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.

News Analysis
10,000 refugees from Burundi coming to US

As CNN declared in October 19, 2006, US plan to take in 10000 refugees from Burundi who had left their landlocked central Africa in 1972. These refugees were in Tanzania west camps and now US is undertaking to give permanent residence to all these refugees for the request of UN High Commissioner of Refugees. America after one year passed from the request is now agreed to do so.

To find the roots of this American political hospitality toward refugees, immigrants, slaves and war victims it is necessary to turn over the history. It goes back to 15th century, Columbus exploration, then arrival of Spanish, British colonization, French settlements, German's hope for finding Labor in US, Slavery toward Africans, Scottish_ Irish immigrants and so many other foreigners who come to America for seeking better life. What all these groups have in common is lack of something and a hope to find the mislaid in the" land of opportunity".
This is just one side to American political hospitality's coin. America does it for God sake?! A kind great power who cares about minorities?!
United States as a superpower in the world, with capitalist economy who seeks for more and more profit absorbs immigrants and refuges to safeguard the labor forces. This is also indicated by President Bush. He said that the purpose for bill quest_ worker program is to accept immigrants for filling the jobs Americans can't or won't do. For there are 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States and the government is trying to change their status to legal by the following circumstances such as: working for six years, paying a fine, undergoing a background check and learning English. In this case we have the problem of identity for the immigrants and refugees. To be accepted in American society logically they will get kind of hybrid identity which is half American, half indigenous like Hispanic Americans, African Americans or Asian Americans. Whether it consequences to what Pieterse called structural hybridization? (Barker, 2000: 257). This is a matter of concern.
Global popularity is what makes America to be hospitable toward immigrants and refugees. To find more advocates for exerting policies is the reason of this political kindness. What America is giving them in return is safeguarding main needs, minimum security and identity.
The implication of this news is pinpointing to the governments to be aware of immigration. They are to prepare appropriate life condition as much as it is possible. Not make their people to be the targets of these political hospitalities.

Reference:

Barker, Chris ( 2000) Cultural Studies: Theory and Practise, London, Sage.

American Eating Style

According to U.S obesity rates, almost 65% of Americans are either obese or overweigh .Part of this phenomenon goes back to American food consumption which is based on fast foods. That is why Americans spent more than $110 billion on fast food in 2001.The influence of everything being done “Fast” during the past three decades, scarce time for cooking at home, fair prices of fast foods and emerging youth subcultures are increasing fast food fans in USA.

In 1916, by White Castle`s new idea for drive-in restaurants American Hamburgers got their first reputation. Later on, in 1948 brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald, after testing few ways of servicing, they established Macdonald Fast food with this maxim: Imagine _ No corhops – No Waitresses – No Dishwashers – No Bus Boys – The McDonald’s System is Self-Service!”

MacDonald’s and other types such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) are distributing around the world. Absolutely this is not just an eating habit but a kind of life style which has been globalized. For economic and political boycotts on Iran, Macdonald is not emerging but there is sort if it. Boof is a chain fast food restaurant tried to have constancy to the original text although it is quasi Macdonald.

News Analysis

One in three Americans is Hispanic, African or Asian.

This news was written by Virginie Montet on Sunday 1st of October 2006 and is taken from Yahoo site ( news section). According to the main text , the US population, which is set to hit the 300-million mark in October, is one third minorities, with one in three people either Hispanic, black, Asian or, less often, indigenous Native Americans ( for more info see Census Bureau ). As an introduction, America is an extensive country with a capitalist economy which causes to be superpower among other countries in the world. On one hand in the capitalist society an approach to family structure is of modern foundation which America is not the exception. In this family structure fertility rate is low, zero or sometimes below. On the other hand, a capitalist economy need labor force as a tool for obtaining economic, cultural and political goals. That is why America does have the capability to absorb immigrants from different parts of the glob especially from developing countries with low valued labor force such as Africa and Asia.

The main element of this news which is articulating is migration. Migration is what makes America such a heterogeneous country. Clifford, as an anthropologist, believed that cultural identities are better conceptualized in terms of “travel” ( Barker, 2000: 255) and America as a target of so many different ethnicities, is embodying many different cultural Diasporas inside such as Hispanic, Black, African and Asian.

The background of this news in the case of Iran or other developing countries goes back to brain drain. This is not a cliché but a reality. Despite hostile relations between Iran and America and all the limitations which exist still there are educated people who are eager to experience academic atmosphere over there, in USA. About non educated people also the story is the same, but for gaining better life with higher standards.

Barker, Chris ( 2000) Cutural Studies : Theory and practice, London, Sage.