Where's the Love?

A couple years back Black Eyed Peas came out with a song that was an instant hit. The title of the song was “Where’s the Love”. This song not only referred to racial groups such as the KKK, but also provides powerful lyrics regarding discrimination. I chose the Black Eyed Peas song “Where’s the Love” because it does not refer to just one topic that we discussed but overall what the class is about and what we should be learning.
The Black Eyed Peas are a very popular hip-hop group in today’s society. They are known for controversial lyrics about sexual confrontations and other things of that nature, so when they came out with a song like “Where’s the Love” everyone was surprised to say the least. “Where’s the Love” confronts today’s societies issues. With powerful lyrics such as “But if you only have love for your own race then you only leave space to discriminate” this song was a sure hit. Other powerful lyrics through out the song consist of recognizing terrorism over seas but realizing that we still have terrorism in our own country with the likes of the KKK. The group also asks questions through out the emotionally charged song with the likes of “whatever happened to the values of humanity whatever happened to the fairness in equality?” The Black Eyed Peas also make strong statements such as “selfishness got us following’ the wrong direction, wrong information always shown by the media, negative images is the main criteria.” I just love how this song relates so much to what we talk about in class. Every class we meet and discuss ethnical issues in the past an present and this song represents everything we talk about. I believe the overall message in the song is to create an awareness into the youth of today’s society. The song refers to the youth frequently. I believe the Black Eyed Peas purpose of this song was to reach the youth and make the youth of today’s society aware of the stereotypes and discriminations that effect everyone’s life.
I believe that even after five years, “Where’s the Love” is still a huge hit in the country today. When my younger brother and I made a road trip down south recently I turned on the Black Eyed Peas song and my brother, never having heard it before, immediately asked who sang the song and the title. I believe this song will be popular for years to come just because of how deep the songs lyrics are and how it addresses such emotional topics in today’s society.

Cosmo Kramer and the "n-word"

We all know Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer from Seinfeld. He was the lovable neighbor who always found a way to make a horrible situation worse. When Seinfeld had rapped up in 1998, Michael Richards turned to Stand-up comedy. Yet when everything seemed to be going well, Richards lost in one night during an act in Hollywood, California and used the “n-word” profusely. I chose this topic because not only do I think it fits in perfectly with what we talk about in class but also relates to the “Kindred” reading in how it was common to refer to blacks as the “n-word”.
While performing at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, California, Michael Richards was disturbed by a group of black men in the crowd. Richards was video taped shouting “shut up” at the group in the audience and followed by “he’s a nigger!” to rest of the shocked audience. The argument broke out even further when the audience members being attacked retaliated saying “that is uncalled for” and “your not even funny”. Richards, who was already in trouble, did not hold back referring them as niggers and even made a comment about lynching. Through out the confrontation the audience was in shock of what was happening. Richards would not stop threatening to “never interrupt a white man”. The confrontation ended when the group of black people left the Laugh Factory with threats and name calling. They also referred to Richards as a “cracker”. When the group of black member left so did the majority of the audience and after awhile Richards just walked off the stage almost knowing how big of a mistake he had just made. When I read the book Kindred, it was surprising to me to see how freely the whites used the “n-word” in reference to African Americans. So when I saw the Michael Richards incident I was in shock to see how freely and careless he threw out that word as if it meant nothing. The “n-word” is something that is so emotionally charged that it should never be used in a joking manner because it just brings up a horrible time in this countries past. Truly the audience members felt the same way as they left in disgust. Michael Richards apologized publicly on the “David Letterman Show” and has since retired from stand-up comedy in search for spiritual healing. Richards also apologized to civil rights leaders Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.
I was feeling sick after I had watched the taping of this incident. Not only was it so weird to see someone in the twenty first century say that word so care-free but also because the man who was saying it made me laugh for so many years prior to this incident. I feel sorry that this event even happened but I also forgive Michael Richards and truly believe that he is sorry. We should not judge Michael Richards but learn from this experience. The “n-word” should not be taken lightly and used in a laughing manner.

Difference Between Races?

The movie “Remember the Titans” is a very inspirational story. It is viewed during the 1960s when the African Americans in the U.S. began to earn privileges just like everyone else. In the movie, the privilege the African Americans gained was combining a white and black high school into one and playing on a football team together. I chose the movie “Remember the Titans” not only because it is one of my favorite movies but also because it reminded me of what we discussed in Ethnic Studies in how we pondered the question if there really is a difference between the two races.
The movie “Remember the Titans” takes place in southern Virginia and picks up in the beginning when the white football players realize that not only do they have to play football with African Americans but they have to play under one as well. Gary Bertier is a white football player and is a captain as well. He is considered the leader of the rest of the white players. Needless to say he is not pleased with what is going on at his high school. There is only one point of view in the white player’s mind and that is that the African Americans do not deserve to play along side them. Gary Bertier and the rest of his white teammates meet their new African American coach and teammates in football camp. The white football players are stand offish and do not attempt to get to know any member of the opposite race, not even the coach. When Gary Bertier is confronted by the African American coach about his status with the team, Gary decides to tell the coach is opinion. Gary Bertier tells the coach to do what he wants on the offensive side of the ball but “we don’t need any of your people on defense were already set”. Gary Bertier believes that he and his other white teammates not only are superior athletically, but do not want to be on the same field as them. This situation reminded me of when we discussed if there really is a difference between whites and blacks. The class and I realized that there is not a biological reason for the two races to be different. We are all the same on the inside. So for Gary Bertier to believe that the white players are more athletically capable than the black players then he is mistaken.
I believe the movie “Remember the Titans” was such a successful movie because it took place in such a historic time for the United States. When Gary Bertier and the rest of his white teammates began to know teammates of the opposite race they realized that they have a lot in common. Just like the discussion in class, there is not a biological difference between whites and blacks. Instead of listening to the outside world of what is right and wrong, the titans bonded in camp and grew to learn from each other.
-”Remember the Titans” was directed by Boaz Yakin and written by Gregory Allen Howard.

Socialization in Crash

When watching a movie that is as emotionally charged as “Crash”, one can only wonder if our society is that stereotypical. I chose the movie “Crash” as one of my media portfolios because I felt it represented so much as to what we are learning in Ethnic Studies. The issues acted out through out the movie was hard to take in because you really do not believe that the societies we live in truly act that way. Furthermore the reason I chose the movie “Crash” was because through out the entire movie there was one scene that stood out in relation back to class when we discussed socialization.
In the beginning of the movie “Crash”, there is a Persian family trying to make a living with their own store in Los Angeles. With Los Angeles being one of the most unsafe cities to live in, the father of the family decides to purchase a gun to off protection for him and his family. While at the gun store, the father refers to an incident a while back when his wife could have been killed and he does not want to take that chance again. The father and his daughter are asked what kind of ammunition they would like with their gun. Not knowing much about guns, the father and his daughter begin to discuss what type of ammunition they would like in their own language. The white man behind the register begins to grow impatient and refers to the father as “Osama”, and to hurry up. The father immediately takes offense to this name calling and creates a scene attempting to reach the white man in English language. The white man takes offense to the way he is being talked too and insulting him again asks if that is the closest he comes to English. With the white man telling the father to get out of his store the father reacts with saying he has rights just like him and he is an American citizen. The white man does not agree accusing him of flying planes into buildings and killing family and friends. The situation dies down when the father is escorted out by a police man. The scene in this movie was difficult to watch but yet related back to what we discussed in class. Socialization is the social norm in society. With the father being of Persian descent and resembling the image of Osama Bin Laden, the white man treated him unfairly. The white man already had a picture in his head of what the father was like because he wasn’t of the social norm in Los Angeles.
When I was watching the movie I felt horrible for the father. Here is a man trying to buy a gun to protect his family and he is unable because someone else views him in the wrong way. Not only was the white man stereotyping the father but insulting him in front of his daughter. It troubles me that even in our united country, we have a social norm and those who are not apart of that social norm are stereotyped and ultimately have their rights and privileges take away.

-The movie “Crash” was directed and written by Paul Haggis.