Minority report

Oh no, from the looks of things im turning into one of those prolific bloggers who doesn't do anything but sit here and pour out thoughts or relate stories, but this one is a little different i guess you could say...it may turn deep...So ive been thinking, what exactly makes being a minority so different than being "like everyone else"?? For me, never really experiencing the whole minority thing, it came as more of a schock last semester, and took some getting used to..while i didn't want to run away and never come back, there were some instances when i felt throughly left out, which can happen anywhere,granted, but only seems to be more noticeable when you happen to have that extra difference about you..its strange..For me i wonder if my attitude has made things worse than they should be down here...not even getting into the race factor, but merely the work ethic, i think there is a huge difference in my idea of a 'student' and other's idea of being the same...for example "chris did you read that story for english?"
..."yea, we had all weekend, you?" ...
"nah, man, that thing was too long, and he doesn't listen to us anyway with what we say" ....
"didn't take me more than an hour to read actually"
.."look at you chris, just going above and beyond, always doin your work"
...Yeah yeah, same conversation could happen anywhere, but when the same person asked me if i did the essay, which was assigned for 4 weeks, and clearly explained on the syllabus how it was supposed to be done, and they didn't bother to do that either...where's the disconnect here people?? it seems simple enough to me to, A.) come to class and B.) do what little work is actually assigned...i don't get it, and its so easy to see those who haven't read, because they cant contribute to discussion, thus leaving whoever the professor is to dominate discussion...but then they are always quick to complain..so in that regard im a minority, complaining about those who don't do anything or complain about having to do something(really, really now guys? this is supposed to be college) As a minority, thus far i haven't been shown any special privlidges, just fell in line with the rest of the students....I don't really know if its this particular culture, being the island one, that has such a different idea on just what does and does not constitute an actual "class", but from where i see it, one of my professors hasn't figured this out yet...Twice now i can count that this same professor has "know[n] what i was going to say" and went ahead and spoke for me...thing was, that wasn't what i had in mind at all...not only was her answer, frankly stupid, it was well off the mark as to what i wanted to say in response to some idiot over on st.thomas, who enjoys being able to spout off at the mouth with great regularity,and is seldom told to shut up...
So i've come to the conclusion that the idea of a minority is only something important when the majority is unwilling to bend...its that "you're from the outside, so you wouldn't understand" type of thinking that makes people actually feel like they don't belong..but the problem is that those with a mindset like that are just ignorant. Ignorance is not stupidity, its just a lack of knowlege, and this case, the lack of knowlege surrounding the subjects we discuss in class, from a global persepective is astounding... oh well, at least i can leave you with an inspiring quote right?

"Son, all I've ever asked of my marines is that they obey my orders as they would the word of God. We are here to help the Vietnamese, because inside every gook there is an American trying to get out. It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."