American astronaut who died during the failed

re-entry of Space Shuttle Columbia

Indian American wins the top medal

Indian American, Raj L Gupta, Chairman, President and CEO of Rohm and Haas Company has been chosen for the chemical industry's most prestigious honour - the 2007 Chemical Industry Medal, by the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
This organization awarded annually for contributions toward the growth of the chemical industry. Gupta, an Indian American citizen believed that people around the world want the same thing, an opportunity for demonstratin their talents and abilities and to put their talents to help improve the quality of life for themselves and for others. The global chemical industry provides all of those opportunities.
Indian Americans are the third largest Asian American ethnic group following the Chinese and Filipino American communities. Indian Americans are different to American Indians known as Native Americans. They are the richest ethnic group in the United States with the median household income of $46,326. One in every nine Indian American is millionaire. Indian Americans are represented in many fields including academics and entrepreneurs, doctors and lawyers, engineers and financiers. As much as 58% of Indian Americans over the age of 25 hold a bachelor's degree or higher. High levels of education have also enabled Indian Americans to become a productive segment of the U. S. population, with 72.3% participating in the work force.
Indian Americans have brought many cultural elements to North America. For instance Indian cuisines in United States are very popular. Regarding to religion most Indian Americans have spread their Hindu religion in United States as well. Hinduism after Christianity and Islam is the largest religion in the world. Today, Hinduism is among the fastest-growing religions in the United States and many Hindu temples; most of them built by Indian Americans have emerged in different cities and towns of America. The number of Hindus in the United States is approximately 1,478,670, or 0.5% of the total population.
The reason Indian Americans have very rich status in United States of America is English language and hard work. English language is very common in India because India's was for along time the colony of England so when they come to America they can easier be assimilated to the new life there comparing to other immigrants group.
The other factor is hard working. When immigrants move to new country and settled in the minority group they work harder than the time they are in their mother land. To achieve social status and glorify their talents they will work harder. Iranian Americans are the same.

Oath in Quaran and Islamophobia

Keith Ellison the first Muslim congress man who has been elected in the recent mid term election in U.S.A in January 3rd 2007 during ceremonial swearing took an oath in Quaran. This African American congress man who is the target of two discriminations; skin color and his religion was brave enough to start his responsibility with relying on God's versus. Interestingly, the Quaran that he sweared to was owned by Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of United States. Ellison borrowed the holy book form the library of Congress.
Keith Ellison's practice created many discussions in U.S. Some who are cons believed that the congress will have more Muslim congressmen/women in future and they will follow him. This is by the way that the Christian congressmen take their oath in bible. The Virginia representative Virgil Goode released an Islamophobic letter to CNN on Wednesday that made Council on American-Islamic Relations to ask Goode to apologize. This letter was a critic to Ellison's oath in Quaran. Goode claimed that they have to make new strict laws against immigrants specially the one who are from Middle East. He is also frightened about Muslim's immigration to United Sates in the next century. This message indicated the intolerance of some politicians in U.S about other religions and ideologies. Part of this intolerance might rooted in 9/11 that now islamopohbia is becoming very common.
Islamopohbia is a controversial neologism defined as the phenomenon of prejudice against or demonization of Muslims, which manifests itself in general negative attitudes, violence, harassment, discrimination, and stereotyping (particularly vilification in the media. This term goes back to 1980 and early 1990 and reinforced from 9/11. Jehanzeb Hasan, a research assistant at California State University, argues that Islamophobes are actually reacting to "Osamaism", not Islam. He believed that islamophobia is not racism because Islam is a religion and the adherence to it a matter of choice and islamophobia is a tired catchphrase.
Ellison's action had an islamophobic reaction for his cons. What he did is very positive and brave. It has a message of good news for discriminated people in U.S that they will have space in higher positions of American hierarchy. He is a hope for the people of minority groups but a threat to Anti- Muslim Americans.

God father died in 73

James Brown an influential figure of American popular music died in December 25, 2006. He was a singer, songwriter, band leader and the record producer who was known as God father of Rap music. His contributions are undeniable in American music especially in Jazz, disco, dance and electronic music and hip hop music. Actually he provided a ground that much of the black music stands on. Hip hop or Rap music is a style of music that came to existence in the United States during the mid -1970 and became the big part of modern pop music in 1980. The hip-hop culture started in the mid-1970’s amongst young African American people. The culture swept the black community like a wind storm. Rap music became the way of expression and speech. Young hip-hop artist started to express their emotions and frustrations through song, music and dance. This new way of communication for young blacks became so popular that it changed the way people think, act, dressed, and communicated. Rappers were able to tell the stories of the struggles that black families faced on a day to day basis. Rap music became known on a national and international level.
This music style was actually a cultural movement from the inner-city youth mostly African Americans in New York City in early 1970. By 1979 hip hop had become a commercially popular music genre and began to enter the American mainstream. In 1990 kind of hip hop music called gangsta rap became common that promoted terrorism, violence, promiscuity, drug use and misogyny. All Eyez on Me (1996) was a highly influential album for the genre and is one of the most successful rap albums. By 2000 hip hop was a staple of popular music charts and was being performed in many styles across the world. This cultural movement also had fashion, slang and other elements like social relationship. This lifestyle had impacts on youth as well. Those were egotism and some of the followers incite anti social behavior like harassment, towards education, rejection of authority, and petty crimes such as vandalism. This subculture insisted on hyper masculinity as well.
This cultural movement not only flowed in America, Europe, and Asia but also to the Middle East countries which are mostly Muslim. When I was a guidance school student I remember the spread of this music. My fiends used to listen to it and being fan of this style was a kind of prestige among my school students. It was not only listening to this music but also it has a life style of its own. I remember during that time they torn their jeans and wear lots of big rings with very horrible pictures on it. Even the T-shirts with Rap sign was very common during that era and even in some schools having any kind of these elements was forbidden. I myself didn’t enjoy listening to this kind of music because it was kind of noisy music that gave me sense of horror. All elements of this cultural movement were not in parallel with my cultural background. To me hip hopism was from the existence a manifest of social grievances.

film review

Drums along the Mohawk

Year: 1939
Genre: War, Western, Adventure
Director: John Ford
Screenwriter: Walter D. Edmonds
Music: Alfred Newman
Main Actors: Claudette Colbert (Lana), Henry Fonda (Gil), Edna May Oliver (Mrs. McKlennar)
Nominations of Academic rewards: best supporting actress (Edna May Oliver), Best Cinematography (Ray Rennahan and Bert Glennon).


Plot

This historical film basically is depicting revolutionary era of American History in 1776 and the problems of Americans with Tories, the Indian Allies of British Army in the territory of Mohawk River. With this basic theme, the story is started with the marriage of Gil Martin (Henry Fonda), a war-era farmer with a wellborn women Lana (Claudette Colbert). The film from the beginning showed the process of their shared life which is simultaneous with Indians invasions to Mohawk. To start their life, they moved to Dorr field, Close to Mohawk in a cabin built by Gil. During the story we see how these two and other neighbors are engaging to defend their land from Indians invasion and the changes that happened to their family role during the wars. Men joined the army and moved to frontier for defending the lands and women stayed at home to take care of children and nursing the war injured. Indians invasions were showed too much cruel and savagery and Americans lost their home, farming lands and properties. Blue Back was the only Indian in this film who was with Americans and was spying for them about Indians attacks. Lana and Gil found a job in Mrs. McKlennars house and she gave them salary, room and food. She was very serious but very kind and caring widow who supported them so much during the war crisis for their cabin was burned by Indians invasion.
Lana during the war gave birth to a son and a Mother Role added to her responsibilities and also Gil was supposed to handle a Father Role but he was busy with war so Lana had to play instead of him as well. Their family formation became more completed as we move on threw the end of the film and we can see how much Lana had changed from the beginning of the story. Now she know how to live like a frontier women .At last they move backed to their territory to build up their Cabin again and the Americans could defeated Indians and made a unity of 13 sates of America. The film ended with showing American Flag which impressed the belonging sense of Americans to a united nation.
In this film you can find out how American society was at that time. Economy was based on agriculture, men and women both worked on the farms, rich families had black slaves. Politics was very important to people. And the soon they got to know each other they asked about their affiliation to political parties. Everything was collective and individualism was not meaning full at that time. Because it was a crisis era and Americans needed to be united for defeating their subjugation under British colonization. They helped each other at the time of Indian's invasion. They all support one another even. While running away they helped each other to be safe.
This film is produced in 1939. This is by the way that in 1930s the Production Code wrote by Jesuit Priest and a catholic Layman as a list of could and could not depict in Hollywood movies. Not only political themes and acts of graphic violence to be censored but issues of sex and sexuality in the movies were strictly monitored. Even the couples sexually relationship was prohibited to be depicted. That is why in this film you could easily feel the traces of production code. Gil and Lana's relation is limited in front of the camera and in it instance this film is not like today's American films which sexual relationship is very common in it.
Christianity in this film is very salient. For church was one of those important and central institutions in the Mohawk's people's life. Church was shown as a safe place that women and children could refuge to it while Indians invaded. Marriage took place there and even important news and declaration of unity for fighting against Indians was announced there.
A drum along the Mohawk has a war, Adventure and western Genre. Western because Americans were fighting against Indians and tried to remove the wilderness.

Characters

Henry Fonda is the actor of Gil Marti role. He was born in Nebraska in 1905 and died in 1982. He started working with Hollywood in 1935 Fonda's career gained momentum after his Academy Award-nominated performance in 1940's The Grapes of Wrath. He also played Abraham Lincolns role Young Mr. Lincoln. He was patriarch of famous family actors his daughter Jane Fonda, son Peter Fonda, granddaughter Bridget Fonda, and grandson Troy Garity.In 1999, he was named the sixth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute.
Fonda as Gil Martin in this film is around 30-35, tall and thin man with blue eyes. He is very brave who cared about his country and family very much. He was serious, logical and hardly smiled during the film. Although he was a typical masculine character (patriarchal) but emotionally he was very depended to Lana (his wife) and needed her supports a lot.
Claudette Colbert played Lana's role. She was born in 1903 in Paris and died in 1996. This French American actress in 1939 was nominated the best actress of Academy Award in it happened one night. Colbert was known for a versatility that led to her becoming one of the biggest box-office stars of her time. In 1999, she was ranked as the 12th greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute. Colbert as Lana in Drums along the Mohawk was elegant, sensitive and well born who left her father's big house in Albany and married to Gil and moved to a cabin in door field. In he beginning of the film she didn’t know how to live like a frontier women and was not used to hard life. But as the story moved on and she could experience different situation and learned how be behave and how to support her husband by being strong. She worked beside her husband on the farm and while Indians invaded and they lost their properties she tried to cooperate with her husband to tolerate the hardships better.
Edna may Oliver as Mrs. McKlennar was born in 1883 in Massachusetts and died in 1942 in California. She was nominated Award Academy for her appearance in Drums along the Mohawk. During the 1930's, she was one of the American screen's best-known character actresses often playing tart-tongued spinsters. Edna was a descendant of the 6th American president John Quincy Adams. She as Mrs. McKlennar was thin, tall, very serious, tart_toungued widow who had very masculine voice. She behaved tough with men and never let them take advantage of her. But the interior part of her characteristic was very supportive not just to Gil and Martin but to all her neighbors who were suffering of Indians invasion. She didn’t scare of Indians as well. While tow Indian invade her room and burned all her stuffs she was shouting at them and sitting on her bed that was her husbands memorial and didn’t let them to burned it. This part of the film was very expressive. The bed was a symbol of the Americans sense of belonging to their land that Indians invaded it and wanted to remove them all. She gave Gil and Lana a chance to work for her and have room, food and money for survival. She was very generous as well. At the time of her death she granted all her properties to Gil and Lana.
Vocabulary
This film was in English language. The literature was not hard to me and even the accent and pronunciation of the word was clear to me. I think they didn’t have local accent that I could understand except Lana's accent seemed to me a bit close to British.
Conclusion
American exceptionalism was conceptualized in this film because Indians were depicted savage, cruel and violent people and Americans were shown as tractable. Americans didn't invade Indians unless Indians did it first. All Americans did was a reaction to Indians savagery. Drums along the Mohawk was very unilateral film that tried to depict Indians as savage and noncivilized.[1] This is by the way that Americans very cruel to them as well during the history. History is a fair document to judge about Americans and Indians. Americans had also made many troubles for Indians such as cultural, economical and political problems. Many of them were killed by Americans, their culture was manipulated by them, they were removed form their original lands. Trial of tears in 1833 showed the Americans cruel policies against Indians.
In my country, Iran there have been many films produced about Iraq/ Iran war in the early 80`s decade. In all these film Iraqi soldiers are represented as cruel, savage, violent people while Iranian soldiers are shown as religious, kind, brave and with moral values. I don’t want to ignore Iranian soldiers positive aspect. What I am trying to say is that war for both sides is violent and not pleasant. In fact war is not philanthropic. We should depict war by multilateral approach. Every action in war has a reaction. I would better if we could have more moderate approach toward showing Iraqi soldiers. The same is applying for Drums along the Mohawk. John Ford could have better attitude in depicting Indians and Americans.


[1]

Asian Americans Less Likely to Seek Social Support

December 11, 2006

University of California had offered a research on Asian Americans. This research is done by few scholars. David K. Sherman, assistant professor of psychology at UCSB. He oversaw the research project in collaboration with Heejung S. Kim, also assistant professor of psychology at UCSB, and Shelley E. Taylor, professor of psychology at UCLA. Deborah Ko, a social psychology graduate student at UCSB also participated in the research. The project is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Human and Social Dynamics program and is published in the December issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. If you want to access to the full text of Article please don’t hesitate going through the link.
This research showed that Asian Americans comparing to Americans of European extraction are less likely seek social support. The reason goes back to the culture. Although Asians have collective culture and are very depended to each other, this research showed the opposite. To clarify the whole idea of the research I will define the tow terms.
The collective culture is that member of the group are bounded to one another emotionally and the group's goal is the primary goal for each person.
The individual culture that suits for Europeans is that individual's freedom to act, think and decide is not depended t the group.
This research suggested that European Americans are more likely to seek social support as a proactive method of solving problems. This is by the way that Asian Americans believed that seeking social support will worsen the problems, burdening others, disrupting the harmony of the group and bringing shame to oneself or one's family. Asian Americans showed that bringing personal problem to the attention of others will make inappropriate demands on the group. Asian Americans also were more eager to spend their times with family rather than for their personal issues. While Europeans were more likely to individualistic matter rather than family.
This research is articulating the strong ingroup relation of Asian Americans. This strong sense of together ness makes Asian immigrants to feel more at home. Like Iranian's neighborhood in loss Angeles. They have Iranian restaurants, Iranians breads and other Iranians customs that helped them for feel more at home. There are lots of Iranians organizations all over U.S that
Or like Chinese neighborhoods. I think these communities that are based on Asian origin can help the immigrants to besides having American nationality still insist on original background of them. This is what makes them not to lean on social support that much.

Katrina hurricane increased Flows of Latin immigrants to New Orleans

Katrina hurricane as a natural calamity brought new waves of legal/ illegal immigrants to New Orleans. The hurricane formed in August 23rd 2005 that had effects on Louisiana, New Orleans and in a coastal Mississippi. By passing 15 months New Orleans demographic model is rapidly changing that absolutely the reason is Latin's immigration mostly from Mexico. Reconstruction of this city is absorbing them for seeking job and after hundreds of babies are being born to Latino immigrant workers.
This phenomenon is affecting health systems as well because many immigrant mothers cannot afford to pay for prenatal care or delivery services which are about $ 800 for the whole duration of pregnancy. The head nurse in the department’s health unit in Metairie said that before the storm, only 2 percent were Hispanic; now about 96 percent are Hispanic and doctors are delivering about 215 to 245 Hispanic babies per month that is 60-70% more that before the hurricane. This is by the way that the demographic of the health unit before was 85 % African Americans but now 85 to 90 percent are Hispanic. In this case the Catholic charities are not enough for their medical expenses and parental cares.
In 2000 census reported that Hispanics had become the nation's largest minority group. Today an increased demand among Hispanic Americans for Spanish-language media has led to the development of two national Spanish-language television networks. In addition, hundreds of U.S. radio stations broadcast in Spanish. Also, many Hispanic newspapers, magazines, and journals are published in the United States.
The articulation is Flows of immigrants toward United States of America are going to reproduce racial problems and I think the problem of ethnicity in American society will still be the matter of everyday life. American government on one hand is welcome to immigrants from different parts of the world but on the other hand after a while when they want higher life standards the government tries to suppress them. Or when they passed the crisis period and reach to better life condition and became "American citizen" they will not received respectful reaction the same as white Americans. I think American government should think of future days of immigrants before any "anti_immigration movements" takes place and know that they can not be subjected for ever. Immigrants are not "docile bodies" with any identity that Americans assimilate them to their own beliefs and ideologies. Being welcome means have enough tolerance for immigrants who are from very different cultures. The illegal immigrants have to pass special processes to become "American citizen" like learning English, of course speaking fluently, working for 6 years and paying fine. This is what president Bush also insisted on it for betterment of immigrants' life.

News Analysis
The first Muslim African American congreessman
Keith Ellison is 43 years old lawyer who has been elected to serve in the congress in the November mid term election and is the first African-American from Minnesota to be elected to the U.S congress. He is Muslim who converted to Islam when he was 19. Ellison won 56 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Alan Fine and the Independence Party's Tammy Lee, both of whom garnered 21 percent of the vote. He is opposed to Iraq war and insisted on withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. Ellison is very religious man who is inspired by the Quran's message of an encompassing divine love, and a deep faith guides his life every day. He has a moderate idea about Israel and Palestine issues that both have the right. One of the American Jewish newspapers said about him:" "In Ellison, we have a moderate Muslim who extends his hand in friendship to the Jewish community and supports the security of the State of Israel."
I think the reason why he, Keith Ellison, as Muslim African American has been elected to serve in the congress is that Immigrants issues have been controversial matter in America. There are so many demonstrations taking place in America which opposing toughening of the rules against immigrants and specially the illegal one. Also American government has made a new policy toward immigrants. The US government has unveiled a new citizenship test for immigrants which will focus on the concepts of democracy rather than on historical facts. The director of the US government's Citizenship and Immigration Services, Emilio Gonzalez said that this test is for betterment of citizen's situation. This is by the way that immigrants named this policy as anti immigrant plan. The articulation of this news pinpointed to sensitivity of immigrant's situation in America. That is why Ellison is becoming the first Muslim African American congress man to spoke from the side of people of the color.

news analysis

Contrast of Martin Luther King's Memorial and UCLA incident

On Monday November 13, 2006, Bill Clinton, George Bush, celebrities and ordinary people gathered on National Mall where Martin Luther King's Memorial is under the construction.
Who was Martin Luther King?
He was one of the famous black Americans figures who won Noble peace prize in his 35 in 1964 and he turned over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement.
Martin Luther King born in 1929 in a religious family whose grandfather began long tenure as pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist church. King Experienced racial discriminations during his life; he used to go to the segregated schools while he was a child. He graduated from Morehouse College; a distinguished Negro institution of Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had been graduated. Martin Luther King received his doctorate degree in Theology from university of Boston. In 1954 he became a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and in the early December 1955 he accepted the leadership of the first great Negro nonviolent demonstration of contemporary times in the United States. Although he was he was arrested upwards of twenty times and assaulted at least four times; he was awarded five honorary degrees. In 1963 by Time Magazine he was named Man of the Year. His famous speech in March on Washington in 1963 "I have a dream" still is remaining in black Americans mind.

In the meeting which took place in the National mall, November 13th, President Bush said that he is proud to dedicate the memorial to "the lasting memory of a great man. George Bush said building a monument from King is not enough; we need a commitment for all Americans "so we will continue to work for the day when the dignity and humanity of every person is respected and the American promise is denied to no one".
Clinton Also insisted on the significance of Martin Luther King's nonviolent message in America Today. Construction of $ 100 million monument is being scheduled to be completed in 2008 and Tommy Hilfiger and General Motors are the financial supporters.
Just 6 days after, in November 19th the implication of this news came true. What happened to Iranian_ American student in UCLA campus at 11:30 PM? I believe there is a great gap between George Bush's dream ("to work for a day when dignity and humanity of every person is respected") and the reality. Police is representation of Law and is to guarantee the security of every person then why Mustafa Tabatabainejad is the target of Taser incident? This is the Global implication of Bush administration that: we are not what we demonstrate!
MLK`s memorial is a nice and respectful reaction toward not only the Blacks but also all people of the color; is the Taser incident toward Mustafa offensive not only to Iranian Americans but also to all racial groups living as citizens in USA?
See the articulation of contrasts from the two news!

2nd 1500 words essay

War on terror inflamed Xenophobia; with us or against us?

How the construction/demonization of ethnoracial groups contributes to Shape the self-conception of the United States?


Desolation of twin towers, in the morning of September 11th 2001, respectively at 8:45 and 9:03 not only touched American patriotism but also reconstructed xenophobic "war on terror" ideology in USA. American nationalism experienced new era after 9/11.
This article is to answer the question in title above. I will consider how September 11th highlighted American self conception and where is the case of racial groups or "Others" in this situation, clearly how they were treated after 9/11.
War on terror is a campaign to stop international terrorism. According to definition of terrorism under the Federal Criminal Code of United states, terrorism is:
"activities that involve violent... or life-threatening acts... that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State and... appear to be intended, to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and ...if domestic...(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States...if international...(C) occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States."
Some of United States con terrorism strategies are:
1. Defeat terrorists and their organizations.
2. Defend U.S. citizens and interests at home and abroad, such as
1. Implementing the Nation Strategy for Homeland Security
2. Attaining domain awareness
3. Enhancing measures to ensure the integrity, reliability, and availability of critical physical and information-based infrastructures at home and abroad.
4. Integrating measures to protect U.S. citizens abroad.
5. Ensure an integrated incident management capability.
"War on terror" phrase has European initiation, 2nd April of 1881 but it is also used frequently by Ronald Ragan in 1980 as well.
Aftermath of 9/11 attacks George Bush asked a question: either you are with us or against us? This question divided the world in two opposing groups. "We Americans and our alliances who are antiterrorists" and "them, our enemies, others who are terrorist". Now which side of the line should racial groups situate? Black Americans, Arab Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Hispanics and etc..? One who are biologically and culturally different from Americans! To me, September 11th highlighted racial and immigrations issues in United States. Obviously and logically (from American side) immigrants and racial groups would be the first suspected detentions for they are "others", not "us", one who are not from the same blood as "us".
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported in fiscal year of 2000 there were 7792 cases for discrimination due to national origin, while it had risen to 8025 cases in 2001 and 9042 in 2002. After 9/ 11 attack Bush administration started their security actions in United States for "war on terror" such as: intimidations, inspection, threatening and ridiculing against Muslims and people from South Asian origins who were suspected to terrorism.
People who worked in Arabic Islamic organizations such as council on American Islamic relations received many threatening phone calls with the words" you will die" or" "Go to Hell Arabs".
Women had problem with wearing Hijab so some changed their headscarves to baseball caps or hat not to be suspected to terrorism because of having Islamic appearance. Some parents quit their children from going to school for few weeks after 9/ 11 because there were so many threats to Muslim students specially those with the name of "Osama" or "Muhammad"[1].Also vandalism against mosques, Arab schools and Arab American community property and Governmental interference in religious obligations for Zakat became common for they thought the moneys are for supporting terrorism. Many Arab Americans merchants felt compelled to fly American flag out of fear for their economic and physical well_ being. Flying American flag had been very common after 9/11. This I think goes back to reinforcing patriotism in United States.
The INS commissioner, James Ziglar reported that 30000 aliens were at deportation borders. 80000 men were registered as deported forced to leave their family with out any supports.
These suspicious atmospheres not only existed against Muslims but also Latinos for drug producing and drug smuggling operations. After 9/11 Americans were taught the link between illicit drug and international terrorism. Like the link between Al_Qaeda group with producing heroin in Afghanistan before 9/11. Latinos suspicion to terrorism goes back to 1940, the media and societal conception toward Latinos as a foreign sourced threat during the World War II. Also during 1950 Puerto Ricans were labeled as terrorists and revolutionary minded.
George Bush called upon "eyes and ears of alert citizens" to help for defending terrorism. His administration also brought proposals to the congress to reduce immigration level and anti immigration movements reinforced their existence not only in America but also other parts of the world. They also operate harsh investigations and profiling in the airports toward the passengers who look Muslim or having Islamic names.By these statistics, what is forming in your mind to answer this question: How the construction/demonization of ethnoracial groups contributes to Shape the self-conception of the United States by focusing on "war or terror"? I think, George Bush `s question "with us or against us?" have two implications:1. global implication2. national implicationGlobal implication is pinpointing to the people of the world. About this case interpretations are clarified because there are national borders. Iran, Iraq and North Korea were mentioned as "Axis of Evil". People who are "against us" (Said George Bush).The second implication is national and referring to the people of America.Bush's question shaped self conception of the United States in two different groups:1. " US", white Americans2. " Them", " others", immigrationsThe first self conception is implicating to white Americans, whose national interests are putting in danger by the attacks. People who are anti terrorism. They are advocates of democracy, human rights and hate violence. On the other side of the line, there are "THEM" or "OTHERS" who are from different ethnoracial groups. They are terrorists and supporters of terrorism in the world, who have immigrated to USA long time ago and now they are American citizens but after the attacks because of different beliefs and maybe skin color they are segregated from American self conception. George Bush is questioning the governmental policies toward immigrants by making this distinction. If immigrants are dangerous to American security why the government was welcome to them before?As we see the suspected people are Arab Americans, Muslims and Asians who are putting on the second group, the terrorists. They are the victims of this distinction, whose religious beliefs are being (by mistake) questioned, they will be intimated, and they will be threatened just because they are biologically, culturally and ideologically different in American governments` perspective. .How do you conclude? Don’t you think this clear cut is making duality in self conception of the United States? Is power the producer of this clear cut? Does it reconstruct Foucault's opinion about absorption of power in all layers of social life? Is it fragmented concept or macro?I think power is fragmented concept in all layers of social life and it shapes self conception of united sates. This is the matter of power that labeled some as "different" and easily called as "terrorists", one who are against "US".


.
[1] I remembered "Crash", Oscar winner film in 2006, an Iranian man who was in a shop to buy Bullet for his gun received very offensive treatment from the shopkeeper. The Iranian man was talking with his daughter who was disagreed to buy bullet, suddenly the shop keeper got angry and told him" Osama, haven’t you decided about your Jihad plan, yet?"

1500 w0rds essay

Reality for the sponsors: this is what media makes!
How media exercise the power of ethno racial construction?

Billboard, radio, Television, newspaper, advertisement, World Wide Web, Book ,CD, video Cassette, SMS, computer game, mobile computer; we are besieged by these medias that shape our understandings.
The world today is dominated by the media power. Different images, analysis, news and realities are produced according to the Media's attitudes, attachments and ideologies and all these can belong to the sponsors who are from different racial, ethnical, religious, political, economical and identical backgrounds; People who support Medias financially, ideologically and politically. So the produced reality cannot be the real reality because it is nourishing from sponsors` ideological viewpoints.
What Baudrillard mentioned as "hyper reality" is referring to the artificiality of real that blur the boundaries between the "real" and the "simulation, entertainment, and current affairs" (cited by Barker, 2001: 212). To me, hyper realities are not neutral but ideological. They have ideological orientation.
America, as a multicultural society, with varied racial and ethnical groups is matter of concern in this article with focusing on Blacks and how media as producer of message or transmitters of ' sign vehicle'(cited by Rojek, 2003; 94) in this Melton Pot is exercising the power of ethno racial construction.
Race has been a controversial problem since exploration of America. It is woven to warp and woof of American society and penetrating to all social institutions and media is not the exception.
Media with the potentiality of disseminating facts, information and opinions has a special place in American society. According to media policy 101 statistics, the average American spends over 4 hours a day watching TV, 78% of adults listen to radio, 88% of Americans believe internet has important role in their daily routine and average American child view 40000 commercials per year. About 12 million viewers watch nightly ABC, NBC and CBS news (Jacobs, 2ooo; 24).
And how ethnic and racial groups like Black Americans in this significant place are represented?
In America, it was not until late 1960 and early 1970 that we find any black families in television drama (Barker, 2000; 267) .The first television programme to feature Black Americans was Amos `n' Andy (Barker, 2000; 268). Hall believed that, this programme was a comedy that became a symbol of degradation of black people by the use of humor based on stereotypes. Media representations of people of color increased during 1980_90. Hall, a black Jamaican who May experienced racial discrimination, has such idea about black American representation.
Stuart Hall believes that binary forms of representation exist between ' THEM' as white and ' US' as black. White has always been represented as good and black as bad, respectively civilized/ primitive and attractive/ ugly. Takaki also in ' The tempest in the wilderness' showed this kind of binary position in case of British and Irish (Takaki, 1993; 28). Although these two are from the same origin but British are considered as civilized and nurtured but Irish as natural and savage.
This misrepresentation and ignorance also happens to Arabs in Hollywood movies. Norman Solomon indicated that Arabs in Hollywood are always representing as dirty, untrustworthy, violent and lecherous (Solomon, 2004; 4).

Ideologies support media
Althussers was a Marxist philosopher who talked about the concept of Ideology. He believed ideology is one of the three levels of social formation. This concept means system of representation such as images, myths, ideas or concepts (Barker, 2000; 77). Ideology constitutes subjects and subjects are fragmented and have pluralistic subject positions. Ideology is understood to be material phenomenon rooted in daily conditions. In his definition, there are four ideological state apparatuses:
1. family
2. education system ( transmits ruling class ideology)
3. church
4. mass media
To me, ideology can be one of the important factors of media formation.
In America since 1975, two thirds of independent newspaper and one third of TV owners have disappeared. Merely, 4% of radio station and less than 2% of T.V stations are owned by people of the color.
Reason of misrepresentation of Black Americans goes back to the hidden ideologies. Existence of racial media is dependent to existence of racial ideology. Benshoff and Griffin in their book "American on film" indicating that American cinema for the most part functions under the dominant ideology of white patriarchal capitalism (Benshoff & Griffin, 2004; 75).
According to the above statistics, I think American media is becoming more and more dominant on the masses and they not only decide what to watch but also how to think about and believe the "produced reality". Also I can say that almost media power is controlled by white Americans not the people of the color. This shows how much they are marginalized from the mainstream space of society and how ethno racial power exist in media as well. This ethno racial ideology exists in infrastructure and the superstructure is misrepresentation or ignorance.

Gramsci, ideology and hegemony
Gramsci, an Italian writer, politician and political theorist, in late 19th and early 20th century, defined hegemony as "situation where historical bloc of ruling class factions exercises social authority and leadership over the subordinate classes" ( cited by Barker, 2000; 80) .
He believed representation of formal education system as a meritocracy and people of color as by nature inferior and less capable than white people is formed by ideology. The hegemonic bloc as he said is not single socioeconomic category perhaps ideology plays a crucial role in alliances of the groups. In Gramscian word, hegemony has to be constantly remade and renowned.
To have these two theories as a model, I think Black Americans have experience of subordination toward whites during the history and this historical bloc has been existed since exploration of America. History of slavery and tortures against Black Americans was a cycle of remaking and re owning hegemony for white Americans.
During 1960_70 America experienced race crisis that caused so many professionals and journalists to arrange series of conferences to consider racial issues. In that time media was deficient in neutrality of race problems. Carolyn Martindale in his pamphlet "The white press and Black America" declared that media had failed three matters:
1. To cover Black as normal part of American society instead reinforcing and promoting stereo types.
2. Portraying problems that black Americans face.
3. Explain causes and underlying condition of black Americans.
According to Martindale (1986) and Campbell (1995), "African Americans in news cast are represented as criminals connected to gun and violence "(cited by Barker, 2000; 269)

Up to here, by reviewing Althussers and Gramsci theories I tired to say representation of blacks in American media is implicating existence of ideology and hegemony's concepts. Clearly media such as newspaper, TV, web sites and other forms (mentioned in introduction) are dominated more by white power in America and blacks a portion of America's population are subordinated by the white dominant ideology and hegemony of whites for directing and sponsoring the media.
Also the white media produce the reality which can be hyper reality that implicated values and ideologies of whites. Media has this capability for two reasons:
1. Media is managed by corporation's capitals so profit play important role in producing reality. In my idea media is a capitalistic phenomenon which is nourishing by capital.
2. Media creates the reality and what is offering to the audiences is "hallucinatory resemble" version ( Barker, 2000; 212)
According to Nietzsche, "pure knowledge is impermissible and nothing more than expediency of certain race and species" (cited by Barker, 2000; 199). That’s why in media today we have different narrations for one single happening. Every media interprets world with its own eyes. This goes back to the media characteristic. I believe media is not and can not be a neutral phenomenon. Basically is profit _oriented, no matter economic, cultural or political.
Media as a tool for forming public opinion is more concerning by politicians and governmental agendas. Governments can stabilize their hegemony over controlling Medias and persuading masses by ideologies. Censorship and articulation of specific news, representing minorities as problems, otherization and racial/ethnic discriminations are policies of media sponsors. I think media has this capability everywhere, it is not specified to particular part of the world but the difference is in amount and degree of interfere.

References:
· Barker, Chris(2000) cultural studies; theory and practice, London, sage
· Benshoff, Harry N & Griffin, Sean ( 2004) America on film; representing race, class, gender and sexuality at the movies, USA, Blackwell publishing
· Jacobs, Ronald D (2000) Media, race and the crisis of the civil
Society from Watt to Rodney king, UK, Cambridge University
Press
· Rojek ,Chris ( 2003) Stuart Hall, London, Blackwell publishing Ltd
· Solomon, Norman ( 2004) The war and racism _ media denial in over drive, Journal of Media beat, USA
· Takaki, Ronald (1939) a different mirror, Congress Caraloging in- publication data, USA.

Internet references:
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://freepress.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/

News Analysis
Color of the cross

On October 27 2006, Jean-Claude La Marre, brought a new gift for the people who were suffered by the color line. He, as a black_ American director and screenwriter, is talking from the side of all annoyed people from racism.
This production is actually the first unique dramatic film in Hollywood's history that depicts Christ as a Black man. More over it is trying to inject race as a main factor of crucifixion of Christ. The film examined the final 48 hours of Jesus Christ’s life before his capture at Mount Gethsemane.
''Color of the cross" was first released in Atlanta, Washington DC, Baltimore, St. Louis, Memphis, and Detroit in 2006/27 of October and in 10th November in Cleveland, Houston, Chicago, Jackson, MS, Dallas, Birmingham, Norfolk, Little Rock, Kansas City, New York, Los Angeles, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Columbia, SC.
CNN had an interview with the director. When Jean-Claude La Marre was asked about the Christians feeling for worshiping black Christ he said, that if they are real Christians and have problem with this issue, they have to look inward.
Over centuries, race has been a matter of concern and still nowadays, despite forming globalization wave, nothing is reduced from the importance of race. Still humanity is challenging for skin color. Although Du Bois notified that the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line, but I believe this is not specified for 20th century. Since self aggrandizing is existing, black and white, WE and THEM, superior and inferior, are existing too.
"Color of the cross" is breaking the white's supremacist's taboo. This film with depiction of Christ as a black man has two implications. First that blew a new soul to racism victims is that a black man, who is" inferior" in white's racism viewpoint, can achieve a prophetic place and be chosen by God to bring justice and moral values for human beings. The second implication may double black Christians anger toward racism, that Christ was crucified for his skin color.
As a Muslim, it is hard to predict which implication is more dominant. In Islamic approach, virtue is the only criteria for human's supremacy, not skin color or class or etc. what makes race more controversial issue is lack of tolerance and moral values. Hope that globalization produces more tolerance for everyone.

just 6 days a go in NY Times....

In Queens: Elmhurst Hospital Center promoted newly born Emanuel Plata as the 300 millionth American, but there were many other claimants.