that means SO MUCH MORE than sex or race of your soon to be child.