Victoria Olayiwola Blog #8: O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! Deuteronomy 32:29 (KJV)

In class we watched a film about an “eccentric” and “quirky” man named Larry Hilbolm. His professors and home friends knew him as the man who came to conclusions through different and unexpected angles and it is was this approach to life that helped him realize that there was a gap in the market of mailing and posting. He thus proceeded to build one of the most efficient and most organized posting services which had stations all over the world. But this was not the only thing that Larry was known for, for he was as active in his business as he was in his sexual pursuits/activities and escapades. His 'main thing' was cherry girls-these were girls who had never been touched by another man. He preferred these sorts of girls, virgins, because he knew that sexual intercourse with them would not result in AIDs or HIV, as these girls had never had sexual interactions with other men. 

But where in the world would a man of 50 be able to buy the virginity of a 14 year old? Where in the world would you find prostitutes who had just reached puberty? Larry knew all the hotspots and never hid his sexual misdemeanors. He chose to live in Saipan and travel to the Philippines and other Asian prostitute hotspots because he knew in south-east Asia he could get away with what we, in the West, call statutory rape. Whereas in America if he practice such activities he would be up against the law and possibly be imprisoned.   

But I want to focus on the role of David Lujan, the lawyer for Junior Larry Hillbolm. He in some ways reminds me of Maya Lin. He was ruthless in trying to prove that Larry was the father of Junior Larry Hilbolm, not because he sought fame and glory or money but because he refused to allow Junior be denied of his right. He meticulously went through file upon file in order to prove that the team that wanted Larry’s money to be used for medical research could not snuff Junior and Larry’s other children out of what was rightfully theirs. 

He reminds me of Maya Lin because he, like her, was not ready to accept defeat. He was ready to fight to the last straw...until he saw the case through. And this he did. In the end he concluded that the he is just a simple lawyer and won the case not because he was smart but because they [the other side] was stupid and dumb. It is true, they were dumb and very stupid. They assumed that nobody would go through the files with such alacrity and purpose. They were wrong. They thought nobody would check on the huge amount of money that was spent on buying acid to rid Larry’s house of DNA and in so doing defraud Larry’s children of his wealth. 

In many ways the film is a commentary on society, for we can all call Larry’s sexual misdemeanors the act of a man in need of an hefty prison sentence at the very least, and Jesus Christ at the most, but the system in which Larry so wholesomely indulged is a system that was present before his arrival, a system that carried on when he arrived and system that persists even after his death. Yes, Larry took advantage of what poverty requires people to do in order to survive, but the film is more about an elitist and racist society in which lawyers thought it is was alright to deny Larry’s children what is rightfully theirs because they were born to impoverished prostitutes who were supposedly "out to make a quick buck" and were of Asian descent. They were even ready to go as far as committing a felony (they got rid of useful evidence), a crime worthy of a prison sentence in its itself. 

We must remember, Larry chose who he slept with, if it wasn’t a white women from a upstanding respectable family but a poor Asian teenage girl from a farm who had to work the streets to make ends meet for her family, well…it is was Larry’s choice. The girls never forced him and so the produce of their sexual union, whether sought or not sought, thus deserve everything that belongs to their father coupled with the respect that would be given to Larry’s white children should he have married and had children with a white woman. The film is about elite white lawyers who thought the Asians were so stupid, so unqualified, so incompetent and so inept that they would not even bother to pick holes or follow up with inquiries and challenge the legal system. The film is about the effects and the cost of greed. Had the lawyers just reached an out of court settlement with Junior’s family, shame would not have been their anthem. David insisted on fighting because he wanted to prove these high and mighty lawyers were wrong, he wanted to make them work for what they wanted not just think it could be handed to them on a silver plate.

David saw this project as a mountain that needed to be climbed “and I wasn’t about to give up without raising the flag at the top. His battle was hard fought and thus his victory was all the more sweeter. :D

David Lujan, the lawyer who fought tooth and nail.

Larry Hillbolm, Born: May 12, 1943, Kingsburg

Died: May 21, 1995, Saipan

American History X is a very touching and emotive movie. I enjoyed watching it and was very touched by each and every scene. But a number of things struck me. Firstly I was struck by how Derrick, a brilliant scholar, could use his rhetoric and his impressionable character to exploit the insecure, frustrated and highly impressionable white kids living on Venice Beach. His message was simple blacks and “border jumpers” were sowing seeds of discord. They had come to exploit America and had no desire to contribute to its future development. They had come and now they have the governments’ undivided attention. For the government sorts out their problems first and whist doing this neglects the problems of its own people. Derrick saw them as freeloaders. They were robbing America of its green pastures and while they were at it, they were bringing AIDS with them. Therefore he thought it was contingent on him that he creates the DOC so that Whites would not be scared to walk in their own neighborhood.

Derrick exercised hegemony over these vulnerable kids, given that he was aware of their vulnerability when recruiting them, he was able to use his stern and directive words to force them to act against the tide and once again restore white power back in Virginia Beach.

He was so easily able to manipulate and indoctrinate these kids; his brother even admits that they [the kids] swallowed up every word he said. His rhetoric-he likened the neighborhood to a battlefield and by doing so was able to rally his comrades to fight against change, to take up weapons and be free and not to stand in the sidelines whilst “white” America is raped-and the energetic manner in which he spoke roused the kids to target a Korean shop, ransack the shop and abuse the workers. His hegemonic power was so potent that the kids were compelled to act and do something, anything, even if they didn’t really want to.

Secondly I was heavily struck by the excessive profanity and “colorful” racist words that came out of the mouths of the White Supremacists. Never before have had I heard the words “Niglet” or “Jungle Bunny” used when describing black people. These words were new to me and shocked and astonished me. Even though I laughed is not all that funny. That people could be so wicked and so despicable to other just because of the color of their skin isn’t funny at all.

Thirdly, I was struck by Derrick’s decision to enact one of the most brutal deaths I have ever seen or imagined in my life. I have never seen anything like that before. I am aware brutal murders of a racial nature take place every day, Victor Chin, Steven Biko and Stephen Lawrence’s brutal deaths are examples of this. But never before have I seen someone kill another human in this way before. Even if a farmer killed his own animal like this, we would all rise up and say that it was too much. Some of us would automatically become vegetarians.  How much more a human committing this injustice against another human?

I have read about such deaths happening in South Africa in Rian Malan’s “My Traitor’s Heart”. In this book a white Boer stamps and jumps on the head of a black man (because he was sassy) and thus causes his death.  But never before have I seen someone die in such a gruesome and horrible way. And Des is right I don’t think anyone in the class carried on watching. I know I didn’t. It was too painful! We all imagined it. We all imagined it was our heads caved in and we all wondered how one could carry out such an act of violence. I saw Jonno bury his head and not lift it up for a couple of minutes. I can’t even imagine what was passing through his mind. At that moment I knew I had to stop messing around and laughing and making light of these minorities’ plight. I had to take it seriously and view this mess with the upmost respect. Jonno’s actions signified the importance of this complex situation and what the black man in America and even in South Africa was exposed to just because he was black. Just because of the color of his skin. Jonno changed me.

In Derrick too, we witness his mind is changing. He does not seek the fame and the glory he was once driven by. Neither does he court or perpetuate a cult personality that is building around him.    

He wants out. He wants to move his family to a new “community” and become part of a new group representing and meaning something else. He does not want to die slaving away in a group and community mired in hate and loathing for blacks. But who will follow him? He extends his invitation to is on/off girlfriend but she does not look like she will take it.

One wonders did prison change Derrick? How? And why was he susceptible to change? That we will find out in next class.

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And I turn my attention to one of my earlier blog, the blog about women. I would like to respond to my views and notions of who a strong woman is. For me it goes without saying Alex Haley's wife, was a strong woman and a woman of purpose. She had a purpose and she driven, so driven that she, despite all the odds was adamant that she achieve her aims.

She reminds me of my mother who is as strong a woman as she is. While my grandmother went to work my mother would look after her younger siblings and feed them through the night. This she would do even though she had to wake up early to go to school and dress her younger siblings.

My mother left Nigeria in 1986, I think, to travel to a new and distant land and in doing so left her brother and sisters and mother and father. She also left her grandfather, who she loved dearly. 

While pregnant with my older brother, Alex, her grandfather died. She could not go to the funeral. When pregnant with my younger sister, her father died and she once again couldn't go to the funeral. She was so bitter but despite this she persevered and continued to look after us all, she shed hopeless tears whilst remembering those she lost.

Unfortunately her passport was not order; this was a constant burden and meant we had to move from one place to another so we could remain together. She would work hours and hours to put food on the table, she would normally take the racist abuse and comments her white employees dished out to her, just because she needed the money so she could take care of us and send money home to her family. 

She would tell me her stories: how she would sleep on the floor during her breaks or put two chairs together and attempt to sleep. She would also tell stories of how she would eat her food in the toilet where she won't be bothered. I love my mother very much and every time she tells these stories she makes me cry.

To know that she would do anything, yes anything so my brother Alex and my sister Esther and I can have a good education and a bright future affirms her good character and her good nature. She is my inspiration apart Jesus she is the best thing I have ever had and the best thing I have ever known. She is so wise and so beautiful. And I miss her very much. My father is no different, I love him as much but my mother, she has sacrificed so much and given her life so we can have a better life, all of us and she continues to do this for us. For that I love her all the more.

I think I and my community fit very well into all we have learnt so far. I have learnt what it means to be Black and then what it means to be an African-American. I have learnt what it means to be a woman, a woman of purpose like Maya Lin and My Haley. I have learnt what it means to be an African and to be an African woman through Diouana in Black Girl. I feel that this class has brought out every part of my community and that's why I am so happy that I am part of this class and part of this community. 

I propose that we, as a class name and shame, in a good way, those who have inspired us and tell our stories. Then we can make a pastiche, a collage of the great people in our lives who have made us what we are today. I would love to know who inspired Jonno's desire to become a professor or who inspired Guy to pick up his bass guitar and play jazz. Or who inspired Sam, Nisha, Tam, Mayssa, Francis or Nathan, Chris P, Jillian or Ivy etc. I would just love to hear stories that would strengthen our ties and strengthen our unique and beautiful community. Love you guys loads. v

 

 

Jillian Turner Blog #8: I Wanna Be A Billionaire..

The film Billionaire chronicled the rise to fame of Larry Hillblom, the founder of DHL. During his time at UC Berkley, Hillblom delivered documents and had the idea to make a business out of it. His idea greatly led to the globalization of the late 20th century. Swiftly, rising to power, Hillblom became a regular on the small islands in the pacific. There, he frequented shops that offered young girls for sex. When Hillblom mysteriously died in what appeared to be a plane crash, however, multiple women emerged claiming that he was the father of their children. On the island of Saipan, in particular, a woman came forward alleging that her 11 year old son, Larry Hillblom Jr., was Hillblom's son. As more facts came out about Hillblom and the women he was sleeping with, a brutal legal battle was sparked that debated whether or not the children were actually Hillblom's and, if they were, were they entitled to the millions of dollars he left behind. Ironically enough, Hillblom had neglected to say in his will.

Billionaire addressed many pertinent issues of American culture as well as the culture of other nations. I couldn't help but be struck by the American Exceptionalism apparent in the film. It seemed as if the two men who fought feverishly to uphold Hillbloms empire and to keep his estate out of the hands of his illegitimate children embodied such exceptionalism. They repeatedly disrespected attorney David Lujan who represented the children in the case. It was apparent that the defendants didn't believe the people of the Micronesian islands were worthy of Hillblom's estate. Ironically enough, the women who Hillblom impregnated, and consequently the children he fathered, were the most in need. As explained in the film, the islands in question were home to a people that were separated by great economic disparities. The film itself also depicts the atrocities of the human sex trafficking as many girls were forced to sell their bodies to make money for their families to buy food.

In regards to the question of what is public or private in the community, Billionaire applies in many ways. For such a private man, Larry Hillblom's life became incredibly public. His property, donations to the Vietnamese government, and sexual escapades became common knowledge. This breach of privacy begs the question, when a person dies? As I sit here, living and breathing, I have a considerable amount of control over what is public or private in my life. But when I die, will that be the same? Does it fall on my relatives or successors?

In chapter 7, Anderson states "In a world in which the national state is the overwhelming norm, all of this means that nations can now be imagined." I can't help but believe that Larry Hillblom lived in an imagined community of his own, a world where flying without a pilots license and making secret donations of money to the Vietnam government were completely okay. It seems as if Hillblom couldn't help but beat to the sound of his own drum. His community reportedly switched between friends for each aspect of his life: business, law, leisure. As a result, he constructed different communities that each served a different function. But this community he created was no match for the investigation that ensued after his mysterious death. So I must ask, does privacy end with a person's life? Or can privacy be upheld after one's heart stops beating?

Iqbal Blog "Billionaire"

I just wanted to talk about how much I enjoyed the documentary we watched in class today, Billionaire.

I thoroughly enjoyed our discussion on legality vs morality, it really brought up some interesting points. But after thinking about it some more today, I've personally come to the conclusion that morality always comes first, legality second. In an ideal world, the two should be virtually the same, or at least legality should be derived from a common morality. But in an instance where this is not the case, I would side along the idea that "An unjust law is no law at all."

That's about all I wanted to point out, I've just been chewing on that thought all day.

Sam Quinn Blog #6 woops

Playing catch up here--my bad.

I think it is interesting how there are a variety of opportunities in the U.S. to be involved in a 'group' that is, or could be considered dominant. Race, Language, Socio-economic status are some of the first standards that come to mind, that can tend to marginalize minorities.

Race is visible, and for a long time so was the exclusion and marginalization that was a result of being a minority race in a majority 'White' nation. However, something I find significant is that in my social psych class, we talked about how racism has obviously moved from being explicitly acted upon, to something that can still exist but remains either more dormant, or is acted upon in more subtle/discreet ways.

Language is another barrier in the U.S. that can marginalize many, although those of us who have been raised speaking English hardly ever think of it. Nevertheless, immigrants and visitors definitely must fight an uphill battle when in the U.S., because despite our 'melting pot' impressions, we are not very accommodating to foreigners. There is this American attitude that seems to innately believe that if you come here, you should speak our language. While I feel like it is fair to have a nationally recognized language, there is no denying the severe threat it poses to true national discord when those who aren't yet completely fluent are given less opportunities to advance.

Thirdly, socio-economic status can be an extremely crippling factor in which dominant groups can control from the top who gets to advance in this area. I am very lucky to have been born in the situation I was born into...I have 4 brothers and sisters, and my mom and dad worked hard to make sure we had enough food, a house, and books/toys as we grew up. (See how I moved from needs to wants there ha.) My mom sewed a lot of our clothes when I was younger to help save money, and even as we were older we never wore brand name stuff until very recently. My parents seem to me to be the example of how the right amount of thrift, a little bit of spoiling, and very hard work can pay off...I have them to thank for my college education, and for all of the priviledges I've received, from cars to clothes, etc. Now I compare my situation with some of those less fortunate, and realize that depending on how far down the socio-economic totem pole you are, the hearder it is to climb up it. My brother works at high risk schools in D.C. as a physics teacher, and shares stories that make my skin crawl with guilt. When I would complain about gas money and permission to stay out later, he tells me his students don't always have cars to get to their jobs, which they work at in order to raise money for their families.

When I look at just these examples, I see different forms of marginalization, some that we can work to change, and others that will be more difficult to work around. The way I see it, there is always someone who feels like they are excluded, and on the outside: but that doesn't give the dominant folks an excuse to look the other way when such people are crying out for help! If only we lived in a Utopia haha.

Jillian Turner Blog # 7: Maya Lin the Scapegoat

In Maya Lin: A Stong Clear Vision, Frieda Lee Mock illustrates the controversial selection of the Vietnam Veteran Memorial. Maya Lin was an Asian woman studying architecture at Yale. Needless to say, this sparked a huge controversy during a time in American history in which those of Asian descent were the object of discrimination.

The film itself addresses more than just the struggles of Maya Lin. The Vietnam War is now known as one of the most controversial wars in American history. Media played a vital role in America as graphic images of victims provided insight to the atrocities of the conflict. As a result, many soldiers who returned to the states were poorly received. Americans struggled with justifying such brutal warfare. In her film, Mock features a specific case in which one soldier was spit on by a civilian on his way home.

This abuse of veterans shows the complexity of the country during the time. On one hand, Maya Lin was criticized for her memorial to the troops, possibly because of her race, and on the other hand, soldiers who returned home were criticized for their war acts over seas. This led to distrust in government as people questioned what America was really fighting for.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/trenches/my_lai.html


http://www.history.com/topics/my-lai-massacre

"To grieve, and to make grief itself a resource for politics is not to be resigned to a simple passivity or powerlessness." In her quote, Judith Butler calls upon the human emotion of grief as an emotion rather than a political tool. Her work "Global Violence, Sexual Politics" relates to the discussion of the Vietnam War and its unprecedented violence. I found it interesting that this war in particular received such attention. Vietnam was one of the first publicized wars in American history. As a result, there was a collective idea that this war was more horrific than WWII for example. Despite dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians, Americans believed that this was worse. I can't help but wonder if this is simply American Exceptionalism at play. 

So what kind of community was perpetuated in America during and after the Vietnam War? Clearly the country was plagued by complex views of exceptionalism and racism while showing surprising empathy towards the civilians of Vietnam. Unlike in WWI and WWII where anti-enemy propaganda instilled strictly American views in the people, it was evident that an overwhelming number of Americans were disturbed by the goings on over seas. 

In chapter 7 of Imagined Communities, Anderson discusses the colonization of education overseas. I found this interesting because it shows yet another side of cultures around the world. In schooling we so often focus only on how other cultures affect American cultures for economic or war-related reasons for example. In the Vietnam war, as in other wars, Americans portrayed their enemies as inferior and almost dehumanized them as a justification for the war acts against them. It was interesting to note Anderson's statement that "Vietnamese elite [tried] to place their children in the best French schools available, so as to ensure their bureaucratic futures." Unlike common beliefs that were perpetuated during the war, this portrays the Vietnamese as education-seeking people much like the united states. So I must ask, what are we missing? What is the price of political propaganda?

Matt Raimondo, Blog #7

Chapter 7 of Anderson's Imagined Communities jumps into nationalism, or more particularly how colonies under imperial rule exhibited strong nationalistic tendencies.  Anderson writes that the "'last waves' of nationalisms... was...a response to the new-style global imperialism", along with the spreading of industrialization as well (Anderson, 139).  In other words, countries and states began to exhibit stronger nationalistic tendencies in the face of spreading globalization and foreign interference; this sounds like a sort of collective defense mechanism.  Geographically, I believe that humans are generally inclined to preserve and protect his/her homeland, in both a historical and cultural sense.  For example, the constant conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians over both groups' ancient claims to the region has sparked conflict that continues to this day.  Humans do not like change, and threats to change one's homeland will inevitably create push-back, especially if the status quo is threatened.

This ties in well to Maya Lin's story with the Vietnam Memorial.  A few posts below my own have already touched upon this relationship, but I feel that this connection between defensive nationalism and Maya Lin's story cannot be overstated.  I personally felt that most of the resistance against Maya Lin's wall was rooted in the fact that she was Asian; I do not mean to force a racial issue, but we have to remember that the Civil Rights era occurred quite recently to the events surrounding the construction of the Vietnam Memorial.  Also, the idea that America's veterans played no role in the winning design also frustrated many people; it seemed to make many people feel as if it wasn't really an American memorial at all, but one that was alien and foreign.  Presently, I feel that the Vietnam Memorial is as much an American icon as the Lincoln or Washington Memorials, thereby making it difficult for me to conceptualize why people were so angry with Lin's design in the first place.  I remember recently that the MLK memorial was criticized by many because a Chinese artist had designed it, with some even voicing that the memorial looks like Mao Ze Dong, not MLK!  Personally, this incident creates some perspective for how some people felt the way they did about the Vietnam Memorial back in 1980.

I think that Maya Lin's story creates a sound example of the dangers that defensive nationalism can create among a population, especially when disguised as patriotism instead.  

        

Jamar Jones- Blog #3: Diouana's Demise

The journey of understanding yourself is a long, lifetime process. When the class attended Dr. My Haley’s lecture in February her words truly impacted me. In particular a quote that she shared resonated with me long after the lecture had concluded. “If you don’t know yourself everyone will write on you.” How true is that? Very. I think the reason this statement resonates so strongly is because I currently am attempting to embark on a brand new journey and write my own life book. Our feel our course work in SexyRace is assessing how others define and ‘know’ themselves in their communities through various situations and circumstances.

Diouana’s character in La Noire de… (Black Girl) quickly comes to mind. She unfortunately plays a tragic character in this piece. Diouana was hoping for a better life, and thought the white family she worked for could provide one for her in France. Diouana was thinking that in France she was going to be able to live a life of luxury, and she was preparing herself for this new journey…unfortunately it did not work in her favor. Dr. Haley also said, “Going to meet your dream is overwhelming.” I wonder how it feels to meet your dream and find it to be extraordinarily underwhelming? That was Diouana’s story. Her dream of being in France turned became a prison for her, and her inner growth was stunted and rapidly diminish. Diouana was so unhappy at the treatment of her house mistress that she gave up on write and making her own journey. Others began to write on her. Watching this film, made me think of all the deaths around the world…and I don’t just mean physical deaths like Diouana as well, but spiritual deaths. The people who die on the inside long before their body follows suit. I began to reflect on how we often think something to be a glamorous paradise that quickly turns into the ugliest of locations. Diouana was trapped in her circumstances, trapped in her skin, and trapped in a dream that transformed into a nightmare.

It is so easy to quickly be misled into assuming something is best for you, and it turned out to be completely incorrect. I suppose this is why the journey to understanding thyself takes so long. Seeing Diouana’s demise after she left her family and community was such a sad story…because I can imagine that there are young woman like that in life. Simply trying to write their own stories.

Rachel Choi blog 7

One of the attacks against Maya Lin’s design revolved around the fact that she was Asian.  You would think that in a nation defined as a melting pot, it would be taboo to foster racist beliefs.  Racism proves to be a barrier that will exist until the day we cease to see from our eyes and instead from our hearts.  We are reminded that this is a free country where we are allowed the freedom of speech.  But, often this freedom that is supposed to empower, offends, and hurts countless amounts of people.  It is when the freedom of speech is taken advantage of that one forgets basic manners and let’s their thought cloud rational behavior. 

I loved that we watched this documentary on Maya Lin’s struggle as she overcame unjust barriers to share this beautiful monument dedicated to the Vietnam Veterans memorial.  It showed through Maya’s demeanor that she honestly wanted this memorial for the glory of the veterans and not for public recognition.  I believe that as there grew a movement against this memorial; they let their greed for grandeur cloud over the original purpose of the memorial.  The memorial was for the fallen and its simplistic appeal was the idea of an Asian American. 

I was born in Virginia and I am a proud Korean and American.  I love the fact that I can experience both cultures in one lifetime.  Through traveling back and forth and spending the majority of my life in America I developed my own form of American nationalism.  Whenever I talk to my friends, I always defend my country and it’s position.  Anderson brings the attention back to education and it’s effects on American nationalism.   I was provided an education as a natural born citizen in the U.S.  With this education I have come this far and my possibilities are endless.  This does not however, cover the fact that I will continue to face racism in the future.  I just hope that I will be able to witness a diminishing rate of ignorance of diversity and contribute in my own way to improving the world we live in for the future generations to come. 

One thing I noticed while watching the film is that the material the memorial was made out of provided a reflection, dark, yet clear for all who looked at the names.  This moment of reflection somehow combines the past and present as the veteran’s names is presented to you in conjunction with a reflection of your face.   As we go through our days I hope that our present may reflect on the past to see the consequences of our actions so that we may make the right choices for our future.  

Brittany Liu Blog #7 American Nationalism

The role of education in the growth of American nationalism is one of Anderson's prominent points in Chapter 7 of Imagined Communities.  The intelligentsias played an important role in the economy and in the rise of nationalism.  A key factor was their bilingualism, which "meant access, through the European language-of-state, to modern Western culture in the broadest sense, and, in particular, to the models of nationalism" (Anderson 116).  Literacy and language became unifying elements of Americans who make up the great melting pot.  Education is the base of it all because it not only creates a community among those that are educated similarly, but it also teaches every student about the importance of America’s independence, thus promoting the expansion of nationalism.  

Bilingualism, especially in Spanish has become a controversial topic for America.  Spanish has become such an important language for citizens to know and it is almost becoming a necessity.  Many jobs in California require you to know Spanish and English.  Some believe these strict requirements are disrupting our American identity.  I think that it is great that we have many bilinguals, whether they are citizens are not, but Spanish is not a specifically required language in American schools.  Americans who were formally educated in English should have equal opportunities for jobs.  Language is a key factor in communities and nationalism.  If Spanish increases as a necessity it may need to have a more prominent role in our education system.  

Although our education system doesn't specifically target Spanish or any one language, it does give the option of many languages and adapts to all races.  We are taught to embrace the diversity of our country.  However, Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision depicts the discrimination an asian american woman faces when put in the spotlight of american nationalism.  It is hard to say whether it was her or her art that was being attacked.  She was born and educated in America and was taught the same nationalist ideals as every other American citizen.  Her credibility or her age should never have been questioned.  She proves that art is universal, influential and powerful and is not defined by race or gender.    

Jonno Marlton Blog 8: Community Reflection and Project Proposal

Maya Lyn has an impressive story, and it’s one worth paying attention to as an American because it speaks to the diversity of our experience.  Thinking back to my first blog post, I borrowed definitions of ‘nation’ from government textbooks and integrated them with Anderson’s theory on the imagined nature of communities.  He makes a point about sovereignty being imagined, which would extend to mean that national accountability is a collective effort.  In other words, members of a nation or community decide together who the other members are.  Where do I fit?

Well, based on what I’ve said, that’s up to you to decide.  I have worked hard to participate and offer myself as a contributing member of our community.  I have done the same thing for my American and Aussie brothers and sisters—arguably more so for the US side of myself.  They hold me accountable in the same way that the rest of us hold you accountable.  Our criteria for measurement are given to us by the media, our folks, our experiences, and countless other sources.  Thinking back to Dr. Lyn, many of my countrymen had the sense to step up to a small faction of resisting veterans that attempted to discredit her war memorial design because she was a woman, and an Asian one at that.  We, the members of our class, have the sense to celebrate the achievements of this American hero and spurn the negativity that comes from others who have the same national identity.

For my project, I want to continue to think about the portrayal of race and gender.  The reaction against Maya Lyn’s design based on the artist’s heritage and sex got me thinking about how we as people, as Americans, receive information.  I started taking another look at a play called M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang.  It’s a substantial piece that attempts to deconstruct the manner in which the ‘powerful West’ approached the ‘feeble East.’  It drags in questions of gender identity, sexuality, and colonialism.  Being a play, M Butterfly is able to approach gender in a manner particular to the stage: as a performative expression.  Because the play involves a male actor playing a male actor/ spy who enters the role of a female to seduce a French diplomat and access his state secrets, we can see that gender has become something to be displayed and even altered.  The performative reading of gender begs the question of what gender really is, and it allows us to use M. Butterfly as an example to examine how it is portrayed. 

I was introduced to this play in high school, and we began thinking about how Asians are represented in American society.  We also discussed, like in this class, how well (or poorly) America has done in integrating its citizens and residents with Asian backgrounds.  We have looked in Sexy Racy at Asian Americans, but I want to extend the conversation even more by bringing in a work that associates gender and ethnicity together in a critique of common perception towards Asian identity.  The idea is that a western (French) diplomat attempts to personally conquer a timid Chinese woman in the fashion of Puccini’s opera, Madame Butterfly. The male actor, who is actually a spy, uses the Frenchman’s misconceptions against him, unraveling the lie of Western dominance.

Yue (Ivy) Blog #7: My Impression on American Nationalism

I find that the America that I had once believed in has changed. And I can't help but wonder wether this change was in the physical landscape of the cities that I had once visited, or if my eyes had just refocused onto that which is important. Over the years I learned to discern good and bad grammar, I learned to see fractions and understand the concept of value and opportunity costs. I learned to be correct and eloquently so,  and whether I like it or not, this formation was largely an American one. That is what I learned in the isolated mountain town where I attended high school.

In my years in high school, I observed the others and their demeanor. I had had roommates of Spanish, German, Korean natives but never actually have an American roommate until my freshman year in college. Slowly I began to understand that America is not actually a country but a potpourri of great complexity. Middle class communities especially, are very ethnically diverse and what makes this complexity greater is the fact that not all of them identify themselves as Americans to the same degree. It dawned on me that what kept these people from ripping each other apart in all of their differences, is a kind of faith in the system. They believe in the police and its benevolence, they believe in local and federal governments and they believe in a chance at making a more than decent living. As Imagined Communities points out, America runs a populist fashion of nationalism that entertains the idea that the masses have a real voice. 

However, I wonder if this is true. One too many times I've seen Williamsburg police officers harassing poor citizens for going a few miles over the limit. I am not arguing that the police is evil, but perhaps the incentive structures for the police are not of the most logical kind. I've been told that police officers are given quotas for how many tickets they must write per a specific period of time- whether that is to ensure a larger fiscal budget for the county/state or a measure to ensure that cops don't slack off, I don't know. I do know however, that this kind of incentive structure leaves room for injustices. This kind of thinking however, can be dangerous- how fail safe is the American dream? Was the bail out of GM, AIG and the banks something that would have been tolerated by this nation's founding fathers? Was the bail out planned all along? Was 911 planned out all along? These are questions that I do not like asking because for some reason, my intuition takes me to place I hate to visit. 

Sarah Smith, Blog 7: National Remembrance

In Chapter 7, Benedict Anderson touches upon the way that once-colonized nations began to, themselves, colonize other nations. American nationalism, in some sense, focused on colonizing others in the same way that America was once colonized. In doing so they willingly forget what it had felt like to be colonized, and the freedom that the earliest American desperately sought from the colonizing nation. American nationalism ignores the costs of colonization in the greedy quest for more land and more power.

I think that it is a recurring theme in Anderson that we forget our history. American nationalism colonizes others, forgetting what it was like to be colonized. Maya Lin demonstrates this pattern. I really enjoyed learning her story, and the story of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I've seen the memorial, but I did not fully understand or appreciate it at the time. Understanding the meaning of the design and the work that went into it lent me new appreciation. Maya Lin is another example of the selfishness of American nationalism. The old, white men forget that we are a nation of immigrants, and Maya Lin is just as qualified as anyone else, regardless of the fact that she is Asian.

As Americans, nationalism ought not to focus on power beyond our borders but on strengthening the bonds within them. While Maya Lin's story represents a great success, that it became so heated is also disappointing. It shouldn't have come to that. Her credibility should not have been a question. Our nationalism would gain a great deal from recalling the past and using it to move towards the future.

Tatiana Bull Blog 7 - Maya Lin

       The film we saw this week was quite interesting.  I thought it was intriguing to hear Maya Lin's thought process behind her design, that to many was "far too simple" to commemorate the lives of those lost in battle.  The story of the wall and the reasoning behind it being cut deep into the ground was briefly shared in the film and it all makes sense. 

 While war is man made,unlike mother nature, it's destruction still changes landscapes both externally and internally.  Although I have never lost a loved one in battle, knowing that there were enough names to fill up those walls was simply so hard to believe. Having visited this memorial before, it creates a space and visual for EVERYONE who hasn't lost a loved one in battle recognize that they are not immune to the after math.

   The way Maya held her ground when many people discriminated against her for being asian and a female was impressing.  How people are able to hold their ground and not back down in situations like that is truly inspiring. I'm sure there are people who would have declined the opportunity to build a memorial like this one after the first couple of people insulted him/her and ridiculed his/her work.  I admire her willingness to recognize brilliance and power of understated beauty.