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.

Takaki-Chapter 3

The thesis of this Chapter seems much like the one of Zinn’s chapter 2 “Drawling the Color Line.” In both chapters the author explains that in the beginning the black slaves and the white servants were working together to gain freedom, however, the rich white feared revolt from the work force so they gave stricter punishments to the blacks then were given to the white servants. The rich and powerful also tailored the laws to be unfair to the blacks and to give the whites more power. When the white were given more rights they could separate themselves from their African counter-parts.

Tataki’s main argument seemed to be that slavery was invented to keep control of the Africans. Tataki quotes a historian that says “the status of Negroes was that of indentured servants and so they were identified and treated.” I think Tataki uses this quote to show us that Africans were not brought here to just be slaves that at one point in time blacks were on the same social level as white servants. That it was only when the wealthy whites feared revolt that the differences in race was made.

Tataki’s chapter is a very interesting piece the historical documents and quotes from both historians and people of the time really bring this information to life. This chapter is much like Zinn’s in many ways and they were both well put together pieces. The information was well organized and the source material was well placed throughout the chapter.

I think this chapter was very good. I was familiar with the ideas because they were similar to the ones in Zinn’s chapter 2. Although there was little new or shocking that Tataki had to say on the subject that Zinn had already brought to my attention, I think it was good to read both chapters because now it is even less likely that this is an isolated theory. It is more fact now that I have read two author’s accounts of it.

Johnson chapter 8

The main idea of this chapter is that as people in the dominant group we deny oppression still exists. We tell ourselves that racism and sexism were a problem years ago but in this day and age we are fair to minorities. The dominant group says that they are not racist that, being racist is no longer accepted so therefore it has virtually disappeared.

The chapter is basically about denial. The dominant group denies that there is oppression, and therefore denies that there is also privilege. The dominant group lies to themselves that they are the dominate group that they control the resources and that they control the subordinate groups. They will often say that the subordinate groups have more of an advantage, that because of affirmative action that whites and men are at a disadvantage.

Yes minorities do have it rough but is it not true that in some situations African Americans do have certain advantages. For an instance when filling out college scholarship applications the question arises of race, I believe that this has nothing to do with the consideration of me getting money to attend college or not. Some will say because blacks have been oppressed for so long that black students cannot be compared to their white counterparts. However is it not true that the daughter of Oprah Winfrey has more disadvantages then a man from a poor white family? Perhaps in some cases people blacks are disadvantaged however other factors must be put in context with the race factor.

Maybe I am also denying that race is the only factor that causes disadvantage because I am white and therefore a member of the dominant group however I am also female and I firmly believe that just because I am female I have a disadvantage to my male counterparts. In some cases I do believe that men have an advantage to me but I also know that sometimes I have an advantage over men. I think that for the most part life evens out and it’s all a system of balances. Sometimes it doesn’t work out and sometimes life isn’t fair, but no one ever said life is fair. Maybe that the only people that life is fair for top executives and CEOs and maybe those people are all white males but there is no requirement that says “to have power you must be a white male.” Powerful black women are a prime example of that. Women like Star Jones and Oprah Winfrey show us that blacks and women can succeed

Johnson chapter 6

The main point of this chapter seems to that even if someone isn’t necessarily sexist or racist they don’t do anything to stop the racist people because they don’t want to cause trouble. They are traveling the path of least resistance. Johnson uses the example of a man hearing an off color joke but doesn’t want to make a scene so even though he doesn’t agree with the joke or believe in the stereotypes that make the joke funny he will say or do anything; the man will chuckle along with the rest of his friends or coworker to avoid conflict.

The main point of this chapter is that racism and sexism still exist because people want to fit in with others around them. Johnson says that we all have choices but we choose not to make a scene, we choose to travel down the path of least resistance because are afraid of the consequences that would face us if we choose to speak up, we choose to agree with our bosses; who are usually white males. Johnson says that we will sell out our beliefs and morals because we are afraid of losing our jobs if we stand up to our superiors.

Johnson says that we allow racism and sexism to continue to avoid conflict however, is this not a reason that sexism and racism would soon become nonexistent? A racist person is not socially accepted by most groups and organizations so it doesn’t make senses that people would sit back and listen to racist or sexist comments so that they don’t stir things up. It makes more sense that people who were racist or sexist would keep those feeling to themselves so that they would better fit in with the people around them. If I were racist or sexist unless I was among friends that I was sure shared my beliefs I would remain as pleasant as possible to all others around me.

I think this chapter did have so good points although I don’t believe that all individuals stand back and listen to offensive jokes because they don’t want to cause a stir, I do think that Johnson had a good idea about the path of least resistance. I think a more likely reason that people laugh along with off-color jokes is because they do believe the stereotypes even if they claim they don’t. Also if the person don’t really believe the stereotype they do know what the joke is poking fun at so they laugh.

Johnson Chapter 3

The main idea of this chapter is that capitalism is the reason racism still exists in the world today. That capitalism is the one thing that keeps whites and blacks separate and that if we had a different system racism would virtually disappear.

Johnson argues that capitalism is the means to make at lower coast then what the produces can sell that product for. Because they are trying to produce goods at low cost the capitalist pay their workers low wages and the reason they can do this is because of racism. If workers strike for higher wages then bring in minority workers who will work for less money.

However Johnson does not show that this is the reason that whites fear other groups. Maybe this was a valid theory several years ago but now labor laws and government regulations prevent factory owners from paying minorities lower wages. Although outsourcing is a concern for many workers Johnson did not provide enough proof to say that this is why racism is still alive and well.

I don’t think that this chapter was very accurate. I do believe that racism is taught more than natural but I think that it is not intentional. I think that children are taught that black is bad, not necessarily the skin color but the color black itself. Fairytales are filled with evil black witches in black hats and big bad black wolves that do terrible things to little kids. By association kids then think that anything that is black is out to get them. Once they learn that black people are bad there is little that anything anyone can do to change their mind.

Johnson chapter 2

The main point of this chapter is that we are not born with a fear of the unknown but it is instilled in us by our culture. Johnson explains that things like disability, race, and gender are defined by the dominant group in the culture. He explains that people that need a wheelchair are considered disabled; however people who need glasses to see more clearly are not thought to be perfectly normal because the dominate group says it’s okay.

Johnson explains that in Native American cultures that a baby that was born without clear male or female characteristics was placed into a third category that was not abnormal. He also goes on to say that individuals could change genders without being thought of as deviant. In today’s culture such a person would be considered transgender and in most cases transgender people are excluded from “normal” society. The author talks about the power that our culture places on race. He explains that a woman in Africa does not think of herself as black because it is not important in her culture. Likewise a man in Norway does not think himself white because his culture is somewhat colorblind, but if one was to transplant these people into America where a great deal of privilege is dependent on being white these individuals would quickly realize that they were of a their respective races.

Is it not wise to teach our children to fear others who are not thought of as “normal”? For instance if we were not taught to fear strangers who drive windowless vans near playgrounds, and offer candy in exchange for their assistance in finding a lost puppy many more of us would have been kidnapped as small children. It is true that we teach our children to fear but a certain amount of fear is healthy. Perhaps in our society we have gone so overboard that people fear to approach anyone who is different from them in any way.

I think that this chapter was very good. I think that it was interesting how Johnson makes comparisons between people as they age. It’s strange to at one time we were all curious two year olds that were totally fearless and from the moment we could talk we said whatever came to mind unaware that it wasn’t the social norm. In some cultures this might have been encouraged but in ours and many others, like our own are parents began the life long struggle to teach us not to stare, point or ask personal questions.

Race: The Power of an Illusion

I think that the guiding statement of this video is that race is an illusion. That there are no subspecies of humans, that despite our appearances we are basically all the same. The main argument is that whites have made the rule governing who could become a citizen and who was white. That being white in this country gives a person better opportunity and makes their homes more valuable. The video explains that there are “higher races” and “lower races” and the “lower races” had worse jobs that had lower paying, and because of this they lived in slums. It was said that they had these jobs because of their race.
The question is more about the housing part. In this it says that the property values in areas that blacks began to more into went down because of the blacks. However is it not possible that the values of the homes began to go down to prices that the black could afford and it was not the government’s property apprising laws that were racist but the people who did not hire the blacks for the well paying jobs.
I think that over all this was a very good peace that exposed another side of history that I had never heard about. I never knew that there was a time in this country when courts decided if one was white or not. It’s very interesting that the government spent so much time deliberating over something that these days seems so trivial. However it seems to me that this video pushed too hard to show the government in a racist light. Although I don’t deny that some of the laws were racially skewed, I don’t believe that all the laws were meant to be exclusively pro-white.

Drawing the color line

For this chapter the thesis seems to be the question that Zinn asks in the first paragraph, “How did it [racism] start?” This seems to be the guiding question that dictates the rest of the chapter. Throughout the chapter Zinn tells of how the slaves were imported and how the white slave owners used rewards and different punishment for the white servants to differ the blacks from the whites. Zinn’s argument seems that racism is manufactured and that it was brought about to control the slaves and the indentured servants.
Zinn’s chapter is well organized and used the source material well. Throughout the peace Zinn explained how “the color line was drawn” and uses documents from the period to back up his claims. Zinn shows how that when Africans were imported to be slaves there was not such racism as there is today but because the wealthy white land owners feared an upraise from all of the workers (black slaves and as well as white servant) that they manufactured differences in what privileges the whites got and the types of punishments the blacks received.
I believe that Zinn’s argument is very interesting and well put together. Before reading this chapter I never really thought about how the world became raciest. Before reading this selection I just had a belief that the original blacks were discriminated against because they looked different, but after reading this it seems more that they were treated poorly so that they would work for the land owners with little resistance.

Takaki-Chapter 2

I think the Thesis is "[t]his play [The Tempest] was first presented in London in 1611, a time when the the English were encountering what they viewed as strange inhabitants in new lands." this seems to be the thesis because for most of the chapter Takaki speaks about the similarity between the play and the real world surrounding England.
Throughout the article Takaki argues that Shakespeare used his play to show what was going on in the world surrounding him. Takaki also explains the similarities between the Irish and the Native Americans and the similarities of what the English did to both civilizations.
The evidence in this chapter was well presented and was well organized. The information in this selection was captivating. The author backed up his ideas with facts and his point was well presented.
I think that this chapter is very interesting in the way that Takaki compares the works of Shakespeare and the events unfolding in the “new world.” I found the reading very interesting and informative. I really liked the use of quotes from journal entries of the generals of the armies that marched against the natives, I think that these gave good insight to why these men believed what they were doing was right. Now most people believe that what happened to the Native Americans was a terrible injustice and can’t understand why humans would do this to their fellow man, but the quotes give great insight to why the English believed they were entitled to the land.

About me!

Hi I'm Sara, I'm 19 years old and I'm a Biology/pre-vet major at Bowling Green State University. This is my sophomore year here and excited to get the year going and get back in the swing of things. Last year was the RSA rep for my hall and I'm hoping to get elected again this year. I'm from Alavda Ohio, which is a small town near Findlay.

Columbus

These Arawaks of the Bahama Islands were much like Indians on the mainland, who were remarkable for their hospitality, their belief in sharing. These traits did not stand out in Renaissance Europe, dominated as it was by the religion of popes, the government of kings, the frenzy for money that marked Western civilization and its first messenger to the Americas, Christopher Columbus.
The author’s argument seems to be that Christopher Columbus is misrepresented in history. Howard Zinn provides the evidence that most of what we learned about Columbus is only half truths. Zinn explains how Columbus and his crew exploited the hospitality of the native people. He then explains how another author only mentions Columbus’ cruel actions as almost a footnote.
Although Columbus did do some awful things to the native people it was believed at the time that these were “lesser” people much because they were unashamed of their nakedness and because their culture was different then what Columbus and his men understood. It is also possible that the explorers may have believed that the native people would attack them if they showed a great deal of weakness. The men may have felt threatened by the mass numbers of natives that they encountered in their travels. It is possible that they felt a need to show their amount of power and their willingness to use force in an effort to maintain order.
I feel that Zinn’s argument is quite valid. I believe that it is absurd that in this country we celebrate a man who discovered his neighbor’s backyard and brought them nothing but disease, slavery, and death. Columbus stole the land and all it had to offer. Although Columbus did have a brilliant idea of a round earth what he did to the people he found on his journey was inhumane. Columbus should be credited with the first attempt to travel around the world, but as for him being the discoverer of America, one cannot discover a land that already has inhabitants.