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Law and Justice in Real Time October 2015

Volume over Substance: Why Donald Trump is leading the GOP Despite Sexism & Racism

Donald Trump, despite if we like it or not, has been the face of the Republican Presidential Election. Between sound bites, memes, and jokes at his expense, all we hear about is Donald Trump’s folly on the internet and other media outlets.  How loud he is, abrasive, racist, and sexist. To be honest, if I have to look at his unsettling, overly tanned faced one more damn time I’m probably going to projectile vomit. While that may be a strong statement, a style that Trump is used to, So why is he still around?

Donald Trump is routinely mocked and proved wrong for his political stand points. When asked about view points or statement’s he’s previously made, he attacks viciously, Shoving it off as no big deal, as if his opposition has no clue what they’re talking about. As seen in the above footage, Donald trump responds being confronted on his sexist remarks with catchy buzzwords. His use of “political correctness”, “power”, “brain”, “strength”, and “quickness” are met with applause from the crowd. Frankly, his response makes no sense, so why was it met by the GOP crowd with such encouragement? Because the Republican voters no longer want facts or thought out policies, they want a headline. The right wing voters are looking for some one to identify with, and to them it’s the man with the comb over who stands against political correctness. Republican voters can find something to identify with, they believe Donald Trump is just speaking his mind, and they find that it goes against the political grain, even if what Trump says is sexist or racist. What republican voters and the GOP don’t seem to fully realize is that Trump’s persona of “I just say what I think, I don’t have time for political correctness” is just another tool for election and to gain popularity. Donald Trump has done too much business to have absolutely no idea what he’s doing in the political field. His political success is not by accident,  or a side effect of his “unadulterated” personality.

 

We live in a world largely dominated by social media and the internet. People on the internet see a buzz word filed headline and pass it onto their Facebook page. Then some one on their friend’s list sees that article, and shares it as well. All of this going on without reading the article’s content, which may go on to more in depth than what you may read in the headline. This is essentially the political style of Donald Trump.  Trump speaks loudly and frequently, often speaking like he’s writing headlines for political fluff articles. Building a wall around Mexico doesn’t make any sense, but it’s a strikingly powerful image for those who are racist against Hispanics and immigrants. With that quick line, he’ll have gained their support. Saying that the GOP moderator Megyn Kelly had PMS as the reason she questioned him against his sexist comments is appalling, but to every person that feels that women just get too bitchy on their periods, that could have been music to their ears.     ” We need strength, we need quickness, we need energy, and we need brain, to turn this country around”, he spoke in the GOP debate above. It really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but  it sounds good, and dammit, it’ll get him voters.

 

Questions:

1: What do you believe has caused the GOP to become almost comical in their presidential elections? How does the parade of politics effect the Criminal Justice System, are the  issues  in the CJS being push under the rug for more sensational issues?

2. Is Volume over Substance going to become a new standard for politics? Is Trump just speaking loudly what many voters are quietly thinking, including blatant sexism. If so, what state is our country’s feminism in?

Sources:

Illing, Sean. “The Terrifying Reason Donald Trump Is Winning: The Infantilized Conservative Base Wants Rage, Not Ideas.” Saloncom RSS. 8 Sept. 2015. Web

The, Editors. “Why Donald Trump Is Winning.” The Nation. 30 July 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.

The Rich White Man’s Burden: House Arrest In a Mansion

Many people know Oscar Pistorius as the first double leg amputee to perform at the Olympics. However, on February 14, 2013, Pistorius fatally shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in the bathroom of his estate in Pretoria, South Africa. There has been some controversy over whether Pistorius knew that Steenkamp was in the bathroom, which determines whether this was pre-meditated murder (after a domestic dispute on Valentine’s Day) or if he truly thought that there was an intruder in the house; the location where Steenkamp was sitting/standing/crouching in the bathroom; and whether he took the time to put his prosthetics on or if he was just on his “stumps.” The entirety of the facts of this case will probably never be known, because this all happened in the privacy of his own home.

(Source: memegenerator.net "Paranoid Parrot Oscar Pistorius Meme")
(Source: memegenerator.net “Paranoid Parrot Oscar Pistorius Meme”)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the trial, Oscar Pistorius showed a lot of emotion, including crying, or more like sobbing, as well as puking when he saw a picture of Steenkamp’s remains. However, he also seemed very confident that he would be released and be back on the track shortly.

Q: Were the emotions that Pistorius showed helpful or hurtful in his trial? Was he able to cry because he is an athlete who is confident in his masculinity? Was the perception of his masculinity, or lack thereof, misconstrued by him crying? Did his emotions thwart the outcome of his trial?

This case is very similar to the OJ Simpson case. Both OJ Simpson and Oscar Pistorius were athletes and were both accused of murdering their significant others. Being athletes, they are famous around the world and are also of a higher socioeconomic status. They are also more confident individuals in that they play sports at a highly competitive level. Therefore, they can be seen as dominant to their female significant others, especially with the use of a weapon.

Q: Which social construct is most important in this case: socioeconomic status, race, sexual orientation, or gender, or do all of them work together?

(Source: Times Live http://www.timeslive.co.za/incoming/2014/03/15/roses.png/ALTERNATES/crop_630x432/Roses.png "Pistorius Roses are Red Meme")
(Source: Times Live http://www.timeslive.co.za/incoming/2014/03/15/roses.png/ALTERNATES/crop_630x432/Roses.png “Pistorius Roses are Red Meme”)

After 49 days in trial over a course of seven months, Oscar Pistorius was charged with culpable homicide. Culpable homicide is a lesser sentence than pre-meditated murder in South Africa, which is the rough equivalent of involuntary manslaughter in Anglo-American law, or the unlawful negligent killing of a human being.

Q: Do you think that Oscar Pistorius was charged with culpable homicide because of the fact that he was a well-known athlete? If he was an average human being, do you think that he would have received the same punishment?

Although he was sentenced to five years in prison, since both of his legs are amputated, he is expected to be staying in the hospital wing of the prison while he is in prison, away from most of the other prisoners. South Africa also has a law stating that for sentences of five years or less, you only have to be in prison for one-sixth of the time that you are sentenced; in his case, he is required to stay in prison for 10 months out of the five years that he was sentenced and then he can petition for house arrest for the remainder of the sentence. He was sentenced on October 21, 2014 and released on October 19, 2015 after spending just less than one year in prison and will now spend the next four years on house arrest at his uncle’s mansion (pictured below).

(Source: The Telegraph, 2015, "Oscar Pistorius will live in luxury after his release under house arrest")
(Source: The Telegraph, 2015, “Oscar Pistorius will live in luxury after his release under house arrest”)

I chose to discuss Oscar Pistorius’ murder case, because he was just released from prison last week and is now on house arrest. Also, this case encompasses race, class, gender, and privacy. Steenkamp is a victim of homicide as a result of her being in a heterosexual relationship with Pistorius. Regardless of whether the act was purposeful or accidental, Steenkamp would not have died that night if she was not in a relationship with Pistorius. Although Steenkamp was a white victim, Pistorius, as a white man, did not receive as harsh of a sentence, in my opinion, as a black man would have received. However, Pistorius’ fame and social class also contributed to the lenient sentencing. A person living in a poverty also would not have received the same sentencing as Pistorius had. Finally, the fact that Pistorius did this in his own home and that there were no reliable witnesses, also contributed to this being sort of up in the air, not knowing the whole truth about the sequence of events that happened that night.

Q: Do you think that Pistorius’ lessened sentence (culpable homicide vs. murder) as well as the fact that he was released from prison to be sentenced to house arrest in a mansion devalues the life of Reeva Steenkamp? Should Pistorius be required to compensate the Steenkamp family for what he did?

 

Sources:

(2015). Q&A: What House Arrest Means For Oscar Pistorius. Sky News. Retrieved from http://news.sky.com/story/1572812/q-and-a-what-house-arrest-means-for-oscar-pistorius

(2014). Oscar Pistorius Trial: Evidence. BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26417240

Phipps, C. (2014). Oscar Pistorius Trial: The Full Story, Day By Day. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/21/oscar-pistorius-trial-full-story-reeva-steenkamp

 

LGBT; Sexual Stigma and Gender Identity

When it comes down to it, the essence of the LGBT movement is about everyday individuals wanting the same chance as everyone else. Whether it’s the ability to earn a living, be safe in one’s community, serving ones country or the biggest thing of all; being with the one you love.

Picture source: http://d35brb9zkkbdsd.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Employment-Discrimination-Maps.png

Basic fundamental opportunities everyone should have, and yet they are halted if not stalled. On a federal level companies that have contracts with the government are now prohibited from firing or discriminating against employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity due to an executive order President Obama signed in June of 2014 (Bendery). However, 33 of the 50 states have no state-level gender identity protection, this meaning in over half of the U.S it is perfectly legal for employers to fire employees based solely on their gender identity.  Nor is there a state-level protection for sexual orientation in 29 of the 50 US states. The overhauling idea that merit is null void if they happen to find your gender identity (i.e., transgender) or sexual orientation (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual) to be that of conflicting alignment.

In some ways it’s quite flattering to think that what someone does in the privacy of their bedroom carries so much weight in the public sphere. And yet one must ask the question, why does it in fact carry so much weight?

Genderbread-Person-3.3

Source: http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2015/03/the-genderbread-person-v3/

Prevailing argument is that sexual preference shouldn’t in any way be a derisive point in anything but one’s personal choices and can ONLY ever be useful in the dividing of groups which would otherwise agree. Gender identity, not unlike racial segregation and class separation, are not a political statement but a personal one, one which should be treated with the same involvement other people take in when choosing to have breakfast or not.

In June of 2015, the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision allowed the right to same sex marriage. Stating “No union more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a martial union, two people become something greater than they once were.Marriage is a “keystone of our social order..”

My personal favorite part..

“adding, that the plaintiffs in the case were seeking “equal dignity in the eyes of the law”.

 

Questions:

1. Justice Kennedy stated that the plaintiffs in this case were seeking “equal dignity in the eyes of the law.” What does that mean to you?

2. Should individuals in the LGBT communities right and protections be intrinsic?

3. If the federal government can ban workplace discrimination against LGBT employees of federal contractors and the federal government, why don’t all the states follow suit?

 

Sources:

Bendery, J. (n.d.). It Is Now Illegal For A Federal Contractor To Fire Someone For Being LGBT. Retrieved October 21, 2015.

Deena Fidas and Liz Cooper, The Cost of the Closet and the Rewards of Inclusion: Why the Workplace Environment for LGBT People Matters to Employees, Human Rights Campaign (May 2015): p. 4-5.

Deena Fidas and Liz Cooper, The Cost of the Closet and the Rewards of Inclusion: Why the Workplace Environment for LGBT People Matters to Employees, Human Rights Campaign (May 2015): p. 4-5.

Liptak, A. (2015, June 26). Supreme Court Ruling Makes Same-Sex Marriage a Right Nationwide. Retrieved October 20, 2015.

Do gender stereotypes only affect women?

Have gender stereotypes improved?

In American society when it comes to the media and society advertising, entertainment, women & men are both portrayed by media with stereotypes. Women often times usually end up with disadvantages in this. The disadvantage with women is that when they are portrayed by the media often time they are perceived as sexual objects. Even when women are not being seen as sexual they are shown as the weaker gender between the two sexist. This video also shows that gender stereotypes aren’t just harmful to women they also can have a negative impact on men as well. The only difference is that men are not shown as sexual objects they are seen more as being macho and handling majority of their problems with violence to show that their being masculine.

 

monetwitpic

With Mo’ne Davis participating in the little league world series their was no secret that her parents did not raise her gender specific. If they had she would be playing softball not baseball. She has inspired many young girls to go out and do what they want to do instead of letting society define their roles. In our society many aren’t still use to this which caused some her to deal with some problems. As much praise as she got she has also had negative situations that came with it.

 

sex object cashpoint whih is more degrading

Can men be victims of sexism ?

Gender stereotypes not only exist in the media but some court rulings reinforce the typical gender stereotypes. Courts often view the males as the provider in relationships just because in American society we view it as this is how things should be done and have always been done as the man taking care of the women. In traditional gender roles females are viewed as stay at home and males are seen as the cash resource or the one who supports the relationship. Many times in divorce cases the judge will often rule in favor of the male to pay alimony even if the wife has enough potential to make a lot of money.  Back in the 50’s it was more reasonable for males to pay alimony for the simple fact that women were housewives who stayed home and and handled all of those responsibilities. Now things have changed for the simple fact that there women in today’s society have the ability to get jobs well payed jobs at that and have their own money. For example, their was a report about a divorce case that a women received her PhD. during the marriage and even earned a high paying job that paid just as much as his job did. She quit to start up her own practice which made her salary take huge deficit. The judge then required the husband to pay a lifetime of alimony.

Questions:

  1. How much influence do you think the media plays in gender stereotypes today ?
  2. When talking about gender stereotypes how can we ensure equality for both men and women?
  3. What are some of the negative stereotyping on today’s youth? How are these stereotypes influencing the pattern of being raised gender specific?

 

References

Berlatsky, N. (2013, May 29). When Men Experience Sexism. Retrieved October 21, 2015.

 

 

Patriarchy: An Outdated Ideal? Or Necessity for a Thriving World?

We know memes, The patriarchy is here! The argument against being a feminist
We know memes, The patriarchy is here! The argument against being a feminist

For the betterment of our intelligence I challenge you to think critically of the arguments you may or may not have concerning Patriarchy. To go even farther, think what that word means to you. Can you think of an instance where Patriarchy or Matriarchy is a good thing? Do you simply see it as a means of oppression and power? Or as a way of showing love by sacrificing to provide happiness for the ones that matter to you? I want to show you what the mainstream media and various social institutions won’t allow… that Patriarchy, in its truest form, is good for society. That the word Patriarchy has been dragged through the muck and along the way picked up the image of privileged, lazy, and greedy men not wanting women to enjoy the same freedoms.

Patriarchy is not some fabricated oppressive strategy formulated by a conclave of sexist men who made a pact to keep their gender “on top”. In fact Patriarchy stems from basic biological differences in males and females. Men cannot exist without females and females cannot exist without males, that being said however, females have the most vital components for the continuation of life. The carrying of the next generation. Men on the other hand are needed “technically” for only one step in this entire process. And we all know which one that is. Throughout history though we don’t see mass communities based solely on females while the men meander around independently only to show up to fulfill their “one job”. This is because of Patriarchy, the idea of men being the prominent member, the leader, of the family. It is simple biology, women are not as physically strong naturally as men, women are also not as capable of independence (true independence) while pregnant. Men however are perfectly suited to provide and work every day of their lives upon reaching maturity. If you take a step back you can see that this isn’t an issue of preventing one gender from freedom but rather conforming to roles that are the easiest and most natural so that the human race can thrive. The reason this makes sense is because humans are communal creatures. We were not made to be alone in the world. Without social contact we struggle and decline. However in a social setting, a community, we thrive. “In patriarchy, men sacrifice their energy, their time, and sometimes even their lives for the betterment of women and children, and women give themselves to nurturing children and families. Feminists define patriarchy as a system of dominance, in which men oppress women. This redefines men’s sacrifice as an act of control, rather than love.”Link <- disclaimer this website offers some more extreme views, they are not necessarily fact but opinion, you are free to interpret in any way you see fit but an open mind can truly help you evolve as an intellectual!

Why Patriarchy is the greatest social system ever created-Return of Kings
Why Patriarchy is the greatest social system ever created-Return of Kings

So… how does all this tie into criminal justice? What if i said abolishing the patriarchy leads to more crime? Lets look at why we work, more specifically why men used to always choose to work and pursue the highest paying job they can net. What is their drive to do so? if you are living alone do you need to work 50 or even 60 hours a week to survive and be happy? No in fact living alone the average person wouldn’t need to work that hard to get by. For a single adult living in king county the living wage is $11.19 which is barely above minimum. Not hard to achieve after a year or so working a low end job and the plus side is you don’t even need higher education to achieve this… However for 2 adults and lets say 1 kid in an ideal situation where 1 parent is working the living wage jumps to $21.51. No longer can an uneducated, unmotivated individual attain this. Don’t believe me? check out the living wage calculator yourself. An unintentional loss by promoting feminism and the abolishment of the patriarchy is the prevalence of work less and enjoy your time more, don’t sacrifice your time working for a corporation to make more when you don’t need it to survive. This mindset of be independent and live a minimalistic life has taken the motivation for hard work out of the equation. So what do we get with a populace of uneducated individuals with lots of free time on their hands? These statistics are what we get. link

http://tutorials.iq.harvard.edu/Stata/StataGraphics/images/msymbol_mcolor.png
http://tutorials.iq.harvard.edu/Stata/StataGraphics/images/msymbol_mcolor.png

Based on the above graph Income is apparently directly related to crime. To round up this post and get off my soapbox that I am sure is covered in rotten food thrown by the reader by now I will conclude that Patriarchy is a positive social system. That being said however I do believe in equality and feel a different word is needed to level against males exerting dominance and oppression while feeding their superiority complex. These males incorrectly use patriarchy by believing their job is any more important than their partners. That is sexism and that is unjust and should be readily punishable by law. How about we officially call them pricks. All I am putting forth is that males are natural leaders and breadwinners, without that job, s*** tends to hit the fan and we as a society suffer because of it. In my opinion respect for each gender is the key to solving these problems. If a male could come to terms with seeing that females have a rough life as well, there would be far less problems by abolishing the entitlement that all so easily leads to abuse.

Questions

  1. How has the patriarchy benefitted you or your family?
  2. Could we still achieve equality within a patriarchy?
  3. Is there a problem with masculinity and strength in todays relationships?
  4. What are your thoughts on a female supporting a stay at home husband and child and vice versa. Would you be happy knowing your other half doesn’t work 8 hours a day mon-fri and relies solely on the money you make?

Norms & Stereotypes Defined by Privacy?

Privacy-illustration-014

Privacy and gender can be connected by using the way our norms // stereotypes affect our social self. While in the safety and security of the private sphere, we are able to express ourselves in a way which correlates to how we feel and act inside. Consequently when this protective coating is peeled away and exposes us to an outer world, we lust to fit to societies standards, changing our actions to suit this norm. As privacy soon disintegrates and we are rarely ever able to be our actual selves, conformity takes control and personal freedom is lost.

Connecting to Social Psychology, there are two fundamental axioms ::

  1. People create their own reality; meaning that each individual has a different interpretation of the world in which we live. Even though these views may misrepresent the actual truth, they are subjective, not objective.
  2. The power of the situation has more influence on how you act than you ultimately do. (Ponder for a moment this scenario, if you were to fall down a staircase, how would you react by yourself, with a friend, or in a part of a play; now how about a crush you’ve been eyeing?)

So when we strut around in the world our actions will be relational to what we feel those observing us find acceptable. For women this may mean having to act womanly, kind, “pretty” instead of how they actually feel inside. Men must take on a masculine approach, being strong, brave, or the forefront of a conversation. Though we have taken strides to alter our perception of right and wrong, there are still issues of correcting negative behavior to address.

(start 6:00 in)

_________________________

As our lives become more complex with the various accounts, devices, and drones; the chance for someone peeking through, becomes an issue. With various areas to give away personal information to the internet such as Google and Facebook, our private lives are becoming less private. For those who enjoy keeping their opinions and interests to themselves this is a growing problem which can affect other areas of our lives as well.

Being something not directly related to criminal justice, going further as to gain access to a potential criminals history and activity may bring possible evidence to light for a conviction. One such image // story which took a stroll around some Facebook accounts depicted an NFC chip (<– link) in new phones. Though some people did believe this piece of hardware was able to track their person and report it back to some government agency. However silly this is, processes with the same outcomes don’t need some hardware, when being discreet is the name of the game. Instead a series of code is embedded (similar to government sanctioned back doors) to collect their sought after information; thus preventing any ability to hide details about yourself from public eye. Personally and emotionally, it becomes drastic. Those private moments, photos and conversations which took place when no one was watching, well now people are and if people find them… judgement ensues.

6ff

In 2014 a mass of private photos stored on iCloud were hacked and released to public eyes, disclosing many celebrities secret pictures. A popular name ,The Fappening, was a designated headline which displayed how gender-centric around men this event was. Since only women’s pictures were the main news story, we are shown how much more we objectify women than men. As actress Lena Dunham stated on twitter following the event, “viewing these pictures violates these women over and over again”. 

Though I personally don’t feel threatened about how our internet history is tracked, or our likes are recorded because in the end, you are you, why is this something that needs hiding? However when our entire private selves are purged onto the internet for the public eye, a line has been crossed. 


Questions:

Why do we need privacy?

How much do you value your privacy? Internet life vs. reality life?

What are the consequences if every move you make over the internet was recorded and posted online?

Do gender stereotypes continue even when in a private setting? And how much of difference would people act if there was no sense of privacy?

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/internet-death-privacy-google-facebook-alex-preston

Image “Artifact” link

Planned Parenthood: What they do and who it really helps

As the presidential debate progresses, the funding of Planned Parenthood has become a heated topic. Disagreements on the funding of Planned Parenthood even threatened a government shutdown. While differing opinions on the Planned Parenthood controversy are getting major headlines, lets look deeper into the people who are really effected by this decision.

Planned Parenthood

via The Washington Post

As this graph shows, only about 3% of Planned Parenthood’s services are abortion services. Why is this important? Because it is the anti-abortion claims against Planned Parenthood that are being debated. 42% of Planned Parenthood services are STI/STD testing and treatment. A significant portion of their services are also towards contraception, women’s health, and cancer screening and prevention services.

These statistics may just seem like numbers, but when looking deeper, there are several underlying race and gender disparities. Here are some facts:

  • Of those diagnosed with breast cancer, African-American women are most likely to die from breast cancer.
  • American Indian/Native Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with HIV or other STIs/STDs.
  • For 35 years, the number one killer of Asian American women is cancer.
  • Breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer death among Latinas. Even when diagnosed at a similar stage and age as non-Latinas women, Latinas are more likely to die from breast cancer.
  • In Miami, black and Hispanic girls are at a higher increased risk for unplanned pregnancies.

via the Miami Herald and Planned Pregnancy

These statistics show that minorities are disproportionately effected by breast cancer, STDs/STIs, and unplanned pregnancies. Defunding Planned Parenthood would have a greater effect on the minority population in the United States by taking away services that are needed by these women at an affordable rate.

While looking at nationwide issues it is easy to feel removed from the situation, this issue falls close to home. However, on September 4, 2015 the Planned Parenthood in Pullman was firebombed. While the arsonist is still unknown, detectives have thought that this was a direct attack against Planned Parenthood. After insurance coverage, an estimated $250,000 will be needed for Planned Parenthood to be rebuilt.

Overall, the funding of Planned Parenthood continues to be a large debate. However, defunding Planned Parenthood would disproportionately effect the minorities and women in our society.

PP men meme

PP minority meme

  1. If Planned Parenthood was defunded, how would those who need access to other women’s health services (such as cancer screenings and STI/STD screening and treatment) find those services? Would there be other funding or would women, particularly minority women, just be denied those services? What does this say about the quality of care for women and minorities in our society?
  2. Take, for example, the arson of the Planned Parenthood in Pullman. Detectives say that this was most likely an intentional attack against Planned Parenthood, so lets say that is true. Why is this not considered a hate crime, or even more an act of terrorism? What does this say about how we interpret violence?
  3. In what ways are the two cartoons satirizing the issues that have arisen from the debate about Planned Parenthood funding?

Sources:

During National Minority Health Month, Planned Parenthood Urges Communities to Work Together Toward Health Equity :: Planned Parenthood. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2015.

Sorenson, K. (2015, October 6). Why we continue to need Planned Parenthood. Retrieved October 7, 2015, from                                 http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article38010636.html

Ye Hee Lee, M. (2015, August 12). For Planned Parenthood abortion stats, ‘3 percent’ and ’94 percent’ are both misleading. Retrieved October 7, 2015, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2015/08/12/for-planned-parenthood-abortion-stats-3-percent-and-94-percent-are-both-misleading/

 

How Do We Create Racism?

Setting the Scene

Counterterror Policy
Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/10/uk-keyword-warning-software-schools-raises-red-flag-151004081940435.html

Mobilizing people to hate

One of the most useful ways to get a society to hate something is by using propaganda. This involves building the solidarity of a group (Group A), and then demonizing a different group of people (Group B) that are dissimilar to their own; the greater the phenotypic disparity, the easier it will be. The leaders of Group A will likely tell the group members that they are better than other groups, pushing this idea of exceptionalism. The norms of Group A will be praised for being righteous, while the norms of Group B will be condemned as being inferior.

Examples:

  • Capitalism
  • Organic food
  • Veganism
  • Eco cars
  • Crossfit
Source: http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/11/50-most-racist-political-cartoons/the-american-river-ganges

Group A will often oversimplify a complex issue, and distill it into bite sized factoids that their members can easily recite against dissenting opinions. What happens is people will receive a snapshot of an issue without any context or additional information. In some cases, groups will fabricate evidence to use against the other so they can give the perception of credibility. Typically, the louder a group claims to sell the “truth”, the more they are trying to mislead. The side with the most information (regardless of credibility) will have the advantage. Since people like to place things in boxes, they will have to choose whether to put the snapshots of Group B in the “GOOD” box, or the “BAD” box. Since Group A wants to maintain its solidarity, they will use propaganda to convince people that anything dissimilar to their own values, is inherently bad, and should therefore be put into the “BAD“ box. The more vivid an image Group A can form about Group B, the easier it will be to mobilize their members against the one another.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/10/donald-trump-syrian-refugees-151001023852166.html
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/10/donald-trump-syrian-refugees-151001023852166.html

What catalysts have historically been used to incite conflicts between groups?

What happens when the conflict subsides?

When the conflict eventually comes to an end, both parties involved will dissolve back into the larger society in which they came. Although the conflict has ended, the emotional tension will likely continue. The world will still remember the pictures the propaganda campaigns painted about Group B, not realizing that it was propaganda, but still accept it as their own belief. In today’s society, a groups’ physical appearance is what places them into a stereotype. A recent example of this is what is coined as Islamophobia. Post 9/11, people who resemble those who are of Middle Eastern or Central Asian descent receive a wide range of attacks, from verbal threats to physical assault. For many, preserving their cultural identity by dressing in traditional garments puts them at greater risk of attack.

Source: http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/11/50-most-racist-political-cartoons/the-american-river-ganges
Source: http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/11/50-most-racist-political-cartoons/the-american-river-ganges

 

  • Are we seeing new targets for racism?

Of these wars, what derogatory words or images come to mind?

  • WW2 (Germany, Japan)
  • Vietnam War
  • “Cold War”
  • Korean War

Main Questions

-With the current wars being waged on terrorism and drugs (foreign and domestic), what political and legal outcomes can we expect to see as it pertains to institutional and societal racism?

  • Who is involved?
  • What is the fear?
  • How does this change in regards to proximity to the conflict?
  • Whats the other sides perspective?

-How might this perpetuate or reinforce the cycle of hate between the groups?

-How can we end this?

Another Lecture for your perusing:

 

References

Cassino, Daniel and Peter Wooley.  “Some News Leaves People Knowing Less.”  Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind Poll, 21 November 2011.

Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell.  “What is Propaganda, and How Does It Differ From Persuasion?,” pp.1-46

Globalizing the local, localizing the global. (n.d.). Retrieved October 4, 2015, from https://www.ted.com/talks/sheikha_al_mayassa_globalizing_the_local_localizing_the_global

Michael Hirschorn.  “The Truth Lies Here:  How Can Americans Talk to One Another – Let Alone Engage in Political Debate – When the Web allows Every Side to Invent Its Own Facts.”  The Atlantic, November 2010

Robert J. Gula.  Nonsense:  Red Herrings, Straw Men, and Sacred Cows:  How We Abuse Logic in Our Everyday Language. Mount Jackson, VA:  Axios Press, 2007.

What does my headscarf mean to you? (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2015, from https://www.ted.com/talks/yassmin_abdel_magied_what_does_my_headscarf_mean_to_you#t-9777