America Today

I have chosen six images which for me play some part in illustrating America today. Hollywood, Mexican immigrants, Popular culture, America's relationship with China, the American road trip and Balkanization.

http://www.nytimes.com/
(as at 25th May)
This website from The New York Times epitomises how the media provides instant news and articles on many different reports in the USA in 2011. This site discusses political, industrial and commercial affairs, health and social issues, climate, environmental, foreign policy and sport and entertainment issues. Current and breaking news is sped to everyone all day. This could add to fears about the state and future of the country. It seems to require the reader to concern him or herself with everything at once. Instant responses are sought. American power and influence may change over time - but not disappear.

Jill Glazier

American and Chinese relationship

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/7130310/Analysis-the-worsening-relationship-between-America-and-China.html

This article talks about how the relationship between America and China is worsening. It talks about how in 2009, the American government were particularly careful to keep relations with the Chinese on good terms, by doing things such as President Obama declining to meet the Dalai Lama when he was about to visit Beijing. The American government was keen to keep the Chinese happy as they are an emerging powerful country, and America cannot really afford to fall out with them.

However the article then goes in to tell how a year later in 2010, the relationship between these two powerful countries is getting worse. For example there is the issue with Google and China, and President Obama has also authorised an arms sale to Taiwan, which has also displeased the Chinese. It seems that more recently America has not been so worried about how China reacts to their actions, this could mean that America feels that China is a power that they do not need to worry about too much.

This article clearly shows that American and Chinese relations are not improving as time goes on, and that in fact they are doing the complete opposite and are actually getting worse. This could prove to not be a good move by the Americans in the future, if China becomes much more powerful and is powerful enough to rival America.

Relations between the U.S and China

This video (Is China the new America?) summaries reasons why it is believed that China will surpass America to become the worlds leading superpower. Like many arguments it is centered around the economy and debt as a major factor.

The stage is already set for such a passing of the torch. The U.S. recently surpassed $11 trillion in total outstanding debt. The Chinese government, on the other hand, holds nearly $2 trillion in currency reserves and is flush with a massive sovereign wealth fund'

In contrast to the view that the American national debt will cause China to 'over take' is the argument that China will not ask for that debt to be taken back because they have too much money invested in the American economy to take the money (inflating their currency) and pushing up the cost of Chinese goods, which would create their own economic issues, as this second video from ABC highlights:

What if China collected on U.S national debt?
http://youtu.be/T1dDIrOCbUo

The first video also leaves out factors such as military power, the standard of living in China, soft power, Political influence and Foreign policy amongst other things. One of the only arguments made is the Economy and the population of China. Unlike the US it doesn't have a vast amount of vested interests oversees and extent to which is would push to dominate the globe is highly debatable.

America vs. China

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jan/19/china-social-media#zoomed-picture

As the two leading powers in the world today, the relationship between China and the United States has come under intense scrutiny in the past few years and all facets of their culture and society have been compared. The picture above depicts some of these comparisons.

Firstly, it is worth noting that China has a population with over 1 billion more people than the US, yet the numbers regarding the likes of pollution and military personnel are incongruous with these figures. Despite its population being vastly less, America produces well over half the amount of China's pollution, producing CO2 emissions of 5.4 tonnes compared to 7.7 in China. Also, the US military boasts 1.6 million personnel compared to 2.2 million Chinese, far less in terms of a percentage of the populace.

America's dominance in the film industry is unchallenged, however China did overtake the Americans in the arena of sport during the last Olympics, obtaining 51 gold medals compared to the Team USA's 36. America also rules the internet scene with 300 million more social media users than China , a more advanced internet infrastructure and a huge number of internet hosts.

The most telling figures though are that of the economy. America still dominate China in terms of market capitalisation, top brands and gross domestic product but it is China's steady trajectory upwards that is most notable. China's GDP growth is measured at 9.6% compared to America's 2.6%, showing that China is a force to be reckoned with in the coming years. The shift in power is most noticeable due to the fact that with a deficit of $536bn, the US has the world's largest but China's surplus of $272.5bn, again the world's largest, shows just how significant China's rising economy will become in the near future.

Joseph Nye on US-China relations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12209538

BBC News article Viewpoint: China’s hubris colours US relations by Harvard University professor and former US Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, Joseph Nye reports on US-China relations on the eve of President Hu Jintao’s January 2011 state visit to Washington DC. With US-China relations having been one of the main focuses of Mr Obama’s presidency, Nye debates where both nations stand in terms of their power and relationship in the 21st Century.
The article reads that with its “successful economic recovery from the recession, China passed Japan as the world's second largest economy, and America's slow recovery led many Chinese to mistakenly conclude that the United States was in decline.” Nye challenges this notion of American decline put forward by China, arguing that the view expressed by the Chinese is “seriously mistaken” and that “China is unlikely to equal American economic, military or soft power for decades to come.”
While he opposes the idea of American declinism, he does state that China’s “over-confidence in power assessment… led to more assertive Chinese foreign policy behaviour in the last two years” and that “China’s new attitudes alienated the Obama administration”. This suggests that even though the US may not be in decline, it is becoming increasingly aware of China’s rise in power – in turn making relations between the two nations difficult. Nye suggests that their “relationship will remain difficult as long as the Chinese suffer from hubris based on a mistaken belief in American decline.”
Overall Nye’s article seems to make three clear points about US-China relations. These are, firstly that China has been, and is currently, a rising economic and military power which may rival that of the United States in the future. Secondly, that America is not yet in decline as has been suggested. Lastly, that the relationship between China and the United States is, and shall remain, a difficult one in the years to come.

The Relationship between America and China

Recent polls have suggested that a strong majority think events in China and relations with China are imperative to American interests, particularly as China’s stature on the global scale, develops. This is down to because Americans see the countless improvements in relations with China over the past three decades as imperative to bringing the Cold War to an end. In a June 2004 poll, respondents were presented a list of six important events, labelled as “foreign policy successes” of America, and requested which one they thought was the most significant.

Although, Americans perceive China as having an unfriendly relationship with the U.S, the majority of Americans have not seen China as a very serious danger to the U.S in current years. The website addresses this subject and underlines China as being a moderately serious threat.

China’s rising production costs may display an increasing threat, the website says. It means that China will be less capable to trust the cheap maker of textiles, toys, furniture and plastics to create jobs – some of that production is gradually going to go to places like Bangladesh and Vietnam.

http://www.americans-world.org/digest/regional_issues/china/china2.cfm

America and China - the relationship

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/16/obama.china/

This site reports on the meeting President Obama had in 2009 with President Hu in China The site reports on the mutual needs of both countries and the desired cooperation over security and weapons programmes. It goes on to say that 51% of Americans saw China (at that time), as a military threat and 71% saw China as an economic threat. There are four videos on the site and I chose to watch the second one, featuring Obama's address to students. He paints a positive picture of what can be achieved by remaining friendly and cooperative and the need to look to the future. There must be, he said, open dialogue, learning from each other. He assured the students America did not seek to impose any way of government on another country. However, he doesn't shrink from standing up for democracy. He stresses America's belief in freedoms and respect for the law. The world, he considered, was now interconnected and that American power need not mean restricting another country's progress and expand.

He tells them it was planned that 100,000 American students should study in China and added that his country's young people would be good ambassadors. He concludes by saying continuing dialogue was important.

Jill Glazier

He told the students that

9/11 and the Death of Bin Laden- WWE and Patriotism

On September 13th 2001, the World Wrestling Federation held its weekly Smackdown show, and in doing so became the largest public assembly of its kind since the tragedy of 9/11. This video depicts the opening segment of this show. It begins with WWF owner and chairman Vince McMahon addressing the crowd in Houston, Texas, stating that America would not be afraid and by going ahead with the show they are sending a clear message to terrorists that they would not live their lives in fear. His patriotic speech prompts huge cheers from the live crowd, along with a customary 'U-S-A' chant.

This is followed by the singing of the National Anthem to which the entire roster of wrestlers come out on to the stage, characters temporarily broken and storyline affiliations and feuds put to one side in order to pay their respects.

As one of the most popular sports and brands in the US, the WWF, or WWE as it is now known, attracts millions upon millions of viewers around the world and this particular bradcast was indicative of the defiance and patriotism prevalent in the US post-9/11. The broadcast gave a sense of normality to its fans that there had no doubt been a lack of in the couple of days prior.

In addition to the content of the video, I found it intersting that the video itself had its comments disabled, the uploader saying they "have decided to disable comments due to the constant anti-USA comments that keep coming up." Perhaps the patriotic nature of the video incited derision from non-Americans as a result of the international fanbase of the WWE or more likely it is a reflection of the bad feeling towards America throughout much of the world.



This video is one that shows another defining moment in American history through the bizarre viewpoint of professional wrestling. Just after the pay-per-view event Extreme Rules had gone off the air, wrestler John Cena, having just won the WWE Championship, announced the death of Osama bin Laden to the live crowd in Tampa, Florida. Much like the post-9/11 Smackdown, cheers and 'U-S-A' chants echoed across the arena but the mood of defiance and sadness was replaced by one of elation and joy. It is also worth noting that Cena's character is the embodiment of the archetypal 'All American hero' and contantly states his support for the US military. He is also the face of the company so it is very apt that on the night he recaptured the championship, he also made the announcement of one of the most significant moments in modern history to that crowd.

For many, the events of 9/11 and what followed have now gone full circle after the death of bin Laden and it is interesting to see how this has been mirrored in the bizarre world of the WWE.

Remembering 9/11

This video focuses not just on 9/11, but on the general sense of 'community' that came out of the event. As well as the expected clips and photos from the attacks it uses patriotic and emotional imagery of soldiers, Americans wrapped in the flag, and of the 'reconstruction' process the U.S went through after the attacks (the ground zero site rebuild, and lights shone in remembrance). It suggests that as awful as the attacks word the nation (as the song chosen suggests) proud to be American, and 'free'. Many saw the attacks on the world trade centers and the pentagon as an attack on American freedom, and thus the famous song chosen (God Bless The USA) and the imagery reflects that Americans wanted to show unity and strength after the attack. The generic 'smiling' people surrounded by the flag imply this. The strong link between the attack and the need of religion and God is highlighted, besides the title and the song there is also some subtle religious imagery in the clips- at 2.08 the flag has a cross of light in the corner, and the candle at 2.51 is relgious church like iconography.

The writing at the end of the video- 'Never forget, Never surrender' is interesting. It is reminiscent of war type speech's, surrender taken in either a military sense or in the sense of never surrendering freedom, however I feel the maker of the video was implying the first. Since the event the war on terror and 9/11 has been linked almost indistinguishably, and the 'never surrender' I assume is a reference that America does not 'forget'; rather than surrenders it wages war against the perpetrators of the attacks (or rather the perceived perpetrators.)

Review of Crash

"It's hard to describe Crash without it sounding earnest. But while this provocative drama tackles racism, class and looking beyond appearances, it's anything but worthy or dull. Following several lives as they, yes, crash together during one day in LA, it's fuelled by powerhouse performances from an outstanding cast.

Writer/director Paul Haggis (who scripted Clint Eastwood's Oscar-winner Million Dollar Baby) sets out to address difficult issues: why middle-class whites are afraid of working-class blacks, why being racist doesn't necessarily mean being inhuman, and how politics confuses the truth ("What are you, the ****ing defender of all things white?" yells William Fichtner's scheming internal affairs officer at Cheadle)." (BBC- http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/08/01/crash_2005_review.shtml)

From the very beginning of the film Crash sets up to be direct and upfront in its representation of race issues. I found the way in which the film brings together people of different ethnicity's and reflected how discrimination or judgement on a persons race has consequences that go further than first imagined interesting. Rather than portraying the issue of racism as black vs white, or one issue, it sets out to show how the issue has a 'knock-on' affect to the lives of many (the locksmiths daughter getting caught up in the misunderstanding between the Persian shopkeeper and her father after they are robbed etc) and that discrimination does not just come from the white community.

It challenges ideas of assimilation, and shows that even if immigrants do attempt to fit in they are often rejected or a victim of prejudice- the Persian shop keeper being a good example of this, it is a right as an American to own a gun, yet because of his language issues he is refused a gun, he is not treated as an equal American citizen because the shop keeper assumes he might be a terrorist. The section of the film where the high ranking black police officer ignores the young colleagues complaint about his partner is another example of the film highlighting that racism is not a case of white against black, it can also be black vs black, and that some people stood to gain from turning a blind eye. The film has be criticised for its representation (or lack of) of the Asian community, some critics have said it re-enforced stereotypes, some of the many comments:

Does anyone feel that the portrayal of Asian Americans in the movie Crash was sad if
not poorly represented?
e.g.
1. the stereotypical "bad" asian woman driver
2. the "chinaman" with the thai slaves (WHO, by the way were saved, NOT by another Asian, but by Ludicris)

It just seemed like whenever it came to Asians, they were all grouped together like they're all the same. NO, distinction between Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Filipino..etc... slanty eyes, brown or yellow skin = Asian

Asian characters had no depth or personality like the Black, White and hispanic characters did. Even the Middle-Eastern guy seemed kind of over the top a little...

I did find it true that in typical Hollywood fashion all the characters are 'redeemed'regretting their actions (angry white lady, who admits she is mean and then gets what was coming to her...) the black car thief (who frees the immigrants) except for the Asian/Chinese ones- the Chinese mans immigrants are saved by another race and there is no real reedeming element of the plot.

The young police officers shooting of the innocent black man holding the figurine whilst giving him a lift posed the question are 'hate' crimes more crimes of fear? It highlighted for me that it was more the officers fear of the man (due to his race, or that he was 'on edge' after a busy day?) and that in certain cases that irrational fear can lead to death; that is contrasted with the experience of the young couple who are fearful of the two men on the street, and are then subsequently held at gunpoint. So what is the film saying about racial tensions and fears? Was the white woman's prejudice justified because she was robbed? I don't think so. The film centers a lot around coincidence and chance, and I think the film is trying to say that race aside prejudice and fear over race is harmful.

A very moving film that reflects how racism and the subsequent prejudice and violence that follows it is harmful to society as a whole, not just the individuals involved.

9/11 Commemoration

These images interested me because they were of the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11 and the crashing of the plane in Pennsylvania. The attack on the Pentagon in Washington DC has been marginalised in comparison with the attacks in New York. There is already a memorial in place at the Pentagon, whereas there have been arguments and delays in making decisions about how to proceed in New York. I think this situation demonstrates the enormous power of the media. The strikingly dramatic and shocking instant film coverages of the twin towers burning and collapsing and of people jumping from the building has made such an indelible impression on the psyches of Americans and indeed on millions of people around the world and blotted out everything except those images.

The crashing of flight 93 in a field in Pennsylvania happened when the 40 crew and passengers resisted. The crash may have averted another attack. There are suggestions from some quarters that the American authorities shot the plane down.

Memorial at the Pentagon


http://www.blogger.com/attack%20on%20the%20Pentagon%20%20%20http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7611463.stm



This video is by BBC News but is spoken by an American presenter. It talks about the memorial completed at The Pentagon in 2008. I found it quite moving.
As said in the video, the attacks have affected the identity of self and safety for Americans.

Jill Glazier

9/11 tribute video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2xxBmoaBDM&NR=1&feature=fvwp

The video that I selected is just one of many tribute videos about 9/11 that can be found, the one that I chose was uploaded on the 10^th of September 2008, the day before the 7^th anniversary of 9/11. The music chosen for the video doesn’t actually contain any words, and is instead just a piano, I think this is so that your attention is not taken away from the powerful images and videos that have been included. This video starts off with an image of New York before 9/11, however the video is made up mostly of footage of the plane crashing into the south tower, as this was the second tower to be hit, so there is a lot more video evidence of it happening. About two minutes in, there are some images some of the brave firemen that helped to save people from the buildings. The video then goes on to show more footage of the plane colliding with the south tower, as well as many videos of the buildings as they began to collapse. At about three minutes, twenty seconds in you see an image of New York where the towers used to be, the air is filled with dust, so the image must have been taken not long after the collapse of the towers. An image of three firemen putting the American flag on a flag pole is shown before more images of the buildings collapsing. At around four minutes there is an image of the New York skyline at night with two lights shining up into the sky in the place of the two towers. This is followed by an image of the American flag, and finally some text saying “We’ll never forget”. This video is mainly made up of footage from different news channels that were mainly shown at the time of the attacks, I think that the use of videos has a stronger effect than the use of images. With a video you can actually see what is happening, and it becomes a lot more real, and I think that it affects you more emotionally than what still images do. I think that the image of the American flag at the end of the video is important, as unites the many different people of America, and shows that in the face of such destruction, the people of American pull together to show their strength. And the text “We’ll never forget” right at the end of the video shows that the event will never be forgotten, and that it will always be an important part of American history, and the people who lost their lives or lost family or friends that day, they will always be remembered.

9/11 remembered...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbI2AkX-vBY&feature=fvwrel

I have chosen the commemorative video ‘The Best September 11th Tribute’ which has so far gained 78,850 views on Youtube. Made by a student – “Something I made for my AB US History Class and something I would like to dedicate for the men and women who lost their lives on 9/11/01.” – the video tells the story of the shocking events that in occurred in New York City on the morning of 11th September 2001.
It begins by playing music to a black screen which displays an introductory message (“8:50am ET (approximately): The first plane (American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 with 92 people onboard, headed from Boston to Los Angeles) crashes into one World Trade Centre, the northernmost of the twin towers.”) before moving on to display images of the towers as they were before the attack. The images shown – whether purposefully or not – emphasise the grandeur and beauty of the buildings, with the sun shining on them as they stand out against the New York City skyline.
As the music becomes more dramatic and lyrics are introduced, the images change to those of the towers during the attack, which is followed by video footage of the event and around 0:46 seconds into the video we start to see footage of the second plane hit. After showing this from a number of different angles and a further minute's worth of the video dedicated to its impact – the destruction, people jumping from the towers and the smoke filling the city – it shows the towers collapsing. At around 3:12 minutes in images of memorials and tributes are shown, with people coming together to mourn and remember. The video finishes showing footage of the American flag.
While the tragic images used emphasise America as a victim under attack, the general message of the video seems to highlight America’s strength and exceptionalism – the images of the towers before the attack and people uniting together to mourn, finishing the video with footage of the American flag, and the choice of song (named Overcome, by Live).
The video defines 9/11 as a tragic and shocking event, but one that has been ‘overcome’ by America and (as suggested by the image shown 3:13 minutes into the video) made them stronger.

9/11 Remembrance Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBejfmSrvWo

September 11th was a day that many around the world would never forget. Although it was a day of horror for the people of America, it was also a day of bravery and nobility.
The video I selected from the many on youtube, conveys every characteristic of the American people in their reaction to tragedy, grief and a truly national catastrophe. There are many pictures of the emergency services working tirelessly from the fire department and the police who rose to the challenges before them and acted with courage, wisdom and honour all basic principles of the American Way. The many pictures in this video honour and remember these heroes who lost their lives in September 11, 2001
There are pictures of people crying over loved ones they have lost and the struggles they have had to overcome. The flag is shown continually throughout the video, as it is the “remembrance flag” and is there for a reminder of the Sept 11th incident and of course it also demonstrates an overwhelming feeling of both patriotism and the huge crime against America and its people. It acts as a banner of how the Americans were united together. Ten years on and this is still a hugely significant event, is still relevant and so real in remembrance videos, articles and blogs. The American people must ensure that for future generations they must remain aware of this horror and keep the memories alive and to take this day not with sadness and desolation but with learning from the circumstances and making sure as possible in the future that such tragedies do not repeat themselves.
This video, or any video on YouTube for that matter commemorating 9/11, uses music as a universal language. To everyone else in the world watching these videos, who cannot understand the words, they would feel the emotions expressed in a song. This video, however, does not feature any music and this causes the pictures to be hauntingly real without an over-sentimental tune playing in the background. It gives a moving and sober portrayal of these terrible events.

'Crash'

Directed by Paul Higgis, the film Crash was made in 2004 before being released in 2005. Set in Los Angeles, a culturally diverse city where minority groups make up the majority of the population, it explores ideas concerning racial stereotyping and the prejudice and discrimination that can arise from this.
The film follows the lives of ten main characters, including a white cop (Matt Dillon), a black TV director (Terrence Dashon Howard), and a Latino locksmith (Michael Pena). The characters appear at first to be completely independent from one another but we soon realised their lives are closely interlocked when their stories begin to overlap – or ‘crash’. Shown from a retrospective narrative, the film begins with Detective Graham Waters, a black cop played by Don Cheadle, leading an investigation scene, before taking us back to the beginning of the forty-eight hours in which the complex and racially defined story unfolds.
Roger Ebert summarises the narrative and its themes well when he writes: “Crash tells the stories of whites, blacks, Latinos, Koreans, Iranians, cops and criminals, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless, all defined in one way or another by racism. All are victims of it, and all are guilty of it.”
I think Crash presents an interesting narrative, exploring the hardships and difficulties of belonging to a minority group in the Unites States. It highlights not only the racial tensions between white Americans and non-white Americans, but also between non-white groups with different and diverse cultural backgrounds. I think it successfully challenges ideological ideas of America as a great ‘melting pot’ where different cultures can come together, assimilate to the American lifestyle and live happily ever after as ‘Americans’. We can see from the representation given through Crash that assimilation to the American lifestyle and culture isn’t a simple or easy process, or even a process that is desired – especially when racism or racial stereotyping and discrimination are involved.

Review of the film 'Crash'

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050505/REVIEWS/50502001
http://danglinginthetournefortia.blogspot.com/2006/10/roger-and-me-by-scott-foundas.html
The film ‘Crash’ released in 2005 and directed by Paul Heggis is, to my mind, a hard hitting, fascinating and dramatic reflection of racism in Los Angeles. Roger Ebert sees the film as “interlocking stories”. He talks of the feelings of prejudice and of the consequences experienced by the characters. I agree with his analysis of the film as being “constructed as a series of parables.” All the characters experience or display racist attitudes, and as the film progresses, there follows a catalogue of misunderstandings, assumptions, stereotyping, and ignorance of other cultures and inaccurate racial identity. They are all pushed into a closer encounter with others through their accidents. We are all encouraged to form opinions of the different citizens but those opinions alter as we learn more about them and their lives and relationships. The frighteningly racist cop who assaults a woman passenger in a car is later seen to have an ill father for whom he cares, and it is possible to recognise the anger and resentment he takes out on the black official because of his anguish. The film cleverly illustrates how people’s ethnicity is misunderstood, with an Iraqi being taken for an Arab and a mixed race woman being erroneously seen as a Latino by her black boyfriend. The family and working relationships of all the characters is seen as important; partners, colleagues, parents and children, and a message of learning what the priorities are comes across. The DA’s wife changes from an angry, paranoid, judging personality, to a softer, more vulnerable and needy person, as she embraces her Latino maid because of her compassion, after Sandra Bullock’s character falls downstairs.

Scott Fondas writing in the LA Weekly slates the film and suggests it is the “worst film of 2005”, not the best. He comments, he sees it as “a self-congratulatory liberal jerk-off movie.......................to remind us that white people suffer too, how nobody is without his prejudices” and goes on to suggest that the film doesn’t reflect life in LA, or even life on planet Earth.
Reminders that white people suffer too and that no-one is without prejudice could be viewed as a truism. Maybe his complaint that it is not accurate or representative might emanate from not wishing to agree on the amount of racism there is. The way guilty and victimised characters are duplicated and mixed together, to perhaps a less than realistic extent, is surely recognised by most filmgoers, but is definitely not the most important point of the film, nor does it, in my view, detract from its power.

I thought it an impressive film which should be applauded for the way it grabs the nettle of racism in the USA and its aftermath.

Jill Glazier