Media Device # 10 :)

This is a video of comedian Carlos Mencia, who is Hispanic. Mencia frequently makes fun of different races, ethnicities, and common stereotypes. This particular video is of the war in Iraq, and how we aren’t over there fighting a war, we are over there trying to conform their society to the American way of living. He mentions a few different things about bringing over restaurants, shopping centers, and commercials we have here in the United States. A few references he makes are, McDonalds, Arby’s, Target, and the infamous wal-mart. Carlos also makes a reference to the native Indians who were here and how the whites came in and transformed their land into something that they (the English) wanted.
This video could be related to the chapter we read by Ronald Takaki titled “The Tempest In the Wilderness: Rationalization of Savagery” (chapter 2). This chapter talks about different plays in history and how they relate to racism, and different cultures. One of the stories they analyzed was The Tempest; this is a play that “masquerade for the creation of a new society in America.” It also visualizes the “English expansion not only as imperialism, but also as a defining moment in the making of an English-American identity based on race.” After talking about the plays, Takaki talks about how the English, invaded the Indians, and destroyed their villages, and forced them to become their workers.
My first impression of this video was that it was funny, I have to admit, I laughed. However, after re-watching it over and over I think that it’s embarrassing how people might have these views about Americans. Then you take in to consideration the history of the United States, and how the English forced the Natives of the land to conform to their standards, and customs. I do not agree with everything Mancia talks about in his skits, I do believe there is some truth in this particular observation. I do believe we are in the Middle East for good reasons, and to keep our country safe, but you also have to wonder if there would ever be a McDonalds, or strip malls with Starbucks’ on every corner with out the American influence. Those are the questions you have to ask yourself. But as fast as Carlos Mencia jokes about these ideas and concepts, they are slowly becoming reality. This closely resembles the first invasion white man had on another country, and group of colored people.

Media Device #9--ENW

In the article “Another Place, Another Promise, Another Paradise? Another Perspective on Black Migration, Promised Lands, and Paradises” by Thomas Davis, talks about the mass migration from the different demographics of the United States. Blacks have been moving about for many years, and most of the time it wasn’t by choice. African Americans did not move in unison to the rest of the population, but also didn’t move in contrast to the rest of the population. “Blacks moved to dodge dangers, and to meet desires.” (Pg 1) The first major movement was from the upper south to the lower south. This movement was more voluntary, to get away from the slavery picture. There was a second major movement at the end of the civil war. A move for many blacks was a way to measure their emancipation. This allowed them to be mobile, and gave them the opportunity to re-structure their lives with a special interest in education, religion, and work. In general emancipation created a move towards the city. They then discovered the urban life. “Blacks were at least as urban as whites during the new nation’s first generations.” (Pg 2) Blacks who were free preferred the urban areas. Because the blacks were moving in all directions, this created problems between the blacks and the whites. The blacks created a threat to the white workers. After the presidential election that voted Rutherford B. Hayes into office blacks were excluded from southern economic fruits, were not allowed to buy or lease land, and also were banned from public education. After this blacks decided to prove to the whites that they understood the concept of moving, and relocated themselves in other cities. After World War I, the movement of blacks from the south accelerated, peaked in 1930, and then accelerated again at the end of World War II. There was an estimated 5 million blacks that moved from the south to the north, this created anger, and ultimately riots.
The basic concept of this article could be strongly related to the article by Zinn, chapter 9 titled “Slavery Without Submission, Emancipation Without Freedom”. It relates to the concept of having freedom, only with limitations. The blacks in the Davis article were free, but limited as to where they could go because whites still had a sense of domination over them. In the article by Zinn, blacks were free, but they were forced to join the military and also had privileges taken away from him. Zinn states, “Black man began to vote and to hold office. But so long as the Negro remained dependent on privileged whites for work, for the necessities of life, his vote could be bought or taken away by threat of force. Thus, laws calling for equal treatment because meaningless.” (149) That occurred in both articles.
I believe that nothing that happened to the blacks during this time period was fair. It’s hard to say that this country is free when only a selected group of people actually has that total “freedom”. It’s wrong to pick and chose who can and cannot be free, and this is what the United States was doing at this time. I think that now urban towns can have a bad rep, and could also get tagged as “ghettos” or unsafe, or poor black communities, and this just isn’t always the case. I think that the white community is still afraid of something they are not used to, and that is why whites are hostile against the blacks, and continue to segregate themselves from the urban areas.

Media Device #8

http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/Tuskegee_Airmen_History.html

Tuskgee airmen--history

Historically black men have had to attempt to "prove" themselves. In the article we read Johnson chapter 6 titled, what it has to do with us. This article is about how people feel that they should talk about power, privilege, and difference, but is scared to talk about it. It also talks about individualism. It talks about how a male has a certain stereotype of being sexists, and that men are evil. This chapter mentions that society is divided into social classes, which in reality divides social classes into racial groups.
The Tuskegee Airmen is a group of all Black males flying in the military. This is a group of highly qualified men who were discriminated against because they were black. This was during a time when segregation was still not uncommon, and that black men specifically were in a position where they had to prove themselves to others. They had to fight for the privilege, and power that other (white) men were automatically given. The article about the Tuskegee Airmen states this, "Each one accepted the challenge, proudly displayed his skill and determination while suppressing internal rage from humiliation and indignation caused by frequent experiences of racism and bigotry, at home and overseas. These airmen fought two wars - one against a military force overseas and the other against racism at home and abroad." There were issues at the original site of the Tuskegee Airmen, so they were transferred to Godman Field, Kentucky, where they continued to be racially profiled, and segregated from the outnumbering white officials. They were, ordered to not attend the Officers’ Club on the premises of the base. Those officers who were participating in the segregation of a military base were soon arrested, however most of the charges were dropped, until 1995 when one of the men was finally tried. A quote from this article portrays the harsh racism they endured, regardless of their outstanding achievements,
“After the war in Europe ended in 1945, black airmen returned to the United States and faced continued racism and bigotry despite their outstanding war record. Tuskegee Army Air Field continued to train new airmen until 1946, with women entering the program in several support fields. Large numbers of black airmen elected to remain in the service but because of segregation their assignments were limited to the 332nd Fighter Group or the 477th Composite Group, and later to the 332nd Fighter Wing at Lockbourne Air Base, Ohio. Opportunities for advancement and promotion were very limited and this affected morale. Nevertheless, black airmen continued to perform superbly. In 1949, pilots from the 332nd Fighter Group took first place in the Air Force National Fighter Gunnery Meet at Las Vegas Air Force Base, Nevada.”
I think personally the group of young men who stuck with the torment and harassment from our own military officials have a large amount of courage. Despite the racism, they achieved some of the most outstanding numbers in the war, and despite not being accepted, proved their power and proved their privilege rights. The Tuskegee Airmen are now well known around the country, and participate in many air shows across the nation. I have had the opportunity to meet some of them, and it baffles me to think that these men, who are extremely intelligent and outgoing, had to put up with the racism, and discrimination.

Media Device #7

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3752755

Article about Barak Obama overcoming his race difference and experience as a presidential candidate.

As most American citizens have notices is that from the day this country was discovered, all of the leaders have been white male. Now in the 21st century, people have broken out of that stereotypical leadership role, and now we have a man by the name of Barack Obama running for President of the United States. His father who was originally from Kenya left when he was only 2, to study at Harvard University, leaving him and his mother alone. His mother eventually re-married, to a man from Indonesia. Obama and his mother ventured over to his native land and lived there for just about 4 years, then he moved to Hawaii. Growing up, Barack experience many different cultures, the article explains, "He had already navigated the exotic corners of Hawaii and Indonesia, the halls of privilege of Cambridge, Mass., and the poverty-wracked streets of Chicago as a boy, a student and a young man." Barack never spoke of his challenge as to which he identified with, he says in the article interview "Dreams from My Father," in which he wrote about wrestling with his racial identity and using drugs including marijuana and cocaine to "push questions of who I was out of my mind." After attending a school in Hawaii, and playing on the schools basketball team, Obama briefly worked in New York. After three years, he decided to attend Law school at Harvard. During his time at Harvard, Obama had two memorable moments, the first was meeting his wife, and the second was being elected the first black President of the Harvard Law Review. (Pg 3)"In 1996, he won a state Senate seat and helped change laws governing the death penalty, ethics and racial profiling,” states the article. Because of Obama's ethnic roots, he has been the center of debates. Some other black leaders have questioned whether he is black enough to be a leader. Obama comes back and quotes "there never has been any question about him (me) being black..." He is the first Black man to run for President.
When I was reading this article I thought about history, and how black people used to not be able to overcome anything. They went from slaves, and the abuse of living on a plantation, to being segregated and hated by the whites. These ideas are present in many articles we've read, including the novel "Kindred" written by Octavia Butler. Another article it reminded me of was Johnson’s article titled, Privilege, Oppression, and Difference. This article talks about the white people and the power and privilege they have over minorities. Obama has overcome the difference of being a minority in a world dominated by white people, and has made it possible to have to same privilege and opportunities as other people.
Why would some people be uncomfortable with a black man as president? Some people could argue that its because that specific group of people are minorities, and the president should be someone who can relate to the Majority of the population, however, Barack Omaba has experienced life as white (because of his mother). The title of the Article, which is "Barack Obama Straddles Different Worlds
Barack Obama: a Pragmatist Who Learned to Adapt to Different Worlds." this should explain a lot. People, who are still stuck on the white male president, should open their eyes.
I think that this is an extremely inspirational article, and gives hope to men AND women white or color to pursue their dreams. Anyone who can overcome and adapt to the different lives Barack has, can accomplish just about everything. I think whether or not he actually becomes president, Omaba has inspired, other young men and women, and opened the door for opportunity to other people.

Media Device #6

This is a video that represents the Immigration debates going on in the United States. This particular video is interesting, because it takes modern issues, and puts them into historical pictures. The visual is the Native Americans, and the Pilgrims but the dialect is talking about putting up a fence, and keeping people out. It talks about sending "them" back to their native country, or making them learn the language of the "natives". They use terms of the 21st century such as "crackers" when referring to the white people. The author shows a different side of the Pilgrimages such as what would happen if the Natives were to just accept the white people, they lived in "harmony" and immigration was/would never be a problem in the United States.
Ronald Takaki connects this Video to chapter 2 we read in a different Mirror. In this chapter he talked about the voyages over to the United States in search for a better life, after Columbus discovered the new world. The Indians appeared to be a threat; they wanted to defend their land that was being taken over by the "white" people, other wise known as the Europeans. This could be argued that this is how the United States currently feels about the Immigration of specifically Mexicans to the United States.
This video is a bit of an irony to me. What people are arguing about currently about how "we will soon be a minority in our own country" or how If they are going to live here they should conform to our way of living. Did anyone ever consider that this is exactly how WE came to the United States? The Europeans did not DISCOVER this land, the Natives were clearly already here, and they just developed it out of force. I think some people don't necessarily make that connection between history and current problems. I think people are afraid of change, and afraid of difference. White people (overall) want things to be the same, they are not open to change or diversity, or else immigration wouldn't be an issue. When people talk about specifically Mexicans taking the jobs of current American citizens, it almost makes me want to laugh. These jobs are low wage jobs, and are available to EVERYONE... who makes the effort to get the job. People know the jobs are out there, and still don't go and get them. This is one of very few topics that frustrate me when discussing it, and I feel that this video portrays it PERFECTLY.

Media Device #5--Kenji song

My father came from Japan in 1905
He was 15 when he immigrated from Japan
He worked until he was able to buy respect and build a store

Let me tell you the story in the form of a dream,
I don't know why I have to tell it but I know what it means,
Close your eyes, just picture the scene,
As I paint it for you, it was World War II,
When this man named Kenji woke up,
Ken was not a soldier,
He was just a man with a family who owned a store in LA,
That day, he crawled out of bed like he always did,
Bacon and eggs with wife and kids,
He lived on the second floor of a little store he ran,
He moved to LA from Japan,
They called him 'Immigrant,'
In Japanese, he'd say he was called "Issei,"
That meant 'First Generation In The United States,'
When everyone was afraid of the Germans, afraid of the Japs,
But most of all afraid of a homeland attack,
And that morning when Ken went out on the doormat,
His world went black 'cause,
Right there; front page news,
Three weeks before 1942,
"Pearl Harbour's Been Bombed And The Japs Are Comin',"
Pictures of soldiers dyin' and runnin',
Ken knew what it would lead to,
Just like he guessed, the President said,
"The evil Japanese in our home country will be locked away,"
They gave Ken, a couple of days,
To get his whole life packed in two bags,
Just two bags, couldn't even pack his clothes,
Some folks didn't even have a suitcase, to pack anything in,
So two trash bags is all they gave them,
When the kids asked mom "Where are we goin'?"
Nobody even knew what to say to them,
Ken didn't wanna lie, he said "The US is lookin' for spies,
So we have to live in a place called Manzanar,
Where a lot of Japanese people are,"
Stop it don't look at the gunmen,
You don't wanna get the soldiers wonderin',
If you gonna run or not,
'Cause if you run then you might get shot,
Other than that try not to think about it,
Try not to worry 'bout it; bein' so crowded,
Someday we'll get out, someday, someday.

As soon as war broke out
The F.B.I. came and they just come to the house and
"You have to come"
"All the Japanese have to go"
They took Mr. Ni
People didn't understand
Why did they have to take him?
Because he's an innocent laborer

So now they're in a town with soldiers surroundin' them,
Every day, every night look down at them,
From watch towers up on the wall,
Ken couldn't really hate them at all;
They were just doin' their job and,
He wasn't gonna make any problems,
He had a little garden with vegetables and fruits that,
He gave to the troops in a basket his wife made,
But in the back of his mind, he wanted his families life saved,
Prisoners of war in their own damn country,
What for?
Time passed in the prison town,
He wanted them to live it down when they were free,
The only way out was joinin' the army,
And supposedly, some men went out for the army, signed on,
And ended up flyin' to Japan with a bomb,
That 15 kilotonne blast, put an end to the war pretty fast,
Two cities were blown to bits; the end of the war came quick,
Ken got out, big hopes of a normal life, with his kids and his wife,
But, when they got back to their home,
What they saw made them feel so alone,
These people had trashed every room,
Smashed in the windows and bashed in the doors,
Written on the walls and the floor,
"Japs not welcome anymore."
And Kenji dropped both of his bags at his sides and just stood outside,
He, looked at his wife without words to say,
She looked back at him wiping tears away,
And, said "Someday we'll be okay, someday,"
Now the names have been changed, but the story's true,
My family was locked up back in '42,
My family was there it was dark and damp,
And they called it an internment camp

When we first got back from camp... uh
It was... pretty... pretty bad

I, I remember my husband said
"Are we gonna stay 'til last?"
Then my husband died before they close the camp.


This is a song written and performed by Fort Minor other wise known as Mike Shinoda. He is the rapper from the band Linkin Park. This is one of Fort Minor's songs that wouldn't make the Linkin Park set list is about the Japanese-American internment called "Kenji." Shinoda's father's family was interned in the Manzanar internment camp during World War II, when 120,000 Japanese-Americans on the West Coast were uprooted due to wartime paranoia. "Kenji" is based on interviews with his father and his aunt, who is in her 80s at the time. The voices of his father and his aunt can be heard throughout the song, which the talk about their experiences in the camp. Shinoda raps about how the family was given two days to pack everything into two bags, and about the depression, racial profiling, living under lockdown, and growing crops for the guards and the aftermath of suspicion.
This song is similar to the video we watched in class called, a challenge to Democracy, which was a documentary about the internment camps during World War II and the treatment of the "prisoners". This video talked about the lifestyles of the people who were living in these camps during the war. However, the audience in this case is people from the OUTSIDE world, and not necessarily the people inside the camp. They talked about the positives of living there, and they didn’t focus on the negative aspects. That is where the song Kenji and the video A Challenge to Democracy differ. This relates historically to the treatment of immigrants in the new world. Discussed were many different groups of people who were mistreated because they were different than the Anglo-Saxon race, which was known as the pure race. People we’re afraid for their lives, and some were even fatally injured.
I believe this song is well done, enjoyable to listen to while educating people about what REALLY happened during the time of WWII camps. That is the difference between the song I chose and the video we watched in class. I believe that it is always beneficial to hear both sides of the story, and this was a perfect example of this. It extremely emotional hearing stories, and people speak about their experiences in these camps. That is what I enjoy most about this song; you take someone (who is famous) and hear about his families experience with these camps, and how they dealt with the discrimination because they were different. The most hurtful to thing to hear in the song, and in the video we watched, is that more than half of the people in the camps were American Citizens, born and raised. America was supposed to be the land of the free, home of the brave, as quoted in our national anthem. How could people possibly feel safe if they are judged by the color of their skin? I think this song is a strong message to America as a country, in the future to not judge people based on one single event, and the color of someone’s skin or physical appearances.