Meyer Media Portfolio Entry #10

I found this comic here. It was drawn by Ted Rall. The comic depicts several different white people talking about what kind of person they would give their vote to for President of the United States. It makes a comparison between the time when Colin Powell was considering running for president and Barack Obama. The entire strip is loaded with sarcasm and is very critical of the notion that Americans may put a Black man into the office of the president. I chose this comic strip this week because it is a good representation of the racism that still exists in politics and the government today.

We have discussed the idea that race is socially constructed in this class several times. In this cartoon we are shown several different ways that people are holding on to their racial issues without even really knowing it. It goes back to Johnson’s Getting off the Hook chapter. Whites may be aware of the oppression of blacks and they feel guilty for that. They then lie to themselves until they convince themselves that they are not racist because they would vote for a black man or whatever other reason they can come up with. The truth is that there is still a lot of racism hidden in America and government. The comic strip hints that the only way a black man will win the presidency is if he/she is willing to become more “white.”

When I came across this comic strip, I found myself thinking the comments sound very familiar. It is sad and amazing that we have elected 43 presidents and they all have been white men. In a country that was founded by immigrants and is supposed to be open to everyone, it is amazing that we have so much trouble with diversity and race. It just goes to show how engrained race is in society.

Meyer Media Portfolio Entry #9

What the Youth Know Sergio Bendixen. La Prensa San Diego . San Diego: May 4, 2007. Vol. 31, Iss. 18; pg. 7, 1 pgs Abstract (Summary) One in eight of the nation's young people live in California. Three-fifths are youth of color, and nearly half are immigrants or the children of immigrants. "These young people represent the forefront of the cultural continuum," New America Media Executive Director Sandy Close told us. "To gauge their hopes, fears and perspectives about the future is to glimpse who we are becoming as a society." One thing our conversations with California youth made clear is that this generation embraces, rather than fears, the state's increasing diversity. When asked what defines their identity, they were as apt to cite fashion and music as they were race or ethnicity. The overwhelming majority of young people cited the state's diversity as a strength and maintain diversity among their immediate circle of friends. Two-thirds had dated someone of a different race, and nearly 90 percent said they would be open to marrying or entering into a life partnership with someone of a different race. Given that nearly 90 percent of California's young people expect to get married or enter into life partnerships, and to have children, this raises the prospect of a dramatic increase in mixed-race houses and children of mixed-race heritage. In light of this phenomenon, the entire question of race relations-and the nature of "race" itself-may be forever altered in this and coming generations. Already, only one percent of those polled cited racism or discrimination as the major challenge facing their generation. Full Text (793 words) Copyright La Prensa San Diego May 4, 2007 Each generation is a mystery to the next, and none are more mysterious to us than our own half-grown children. What is important to them, and what do they fear? What's on their iPod, why are they wearing that-and why are these accessories so important to them, anyway? And what on earth are they talking about on those cell phones all day long? Last fall, my firm-Bendixen & Associates of Coral Gables, Florida-in collaboration with San Francisco-based New America Media, undertook an unprecedented effort to plumb that mystery. In the first-ever poll of its kind, we reached out to 600 16-to-22-year-olds via the technology they love best-their cell phones. We focused on California, long perceived as a bellwether for the rest of the nation, and one of the most diverse states in the nation. One in eight of the nation's young people live in California. Three-fifths are youth of color, and nearly half are immigrants or the children of immigrants. "These young people represent the forefront of the cultural continuum," New America Media Executive Director Sandy Close told us. "To gauge their hopes, fears and perspectives about the future is to glimpse who we are becoming as a society." If Close is right, there is much to be hopeful about in the new California. What we found surprised and heartened us. The young people we spoke with left us convinced that California's greatest social capital may be the optimism, and inclusiveness, of the younger generation. Taken together, the 600 voices we listened to via cell phone offered a portrait of a generation coming of age in a society of unprecedented racial and ethnic diversity. If California's young people do in fact reflect our collective future, we are well on our way to a society where race no longer defines identity, and borders matter less than personal relationships and communities born of cultural affinity. California's young people, as reflected in our poll, are strong believers in the American Dream. Overwhelmingly-across race, ethnicity and gender-they believe strongly in their ability to determine their own futures. Despite obstacles, they expect to create successful lives for themselves and imagine a more inclusive and tolerant society for one another. This collective optimism represents a valuable resource for California, and a mirror of what the United States is becoming as a global society. One thing our conversations with California youth made clear is that this generation embraces, rather than fears, the state's increasing diversity. When asked what defines their identity, they were as apt to cite fashion and music as they were race or ethnicity. The overwhelming majority of young people cited the state's diversity as a strength and maintain diversity among their immediate circle of friends. Two-thirds had dated someone of a different race, and nearly 90 percent said they would be open to marrying or entering into a life partnership with someone of a different race. Given that nearly 90 percent of California's young people expect to get married or enter into life partnerships, and to havechildren, this raises the prospect of a dramatic increase in mixed-race houses and children of mixed-race heritage. In light of this phenomenon, the entire question of race relations-and the nature of "race" itself-may be forever altered in this and coming generations. Already, only one percent of those polled cited racism or discrimination as the major challenge facing their generation. This impulse towards inclusion is also reflected in young Californians' attitudes towards immigration. More than 80 percent support giving undocumented immigrants a chance to earn legal status and citizenship. Though they view the breakdown of the family as the biggest challenge feeing their generation-trumping poverty, global warming, violence in their neighborhoods and conflict abroad-California's young people hope and most expect to raise children in lasting partnerships themselves. More than three-quarters of California youth say their lives will be better in 10 years, and expect to have a higher standard of living than their parents. At the same, as tuition rises at the state's major colleges and universities, it should not be surprising that a generation that overwhelmingly aspires to higher education cites school and money as their top sources of personal stress. The optimism and ambition of California's young people are tremendous assets, but also pose challenges. Given rapidly-escalating housing costs; increasing numbers of single-parent households; and high dropout, unemployment and incarceration rates, what will it take to meet their challenge-to create an opportunity society that does justice to their aspirations? These are questions that can't be answered via cell phone-a challenge to all of us, in answer to our children. [Author Affiliation] Sergio Bendixen, head of Bendixen and Associates, conducted the poll commissioned by New America Media and co-sponsored by the University of California Office of the President. For poll results: www.newamericamedia.org/polls

“What the Youth Know” is an article written by Sergio Bendixen for La Prensa San Diego. The article discusses the results of a recent poll of 16 to 22 year olds in California. The focus of the poll was to find out how young adults feel about issues such as race and diversity. The results of the poll were very promising. There seems to be much more tolerance and acceptance of different races. A majority of the people polled said that they had no problem with dating and marring people of a different race. They even cited diversity as one of California’s greatest assets. A future where race is not an issue is very likely if the young people polled are in fact representative of the overall population. I chose this article because it represents the issues we have been discussing throughout this class. Race is socially constructed, so it is a slow process to try to get rid of it. Starting with the young people before society has a chance to effect their perception of race is the only way we can do that.

Johnson repeatedly discusses race as a socially constructed phenomenon. He says that ideas about race are passed down from generation to generation. Society is vital to creating and accentuating the unimportant differences among different races. One of the ways he cites as being a contributor to racial issues is something he calls “paths of least resistance.” He says that people get stuck in a rut of doing things because everyone else does it that way. You don’t encounter any resistance if you conform to the norms of society. That is precisely what makes the article I chose so promising. If a majority of young people have overcome racial tensions by erasing the lines between black and white, tolerance may someday become the norm. The paths of least resistance will include treating all humans equally. It is very difficult to change the thoughts and ideas about race that society has burned into the minds of older people. If it all starts with the younger generation, it will be more likely to succeed. By the time young adults of today become part of the older generation, we may have a society that does not recognize racial lines.

The issues raised in this article do not surprise me. I am not much older than the people represented in this poll and I know that my generation is much more tolerant of racial diversity than generations before us. It is very promising that people are finally starting to realize the negative effects of race. There is still a long way to go, but we are finally seeing some progress.

Bendixen, S. (2007, May 4). “What the Youth Know” LaPrensa San Diego. Retrieved from Ethnic Newswatch Database on July 26, 2007.

Meyer Media Portfolio Entry #8

Here is another cartoon with racial meanings. This cartoon was drawn by Ted Rall. It depicts a news report on the death of the N-word. It makes claims about it getting caught in gang crossfire. Quotes are reported from the F-word and references were made to the safety of other words. I choose this cartoon because it is about a current event and it is also related to Johnson’s chapter about getting off the hook.

Toward the end of Johnson’s chapter about getting off the hook, he discusses the need for everyone to get on the hook. He states that getting off the hook means living in denial. If we get on the hook we can truly help to resolve the racism situation. The death of the N-word is a symbol of getting on the hook. It is a symbol of everyone making an effort to stop using offensive language. The N-word is a very offensive word that needs to be removed from our vocabulary. We all need to get on the hook and do more things like this to erase racial lines.

When I heard about this issue a few weeks ago, I did not think much of it. I do not use the N-word, so I did not think it related to me. After Johnson’s chapter about getting off the hook, I realized that we are all connected to this whether we are outwardly racist or not. We all have to be active in order to eliminate the race issues in the U.S. today.

Meyer Media Portfolio Entry #7

This is a cartoon by Robert Thompson. It can be found here. The cartoon is a representation of the inequalities that women face in the workplace. A woman is standing in front of two ladders labeled corporate ladders. One of them is marked for men and the other is marked for women. The one that is marked for men is much taller than the one that is marked for women. I chose this cartoon because I liked the simplicity of it and it makes a very good statement about the privilege men receive over women in the workplace.

This cartoon relates to course material in a few obvious ways. First, it illustrates the idea of privilege that Johnson discusses repeatedly in the text for our class. Women have a shorter ladder to climb than men do. This shows that men are privileged because they can reach higher positions within the corporation. They get to climb a taller corporate ladder just because they are men. Johnson’s definition of privilege is receiving benefits for reasons that are unfair or unearned. This cartoon illustrated that definition.

When I first saw this cartoon, I immediately thought of Johnson’s definition of privilege. Women have fought very hard to gain equality with men in the workforce. They have made some progress, but they are still not there. This cartoon draws attention to the fact that sometimes women are not given the same opportunities as men. Their ladders do not go as high as the men’s ladder.

Meyer Media Portfolio Entry #6

This cartoon, by Ken Catalino depicts people discussing Barack Obama. Some are saying that he is so articulate. Some are saying that he is clean. One guy asks, “but, is we black enough?” In the corner Uncle Sam is trying to clean up a racism stain. He swears saying it still will not come out. I chose this cartoon because I think it highlights the history of racism that has existed in our government. That is what Zinn discussed very thoroughly in this weeks reading assignment.

This cartoon takes a stab at the racism that is present in our government. Zinn discussed several laws in Slavery Without Submission, Emancipation Without Freedom that enabled racism. He states that in 1808, slave importation was outlawed, but 250,000 slaves were imported after the law was enacted. It simply was not enforced. Zinn also discusses laws that were made with the sole purpose of protecting slavery. He discusses the Dred Scott case that essentially made slaves property and that owners had a right to retrieve runaways. Zinn discusses several other laws that had similar effects. The point is that racism was very much a part of government and it is still there today. Uncle Sam is trying to erase the stains left, but it just will not come out yet.

As soon as I saw this cartoon I thought about Zinn’s chapter. Uncle Sam on his hands and knees trying to scrub out the stain of racism is such an accurate picture. All the focus we have had on race and it is still present in our government.

Meyer Media Portfolio Entry #5

I found this advertisement here.

This is an advertising billboard that Sony put up in the Netherlands last year. It depicts a white woman holding the jaw of a black man. The caption says “PlayStation Portable White is coming.” It is almost as if the white woman is coming to save us by defeating the black man, or the white PlayStation Portable is coming to save us from the black PlayStation portable. I chose this advertisement because I think it relates closely to the Richard Wright chapter that we read this week.

The theme of Richard Wright’s The Ethics of Living Jim Crow is that he had to learn very quickly how to racist treatment. He had to learn to accept that whites were going to treat him poorly, and if he wanted to avoid serious injury or death, he needed to accept the treatment he received from whites. Rising up against it would probably have been very difficult. This ad is sort of saying the same thing. The black person is in a submissive or inferior position in relation to the white person. This advertisement seems to be another example of the unconscious racism that is present. Sony probably did not mean for this ad to be racist, but as Johnson stated in his Getting off the Hook chapter, they still should hold themselves responsible. Saying they didn’t mean it is just another way of “getting off the hook.”

I am surprised that this billboard made to the street. It has such an obvious racial meaning behind it. Maybe they thought that it wouldn’t be a big deal since it was put up in the Netherlands. To me, it seems like a large corporation like Sony would be a little more sensitive to racial issues.

Block, R. (2006). Sony Under Fire for Racist Advertising. Retrieved July 15, 2007 from http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/06/sony-under-fire-for-racist-advertising/

Meyer Media Portfolio Entry #4

This cartoon, by Ted Rall illustrates the discrimination and oppression that blacks have to endure. It touches on the fact that blacks are more likely to be arrested, are paid less money, and are not equally represented in the Senate. Then at the end of the comic it shows them saying that at least Don Imus got fired. I chose this comic because I think it is interesting and it relates nicely to Johnson’s chapter on getting off the hook.

This cartoon touches on many topics that Johnson raises in Chapter 8 Getting off the Hook: Denial and Resistence. All the issues raised in the comic, are very legit and serious. They do not, however, get the media exposure that they deserve. Instead the media covers the Don Imus incident and acts like firing Mr. Imus is the answer to racial issues. It is an example of how our silence on issues of privilege does not help anything. The comic is drawing attention to the fact that we need to “embrace the hook” as Johnson says on page 124. It is the denial that Johnson talks about.

I wasn’t sure how to take this comic when I first came across it. It does a good job drawing attention to some of the inequalities that blacks face on a daily basis. It also shows us that sometimes we get too caught up in issues that are important, but not as important as the major issues and problems at the root of privilege that are ignored.