Response to Sara Ceraso about the Mosque

The idea of building a Mosque near ground zero is not what offends me. The idea of building anything at that site other then a Memorial or the towers again is something I can not agree with. Land which has seen this type of blood should be sacred and protected. Like the U.S.S. Arizona in Pearl Harbor or Gettysburg Battlefield, I do not think it should be disturbed. Maybe I am a bit to emotionally attached to this incident, as it happened when I was in the service. I was very happy when the U.S.S. New York was launched, as it was built with metal collected from the remains of the towers. This ship serves as a living memorial to those who lost their lives that day. But the land there, in D.C. and in the field in PA should be left alone, a stark reminder of what hatred does to people of any sort.

Peter King The New McCarthy?

Senator Joe McCarthy had a problem. Actually, he had a lot of problems. One of them was his hatred for Communism, another was the fact that alcohol helped him in his "witch hunt". After reading the Article in NY Magazine on Rep. Peter King, there are a few things that line up in this new "witch hunt". Mr. King is being driven by something even deeper then a alcohol induced stupor. He is driven by a emotional response known as rage. He believes that the response of the Muslim Americans after 9/11 was nothing. A people who have been dragged to the fore of the everymans thoughts, after a horrendous attack by extremists of their worldwide community. Notice that they were not Americans, and that the American Muslim community did not support them. But, because of the attack, Muslim Americans figured that they would be targeted by the rest of Americans due to their religious beliefs. They were right. And as such, had every right to withdraw into the community and lock out outsiders. Many Muslims, both in the states and worldwide thought that the attack was deplorable. But blood was at a boil at the time and no one wanted to listen. So they stopped speaking. Look at the end of World War II when the camps were being found, and some of the more remote German towns claimed to not know. Our men on the ground refused to believe this, and all Germans for a long time were labeled and blamed for them. The reaction post 9/11 was not much different. If Rep. King extends the domestic terrorism search beyond the religious border of the Muslims, then calling him the "Next McCarthy" is ungrounded, as it is within the purview of his job in the House. If he fails to do so, focusing only on the Muslims, then he should at the very least be removed from that post and formally reprimanded for his actions. When the elections come, we shall see if the detractors to his camp remove him from office, or allow him to remain.

911, Sara Ceraso

We brought this up a few weeks ago in class but never really finished discussing it.. After 9/11 all middle Eastern/any one who looked remotely Indian were discriminated against. They were all classified into one group and all treated with the same uneasiness and disrespect. When the idea was brought up to build a mosque near the 9/11 site much controversy was brought about. I can see this from two sides. One side feels that anyone should be able to use the property. It's fair game and just because it happens to be a mosque it causes problems. But the other side deals with the fact that there are plenty of other places to build a mosque and it is almost as if (to some but not all) Americans that building that in that exact area would almost be a slap in the face. I don't know how I exactly feel about this and would like to know others opinions. I can see how they should build it there but also feel that for lack or argument and controversy other areas might be more sufficient. But then the arguments comes about that saying, Why should Muslims have to be the ones to sacrifice?

Jennifer Graham Post #12

When we first started watching Margaret's stand up, I looked around the room to see how everyone would react. I found it interesting to see everyone laughing no matter the discussions we've had in class. It seems that comedy is the "cure all" for race and ethnicity. I think if some people get offended by someone like Margaret, they simply wouldn't watch her. Like for me, I can't stand Carlos Mencia or a few other comedians, they're just not funny. But Margaret Cho, Robin Williams, Ron White you just can't get enough of and we dont' find their humor at all offensive no matter who they make fun of. Its for entertainment purposes.

Jennifer Graham Post #11

I've been doing a lot of looking around on Margaret Cho's blog and I really like what she talks about. One of the best things talks about the way kids are brought up today in regards to body image. It seems kids now a days are held to such high standards whether its in magazines, on TV or in the movies. A lot of what she talks about not only on her blog but in her stand up that i've been finding on line talks about being yourself and not listening to what other people think you should look or act like.

Senate Hearings

So by now I'm sure most of you have heard about representative Peter King's hearings on Muslim Americans. For those of you who haven't heard he's a republican Representative from Long Island who serves on the House Homeland Security committee. He has recently decided to start hearings on Muslim Americans. He claims that many Muslim groups in America have been soft on terrorism and haven't done enough to stop it's spread across America. This decision has created a strong divide with many people and groups including Amnesty International and the Muslim Public Affairs Council speaking out against it. While there are other groups and people like the American Center for Law and Justice who fully support these hearings. Recently in the news many people have been comparing him to Joeseph McArthy calling these hearing witch hunts.

Disney whitewashing

Someone brought up the subject of raceisim from Disney. And it reminded me of a report a friend of mine did in high school about some of the racist things Disney does to subjugate people who aren't white. In the film aladin the main character is called Al, a much more Americanized name than this original. In the lion king the Simba, Nala and Mufasa are all very light. But scar the evil charecter is far darker than all the other lions physically showing the viewer that he is supposed to be the bad guy. These were just a few examples of what Disney did but there are quite a few more about how they make characters who aren't white look whiter, or use more Americanized nicknames.

Margaret Cho and South Park

On Tuesday when we first started watching Margaret Cho I was not sure how I felt about her. I felt that some of her comedy was a little extreme. Then when we watched it on Thursday I started changing my mind. Some of her comedy was a little harsh, but it also got a certain point across. I realized that what she was saying was intended more to make people realize how ridiculous certain things are. I began to feel that her comedy was compelling because she incorporated parts of her life into her jokes. She did not just make up jokes, she told a story about herself. She was able to take down sides of matters, and turn them into something funny. She also told a story about how she was able to find herself out of everything that she had gone through. By the end of the show, I felt that she put on an excellent show, and was a great comedian.

Another show that I initially had misconceptions about was South Park. When reading the posts about family guy, it made me surprised that nobody had mentioned this show. I remember watching this show and being appalled by some of the things that I saw. I still think this show is a little extreme, and I’m not crazy about it. But it in a strange way, has a good side to it. This show is so extreme in its prejudices that it makes a person realize just how ridiculous they are. Also this show does not just target one group or groups, it targets everyone and everything. It does not just discuss topics of racism, it also has sexism, religion, politics and more mixed into it. Then I decided to look up south park and I came across an episode about gingers. When reminded me of the clip we watched in class awhile ago. Which just watching it, its so over the top, that it makes a person realize just how ridiculous stereotypes are.

Here is the link for the episode http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s09e11-ginger-kids

Also I read a post about Disney movies being racist, and it made me curious so I looked it up. I found this you tube clip about Disney movies, and thought it was something I should share. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LibK0SCpIkk&feature=related these movies are all older ones, but I remember watching them when growing up, and I’m pretty sure kids still do.


Cassandra Paternosh #12

Asian American Immigrants

I thought the poem in class was interesting, and made you think about positions of Japanese Americans split loyalties. If a person came from Japan, they still have ties there. They could have family or friends that they still talk to, so to ask them to give that up would be hard. But if they did not give it up they were seen as enemies during wartime. The groups of Japanese Americans that were born in America, and did not have strong ties in Japan, were easily able to pledge their loyalties to America.

When thinking about immigrants many times people do not think of difficulties they have gone through. With first generation Japanese Americans during World War II, they not only had to leave there homeland for one reason or another. They also then had to turn their backs on their country or be detained. Other Asian American groups, such as refugees, had to leave their homes in horrible conditions. Some groups had to sneak out. One of the family of Laotians that my grandparents sponsored had to sneak out of Laos in the storage of a boat, if they were discovered they would have been killed. Then they were forced to stay in a refugee camp until an American agreed to help. When my grandparents called about it, they were told that there was a bigger family that had been at the refugee camp for a long time, because no one wanted to take on that big of a family. Then when they got over here, they had to start up a new life. My grandparents gave them a place to live, jobs, and everything they needed. The kids had to adapt to a new school, learn new ways of life. They became part of the family, but I’m not naive enough to think that they were excepted everywhere they went. So on top of everything they went through, they also then have to deal with the discrimination of American society.

Cassandra Paternosh #11

Comedy and Race

When it comes to comedy, regardless of the actor, race is a very common topic to make jokes about. This is because society has made it such a big deal in everyday life. It is one thing that everyone knows about, talks about and can relate to. Each comedic actor takes a different approach to their jokes when it comes to race but it is something that you can find throughout many different skits. With such a touchy topic this day and age I feel that comedy is a way to talk about it and for opinions of people to be heard in another form of communication. Some actors/actresses are much more "offensive" when it comes to their jokes, while others take an exploitative approach to the stereotypes present in todays society. I agree with my classmates when they said that Cho shows more of the stereotypes and how ridiculous they may seem versus being offensive about race topics. Though I am not necessarily condoning comedic actors to create jokes on the basis of race, ethnic groups and stereotypes, I at the same time feel that this is something that we as a society have come up with to make a very intense topic into something that can be viewed in a much different light.

Mary Daloia

race jokes

Cho made me really luagh duinrg her impresions of her mother. I think that it was becuase she made her out to be the stereotypical asian women with the bad accent and ridiculous facial gestures. It made me think about other race jokes and if they are ok to be laughed at. I have always been one against race jokes as well as gay jokes and jokes about women. I think that it is becuase those types of jokes are mainly meant to hurt and perputuate stereotypes not make fun of them. Cho and other comediens are funny to me becuase they expose how ridiculous the stereotypes are. i think that other race jokes do the complete opposite and usually are demeaning

race as we know it

Watching Margeret Cho and listening to the stereotypes and ridiculous aspects of people made me think what would life be like if those stereotypes we actually true. I think it would be really messed up. I think that some people actually feel that the stereotypes of races are true and see them through a self fullfilling prohecy They must really have a orrible like if that is all they see becuase there is no possible way that all stereotypes can be true becuase the world would not be able to function properly also it would entirely eliminate personaly freedom and choice for people.

The Question of Loyalty

I just wanted to explain why I chose the poem I selected for my oral report. I didn't really have a lot of time in class because we got into groups and then moved on to the movie, so I figured the blog would be a great spot to do this. I chose this poem because I understand a lot of history through poetry.  I am an English Adolescent Education Major so I don't really deal with history is this the "historical sense" so to speak. I encounter history through novels, diaries, and poems.  When I found "The Question of Loyalty" I realized that this poem spoke out to me more than an other of Yamada's poems because it was plain and simple.  It was telling a story of the different generations and how they dealt with the interment camps.  The Japanese Americans were forced into the camps and once there everyone was registered.  Though many of these people had been American citizens for some time now they were still considered to be aliens who the U.S. couldn't trust not to spy on them and their war efforts.  I find this rather ironic seeing as some of the people put into these camps were then put into our military.  If they were so worried about them being spies why would they put these people into the military rather than keeping them as far away from it as possible?  They were made to sign an oath to foreswear their allegiance to Japan and then would be let free, but this wasn't as easy for Yamada's mother as it was for her.  Since her mother had grown up in Japan, it had shaped who she was, it was her identity.  She didn't want to just say sure I'll give up my Japanese identity and say ill deny any allegiance to that country.  Though she didn't want to, her mother eventually signed the oath in order to be with her children who by then had already had their father ripped away from them when he was arrested because officials accused him of spying.  This poem shows the life of a family during this time. Personal problems that happen to people throughout a historical even show me more than any text book ever could.

No Sex in the Champagne Room

Chris Rock and Margaret Cho are veryyyy different comedians in my opinion. Rock tends to be very overt in the way he addresses most of his issues, he establishes his view and doesn't quit you're numb from laughter. He throws it right in your face too, it's a very unforgiving style of comedy. Cho tended to spend a lot of the show making fun of herself and her family, a very introverted sort of humor, poking fun at herself and the misconceptions of herself. This style of humor is generally less offensive because it doesn't attack like some of Rock's humor does. I don't really think her sex has much to do with it, as I've seen women comedians that are MUCH more offensive than Chris Rock (Lisa Lampanelli to name one).

How to Beat the Stereotype

One thing I particularly enjoyed about Margaret Cho's comedy was her use of stereotypes. She did this in a very interesting way. The example I will talk about is that of her mother. She made fun of her mother, the way she spoke, the way she though, and made her out to be someone 'old school asian-american' or in essence what we all typically though Asian Americans would be like. Cho addressed the stereotype and then defied it. She did this through giving her own personal perpective and revealed herself to be anything but the asian american norm. In doing so it made us feel foolish to even think that all asian americans acted in the traditional way. I feel that this is a common trend happening in entertainment. Actors and commedians from t.v. shows and movies who are minorities are aware of what society thinks (or historically has thought) of them and are willing to expose that truth. They are not denying the fact that there is a stereotype. However through actions and behavior, they break it. Or make that stereotype seem utterly rediculous. I think this is a very interesting way of presenting racism. By exposing, and proving an example of the falsity in stereotypes, one is overcoming that stereotype

Meredith Cotter, Post #12

How do you identify?

One thing that stuck out to me that was brought up in class was the idea that the reason why Margret Cho was able to joke about the things that she did (such as Korea/Asian decent, and LGBT) was because she was Korean-American and an ally of the LGBT community. Because of this, she is able to do this and not seem offensive to anyone. Something that stuck out to me as especially interesting was the fact that while she was able to make fun of asians because she was aisn, but she was also able to make fun of gay people, and she wasnt gay. This was because of her background. She stated how she grew up in a particularly gay area of San Francisco. It makes me wonder how one can identify with a group, but not actually be part of that group by definition. This made me think of the issue of race, and how it may be possible to identify with an ethnic group that you are not necesarily a part of. I realize that homosexuality is not an ethnicity, but it is a minority group that is struggling for equality in American society. This made me hopeful for change in rigid classification societal lines to a more open identification with other groups based on beliefs and experience rather than weather or not one "belongs" to that group.

Meredith Cotter, Post #11

Chris Rock vs. Cho, Sara Ceraso

Chris Rock is a comedian that has been known to push the envelope in most of his comedy sketches. He goes through each ethnic group and "calls them out." But I think Rock is different from Cho. I laugh at much of his stuff but I do also find myself saying "oh god did he really just say that." In his defense he does poke fun at black people as well. But I still find myself having a different feeling while watching each of these comedians. Maybe it's because Cho is a woman? I have no idea. Any thought?

Here's a good example of some of his sketches that relate back to racism.

(Sorry for the explicit language!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTEjiFEaIy8

Comedic Intent

Like I said in class, with comedy, intent is everything. Shows like Family Guy I believe have the intent of offending people, they want to turn your head. Sometimes its for shock value, but other times it can be constructive, pointing out the flaws in society as Victoria said. With people like Daniel Tosh, especially on his TV show, it's nothing but flat out racism, completely unforgiving with no underlying message. This is when comedy becomes nothing more than a vehicle to support racist thought. Cho crafted her comedy beautifully. She incorporated our racist tendencies, but did a great job in explaining the faults in this thought. Her race plays a large part in why she is able to delve into these ideas in my opinion. People are less offended when they see a Chinese person making fun of Chinese culture than a white or black person doing it. People see it as an attack when one race belittles another, but when someone within a race pokes fun at their culture, it is seen as fine.

Samuel Roux, Post 1

Arizona Students Stage Walkout To Protest Immigration Bills

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/04/arizona-students-stage-walkout_n_831659.html

I think it's really awesome how students are willing to band together and fight for something they believe in. Everyone seems to say that our generation is so apathetic and we spend too much time on the internet (which I'll admit I've said more than once), but events like this definitely prove otherwise.

Basically, Arizona is trying to pass a bill that "would require schools to report students who cannot produce documents verifying their U.S. citizenship or legal residence, which legal scholars say would violate the right of children in the United States to attend public school. "

Before anyone comes up with the argument that illegal immigrants shouldn't attend schools because they don't pay taxes, according to the article: "Undocumented immigrants do pay taxes, whether through sales tax on items they purchase, government withholding from paychecks or by filing income taxes using alternatives to a Social Security number provided by the Internal Revenue Service."

I think this really comes down to a racial issue, honestly. Only white, Christian children should be educated! [/sarcasm]

Victoria Rader - Post 11

Family Guy and Cho

While I do agree that Family Guy can cross the line at times, I think most of the time they are trying to point out the hypocrisy and faults of our society. I mean I don't really know what they're trying to do with Stewie, I'm not sure what he's supposed to be mocking or pointing out, but I'd love to hear some theories. Unfortunately I missed the end of the Cho routine that we were watching, but the first half was...interesting. I certainly found bits of it funny, but I wonder what it is about her that makes it okay for her to joke about certain things and not other people. Is it because she's from a marginalized culture? Because she's most likely dealt with racism and discrimination? So, basically, is it okay because she's not white? I don't know, but I'll have to see if Netflix has the dvd so I can catch the end.

Victoria Rader Post 10

Margaret Cho vs. Family Guy

I enjoyed watching and listening to Margaret Cho's comedy routine - I thought she was really funny! Comedy is all about delivery because it affects how the audience will interpret it. Ms. Cho took things like her mother or the gay community and poked fun at them, but it did not come off as offensive or inappropriate to me because I could tell she was not serious, but relatable.

I have been a fan of Family Guy since the show premiered in 1999, and I have seen most of the episodes. Although I can enjoy the show and appreciate the intended humor most of the time, part of me also thinks they push the envelope too much at times, creating what some might call an "extreme comedy." Do I think the creators of the show set out to offend anyone? No, I just feel that when you take comedy too far it may be offensive to some people, rather than funny.

I think what separates Margaret Cho from Family Guy is that Ms. Cho's material consists of things that she either cares about or relates to, so her audience knows she is not to be taken seriously or literally, and Family Guy is more ambiguous - different people will take different meanings from the humor on the show, so it really depends on the individual and their perceptions. I have to agree with Frank, that the humor of Family Guy might not be taken as well as Margaret Cho's jokes.

- Josh Steffen

The Question of Loyalty

I thought this poem was really interesting, and gave me better insight into what being in the internment camps was really like for Japanese Americans, as opposed to just looking at a reading in a textbook. It was easier for the child to sign the "Loyalty Oath" because she did not have the connection to Japan as her mother, who questions what she will be if she signs the oath. She says she is "doubly loyal" to America and Japan, so she does not want to take sides, but it's like the oath is forcing her to. This is interesting to think about - What would you do if you had to sign that oath? What would you be?

- Josh Steffen

Comedy Of Out Generation Blog Post #12 Frank DiMaria

Just as much as think Margret Cho did a good job using stereotypes in her comedy I happened to start watching an episode of family guy and I thought about how the program uses stereotypes to make jokes. And even more so how comedy shows like that use stereotypes as the basis of many jokes. But, unlike Margret Cho, these types of comedies seem to offer the other end of the spectrum in disrespecting the group, which the comedy is dealing with. I understand these types of programs are supposed to be funny and satirical, but a lot of the subject matter is just plain offensive. Not to mention the characters who display the stereotypes, which the show is making fun of, never seem to leave the rolls they are in. I suppose this adds to the supposed humor, but I cant confidently say that the comedy of family guy would be as well taken by the community being made fun of like the way someone watching Margret Cho could take her jokes. I am very interested in how our generation uses stereotypes in comedy and at what point the joke “crosses the line.” I feel like our generation for the most part, and I am generalizing, doesn’t think as much about how certain stereotypes were used of people to convey really terrible messages of peoples throughout history. The uses of stereotypes in history to represent certain groups have been traditionally malicious. But, I wonder if we even consider this idea when we watch something like family guy. 

Just some food for thought http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59buT6ZgumM 

Racial Comedy

I would have to disagree with some of the people in class that believe you can make fun of any race at any time to a certain extent, only because everybody has a different boiling point and one person may think its funny while another you may of offended. The point of comedy is to make people laugh and Margaret Cho did it in a way that I applaud because she made fun of things that she related to like being Asian and GLT because those are things that are close to her, if she sat up there and made fun of white people for 10minutes it would not of been funny. Since we were little our parents/guardians have told us at least once that the best way to get out of a situation like people making fun of you, or something of that nature, to laugh it off. It works the same way with comedy, when you laugh at yourself or at something you do, other people will laugh with you. I think there is a line and its easier to not address other peoples races. There will always be a fine line and some comedians tend to cross that line, but some people know how to do it in the right way and that is the key to being successful when you do it.

Peter Ferguson

Stereotypes in Comedy Blog Post and Hamlet #11 Frank DiMaria

So, I was thinking a lot about the Margret Cho comedy and I didn’t really know how to take it when it was first started but in the end I think that it does convey a good message. I was wrestling with the concepts of her humor and I didn’t know if it was right for her to make fun of certain groups but in the end I don’t think she was ever malicious. In fact I think its good that she plays into stereotypes that groups are given and uses them for satirical purposes to an audience who can all appreciate the humor. I thought her commentary on the gay and lesbian community was especially interesting as she said some things that were very touchy when speaking about the community, but the fact that she was so involved as a supporter of the community seems to validate her comedy. I think that it’s ok to joke around about stereotypes as long as it’s not with malicious intent. One of my friends who is gay showed me this video called “sassy gay friend” which is a series of videos that takes a point in history and pretty much says that the damsel in distress figure could have been saved if she had a sassy gay friend. I made the connection between these videos and Margret Cho’s standup routine when she talks about her own gay friends. I think this video is really funny and I wanted to show it to everyone. This is another instance that a gay male stereotype is being portrayed and in many ways made fun of but it is lighthearted humor that doesn’t make the gay male look bad at all. If anything he looks like the only sensible character. The video does swear and I am sorry for the language, but if you don’t want to hear it don’t watch it. I hope everyone can see the humor and connection to Cho.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnvgq8STMGM&feature=relmfu

The Chappelle Show- "White people can't dance"

In class today, I found it funny that the subject of the chappelle show was briefly brought up for making fun of racial stereotypes because it connected somewhat personally for me to Margaret Cho talking about how she was not "Asian" enough for the media. A few years ago there was a sketch done on the chapelle show called "white people cant dance". This sketch basically went to different places and played into the stereotypes about what types of music white, black and latino people would dance to. They made the joke that the latino people only danced to the electric piano played by a latino man, in this is where my connection to Margaret Cho"s not being "Asian" enough comes in. The piano player was actually played by my cousin Jon. Jon is 100% Spanish and definitely could be a representation of a latino man. However the show did not feel he looked latino enough so they darkened his skin with make-up, greased back his hair, gave him a colorful silk shirt and called him Sanchez. I just found it funny that even this comedy show did exactly what Margaret Cho talked about, when she was told she needed to be more "Asian". I know that the point of the sketch was to make fun of stereotypes and they wanted to play up my cousins "latino" features to make a stronger point. I just found this connection to Margaret Cho's experience to be funny because she as a comedian makes fun of the media pushing for stereotypes and Dave Chappelle as a comedian in a way is taking part in creating the push for stereotypes.

- I tried to find a video clip of this sketch but the only one I could find was really poor quality
-Ryan Fleming blog#12

Comedy is Art

I truly enjoyed the Margaret Cho video that we have been watching in class. She was able to tackle many issues and stereotypes in her comedy. While many don't believe that comedy is an art-form, with this she proved to me that it is. Just like artists push buttons and make people think when showing their artwork, Margaret Cho is doing the same thing with her jokes and funny anecdotes. She tackles stereotypes about her own racial identity as an Asian American, as being a friend to the gay/lesbian community, and even at Hollywood. Her story about her television show was incredibly sad, but she somehow managed to make it funny. Had she not been a comic, could that story have reached so many people? Her comedy makes people think about their own stereotypes towards other people. The news anchor that asked her to speak in her native tongue is an example of this. I wonder how he felt after realizing his mistake. I thought that this was just going to be a fun little comedy show, but in actuality, it really makes you think about your own experiences and to question yourself. I remember watching her on dancing with the stars and while she didn't do so well, I liked her inspiration. Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiW04cQwlYk

Staci Becker Post #12

10 Most Racist Moments in TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMvfEdTUO6Q&feature=related

I've been thinking about where young kids were getting their racist ideas from and then tried to look up how Disney movies have racist intentions in them, but I got a little side tracked on that.  I found a video that shows some of the most racist moments on television and what I found interesting is that many of these comments come from political figures, people who are supposed to be holding up the equality of all people, without exception. Hillary Clinton believes in white supremacy and she says this in a public speech? What does this tell us about how the rest of the senate feels? Sports casters saying to lynch Tiger Woods in the back alley? Does this hold the one drop rule true? These sports casters bring in his black race and completely leave out the face that he is Asian. I'm not saying that they should further their statement by adding another racist thought, there shouldn't be one to begin with. But why do these sports casters only focus on the fact that he is black? This to me is not only racist but goes far beyond the normal things people say.  "Nappy headed hoes"??? I'm pretty sure this guy got fired for that comment.  How about the fact that Hispanics have a lot of babies. The rest of us should pick up the load and "make babies".  This is very stereotypical. It is not that Hispanics have a lot of babies, many races decide to have a lot of children, look at the Duggars for example. I think they are on child number 17!! In the one about the race the man is in, he is not taken "seriously" because he is not Kenyan or Ethiopian and is white he shouldn't be a fast runner? This is just ridiculous.  In John McCain's Presidential Debate he claimed that he doesn't like being on an airplane with anyone from Al Queada, or middle eastern people, because they only like "one way tickets."  Many Americans may find this statement okay because of 9/11 but not all Muslims or middle eastern people are going to blow up a plane.  I saw this video and I just couldn't believe the things people were aloud to say on TV, whether it was prerecorded or not. If these people of high status are saying racist thoughts like this, what are everyday people saying? No wonder young children are exposed to racism long before they can even create a full sentence.

Not Asian enough

The part in the Margaret Cho video that was most interesting to me was when she was talking about her weight, and when the reporter asked if it was true if the network had made her lose weight to play herself, in her own television show. Yes it was funny, but it was also sad to recognize the truth behind that statement. She was told she wasn't good enough to be herself (whether it was about her being Asian or not) on her own television show. Then it was strange to hear that the network brought in the "Asian coach" to make her more Asian. Now, not only was she not skinny enough, but she wasn't Asian enough to be herself. I think this really shows what kind of society we live in today, when it's not even good enough to be yourself, playing yourself, on your own TV show.


Laura Kalinowski Post #12

Margret Cho

I really enjoyed Margret Cho's comedy routine, especially because she makes light of such heated social and political issues that we face today. She talks a lot about race and sexuality, and the jokes she makes are so funny, because a lot of what she is saying is true. People laugh at her because some of these things do sound so ridiculous, but she makes a good underlying point through her jokes. Similar to the comedy skit about everyone discriminating against gingers, the jokes in Margret Cho's routine shed light on the fact that rascim and discrimiation against any group of people is ridilulous.
Another topic she discusses is the issue of body image and weight, especially in the film industry. She discussed how she was told that her face was too round, and that she essentially needed to lose weight for the show, and then how she lost 30 pounds in 3 weeks. These are serious issues that she gets across to the public through her comedy, and while people will laugh, she is still getting a very serious point across.
She is by no means what many Americans view as the "typical Asian girl". Many people see Asians as passive, quiet, studios, etc. Margret Cho seems to break all these stereotypes, and in doing so also sheds light on so many other ridiculous stereotypes. It is an unconventional way of fighting for rights and for racist and discriminatory actions to be stopped, but nevertheless, it is still very effective.

Brigit May, Post 12

She Wasn't Even Good at Math

Reading the chapter about Asian Americans, it talked a lot about the discrimination they faced coming into the U.S. whether it was the reasons they came, the struggles they overcame to get here, or how they were recieved once they got here. While many of these problems are no longer in existence today, there are still so many stereotypes that are negative that do very much exist. In the poem we read about Chinese Americans signing the Oath of Loyalty to the United States, the very last line said something like, "I wasn't good at math. I signed my only ticket out". The person in the poem was basically saying that she wasnt even good at math, the one thing that Americans assume all Asians are good at. If she wasn't good at math, then what was she good for in the United States? How is it possible that an Asian is not good at math? This is a stereotype that so many Americans have towards Asians. So basically by saying she wasn't good at math, she is saying she didn't fit into the category Americans put her in. I think it was implying that she didn't really have a place in this counrty, that classify people based on trival things such as math skills. And now, she signed away her loyalty to the United States, therby no longer making her a Chinese citizen, and keeping her in this country, where she was stereotyped, categorized..and not even good at math.

Brigit May, Post 11

Asian American life

I really enjoyed the presentation topics in today's class. The poem that we read in class was very insightful to the tragedy that occurred with Japanese Americans before, during, and after WWII. The quote from the mother in the poem was very sad and telling of the feelings of Japanese Americans in this time period. What an interesting conundrum in having to give up all loyalties to your home country in order to provide a better life for your children. How would you identify yourself if you gave up your relations with the country that you were born in. I don't think that many of us could do that. I liked how the author also delved into the stereotypes with just the one line, about how they were not good at math. The stereotypes of Asians being "Smarter" than other ethnicities, can in many instances, work against this "positive" stereotype. The song lyrics showed this. I liked that the song lyrics were direct and not cryptically metaphorical. They were straight forward and to the point. I particularly liked the lines about how "my eyes may be small, but your eyes are shut." I found this to be a great line. I think that music and poetry are great outlets for Asian Americans to write about their struggles.

Staci Becker Post #11

Comedy as An Outlet

Being able to watch the first half of Margret Cho's stand up skit was very enjoyable. With stand up comedy becoming more and more popular over the years it has made me look at it in another way besides just the jokes. I have realized that comedy is a way for people to get out their true feelings about certain topics in a light and joking manner. If you listen to many different stand up comedians they take aspects of their life and bring them to the stage for people to hear. One topic that I can say many comedians talk about is the many ethnic groups present all over the world. A subject in which could be normally seen as a touchy topic, comedians take their opinions and ideas and turn them into jokes. Not only do they bring in their own ideas but stereotypes and the ideas of others. You can certainly tell from what we watched today that Margret does that herself. Especially being a Korean American, she has many things that she has dealt with in life that she brings on stage for people to know. Speaking about it in a joking way allows for the comedians to express their feelings in a nonthreatening way. Ms. Cho is extremely funny and very open with what she thinks. It is nice to see one of the few women comedians, that is actually funny, in a field which men are somewhat more common!

-Mary Daloia

Comedy

After watching Margaret Cho's comedy today and listening to her, i took a lot more out of it than just a few jokes. Her comedy seems to make a statement in most of her jokes it had to do with standing up for gay/lesbian rights. She found a way to develop jokes by getting her point across at the same time. Her jokes were very sexual and upfront you can say, but it was how she addressed them that made it very enjoyable to listen to her. She discussed issues like being gay in high school and being uncomfortable in your own shoes (prom), she discussed talking to her parents ( moms phone calls), and the development into security and how it gets better as you get older (the bar). So it was interesting to see how she got her points across and it was very funny at the same time. I really enjoyed the first half of it and look forward to listening to more of her skits in the future.


Pete Ferguson

Asian women on TV

I thought the Margaret Cho movie today was really funny, but as with all comedy, had some truth to it in the end. The most interesting part to me was when she was talking about how she had never seen an Asian person (or family) on television before so she was really excited to be on TV. She was really excited to be on television, then when they told her she needed to lose weight, she changed herself to fit the image they wanted. I thought this was very interesting because I feel it wasn't just about the weight issue, but probably also about the fact that she was Asian, and they wanted to portray a certain image of Asian women. We always hear about how actresses are told to lose weight, or improve their image, but I feel that maybe Margaret was so intent on following their "advice" because she felt they knew what they wanted to see (especially for an Asian woman new to TV).

Laura Kalinowski Post #11

Does the "Tiger Mother" have anything to do with success?

Recently, the book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” received mixed reviews. Many Americans are bashing the Eastern parenting style, and many are praising it. This particular review is mixed and indicated that perhaps both the Eastern and Western parenting styles need to integrate. I agree with this particular reviewer. At first, I was skeptical as to whether the book was really an East vs. West difference or just this particular mother. After reading a few different reviews it seems as if critics and the Tiger mother herself agree that this is a common parenting style among Asian parents. Regardless, I am still skeptical of this book and by no means am I using it as the soul explanation for Asian success. I just thought it would be an interesting talking point given the book has gotten so much media attention lately. After reading Marger’s chapter on Asian Americans my eyes were opened up to the true magnitude of their scholastic and professional achievements (although Asian Americans do have a higher poverty rate than whites—I am going to try to research this and post about it this week). I do not believe that any race is genetically superior to another; therefore, I cannot help but credit the achievements of Asian Americans to their different form of child rearing. I tried to look up other factors that may account for the success of Asian Americans, but I came across very little and nothing substantial. I am by no means indicating that this book represents all Asian parents. I took the excerpts and reviews I read with a grain of salt, and yes, I know it is a generalization. I just thought it was interesting when reading the statistics in Marger’s chapter about American Asian success. I could not help but correlate success with parenting and childhood. Does anyone agree or disagree with child-rearing (good or bad) as a main component to success?

http://mineola.patch.com/articles/declawing-a-tiger-mother

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources/lifestyle_community&id=7964855

RE: Scholarships for Everyone

I just now noticed the blog posted by Meredith last week about scholarships in the United States that are based on race. I just wanted to add in that I recently heard about a scholarship in Texas created for only white males because they are now the minority there. I'm not sure of the details of this scholarship but I just thought it was interesting. In response to the scholarship discussion in general, I must say that I agree entirely with the argument made by the representative of the organization. I definitely do not think that race should be a factor in scholarship money. I am well aware that race can often play a role in economic status, but it also often does not. A persons race is not always the most accurate way to decide whether a student can afford college or not. The point about having scholarships be based on class structure and not race seems like a much more reasonable criteria for scholarship money. I know that in my experience with scholarships and race, my being "white" may have negatively affected me. I know there were many factors that went into deciding who received scholarships, but there were often times where a student of a minority race from my school with the same or lower grades, same extra curricular's and same economic status as myself received the scholarship over me. I by no means am trying to say that I was more deserving of the scholarship than these people, because they worked very hard and deserved the money as well. I just found it interesting that in my high school we were constantly told by guidance counselors and teachers that, we would be much better off as a minority for scholarship purposes, because when it comes down to it, the minority tends to receive the scholarship. I don't even know how accurate these statements were, it was just something we were constantly told. I went to a diverse high school in a lower socio-economic district. All of the students were of different races but of similar economic status, so I guess you could say that I am biased and often see past the connection between race and economics. So in situations such as mine I don't see how race should be factored into scholarships. I hope this doesnt make me seem naive to the connection between race and economics, or sound like I feel that because I'm white I didn't receive certain scholarships, because that's definitely not the case. I just feel from my personal experiences and background that race should not be a factor in determining scholarship money.
-Ryan Fleming blog#11

Language Education

As i said in class before i feel that US schools are way too far behind in learning language. AT a young age children are more absorbent of skills, thats why they learn so fast. If language was taught around age 5 it would be much easier for them to learn. I feel that it would also make them much more intellegent in the long run and also more culturally accepting. Many Americans i believe take pride in only knowing english and see wanting to learn other languages as somehow not american. I remeber when the national anthem was sung in spanish there was a huge backlash agaisnt it even though there is no official language in the US. I wonder if any presdients have been bilingual, i think it would make them more accepted in the global scheme. I think that most Americans have this feeling that we are the best country and everyone in the world should conform to what what we do especially our language, and that learingin other languages would be like saying we arent as good as we advertise.

Indians as logos: sports culture

I am a big supporter of Native American rights and believe that the use of mascots and logos for our sports teams spreads stereotype however i am on the fence about getting rid of them. These pro and college teams have become a part of our national culture. Many people embrace the team as if they were on it themselves and become "superfans". I am a huge fan of the Bills and Sabres and would raise hell if the names were goiing to be changed. These teams are part of my identity and the name and logo are a huge part. Therefore, i can understand the resistance of fans to change the names. Also, some of the teams pay homage to native american history if believe like the Florida St Seminoles. I think that most peole would not know what a seminole is if not for this team. They also only used tribe members for thier mascot. anyway i am very much on the fence with this.

Diversity is the Main Point

Because we are such a diverse country, with many different ethnic groups living together there is obviously going to be differences that each group brings. That's why I find it important for students to learn a language at a much younger age then they are now. I also agree that English should be known to a certain degree by all people. As the predominant language it is beneficial to all to understand this language that most use to communicate. At the same time by understanding more than one language allows us as a society to better understand people of a different ethnic group. It potentially could bring people closer not being able to use the fact that they do not understand others therefore there is no need to communicate. This movement is something that will definitely take a long time to come together and actually have an effect on society. I do feel that if we as a country can keep it as a goal it is something that certainly can be accomplished.

-Mary Daloia

Native Language

I wanted to comment on what Jenn said because I completely agree with her. I understand that many people come from other countries and want to come to the United States for business, better opportunity, jobs, and etc. But I do not understand why it is being said that Spanish is going to take over as the number 1 speaking language in the United States. As of right now English is the predominate speaking language in the U.S. and that is what should be spoken. But on the other hand I also do believe in students taking a language as a kid because it can become so beneficial to them down the road for jobs and working. It can put them way ahead of others if your bilingual. So I do agree with Jenn 100% that as long as English is the #1 language it is what should be spoken in but it is also good to have students know another language to help them career wise.

Pete Ferguson Post #11

The Vagina Monologues

It’s been a few weeks since the show, but here is my review of The Vagina Monologues.

From the bill: “The award-winning play is based on V-Day Founder/playwright Eve Ensler’s interviews with more than 200 women. With humor and grace the show celebrates women’s sexuality and strength. Through the liberation of this one word, countless women throughout the world have taken control of their bodies and their lives. For more than twelve years, The Vagina Monologues has given voice to experiences and feelings not previously exposed in public.”

The first act was, for the most part, full of humor. “Hair” performed by Heidi Gunio pointed out the hypocrisy of making women shave their vaginas. Of course anatomically speaking women can’t actually shave their vagina, but that’s beside the point, I suppose. She laments over how her husband wants her to be smooth but it makes her feel like a child. Their couple’s therapist tells her that marriage is about compromises and she should do it for him! In the true spirit of feminism, she says Hell No!

“Because He Liked to Look at It” performed by Hilda Myer was about a man that loved vaginas and a woman that absolutely hated hers. She thought it was hideous and when having sex, she would pretend it was something else. Then someone special came along. This man, Bob, adored vaginas. He loved just to sit and look and examine and admire them. He helped this woman overcome her hated of her vagina and learned to celebrate its beauty.

For me, the most moving piece, “My Vagina Was My Village” performed by Leslie Cairns and Nicole King was the most moving. Referencing the Bosnian and Kosovo wars (1992-1995 and 1996-1999, respectively), the two women are meant to be one, describing the damage that war rape has on women. The two actors contrast how one woman felt before and after the atrocities performed against her. Before, she had a healthy, loving relationship with her vagina and with sex. It was beautiful and happy. Then she describes being raped with rifles, glass bottles, and broom handles for 7 days by men covered in sweat, blood, and bodily fluids. She goes on to describe how these rapes hurt, define, and changes a person.

Each performance was entertaining and informative in its own way. While the audience was pretty full, if not sold out, I do wish they could perform for a larger audience. The taboo around the word “vagina” is really astounding. Of course the taboo around sex that still remains still tends to surprise me, though I can understand this taboo. The word “penis” could turn me beet red just a couple of years ago. I wish I could have taken all of my friends and family and my boyfriend to see and perhaps get a glimpse of the things I try to accomplish as a women’s study minor. Acceptance of vaginas and women as beautiful and sexual people, rather than just objects to be lusted over is something that we all need to work towards.

The women in this play did an absolutely fantastic job, and if you ever have the opportunity to see the play in the future, I highly recommend you take advantage.

Victoria Rader - EC Post (Post...9?)

Bilingual Education

I found this article on the pros of bilingual education. I thought it was interesting to hear an article devoted on how bilingual education has benefits outside of our diverse atmosphere. This article focuses on the heathful benefits of bilingual education instead of focusing on the influx of Spanish-speaking peoples. I think this article can sway the opinions of many Americans who do not wish to speak any language other than English. I always hear this comment about foreign language speakers: "If they want to live here, why can't they just learn English?" Well, this article poses several reasons why we all would benefit from aquiring another language.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/26/health/la-he-bilingual-brain-20110227