Income Distribution

The issue on Income distribution is pressing and difficult. The solution to this problem is not simple. The reality is that society today is constructed to distinguish groups of people by how much they make or have. That is the whole basis of the class system. A specific problem today is the difference a CEO of a company makes relative to a worker of that company. Although the amount difference is vast, and somewhat unbelievable, it is understandable. The CEO who is making X amount of money has gotten to a place in which he has worked or earned for that income (hopefully). It is their obligation and talents to uphold the business and regulate it's positive functions. The difference to a worker is that it is only another job that does not require specific expectations or talents. It is simple, and does not require vigorous work to maintain their job.

Gay and Lesbian Temple

This past Shabbas, my best friend and I "crashed" a temple located in West Hollywood. This particular temple was Gay/Lesbian friendly. As I sat down, I realized the multiple, similar sex couples. The reason I was there with my friend was not because of our sexual orientation, but because of a woman canter who made an appearance. I instantly felt a sense of community once I sat down with the people I came with. It didn't matter that we were a new face in the crowd (and probably not to be seen again), they warmly welcomed and greeted us. Throughout the course of the service, the canter began to explain a part of the Torah that seems very difficult for Gay and Lesbian Jews. He explained that it is written in the Torah that if man lay with man or woman lay with woman, they would be put to death. It was completely illegal. I thought to myself that it must be extremely difficult to struggle with not only yours sexual identity, but not to be accepted by a religion. I looked around and realized that these people did not care. They were proud Jews who identified with religion. The world has reshaped it's personal views today. Now, it is possible for Gay/Lesbian temples to exist.

blog post 2

Los Intersticios: Recasting Moving Selves:

This chapter was particularly disturbing. I thought it was interesting that, although she is struggling with finding her true identity, grappling between Cuban and Iraqi, people are aiding in her confusing. In local areas, people come up to her and ask her ethnicity, and express their own personal confusion about her answer and her perceived outer appearance. Her factors that are confusing her and confuse many people in the United states is the conflict between their parents backgrounds, and the childrens' background. She is born in the United States, but her parents are not born there. I would ask the author why would her parents background effect her decisions. I would also ask what she would tell her children, and if she thinks that her kids will be conflicted by the same struggle. This shows me that there are people around the nation who struggle and fight with finding their identity.

ancestry

My ancestry is pretty straight forward, and easily understood. It starts off on my dad's side. His father emigrated from Russia to New York before World War Two fully began. My father's mother was born in the US and raised in West Virgina. My dad is first generation American and classifies himself as white. His father completely assimilated, adapting to the American life style, and becoming a dentist. My father never learned a bit of Russian. So, this leads me to be second generation American, on my dad's side. Since my grandfather assimilated so easily, and my Father never adapted any of my Grandfather's traditions, I do not really identify myself as Russian because that part of our culture was so quickly dropped.
On my mother's side of the family, the ancestry is a bit more interesting. Her grandmother emigrated from Poland to New York as well, avoiding the wrath of World War Two. Thus making my Grandfather first generation American, my mother second generation American, and me, Third generation American. Now, for my Grandmother, we have been in the US for five generation that it is impossible for us to trace back our linage. My mother believes we came from Hungary or Poland, but is not sure. I am proud to say that I am fifth generation American, which I believe is pretty cool.
If a census came around, I would have no problem checking off white, because I am, to the definition, white.

CRASH

The movie,"Crash", focuses on many common gender/racial issues that are present in today's society. The one thing that had a huge effect on me was Ludacris's character. It is not unknown to the educated person today that African Americans have suffered a great history of racial oppression and discrimination. It is also, not uncommon for people of that caliber to hold grudges against the ones who provoked or still enforce that frame of mind on their race; but this one character seemed to take everything to an extreme. His race's background of terrible racism fueled the tank for his stereotypes and negatives observations of the world. For use of examples, he explained that "a black man" shouldn't be listening to country music because it was the music of their oppressors. His friend countered that argument by asking if rap was "appropriate" for a black man to listen to, and then proceeded to recite lyrics that had no apparent meaning to anything relating to pro-race. He also used riding the bus as an extreme example to show that black people are not as fortunate as others, and therefore are made fun of by being viewed as they ride the bus. Although some resentment towards other races are somewhat appropriate and might be expected, I felt as if this character took it to an extreme level.

Understanding Racism, Sexism, and Heterosexism, and Class Privilege and difference

We’ve now read through over 20 different essays on Race, Class and Gender. My question is…..have you accepted them all, or have you critically thought about and questioned some of these notions? For this blog assignment, choose a chapter from either unit on Understanding Racism, Sexism, and Heterosexism, and Class Privilege and difference and COUTNTER IT! Specifically, provide a statement or statements made in a chapter and provide a counter argument WITH EVIDENCE (at least one piece).

The particular article is built on the regimental foundations of pure perception. Throughout the whole article, the author just makes false accusations and assumes the meanings of actions that happen between and male and a female. Her points are not factious comments, and cannot be proven in any way to be correct. As a teenager, of course I agree with the statement she makes that a girl who is sexually active is considered “slut”, but on the other hand if she is not, she is called “ a prude” is relative in the everyday high school norm, but that is not viewed as a discriminatory act.
Another point that was brought up in this article was that of which a male opens the door for a female for strictly a dominant basis. I believe that this is not the case. There are different cases in a male to female relationship where, is chosen to, the male (with a perceived sense of dominance) can “prove” it to himself and the woman who is the one with the power. For example, acts of abuse, verbal, physical, or sexual, or attempts to ensure their dominance over the female. An act of grace is purely from routine, and expectations. If a male wanted to stress their dominance, he would force the female to open the door for him.
Although the author’s feminist views are extreme, I do agree with a part of the notion that males feel an obligation to “chaperone” and “protect” over the female. Females, today in the 21st century are just as capable as any man. For example, Hilary Clinton is a perfect example of a female who has just as much capabilities as a male. She had the opportunity to run for a major political position that was mainly dominated by males.

Difference

“What does ‘difference’ when considering issues of race, class and gender really mean to society at large and potentially to various individuals within that society? What did you take away from this unit about difference that you may not have considered before?"

Difference is derived from the word 'different', which is defined as: not alike in character or quality; differing; dissimilar.  The numerous varying conflicts that strike America by cause of difference between races, classes, and gender, become more evident as we further explore as a class the common situations and factual information. We now live in a society based on difference, laid by the foundations set by  people with pre-conceived notions, and general speculations that are unwilling to search for the truth. For  example, there is a blanketing assumption mainly stressed by white folk that black is an inferior raced based on physical distinctions. Because of this difference between the white race and the black race, racial formations were created, which eluded to subjects such as 'The Jim Crow Laws', and many more discriminative acts. The definition of 'difference' has presently been obstructed and lost throughout the history of America, and the instances established because of this misconception. 
Society, now, lays upon the foundations of the dominating persons. Now factors, including the forced impoverishment of the black race, include power distinctions between women, and other alien races that are not purely American folk. 
This unit provided me with the insight that I was unaware of before. Of course it is on my radar that black people were always subjected to the over powerment of white people, but it was never clear to me the extent the world suffers because of racial, class, and gender difference.