posted by Sam Richards
That’s me after planning one of my lectures on the Old Main lawn back in the early 1990s. I was having a sudden flash of insight…and then it was gone. Just like all of us eventually.
So we’re at the end of another semester and I’m at the halfway point of my 20th year at Penn State and my 19th year of teaching SOC 119. It’s all different; it’s all the same. Things were more raucous back in those days–like when I had to ask an offensive lineman for an NFL team (who was finishing his degree in the off season) to sit in the middle of a couple of groups of people who wouldn’t stop arguing with each other. And it kept getting heated to the extent that I was certain that eventually things were going to “go down.” They never did. He was bigger than all of them…combined.
There was another guy who told me that for the first twelve weeks of the semester he secretly fantasized about how he’d like to participate in my demise. “I hated you,” he told me, “with ever fiber of my being. I REALLY hated you.” But then he started to “worship” me because I “saved his life” (his words), which is how I found out that he hated me. “I’ll never forget you,” he kept saying over and over. That’s a long story and I’m not about to tell it here.
Or they guy who condemned me to hell in front of the entire class in the middle of my LGBT lecture. That’s when I started asking God to leave. It’s just too much pressure. That was surely the most surreal moment of all time in the SOC 119 class–even more surreal than me falling flat on my back on my birthday this past September.
But alas, here we are. Why don’t you just take this last opportunity to put some words down about what you saw in yourself and others around you this semester. Feel free to use the reply button and respond to something that someone else (or several people) has or have said. And enjoy it…because you might be dead before you hit the send button.
This semester has flown by, and it’s hard to believe it’s almost over. With this being the case, I think it is now safe to say Soc119 has been my favorite class. I’m not just saying that because this assignment is for that class, either. I have learned to “think.” Not that I have never done so before, but I’m starting to truly think, and think critically, about situations around me. Not only think, but also question. I think, like Sam has said he wanted us to achieve this semester, I’m “wrestling.” Soc119 has opened my mind up to new possibilities and viewpoints, and perspectives from people across racial, cultural, and social barriers.
There were many times in class this semester that I sat there and said to myself, “Huh…I never thought about it like that.” One lecture I did this in was the LGBT discussion. Before we left, Sam told us how he would not be opposed to being with another man. When he explained it was because no woman could ever compare to his wife, and thus, he might as well be with a man, I found this very interesting. At first I thought, “Well, that’s a little odd.” When I thought about it more though, I realized that that’s a really cool way to look at his relationship with his wife and what would come of the situation if she were gone. The lecture about the War on Terror did the same thing.
Not only has this class opened my mind up to new ways of thinking, it has also made me aware of how many different opinions are out there. I have never thought my opinion (and maybe one other) were the only perspectives regarding a certain situation, but I never realized just how varied those two differing opinions can be for each person. Going back to the LGBT lecture, I was surprised that the class wasn’t divided right down the middle. One side is in support of LGBT issues, and one side is not. So many people were struggling themselves on which side to support, and others were middle of the road about the whole thing (if they weren’t in total support of one side or another).
Not only has Soc119 been my favorite class, but Sam Richards has most definitely been the best teacher I have had yet at Penn State, too (again, I’m not just saying this). He is the only teacher that has really, truly pushed me to think outside myself, outside the box. There have been times I have disagreed with things Sam has said in class, but like I mentioned earlier, it has caused me to think and question what’s around me. I feel more intelligent (as cheesy as that may sound).
The weekly discussion group I had was my favorite aspect of the course by far, and what I looked forward to most during the week (when it came to class). I think we all really learned a lot from each other. We were all able to relate to each other on some level, whether it was schoolwork, social life, the World Series, or any other crazy tangent we wound up on. Whether any of us see each other outside our group, I believe we have all established a bond with each other that will last a long time. I’m really going to miss these weekly discussions, and everyone in our group.
Soc119 has helped me better understand the racial and cultural divide around me. I think it was effective when Sam presented views on the opposing race from both sides. It helped the class as a whole understand each other without getting defensive (even though I’m sure there were one or so people who managed to get their panties in a bunch—there always is). All in all, I would recommend this class to anyone and everyone. No matter if you’re a fan of Sam’s (or sociology) or not, I think there is something for everyone to take away with them. Sam has really allowed me to expand my mind, and grow as a person throughout the course. And for that, I thank him a million times over. It has been an awesome class, and I’m definitely going to miss it!
This class has been really interesting and I am really glad that I decided to take it. I really learned a lot from Sam and he has opened my eyes to issues in ways that I have never before considered. I think the most interesting lecture was the one on LGBT issues.
As a child, I had conversations with my brothers about this and we came to the conclusions that our aunt and uncle were probably gay. However, when my dad told me this, he expected me to be shocked and I was not. My father kept his siblings away from us as children because he thought that having them being around would make us think that being gay was okay. My father’s intentions were great; he wanted to protect his children. However, my father grew up in a different generation from now where people thought that being gay was a choice and not something one is born with. About 3 years ago, I got to see my aunt and uncle again.
Them being gay have not effect on me or my sexuality and will not make me gay. I love my aunt and uncle and part of me resents my father for not being able to see them for such a critical portion of my upbringing. With that said, I have to admit that my views on homosexuality were the exact same as my father’s (in not caring for gay people and such, but obviously taking my aunt and uncle as exceptions to the “fact” that homosexual people are evil) up until I started college and started thinking. Once I got used to thinking on my own, I started to revisit the thought of sexuality and think about it from as biological perspective. As a biology major, I now feel that we will find a genetic linkage for homosexuality in the fairly near future. It is going to be very interesting to see how this all plays out.
Also, the issue of skin color was really interesting. As a future physician, this issue is prominent. It is interesting that there is a huge medical sector in our society that deals with altering people’s bodies to make them look how they feel they should look. Why are these people who get plastic surgery not happy with the way their parents made them? They need to embrace themselves, much the same as people of color and white people generally need to embrace themselves and stop all the skin whitening creams and tanning and changing of hair color. They all just need to be who they naturally are and stop worrying about petty issues like a bad nose or being too dark or having ugly hair. It seems that our society is going farther away from acceptance of others as more and more of these types of products continue to hit the main stream marketplace.
First off LOVE the picture. I hope you still have those pants because if you do, you should wear them one day to class next week. I think everyone would really appreciate that. But as far as the class goes I would just like to say it was one of my favorite classes I’ve taken at Penn State. I love classes where I am given a different perspective on the world and that is all your class is. I think the most your class has taught me is to really take a moment to appreciate my lot in life. Like you said I am the elite. After your lecture on slavery I felt more than ever how lucky I am to have all that I have and to be able to experience all that I have and all that I will experience. I literally almost cried hearing those African boys talk about their slavery. I can not imagine a life like the majority of this world lives. My worries seem miniscule to what they have to struggle through every day. My prayers to God have lately been a lot of thankfulness for the things that I have. I hope to never forget the things that you spoke about in your lectures. I know this is corny but I talk about what you say a lot and tell everyone that if there is one class at Penn State that you have to take it is Soc 119. So thank you! It is these kind of classes that I feel I learn the most and get the most out of. Just to have these issues to be brought to my attention and to get me thinking about them in a different way is a step in the right direction. Awareness is key, and I feel much more aware about so many things. I was reading a couple of the other posts and was glad to see that you had literally changed their opinion on some things, like gay marriage and race relations. I actually found that I already agreed with your position on a lot of the issues. I have always been a middle of the road person and able to see and argue for both sides of the issue. I think your lectures mainly emphasized why I feel the way I do. I will seriously miss coming to this class when the semester ends. I have never looked forward to coming to a class before. So happy 20th anniversary for teaching at Penn State…you rock! I wish I had more time to hear all your stories and life experiences, but thank you for sharing with us the one’s that you did.
Before taking this class I did not really think too much about race and ethnicity, or at least I did not take it too seriously. I mean I knew it could be kind of a touchy subject but not to the point where it effects people on a daily basis. This class really opened my eyes to the world of race. When I think of myself and how I deal with race, I like to think that I am pretty good with handling it. I do not like to think of myself being a racist of any sort, but I do have racist thoughts some times. I mean who doesn’t. I am sure that even Sam still gets racist thoughts some times. I feel that it is only natural for humans to make generalizations like that. But the key thing is how much control one has over those feelings and knowing whether it is right or wrong. I feel that people would not be so racist if they would just take the time to get to know people of other races and make connections with them. The people in class this semester seemed to be kind of lazy when it came to all of these issues. I do not think they were totally engaged in the class or the just went along with Sam’s ideas that easily. But Sam does have some pretty convincing points. Overall I really enjoyed the class. It made me think of what kind of person I am when it comes to this issue. As Sam would like to say, it made me wrestle with myself. I think the most important classes for me were the ones on ethnocentrism. I feel like ethnocentrism is the key to solving racism and discrimination. If only people can see how other people live their lives and be able to relate to other people, the world would be such a better place. I feel like this class opened our eyes to the importance of that issue. I still do not see why people can’t just be cool with the way other people are. I mean is it really that hard to accept people for who they are and what they want to be. I do not have any problems with that. But I think as time goes on that problem will settle a little bit. People need to learn how to embrace each other’s differences instead of shying away from it. This class has been one of my favorite classes here during my four years at Penn State. It helps how comfortable Sam is with himself to help us learn this subject. I really do think he is the right man for the job. This class has made me rethink things and think about the big picture. But most of all this class was just plain fun.
Before this semester started I had no intention of taking SOC 119. I did know though that I wanted to take another class. It just so happened that both of my roommates were taking the class, as were our good friends who lived across the street from us. So when it came to the point where I had to add a class it was an easy decision. I had to wait a week to schedule it and was subsequently added to “section 33.”
One thing that I definitely regret about my involvement with this class is that I didn’t get the chance to have the recitation that goes with the other sections of the class. When I eventually got to participate in the group session that I was required to go to I came away very satisfied. I got a chance to have some dialogue with my peers about some of the topics that I wanted to talk to, but what was even better than that was getting a chance to listen. I’m not typically challenged to think so abstractly about social issues such as the ones that we discussed during that session. As Sam said recently, “we are almost always going to fail when we try to find answers… So sometimes we just need to ask questions and wrestle with issues.” Not everyone benefits from their recitation, but I totally feel like I missed out on a grand opportunity when I wasn’t able to get into a section that had a recitation. I love questioning people’s logic, but I also really enjoy making people think about why they act certain ways, especially when I can’t get in trouble. Someone needs to be that person that calls people out on bullshit and is able to make the transition to dialogue, and I feel that that is me… basically I feel shortchanged. I don’t think that I get nearly the same racerelations experience as those who have that weekly conversation.
Something that I felt I saw a lot of in class was a lack of interest. I can understand that for some people this is just another class and that they only grace us with their presence in order to fulfill their attendance requirement, but the “I’m too cool and I have no need to express my opinions to you” attitude is far and away the most annoying thing about people in college. College is such a small slice of our time on this earth, but during this time we are exposed to more diversity of personalities and experiences in the people we come in contact with than most of us will ever again in our lives. This is an opportunity and if you aren’t prepared to grow as a person you won’t. You will be left behind while the world passes you by and more outgoing people enjoy the success you wish you had. You don’t always have to have an elaborate opinion on world hunger or race for that matter, but you will always learn more listening and engaging in conversations than you ever will by thinking it’s beneath you.
When I signed up for Soc. 119, I didn’t know what exactly to expect from the class. I knew what to expect from Sam. I took Soc. 001 with him the fall before. He was by far my favorite professor at the time. He was definitely the realest. His ideas made everything “click” in my head. For as long as I can remember, I have always wrestled with ideas about various concepts, interaction between people, and just people in general. During Soc. 001, Sam connected the dots for my ideas with straighter lines. It was a no-brainer to take Soc. 119 for another class with Sam.
Unexpectedly, I was disappointed with the first couple weeks. The lectures were nearly word for word from the lectures I heard back in Soc. 001. The only thing that was different was that Sam would say “black and brown people” more often. I was getting pretty bored with the class. I didn’t have any of those “ah-ha” moments like I did before. The class became just another class that I had to go to. The first exam barely made me think. I ended up only getting one question wrong. I was expecting to learn some new things, but that wasn’t happening. I was disappointed, but maybe my expectations were too high.
However, the class spun nearly 180 degrees after the first exam. All of the race inequality stuff was eye-opening. Of course I’ve thought of things like that before, but what I learned just put a whole new perspective on things. The racial identity stages also cleared up some of things I had ideas about. It’s obvious that some people are racist and some are not. But all the places in between were the tough things to understand on my own. The way Sam explained them just made sense to me. Of course there were things that Sam said that were totally outlandish to me. I didn’t agree with all of his views all the time, but it was obvious he wasn’t spewing random bullshit most of the time, as his views were backed up by facts and data.
I thing I hated most about this class was the discussion group. I thought the TA’s were fine, but a lot of the other people just annoyed the crap out of me. My impression was that it was the first time many of them had thought about the things they were talking about. That leads to a lot of narrow-minded thinking. I’m more of a big picture type of guy. I guess I felt like I was smarter than most of them (after all, only 2 out of 711 people had a higher score on the first exam) and they wouldn’t be able to grasp some of my bigger picture ideas. Also, I suck at explaining things so I probably would’ve just left everyone confused. Whatever it was, I didn’t say much. I never felt like I could relate to the people. I’ve never lived their lives. They’ve never lived mine. They never had my experiences. I’ve spent a lot of my life knowing groups of people far different than me. My step-father came from a Mennonite family who wears the head coverings and rather plain dresses. I have some Amish neighbors who lived out behind my house who I talked to on occasion. My date to senior prom was an Indian girl whose parents were immigrants over 20 years ago. I’m not trying to say that I was “better” than everyone else. I just never felt like I could relate to a large part of the group. It was just easier during the discussion groups to let everyone else talk or argue amongst themselves. Maybe some of them would figure some of the big pictures ideas on their own without me trying to poorly explain something to them. I just sat there and listened. Over the course of the class, I did see some people become less narrow-minded, which I thought was pretty good. Maybe the discussion groups weren’t that great for me, but they were definitely good for some of the people.
While doing a group project last Spring I was speaking about needing an elective for graduation. One of my group members suggested this Soc 119 course with Sam and I decided Why not give it a try? Now that the semester is finally coming to an end I am very glad that I took this course my senior year of college with only one more semester to go. I have learned so much in this Soc 119 and I am happy to say that I will be bringing a child into this world in the Spring and I will make sure that they are aware of what this world is really about. I am hoping that I will be able to get this message through to him or her so that they do not go through this world as blinded as I was for all of my 20 years on this Earth.
Throughout the course of the semester there is so much information that I learned that I never even thought about. Now that the semester is over I realize that there are many issues regarding race relations that I’m sure that many people in the world believed was over. For instance slavery, I honestly thought that slavery ended years ago but because of this class I learned that the world that we live in is nothing that I thought it was prior to the start of the semester.
Prior to taking this class I was aware of the differences as far race goes but I didn’t realize that so many people in the world feel that certain races are inferior to others. I personally did not care too much for racial differences because I was always told growing up that race should never be an issue when getting to know someone. I never really had much of a view on the different issues regarding race because I never thought that that was important. Now I realize that race is a very important issue regarding this world we live in.
One class that I really did enjoy was the one from earlier this week when Sam talked about nepotism. Coincidentally when on the phone with my older sister yesterday we spoke about me applying to grad school next Fall and she informed me that her boss recently told her in a conversation that if I do not get into school after graduation I am guaranteed a position at her job and all I have to do is simply apply. With that being said Nepotism has once again proven to work for me.
Anyhoot as I stated earlier taking this course was one of the best decisions that I made during my four years at Penn State and the information I gained from this course I will continue to spread once May comes around and I enter the real world. Thank You Sam for sharing all of this information with me.
My first impression of Sam Richards was made by a little website we all know called RateMyProfessor.com. The reviews I read about him were more of raves than actual assessments and, quite frankly, I thought them to be too good to be true. I was proved wrong completely.
Whenever my dad would give me, or anyone else who would listen, any advice about how to succeed in and get the most out of college he would always say to choose and schedule the professors that are recommended to you by others. The professors who get the most buzz about them tend to be the most worth learning from, and if you do find someone who inspires you to think and explore beyond just the classroom lectures, then try your hardest to schedule all the classes offered by that professor. He would then go on to share his personal experience in college about his macroeconomics professor, and how he changed my father’s view on education entirely.
For me, Sam was that professor. Sam did not just change my view on education however, he changed my view on the world, how people interact and behave in it and why they behave the way they do. Through listening to Sam’s different and unique perspectives, so far from any others that I had ever heard, I began to open my eyes to the larger picture. I learned to see beyond what was right in front of me and instead analyze what was going on besides just the obvious.
I’ve always considered myself to be a thinker. I had never gone through life accepting anything to be true unless it could be shown or proven to me. Sam encourages and inspires all who are willing to open themselves up to his knowledge to never stop thinking and pondering.
Sociology 119 is the second class I’ve taken with Sam. After the first class I took with him, Sociology 1, I was hooked. When I say hooked I mean not only to Sociology but to Sam Richards as well. I was addicted to his teaching style, philosophies and overall outlook on life. In one of the first lectures of Sociology 1, during a normal class, Sam said something in passing that has stuck with me every since the second the words left his lips. I would even venture to say that I have adopted it as one of the primary philosophies I try to live by. He said the following; “There is no miserable failure in life, except for the person who blindly follows rules without asking questions.” After he said the words he moved on to his next idea. He never lingered or even stopped to ponder the genius of the words he had just uttered. That was when I knew that Sam was someone I could respect. He is someone that I look up to as a role model and I hope that someday I will be able to achieve even half of the open mindedness he has.
Wow, I just want to first start off by saying that I can not believe that it is finally here. This class is finally coming to an end and I have to say that it saddens me a little. I think its time for some real and true honesty for a second. I really did not want to take this class in the beginning. A couple of my friends signed up for it and one of them told me that I should take it with him because apparently this class would really change the way that I viewed the world. Since my friend is white and I am black, I thought to myself “this class is not gonna to change my view of the world.” You see I took several other sociology and psychology classes that were similar to this one. Those classes did make me think, but my view was not change on anything. Even though I had many friends of different backgrounds that I myself would never discriminate against, I still felt very angry that white people did not understand the amount of racism that goes on in this country every single day. I decided to take this class since I did well in other classes before that were similar to it. I never expected to go in to class and actually develop a deeper understanding of the complexities of racism, classism, sexism, and religious discrimination. Walking into class every single Tuesday and Thursday had to have been one of the most thrilling experiences of the semester. Going into discussion groups and being able to talk openly about issues that affect our everyday lives was invigorating. Listening to what Sam has to say and being able to talk openly and freely about my opinions on what was said made me realize just how complex these issues are. I realize now that when I walked into the classroom expecting to learn anything, that I was in a mind trap that most people fall into. I did not realize this until after reading the book which Sam’s wife, Dr. Mulvey wrote. You see, a lot of times when people of different races get together at the metaphorical table and discuss racial issues, white people tend to be a lot more hesitant about discussing these issues, and I know realize why. Often times we minorities feel that we must go to this table telling the white people how they have wronged us. Yet, we want to tell them of their wrongs, but we do not want to listen to what they have to say. What I have come to realize is that everyone has to able to open their ears drop their defenses and actively listen to what others are trying to say.
Last Journal
I feel like this last journal is such a bittersweet moment. On one hand it’s the last time I have to write a 450 word journal (even if it’s on a very interesting topic) on a Friday night. On the other hand, it not only means that the end of Soc 119 is coming to an end, but also that this is possibly the last time that I could express myself so freely without any strings being attached. That topic was brought up in our discussion group, and I regret that I didn’t bring it up earlier in the semester so I wouldn’t take it for granted. I felt the “circle of trust” every time I walk into the classroom for discussion, and I feel the same thing when I write these journals. I don’t know if Sam reads these, but my advise to you next semester would be to bring up the topic of using those discussion groups as an opportunity to ask questions and states things you normally wouldn’t be able to do.
Another thing I have to say about my discussion group is that I’m glad I had the opportunity to be in that group. Our group was filled with very smart people from different backgrounds that provided great perspectives that I wouldn’t have thought of. At certain times in our discussion groups I would find myself sitting and thinking in my seat in silence because someone brought up a very good point that changed my thinking on a topic and I had to wrap my head around what they just brought up. Obviously Sam has done that on a consistent basis in his lectures, which I really value because it brings me out of ignorance. I’ve learned a great deal this semester and I feel like it made me a better person as a whole. So many topics and discussions come to mind, and I feel like I could apply a lot of these to everyday life and the workplace.
The other day when I was walking out of class, I was talking to one of my friends in the class, and this next topic came out. We started talking about Sam’s stories and how they’re interesting and informative. His stories are good metaphors/teaching devices that are great to relay a point, however I kind of take issue to them. I’m a really big fan of honesty and telling the truth. When someone tells me something, I believe it, without having a shadow of doubt about it. A lot of times, when someone tells me a story I play out a picture in my mind. I don’t believe a lot of the stories Sam tells are true, or at least haven’t directly happened to him. It’s completely fine if they haven’t, just give credit to who they happened to.
Hey Everybody, it’s about that time I guess, the end of the semester. First off I wanna say thank you to everyone who came along on this journey. I mean honestly this wasn’t a class where I “learned” a lot, but I sure as hell loved the opportunity to bounce ideas and hear the way other people think. Hey sure I’ll admit that I come with my own set of issues. I am not completely sure how I feel about LGBT issues, I may have some racial apprehensions, but if given the chance I damn sure won’t hold my tongue. Why should I? Why should anyone? So if I came off in class as a loud mouth with reckless ideals, that’s a shame because that was not my intent. I just want to have the discussion.
That being said I really loved this class. I realized somewhere in the vicinity of the first week that me and Sam were not very similar. His ideas were very different from my own, but I loved being challenged every week. Both by Sam and by all of you.
One question I never ever got answered was this. How far do we take ethnocentrism? Honestly just stop and give it some thought. Why is it that we have to open our minds enough to see the world through the eyes of Iraqi’s and Homosexuals but we stop there? We never ever question other things like murder. The same way I as a straight male who really doesn’t agree with homosexuality can open my mind to seing how a man could want to be with another man why can’t we as a society understand why it is that killers kill? For some reason we see that as purely wrong. Well I see homosexuality as purely wrong. Which one of us is wrong?
Which one of us is this hypocrite?
As much as I enjoyed this class, I must say that I with people were a little bit more controversial. I don’t think that people really stated their true feelings. As much as I would like to believe that the world is changing and people are getting rid of their racists, sexists and homophobic ways, those people existed in class this semester. I have to say that Sam is the most controversial, radical teacher I have ever come across. I really like him. However, I feel like most people aren’t ready to be exposed, and that’s exactly what Sam does. I think it is cool though. I wish that people argued their points more and it turn into a heated debate. Quite honestly I don’t think that people argue their perspective enough. Some things that were said in class by class members, I didn’t necessarily agree with. But because of the atmosphere of the class, I think people were afraid to. Quite frankly I wish there were more radical people in the class. I absolutely loved the topics in class. One question I would like to ask Professor Richards, In the 20 years he has taught at Penn State, how have things changed? How does he feel about the change? The reason being, although the topics that he talks about are really controversial, they had to be extremely controversial 20 years ago. I mean I imagine that there were people who absolutely hated his guts. So I wonder what made him want to continue on to this point. Also, what were the people arguing about in class when he had to suddenly put this line backer in the middle? I could imagine that it was extremely radical in those times. Those people were probably arguing over one of the lectures that Professor Richards did. I would have liked to be around when that happened. It was probably very interesting. Also, when that guy condemned you to hell what exactly did you say or do? I really would have liked to be there. The fact in the matter is that there are always going to be people who don’t agree with things. I know that over the years people probably have called Professor Richards all kinds of things. If it was me I know that I would have been ready to quit or resort to violence. Well maybe not violence but I would have been arguing with them to know end. I think that we need more Professors like Richards. That way people would be forced to think on their own and not be influence by others. It would be great to see the majority of people have that mindset. Maybe the world would be a lot different.
As much as I enjoyed this class. I must say that I with people were a little bit more controversial. I don’t think that people really stated their true feelings. As much as I would like to believe that the world is changing and people are getting rid of their racists, sexists and homophobic ways, those people existed in class this semester. I have to say that Sam is the most controversial, radical teacher I have ever come across. I really like him. However, I feel like most people aren’t ready to be exposed, and thats exactly what Sam does. I think it is cool though. I wish that people argued their points more and it turn into a heated debate. Quite honestly I don’t think that people argue their perspective enough. Some things that were said in class by class members, I didn’t necessarily agree with. But because of the atmosphere of the class, I think people were afraid to. quite frankly I wish there were more radical people in the class. I absolutely loved the topics in class. One question I would like to ask Professort Richards. In the 20 years he has taught at Penn State, how have things changed? How does he feel about the change? the reason being, although the topics that he talks about are really controversial , they had to be extremely controversial 20 years ago.
Even though I was excited to take this class and I did really love it, I have to admit in the beginning I was a little skeptical of how much I would really learn. As we discussed issues in class, I felt like it would be more of a forum to just think about things that I already really knew. It was not a surprise to me that there were race issues or slavery or hatred in the world. Each time we talked about these things, I felt like it was good to discuss it but it wasn’t really teaching me anything. It also made me uncomfortable in a lot of ways. Some of the lectures about religion and radical beliefs almost gave me a panic attack worrying if someone would get too angry or cause an issue in the class. Also, the saying “ignorance is bliss” exists for a reason; sometimes it is hard to hear about these horrible things in the world when you know there is not really anything you can do about it at the moment. I wrote in one of my journals in the beginning of the semester that it felt pointless to try to get rid of every slave-made thing I owned, because I would not be single-handedly putting Wal-Mart out of business. I could not change the world by myself, so why torture myself by guiltily and painfully thinking about all of the horrors of the world. My mindset was that – it happens and I know we should be aware of it, but it’s too painful to think about sometimes.
So, if there is anything that I have truly learned from this class, it is the story that Sam recently told about the woman who asked him to tell everyone he met what her people were going through. I feel like I now have a better understanding of the point of this whole class; you don’t have to set out on Day 1 to change the entire world, but if you make yourself more aware and pass that information on to others, soon you will create conversations and make small changes. Doing something is at least better than doing nothing. And as class went on I found that my initial impressions were wrong, and that I did actually learn so many things. I will be graduating this May, and in my 4 years here I don’t think I’ve ever passed along so much information from a single class. I can’t remember ever walking home from another class and calling a friend or calling my mom to tell her a crazy thing I had learned. Even if I hadn’t learned a thing, I’d still be grateful for the opportunity to take a time-out twice a week and remember that the world is much bigger than tests and deadlines and money issues. Soc 119 should totally be required at a place like Penn State.
Over this past semester there were most definitely some interesting topics that were covered in class. Before the Soc 119 class I had thought about some of the topics we discussed in class but not to the depth that we covered in class over the semester. Also the class allowed me to view certain situations that are occurring in the world from another perspective. In addition the reactions from classmates were interesting and informative just listening to how others view the world.
The beginning of the class we talked about race issues and I was surprised that so many people were unaware that racism still exists in America. I think that it is important for people to understand the way the world is viewed from other races, so that they can be able to understand other cultures. So many times people make conclusions on other races without actually thinking about were there faults and forthcomings originate from. I thought the class where we talked about determinants and free choice explained just why people may think and act the way they do at times. Because of determinants and free choice I don’t believe anyone should pose judgment against people without understanding their background.
Other issues that caught my attention were the LGBT issues which probably were uncomfortable for some students being that homosexuality is still a sensitive subject. But I believe it allowed people to look at gays as just regular people who just have different sexual attractions. Overall, the class was influential on the way I will live my life and probably affected the way many of our classmates view other people throughout the world.
Wow, what a class! I wasn’t certain when I scheduled the class that I knew what it entailed and the topics that would be covered. It wasn’t until I talked to my roommate who had taken the class the previous semester. She told me about the heated topics that were discussed and about the professor who didn’t hold back anything and loved to speak his mind. This is a quality in a teacher that I knew I would like. I thoroughly enjoyed venturing to every lecture wondering about how the discussions would take course and what Sam would have to say.
What I liked best was Sam’s attitude towards life. “Who really cares because you never know when you might die.” Though it may not be relevant to the course issues, this is some advice that I’m definitely taking from the class. I have always been one to get uptight and worried about everything, especially everything related to school. When you assured us that a grade in a class doesn’t really matter in the long spectrum of things, I kind of got a new perspective on school. It’s very responsible to get your work done but it’s not worth getting all excited over.
The class topics that you lectured on were all very interesting and relevant. Each lecture was somehow connected in some way or another. I especially liked when you would compare things in lecture to the survey that we took in one of the first classes. Some of the answers that people put to the questions were very controversial and sort of represented part of the class as being racist.
Through the duration of the class, I saw some things in myself that I didn’t really like. I feel like I don’t surround myself with, or get to know many people of a different race. I have a circle of friends who are predominately white, middle-class people. I don’t have very many friends who are of a different race or who are part of the LGTB culture. I don’t like to think that I’m doing it purposefully, but I started to question whether I was hiding myself from other cultures and other races.
I was very concerned about attending the race relations project discussion. I’m not very confident in my ability to talk about controversial issues because I don’t think I have a very strong stance on subjects. I questioned my culture during the race relations project. I don’t see myself as a diverse person with several cultures. To be honest, during the group discussion for the race relations project, I felt like I was almost lacking culture and diversity.
Overall, I enjoyed the class and enjoyed attending each and every class. I knew I could expect to learn something new and different in every class. I liked how Sam always tried to get the class involved and I feel like many students brought up different sides to the subjects by asking debated questions. The class taught me a lot and I’m glad that I got to experience the Soc119 atmosphere.
Jared Manley
This semester in Soc 119, Race Relations I have learned a lot. Race is a divider, and could someday be overcome, but there will always be something to take its place. If these class is continued to for years and years to come there is a strong chance its name could change to gender relations, social class relation and so on. I am sure the class has changed tenfold since Sam began teaching this class nineteen years ago.
Journals got me thinking a lot throughout the semester. They were most definitely something that is both necessary for progress of thought for the class and enjoyable. You really get a sense of feeling and thought when putting your words on paper. I loves reading the different entries and online stories along with watching the different clips on the Race Relations website.
We have covered everything from LGBT issues, race, economy, culture, religion and everything in between. My overall thought is through these various medians of division between people, there are just too many different ways to think in this world, which is bitter sweet in a way. It is a privilege that we live in a nation that allows us to free think, formulate our own thoughts and express them. It is also the freedom of our nation that allows us to hate and discriminate.
I have to say the most influential aspect that I came across this semester in Soc 119 was reading the book “Disposable People” which was required reading for the first exam. The book opened my eyes to the various forms of modern slavery. It explained how slaves evolved from being expensive, long term and low profit, to the current cheap, disposable and high profit. It was completely unknown to me that all this was going on in the world today. I now think about it when purchasing things at the store or seeing materials like charcoal. This book was eye opening to me and I think I will read it again soon to get an even better understanding.
Sam used various forms of media when teaching the class, which makes it exciting to attend along with keeping it interesting. I think the use of video, print journalism and other forms of media support the ideas and teachings of the class.
Another obvious aspect that made the course enjoyable was the enthusiasm, love and deep understanding of the topic from Sam Richards. He is not opinionated when speaking on these various topics; however, his words and ideas make the listener develop their own positions and opinions on the subject matter. Overall I enjoyed the semester and without a doubt furthered and deepened my opinions and thoughts on racism and race and how it appears in different forms.
I just want to start by saying that I am very glad that I took this class. I am a sociology minor so when I was scheduling for this semester I just took this class because it fit my time slots. I had no idea what it was about or what I was getting myself into. I remember leaving class after the first day and going home to tell my roommates and boyfriend that I think this is going to be my favorite class by far. I have taken a lot of sociology classes and most give you some important information but none were as exciting as SOC119.
The one lecture or topic that sticks out in my mind and something that really hit home with me was when he was talking about immigrants and the notion we have that they should change their language when they come here and learn English. But then reminding us that at one point our family ancestors were all immigrants and they did not change their culture just because they migrated here. This sticks out to me because I was one of those people that freaked out when people would be speaking Spanish. I will admit I would be mad when I would see things being printed in both English and Spanish in our country. But after that lecture and going home to really think about it, I can say that Sam honestly changed my view on that issue. And although I still have my opinions on this topic they have greatly changed and it was all because Sam and this class.
So overall this was a class that I really enjoyed and I want to say thanks for making these serious issues seem interesting and something that I actually wanted to go out and talk about with people I know. Sam is unlike any other college professor that I have ever had and the main reason is because he is so open minded and he just talks to us. Even though it is a lecturing course that is not what I feel when I am in this class. He tries to get everyone involved and it makes the class that much better. I think that we had a good class too because there were always people that wanted to argue their sides of the story so that made it better too. And another thing that I liked was having to meet for a group section. I am in section 33 so I do not have a weekly group but that time that I did have to go, I enjoyed because it gave you a setting where you felt like you could say whatever was on your mind and I think that was a good experience.
I found myself torn in this class. I first took this class because I needed the credit and thought it might be interesting. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had my first real experience in the discussion group. I am kind of a guarded person and so when everyone was saying such intense things, I kind of was excited to maybe give my own opinion. The second I said something, I was immediately torn apart. Everyone seemed to be completely against my idea and was really coming at me. It really affected me and I remember wanting to cry, but forced myself not to. I immediately called my dad and he was just as upset as me. He could tell I was truly upset and even asked me if I wanted to drop the class. I decided not to, I needed to the class and needed to prove to myself that I wasn’t a quitter. I feel that I made the right decision. There were defiantly things about the lecture that I liked and things that I hated. I liked that the class was a discussion type of class and that everyone could give there own opinion. I feel that everyone was very mature and no one really said anything that made me question teens today. I also found it interesting and very respectable that when kids in the class questioned your lecture in the last fifteen minutes you took the time to listen and respond to them, and noting that what they were saying was worthwhile. I didn’t always like some of the things that you mentioned in class though. I don’t think it was necessary to tell the class first thing that you smoked pot for a long time and discovered “God” through mushrooms. I feel like that made some kids think of you as a hero and some kids like myself, who have never smoked, not feel connected to you. I don’t think that is something appropriate to talk about with students, but that is my personal opinion. I understand that your teaching technique is about honesty and shock. But I feel that this isn’t always the best technique. I also think that some of your topics were a bit repetitive. I did like the lecture on LGBT though and found some of the things you brought up to be very interesting and have never compared the hardships from that group to the group of African American’s and Black’s. I think my favorite part of the class was when you used kids from the class to try and group them into races. That was the most eye opening part of the class for me personally and really helped me to think about things in a new light.
I knew that this class would be amazing because I had already taken a course taught by Sam Richards last semester, introduction to sociology. Last semester we learned a lot about various cultures and how most things that we do are not free decisions, rather they are shaped by factors and forces outside of our control. I feel that in this race relations course, that same philosophy was tied into the lectures. In this course, Sam taught us that our subtle and blatant racisms and stereotypes are not necessarily our choice to believe and observe, rather they are shaped by factors and forces out of our control. For example, if you are raised in a racist family, odds are unless you discover your racial identity and embrace it properly; you will become a racist yourself and hinder any potential improvements in race relations. Sam’s lectures tied in humor with the racism which was productive because it allowed us, the students, to laugh at things that are typically taboo topics of discussion.
This was beneficial because, for the students, it somewhat broke down the walls of race. It allowed us to be able to discuss these controversial topics both in and out of class with both our peers and our families. I personally was in the four credit version of the class, so I had a “recitation” discussion group once per week. This was yet another great opportunity for me (and the other members of my group) to further discuss the issues that we face every day whether or not we know or acknowledge it. I greatly enjoyed these discussion groups and would love to be a teaching assistant for the class. Unfortunately for me, I missed the sign up dates to be eligible.
I feel that this class has changed my life for the better because it has given me ample insight into the world of race relations and the world in general. I have become more of a humble person because of it and a more appreciative person as well. I have actually used what I have learned in this class during conversation with my family members who are not exactly the most tolerant people, and I would like to believe that my words made an impact on their lifestyle.
My little brother is half black and half white and I am white. While we have never been in an argument over our races, I believe that it has had an effect on the way that we treat each other. Due to this class, I believe that our relationship has improved drastically. I most definitely believe that this course has made a drastic, positive change on my way of life.
I feel as though this class made my semester much more interesting. Although I thoroughly enjoyed my discussion, I feel like the majority of the people in my class were holding things back. Such as when we talked about if we had ever seen or experienced racism from those around us, only two others and myself spoke up. Maybe those people really never were around people that were racist but I think that being around people who truly hate other races has given me a different and better point of view. I wish the people surrounding me would not judge others by their skin color but all I can do is hope that they change and learn from them that not all people are logical or justified in their actions. Usually it doesn’t seem this way, such as viewing the problems that their racism does cause. For example, winter break is coming up and I have been dating someone who is Puerto Rican. As much as he would love to come visit over winter break, after talking to my mother the only thing I can decide on is that it would not be the best decision for him to come visit. I felt horrible because he wanted me to call my mom to ask if it would be okay when he was there and he heard the entire conversation and was so offended. I tried telling him before I called that it probably wouldn’t go well and tried to explain my parents to him but after the phone call he said he just didn’t even realize that there were people like that out there. I don’t even know what to say about the whole situation because he is such a great person and it isn’t fair for him to be judged by his skin color or background. This semester has just made me, if anything, more distant from my family because when I am around them they just say so many rude racial things that I’m not really sure how to respond to them. Even though this semester has seemed to make me more distant from my family, I am still glad that it happened. Although I never considered myself racist, I feel like this put me at a more comfortable position with my racial identity and being around being of other races. I grew up in a town that was probably 96% white then came to a college that was 84% white so hanging out with other races was something I was never used to. Learning to become comfortable around everyone is something that I am very grateful after this semester. I just wish more people could take this class so that they could actually learn from Sam and stop viewing people by their races or background. P.S. Sam, if I were on the other side, I wouldn’t join the military and fight against US troops.. only because I would probably do something stupid and kill more of our own troops than US troops.
Lorelei Russo
“The final response”
As my fall semester of my senior year slowly comes to an end I ask myself what classes truly had an effect on me, and which ones I was just taking because I had to. Sociology 119 is one of those classes that was an elective for me but changed my life completely. It was by far the craziest, mind provoking, controversial class I have ever taken. When I first entered the room that first day I already had the notion of who Sam was and the way the class might have gone. I had taken his Sociology 001 class two semesters before and liked that one as well, so I was nervous and excited all in one. Everyone around me had the same feelings I believe. I remember one girl turning to me and saying how her friends told her that Sam was the best professor they had ever had. I turned to her and told her I agreed. It was not the simple fact that he made the class fun, but according to some people he was “one of the most dangerous professors”. Soc 001 was a very similar class I though, but this was more mind provoking, and allowed you to think outside the box for once. This was definitely far from a “traditional” three-credit college course. When I heard that it was actually a four-credit course because there was a discussion group I was honestly dreading it! The first two weeks went by and that first Thursday I sat in the discussion group everyone was pretty much quiet in the beginning. By the end of the first class, everyone pretty much somewhat new each person a little bit better. I have to say that without that discussion group by fall semester wouldn’t be the same. Our group had so many people from a bi-racial, to a white girl that wears uggs. I can honestly say that discussion group had changed my life. Not only do I think of those people as friends, but also as amazing individuals in every single way.
One of my favorite lectures by far was the LGBT lecture. I feel that it was hardly a lecture and more of an oral argument between many different types of students. That by far was one of the most interesting, and enlightening classes throughout the semester, along with the blog entries from that week. I feel like that is a subject most people run away from or just blow off, but Sam dedicated a whole class to that topic and I loved that! Overall this class has been mind blowing! I have met so many different people and could probably never would have looked at the world differently without this class, so thanks to Sam and my TA’s for being awesome!
This semester just flew right by and I cannot believe that it is almost over. I needed to take this class for my gen ed credits and many people told me it was a great course. A few of those people were also suggested that I should take a biology class for fun so I was still a little skeptical. I had no idea what I had signed up for once classes started because the first day Sam asked us to think about things that I never had before. Then I attended my first discussion group and then I knew this was not going to be like any other class I ever had. Little did I know that this would end up being one of the best and most memorable classes I would take at Penn State.
The lectures were always good and made me think about issues in ways that I normally would not have thought about. I was talking about how the class has changed me to my partner during the last lecture. I was telling her that my views on issues that I felt strongly about differed after taking this class. My views didn’t completely do a 180 but there were some modifications to my original view. I don’t think that is a bad thing, actually it is a good thing because now I am always second guessing my views on different topics and spend a little more time trying to see things from another perspective. The discussion groups were a great way for me to listen to many different perspectives at once. I think that is one reason why I didn’t talk much because I really did like listening to other people’s views. I really don’t feel too passionately about issues and I think the reason for that is because I do not know too much about them. I am currently trying to change that and read more about some issues. It was crazy to see so many differing perspectives in one room and no one got into a fight. The discussion groups and lectures really did open my eyes about a lot of things this semester and there is no way I am going to forget it.
This semester I had a full course load with four 400 level business classes along with SOC 119 and SOC 005. It was nice to have these two SOC classes because all I heard in my business classes is to get a good job that makes good money. (as Prof. Clemente likes to call it, to join the dance) Until now that’s what I thought I wanted but now I am not so sure. I am seriously thinking about doing Teach for America next year after I graduate and a large portion of that decision was based off these two classes and I am really thankful for that. Thanks!
This was my second semester taking a course with Sam and once again, it never failed to challenge my thinking. Although as the semester grew on, many of the lessons seemed to over lap and ceased to have the impact that they had the first time I still found myself intrigued. I was the most intrigued and affected I think by the initial race conversations. These were never discussed in the Soc 001 class and to be honest, for me these have never been discussed ever. I don’t want to sound naïve but I know I come from a primarily white area so everything he said really hit a new string, strings that had never been rattled before. Although I know I have friends of other ancestry or race, I don’t even consider them different or as friends of color; we’re just all the same. I don’t feel that they’ve ever had set backs because of their race, especially my Iranian friend Yasmin. She’s always just been one of us. But coming to this class and hearing and seeing the statistics it just really made me think. How could I have been so sheltered from this and how is this still happening because I have never ever seen or heard such a thing. Okay I lie, maybe I have heard in history class of how some parts of the country still suffer from fierce inequality and discrimination but I never really HEARD. It never had the impact on me as it had when Sam explained it. Yes his means are completely random and unheard of and sometimes just crazy but hey it made me think and made me realize a lot of things. It also made me really upset. I think I treat people fairly and thank god my parents always brought my brothers and I to respect everyone and in essence not see color. I always thought I was pretty good at it especially because of my friendships at home but Sam made us realize that you do see color. There is no way to get around it and also a lot of very important people up on the mountain see color and make it harder for them to get to where they are. I just seriously couldn’t believe the statistics when I saw them and it really made me sad. Here I am thinking that the most I had to worry about was being a girl, and the effects and glass ceiling I haven’t seen or felt yet, and there are so many people who feel it everyday. THE WORST was the little kids with the baby dolls. When they all picked the white one over the colored one I thought I was going to cry. I just cannot imagine being a child and maybe not fully realizing it but “knowing” that white is prettier, which for the record I don’t think I can fully agree with but whatever. All in all, this class never ceased to amaze me or challenge me to think about not just my life, but the lives of others.
This is Michelle
Just checking to see how this thing is working.