I’ll Take My Stand in Dixie-net

The thesis of this article seems to be that “neo-confederate” websites serve as an online gathering place for racists. Tara McPherson believes that such sites cause a virtual Mason-Dixon Line and although they say they do not support racism McPherson believes that they these sites are practicing “covert” racism.

McPherson mostly explains how racist views are passed down through families, mostly in the South, along with anti-feminist ideas. McPherson explains in this article that many of these websites claim to not promote racism and that several even go as far as to ex out of a Klansman’s hood. McPherson also explains how some of these sites outlaw the use of the term “the Civil War” instead using the term “the war between the states” and that the war is the ground on which many of the neo-confederates stand to claim their heritage. She also goes on to tell readers that many show the south as breaking away from the north and becoming its own nation.

The article is not very well organized and rather difficult to follow. In the beginning of this article the author explains how she came across the neo-confederate websites which seems unnecessary and detracts one from the main idea. As for the main points of this reading I felt they were unclear. At some points she is discussing feminist movements and others she is talking about the racist history of the south. McPherson’s argument seems to waffle and she offers no alternates to the present system.

I had a hard time following this article. It was hard to read and even harder to understand the meaning of what the author was trying to say. Also I don’t entirely agree with what I believe the author is trying to say, I don’t think that every neo-confederate website promotes the Mason-Dixon Line and I believe some are honestly trying to show their history and be proud of their heritage. Although I’m sure that some sites do still actively support racist views some are just trying to show their past however dark it may be. I don’t understand what McPherson wants from the south, does she want them to pretend that slavery never existed and that there was no war? Of course not, doing such a thing would be denying a major part of our history and ignoring it would be even worse than admitting the horrible truth. History’s history, there’s no sense in sweeping it under the rug.

McBride why I hate Abercrombie & Fitch

The thesis of this article is that Abercrombie and Fitch are selling young gay white men a lifestyle rather than the clothes they appear to be marketing. McBride’s interest, as he puts it, started while out with friend when he noticed that most of the men at the bar they were at was wearing some kind of clothing with the Abercrombie and Fitch logo on it. He goes on to explain that Abercrombie and Fitch stores and ads all have the same basic look and feel to them and even cites another book that points this out.

The main idea of this article is that Abercrombie and Fitch are not only telling gay men how to dress but also how to act, look, walk, shop, and go about their daily lives. McBride argues that Abercrombie and Fitch is also class motivated and presents the dress code of the company that does not overtly say white or whiteness but certainly promotes it. McBride also touches on the fact that older people are not shown in either the book or in any of the Abercrombie and Fitch ads.

McBride’s article is interesting but it some parts seem unnecessary such as most of the first few pages. In these pages McBride writes about the creators of Abercrombie and Fitch and how the brand became what it is today. This part seemed very drawn out to me, McBride could have explained the history in a few short paragraphs and still gotten his point across. This section I believe detracts from the main Idea of the article. McBride is trying to explain why he hates Abercrombie and Fitch but this section almost seems like he is trying to give a history and explain why the brand is the way it is.

Personally I agree mostly with what McBride says in his article however I do not agree with him that other retailers and brands do not do the same thing. For instance Hot Topic, it is a store that is most marketed to young middle class white rebellious teenagers. I have frequented this store and its website many times and after reading this article I began to realize that I have never seen an African American either in the store (neither shopping nor employee) or in their ads. I think its bias to say that Abercrombie and Fitch do this exclusively.

Takaki-Chapter 12

1. How did this group come to be in the U.S.? How much of this was “by choice” and how much as a result of pressure or force? Identify drivers or motivations for coming to be in the U.S.

The Mexicans came to the United States by choice in order to find a better life for themselves and their families.

2. What is the significance of the title of the chapter?

El Norte is the name that the Mexicans gave to the United States which to them meant endless possibilities.

3. What mechanisms of social construction are discussed in the chapter?

Mexicans were kept in lower jobs.

4. How did these groups resist discrimination and racialization?

Education and trying to advance in the work place.


5. Give one example in the chapter of “race” and one example of “ethnicity.” What is the difference between the two as they are discussed here?

Race would be Latino, and ethnicity would be Mexican.

Captain Marvel

This is the comic book cover that I chose to write on. On this cover you see an average white American super hero saving the world from the "evil Japanese". In this cover our hero is "swatting the Japs" and as he does this all of the Japanese look terrified and they are all running for their lives. Also they are in a classic stereotypical Japanese setting; there is a mountain in the back of the drawling as well as a stereotyped Japanese building.

This comic was possible meant to bring hope to those that remained at home during World War II. Many of the kids that would have been buying and reading this comic had fathers, uncles, or brothers away at war. A comic like this could have brought hope to these kids who were concerned for their family members. Seeing Captain Marvel defeat the Japanese in one swoop would have brought hope to the country.

I think this cover was very typical of what the comic books looked like at the time, but it doesn't make it right. I'm sure that many Japanese were hurt by the images presented on these covers. I know if my ethnic group were shown in such a negative light I would be very upset.

Takaki-Chapter 10

The chapter’s main point is that Japanese immigrated to the United States and the how and why behind it. Takaki explains how Japanese originally came here to be laborers and that for the most part it was men who made the journey but gradually women began to come to the United States as “picture brides.” Takaki also explains how women were valuable as workers in the western United States.

In this chapter Takaki talks about Japanese workers migration to the United States and the fact that they were moved to California and Hawaii. Takaki also explains that in Japan Women were well educated and became workers when they were brought to this country. Takaki writes about the high demand of Japanese that Californian plantation owners wanted to work their fields.

The Chapter was very well organized and fairly easy to read. Takaki used witness accounts and explained them in context. This was in my opinion one of the simplest things we’ve had to read all year. I had very little trouble reading this chapter. It was also different from what we’ve been reading most of the semester. It was a nice change of pace to read about another ethnic group.

This chapter was very interesting and I thought that the fact that Japanese women were well educated was very fascinating. I did not know that Japanese women worked as well as the men and I think that even though Japan was not as industrialized as the United States they were much farther ahead of this country socially. In this country it was still for the most part unheard of that women worked with their husbands but in Japanese culture it was encouraged

Zinn 9

The main idea of this chapter is that although the slaves were freed they were still not granted the same rights and freedoms that whites were given. Zinn also brings up the few slave rebellions that took place in the south and how the plantation owners crushed such rebellions.

The main argument of this chapter is that although the blacks were freed most would turn a blind eye to unequal wages and poor treatment they received because to completely end slavery and give all equal wages would not only take away white privilege but it would also destroy the southern economy. Zinn also talks about how the rich white used poor white to control the blacks and that when blacks and poor whites did work together they were separated to prevent an up rise against the rich plantation owners. Zinn uses the building of the Brunswick canal to show that blacks were kept apart from the Irish. Zinn also talks about how poor whites were not permitted to fraternize with the slaves because the plantation owners feared that poor whites would take sympathy on the blacks and help to plain massive rebellions.

Zinn’s chapter 9 was really nothing new, although it did present some new information most of what was said has been presented in previous chapters. Many of the ideas are getting old and Zinn only brings in new evidence to the chapters but does not share any new ides with his reader. This makes Zinn’s chapters very dry and repetitive. Zinn also never moves away from the subject of slavery. In a book called “A People’s History of the United States” he only talks about one kind of people. Zinn never writes about Native Americans, Mexicans, or any of the other inhabitants of this country.

I think this chapter only gave information that has already been presented. He gives no new ideas or new thoughts on the subject so I think it’s very repetitive and boring. When reading this chapter I had a difficult time remembering what had been said in this chapter and what had been said in previous chapters.

Kindred

The main idea of this novel is that children are born good but as time progresses their environment changes them into what most people see them as.

In the beginning of the story Rufus is an innocent young boy and although he does have privilege he mostly tries to be nice to Dana and he remains friends with Alice. However as the novel progresses he becomes a tyrant mostly due to the influence of his father. In Dane's later trips to the past Rufus treats Alica and all other blacks horribly.

Perhaps Rufus does these things in an attempt to be loved. His father was a tyrant so Rufus may have felt in order to gain his love he must be mean to the slaves. Rufus did start out as a normal kid although he was a bit bratty he was generally good, but as time progresses he becomes bad. He rapes the slaves in a possible attempt to find the love his father never gave him.

I think this book was a interesting read and a good change of pace. But I did have a hard time getting passed the fact that Dane could time travel. I also don't understand why Dane, Rufus had hundreds of decedents why was Dane the one who could travel through space and time to save Rufus's life? Also why did she go back whenever she was in danger? I don't feel that the book explain this enough.