Each member of this group should do the following:
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Selma Marches
Each member of this group should do the following:
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
The Assassination of Medgar Evers
Each member of this group should do the following:
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
The March on Washington
Each member of this group should do the following:
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
Non-Violent Resistance - The Sit-ins
Each member of this group should do the following:
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
Brown v. Board of Education
Each member of this group should do the following:
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
1. Provide a brief summary (in your own words) of your topic.
2. State what you want your audience to understand after they watch your performance.
3. Identify your best source for primary source material thusfar.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Vinny- Avatar a racist movie?
Many of you may know the movie avatar. The movie takes place on a distant planet that is populated by aliens called “Na'vi”. The Na’vi are blue skinned and have no idea about human technology. A disabled Marine, played by the Australian actor Sam Worthington, is sent to study their ways until he develops feelings for them. He then helps them fight against the “White invaders”. The members of the Na’vi tribe are played by black actors such as Zoe Saldana and Laz Alonso.
A columnist writing in the New York Times, David Brooks says "Avatar is a racial fantasy par excellence ... It rests on the stereotype that white people are rationalist and technocratic while colonial victims are spiritual and athletic. It rests on the assumption that non-whites need the White Messiah to lead their crusades. It rests on the assumption that illiteracy is the path to grace.” Some people compare the ruthless treatment of the Na'vi has been interpreted as a metaphor for the plight of American Indians.
In the 1970s a movie that also had the “White Messiah” lead actor were big. The movie was called “A man called horse,” which is about a man captured by souix Indians and becomes their leader. David Brooks says that this movie and Avatar have the same racial concept, that the colonial victims need the white mans help.
Annalee Newitz, editor-in-chief of io9.com, a sci-fi website, said: "The main white characters realise that they are complicit in a system which is destroying aliens, aka people of colour ... then go beyond assimilation and become leaders of the people they once oppressed. When will whites stop making these movies and start thinking about race in a new way?" Cameron denies any racism saying his movie “Avatar” "asks us to open our eyes and truly see others, respecting them even though they are different, in the hope that we may find a way to prevent conflict and live more harmoniously on this world. I hardly think that is a racist message."
The movie still managed to rake in 1 billion dollars in tickets the first 17 days and became the second highest grossing film of all time behind “Titanic”
Question- Do you believe that this movie has a racist message? By that I mean, do you think the lead actor is a "White Messiah" and the Na'vi are almost like the Native Americans? Why or why not?
Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6968020/Avatar-hit-by-claims-of-racism.html
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Racism in Soccer
The title of my article was "UK Legislators to Investigate Racism in Sports." The main idea is that high profile racism is currently starting to show up in soccer in the UK. Many are very surprised that this is happening because the UK has a very good record of having good race relations. John Whittingdale, the chairman of the culture, media, and sports committee, says "The hope that racism on and off the pitch in football was a thing of the past has been shaken by some of the incidents that have occurred."
English Captain John Terry will be put on trial February 1st, and Liverpool Striker Luis Suarez has an eight-match ban and a $62,000 fine. Terry is charged for racially abusing a black opponent, Anton Fertinand, during a Premier Leauge match. Suarez also directed racial abuse towards Patrice Evra from Manchester United, by calling Evra "Negro" seven times.
Source:
Question: Why do you think racism in this country is starting to show up now all of the sudden? Are the punishments too harsh, or should more have been done?
Friday, January 27, 2012
City Council Candidate denied chance to run because she doesn't speak good English
Adam Aucoin
Current Event
The title of my current event is “Judge: Candidate’s grasp of English is too poor for her to run for office.” I got the article off of cnn.com. The main idea of the article is that Alejandrina Cabrera, a female politician is being disallowed for running for public office due to her not speaking very fluent in English. She was running to be a member of the San Luis city council in Arizona. The judge at Yuma County Court declared that her English was not proficient enough to run for office. The city of San Luis is heavily populated with Hispanics. 87% of residents speak a language other than English at home and 98.7% of residents are of Hispanic descent, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Cabrera told the New York Times, “You go to the market, it’s Spanish. You go to the doctor, it’s Spanish. when you pay the bills for the lights or water, it’s Spanish.
With all the talk about Spanish being prominent it can be tough to see why it is such a big deal she is running for city council. Although when it comes to politics, it is a different story. You need certain language skills to function in that setting.
Juan Carlos Escamilla, the mayor of San Luis, had major doubts about Cabrera’s ability to do that job with her lack of English proficiency. He went on to file a lawsuit wanting the courts to decide if her language skills were adequate. The fight became intense when opponents tried to block her from running after she tried to remove Escamilla from office. People were wondering at this point how much English is needed to run for office. Cabrera told the New York Times, I speak little English. The newspaper said it was said in a very heavy accent.
Yuma County Superior Court Judge John Nelson made is ruling after a series of testimonies by linguistic experts and Cabrera. Cabrera is a US citizen and was asked where she graduated from, where she was born and what her name was. She was able to tell her lawyer her name and where she was born but struggled to say where she graduated. She was asked that questions 3 times, but couldn’t answer in English. The judge then made his ruling against Cabrera. He said it wasn’t an intelligence issue, but rather a lack of proficiency in English.
Cabrera and her lawyers weren’t satisfied so they argued in court that the ruling was unfair and unconstitutional. They believed that there aren’t any specific standards for proficiency of a council candidate.
This pressing issue has been a part of GOP debates this week, where many believe that English should be the official language and the only one taught in schools. Many believe that this should be the truth and that within our government everyone should speak English, but others think different. A Altino Elected Officials executive director, Arturo Vargas says, I think it should be up to the yvoters to decide what kind of representative they want. I think it doesn’t serve our democracy well when people are not given all the options that they have.
Question: Do you feel the judge had the right to deny this women the chance to run for city council? How well must a candidate speak English to consider electing them to office? Do you feel like English should become the official language of the United States?
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Avoid Ghetto App created by Microsoft
Microsoft recently outed their new app for GPS's and cellphones which allows drivers to steer clear of unsafe neighborhoods. A lot of people have been calling it the "avoid ghetto" app in which the unsafe neighborhoods are defined by high rates of crime and weather. But, many critics are debating that this new application is racist.
The use of the word ghetto dates back to about 1600 in Venice. In a time when some areas of Europe were expelling their Jewish population, Venice opted to allocate a part of the city to their Jewish population to isolate them from the "regular" population. This enabled the citizens of Venice to use the services of the Jewish merchants, bankers and doctors, but still have them isolated. In the 1890s the word, which originally referred specifically to an area which Jews has to live by law, was expanded to denote any run-down urban area inhabited by an ethnic minority. Since the 1960s this use has become widespread.
In the presence of this new app, many soccer moms and traveling salesmen are taking grasp of the idea, because they do not want their kids to be in danger, or their clients. However, Cleveland Councilman, Zack Reed, believes the app is a very bad idea. He believes that it discriminates against neighborhoods where many good people are trying to make a living. He gave an example about driving down the road you live on, but the app says to avoid that road, therefore the app is telling you that your neighborhood is not safe. Reed believes that by the app saying his neighborhood is not safe, the opportunity to create jobs and economic opportunities won't be the same. Sarah Chinn, the author of Technology and the Logic of American Racism, thinks that the app is appalling. She said that crimes happen in all kinds of neighborhoods and that there are perpetrators of domestic violence, drug possession, fraud, theft, and rape in every area. Many observers believe this new technology to be racist in the sense that high crime rates are often paired with African-Americans. This application is set to be for Windows cell phones coming this year.
Question: Do you believe that this new technology is racist? Why is there so much controversy over it? Would you buy this app, why or why not?
Sources:
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Should Racism Be Called a Mental Illness?
Two years ago Buford O. Furrow Jr. went into a Jewish community center in Los Angeles and shot the center up. His excuse for the shooting was that he did it as a "wake-up call to America to kill Jews." Furrow was a member of a white supremacist group and extremely racist. A year before the shooting, he attempted to check himself into a mental hospital because he constantly said "he wanted to shoot people and kill himself too." With the shooting taking place, a debate re-opened as to whether or not racism should be considered a mental illness. The argument against it would be "it would open a way for violent racists to plead insanity to avoid punishment for their crimes." Currently, The American Psychiatric Association (APA) doesn't list racism on its list of mental disorders. However, most psychiatrists only see racism as a cultural and social problem. APA President Daniel Borenstein said "Brutal, violent hate crimes are usually committed by mean, not sick, individuals and groups. We must not provide the convient excuse of mental illness for those who are not genuinely ill." The prosecutor in Furrow's case highly doubts that having racism classified as a mental illness will allow racists to escape punishment. In Furrow's situation he wounded five people and killed one in the shooting, he ended up facing the death penalty after pleading guilty. The question that still remains is whether or not racism should be considered a mental illness by all.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Nobel Peace Prize
Three women who fought injustice, dictatorship and sexual violence in Liberia and Yemen received the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in the Norwegian Capital. The three women were Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee who also lives in Liberia, and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen.
The United States started Liberia. The last woman to win the Nobel Peace prize in the United States was in 1997 and was Jody Williams.
These three women represent the struggle for “Human rights in general and women for equality and peace in particular” There has not been a women or sub-Saharan African to win the prize since 2004.
Sirleaf was elected president of Liberia in 2005 and won the re-election in October. She helped her country emerge from a bad civil war.
Gbowee campaigned for a long time, for the rights of women and against rape. In 2003 she led hundreds of female protesters through Monrovia to demand swift disarmament of fighters, who continued to rape women; event thought they had the peace deal that ended the civil war.
And Karman won the prize because she was the leader of the human rights group Women Journalists without chains. She was the first Arab women to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the youngest she is 32. They are hoping since she won that many more women will go out and protest against the leader of their country who people want to get rid of.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/12/10/three-women-accept-nobel-peace-prize/
Question: Why do you think that a woman winning the Nobel Peace prize was such a big deal? Why do you think more men have won this prize then Women?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Racism in the 2012 President Election
Race and racism in candidates speech or beliefs has been a large factor in determining the success on votes for many years. According to the article by CBS on January 6, 2012, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich were scrutinized by the National Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for including remarks of racial undertones. The NAACP is an activist group for minorities that was founded in 1909 as a response to the lynching of black people. When it was founded it consisted of 53 white people and 7 black people. The NAACP's goal was to secure the rights of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution. These rights promised black people an end to slavery, the equal protection of the law, and voting rights for black males. In the 1940’s the NAACP convinced President Roosevelt to agree to open thousands of jobs to black workers because they threatened a national March on Washington in 1941. President Roosevelt also agreed to set up a Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) to ensure agreement.
Throughout the 1940s the NAACP saw a large growth in membership and by the close of the decade had over 600,000 members. The group continued its legislative and legal advocacy by helping to inaugurate an anti-lynching act and the integration of public schools. They succeeded in these goals by 1950 when with the end of Brown vs board of education, where schools became integrated. Heading into the 21st century, the NAACP succeeded in maintaining the civil rights that all black people receive as well as maintaining civil rights in economics, health care, education, voting, and the criminal justice system. The NAACP now has over half a million members and its current President is Benjamin Jealous.
The NAACP responded to Republican candidate Rick Santorum because while he was in a press conference in Iowa, a state that is only 3% African American. Rick Santorum stated on January 7th, “ I don‘t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money. I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn the money and provide for themselves and their families.” This statement had been deemed racist since most of the people who needed public assistance in the US are white people living in non urban areas. Also, since his audience was predominantly white, he has been scrutinized for using black people as a scapegoat for the ills of the government. Another incident of racial stereotyping had been committed by Republican candidate Newt Gingrich who stated that Obama was “the best food stamp act President in history,” and that African Americans should be given the opportunity to have paychecks rather than food stamps. This was deemed another racist comment since Black people are not the only recipients of food stamps. Of Gingrich's remark, an NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Jealous said: "It is a shame that the former Speaker feels that these types of inaccurate, divisive statements are in any way helpful to our country. The majority of people using food stamps are not African-American, and most people using food stamps have a job." Also it is important to note that whites receive 34.4% of all food stamps, and blacks receive 21.4%. Another member of the NAACP told CBS radio that Gingrich’s remarks "goes right to the heart of real racism -- that African Americans are lazy and don't want to work and depend entirely on handouts". Though both candidates didn’t intend to upset the black community these comments are still being investigated for generating such controversy.
What do you think, do you think these comments could be deemed racists or does the media and activist groups like the NAACP take it out of proportion? Also, do you think these controversial statements will impact their votes (especially voters that are of minorities)?
Article Website: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57354055-503544/naacp-leader-blasts-gingrichs-food-stamp-comment/
NAACP history: http://www.naacp.org/pages/naacp-history
Monday, January 9, 2012
Current Event
Jamie Hein a landlord in Ohio had a complaint filed against her, on a discrimination charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. On Memorial Day weekend in 2011 Michael Gunn a 40 year old man and also a tenant of Jamie Hein’s filed the complaint. He said that he had his daughter over to swim and then after that day Jamie Hein accused his daughter of fogging up the pool with the chemicals in her hair. After this he said that she put up a sign on the gate saying “Public Swimming Pool, White Only”, and was dated 1931 from Alabama. Jamie Hein claimed that it was just an antique and was on the fence before, and that they just had never noticed it. Also she stated even though the sign says “Public Swimming Pool” you still need to ask for permission to use it. Michael Gunn said that before this he and his family always could use the pool whenever they had wanted. On September 29, 2011 the Ohio Civil Rights Commission found that this did violate the Ohio Civil Rights Act made in 1959. This Act was intended to end segregated business, along with that it also guaranteed all people fair access to public facilities and private business. So the question is if the pool is actually a public pool or since it is on her private property do they not have a right to use it. Since then Michael Gunn moved out and said it was “in order to not expose my daughter to the sign and the humiliation of the message”. In this time Jamie Hein has not apologized and said that “If I have to stick up for my white rights, I have to stick up for my white rights. It goes both ways.” The commission will meet and make their decision on January 12, 2012.
So my question is do you agree with the Civil Rights Commission? Should she be allowed to keep up her sign? And if you had to decide, what would your decision be on the issue?
ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/12/exclusive-white-only-pool-sign-owner-explains/
Jamie Hein a landlord in Ohio had a complaint filed against her, on a discrimination charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. On Memorial Day weekend in 2011 Michael Gunn a 40 year old man and also a tenant of Jamie Hein’s filed the complaint. He said that he had his daughter over to swim and then after that day Jamie Hein accused his daughter of fogging up the pool with the chemicals in her hair. After this he said that she put up a sign on the gate saying “Public Swimming Pool, White Only”, and was dated 1931 from Alabama. Jamie Hein claimed that it was just an antique and was on the fence before, and that they just had never noticed it. Also she stated even though the sign says “Public Swimming Pool” you still need to ask for permission to use it. Michael Gunn said that before this he and his family always could use the pool whenever they had wanted. On September 29, 2011 the Ohio Civil Rights Commission found that this did violate the Ohio Civil Rights Act made in 1959. This Act was intended to end segregated business, along with that it also guaranteed all people fair access to public facilities and private business. So the question is if the pool is actually a public pool or since it is on her private property do they not have a right to use it. Since then Michael Gunn moved out and said it was “in order to not expose my daughter to the sign and the humiliation of the message”. In this time Jamie Hein has not apologized and said that “If I have to stick up for my white rights, I have to stick up for my white rights. It goes both ways.” The commission will meet and make their decision on January 12, 2012.
So my question is do you agree with the Civil Rights Commission? Should she be allowed to keep up her sign? And if you had to decide, what would your decision be on the issue?
ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/12/exclusive-white-only-pool-sign-owner-explains/
Friday, January 6, 2012
This I Believe Reflection Due MONDAY 1/9/12
This week you heard your classmates "This I Believe" statements. In a comment to the post, respond to the following questions:
1. What had writing your "This I Believe" essay taught you about yourself?
2. What did you hear from your classmates that resonated with you?
Please post your response by MONDAY 1/9/12
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Women in Music - 2011
When the media develops, women have been continuously degraded for the way they look or act on television or in videos. However, women have played and continue to play a more positive role in the music industry. Throughout history our society has developed new varieties of music because of the contribution from women. Going back to the 1930's, a female black opera singer, Marion Anderson was denied her right to sing by the president but his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt gave her back her fame by allowing her to sing at the Lincoln Memorial. Not only was she a female singer who was performing in front of 75,000 people but she was a black women who played a striking role in the civil rights movement. A recent article shows how throughout the achievements of women such as Marion Anderson, women have become the main attraction in music.
According to host, Allison Keyes, in 2011, women have become the ones who "rule the music charts". Some of the main singers that Keyes considers in her interview are Lady Gaga, Adele, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Taylor Swift.
In the article Keyes shows and interest in Beyonce's new album of 2011 called "4". She has an interview with NPR's hip hop expert, Frannie Kelly about the new album. Kelly explains that because her album was not completely new she didn't make the nominations for a grammy. Beyonce's song Countdown goes back to R and B music that is not from this generation. Beyonce is an example of a singer who can be easily defined by her mistakes that she makes in one song and how that one song which was a risk could ruin her career.
Then the article changes to other celebrities and their scandals but a huge part mentions, Nicki Minaj. She started off rough just like Anderson did with her album that was released during 2010, Pink Friday. However she struck everone with her song super bass which was the highlight of music over the summer of 2011. According to the editor of Billboard Magazine, Danyel Smith, Minaj was the rising star of the year who took the place of Queen Latifah in bringing that type of excitement to 2011. Although Nicki Minaj didn't have to deal with being black during her time of fame like Anderson, she does have the role of being a female singer who needs to act certain ways to be noticed by the media just like all of the female singers who are becoming more famous in the 21st century.
According to host, Allison Keyes, in 2011, women have become the ones who "rule the music charts". Some of the main singers that Keyes considers in her interview are Lady Gaga, Adele, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Taylor Swift.
In the article Keyes shows and interest in Beyonce's new album of 2011 called "4". She has an interview with NPR's hip hop expert, Frannie Kelly about the new album. Kelly explains that because her album was not completely new she didn't make the nominations for a grammy. Beyonce's song Countdown goes back to R and B music that is not from this generation. Beyonce is an example of a singer who can be easily defined by her mistakes that she makes in one song and how that one song which was a risk could ruin her career.
Then the article changes to other celebrities and their scandals but a huge part mentions, Nicki Minaj. She started off rough just like Anderson did with her album that was released during 2010, Pink Friday. However she struck everone with her song super bass which was the highlight of music over the summer of 2011. According to the editor of Billboard Magazine, Danyel Smith, Minaj was the rising star of the year who took the place of Queen Latifah in bringing that type of excitement to 2011. Although Nicki Minaj didn't have to deal with being black during her time of fame like Anderson, she does have the role of being a female singer who needs to act certain ways to be noticed by the media just like all of the female singers who are becoming more famous in the 21st century.
Do you think that women have achieved power by their role in music? Is the music that woman are creating trying to prove a point? What about the videos that go along with the music, do they degrade the quality of the song?
Monday, January 2, 2012
Violence Against Women in Russia
As well as women’s right issues in America there are many issues in Russia. Women in Russia also face violence. On March 4, 2011, Ambassador Dame Anne Pringle held a meeting with human rights activists to discuss the topic of women’s rights in Russia. This meeting was held right before the International Women’s Day on March 8th. For those who don’t know what International Women’s Day is, it is a day where women look back and see how much they’ve accomplish through their continuous struggle for justice, equality, peace, and development. At this meeting that Ambassador Pringle held, the problems women face in Russia was discussed. Andrei Sinelnikov is the head of his organization known as the ANNA Centre for the Prevention of Violence. This organization was created to protect women and children from violence. ANNA Centre provides programs to help violence victims with legal, emotional, psychological, and informational support. The ANNA Centre also works to raise awareness for women victims on a local, regional, and national level. ANNA Centre is recently opening their first ever nationwide hotline for victims of violence. “Tanya Lokshina and Friederike Behr, representatives of Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International respectively – also discussed the unique issues affecting women in the North Caucasus.” North Caucasu is the northern part of the Caucasus region right between the Black and Caspian Seas and is within the European part of Russia. The Human and Rights Watch an Amnesty International (HRM) is a non-governmental group that advocates human rights. Many groups all over Russia are starting to talk more about how to prevent this violence against women. These activists set out to attempt to prevent, “honour killings, bridal abductions, and enforced dress codes in Chechnya and other republics in the region.” Many women all over Russia have been and unfortunately continue to be attacked. A specific example of an attack was, “last summer in Grozny in which women not wearing headscarves were attacked with paintball guns is one recent example of the severe harassment often inflicted upon women” Groups in Russia are stepping up the fight against violence against women, by talking and creating the first hotline for support. This hotline is just one step in the right direction to continue the efforts to end violence against women in Russia. This is historically significant because not only have women in America been fighting to end violence against them, women in Russia have been too. Even though a new law wasn’t put into place to end this violence, many groups are continuing to try and make a difference in their community.
Do you think that these non-government groups are doing enough to stop the violence? Do you think that the Government should step in to solve these problems, or within time that these non-government groups can solve this violence issue. Do you think these small groups have enough power to stop the violence?
Article Link:
http://ukinrussia.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=560748782
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