When reading this chapter, two things stood out to me; population increase of a certain group because of rape, and how people of lower class are given different names to classify them.
The first one I would like to touch on is how they classified certain mix groups. The only thing that came to my mind was the genocide in Rwanda; even though they were all of African decent, the Belgiums came over and decided who had higher status just because of who closest to favor them. This class seperation brought a lot of hostility between the two groups. And after many years of back and forth hatred between the two, after the assasination of the Hutu king became the beginning of a massacre. The Hutu were set out to wipe out all of the Tutsi (children and all). All of this because of a classification set on them by an outside leader. The only thing setting these two groups apart are minor skin complextion and genetics. This how to keep a race from rising up...you turn them on eachother.
The second part I would like to touch on is the expansion of a race due to rape. The women who were being raped were minorities with little rights at the time. And in that era, abortion was not as simple as it is to obtain today. So who did the woemn get raped by? Sometimes men of the same race but most likely came from the rich white men trying to prove in another way his male dominance on this primitive race; In most cases it would be the owner or manager of the woman. But a woman of that status, a mexican, black, or native status, their word means less of a male of the same status. So along with the embarrassment of being raped, the difficulty of getting an abortion forced women to have these mixed babies. Indian and Immigrant women are still constantly taken advantage of in the work place, so my question to is, "What needs to be done in order for it to stop?"
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Media speaks on fear of Black people
In this, the Fox Friends are having a discussion about Obama's presidential campaign when Chris Wallace decided to speak his mind. He touched on a quote Obama stated to the press on behalf of his mother. Wallace took it to the next level stating how people in our society view different races and stated that he hiself has a fear of some black people when he sees them walking down the street
Homophobia
In the movie "Boys Don't Cry", true events took place in Nebraska that left two people dead because of Homophobia. In this small town, two people fell in love, a local girl and a boy from out of town. All was good until they discovered the boys secret...he was really a she. Brandon, is what she called herself, considered herselfa man because of her preference in sex. She liked women and wanted to be one of the guys. When the locals heard this secret, a couple of them took it as a threat and began to become hostel torwards Brandon. They humiliated her in front of her girfriend and her family, and eventually raped and killed her along with someone she had been staying with. The men who killed her show drastic signs of being homophobic and because of something different, something that was seen as abnormal in their eyes, they felt that they had to destroy it.
Unfortunately this was not the only case of its kind, A young man by the name of Matthew Shepard who attended the University of Wyoming, was tied up to a fence, beaten, tortured and robbed then left for dead by two assailants. He was found close to dead 18 hours later by died 5 days in the hospital. People who murder or even show discrimination torwards others just because of their gender or gender preference makes it clear that they are paying too much attention into someone else's life. People should not have to die for making a choice as simple as what sex they want to be with.
Occupied America
In this reading, Rodolfo Acuna points out some key facts that Americans do not want to accept, and that is we are in some way imperialistic. He states that we do not believe we are because we think of imperialism as "an affliction of other countries." When you read between the lines, you are able to see that America is and will remain the same way forever, and that is bending and twisting words like oppression, imperialism, racism and any other demining words to take away the harsh reality that this country is like a young spoiled and selfish king.
It wasn't bad enough that we ran the Mexicans off their own land, we had and still have to manipulate them for cheap labor. "After 1910, almost one-eighth of Mexico's population migrated to the United States" for an opportunity, instead all they received was tons of labor for a pay of close to nothing.
This reading highly affects me because i am from Los Angeles California where the Mexican population is high. I hear my family, and see protests against Mexicans because it is said that they are taking up all the jobs in L.A and are not paying taxes, mainly because some of them are illegal. Buisness owners mainly hire illegal immigrants because they can not use their freedom of speech; holding a protest and speaking out for the bad work conditions and poor pay would only end in them being deported back to Mexico where the pay is worst. American citizens have the right of free speech and use it whenever they feel cheated. So for a buisness owner, someone who can't say anything about their low pay or poor condition, it would be the better financial choice for them.
Mexicans who reside in America whether illegal or not are here to help their family back in Mexico who have nothing because of America. They are hard workers who deserve more than being oppressed and manipulated by buisnessmen and down talked by the citizens and the media. To think that they were here first and now are not welcomed by most who live here is outrageous and signs of an imperialistic country.
It wasn't bad enough that we ran the Mexicans off their own land, we had and still have to manipulate them for cheap labor. "After 1910, almost one-eighth of Mexico's population migrated to the United States" for an opportunity, instead all they received was tons of labor for a pay of close to nothing.
This reading highly affects me because i am from Los Angeles California where the Mexican population is high. I hear my family, and see protests against Mexicans because it is said that they are taking up all the jobs in L.A and are not paying taxes, mainly because some of them are illegal. Buisness owners mainly hire illegal immigrants because they can not use their freedom of speech; holding a protest and speaking out for the bad work conditions and poor pay would only end in them being deported back to Mexico where the pay is worst. American citizens have the right of free speech and use it whenever they feel cheated. So for a buisness owner, someone who can't say anything about their low pay or poor condition, it would be the better financial choice for them.
Mexicans who reside in America whether illegal or not are here to help their family back in Mexico who have nothing because of America. They are hard workers who deserve more than being oppressed and manipulated by buisnessmen and down talked by the citizens and the media. To think that they were here first and now are not welcomed by most who live here is outrageous and signs of an imperialistic country.
Can We Really Be Proud To Be Americans
Proud to be an American
This is our Country
When listening to these two songs, "Proud to be an American" and "This is our Country" after having my eyes open to the history of slavery, oppression, and genocide that helped build this country, it is extremely difficult to aggree and sing along with the song.
Our so called country is being praised by people whose ancestors stole this country from first the Natives of this land and the rest from the Mexicans who lived and worked the land. Please forgive me for referring to Native Americans as just Natives of the land; I do not feel it is appropiate in this blog to connect them to the word "America". The Natives who did not themselves own the land, but lived off of it welcomed the lost europeans who landed there, and after sharing their resources with the europeans, the Natives were betrayed by the europeans by way of disease and war. But all that land that the europeans now new Americans aquired after killing off so many Natives of the land, it still wasn't enough. This eventually led to the Mexican war where more land was taken from a people who had been on the land for decades. Now we have the nerve to have boarders keeping them out unless they have the proper paper work stating that they have conformed to Americans.
This is our country huh, we are proud to be Americans; when i hear these songs I hear them like this; "I am proud to be a Bully" and This is our Stolen Country"
If i offended anyone I apologize in advance, with all the knowledge I have about this country, this is how I feel when I hear these two particular songs.
This is our Country
When listening to these two songs, "Proud to be an American" and "This is our Country" after having my eyes open to the history of slavery, oppression, and genocide that helped build this country, it is extremely difficult to aggree and sing along with the song.
Our so called country is being praised by people whose ancestors stole this country from first the Natives of this land and the rest from the Mexicans who lived and worked the land. Please forgive me for referring to Native Americans as just Natives of the land; I do not feel it is appropiate in this blog to connect them to the word "America". The Natives who did not themselves own the land, but lived off of it welcomed the lost europeans who landed there, and after sharing their resources with the europeans, the Natives were betrayed by the europeans by way of disease and war. But all that land that the europeans now new Americans aquired after killing off so many Natives of the land, it still wasn't enough. This eventually led to the Mexican war where more land was taken from a people who had been on the land for decades. Now we have the nerve to have boarders keeping them out unless they have the proper paper work stating that they have conformed to Americans.
This is our country huh, we are proud to be Americans; when i hear these songs I hear them like this; "I am proud to be a Bully" and This is our Stolen Country"
If i offended anyone I apologize in advance, with all the knowledge I have about this country, this is how I feel when I hear these two particular songs.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Untitled
Take a look at these two scenes.
Japanese version
American version
When looking at these two clips, what stands out to you? They are both the same character with the same power, so what sets these two apart that makes one better in America than the other. If your thinking the language, then you are close. its the tone of the voice. In the Japanese version of Dragonball Z, the characters have a much lighter voice whereas in the American version, even though he is just a child, the voice is more deeper, more masculine. It was not good enough that the body of this child in the Japanese version was ripped and muscular, America feels that the voice should match their body.
Take GI Joe for another example
Obviously GI Joe represents the soldiers of America. In this intro, what made this cartoon popular was the guns and action used throughout the show but the other thing that helped solidify the strength and how manly the cartoon was, is the voice of the singer. He sings not for pitch and tone, but for bass. The tone of a man's voice helps to define a man's strength; the louder and more intimidating a man can sound during and before a battle helps win the psychological battle...we think. But as you can see hear, its not always the case.
The yelling and screaming men do is meant to strike fear in their opponent. It shows the other man that he is not afraid. In actuality, it is a distraction for who is more afraid. Yelling and talking with bass in your voice lets people know how much of a man you really are; well this is what our society has made us to believe. And we are teaching this to men, women and children that if you do not talk the talk, you are considered, according to Tough Guise, as a wimp, punk, sissy, bitch and any other possible feminine name.
We have even made women to believe that not being a man makes you less of a person and more of an object in the U.S. Women believe that they have to act like men, or even pretend men to get ahead in this world.
The media and certain people in this world are simple minded when they believe that men are the dominant beings on earth and in order to be one, you must walk, talk and look like one. We are all equal and have different abilities that we have that set us apart from the person next to us. We must learn to judge and accept the abilities and talents of a person and look past their gender, and how manly a person can act. This is just something to think about when we our viewing how our society is ran.
Japanese version
American version
When looking at these two clips, what stands out to you? They are both the same character with the same power, so what sets these two apart that makes one better in America than the other. If your thinking the language, then you are close. its the tone of the voice. In the Japanese version of Dragonball Z, the characters have a much lighter voice whereas in the American version, even though he is just a child, the voice is more deeper, more masculine. It was not good enough that the body of this child in the Japanese version was ripped and muscular, America feels that the voice should match their body.
Take GI Joe for another example
Obviously GI Joe represents the soldiers of America. In this intro, what made this cartoon popular was the guns and action used throughout the show but the other thing that helped solidify the strength and how manly the cartoon was, is the voice of the singer. He sings not for pitch and tone, but for bass. The tone of a man's voice helps to define a man's strength; the louder and more intimidating a man can sound during and before a battle helps win the psychological battle...we think. But as you can see hear, its not always the case.
The yelling and screaming men do is meant to strike fear in their opponent. It shows the other man that he is not afraid. In actuality, it is a distraction for who is more afraid. Yelling and talking with bass in your voice lets people know how much of a man you really are; well this is what our society has made us to believe. And we are teaching this to men, women and children that if you do not talk the talk, you are considered, according to Tough Guise, as a wimp, punk, sissy, bitch and any other possible feminine name.
We have even made women to believe that not being a man makes you less of a person and more of an object in the U.S. Women believe that they have to act like men, or even pretend men to get ahead in this world.
The media and certain people in this world are simple minded when they believe that men are the dominant beings on earth and in order to be one, you must walk, talk and look like one. We are all equal and have different abilities that we have that set us apart from the person next to us. We must learn to judge and accept the abilities and talents of a person and look past their gender, and how manly a person can act. This is just something to think about when we our viewing how our society is ran.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Dream world 2
As I was watching Dream World 2, I had a chance to see all these old music videos that I used to enjoy watching. I was only a child when I had first watch them but I do remember wanting to be the star who had all the friends and women at his place. But thats why the videos were setup like that in the first place isn't it. the videos main focus he said was to help sell tapes and CDs by advertising sex and sexiness. The video is supposed to attract a younger audience who (at their age) thinks slutty looking women and men who dominate the women are cool. The way the women in the video show off how sexy they are to the men appeals to both the female and male adolecent crowd; To the young girls, it protrays a woman with a desirable body that all the men want. And to the young boys, it shows a fantasy of male dominance as they are surrounded by beautiful women who are half naked; every boys dream come true.
When these women take it to the next level and try dressing suductive like they had seen on the video, yes they are putting themselves at risk when they go out dressed like that. Most women who go out have one thing on their mind besides dancing, and that is to look better than the next girl at the party. Sometimes this posses a problem when some men can't control themselves.
Music videos do set up illusions and fantasies that both men and women sometimes wish they were apart of. When women bring these fantasies to life, it does put them at a serious risk when they go out, because some men are determined to bring their fantasy alive as well. So women be careful when the cloths you wear are chosen to make yourself stand out sexually, some men will take that as an invite and the night could go the wrong way.
-Mike Graise
When these women take it to the next level and try dressing suductive like they had seen on the video, yes they are putting themselves at risk when they go out dressed like that. Most women who go out have one thing on their mind besides dancing, and that is to look better than the next girl at the party. Sometimes this posses a problem when some men can't control themselves.
Music videos do set up illusions and fantasies that both men and women sometimes wish they were apart of. When women bring these fantasies to life, it does put them at a serious risk when they go out, because some men are determined to bring their fantasy alive as well. So women be careful when the cloths you wear are chosen to make yourself stand out sexually, some men will take that as an invite and the night could go the wrong way.
-Mike Graise
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
