Go Obama Go

It's 2011, and we are halfway through President Obama's first term. Last night, Tuesday night, President Obama gave his mid-term State of the Union Address, and things got interesting, to say the least. After all, his term has been nothing but controversial and all of the heated topics had to be addressed last night, in one way or another.

Congress is divided into classes. These classes are not so much economic or racial, as I've discussed before on my blog, but rather based on beliefs. There are Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Tea Partiers and Libertarians, just to name a few. Obama's term has been incredibly controversial when it comes to bringing the classes together, or further dividing the classes.


The divide between the classes, as well as their different focuses, can easily be seen by analyzing President Obama's speech versus the Republican response. Here is a Word Cloud from President Obama's speech from last night, highlighting the topics he focused on:



Obama used the term "Americans" the most frequently, and probably in attempts to reunite the multiple parties as "one people." After "Americans" and "people", what other words do you notice had a lot of prominence? Work took on much meaning in the speech, but then all other words seem about tied. Businesses appears to be bolded, and this was a concept that created further divides between the classes in Congress. During his speech, Obama presented some ideas regarding business that were not as favorable to Republicans. However, he is the President and his party is in power, so must he play to the Republicans? How much of his speech must he use to attempt unification of the parties and how much of his speech can he use to further his (and the Democrats') ideas for the future? Below is the Word Cloud of the Republicans' response:

As it is evident, the Republicans greatly focused on 'Americans' as well, but 'government' also takes great prominence. Big government vs. small government and just how much government involvement is needed is one of the issues that is dividing the classes of Congress. The differences between the focuses of the two parties' speeches are evident through the word clouds.


I believe Obama should be commended for his focus on bipartisanship in his speech. He had a lot of different topics he needed to cover, but especially after the Arizona shooting, he had no choice but to discuss one of the biggest problems in Washington: the disagreement and anger between parties. His introduction was solid in this regard, quoting "It's not secret that those of us here tonight have had our differences over the last two years.. We will move forward together, or not at all- for the challenges we face are bigger than party, and bigger than politics.. That's the project the American people want us to work on. Together." (Did you miss the speech? Do you want to read the script? Access it here thanks to NPR!)President Obama acknowledged the "elephant in the room" right off the bat, and possibly provided a glimpse of hope to improving bipartisan relations in the upcoming 2 years.


What do you think? Did Obama talk enough about bipartisanship and "reaching across the aisle" in his State of the Union? Will the multiple "classes" in Washington cooperate anytime soon? What happens if they don't? Leave your opinions!

Book Review: The Notebook

For my blog entry this week, I was supposed to write a book review. In going along with the theme of my blog, "class", I chose to review one my favorite books of all time, The Notebook. The Notebook, written by Nicholas Sparks, is a classic story of love vs. class, in which a person's class attempts to dictate not only their life, but their future as well.

While The Notebook is an incredible romance story, written in 1996, The Notebook is also an amazing demonstration of the conflict between love and class. In The Notebook, Noah Calhoun, age 17, meets Allie Hamilton, age 15, during the summer of 1932. Noah, a native to the small town of New Bern, North Carolina meets Allie at the local summer carnival and quickly wins over her heart. The Hamilton family is incredibly wealthy and spending their summer at a large plantation in New Bern. The two teenagers have a whirlwind summer filled with romantic dates, love and the promise to stay together forever. In the background of this life-changing summer, however, are Allie's disapproving parents, constantly criticizing Noah and his lack of class.They attempt to sabotage plans between Noah and Allie, discipline Allie for going out on dates with Noah and mock his lack of fortune. However, Allie insists that she is in love with him and that class doesn't matter when it comes to love.

At the end of the summer, Allie is forced to return to Winston-Salem, North Carolina with her family. Noah and Allie promise to write daily to one another and to, one day, marry each other. Noah writes daily but Allie's mother, worried about Noah's lack of money and financial security, hides all of Noah's letters, leading Allie to believe Noah forgot about her and never wrote her. The story then flashes forward 14 years and Allie comes back to visit Noah before marrying a weathly banker, Lon Hammond, Jr. Allie realizes she is in love with Noah and that he never stopped loving her. Allie's mother admits that she hid the letters because she wanted "a better life for Allie than Noah could provide." While Lon would provide much more financial stability, Allie chooses Noah in the end because of their undeniable love.

Below is the trailer for The Notebook when it was turned into the movie in 2004. Enjoy!





As I mentioned before, The Notebook is one of my favorite books. I believe the plot, as well as the writing style, are both incredibly well thought-out and realistic. While it is not a high-paced novel, the form matches the content. Love is supposed to last forever, and there are ups and downs in a relationship. The Notebook presents a realistic view on love and relationships, and does not just claim that everything always works out perfectly in love. Although Allie chooses Noah in the end, the choice is not easy. I think this novel really highlights the conflict that can arise due to class in our own personal spheres of life, even down to the very person that we are going to spend our lives with. Do you think Allie made the right choice to choose love over class/wealth? While it may seem like a situation you only read about in books or see in movies, I believe love vs. class can affect many people. Should we sacrifice "true love" for financial security? Or should we risk financial security for someone we truly love? Of course it would be desirable if we didn't have to choose; if the person you loved was also wealthy, or at least financially stable. However, that is not always real life. This book, and the slow pace of the novel, demonstrates the doubts, the discouragement and the fears that are realistic in this situation. Nonetheless, it is an incredible novel and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

-Emily

White? Black? Christian? Jewish? Muslim? Female? Male? What's your label?

In English class, we are continuing to read Reading Lolita in Tehran, a story about Azar Nafisi (also the author) and other Muslim women living in Tehran during and post the Iranian revolution. The book explores many different themes including women's rights, women's roles in society, education, intellect, writing and literature, all from the views of native Iranians. The book is not only an excellent piece of literature, but also an insight into the true lives of Iranian women and works to defy stereotypes.


However, one other issue that has arisen during our class discussions is how one labels themself. Identity is an issue that all of these women grapple with as rights are being stripped from them everyday and they are working to retain who they really are. Labels, and the language used with them, are major factors in who we are and how we claim our identity. Below is a video from the recent 2010 census regarding ethnic labels and how one identifies themself on the census:





These women in Reading Lolita in Tehran have a multitude of different ways in which they can label and identify themselves. "Female" is an obvious, first label, but where do they go from there? Are they Persian? Are they Muslim? Are they Arabic? Are they Iranian? You get the point. Any way you look at it, any of us could fall under multiple labels or identities. Is their nationality their most important label? If your nationality is your most important label, does that mean you don't qualify under the other identities as well? I think not. I think it is possible for all of your labels to be equally important. However, I think society and the world makes it hard for you to not be casted into an "other" category if you don't fit some of society's most defined labels. Below is a video from a very old song that talks about the special significance of the label of nationality for someone:



What happens if you don't fit the "normal" labels? In class today, we brainstormed a list of "normal" American labels and came up with:

• middle class
• ambitious
• white
• Christian, protestant
• heterosexual
• English-speaking
• male
• businessman

We discussed what happens if you don't fit those labels and talked about the idea of the "other" group, the group of people who might be immigrants or poets or gay. Labels, and the idea of labeling oneself based on who they are, may be beneficial in some cases such as censuses, but can be detrimental to people if these "other" labels affect their identity and how they see themselves as people.

Muslims in America

Currently in my English class, we are reading Reading Lolita in Tehran (RLiT) by Azar Nafisi. RLiT is about a group of Muslim women in Tehran who meet at their female professor's house every Thursday morning to discuss different works of literature and their lives as women living under the Ayatollah. Besides being a spectacular work of literature, RLiT has proven to be a book that challenges stereotypes of Muslim women and forces readers to dive deeper into knowledge of Muslims and the Muslim community. RLiT provides readers with the opportunity to learn about Muslim culture and Muslim women while within a fictional context.


It should be obvious by now, but America has a large Muslim class which is continuing to grow. However, after September 11, 2001, American-Muslim discrimination also started to increase. Although Muslims represent only a small part of Americans (between 6 and 8 million according to The Washington Report), they are a class of people that deserved to be respected just like all other classes, such as Christians and Jews. Hostilities are growing, leading to tensions between the different cultural classes in America. Below are some examples of Muslim discrimination that have been demonstrated in the United States since September 11, 2001:




These photos show much recent anger and hostility towards Islam and Muslims because of the proposed Ground Zero mosque. Whether or not people believe the location of the mosque was acceptable or not, the above photos show ignorance and a lack of compassion and understanding towards Muslims and Islam. Muslims are becoming an increasingly prominent class in our society and this hostility and discrimination could have devastating effects on the class of people as well as our society as a whole. There are Muslims who are more dedicated to America and American pride than some white, stereotypical Americans, yet some of these Muslims face extreme discrimination despite their dedication and service to the country. What are these Muslim-Americans supposed to do? They live in America yet they have different beliefs than mainstream America. How is the class of people supposed to thrive when they face discrimination every day? Below is a picture I believe represents the cross of cultures Muslim-Americans face everyday:
Muslims represent an influential class in America just like other classes such as African Americans, Christians and Jews. However, it seems currently that this class is enduring the most conflict regarding their culture and lifestyle, especially after September 11, 2001 and the possibility of the mosque at Ground Zero. However, this discrimination against Muslims is not only occuring in America. Recently, in France, the burqa was banned due to claims that the burqa "contradicted the laws of the nation" (you can read about the conflict at this very well written CNN article). Class conflict does not need to only occur between economic classes, but racial classes as well. After reading RLiT, I have learned that class conflict can cross racial and ethnic boundaries to create a more complicated, intertwined class conflict than ever before.

Class in the Media

The Upper East Side. 90210, Beverly Hills. The Northshore. All these locations have connotations that accompany them, mostly some of affluence. Another similarity? Each of these places has been spotlighted through the media due to their wealth. The Upper East Side is currently being featured through Gossip Girl. The zip code 90210 actually has its own show, "90210." And the Northshore of Chicago? The Northshore and all its money was featured through the hit movie, Mean Girls. All three of these places have been famed due to their money, society and culture. With these types of shows and movies, is it all too easy to believe that these societies are the norm? I believe these shows and movies promote even stronger class divisions because they highlight the differences between the rich and the "poor" in very publicized ways.

Gossip Girl is a television show on the CW channel every Monday night from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. based on the Upper East Side of New York City and the lives of young adults there. This show is by no means a "reality" TV show, but the ways in which it portrays the Upper East Side certainly convinces viewers that this is truly the life of Upper East Siders, as they call themselves. Below is a video clip of one of Gossip Girl's most featured, annual parties, the Masquerade Ball, to illustrate the type of culture Gossip Girl features.



It is an interesting time to watch Gossip Girl, a show centered around lavish parties and designer clothing, with the current unemployment rate around 9.6% according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics and the United States bouncing back after the recession. Gossip Girl first aired on September 19, 2007, just three months before the recession in the United States officially began. While Gossip Girl showed eighteen year old teenagers paying thousands of dollars for a gown to wear to the upcoming ball, the news channels showed rapidly growing lines of people outside homeless shelters and houses being taken over by the banks.

With shows such as these, class divisions are clearly evident and supported. The general public is watching these shows from their homes which they are struggling to pay the mortgage every month, and the CW is telling them that if only they were luckier, they could live the life of an upper east-sider. The rich are strapping on their dancing shoes, the middle-class are trying to pull themselves up by their boot straps. In a country in which the government is attempting to bail anyone and everyone out and encouraging people to ban together to raise people back to pre-recession status, shows such as Gossip Girl can only foster increased tensions between the rich and the poor. An example I believe that really illustrates the tensions between the wealthy and the poor is portrayed well through the movie, Marie Antoinette. In this movie about the French government during the French Revolution, it discusses much about Marie's ignorance to the incredibly large divisions between the rich and the poor and her inability to see how the luxuries she possessed and utilized were increasing tensions. Below is a clip about the movie that summarizes the issues.





As you can see through the clip, the wealthy were feasting while the poor were starving. This is a concept illustrated very similarily through Gossip Girl and 90210. Class conflicts and divisions are evident in our society, but do we see the ways in which they are encouraged? Media, such as movies and TV shows, often does a better job of portraying these issues better than we give them credit for, if we were only to take the time to analyze the show rather than just use it as an hour of relaxation. Readers: what other examples exist like these in the movie and television industries?

That's So "Gay"

Lately, throughout our school, media and community, it seems as though the word "gay" has been a frequent topic of discussion. The term "gay" is popping up everywhere, from the news with the recent teen suicides due to teen anti-gay bullying (learn about Tyler Clementi's tragic suicide here) to the popular TV show Glee. No matter what your views are on gay rights or gay marriage, it is important to recognize the increasing importance of the term and the implications of labeling.

In basic and well know terms, the term "gay" is used to describe people who are homosexual. However, the term has taken on some negative meanings in our culture today, creating some deep societal divisions. It is not uncommon to hear students say to one another in the hallways, "That's so gay" in regards to the fact that a teacher gave a pop quiz, or perhaps too much homework. "Gay" has now taken on negative meanings such as dumb or stupid. By giving this word new, negative connotations, we are hurting an entire class of people within our society. I don't think society is trying to call those people dumb or stupid, but by using this word so casually and in wrong, negative terms, we are, in the end, just drawing deeper divisions between the gay and straight classes of people in our society and country.

Labels such as gay or straight are effective in classifying one's sexual orientation, that is true. However, why else must they be prominent in our society? Society seems to be obsessed with whether someone is gay or straight, and which class (gay or straight) that one guy in your psychology class falls under. "Gay" doesn't need to be a term that draws deep divisions in society or create tense class separations.

The term "gay" can most definitely be used appropriately and respectfully to classify someone. (Read more about terminology like the word "gay" and its usages at Kyle's Blog )However, it is when the word "gay" creates class divisions and conflict that the word becomes problematic. Gay or straight, all people deserve the same respect and someone's class should not change that. There are already enough social divisions as it is, with conflict between rich vs. poor, black vs. white, male vs. female, that our society does not need gay vs. straight to draw even deeper lines within classes in society.

Below is a clip from the popular TV show "Glee" which I believe is a step in the right direction for gay acceptance in society. In this clip, Kurt confronts a fellow classmate about his ignorance and fear of homosexuality. Kurt is taking a step towards eliminating fear and the conflict that the classmate creates when he participates in anti-gay bullying. Next time you're about to say "gay" when talking about something other than sexual orientation or about to mutter "That's so gay!" under your breath when a teacher announces fifty pages of reading for homework, stop and think about what you really mean, and what the implications of your words mean on specific people and our culture.

-Emily

Carl Wilkens: A True Humanitarian

A week ago, the Academy had a presentation by Carl Wilkens, the only American to remain in Rwanda during the 1994-1995 genocide between the Hutus and the Tutsis. Wilkens is a humanitarian and worked throughout the genocide to provide aid to people all over Rwanda during this crisis. This day, the day that I heard Carl Wilkens speak for two and a half hours about his role as a humanitarian during the Rwandan genocide, was the most inspiring day in my academic career, as I saw that one person can truly make a difference and help people in an uncountable number of ways.

Wilkens began just as a missionary in Rwanda, working to build schools and help all Rwandans. When the genocide broke out, Wilkens didn't fit in either of the two classes that were fighting, the Hutus and the Tutsis. Wilkens decided that instead of fleeing the country like all other Americans, he would use his resources and connections to attempt to bring some peace and stability to some Rwandans. Wilkens saw this class conflict and decided he needed to help, he needed to do something and not just stand by.

The genocide that took place in Rwanda is obviously a class conflict that occured very far from home for readers in the United States and western hemisphere. However, it shows that class conflicts don't necessarily need to be a matter of rich vs. poor in the United States. As I mentioned in my previous blog, All Around the World, class conflicts are prevalent in every country and culture, and come in all shapes and sizes. Although this class conflict was far away, Americans could still make a difference, just as Wilkens did. See Wilkens' video below to learn more about his time in Rwanda.




I blogged about the class conflict, Hutus vs. Tutsis, because of the recent presentation in Academy. However, there are many more class conflicts occuring not only domestically as I have blogged about, but also abroad. One major one is the Darfur conflict in Sudan (learn about it here!) This class conflict is also killing many people, with over 5,000 people murdered a month. Although the Rwandan conflict is over, class conflict certainly is not. Americans must work to stop these conflicts from killing thousands, if not millions. As Wilkens suggested, Americans should write to their senators, asking them to move the Darfur genocide up on the agenda. Call the White House. Seriously, how cool is that? You get to call the White House and voice your request for the Darfur genocide to receive more attention. Call 202-456-1111 (the White House comment line!) to make a comment about Obama's agenda and mention the Darfur conflict. This is just one way for Americans to help. We can stop class conflict and the violence that accompanies it. The United States did not pay enough attention to the Rwandan genocide, so the world and Rwandans payed the price. We can change our ways and policies for the conflict in Darfur. I encourage all readers to expand their views and begin to consider class conflict on a larger scale than what is just happening in your city. Sometimes the conflicts abroad can be even more detrimental to our world as a whole. Let's all try to do our part to help solve conflict around the globe and save lives.

If you're interested in learning more about Carl Wilkens, his experiences and his foundation, please see http://worldoutsidemyshoes.org/