Pres Obama Speech on Osama

I think that he went about it the right way as many i have heard agree. He made sure to clarify that it is not a war against Muslims and that he was not a Muslim but a mass murderer of Muslims in his country and abroad. What he said really helps because for many years we have heard that Osama and al-Queda have and other Islamic extremists have been giving all Muslims all over the world a bad name. It is just those few extremists that participate in acts of terrorism that give all Muslims this negative name.

Canada

I will admit just as many of us in the class have that I do not know really much about Canada as you think we should considering that they are our neighboring country. I have been there before a few times when I was younger. I have family in Plattsburgh, which is about 45 minutes to an hour away form the border. I have had minimal interaction with English or French speaking Canadians mostly just on ski trips up there sitting in the lodge. I have heard about the conflicts among those French speaking and the English speaking Canadians. The city of Quebec I know is French speaking and they are afraid that if they do not allow French to be spoken there it may be lost all together in the future and only English will be spoken. I think that it should continue to be spoken in the country especially because it is their own version of French that they have developed and its part of their culture and the country itself.

Genocide

In class on Thursday the topic we mainly discussed was genocides. I found it interesting how much we as a society do not learn about them. Most of the ones that were presented I have never heard of. The ones that I have were because I took an African history course last semester and we discussed the Rwanda genocide, and the Darfur one. If it wasn’t for that class though I wouldn’t of heard of any of the ones he brought up. It is just so bizarre that these horrors are taking place and so many people are ignorant of them.

The sad thing is that our society is a society based on visuals. If on the news they talked about a genocide, sadly I think that most people would not have strong feelings about it. But if that same news station started showing pictures of the horror happening, then we would have something to say. With pictures it draws an emotional response from people, meaning that they will respond more strongly when there is a picture involved.

Canada

Like a couple of the other comments I can sadly say I did not know much about Canada. I honestly do not think I have ever really learned anything about Canada. I also have never thought or realized how much I do not know. I could tell you dozens of facts about Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and even Europe. I would probably have difficulty before this class even coming up with three about Canada.

I enjoyed the presentation on the Inuit people’s sled dogs being killed. I have always found it interesting how people justify certain things. It is no different with what happened to the dogs. I do not believe that they were justified in killing so many of them. From what I know about sled dogs, they are normally well trained. So I do not see them being these un-tamed, mean dogs, which have to be killed. I feel that it’s terrible what people subject others to, just to get an end product. Which in this case was to get the Inuit land by means of killing there sled dogs.

Visualization, Sara Ceraso

Today we discussed the idea that images being shown to the public are used to help further understand what is going on in the world and to evoke some type of emotion.

I believe someone argued that these photographs were strictly just mean to document these situations to inform the people.

I have to disagree with this statement. The way I have been brought up viewing photographs is that there is no such thing as a "documentary photograph." I must argue that every photographer has an opinion on the photographs he takes, whether it is a strong one or not is another story. Unless a photographer is snapping shots with their eyes closed they still make the conscious decision to snap a photo at a certain time, of a certain moment and depicting it in a certain light.

I agree with the fact that photographs should circulate and be out there for people to see. But I can't see how these photographs could strictly be documentary.

Canada

I never really knew anything about Canada before, which is pretty depressing since I live right in Buffalo. The only thing I knew about was the conflict with the French-Canadians. I've always seen Canada as an extension of the states. I've also always seen Canada as being better and somewhat unable to make mistakes, but after reading the chapter and seeing the video/presentation on Canada and the issues with the aboriginal peoples I realize that no country is ever going to be perfect.

I do think we can take a few notes on how Canada runs and how they present themselves in international relations.

Canada?

In class Tuesday we all began to admit how little we actually know about Canada. I can sadly admit that even though I grew up with Canada as my next door neighbor, (literally, I can see Canada from my street corner) I knew very little about its history until I read the Marger chapter and did my presentation. Along with the idea we discussed in class of how side by side Canada is much better then the United States and that is why it is often not taught in the the United States, I also have another idea of why it is not taught. It seems to me that people just expect that because Canada is so close to us that, naturally we would know their history, the same way we would know our own. I also know that for myself personally I never had much interest in learning about Canada because it was not a foreign place to me. Canada was a quick walk away and not some exotic foreign land, that I was interested in learning about. Because Canada is so close to us, we just take it for granted that they are not another country and that they are exactly the same as us. I think the United States school systems should begin to start including Canadian history in their curriculum.
-Ryan Fleming blog post # 25

The "Voice" on NBC

Has anyone else watched this show lately? I saw it for the first time last night. My daughter told me I should check it out specifically because of this class. The judges all sit with their backs turned to the singers (think American Idol) and listen to them perform so they can just focus on their voice and not make any preconceived notions about their appearance. I just thought it was very interesting considering i'm focusing on the Racial Formations and Racial Fantasies in Caucasia right now.

Here's just a clip of an audition The Voice

Backlash of the code name "Geronimo" used for Bin Laden

Very interesting article right here. This is exactly what i thought of when i heard that Osama was called Geronimo by the milatary. It speaks on the fact that like Geronimo, Osama was very hard (almost impossible) to find, but it still is insulting to one of the greatest Native American leaders of all time. Also speaks to the Native American image and how the US media and perception has twisted it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_bin_laden_geronimo

Obama's speech

After listening to Obama's speech last night I appreciated how he went out of his way to make it clear to the American people that bin Laden was not a Muslim leader. I think many Americans too quickly associate terrision with Islam and that is not the case. For those who missed it, Obama's statement goes as follows:

"As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not -- and never will be -- at war with Islam. I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity."

I think it is important to go beyond just being politically correct. Sure, no political leader calls Muslims terrorists, but some tend to associate them as such. Therefore, by going out of his way to reinforce to the American people that bin Laden, al Quieda, and the War on Terrorism are in no way a war on Islam, Obama did a great job speaking.

The Boars

At first, after listening to the song we heard in class, I was a little torn on my opinion. After what people in South Africa have been through with aparthied I understand where this radical anger is coming from. However, that does not justify the killing of a group of people as the song promotes. Personally, I do believe the song should not be sung in public because it promotes that type of action. Their are plenty of songs lashing out against one group or another but this does take it a little over the line. I think that Bono was so shy to stand up fully against it because he does sympathize with the victems of aparthied and tries to help them. I think Bono was just caught in a tough situation so he made a statement that would stir up the least amount of backlash. Although, I do realize his statement caused a considerable amount of backlash, I think it could have been worse for him so he stuck by what he said.

People in Support of Bono?

In Thursday's class, Jeff asked if I found any comments of people in support of Bono's comment. I've looked around and haven't yet found people who flat out support what Bono said, or who agree that this song should be sung in public, but there seem to be some people who believe his words were taken out of contents. One person commented saying:

"The headline is a bit misleading. I think he backs the sentiment that you should be allowed to sing struggle songs, but also said that there are rules for when and where you should sing such songs. I don't think he agrees with singing songs for the purposes of tempting genocide like Malema does at all".

I agree with this comment. It is obvious through all the activism and speaking out against genocide that Bono has done throughout his career, that he doesn't mean any harm to people, or support genocide, when he made that comment. I think it was a mistake and that his words were taken in the worst possible way by many. I think Bono just had one of those "foot in mouth" moments, and I think people are too quick to forget all the good he has done in his career. When you are in the spotlight and have such a "loud" voice, you are bound to slip up, and everyone is going to hear you when you do. I think people have the right to be angry at Bono's comment, however I don't think it is right to just completely forget about all the good things he has done.

-Brigit May, Post 24

Boer a metaphor for Apartheid

I agree, and I also do not buy into the idea that "shoot the Boer" is a metaphor for ending the apartheid. The fact of the matter is that this song carries so much attached anger and very real violence that is being experienced in South Africa today, which is why it strikes such a chord, and also why it is being used to evoke even more violence. The song would not be made illegal to sing in South Africa by the South African courts if they didn't believe this song was sung in a hateful way, and dangerous to the lives of white farmers.
Malema trying to justify the song by saying it's a metaphor for apartheid, is like saying that the reason 3,000 white farmers in South Africa have been killed in the last 16 years is because they are trying to "kill the apartheid". It's not right in any way, and using the word Boer as a metaphor for the apartheid still doesn't make the song right, and still puts these farmers lives in danger. If people start to make white farmers the symbol of the apartheid, then of course the violence will continue to happen, and people will continue to harm the farmers. No matter what way you look at it however, it is very clear to me that, even though the apartheid ended 16 years ago, the issues stemming from it are still very much alive. I think South Africa has a long way to go before the race relations there become more peaceful, and I think it is important not to turn a blind eye to these issues that are still very much in existence.

Brigit May-post 23

The Boer Song

I believe that the song which talks about killing boer's can not be viewed as tradition. The case can be made that the song may be used by elements to incite anger and perpetrate violence against farmers in South Africa. I can't really see myself buying into the idea that the lyrics represent Apartheid. After seeing the clip that was presented in class and listening to the backlash that Bono received as well as reading some other sources about it I understand why there was backlash against the song.

re: you can't be south african, you're black!

I have just recently found out that I am going to see Dave Matthews Band at a festival in New York City this coming August, along with this I discovered that Dave Matthews is from South Africa.  Dave Matthews was born in Johannesburg, however he is considered a white musician.  I find a connection between Dave Matthews and Birdie because they both have difficulties with their identifying factors.  While Birdie passes as caucasion but is bi-racial, Matthews is white but is from South Africa.  I would have never guessed that Dave Matthews was from South Africa because his music is not influenced by typical African sounds. It seems as thought they are both stuck inbetween worlds that can not be defined in a specific manner because of race, and the racial fantasies that one holds.