Do read...From Freddie

I found this article on the arts and letters daily website and I found it very interesting. Its about the current trend in academics to apply the word "complicate" to some theory or another as though it were a positive thing. In terms of our class and text, I fond that McKee somewhat simplifies the concepts of "postmodern" and "modern" by placing these terms in a simple binary...however talk to many academics and they'll scoff at binaries. This article discusses just that....that scholars are so resistant to simplifying that new catch words/phrases out there are "problematize" and "let me just complicate X or Y". I like McKee's approach because although I'll admit modernism and postmodernism are perhaps more complex than our discussion of it, I think McKee does a terrific job of putting forward some complex ideas and making them understandable. Once we've mastered the "binaries" then we can "problematize" them...but I say lets walk before we start jogging.

Have a read...I'd be interested to know what you folks think.

Oh and by the by...our blog is officially public. Some one responded to one of Davey's posts...some one not in 240!!!!!

Jill Smith "Fragmentation"

Once again I find myself on the side of the post modernists on this issue. I believe that all people have the right to speak in the public sphere no matter what their background, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc. I feel that it is very important for the public sphere to hear what everyone has to say. I like the idea that there are sub categories of the public sphere also. I think that it is important for instance for homosexuals to have a safe space in which they feel comfortable to discuss whatever they want. I also like the idea that theses sites normally do not discriminate against who is learning from their sites. My niece is a lesbian and my sister has gone on sites to learn more about her world. It has seemed to help their relationship and has helped her shatter her ideal of the perfect daughter. Fragmentation in the public sphere can be a great thing because it allows more diversity in the public sphere.

Janet Payne - Fragmentation

McKee was clear in equating a shift in a one's thinking to a religious belief system. It is difficult to see someone elses point of view without a paradigm shift, an epiphany, if you will. You may be too young to remember that old saying, "free your mind and your ___ will follow." Communication is an important tool to accomplish this logically. He notes that feminist public spheres as well as Black and Queer public spheres always try to talk to other public spheres, as well as members of their own groups to form cross-demographic communication. I think this practice is essential in developing true understanding and tolerance.

Jared on Fragmentation

It seems as though McKee seems to support the idea of different groups having their own fragmented public spheres and I'd tend to agree with him on their relevence. For those who identify themselves in some sort of sub-cultural social group, I think fragmentation is a good means of strengthening solidarity with the groups' own public spheres. However, I think there is also some importance in having an unbiased (if that's even possible), homogenous public sphere that relates to all groups. I support a multi-faceted public sphere that is able to accomodate the fragmented spheres of specific group audiences (i.e. black, queer, women) and adds a more universal sphere to unite the groups. Maybe that's a bit too ambitious.

I liked what McKee mentioned in the chapter about the importance of TV programming regarding the issue of fragmentation. He discussed the seperations of social groups in programming and added that the TV was a good venue for exploring other cultures without putting yourself or your values at too much risk.

Fragmentation: Davey Neubauer

I really found myself getting into this chapter more than others this week. I think this is for one simple reason i actually understood what was going on and i didn't have to re read everything a billion times (sorry this is the end of my disclaimer)

I thought it was really interesting that Mckee again defends Habermas on the aspect of keeping certain cultures out of the public sphere. For Mckee says that Habermas doesn't believe that people don't have the right to formulate their own opionions but in fact it is because they formulate their own opinions that they should not be allowed to join into the public sphere. Basically Habermas believes (and I am paraphrasing here) that people in the public sphere need to speek the same language and for that reason more people being allowed to compete in the public sphere only cause confusion. His reasoning for this is that there is only one truth and if we are speaking different languages there will never be one truth, only multiple truths.

I believe this theory has many faults because how is this a true representation of a public sphere if we are excluding certain people from the discussion just because they have different world views from our own. It seems to me Habermas comes off as a person who doesn't want to hear what others have to say if it goes against what he believes in.

Megan Aragon: Fragmentation

In this chapter, McKee gives us a question to think about throughout the chapter, whether it would be good or not for our society if our public sphere was divided in each culture due to their differences. McKee, just like in the previous chapters, shows the readers two different views. McKee points out there are those who do not believe in spliting the public sphere due to the culture differences, because then we wouldnt be working together as a group in a nation of democracy. There would be too many differences and beliefes that it would lead to democracy being unsuccessful. Those who believe that it would be good to have different public spheres accordingly to different cultures, they believe we would have access to different public spheres in each cultures, then we would have access to different ideas and teaches each individuals to think for themselves.

i think we should have one public sphere, because if we dont, then it would be pulling everyonoe away frome ach other and we would not have a nation of democracy. I believe it is healthy for us to work together, and we are allowed to express our ideas and thoughts as we work together. For example, in our English 240 class, is our public sphere, and we work together understand McKee's book. Yet, we still are able to express our opinions about what McKee's book. Our public sphere is created by 16 people we have in this class with 16 different, unique minds and that is what makes our public sphere the way it is. Then we also have our private sphere and every person has that right to have a private sphere and I believe there are things that should remain private, such our cultural methods. If we choose to live in a certain cultural method, then we should have that right to have that private choice and not have to hear anyone else tell us how to culturally live.

K Schneck: Political Spectacle

I think this song is pretty powerful, because I find that despite the efforts of the government to justify their wars, it seems that all war is fundamentally about what our country can get out of a situation. While I sometimes feel that we're doing what's right to protect our nations, I at other times feel the obvious wrongs that are perpetrated by our nation:

COPS OF THE WORLD
By Phil Ochs

Come, get out of the way, boys
Quick, get out of the way
You'd better watch what you say, boys
Better watch what you say
We've rammed in your harbor and tied to your port
And our pistols are hungry and our tempers are short
So bring your daughters around to the port
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

We pick and choose as please, boys
Pick and choose as please
You'd best get down on your knees, boys
Best get down on your knees
We're hairy and horny and ready to shack
We don't care if you're yellow or black
Just take off your clothes and lie down on your back
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

Our boots are needing a shine, boys
Boots are needing a shine
But our Coca-cola is fine, boys
Coca-cola is fine
We've got to protect all our citizens fair
So we'll send a battalion for everyone there
And maybe we'll leave in a couple of years
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

Dump the reds in a pile, boys
Dump the reds in a pile
You'd better wipe of that smile, boys
Better wipe off that smile
We'll spit through the streets of the cities we wreck
We'll find you a leader that you can't elect
Those treaties we signed were a pain in the neck
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

Clean the johns with a rag, boys
Clean the johns with a rag
If you like you can use your flag, boys
If you like you can use your flag
We've got too much money we're looking for toys
And guns will be guns and boys will be boys
But we'll gladly pay for all we destroy
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

Please stay off of the grass, boys
Please stay off of the grass
Here's a kick in the ass, boys
Here's a kick in the ass
We'll smash down your doors, we don't bother to knock
We've done it before, so why all the shock?
We're the biggest and toughest kids on the block
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

When we butchered your son, boys
When we butchered your son
Have a stick of our gum, boys
Have a stick of our buble-gum
We own half the world, oh say can you see
The name for our profits is democracy
So, like it or not, you will have to be free
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World.

Karalynn Schneck: On Fragmentation

Well, I was eager to read McKee’s solution or resolution on the subject of fragmentation, but I came out a little disappointed. Upon examining my reactions I decided that one of the main reasons I struggled with the chapter was because of my attitudinal differences with the examples from the Queer Sphere. Hey, I am just being honest here, so don’t automatically label me a prejudiced bigot (remember, I said it was an attitudinal difference).

Don’t get me wrong, I agree with McKee that Habermas’ vision of the public sphere was extremely limited and that whether or not he would like to admit it, “the public sphere has always been fragmented” (McKee 142). Habermas realizes that white propertied men were the only official public sphere and thinks this was a good thing—he “doesn’t want [other] citizens to bring their distinct cultures and identities with them, for he thinks this works against equality” (McKee 145). What Habermas fails to understand is that plurality is inevitable and withholding from people the right to express their voice is ultimately wrong. A ruling class of educated white men know nothing of other spheres but their own.

If I were to pinpoint a couple of things about the Queer Sphere that turned me off, I would probably focus on the representation of their culture—if it is in fact an accurate representation. I was firstly offended that queers try to label all others for our “‘heteronormativity’—the impulse of the ‘straight’ culture to try to make everybody fit into the same norms of behaviour—not just sexually, but culturally” (McKee 148). If this is a staple of queer philosophy, then I find they are a lost culture—they think that boundaries are constrictive, when they could in fact be set down for seriously important reasons—i.e. criminal prevention, unity, etc. McKee also cited a couple of times that queer folk think that straight culture is boring. Well, yee-hah—what a reason to be gay, to be exciting and creative. I find these philosophies extremely shortsighted and immature, and I am entitled to my attitudes.

What I found interesting about this article is McKee’s return to the power of persuasion over reason and rationality. I think McKee’s insistence on the use and worth of the one and disregard of the other is at best closed-minded, however empirically proven methods of persuasion are. Should we all just resort to being emotional beings with little or no thought to logical and long-term decision making, flowing with the tides of the best and most appealing leaders and persuasive figureheads? Oh, I forgot—that’s what we Americans are: mindless drones of a very manipulative media…or at least that’s what we’re becoming and I think McKee is leading us there by the hand.

Ruby Valdez on Fragmentation

Hey guys this will be short because I need time to focus on the other project. I believe it's the modernists who believe that the public sphere is being fragmented because of all of these emerging race and sex groups. The post modernists believe they are a vital part of the public sphere because they allow quieted groups to build their own public opinion. I have to say that I am very upset with Habermas' view! It feels like he lives in his own pretend land excluded from any real cultural experiences. I personally am offended. That is all for now, but my attention is needed elsewhere. Goodnight.

FOLKS...from freddie

Funny thing... the "spectacular" world is often at odds with the academic... We are, in English 240, sitting firmly in the academic realm and I find myself in a quandary. I really appreciate your specta-political posts (of the music vid variety) and they all have important socio-political messages. Now for the quandary...as your professor, I ask that you keep it PG...in other words carefully assess your audience. Does this "mute" certain voices... perhaps. Its something I'd like to discuss in class....that is that weird mixture of the "academy" and some potent political music videos...lets talk tomorrow.
I have therefore, as your professor, taken it upon myself to edit certain posts...not because the message is not worthwhile but because I am in this weird and wonderful place whereby I have to mediate between my students' voices and the conventions of the academy...As I said...lets talk

Kristen Reagan: Fragmentation

This chapter questions whether it is a good thing for there to be be separate public spheres for different cultures. Of course, McKee references both points of view. Those who not believe that there should be different public spheres say it is because it leads to too much choice and that we need a single public sphere for democracy to work. On the other hand, those in favor of separate spheres believe this is important because it allows different communities a way to develop their own ideas. I believe that we should have access to separate public spheres. I guess we can consider the dominant public sphere is that of the "white, educated male." Therefore, when it comes to communities that do not fall under this category (women, gays, blacks, etc.) is might not be acceptable to talk about things that would be important to the minorities in the dominant sphere. Therefore, I think it is a good thing to have a place for these people to be able to express their opinions without being judged.

Veronica

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up

Born in the U.S.A.I was born in the U.S.A
I was born in the U.S.A.Born in the U.S.A.

Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said "Son, don't you understand"
I had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there, he's all gone
He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now
Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go

Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.

Shelley: Fragmentation

To answer the question that Mckee asks in the beginning of this chapter "Is it a good thing that different cultures have their own public spaces, or is it rather another sign of degeneration of the public sphere?"(140). I would have to say that i believe it is helpful to the public sphere. I agree that "it is an opportunity to allow more people to develop their ideas in public, before going on to access the official public sphere" (171). When you are asked to define who you are, there is not just one thing on your list. You can be an African American, woman, lesbian, teacher, and a mother of three. There are so many spheres that each and every one of us can belong to, and to say that just because one might see the queer community as their main community does not make them any less part of the black, feminist, or american community or any other community for that matter. These other spheres give us a place to communicate with people who have the same struggles, issues, concerns, ect. as we do. The fact that modernists think there should only be one public sphere is ridiculous. That 'official' public sphere may have worked when all of the members were white men, but now, there are so many other people (who identify themselves in so many different ways) that are a part of the public sphere. The idea that we lose a common interest by having all of these different public spheres suggests that we are, or were once, all common. But we aren't. It is not that simple. We have many different interests that relate to the different communities that we belong to. These other public spheres are just branches of the one public sphere that i see as the official one----not made up of men of the white race, but of anyone who considers themselves a member of the human race.

Michelle Peterson: Fragmentation

Once again, I find myself wondering what all this debate stuff between modernists and post modernists is all about. I think that we live in more of a post modern society than a modern one, so why does Habermas persist on trying to bring back the modern ways? Clearly, our society is not going to regress back to the eighteenth-century. Poor, poor, Habermas, he needs to find a new hobby.

It’s a good thing that different cultures have their own public spheres and no, democracy should not rely on just one public sphere. It’s silly that Habermas wants equality of access to the public sphere but only one public sphere. That would never work in our modern society. “Visibility” is the key word in this chapter. Distinct public spheres have existed since the beginning of time, but just recently these public spheres have been acknowledged (142). Thanks to spectacle and the media, public spheres are able to acknowledge one another, even if they don’t want to. There is just no escaping that multiple public spheres exist, and this is truly what bothers Habermas. In the eighteenth-century there was not TV, radio, or as much spectacle, so the elite white men in charge were able to ignore the other public spheres. That is just not possible today.

McKee says that modernists believe that “In order for everybody to be equal in public debate . . . they must leave their differences at the door” (145). If this were truly the case, what on earth would they debate about? It seems like Habermas wants people to just agree without having a disagreement. Yet, he wants disagreement because he believes that debates are important, so I guess I’m not really sure what one of his debates would look like.

Habermas thinks that “allowing cultural difference into the official public sphere encourages people to be selfish” (148). But not allowing cultural differences into the public sphere encourage selfishness more so. Habermas’s conflicting views are selfish for only wanting white elite males into the official public sphere. What I do think is selfish is having separate “Nations.” There is a “Black Nation,” “Women’s Nation,” “Queer Nation,” etc. I think that having these separate nations sets each group apart from society as a whole. While I think it’s important to maintain these separate cultures, having separate nations just goes too far to separate all of us.

Finally, Jim McGuigan believes that it was “ideas generated in working-class public spheres that passed into the official bourgeois public sphere in the 19^th century and resulted in working-class people being given the vote” (163). I agree that change starts where there are a people who are willing to fight. Oppression leads to struggles, and where there are struggles there are power struggles. Power is a driving force for the oppressed, so occasionally, when the oppressed suffer for a very, very long time, sometimes, someone in power is finally willing to listen.

From Lorraine: Fragmentation

#&(*@*^<*&>!!!

That having been said, i highly disagree with Habermas when he more or less states that things were better or would be ideal if educated (and white) men ran things or were the only ones allowed to participate in the public sphere. Again, the people that Habermas favors seem a little too privileged and disconnected to the majority of people who have to work (hard) for a living and will be affected by the discourse by those who Habermas deems worthy to participate in the public sphere. I'm not sure if Habermas ever acknowledges this, but power has a tendency to corrupt, and if one group or individual is given power without anybody to oppose them, it can really screw things up for everybody else, especially those who would be denied a voice or participation in the public sphere. It reminds me of that one episode of The Simpsons where Lisa and all the other smart people in town try to run Springfield, and they're no better than the corrupt morons who were running it. Stephen Hawkings eventually intervenes and helps everyone to realize that power corrupts, no matter how smart you are. I especially like it when Stephen Hawkings shares a beer with Homer and is interested in Homer's idea that the universe is shaped like a doughnut. Hawkings, the intelligent, white male does not discount Homer's idea on the grounds that Homer is an imbecile (albeit a usually well-meaning one).

What would be another good example of this? What about lobbyists from major corporations who essentially buy votes from Congress, which is the public sphere of our government? Those congress people take money from these corporations, and tweak policy to where the bottom line is that the working poor and the diminishing middle classes are given the shaft. Don't believe me? Check out these links:

http://www.demos.org/inequality/numbers.cfm
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0616-09.htm
http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/economist/19750

As far as this diatribe can be related to the gay community, I'll tell you: My older sister and I are very close. My sister is also a lesbian. When she and her girlfriend were hanging out, just holding hands (that's as far as the PDA's went) and minding their own business, they were accosted by a straight couple who made their opinions very vocal and they even attacked my sister and her girlfriend. When the police were called, my sister had fought back in self defense, but SHE was the one thrown in jail. I reckon you can say, in this instance if interaction in the public sphere, my sister's voice was moot (along with the fact that she was defending herself and her attackers were the ones who struck first) because the police did not do anything to her attackers.

Beyond that, I'm all for gay rights. Why? Because there's nothing in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights that excludes them from getting married, having kids, etc. Again, I talk about America because of Industrialized nations, we're pretty behind in the times (did you know in some foreign Industrialized countries, gay people can get married? Wow). In fact, we have the rights to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" and last time I checked, letting gay people get married or adopt kids does not trample on anybody else's rights--but denying gays and lesbians those chances does by definition alone.

Here's a clip from Otep, leader of the band that bears her name, who's also a lesbian and poet who threw the primarily African American audience for a loop at "Def Poetry Jam"

Stephanie Velona on Fragmentation

McKee presents again the modern view and the post-modern view of fragmentation and again I find myself lying somewhere in the middle. I would agree with the statement that “There’s not enough common culture where all of the inhabitants of a country can come together to discuss the issues that affect everybody” (141). I think that it is important for all of us to embrace our differences, but that having been said I also think we need to find some commonalities so that society as a whole can run a little more smoothly. So this may be a modern perspective on my part. I also think that Habermas missed the mark a bit when he says that society was better off when it was basically run by educated white males. Because as McKee also states everyone comes to the board with their own set of perceptions, principles and ideas that may not be the best for the society as a whole.

I do think that Nicholas Garnham has a good point when he says that “national issues must take place at a national level and is undercut by a multiplication of simultaneous viewing and listening options” (148). I think this is true because I feel that this can lead to confusion on some very important issues. It is another subject that I feel there is no true ideal but that we need to find some commonalities. McKee points out that even academicians cannot communicate across different paradigms, that it becomes too confusing and difficult. So I guess what I would like to see is what I have already stated, that everyone embrace their differences yet find some commonalities only then can society function as a whole. But is this just an ideal or a utopia like Habermas puts forth, I truly hope not.

Michelle Peterson: Toby Keith

Alright, I'll admit it. . . I'm a country girl:)This song is about 9/11. Definitely an appeal to pathos.

A mixture of genres from Lorraine

HA HA! I found it!

Fanya Daniels-I think I did it right this time

Fanya Daniels

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjIYYjIe_0

Jared's spectacle as well as genre fusion

Long before there was Rage Against the Machine to give us the fusion of rap and rock, there was Ice-T and his group Bodycount to fuse the equally subjugated genres of rap and hardcore punk.


The other day we were talking about rappers and how they're political. A lot of the rappers that we mentioned were praised for their articulation within the form (Tupac, Common, Public Enemy), which seemed to be indirectly suggesting that those rappers who are more intellectually advanced have increased credibility and importance within the public sphere. With that discussion, we mentioned the devaluation of gangsta rap. And that kind of sounded like a slightly less exclusive version of the Westernists' philosophy regarding the hierarchy of genres. With that said, I found an incredibly less-articulate, yet equally eloquent and subversive political spectacle. This may be offensive and easy to disagree with, and I was planning on defending this clip, but Ice-T was nice enough to do an interview about his motivations for writing this song that explain exactly what I would've said to defend his point with this song. So please click the link below the video and lyrics after you digest all that.



Ice-T interview on Cop Killer

Megan Aragon

I liked this one but I dont know who it is by, but I think the lyrics talk about the media and the lies we are told?? What do you think??

[Verse 1]
It’s like a pencil with erasers at both ends
I want it all but we’re dealing in percents
And these activities that you have engaged in
This is the politics of seeing you dance with him
We began with concluding remarks
Pick up the pieces and examine the parts
Your words always cut when they're cliché
But here’s my knife because I came for the buffet

[Chorus]
This is the way it goes
With you a part of it
Nervously saying words
That oh-so-tightly fit
A mark beneath the chin (Uh Uh)
I’ve caught you once again
It’s in the way you sell every word and phrase
And leaving me to know how much the meaning weighs
Saying that but meaning this (Uh Uh)
Using hands for emphasis
(Oh Ho) [x7]

[Verse 2]
You’d like to think that you’re the best part of me
But I confess there is nothing left of you here (nothing left of you here)
These parallels and silly games
Hide your face and say the name
Say the name (say the name)

[Chorus]
This is the way it goes
With you a part of it
Nervously saying words
That oh-so-tightly fit
A mark beneath the chin (Uh Uh)
And I’ve caught you once again
It’s in the way you sell every word and phrase
And leaving me to know how much the meaning weighs
Saying that but meaning this (Uh Uh)
Your tears for emphasis

[Bridge]
(Ahhhh)
There’s that smile again (there’s that smile again)
You fake it and I follow you right in
What a fool I've been
To fall for it each time

[Chorus]
This is the way it goes
With you a part of it
Nervously saying words
That oh-so-tightly fit
It’s in the way you sell every word and phrase
And leaving me to know how much the meaning weighs
This is the way it goes
With you a part of it
Nervously saying words
That oh-so-tightly fit
It’s in the way you sell every word and phrase
And leaving me to know how much the meaning weighs
(Oh Ho) [x5]

[Outro (On Purevolume.com, not from iTunes download)]
That dress and those eyes are telling white white lies
White white lies
That dress and those eyes are telling white white lies
White white lies

Megan Aragon

BOB DYLAN LYRICS

"Political World"

We live in a political world
Love don't have any place
We're living in times
Where men commit crimes
And crime don't have any face.

We live in a political world
Icicles hanging down
Wedding bells ring
And angels sing
Clouds cover up the ground.

We live in a political world
Wisdom is thrown in jail
It rots in a cell
Is misguided as hell
Leaving no one to pick up a trail.

We live in a political world
Where mercy walks the plank
Life is in mirrors
Death disappears
Up the steps into the nearest bank.

We live in a political world
Where courage is a thing of the past
Houses are haunted
Children unwanted
The next day could be your last.

We live in a political world
The one we can see and feel
But there's no one to check
It's all a stacked deck
We all know for sure that it's real.

We live in a political world
In the cities of lonesome fear
Little by little
You turn in the middle
But you're never sure why you're here.
We live in a political world
Under the microscope
You can travel anywhere
And hang yourself there
You always got more than enough rope.

We live in a political world
Turning and trashing about
As soon as you're awake
You're trained to take
What looks like the easy way out.

We live in a political world
Where peace is not welcome at all
It's turned away from the door
To wonder some more
Or put up against the wall.

We live in a political world
Everything is hers and his
Climb into the frame
And shout God's name
But you're never sure what it is.

From Lorraine: Songs from Nine Inch Nails' " Year Zero"

These songs are from Nine Inch Nails' album Year Zero, with songs based in the near future where the government has drugged the water and is "Big Brother"--monitoring everything, but these songs can be applied to now times and should be seen as satire/sarcasm.




My Violent Heart

you and i we may look the same
but we are very far apart
there's bullet holes where my compassion used to be
and there is violence in my heart
into fire you can send us
from the fire we return
you can label us a consequence
of how much you have to learn

you can try but you'll never understand
this is something you will never understand
can you hear it now?
hear it coming now?
can you hear it now?

on hands and knees
we crawl
you can not stop us all
you wear our bones
our skin
we will not let you in

you have set something in motion
much greater than you've ever known
standing there in your all your grand naivet�
about to reap what you have sown
time will feed upon your weaknesses
and soon you'll lose the will to care
when you return to the place that you call home
we will be there
we will be there

on hands and knees
we crawl
you can not stop us all
our blood
will stay
we will not go away
on hands and knees
we crawl
you can not stop us all
our blood
our grace
will never leave this place


God Given

hey man
please don't make a sound
take a look around
can't you see what's right in front of you?
aah
have a little taste
no more time to waste
you don't want to get left behind, because it's all coming down right now
now - how
hard is it to see?
put your faith in me
i sure wouldn't want to be
praying to the wrong piece of wood
you should
get where you belong
everything you know is wrong
come on, sing along everybody now

(god given)
and he gives us sight
and we see the light
and it burns so bright
now we know we're right
when his kingdom come
and thy will be done
we have just begun
we're the chosen ones

i would never tell you anything that wasn't absolutely true that hadn't come right from
his mouth and he wants me to tell you

wait
step into the light
how can this be right?
i'm afraid we're going to ask you to leave
guess you can not win
with the color of your skin
you won't be getting in to the promised land
besides
this is just another case
you people still don't know your place
step aside, out the way, wipe that look off your face
we are the divine
separated from the swine
come on, sing along everybody now

(god given)
and he gives us sight
and we see the light
and it burns so bright
now we know we're right
when his kingdom come
and thy will be done
we have just begun
we're the chosen ones
and he gives us sight
and we see the light
and it burns so bright
now we know we're right
when his kingdom come
and thy will be done
and the father and the holy son
we're the chosen ones

i would never tell you anything that wasn't absolutely true that hadn't come right from
his mouth and he wants me to tell you


Capital G

i pushed a button and elected him to office and a
he pushed a button and it dropped a bomb
you pushed a button and could watch it on the television
those motherfuckers didn't last too long ha ha
i'm sick of hearing bout the haves and the have nots
have some personal accountability
the biggest problem with the way that we've been doing things is
the more we let you have the less that i'll be keeping for me

well i used to stand for something
now i'm on my hands and knees
traded in my god for this one
he signs his name with a capital G

don't give a shit about the temperature in guatemala
don't really see what all the fuss is about
ain't gonna worry bout no future generations and a
i'm sure somebody's gonna figure it out
don't try to tell me how some power can corrupt a person
you haven't had enough to know what it's like
you're only angry cause you wish you were in my position
now nod your head because you know that i'm right - all right!

well i used to stand for something
but forgot what that could be
there's a lot of me inside you
maybe you're afraid to see

well i used to stand for something
now i'm on my hands and knees
traded in my god for this one
he signs his name with a capital G

Rage Testify (Freddie)

My favorite spectile songs from Davey Neubauer

here is pobibily my favorite "political band" as half of their proceeds go to help people in Africa struggling with aids. The band is switchfoot, and the song is "Politicians".



this is a song from the perspective of the suffering people in Africa, again by Sitchfoot, its called "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine".

Jill Smith

This is the last one I promise. This song was written about Desert Storm. The lyrics are on this one as well. Enjoy.

Jill Smith-Another good one!

Viewer discretion advised, this is the uncensored version!

Jill Smith

Janet

Fight the Power

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Stephanie Velona-Corbet Dean Slam Poetry

Well let me see if this works. I have to tell you that if this guy weighed about 20 pounds more and had a mustache he would look just like my husband. This is really powerful for me as the wife of a police officer who hears stories like this on a monthly basis.

Fanya Daniels:Spectacle

I am kind of upset because I wrote on here last night and somehow it did not go through...I apologize

I think this chapter was very interesting especially in the Black Spectacle section. Me being apart of this culture it hits home for me. For someone to say that because we are traditionally oral and embodied we are not literate is what catches me off guard. I like how they brought up rap music also. We do not only sit around and listen to rap, we have jazz, the blues, R&B, gospel, poetry, and it all helps us communicates our feelings about our lives whether it is a struggle or happiness. I don't understand what people expect when this is what our culture is based on because it's the way America made us. There was a time where my ancestors could not read or write. We had to form different ways to get the message across we had a struggle of trying to be free. Rappers like Tupac I think is a positive influence and wanted to be heard...it may be vulgar or something your just not ready to hear but the message is there and its powerful and I think thats why many people don't want us in the public sphere.


Words of Wisdom
By Tupac Shakur
http://www.alleyezonme.com/lyrics/2pac/0022/Words_of_Wisdom.html

Killing us one by one
In one way or another
America will find a way to eliminate the problem
One by one
The problem is
the troubles in the black youth of the ghettos
And one by one
we are being wiped off the face of this earth
At an extremly alarming rate
And even more alarming is the fact
that we are not fighting back
Brothers, sistas, niggas
When I say niggas it is not the nigga we are grown to fear
It is not the nigga we say as if it has no meaning
But to me
It means Never Ignorant Getting Goals Acomplished, nigga
Niggas what are we going to do
Walk blind into a line or fight
Fight and die if we must, die like niggas

This is for the masses the lower classes
The ones you left out, jobs were givin', better livin'
But we were kept out
Made to feel inferior, but we're the superior
Break the chains in our brains that made us fear yah
Pledge a legiance to a flag that neglects us
Honour a man that that refuse to respect us
Emmancipation, proclamation, Please!
Nigga just said that to save the nation
These are lies that we all accepted
Say no to drugs but the governments' sceptic
Running through our community, killing the unity
The war on drugs is a war on you and me
And yet they say this is the Home of The Free
But if you ask me its all about hyprocracy
The constitution, Yo, it don't apply to me
Lady Liberty still the bitch lied to me
Steady strong nobody's gonna like what I pumpin'
But its wrong to keeping someone from learning something
So get up, its time to start nation building
I'm fed up, we gotta start teaching children
That they can be all that they wanna to be
There's much more to life than just poverty

This is defaintly ahhh words of wisdom
AMERIKA, AMERIKA, AMERIKKKA
I charge you with the crime of rape, murder, and assault
For suppressing and punishing my people
I charge you with robery for robbing me of my history
I charge you with false imprisonment for keeping me
Trapped in the projects
And the jury finds you guilty on all accounts
And you are to serve the consequences for your evil schemes
Prosecutor do you have any more evidience

Words of Wisdom
Based apon the strength of a nation
Conquer the enemy with education
Protect thy self, reach with what you wanna do
Know thy self, teach what we been through
On with the knowledge of the place, then
No one will ever oppress this race again
No Malcolm X in my history text
Why is that?
Cause he tried to educate and liberate all blacks
Why is Martin Luther King in my book each week?
He told blacks, if they get smacked, turn the other cheek
I don't get it, so many questions went through my mind
I get sweated, They act as if asking questions is a crime
But forget it, one day I'm gonna prove them wrong
Now every brother had to smother on the welfare line
The american dream, though it seems it attainable
They're pulling your sleeve, don't believe
Cause it will strangle yah
Pulling the life of your brain, I can't explain
Beg as you can obtain from which you came
Swear that your mother is living in equality
Forgeting your brother that's living her apology
Thought they had us beat when they took our kids
But the battle ain't over till the black man sings
Words of Wisdom
But the battle ain't over till the black man sings
Words of Wisdom

NIGHTMARE thats what I am
America's nightmare
I am what you made me
The hate and the evil that you gave me
I shine of a reminder of what you have done to my people
for Four hundred plus years
You should be scared
You should be running
You should be trying to silence me
ha
But you can not escape fate
Well it is my turn to come
Just as you rose you will fall
By my hands
Amerika, You reap what you sow
2pacalypse America's Nightmare
Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob America's Nightmare
Above the Law America's Nightmare
Paris America's Nightmare
Public Enemy America's Nightmare
Krs-One America's Nightmare
Mutulu Shakur America's Nightmare
Geronimo Pratt America's Nightmare
Assada Shakur America's Nightmare

I like when he names people and he says America's Nightmare due to the fact that these are people you need to watch out for they are smart intellectual people who will fight back with their pens, paper, books, and their words. This is what American has been scared of a Black intellectual male or female...I tell you what you can put my name on the list!!

Jared's posting on the Spectacle

I actually wrote on the spectacle for our first assigned essay, so I will try not to sound too repetive. I'm not making any promises though.

I'm actually a big fan of spectacle in the public sphere, as well as in art in general. I can understand how there would be a huge downside to spectacular forms and their appeals to the emotional sides of us; but I think these spectacular appeals are a testament to the intangible power of emotion (as corny as that sounds). A good example of how spectacles are more effective in gaining interest and inspiring spectators is Michael Moore. It seems pretty widely accepted that his "documentaries" are not true documentaries, because of their lack of focus on factual information and accompaniment of strong emotional appeals. However, I think most spectators (or at least spectators with somewhat similar political philosophies to Moore) are much more inclined to be inspired and compelled by the counter-propaganda that Michael Moore provides compared to a stale, extremely factually-dense documentary that does nothing more than inform. The popularity of and sales of Moore's films seem to support that claim.

Veronica: Spectacle

I have to say compared to the last chapter and my disgust; I really enjoyed this chapter. I agree with Jill and her agreeance with McKee's statement: "These spectacular forms of communication 'speak of pain, struggle and survival despite periods of hoplesness'" (110). McKee then goes on to quote McGuian who says, "Rap itself is best seen as a cultural forum for urban blacks to articulate their experiences, concerns and politics" (110). Many find rap music repulsive and vulgar, my mother being one of them, extremely on the conservative side, yet surprisingly she absolutely loves Eminem and Tupac. She loves their music because like McKee said above, it speaks of pain and struggle and survival. It is poetry, pure and honest poetry. Rap music to me always tells a story, someone's story. It many not always convey it in the most "politically correct" way but it is told in the purest form of honesty and pain. Rap music is a poetry that gets people through struggle. Many of today's youth and adults hear poetry of pain and struggle on the radio and it helps them survive their own. I just absolutely loved this chapter.

Davey Neubuaer: Specticle

What i got out of this chapter was that the specitcle of today is flashy, and fast. Today people have grown up with cable tv, ipods and cellular phones. Media is used as a tool to help certain sides of an issue persuade an audiance. As described in the chapter "were suffering from a plauge of soundbites". In this way I agree that the public sphere has become too "showy" and watered down. Apperance has become the more inportant topicof today, while substance has taken a back seat in the public sphere.

While listening to fox news channel I saw an example of this, when a college student accused the presidential candidate Barack Obama of being the ultimate specticle. His reasoning for this was that he thought Obama was all charisma and talk and had nothing inteligent to say. I honestly don't know if there is any truth to this statement but i do know that most people in the public sphere seem to gravitate twoards people who are esthically pleasing to the eye. I think the younger college age audiance especially appeals to this facotr becuase they have short attention spans. I can testify that for me I want to cliff notes version for what every candadite stands for so i will not have to spent a large portion of my time decerning what cadidate i think is best to run the country. Although i know this is not a productive outlook to have about such an important issue in our country I do think that most people my age most likely have the same mindset I have.

Megan Aragon: Spectacle

I enjoyed the reading and had no problem with the reading, but when it came to doing a collage report, I struggled. I struggled to the point where I had tears rolling down my cheeks. I came to dislike this chapter... I thought it was self-explantory, and I felt there wasn't really much to do research on... nor was I interested in anything... I cannot wait until we are done with this chapter, it is a nightmare and I dont think I have ever cried over an assignment! (Sorry Freddie! I know this is your favorite chapter!)

I agree that rationality isn't the same as truth. It is possible for an arguement to be completely rational and be completely wrong. So who's arguement is correct: the Modernists' arguement, or the postmodernists' arguement about spectacle? McKee says that both responses are correct, and frankly I agree with him, they are both correct because one or the other works for somebody. Not everyone learns the same as the educated culture. Some people rely on visual like the African-Americans have done: oral, performative, and forms of communications. However, I do not believe in allowing all different kinds of communications. I believe we should have some kind of conformed communication so we have the ability to have a slight understanding in each other, rather than having no understanding in the people of the same society we live in. To have acceptance in our cultural difference, we need to have some kind of common in order to understand and accept one another.

Jill Smith "Spectacle"

I enjoyed this chapter very much. I have to say that I am on the side of the post modernist side on this debate about spectacles in the public sphere. Being the music lover that I am, I have been exposed to rap music and all other music for that matter. I enjoy all forms of rap music and can remeber the first time I heard Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise." Public Enemy's such a great group because they believe in their message and rightfully so, they felt it was time for a change in society. Tupac Shakur also felt strongly about the need for change, his music is also very politically charged and I feel he is one of the if not the top poet of our time. The music that rappers make is poetry, pure and simple. The only difference is that it is "rapped" and put to a melody rather then collected in a book and read. I agree with McKee when he states, "These spectacular forms of communication 'speak of pain, struggle and survival despite periods of hoplesness'" (110). McKee then goes on to quote McGuian who says, "Rap itself is best seen as a cultural forum for urban blacks to articulate their experiences, concerns and politics" (110). A great example of this is in Tupac Shakur's song "Changes:"
"Come on come on I see no changes wake up in the morning and I ask myself is life worth living should I blast myself? I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black my stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch Cops give a damn about a negro pull the trigger kill a nigga he's a hero Give crack to the kids who the hell cares one less ugly mouth on the welfare First ship 'em dope & let 'em deal the brothers give 'em guns step back watch 'em kill each other It's time to fight back that's what Huey said 2 shots in the dark now Huey's dead I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere unless we share with each other We gotta start makin' changes learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers and that's how it's supposed to be How can the Devil take a brother if he's close to me? I'd love to go back to when we played as kids but things changed, and that's the way it is
I see no changes all I see is racist faces misplaced hate makes disgrace to races We under I wonder what it takes to make this one better place, let's erase the wasted Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right 'cause both black and white is smokin' crack tonight and only time we chill is when we kill each other it takes skill to be real, time to heal each other And although it seems heaven sent We ain't ready, to see a black President, uhh It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact the penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks But some things will never change try to show another way but you stayin' in the dope game Now tell me what's a mother to do bein' real don't appeal to the brother in you You gotta operate the easy way "I made a G today" But you made it in a sleazy way sellin' crack to the kid. " I gotta get paid," Well hey, well that's the way it is
We gotta make a change... It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes. Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live and let's change the way we treat each other. You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do what we gotta do, to survive. And still I see no changes can't a brother get a little peace It's war on the streets & the war in the Middle East Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do But now I'm back with the blacks givin' it back to you Don't let 'em jack you up, back you up, crack you up and pimp smack you up You gotta learn to hold ya own they get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone But tell the cops they can't touch this I don't trust this when they try to rush I bust this That's the sound of my tool you say it ain't cool my mama didn't raise no fool And as long as I stay black I gotta stay strapped & I never get to lay back 'Cause I always got to worry 'bout the pay backs some buck that I roughed up way back comin' back after all these years rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat that's the way it is uhh" (Shakur http://www.alleyezonme.com/lyrics/2pac/0128/Changes.phtml).
This song demonstrates what poetry can do. He is speaking from his heart and from his own experience which is powerful. When this is brought into the public sphere it causes awareness and also gets people to think. I think Tupac said it best when he said, "Though our hands are chained like they are, they haven't taken music from us yet. So that's how I'll fight. People tell me don't quit like everyone else. I wont have no fear" (Shakur http://www.alleyezonme.com/tupacQuotes.html).

I think music is a great place for political messgaes. The late sixties and early seventies saw there fair share of politically charged music as a responce to the Vietnam War. Music has always had a place in the public sphere because it can reach people and bring people together.

Janet Payne - Spectacle

Well, what an interesting view of one cultural component Black America. I suppose Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington must have been quite a "spectacle." But such spectacles were and are necessary in the public sphere to simply get a point across to "Western civilization." McKee foscused on rap music, which is only one outlet of cultural communication. It's creators were writing for a specific audience, just as lynchings were held for a specific audience. I don't believe rap is intended to suite everyone's taste, and that may be its main point, the right of expression without deference to anyone. There is a dance genre among the Black community called Krumping, which originated from Los Angeles. I doubt if it would be suitable in a country club, but it is a form of expression for Black youths. Being a minority in American means watching your back. McKee brings up the issue of the "poll tax" and "literacy tests" which "resulted in severe inequalities of outcome." (127). Today, we have No Child Left Behind, which really translates to every child left behind because of the way the tests are administered and written. And the beat goes on.

Kristen Reagan: Spectacle

In the book, McKee sites Guy Debord about the three ways to describe "specticle." First, he says, specticle suggests that consumers are being given "flshy, showy forms of communication." Meaning that we get visual forms of communication, rather than written forms. The second way says that spectacles are for entertainment and that they distract people from "real" politics. Finaly, Debord believed that spectacles encourage passivity in spectators. Due to all this, some believe that people are just "passively observing the spectacles of life."

McKee points out that the issue of specticle is not something new in the public sphere. For hundreds of years, people have been interested in more visual things like music halls, circuses, etc. Even politics use specticle to get to the working class. Like McKee points out, it is interesting that for something that is considered a downside of the public sphere by some, it is also something that is being used by many educated groups.

Like we have discussed before in class, I do not believe that everything has to be written purely for the educated. Most of our population is not educated and by only having a public shpere that reaches out to the people who are educated, we are leaving out many people who might be interested in what is going on. I do not believe that specticle is a bad thing and by having it, we are involving more people, especially the young, in political and other important debates. By having political intent in rap songs, the people who listens to those songs are going to be able to know more about a certain situation, instead of being oblivious.

Ruby Valdez on Spectacle

This reading was pretty interesting. At least what I understood about it. Apparently, the modernists believe that the public is only interested in spectacle. Only flashy fast things are important. In a modernist point of view this is bad for the public sphere because is "work[s] against a project of rational communication, and thus against equality and democracy." I'm guessing this means it makes society separate rather than trying to make it equal like most modernists would like it to be. Am I warm? Moving along, it was also stated that this flashyness makes the consumer lazy. Basically, "spectacle" paralyzes a person's brain from having to think about anything that is happening. They also distract the public from what needs attending to like, politics (go figure, right?)

However, one part of the other side of this argument is for spectacle. I think it was the "Afrocentrists" that believed that " some histories of Black culture emphasize a heritage of 'melodies sung like speech... overlapping... call and response patterns...discrete musical events... and the inseparability of music and dance and/or stylized movement.'" This was a postmodernist point of view if I'm not mistaken. Many forms of this type of expression fall outside of the "paddock" of modernist norms. That is very unfortunate.

These two sides debate for much of the chapter. This is what I understood. I really enjoy to see two sides of this argument because most of the time I see the modernist point of view. That got boring quick. I've always liked gangsta rap, so this reading really helped me see at least part of where the music was coming from even though I'm not part of their culture. In all I thought the reading to be very insightful and eye opening. See you guys in class tomorrow:).

Karalynn Schneck: On Spectacle

McKee’s chapter on Spectacle and his embodied opinions about Spectacle did not have me convinced at first of its value in the Public Sphere. I started out entirely convinced that one mode of communication and rationality was obviously superior to the other—namely the modern doctrine of Western Philosophy. I was predisposed to side with the moderns completely at first for two reasons.

Firstly, I found it preposterous that rap music could be politically worthwhile, until I realized that the only rap music I have ever encountered has been what McKee defines as Gansta Rap: “Gangsta rap concerns many Black writers for its ‘impulses toward misogyny, homophobia [and] corporate greed… But many rap artists are explicitly political in their work” (McKee 132). I had up to this point considered any form of rap or R&B to be of the caliber of “Gangsta Rap;” in other words, I saw it as demoralizing, filthy trash.

I guess I have learned something new from McKee—however, I still didn’t agree that this spectacular approach was worthwhile, for one main reason: I think that the forms of politicized rap that were given as examples are destructive and divisive, maintaining racial lines and deepening racial prejudice of Blacks toward Whites. These songs “tell stories of the American government being ‘deceitful,’ the media being ‘absurd,’ of Black ‘pride and unity’ and of ‘antagonist’ whites” (McKee133). Not that I don’t agree that WASP culture has done deeply terrible things to Blacks over the last 300 years, but at this exact point in time, I don’t think Black Americans have as much to complain about for the amount of time they spend complaining. This view that they have of this evil White government is divisive, it promotes prejudice and it feeds a vicious cycle that keeps Blacks inevitably where they don’t want to be.

Black American pride has held them back in their education—a system they define as wholly white because it is based on literate communication instead of oral. Don’t tell me that Blacks are incapable of adapting to the system, they are just arrogant and refuse to do so: “one reason for blacks’ educational failures was ‘a kind of cultural orientation which defines academic learning in school as “acting white”’ …This orientation viewed academically successful black students as turn-coats” (McKee 130). Blacks are never going to fit in if they continue to see government systems as oppressive to themselves and their culture. This pride is destructive to their development. Why should we revamp an entire system of education just so they can feel more comfortable with their cultural identity? As long as they aren’t being discriminated against (and there are many tutoring, after school programs, welfare, Medi-cal, EOP, etc. which show that Blacks obviously have many opportunities to learn and grow within the system), why should the West change?

While I agree with McKee that complete logic is a bad thing, I do not agree that spectacular forms of communication are wholly good and infallible. There needs to be an even blending of both persuasive and logical argument in the public sphere, and both sides should meet each other somewhere in the middle or else we will experience something worse than Babylon—we’ll be stuck forever in BABEL.

Michelle Peterson On Spectacle

Usually when reading the previous chapters, I side with both modernists and post modernists, and can’t label myself as being one or the other. However, this chapter, and what the modernists think about “spectacle” has bothered me the most, and when it comes to spectacle I can safely say that I am a postmodernist.

The modernists think that “spectacles encourage passivity in spectators-who watch for easily consumed pleasure” (108). I couldn’t disagree more!! Spectacle is a form of political communication. Spectacle is used by all sorts of minorities not because it encourages passivity but because it encourages nonconformity. When reading this chapter, I immediately thought of Luis Valdez and his use of performance to educate migrant farm workers about the need for a union. With the help of Luis Valdez, farm workers went on strike and were able to raise their wages. Obviously, Valdez’s use of spectacle was useful and his plays are still performed today and are used to attack politics and inform the public. His plays are performed in a way that all walks of life can understand, and many people, just not Latinos, can relate to his plays.

Also, modernist thinkers have labeled Black cultures as “traditionally oral and embodied rather than literate” (109). First of all, the reason why this culture is an oral one is because people like the modernists didn’t allow blacks to read. Blacks were forced to sneak and teach each other to read, and if they got caught they would suffer serious consequences. What other choice did African Americans have other than to become an oral culture? Then, for the modernists to say that they are traditionally illiterate, I remind them Sojourner Truth was illiterate, yet she was able to act with power and authority.

Stephanie Velona on Spectacle

McKee’s main point in the chapter on Spectacle is that each culture needs to use forms of communication that are relevant to their culture to communicate the needs of that culture. He uses the example of rap music in the African American community. Although I know some white people who listen to rap music, it is predominately an African American genre of music. McKee speaks a lot of the group Public Enemy, and the kind of lyrics that they use to communicate their political beliefs as well as injustices that they see being done to their community. These songs do seem pretty spectacular, and a little over the top, but as McKee points out, it is what that particular culture is used to. As a white middle class woman I find their lyrics highly offensive and I choose not to listen to that type of music. I think they could communicate what they are talking about without the “F” bomb in every other sentence.

I do understand what McKee is saying though that each culture is different. I personally think that it is important to remember that we are all equal but we are also all very different. I do not think though that it is beneficial to a community that those differences become so great that our society can find no common grounds, which I guess is what the next chapter is about. So I guess in this respect I would be considered a modernist.

From Lorraine: Spectacle

The chapter on spectacle was as infuriating as the others on the grounds...you know what, I reckon it's safe to assume that for the rest of this course/book that Modernists and Habermas have and may even continue to ignore the history and the burdens of inequality, especially in the United States. I emphasize the US because we are one of the most pluralistic societies in the world, and have more of a foothold on giving women and minorities the shaft...after all, we've been doing it ever since some holier-than-thou white folks landed on this land mass, beginning with the Native Americans.

That said, I grow weary of the fact that the Modernist's approach to Black culture is a negative one, boiling down to the sentiment of "If only you people (read:black people) would be more like us, then no one would give you any problems and you'd have a legitimate voice in the public sphere." I guess the same can be said regarding Modernists and working class folks as well.

I grew up in a lower class family, and as a result, lived in minority neighborhoods and was (and still am) the token white chick. I also took Political Economy and am very well aware of the fact that economics is used as a weapon against the working class and minorities. I'm well aware of the "double consciousness" conundrum that African American in this country face. The thing, I guess, that no one wants to seem to talk about is the awkward subject of white privilege--if you're white, you automatically have some privilege in this country, and more so if you're a male. Racism and prejudice in this country is systemic, from language to policy. For example: The widely held belief that "Ebonics" or African American English isn't a language or dialect, but rather language deficiency. It is indeed a language: it has it's own set of rules, just like English. Another example: that rap music promotes violence and drug use. Rap, in its inception, was primarily political...just listen to "The Message" by Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five or "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy.

One thing I have noticed, as the token white chick, is that rap shares something with punk and heavy metal: Rebellion against authority. Instead of a Monty Python clip, I have found, for your listening and visual pleasure, "Warhead" by Otep, a female-fronted, politically inclined heavy metal group. I see a comparison of this to Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" in the respect that it's a calling out of unjust politics and calls for empowerment.

Kristen Reagan: Commericailization

One of the biggest things that stuck out to me in this chapter was the idea that the media is "dumbign down" their information to make it easy to understand for undeducated consumers. Some might beleive that by doing this, they are ruining the public sphere. However, I agree with McKee when he said that by dumbing down the informaion, we are also making it acessable to so many more people. Why should it be that the only educated people are allowed to be a part of the public sphere? Shouldn't we live in a society that wants to involve everyone, no matter of their academic standing?

When McKee started talking about reality television, I found myself agreeing completely with what he was saying. I beleive that while most of reality television is merely for entertainment, you can also look at it as learning experiences. McKee also points out that some people would say that reality television is vulgar...but he quickly responds to that by saying that it is not necessarily vulgar, but it is just a different culture than the one that some people might be used to. Some people might look at the reality show Real World, as vulgar because the participants in it spend months doing nothing but partying and fighting with each other. However, growing up in the generation that I, and the participants of this show did, I know that this is actually how many people my age live their life. So does that mean most of the young people today are vulgar? Hum...I guess some would say we are. :)

LaReinaAllen.. Commercialization.

The more I read this book, the more I wish McKee would tell us what he thinks with conviction. "Habermas, this. Habermas that." All of the in formation he gives us is based on what someone else said. Now about 'commercialization'.. I couldn't be happier that it's a part of my life. Without reality TV, I wouldn't have anything to watch (besides Law & Order). After being in school all day doing "intellectual" stuff, I want to see other people do whatever it is that they do. I've learned a lot about what goes outside of my realm by watching this commercialized television. I'm not saying I take it as they give it. I take it as a spark for interest in something I otherwise wouldn't know existed and then I go learn about it. So, being a member of the working class AND aspiring member of the formally educated class, I will say that I can't wait for Rock of Love 2, Flavor of Love 3, Making the Band 4, and Top Model (like, 9) to come on. When I finally do cross over to the educated side, I may say "What a waste of air-time.." I doubt it though. =D

Veronica: Commercialization

This chapter was interesting but a little emotional in a way. Coming from a working class family in a way I am almost offended that from what I took out of the chapter or I was unable to move past was the fact that the middle class was made out to be uneducated, worthless, lazy people. Those who are considered the "Elite" with degrees and are highly educated really aren't that different from the working class. We all watch the same television with reality shows, news stations that pick and choose how to spin a story, or that seem to focus more on the ridiculus lives of those rich and famous who have too much money to know what to do with. Whether the elite or the working class watch fox or abc they get the same stories. I know plenty of working class individuals who are not college educated but their opinions are backed with facts and are worth listening too, and I know people who are educated and as soon as they open their mouth with an opinion I want to shut them up because they feel just because they have a degree they should be heard no matter what mumbo jumbo comes out their mouth. The whole "dumbing down" really gets to me. The newspaper is written at a tenth grade level. Supposibly, the majority of people even those "uneducated" can read at a tenth grade level. People don't need things "dumbed down" for them. Information should be presented as it is no matter how complex it seems, minds should be challenged to find answers and research.

I work with youth who come from a working class backround just like I did. Youth who listen to obscene music and use vulgar language and watch MTV religiously. Who are inked up the yin yang. Who many of these youth their parents never graduated from high
school. These youth still can hold a more mentally stimulating and interesting conversation on any topic from the current political stories to "why the sky is blue?" than most of the highly educated people I am surrounded with on a daily basis.

The other day while engaging in a conversation with a youth in my program and a city official who has been greatly involved in a current injunction against a gang in Riverside; a young man who was gang offiliated, from a working class family, dropped out of school in 7th grade. He knew more about the laws and peramiters of the injunction than the city official. Mind you he is part of this injunction which would make him want to seek information about what exactly they are charging him with. But his knowledge of the demographics had surpassed the "dumbed down" version. He could have seen a district attorney, and received the easy version in 5 sentences and walked away, or not even wasted a breath. Yet he researched and studied and made that offical look like a fool. The highly educated city offical was preaching the "dumbed down" version to this gang member with million dollar words as if he was going to be intimidated or not understand and just agree. He was in for a huge surprise. This made me feel good inside.

To me its more like, I can give all the resources and information out there for people to either research and come to their own conclusion or go with the footnotes and have spare time; but if I don't encourage the youth in my program to find out the truth then they might not seek it on their own. Alot of people working class or povershed seek information and research whether they listen to classical music or rap, many people just don't make their knowledge known to the world until they are put in a position like that young man was in. Where he had a chance to make that city official go back do his research and look at this young man and many youth in a different light. I could go on and on and on but basically it was an interesting chapter and out of all of it this is what stood out and I just ran blindfolded with. sorry.....

Ruby Valdez on Commercialization

Mckee gives us a postmodern and modern views on commercialization. The modernists believe that what the media does is try to get high ratings by which they dumb down what is sown on television. Though not all, most television programs aim as low as possible to help themselves out. The other side of this debate is the postmodern view in which it is believed that the media is merely giving us an outlook on life that differs from what we're used to. Both of these sides make interesting points. For example, I agree that the media has dumbed down what is being shown on television. I always feel like television has just gotten ridiculous and it's just showing nothing but trash. On the postmodern side there are the people who believe that this is just the working class' way of bringing their culture into the public sphere and that it shouldn't be seen as negative. Also, this is the working class' way of breaking away from only believing what the leaders of their nation believe. This very different outlook on the "mass" media made me alter my view. I guess we need the "best" of both worlds in order to balance out the public sphere.

Janet Payne - Commercialization

This whole chapter on commercialization was intriguing. There were sections that I could relate to and others that I took umbrage with. In the section, Arguments that all commercial culture is less worthwhile (77), McKee explains that academic writers argue that "all commercial culture, whether quality or trash, is bad because it's produced under capitalism." He further explains the term capitalism used to describe forms of social organization where the ultimate level of decision-making in society rests on the individual. Since Habermas developed his theories to the exclusion of minorities and women, he left whole cultures in abeyance. For example, Langston Hughes, a prolific writer during the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, developed a character named Jesse B. Semple. Jesse B. Semple was certainly no romantic hero, protest victim, militant leader or a charismatic character for the younger generation to emulate, but through this character, Hughes reached his most appreciative and widest audience because Jesse B. Semple appeared in newspapers readily available to black audiences. Hughes began to publish the tails in book form when he began to reach white audiences. Hughes identified with the black masses and could speak their language. By reaching an audience that was disenfranchised, Hughes discussed issues of the day as realistically as possible and created controversy which ultimately leads to growth and creativity. It was through Hughes individual talents that led to a form of socialization for many, thus enlightenment goals were aspired too, if not reached.

Megan Aragon:Commercialization

This chapter is a touchy issue for me. Everything in this chapter got to me... and I have a story to explain why after i explain which part of the chapter inspired me to share the story. McKee said that the valuable part of commercialization is "dumbing down" which is considered making accessible. I disagree, I believe that everyone deserves the whole truth and a challenge. It is not fair to us that they feel they need to "dumb down" by making it more accessible for us. I believe we do not need a break, we deserve to learn and understand the whole truth, and not the entertaining, easy truth. Therefore, we have a trashy part of our public sphere, that provides and emphasis acceptance, working with culture differences.

Now with my story - as you all know, I am Deaf. Throughout my whole life, I grew up in a world that didn't make sense to me. I learned a language that was not naturally mine, I lived in a lifestyle that was not naturally mine, and I was oblivious. I was gullible and was easily to believe anything that I was told. I did not understand, because of the lack of communication. However, I had the parents who knew where I stood in their world that they sat me down and talked to me... they educated me instead of the society itself, and the television of course. They taught me, because of my condition, that if I have any questions regarding what I saw on television, or at school, that I should feel comfortable enough to go ask my parents about them. Which I did so. Thankfully I had those parents.

Unfortunately, many of the deaf people do not have those parents. When I was fifteen, I was depressed, feeling that I was the only person in the world who felt alienated from the world that is everyone's (hearing folks). I hated the feeling, knowing that it is everyone's world but mine, why couldn't it be mine?? I did not ever meet anyone else who was deaf... until my mother and father saw how unhappy I was. They discovered there was a deaf instituation in Riverside, California. I was so shocked and excited to know there was a school JUST for the deaf!! There were really other deaf people out there, just like me!! :) Once I was enrolled into the school, and began attending there, boy, I felt like it was a whole different world, and that I didn't quite feeling fit there either. I wanted to go back to where I was...

After analyzing and discussing with my parents why everyone seemed so different at the school. They thought differently, dressed differently, reacted differently. Everything was just culturally different. I realized, as time went on and as I learned more about my culture... unfortunately, we have a side that we like to keep tucked under the rug. I personally, would have preferred to keep this story to myself, but hey, everyone has their issues, right!? :) Because the deaf people have a serious communication barrier and because our media dumbs down, that the deaf people are being educated in the dumb down method and their culture is trashed by the media. The sad part is not every deaf child/person has the parents I have. I am very lucky, very lucky... I can't say I met one person in that school that was communicating with their parents like I was. The majority of them were put into that school because it is a "deaf" school and is the easiest way to raise your deaf child. It is time-consuming to raise a deaf child in order to actually LIVE in the world we actually live in. My point is, because we are not actually being educated about be accepting of others that are culturally different from another, or showing the rare things that actually make it on television, because it is entertaining. The deaf people get their information one way or another, and it is certainly not so much from talking to one another, but watching one another or watching television. So I have watched those deaf people in that school suddenly become homosexual because it is revealed on television... or they are having sex because apparently its being shown all over on the media. So on for drugs and alcohol. I was the only person who was inexperienced with all these things because I knew I was not ready for those things or should not being doing those things because I had someone to educate me properly.

The point of this story is that communication is the key and not just for deaf people but for anyone. If someone does not have that communication with someone that can correct the commercialized media, then allow the media to be the last resort to properly educate those who do not have the advantage of a parent/guardian or whoever to communicate with them. We all deserve to understand the REAL issues here and not what is entertaining about the issues or dumbing down the issues.

Shelley : Commercialization

Wow, this chapter seemed like a public service announcement meant just for me--telling me to stop wasting my time watching those ridiculous reality shows!!

I love reality shows, i love entertainment, and i love celebrity gossip. I know i am not the only one either. In some ways i think that the media is smart for tailoring the news programs and newspapers because that it was people want to hear about. I know it is becoming ridiculous that britiney's new haircut is on the 6 o'clock news, but the news stations just want to get some ratings. I admit, i never even watched the news or read the newspaper up until about three years ago or so. I was watching the busy watching the real world. Maybe now i tune in because i can learn about what i need to know and what i want to know all in the same place. I agree with mckee that reality tv is an important part of our culture (even if it is trashy, fake, and dumbed-down). I don't think that people who watch it are all uneducated. That is why those shows are called 'guilty pleasures'.

There was one quote that stood out to me : " You can either be a consumer or a citizen, You can't be both" (pg 78). Then i guess we are all consumers because we all buy things, buy into things, and are manipulated by ads in every form of media out there.

And another thing, i did hate how they kept referring to the commercialized pop-culture as the 'working class culture'. Just look at who these reality shows are about-- the rich (the hiltons, the kardashians, the hogans, and the d-o-double gs). If they are not watching other reality shows, you know they are watching their own :) So every class (upper, middle, and lower) is taking part in this commercialization.

Jill Smith- "Commercialization"

I really enjoyed this chapter, it was easy to read and interesting. I especially enjoyed the introduction and the use of reality shows. I am a reality show junkie-I watch them all, Survivor, Rock of Love (with Brett michaels), Extreme Makeover Home Edition, The Real World occasionally, and my favorite, The Bachelor. Why do I waste my time with these shows that according to McKee, are"...representing 'the ultimate dumbing down' of western culture, focuses not on intellectuals or artists or experts, but on 'ordinary' people - from a variety of social classes, races, genders and sexualalities" (67). As McKee later staetes: thanks to reality shows, like the ones I enjoy, people from different backgrounds are able to build bridges and relate to one another in a more real way. I like the fact that McKee explores shows like The Real World's first season. It does make the argument stand that reality shows do connect people.

Fanya Daniels Commercialization

The working classes are 'intellectually lazy'; they accept whatever they are told so they can 'avoi[d] the labor of thinking for themselves.'

That is the line in the commercialization chapter that stuck out for me. I was raised in a family that was working class; I have seen both sides of the spectrum, I have seen men and women who are not only work but are intellectual and I have men and woman who work but are ignorant. I don't think that all working class people are lazy and don't want to think for themselves. There are a lot of things that oppress people in this society no matter the race, gender, or sexual orientation, but it is up to you to do your own research and think for yourself. Even me being a college student, I am a young woman who is trying to become an intellectual; I am doing this by gaining knowledge from my teachers and materials offered but its up to me to go above and beyond to do my own research. This quote made me think of a this article called, Blacks Don't read. I feel like it is similar because in The Public Sphere by McKee it says something similar though a race is not picked out but they were also saying that the working class is a slave to society. Your intelligence gives you freedom and when you take away the opportunity from a person to learn your leaving them with nothing. That is why I am glade that I attend college because I am freeing myself. The more I learn the farther I will go





BLACKS DON'T READ

PIease Note:

For those of you who heard it, this is the article Dee Lee was reading this morning on a New York radio station. For those of you who didn't hear it, this is very deep and true! BLACKS DON'T READ. This is a heavy piece and a Caucasian wrote it.

THEY ARE STILL OUR SLAVES we can continue to reap profits from the Blacks without the effort of physical slavery. Look at the current methods of containment that they use on themselves: IGNORANCE, GREED, and SELFISHNESS.

Their IGNORANCE is the primary weapon of containment.
A great man once said, 'The best way to hide something from Black people is to put it in a book."
We now live in the Information Age. They have gained the opportunity to read any book on any subject through the efforts of their fight for freedom, yet they refuse to read. There are numerous books readily available at Borders, Barnes SNoble, and Amazon.com, not to mention their own Black Bookstores that provide solid blueprints to reach economic equality (which should have been their fight all along), but few read consistently, if at all.

GREED is another powerful weapon of containment.
Blacks, since the abolition of slavery, have had large amounts of money at their disposal. Last year they spent 10 billion dollars during Christmas, out of Their 450 billion dollars in total yearly income (2.22%). Any of us can use them as our target market, for any business venture we care to dream up, no matter how outlandish, they will buy into it. Being primarily a consumer people, they function totally by greed. They continually want more, with little thought for saving or investing. They would rather buy some new sneaker than invest in starting a business. Some even neglect their children to have the latest Tommy or FUBU, and they still think that having a Mercedes, and a big house gives them "Status" or that they have achieved the American Dream. They are fools! The vast majority of their people are still in poverty because their greed holds them back from collectively making better communities. With the help of BET, and the rest of their black media that often broadcasts destructive images into their own homes, we will continue to see huge profits like those of Tommy and Nike. Tommy Hilfiger has even jeered them, saying he doesn't want their money, and look at how the fools spend more with him than ever before). They'll continue to show off to each other while we build solid communities with the profits from our businesses that we market to them.

SELFISHNESS, ingrained in their minds through slavery, is one of the Major ways we can continue to contain them. One of their own, Dubois said that there was an innate division in their culture. A "Talented Tenth" he called it. He was correct in his deduction that there are segments of their culture that has achieved some "form" of success. However, that segment missed the fullness of is work. They didn't read that the "Talented Tenth" was then responsible to aid the Non-Talented Ninety Percent in achieving a better life, Instead, that segment has created another class, a Buppie class that looks down on their people or aids them in a condescending manner. They will never achieve what we have. Their selfishness does not allow them to be able to work together on any project or endeavor of substance. When they do get together, their selfishness lets their egos get in the way of their goal. Their so-called help organizations seem to only want to promote their name without making any real change in their community. They are content to sit in conferences and conventions in our hotels, and talk about what they will do, while they award plaques to the best speakers, not the best doers. Is there no end to their selfishness? They steadfastly refuse to see that TOGETHER EACH ACHIEVES MORE (TEAM)! They do not understand that they are no better than each other of what they own in fact, most of those Buppies are but one or two paychecks away from poverty. All of which is under the control of our pens in our offices and our rooms. Yes, we will continue to contain them as long as they refuse to read, continue to buy anything they want, and keep thinking they are "helping" their communities by paying dues to organizations which do little other than hold lavish conventions in our hotels. By the way, don't worry about any of them reading this letter, remember, THEY DON'T READ!!!! BLACKS DON'T READ".