Reaction 10

What evidence does LBJ offer as proof of the widening economic gap between black and white Americans? How does he explain this gap?

In 1965 Lyndon B. Johnson made clear his intentions to fight for the equal rights of all American citizens, no longer just privileged white Americans. He claimed America could not reach its assertion of the land of the free until all of its citizens were indeed free, he stressed the importance of freeing African Americans form the unfair economic struggle they face. Johnson alluded to the fact that many African Americans lived in poverty, were payed lower wages for the work they did, and also faced higher rates of unemployment. Johnson blamed this injustice on our society, one that was completely ignorant or apathetic to the struggles of the lower classes, giving on chance for them to improve their standards of living. Without equal rights African Americans would never be payed the wages they deserved for their work, nor could the ever reach higher skill levels necessary for upper level positions in companies and factories. It was the age old problem of racism or slavery still rearing its ugly head in the twentieth century. The white American public seemed unable to overcome their superiority complex after years of segregation and racism or perhaps of the guilt they felt after the realization that black and white were nothing more than unnecessary branding, while black Americans could not seem to rise above the inferiority they had been branded with since the times of slavery. Johnson attempted to close the gap between the races with his civil rights policies and his great society, but the institution of segregation could not be overcome as quickly as he had hoped.

The cartoon accurately displays this attitude. It features a white child and a black child, the white child is free while the black child is shackled to a ball and chain. This represents the oppression that black child still faced in society, the black child is also barely clad while the white child is dressed completely showing the difference in class as well as monetary stability. The white child then uses the black child as his stepping stool in achieving his desire to reach the top, climbing upon his back, pushing the black child down in order to reach his destination. Once the white child finally reaches his peak he looks down upon the black child and apologizes for using him claiming he knows better now. The black child who had been freed of his ball and chain restrictions (emphasizing breaking the physical barrier) asks then for the white child to help him reach the top as well. The white child seems shocked and refuses to help place the black child upon his same level. This represents the inability of overcoming the mental restrictions due to class and race. The white child even claims that to be reverse racism implying that is would be even more unjust or wrong for them to be in the position rather than separated by the barrier.

Reaction 9

C. Wright Mills analyzed people in the 1950's a "cheerful robots" and he was completely correct. It was the 1950's where America was once again in a state of prosperity, we were out of the war, out of the depression, and ready to embrace life again. Many changes were to take place during this time period, for one the housing market became extremely cheap with the birth of suburbia. Individual houses for smaller families were now readily available all across America, though all the houses were almost identical giving people identical surroundings.
The ideology of the "nuclear family" took the forefront of American expectations with family, the father as the bread winner happy to commute from his mint green house in suburbia to his desk job in the city, the housewife who was all too pleased to constantly surround herself with housework and her new electric appliances, the two kids and a dog. Of course in retrospect we know that this was all a facade (especially in the case of the housewife, who was often lonely, depressed, and acted so cheerful because she was completely drugged out on uppers), it was the identity all Americans desperately tried to display. The dawning of the 1950's was the dawning of conformity, Americans wanted everything to be the same as everyone else. I personally believe that after the war the rebirth of the American Spirit and American Dream caused Americans to unify under one banner, the surburban family.

Korean Comfort Women

Why were the Korean Comfort Women “silent” so long? To answer this question, one thing you will need to think about is how much women’s “worth” is tied to their status as virgins or “sexually pure” and how women who are not “pure” are shamed in societies. You also need to reflect on how rape has been characterized as simply an “unfortunate consequence” of war—this is not true, of course; rape does not “just happen.” Why could the words and actions of Japanese officials and government be interpreted as attempts to further silence them?

I think that the Korean comfort women were silent for so long because they feared the social repercussions that they would face should they break their silence. Unfortunately even many years later they still face the social degradation of the Japanese denials and have been branded as prostitutes (which is the connotation that had initially intended to evade). Maybe the women hoped to be seen as innocent if they kept quiet about the sexual acts they had been forced to perform.
I also think that such a traumatic experience for the women and girls involved was not something they wanted to dwell on. The idea of face the allegations, the court charges, having to recount again and again the pain and suffering they endured was not appealing. The women may have tried to subconsciously forget the situation at first. Many of the women had been murdered; perhaps even away from the Japanese war camps they felt that they would meet the same end should they try to break the silence. As with some of the women in the video I think they had simply lost their will to live, and lost their capacity to care. They had been left so beaten, desolate, and in such great despair they did not pray for reparations, they prayed for death to end their wretched lives. Most sadly of all I think many of the Korean Comfort Women hoped that they would be able to overcome that obstacle of their past, that they would be able to go on leading a normal life. They dreamed of marriage, children, happiness, and it took them some time to realize they would not have the chance to obtain it.
We must remember that as the Korean Women admitted they were brainwashed by the Japanese, and had been their whole life. Perhaps to a degree they felt that this was something they deserved. That the Japanese were right, and they must accept the consequences doled to them by the superior culture. Admitting to the constant sexual and physical abuse probably made them feel like prostitutes, though it was not that way at all and there was absolutely nothing the women could do to stop the abuse.
The Japanese are attempting to further silence them through their denials and exclamations that the women whored themselves willingly for money. The Japanese don’t want to have to deal with that black mark upon their social record as rapists and murderers. They try to silence the women through private bribes, hoping that the rumors will slowly slip away. The Japanese don’t want to take the shame that the Korean Comfort Women have carried for so long although they should. The issue will probably continue to go on unresolved; the Japanese will prolong the cruelty by refusing to admit they were wrong.

FDR

Of FDR's four freedoms, the goal of freedom from want and freedom from fear especially reflect American and European experiences during the 1930s and 1940s. Briefly explain what FDR meant by "freedom from want" and "freedom from fear" and explain how the desire for these freedoms was the result of American and European experiences during the 1930s and 1940s.
When Franklin Roosevelt took office as our President we as Americans were in need of change. We were a country just barely recovering from economic turmoil of the great depression, and were wracked with devastation of our involvement in World War Two. We needed the promise of hope and FDR with his social and economic changes met those needs.
With the promise of “freedom from want” Americans saw the chance for a more stable economy. We embraced this ideal, hoping to go back to the carefree attitude we had previously experienced in the 1920’s. While it had been FDR’s original plan to just open up international trade barriers that had been created pre-WWII, Americans had found their second chance at the American dream. The New Deal was promising schools for children, food to eat, jobs to keep and all of the other simple things that had become nonexistent during the great depression. It was offering Americans a fresh start, one desperately desired.
With FDR’s promise of “freedom from fear” America was going to help solve and keep international conflict at bay to make the world a more safe and peaceful place. With World War II fresh on the American mind we wanted to maintain peaceful and neutral feelings amongst all the countries of the world. For once America was looking at a gilded future, no longer littered with death and destruction. Roosevelt was an able and ambitious leader ready to forefront the effort to pull America from the depths of the depression and the great war.

The New Negro

What does Alain Locke Mean when he says, "The day of 'aunties.' 'uncles,' and 'mammies' is equally gone."? Why does he say this?


Alain Locke was referring to the era of the New Negro. As a major figure in the Harlem Renessiance Locke was casting off the appellations that resonated with the sentiments of the "Old Negro". In a sense Locke was telling his fellow African Americans that they had finally moved on past the mental inferiority of slavery though he still doubted whether dominant society could ever accept that social change. Locke is implying there are no longer "aunties", "uncles", or "mammies", that it is a new regime of enlightened African Americans ready to take their place in the higher parts of society.

World War 1 Soldier

Dear Emily,

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better darling, that makes me very happy. I certainly hope that your recovery did not take as long as t did to receive the letter, mail runs so slow here. I write you as often as I can, though I'm sure some of the letters are lost en route back home to New York. I hope everything is going well with you. I'm alright out here, I mean to be alive is lucky and with so many dying around me I'm not going to piss and moan about the cold, or the stench, or the discomfort of the trenches. Every time that I start to feel down because of predicament I think of the poor civilians on the Lusitania, I think of you and Molls and Bella under the cruel regime of the Kaiser and I am motivated to go on.

I went on a quite holiday about two weeks ago, into the French countryside just outside Paris. It was so beautiful and peaceful love, someday when this is all over we're going to go back there. Walk along the same dirt paths up through the hills and the woods but no one will fear us because I will no longer have this gun strapped across my back. I had received a pay advancement for this trip and I assure you I spent it all on fine wine, bread, and cheese! Sadly, I can no longer send you those beautiful sentiments about the French country side, after a few weeks near Paris I was sent by train with only my gun, one blanket, and some ammunition out to the trenches. It's miserable in down here Em, there's no other way to explain it. I can't sleep, eat, go to the bathroom, even write this letter without cowering behind one of my dead friends. The snipers are everywhere Em, I can't escape them. I have seen such horrible things my darling. Men wandering blind through the maze of the trenches, eyes burned and blinded by mustard gas. I have watched a friend die in the middle of dinner right after he asked me to pass him the bread. It feels so desolate here, so lonesome.

Father has been sending me a few articles from the newspaper. He sent one about you love, about how you are the head of the scrap metal drive, about how you are trying so hard to help us troops. We all thank you here, me and the boys, it's your spirit that keeps us going. I've also seen the sad headlines, like that Alice something or another picketing at the White House, fighting for "woman's suffrage". Sure, big supporter of the socialist party I expect. I'm proud to know you aren't a part of that ridiculous group Em, you don't need to fight Wilson or America when they're busy with the Kaiser. It's very unpatriotic, but I am glad to hear about the new Espionage and Sedition Acts, they should really help put a damper on those damn socialists that keep infiltrating our country with their poisonous ideas.

Hopefully it'll be over soon Em, and I'll be home. I hear the French are really pushing Germany back, it's not like Somme or Verdun anymore, the allies are really getting moving. I can't wait to get out of here love. Please keep writing and letting me know about what's going on back home, I already feel like I'm so far behind I'll never be able to get back into the social scene. Thank you for the new sweater darling. I must be honest, I don't wear it very often, it's far too pretty to be seen amongst the macabre gore of these trenches. It does not belong here, neither do I. Our officers keep tell us to hold out, the an armistice will come soon, that we will win this war and come home soon.I sure hope so Emily, and I hope it's not too long in coming.


All of my love,
Sam

Reaction 3

It’s 1920 and you, Alonzo Vasquez, are a Mexican immigrant to the United States. While you love your new country, it is very important to you that your family remember and honor your culture and traditions, many of which are tied to your homeland. You are increasingly worried that your children, in the process of becoming “American,” are ignoring the importance of their heritage. Why is it so important to you that your family retain some cultural connection to Mexico and your Mexican heritage? What evidence is there that your children are being wholly “Americanized?” What conflicts has this created between you and your children?

I came here for a new life; for the rich soil, for the vast farmland, for the clean air, for these American cities of gold. And I found it. I see it on the front page of a newspaper written in a language I barely understand, I see it for my cardboard covered window in the small room my family and I rent in the slums outside the city. I see the fine rich white men pass by me on the street, kicking mud in muck in my direction without a backward glance.

It's not that we haven't prospered at all, while our home is a shack, we own it. I make almost double what I made in Mexico, though we do not prosper as I hoped. We have moved beyond the minimalistic substenance farming of Mexico, but this new technological society my family faces is more scary than poverty. Back home our family was the top priority in my life, here it ranks much farther down my list. Many of the cultural aspects I previously embraced are shunned here, I cannot speak my native language I am forced to try to converse in my elementary level English. It truly hinders my potential and makes me seem uneducated which I am far from. My children are forced to be in school most days of the week, tossed in a classroom with the other immigrant children being taught a second rate education to match their status as a second class citizen. The father, the leader, the head of the household, I am never home. I am always working in the shoe factory trying to get enough money to keep food on our table (whether I see that table or not). My wife is forced to take low paying domestic jobs to make ends meet sacrificing her most important role as mother.

Yet we cannot let these ill feelings bring us down. We have come to the land of opportunity be it double sided or not. There is not much else we can do but continue to hold on, struggle day to day but maintain our independent identity. I wish there was something else I could do for my wife and four children but our silver lined future is tarnished, and I fear my disillusioned hope has broken us down. We cannot compete in this world of materialism, we do not have the monetary resources to keep up. We cannot embrace this new American life so completely when we are not seen as Americans, but as Mexicans poisoning the country from across the border. We will prosper. I intend soon to head to California, where I will work in the fields of great plantations where we can be closer to the earth, closer to the ways we cherish. My wife's family is already there and they seem much more content than we are. Maybe there is hope after all, I just haven't been looking in the right place. We will see someday whether this decision was right or wrong, but for now we will just focus on our dreams.