During the Cold War, the United Sates of American and the Soviet Union were at an arms race to see who would become the greater super power in the world. Both countries invested billions of dollars into research and creating more advanced weapons. The Soviet Union collapsed shortly after a few years do to economic issues that caused there excessive spending in the military to come to a halt. At that time the Soviet Union was considered the United States is greatest enemy. Any thought of evil or terror in the United States would automatically point to the Soviet Union. This came apart due to the Cubin missile crisis that was believed to bring about the end of the world.
After the Soviet Union deteriorated into an enemy of its own. The United Sates would turn its eye to another group of people in the world that they would not consider the enemy. This enemy that would go to all costs to strive and make sure that the suffering of Americans would be their ultimate goal. These people would come from the Middle East and were not singled out by their country, but by their race and religion. This idea is depicted in the 1986 movie “The Delta Force” that stared Chuck Norris. This movie came around the time where Americans shifted their eyes from the far north east of Asia to the Middle East. Many things occurred that lead the United States to focus most of its attention to that part of the world. Iran’s overthrow of the Shaw; the leader of Iran that was placed by the American government. The movie depicts Middle Eastern mean as bloody, scary men with no morals; one could say that they seemed like they were animals. The role of the Middle Eastern men “Arabs” in the movie was to take a plane under control and to use the hostages on board as a way to get the American government to give into demands that they had.
Although this movie depicts Americans as the suffering and the saviors, the idea is very bias. A scene from the movie gives one a greater understanding of the how Middle Easterners were perceived amongst Americans. After the “Terrorists” had taken control of the plan, one of the men asks the Stewarts’s to collect the passports of the passengers on board the plan. Yet she argues with them that she will not comply with their demands, until they threaten her life. After forcefully going around the plane collecting the passports, the camera focuses only on the Americans on board. One of the passengers pulls his passport out; the camera focuses and zooms in on the passport. Because the man was an American, the audience then believes that these terrorists are targeting Americans only. This idea becomes more and more concrete throughout the movie. The terrorists then take the Americans on board and separate them from the rest of the passengers. As if the other international passengers on board are none of their concern.
The depiction of these terrorists by the filmmaker is also incredibly bias. The trailer to this movie is the best representation of this. “The enemy doesn’t care who they hurt, not how young, how innocent, how helpless”. (Trailer) it shows one of the terrorists striking a woman in the face, a helpless girl who cant save her father, two nuns at gun point by the terrorists, and a pregnant woman his is unable to protect her self. This perception of these men is enough to anger the audience.
Yet the most reviling part of that sentence is the world they use “the enemy”. This points out the fact that Arab men at the time were all considered the enemy. It does not matter from what country they are from, as long as Arabic is their first language then they are considered America’s enemy. I find this interesting due to the fact that the United States has to consider at least one enemy. But what puzzles me is that the terrorists to Americans are singled out to being Arab men. Witch is not true due to historic events where even American Caucasian men had committed acts of terror on their own country.
The idea of the American savior comes to play a huge role in this movie. Chuck Norris is known for his pro- American movies; from his roles as a cowboy, a sheriff, and as a soldier. Yet his role in the movie is the main character. While the terrorists are asking for demands and keeping the people hostages, Chuck Norris and his fellow secret task force take care of the men behind the attack. The way they go about it is very American as well, during the night they attack the “enemy” with guns blazing and singlehandedly each killing dozens of terrorists.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
O'Brian And The Vietnam War... DRAFT
Author Tim O’Brian gives great detail of the Vietnam War in his book If I Die In A Combat Zone. O’Brian gives an account of his time served during the Vietnam War and how he went about his belief and understanding of what he was doing for his country. Being an ordinary young and ambitious American boy, at a young age he would play with his friends as if they were at war. Then when the Vietnam War comes along at a time where he would be eligible to fight, he was not so sure if it would be the right thing. O’Brian gives the reader the idea that even though as a patriotic American young man, he did not believe in what he was fighting for; yet the thought of shame from society and his father would keep him against his will.
Throughout the book the reader is able to pick up on O’Brian’s frustration about the war his country had forced him in. At first he wanted to avoid the war and move over seas. He would go through half way then back down, due to his fear of shame if he were to do such a thing. After entering the army he would go through training and sent to Vietnam, were he would experience a whole new strength and courage that would get him through the war.
The author O’Brian used many different things to get his story across to the reader. One of which was the characters he chose to use in the book. Many of them were middle or low class Americans who joined the war because they had to or the money. Soldiers throughout the book did not seem as if they were fighting for a cause that they thought was just, but yet a fight that they had to fight because President Richard Nixon thought it was a necessary fight against communism.
The author also used imagery very vividly throughout the book. This gives the reader a sense of being in the story; being able to somewhat understand the atmosphere and tension on the battle ground. The amount of danger that each and every soldier was facing every day of their lives on the front lines. The reader can almost picture how each character looked and what was going on around them as the story was told. The most amount of imagery that was used through the story was battles and small scermeshies that occurred from time to time. The bullets, gun shots, and even the sound of shots fired being compared to a woman’s scream; can only give the reader somewhat of a picture or image of what was going on around the characters.
The message that was being written by the author throughout the book was one that could be understood. That although the everyday American believed in protecting their country. Not every American believed in the Vietnam War, even those who gave their lives or put themselves at risk to do so. Yet they did so to rein act the courage most of their fathers had during the 1940s and to play there role in societies eye as a true American.
Throughout the book the reader is able to pick up on O’Brian’s frustration about the war his country had forced him in. At first he wanted to avoid the war and move over seas. He would go through half way then back down, due to his fear of shame if he were to do such a thing. After entering the army he would go through training and sent to Vietnam, were he would experience a whole new strength and courage that would get him through the war.
The author O’Brian used many different things to get his story across to the reader. One of which was the characters he chose to use in the book. Many of them were middle or low class Americans who joined the war because they had to or the money. Soldiers throughout the book did not seem as if they were fighting for a cause that they thought was just, but yet a fight that they had to fight because President Richard Nixon thought it was a necessary fight against communism.
The author also used imagery very vividly throughout the book. This gives the reader a sense of being in the story; being able to somewhat understand the atmosphere and tension on the battle ground. The amount of danger that each and every soldier was facing every day of their lives on the front lines. The reader can almost picture how each character looked and what was going on around them as the story was told. The most amount of imagery that was used through the story was battles and small scermeshies that occurred from time to time. The bullets, gun shots, and even the sound of shots fired being compared to a woman’s scream; can only give the reader somewhat of a picture or image of what was going on around the characters.
The message that was being written by the author throughout the book was one that could be understood. That although the everyday American believed in protecting their country. Not every American believed in the Vietnam War, even those who gave their lives or put themselves at risk to do so. Yet they did so to rein act the courage most of their fathers had during the 1940s and to play there role in societies eye as a true American.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
DRAFT.... The New Deal's light on America's future
During the 1930s America suffered one of the greatest economic failures in its history. Yet the United States government had to find a way out; a way that would jolt the economy back to life as well as the peoples rolls in the country. Warren Susman explains how the people of America in the 1930s came together through a combined collective cultural mix that would become the “American culture”. Franklin Delano Roosevelt became President in March of 1933. He promised the American people a way out of the decade long mess called the New Deal. Franklin Delano Roosevelt would use public speeches, the Great depression, and associations to help Americans favor and support his New Deal.
President Roosevelt before elected was the Governor of New York. He had promised the People of America during his campaign, saying "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people." The New Deal would provide projects, bail out to large corporations and banks, saving and creating new jobs for every American. Yet was the New Deal affective the ways it was planed or did the New deal just enlarge the Federal deficit?
Speeches publicly and on the radio by Roosevelt would take place to help the American people understand the necessity of the New Deal. This would inform the public about the progress and that would take place. Helping Americans have a greater understanding of what the New Deal offered. If the country was to survive and progress forward, something had to happen to the country and fast. This something would be the New Deal.
The Great depression was Roosevelt’s ammunition towards the New Deal taking off. Because the American people had suffered so long from the loss of jobs, and the rise of inflation, people had become desperate. This meant that it was not that hard to convince the public, promising anything that would better there lives’ would sound appealing. The New Deal to Americans was looked upon as something that could pull them out of the Great depression. This plan would help bring back the thriving American economy that once flourished not so long ago. Yet not only did Roosevelt have to convince the public, but the congress would have to agree with the New Deal as well.
The New Deal would create associations and organizations that would help prevent the economic disaster from happening again. Associations like the National Reserve Association would take care of banks that are in trouble. This would make sure that the assets of the bank are covered if any losses were to acure at anytime. The New Deal would do many other things as to help the government create more jobs. While the Government is creating new government sectors that would protect the country from economic disaster, it is creating the need for people to fill these positions. This ultimately helps the government take care of two problems at the same time, instead of taking care of only one issue.
The New Deal ultimately became favored by the American people through these three reasons as well as a few others. Yet the question is did the New Deal help Americas economy and the people out of the Great depression? That answer is yes with a few minor details. The New Deal helped bring the economy back to life. Yet because of the enormous amount of spending, the resection ended up lasting longer then if the New Deal never came about. Prolonging the recovery of Americas financial dept, but also bringing out the country from a strained economy that affected the lives of millions of Americans.
President Roosevelt before elected was the Governor of New York. He had promised the People of America during his campaign, saying "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people." The New Deal would provide projects, bail out to large corporations and banks, saving and creating new jobs for every American. Yet was the New Deal affective the ways it was planed or did the New deal just enlarge the Federal deficit?
Speeches publicly and on the radio by Roosevelt would take place to help the American people understand the necessity of the New Deal. This would inform the public about the progress and that would take place. Helping Americans have a greater understanding of what the New Deal offered. If the country was to survive and progress forward, something had to happen to the country and fast. This something would be the New Deal.
The Great depression was Roosevelt’s ammunition towards the New Deal taking off. Because the American people had suffered so long from the loss of jobs, and the rise of inflation, people had become desperate. This meant that it was not that hard to convince the public, promising anything that would better there lives’ would sound appealing. The New Deal to Americans was looked upon as something that could pull them out of the Great depression. This plan would help bring back the thriving American economy that once flourished not so long ago. Yet not only did Roosevelt have to convince the public, but the congress would have to agree with the New Deal as well.
The New Deal would create associations and organizations that would help prevent the economic disaster from happening again. Associations like the National Reserve Association would take care of banks that are in trouble. This would make sure that the assets of the bank are covered if any losses were to acure at anytime. The New Deal would do many other things as to help the government create more jobs. While the Government is creating new government sectors that would protect the country from economic disaster, it is creating the need for people to fill these positions. This ultimately helps the government take care of two problems at the same time, instead of taking care of only one issue.
The New Deal ultimately became favored by the American people through these three reasons as well as a few others. Yet the question is did the New Deal help Americas economy and the people out of the Great depression? That answer is yes with a few minor details. The New Deal helped bring the economy back to life. Yet because of the enormous amount of spending, the resection ended up lasting longer then if the New Deal never came about. Prolonging the recovery of Americas financial dept, but also bringing out the country from a strained economy that affected the lives of millions of Americans.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Entrepreneurship And Education in the Immigrant world
During the late 1800s through the 1940s immigrants traveled to the United States from all parts of the world. Immigrants traveled from all walks of life, religions, customs, and races by boat to start a new life or escape from persecution. Yet Americans had accepted the new comers but at the same time found the idea of new immigrants to be fearsome and possibly a threat to America’s future. The majority of immigrants who had traveled to find a better life ended up living the same life just on another continent. Ghettos were created all over New York due to the increasing migration of Immigrants. Yet instead of living to the low expectation and complying with what the idea of their roles would be, many immigrants took it upon themselves to go after the “American Dream”. Immigrants looked towards entrepreneurship and education as a way out of the Ghetto and to be accepted by the American people as one of their own. Immigrants worked hard to gain enough money to start a business, go to college, travel to the west, marry, leave the Ghetto, and pursue the life every man and woman in America, immigrant or not, dreams of.
Immigrants came to the New World with hopes of gaining riches and living a life that Americans seem to live so well. Yet the majority of immigrants that were entering the United States had either no or very little education. The main source of income that they were used to was earned by their sweet, hands, and the blisters on their feet that came with it. Manual labor was the main occupation of immigrants, becoming skilled at his or her profession and working most of their lives to support their family and self. Family’s who had a religious figure or scholar in the household had to provide for the father. In Anzia Yezierska’s novel the “Bread Givers” that is exactly the case. The father, who is a Jewish scholar of the Torah, is provided for by his wife and young daughters while he educates himself throughout the day. Yet the majority of immigrant families had every member work, from the father to the youngest chilled; working to bring in ends meet.
The dream of every immigrant in the United States was to start a business and become wealthy. If that was not the case, it was very close to it; as long as they moved up in the social class. Entrepreneurship was something every immigrant seeked on accomplishing. This was a great deal to immigrants seeking a better life; to own and operate your own business meant riches and respect from immigrants within the community. “In America, a man can get rich quick if he only has a head for business” (Yezierska, 111). This passage shows how the father in “Bread Givers” relates wealth with business. The majority of immigrants worked for other immigrants or by peddling goods around busy streets in higher class areas. The joy to run a business in the United States by an immigrant can be felt by Sarah’s mother after her father purchases a convenient store, “The sun is beginning to shine for us. After all our black years, we lived to see our own bought store in America!” (Yezierska, 116).
Yet owning a business or even starting one was not a task that was easy. Many immigrants would go through life only wishing and hoping to see that one day that would never come. The saying “you have to have money, to make money” made its self clear during that time. Businesses like jewelry stores, shoe stores, grocery stores, attracted many immigrants and proved very profitable. Immigrants would start at a low paying job, shifting from one job to another. There was no credit system at that time, so immigrants could only start their business on cold hard cash. That meant if you didn’t have it, you could not have it either until you did.
Education was not the most profitable way of making a living but it was a respectable and a highly sought attribute. It was something that most immigrant children were deprived of due to having to work and support the family’s needs. One way for an immigrant to gain respect and a good living was to go to college. Yet most immigrants were not financially able to attend classes or they had jobs with ungodly hour jobs that held them from doing anything but work all day. Yet those who were able to do so had a rough time in doing both school and work. Even with that said, the majority of immigrants did not have any schooling background. Therefore he or she would have to complete and make up for courses and then apply for a collage that would accept them. Not only did they have to apply to many schools, they had to make sure that they could afford to at the end of the day pay for their education and feed themselves as well.
Going to college meant that you would have to move or live away from the family. Being that most immigrant families were very family oriented women had a tougher time leaving the house then did men. The females in the house were to only leave the household if she was married. This posed a problem to many immigrant women who wanted to live the American life, to be able to pick the man you marry as well as a dependant life. In Yezierska’s story, Sarah does not believe in complying with old family traditions that interfere with her dreams of becoming a school teacher. At the Age of 17 she leaves her family to live on her own and go to school. This was not something that was allowed, yet the urge to learn and become a true American who could provide a steady income and live amongst other Americans; would drive the action of an immigrant woman to go against all odds, even her family. Yet, both immigrant men and women seeked knowledge to better their lives and leave the ghetto that had once held them down.
Immigrants came to the New World with hopes of gaining riches and living a life that Americans seem to live so well. Yet the majority of immigrants that were entering the United States had either no or very little education. The main source of income that they were used to was earned by their sweet, hands, and the blisters on their feet that came with it. Manual labor was the main occupation of immigrants, becoming skilled at his or her profession and working most of their lives to support their family and self. Family’s who had a religious figure or scholar in the household had to provide for the father. In Anzia Yezierska’s novel the “Bread Givers” that is exactly the case. The father, who is a Jewish scholar of the Torah, is provided for by his wife and young daughters while he educates himself throughout the day. Yet the majority of immigrant families had every member work, from the father to the youngest chilled; working to bring in ends meet.
The dream of every immigrant in the United States was to start a business and become wealthy. If that was not the case, it was very close to it; as long as they moved up in the social class. Entrepreneurship was something every immigrant seeked on accomplishing. This was a great deal to immigrants seeking a better life; to own and operate your own business meant riches and respect from immigrants within the community. “In America, a man can get rich quick if he only has a head for business” (Yezierska, 111). This passage shows how the father in “Bread Givers” relates wealth with business. The majority of immigrants worked for other immigrants or by peddling goods around busy streets in higher class areas. The joy to run a business in the United States by an immigrant can be felt by Sarah’s mother after her father purchases a convenient store, “The sun is beginning to shine for us. After all our black years, we lived to see our own bought store in America!” (Yezierska, 116).
Yet owning a business or even starting one was not a task that was easy. Many immigrants would go through life only wishing and hoping to see that one day that would never come. The saying “you have to have money, to make money” made its self clear during that time. Businesses like jewelry stores, shoe stores, grocery stores, attracted many immigrants and proved very profitable. Immigrants would start at a low paying job, shifting from one job to another. There was no credit system at that time, so immigrants could only start their business on cold hard cash. That meant if you didn’t have it, you could not have it either until you did.
Education was not the most profitable way of making a living but it was a respectable and a highly sought attribute. It was something that most immigrant children were deprived of due to having to work and support the family’s needs. One way for an immigrant to gain respect and a good living was to go to college. Yet most immigrants were not financially able to attend classes or they had jobs with ungodly hour jobs that held them from doing anything but work all day. Yet those who were able to do so had a rough time in doing both school and work. Even with that said, the majority of immigrants did not have any schooling background. Therefore he or she would have to complete and make up for courses and then apply for a collage that would accept them. Not only did they have to apply to many schools, they had to make sure that they could afford to at the end of the day pay for their education and feed themselves as well.
Going to college meant that you would have to move or live away from the family. Being that most immigrant families were very family oriented women had a tougher time leaving the house then did men. The females in the house were to only leave the household if she was married. This posed a problem to many immigrant women who wanted to live the American life, to be able to pick the man you marry as well as a dependant life. In Yezierska’s story, Sarah does not believe in complying with old family traditions that interfere with her dreams of becoming a school teacher. At the Age of 17 she leaves her family to live on her own and go to school. This was not something that was allowed, yet the urge to learn and become a true American who could provide a steady income and live amongst other Americans; would drive the action of an immigrant woman to go against all odds, even her family. Yet, both immigrant men and women seeked knowledge to better their lives and leave the ghetto that had once held them down.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
My General Statment On Obama Memorabilia
A sense of new nationalism and pride has come to be felt all around the United States. Obama Memorabilia in every way depicts that and can be seen almost everywhere, before and after the presidential inauguration. The number of high end and kinds of memorabilia can be mind boggling; age, race, and gender play no role. There is anything and everything for anyone willing to support the man that will lead the United States of America for the next four years, President elect Barak Obama.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Expensive and High End Obama Memorabilia
During this past week I had the chance to scout the District of Columbia for Places that sold or distributed Obama Merchandise. I found that the majority of Obama memorabilia was sold by the local sidewalks near and off The Gorge Washington Campus. Yet the majority of the high end items that were sold were mainly found in stores and as well as online. Obama merchandise can also be found all over the country, from state to state. The merchandise ranges from clothing wear, jewelry, and art work. These items also varied from different age groups as well as the racial and social class that it gears towards.
The Clothing wear can be found ranging from many different prices. I found that some of the clothing wear reached as high as 70 dollars if not more. This is extraordinarily higher than the 10 to 20 dollar t-shirt's that are sold on street sides and in many stores. Yet, the high end clothing wear did not seem to be just any ordinary t-shirt, sweeter, or a lousy cap that had Obama’s name written all over it. One of the high end clothing peaces I had seen was a heavy sweater that was a light cream color with Obama’s name that appeared in very small words placed on the right side of the upper part of the chest. This particular Memorabilia was being sold for over 80 dollars, not including tax. Although 80 dollars to some might not seem that much, compared to other clothing pieces I found, it was extremely expensive.
Another item that I had found that topped my list of high end and expensive Obama memorabilia was jewelry. The jewelry ranged from necklaces, bracelets, and charms. Yet the majority of the jewelry I found was mainly sold online, yet a few stores did offer a very small selection. The necklaces that were offered as well as the charms sold for around an average price of 35 dollars. Bracelets varied from many different prices due to the material and different designs that were offered. These items surprisingly were extraordinarily cheaper than the high end clothing that was offered.
Art work was also amongst the things I had noticed that were expensive Obama memorabilia. Some local artists as well as artists from many parts of the country were selling paintings of President elect Barak Obama for large amounts ranging from hundreds of dollars. Not to mention the famous picture of Obama with the red, white, and blue colors in the background that is estimated to be worth thousands of dollars. Yet you can still purchase your own for a measly 20 dollars. The art memorabilia was in my opinion the most expensive amongst all the items offered in store and online.
Yet these items are just a few of the Obama memorabilia that can be found. There is an extremely large selection that seems to be just be growing; ranging from items that gear towards infants, teenagers, and adults. I had also noticed that a great deal of memorabilia also geared toward a certain gender, race, and class. For example one of the art works or posters that I had seen pictured Rosy the Riviter with the heading “Women for Obama”. Other items such as clothing and art work also geared towards race in some of the memorabilia sold, an example of that would be the art work of Obama alongside Dr. Martin Luther King. Although most of the high end items were geared towards the higher social class; offering items that would appeal and sell more to those individuals. No matter what age, gender, race, or preference a person has, when it comes to Obama memorabilia, they will mostly find what they are looking for.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
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