Humor

         When it comes to ethnic humor, I think the main justifier as to whether it is right or wrong is who is making the jokes. It depends on the person and whether or not they have actually experienced what they are making jokes about, and in what context they make it in. Especially racial humor, just because to my knowledge it seems to be the most common type of stereotyped humor, the person who is making the jokes needs to be someone who actually understands the basis for where that humor came. It's also important they make the joke in a fairly light-hearted manner, without risk to creating unrealistic or false stereotypes. Other than that though, I think this type of humor can be used to connect people. Human beings have an integral need to relate to others. Humor is a way to take common ground and use it to bond a group… that’s also why you have to be so careful. It’s an easy way to create hurtful stereotypes and create walls between other groups.

         I also wanted to comment about pro-social behavior. I think this is an incredibly effective technique that society for the most part puts under the radar. People do not seem to understand the impact of violence on younger generations from the media, nor do they see the potential from pro-social programs. 

Immigration

First I want to discuss the immigration issue. I believe the reason the Latina people cause the biggest threat to Americans is because of their sheer size and accessibility. Mexico, Central America and South America are incredibly close to the U.S when compared to Europe, Asia and other countries from which many other immigrants also travel, which seems to make their accessibility easier. It also seems that the majority of immigrants who come here are from Latin American cultures. The U.S. population is growing fast, causing more political and economic uprise and Americans are getting scared. I also think that many Latin American cultures have similar physical attributes that differ from many typical American images making them easier to pick out in a crown and blame... not that that is what I want to do, but it explains why many Americans do. Not all, of course, but many. I work with a social worker at Bethesda North and we deal with the Hispanic non-english speaking patients. They are very easy to pick out when we walk into that waiting room when compared to the Americans. I just say that to prove a point.

Gender Constructions

I found the topic of gender constructions extremely interesting. First of all I want to point out that I am going to speak in terms of generalities, but I do believe there are exceptions.

I believe that men and women are biologically different, in more ways than just our chromosomes. What I mean is that I think from the beginning of time, in order to balance humanity, women were engineered as sensitive nurturers, while men were geared as leaders, providers, and protectors. This is not to say this is the position they have to fulfill to be man or woman, but I think from the beginning of evolution this is the way it has been and biology is the reason. We balance each other out.

I do not think that men and women think or feel differently. The stereotype, or social construction, that men aren't as sensitive, analytical or communicative as women is wrong. The difference lies in how we express such feelings. This may be partly a result of social constructions, but once again-partly due to biology. I don't think they were engineered to be as expressive because they had to focus on more pressing matters. I don't want to sound stereotypical in that men are the providers for women, and the women are needed to be taken care of... but I do believe in the beginning this is how it was. WHen humanity began, this seems to be the course of events and biology factored into this result.

I am around a lot of babies and young children and simply watching boys and girls grow up in general is different. Boys like action. They like to be moving and to put things together and build stuff. I have witnessed this. Girls typically like to take care of dolls, they move slower and observe more so than boys. They all essentially do the same things, but the ways they do them is different. Babies have yet to be effected by lots of social constructions. I realize sometimes their parents produce the toys they play with, but I have seen evidence without such interferences. Biology is the factor. They are inherently different.