Talking Point #3: Gayness, Multiculturalism and Community by; Dennis Carlson

1. “… A democratic community of mutual support and respect, gay people have for the most part been made absent, invisible, and silent within this community and at the same time represented as the same time represented as the deviant and pathological.”

• I do think gay people have been made absent and that is where the problem comes in. I think if gay people have been more present (more out there) like they are today, they wouldn’t get discriminated upon like they do now by society. I think if people were expose from an earlier time about gayness all the riots we have going on against gays wouldn’t be happening. The only solution to stop this quote from being true is to educate our children and future generation about sexual orientation.

　2. “… The film makes its point: Be yourself no matter who or what you are.”

• In this section, the author was talking about how a certain magazine, talks about a homosexual film and its point. The publisher of the magazine made it very clear that they felt the film was very successful in telling other people just to be themselves. And I couldn’t agree with this anymore that than what the author does. I believe, that may people who are guy do not feel at welcome with society because the society can not understand this quote. I really do believe that this quote is a very powerful one, if everyone just listen to it.

3. “Popular culture may represent identity, but identity also is represented in corporeal form, as individuals actively “live” their identities and make these identities visible in their everyday relations with others.”

• When I first read this, I had to read it again because it is very important to understand what it is saying. In my own words, this is saying that culture is a strong structure to someone’s identity, but in addition it’s someone’s way of living that built them as a person including their partner of choice regardless the gender. I think the way an individual lives represent them more than their popular culture. I think that lot of people do not accept gays because they are afraid of the unknown, and in another class article an author said it is human nature to fear the unknown.

Talking Point #2: "Why can't she remember that?" by: Terry Meier

"Despite their diverse background, all children bring to school rich linguistic abilities acquired through social interaction in their homes and communities." p242

• I believe that all children have a special quality in them even though they might not be privilege as other children nor their parents. I believe that no matter the situation a child is always eager to learn and it is a teacher’s job to make that happen.

"Gabriela... typically sat quietly when books were being read, other children who have not had the experience of being read to at home may participate vociferously in story reading sessions." p245

• Many children do not have the "luxury" of being read to by their parents or at home in general. Mainly because their parents do not know how to read because they have a low education level and/or because they do not know the English language. On of my student in the VIP's program does not have the opportunity to be read for at home.

"Make books come alive." p.249

• I feel as future teachers, we should get our mind set into making reading fun for the kids, because if not they will not like to read and will not learn as much.

Comments/Thoughts.

  I feel that all children should be read to in their homes, even if it is not English.  The main goal/common goal is to get the child to read and learn regardless in what language.

"Amazing Grace" by:Jonathan Kozo

1) " The Number 6 train from Manhattan to the South Bronx makes nine stops in the 18-minute ride between East 59th Street and Brook Avenue. When you enter the train, you are in the seventh richest congressional district in the nation. When you leave, you are in the poorest"

• This quote is the 1st paragraph of the article, and this paragraph really hits home because I use to live in New York City until the age of 13. When Kozo said that the seventh richest city in the nation is only 18 minutes away from one of  the poorest neighborhood it struck memories because when my mom use to work as a CNA she use to take me to her job, and her means of transportation was by taking the 6 train and this quote couldn’t be any better in telling the truth. We got on a certain stop and off another.  The two neigborhood only a couple miles apart are totally different societies. In one neighborhood I saw African American children in the streets and in the rich neighborhood all the white children were in their in huge houses.  I could really relate to this part of the story.

2) ". . . She tells me that more than 3,000 homeless families have been relocated by the city in this neighborhood during the past few years, and she asks a question . . . ' Why do you want to put so many people with small children in a place with so much sickness?"

• This quote took me by surprise because I never knew that 3,000 families get relocated in New York due to poverty. I also did not know that when these people get relocated they get relocated to an unsanitary place with sickness. I think that Government could do a better job than this.

About Me.

I love to sleep and eat. However that does not make me lazy. I like to go out and hang around with friends.  I also like to stay on top of my school work, because that is my future.