articles for class

http://www.nreisner.com/BlocVotingaRealityattheBallotBox.htm

I definitely agree with this article, because I know that I do the same thing.

"Ethnicity and race - especially race - are important factors in campaigns all over the country," says the article. I remember during the presidential campaign/election of 2008, forget party lines, it was alllllll about race, to a slightly smaller degree, gender.

"We know that people will vote for the person closest to them... and the less detail they know about the candidate, the more important ethnicity or race is in making that vote,'' said Marvin Dunn.

While not true for everybody, the majority of people will most likely vote for the candidate most like them, just like when deciding who to sit next to in a room, or who to talk to among a big group of people you don't know.

racism within the same race

Yesterday we got into a discussion near the end of class about racism within the same race, such as dark latinos vs lighter latinos. Through the years, I've actually come to hear that that actually is present in just about every culture on the planet. While that present awareness was not enslaving the other, or having it be a physical separation, it is an almost unspoken 'thing' that exists.

One instance that comes to mind is from America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7. Anchal Joseph ( i met her once!!!) is originally from New Delhi, India, but has lived in the US since she was 6.

POINT IS: I remember an episode where she was telling Tyra how in her culture, the lighter-skinned girls were "beautiful" while the darker ones generally were not. She said this as a darker-skinned Indian. She also used to put lighter eye color contacts, to make her super dark brown eyes blue, to try to be lighter.

That's just one example that immediately came to mind, but it directly relates to the question that Sonya brought up.

News as American as America, and Newspaper Diversity Report

http://www.c3.ucla.edu/toolbox/newsroom-toolbox/diversity-toolbox/news-and-newsroom-diversity/news-as-american-as-america/

First off, I think that's a really great title!

This article begins with the story of a small town in which the vice mayor thought it would be nice to have many different country's flags in a parade, along with the United States; flag, at the town's 4th of July parade, which of course did not end well.

Our country is one that is, for reasons unclear, awfully sensitive and super protective of anything as "American" as our flag. We want to arrest anyone who vandalizes our flag, or says anything negative about our country; either you love the good ol' U.S of A. or you're a terrorist.

Sometimes I understand why the rest of the world looks at us the way they do, and I really don't blame them.



The second article, newspaper diversity report, talks about what exactly is a "minority," now that more and more numbers of said "minorities" are ever-increasing in this country. The percent of blacks and Hispanics will soon outweigh that of the white majority.

Speaking of minorities, it also talks about minorities in the workroom. While,yes, I believe in diversity, I don't think companies should hire people "of color" just so they can show that they employ people "of color." That's dumb.

monday's class-8/11

Today we discussed a lot of things in class. From our listening posts, to [readings we were supposed to do?], to homophobia (and foot touching!!), to how to report with a poker face on.

.....po-po-po-po-poker face, po-po-po-poker face...

I had a thought during that discussion. Most jobs require people to not judge, not just reporters/journalists. In fact, maybe all of them.

Teachers, doctors, lawyers (especially), dentists, social workers, etc. all have to look beyond the race, gender, morals of everyone they encounter while working.

EXAMPLES:

Teacher= some kid who doesn't do well asks a "dumb" question during class. Teacher has to NOT put a face that says "dumb kid asking a dumb question"

Doctor= young, pregnant minority girl walks into office "don't look surprised/not surprised." OR person has nasty looking medical something- no "ewwww wtf is that!!" face allowed!

Lawyer= picture this guy looking at O.J. and trying to figure out his defense

Dentist= cannot have a face that says "eww wtf brush your teeth" to anybody

Social worker= cannot judge who they're saving kids from, can only work to help them!

In conclusion, it is not just journalists who need to get their judging in check, but everybody does! This is because, as you all know, everyone's a little bit racist...sometimes.

update

Our class met yesterday, Wednesday, for the first time in a week because poor Prof. Reisner was in the hospital with intestinal blockage. I was once in the hospital for colitis, so I had an idea of what kind of pain he was in. But, he's back in action and we were all relieved he was better.

I have not had time yet to make my 2nd visit to my listening post, Peg's Pocket. Last time I went, there was no one there, so I think I need to go later in the day, but that's when I'm busiest! SO, I'm currently trying to find a day/time for visit #2.

It is pretty interesting hearing about other people's LPs in class. I also read other people's blog posts, so not only am I learning from my own experience, but everyone else's as well!