A Slow-Moving Holocaust

      

I found a fascinating article about an interview with David Simon, the creator of the HBO drama series The Wire. He talks to a panel about how the War on Drugs has affected the town of Baltimore. He argues the same position we discussed in class, which is that prisons are a convenient and profitable way to wipe crime off the streets.

        “Capitalism,” Simon said, “has tried to jail its way out of the problem” with the result that “the prison industry has been given over to capitalism. If we need to get rid of these people, we might as well make some money out of getting rid of them.”

This quote made me realize how much capitalism has permeated every facet of living. America's capitalist structure allows people to make money off of wars, prisons, and even certain ideas, such as catchphrases and art. 

The people who receive the most money from these business deals, however, are never the people you expect to benefit from capitalism. High-powered military contractors make huge sums of money off of creating weapons, while soldiers can hardly get benefits  when if they return from war. 

The title of this post comes from a controversial quote Simons said:
The war is about the disposal of what Simon called, in his most unforgiving but cogent term, “excess Americans”: once a labour force, but no longer of use to capitalism. He went so far as to call the war on drugs “a holocaust in slow motion”.

Do you agree with David Simon? Will we eventually see an entire set of America gone if we continue the war on drugs?

Shores of the North

Fellow American Studies student Jackson Hamilton recently blogged about this t shirt that was present at the Senior Project Fair:

 

While he pointed out some of the reasons this shirt was offensive in his blog, I want to see whether or not it was coincidence that this shirt was created at New Trier instead of another high school. It's no secret that the New Trier Township is one of the wealthiest areas in America. According to Businessweek, Winnetka is the 21st wealthiest town in America, and Kenilworth 4th, putting them well up in the 99th percentile of towns, or the 1% of wealthy towns. I believe that these statistics are key to understanding why a student would put this on a T Shirt. 

Another key image on this picture is that of the sailboat. Sailing and other water sports are very popular among New Trier students. This perhaps brings up another sign of social class: the proximity to large lakes and oceans. After all, our township is often called "The North Shore". Real estate almost always gets more expensive the closer you get to water. This is because Lake Michigan is a vast, beautiful body of water with fantastic beaches. Perhaps the sailboat shows that the "1%" can afford not just to live by the lake, but relax in it too.

The t shirt itself looks like the "New Trier Bubble" leaking into clothing. How many places could you wear this shirt and not get disgusted looks thrown at you in the street? The images show that being wealthy in America doesn't entail working day in and say out for a high income, it leads to a life of relaxation and partying, which isn't uncommon in our township.

What do you think of this shirt? What "1 Percent" behavior do you see on the North Shore?

"Destinations"

This Friday, the Seniors at New Trier enjoyed their last day of High School. Neon-dressed soon-to-be graduates paraded in the hallways as other students looked in awe and envy. Another item was making its way around the halls of New Trier: the annual New Trier News Destinations Issue. The two-page special shows all of the students who reported where they are going for college. They also gave facts for the most attended public and private institutions.

I know many people who are fascinated by this list (including myself). However, I know many more people who hate this list. Some of my junior friends say it's lists like these that give them such unhealthy stress; one day, they too will be on the list, and they need to study hard enough so other classmates don't look at the paper and say "Oh, he's going there...".

The editorial of the paper addressed the controversy over this issue.

"We simply can't understand how anyone could say this is a poor reflection of the News or New Trier as a whole...Ivy League schools, larger state universities, small liberal arts colleges, and community colleges are all represented". They also go on to say that this practice is very common, with parents adorning their children's colleges on their cars, and schools having days where students wear their college's clothing.

I think the Destinations Edition is a little different from the aforementioned examples. I've heard friends laugh as they look through the paper for the "Oaktons": Seniors attending Oakton Community College. Not only is this search mean-spirited, but it doesn't take into account the actual people themselves, just their names. These lists begin to take the personalities out of students and replace them with a overly-simplified name-to-college comparison.

Even the name itself is stressful. The word "Destination" shares the same root as "Destiny", which is defined as "The events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future". This implies that people's colleges are part of their fate, and thus part of their being.


Do you enjoy the destinations issue? What would you change? Have you found any interesting patterns or occurrences on this year's list? Let me know!

The Appearance of Wealth

A lot of the issues we've been dealing with in class revolve around the idea of self image. One way the Americans project an image of themselves is through fashion. Unless you blindfold yourself in the morning and randomly grab at a shirt and some pants, you construct yourself through your clothes and accessories.

"Fashion, like automobiles, is one of those social avatars we use to present ourselves to the world and, importantly, create the self we want to be." Forbes contributor Robert Passikoff states.(Link) 

So how does one project wealth with their clothing? When I went to Rogers Park for a charity benefit this weekend, I was surprised by the amount of gold chains and accessories I saw people wearing. Rogers Park is a less affluent area in Chicago, yet I saw many people proudly displaying precious metals on their person. 

In The Great Gatsby, the wealthy characters wore gold, but it was much more subtle. Even in the North Shore, you'd be hard pressed to find a wealthy individual whose visible gold wasn't confined to their watch. 

My theory as to why lower class people flaunt more luxurious accessories is because they want to project the image of wealth onto others. Richer individuals, however, would rather keep their assets more private, since they see it as rude to flaunt their wealth.

What other symbols of wealth do you see in fashion? Does your fashion reflect who you are, and how?

The University of Profit

May doesn't only bring flowers; a humongous field of college graduates entering the work force have just sprung. While some have internships and jobs secured for their post-college life, many college grads are stuck with massive amounts of debt and no job. While it's almost necessary for New Trier Students to enter higher education, many more people are afraid to enter college because of the massive loans and seamingly meager payout.

Because of this, many people turn to colleges that guarantee a higher chance of getting a job coming out of college. In March of 2010, over 500,000 people graduated from the University of Phoenix, a for-profit college stationed around America. For-profit colleges are changing the climate of college. Most people enter for-profit colleges looking for "useful" degrees that are sought out in the job marketplace. For-profit colleges run like a business, since their primary goal is to gain a profit. Because of this, congressional reports have torn apart many for-profit colleges because of their large tuition and seemingly low job promises.

While I've never heard on New Trier student ever showing interest in attending on of these colleges, many lower income families don't have information regarding the shadiness of some of these schools. University of Phoenix spent over $150 million in naming a football stadium after their school. They also produce countless television advertisements and print ads. Because of their aggressive marketing strategies, many people enter these school with the hope of earning a high salary at a good job, but leave with large loans that are difficult to pay back.


Do you see any potential in for-profit colleges? How would you change the educational climate to appeal to lower-income families?

What does our flag say about us?

Mr. O'Connor briefly mentioned his fascination of the American flag and where it's seen in everyday life. I am quite interested in the flag itself. We all know that the stars represent the fifty states, and the stripes represent the thirteen colonies, but how does the design of our flag resemble the American identity? A flag is the image one want to project out to the rest of the world as a symbolic representation of one's country and beliefs.

The stars on our flag are silvery white. As we've seen in the Great Gatsby (originally titled "Under The Red White and Blue"), white represents purity, or a sort of cleanliness. If this is the image America wants to project to the world, then we want all of our states to be uniform, neat, and purified. We've seen this attempt at purity in certain legislation to ban dirty behaviors like smoking and littering, as well as in dark historical events like segregation.

While the addition of Red probably represented bravery and passion, it also unknowingly represents another facet of American life and history. Red is almost always related to bloodshed, violence, and lust. America has taken part in a ludicrous amount of bloody wars since it was founded. People also come here seeking fame, wealth, and power, all of which are associated with lust.

Obscured by the fifty stars, the square of blue is the last color on the flag. Blue is a much more peaceful color than red or white, and commonly symbolizes water, the most important substance on earth. In the context of the flag, perhaps blue represents America's undying desire for freedom and justice. The blue surrounds the states, as if it's "washing" the stars. This is my favorite color on the flag, since it represents the best of America's intentions.


Did I miss any important connotations that our flag holds? Do you think that the colors could represent other things?

Preparing for The Mundane

All of the juniors at New Trier took the PSAE's a couple of weeks ago. This test included the ACT, and a section a little more unfamiliar to New Trier students. The "Reading for Information" test was the second part of the PSAE's, and focused on a much different set of skills than the ACT. Here is one of the sample questions the official website gives:

This was the format of most of the questions on this test as far as I can remember. What shocked me was that all of the questions were based on low-paying jobs which didn't require a college education. This was another reminder of the North Shore bubble that we live in; While New Trier students look forward to being doctors, lawyers, and scientists, most other students in Illinois are getting prepared by the state to feed into these menial jobs. 

If this test is being given to every kid in Illinois, and these tests dictate which schools get funding, then what does that say about our educational system? Instead of preparing its students for a path to success, Illinois uses this test to make sure that students are at least able to succeed at menial jobs. There can't be social mobility of our schools are already putting students into these scenarios.

 Do you think that these tests should be given to students, even if some high schools have low graduation and achievement rates? Is this test just a necessary bi product of under-performing schools?

McDonalds Security Guard

A couple of weeks ago I was at the McDonalds in Winnetka ordering some Chicken Nuggets. As I ate my bland but filling nuggets, I looked around to see an intimidating security guard standing by the door. He continued to change his post about every ten minutes, from one side of the restaurant to the other. He was wearing all black, and looked rather serious. The scene was incomprehensible; why was a scary-looking security guard on duty at a McDonalds in one of the richest towns in America? I haven't heard of a single public violent incident happening there in my lifetime, and they have a security guard at the main thoroughfare for New Trier teens and busy parents.

One quick search of "arrests in McDonalds" brings up pages upon pages of cases involving police at McDonalds. The rate of crime at McDonalds restaurants could be attributed to the people it caters to. McDonalds offers incredibly cheap and convenient food, even if it isn't the best for your health. While this could appeal to upper-class people who need a quick meal on the way to work, lower class people tend to use McDonalds as a primary food source. In less affluent populations, crime is almost always more frequent. Instead of having security guards at McDonalds in more urban and poorer communities, we have one in a town with a ridiculously low crime rate.

So why do we have a security guard? My guess is that, although however unnecessary, the security guard makes higher class people feel safe in the fast food restaurant environment, which many people aren't used to in this part of the country, since the zining laws make it near impossible to build fast food restaurants.

Do you think the security guard at McDonald's is necessary? Should fast food chains in less affluent areas have access to these sorts of securities?

Power Grab

I came across an interesting term in my copyright research. A Patent Troll is a person or company who enforces its patents in seemingly ridiculous ways. Before I get to the implications of patent trolling, here are some examples of  Patent Trolls:

Warner Brothers requested a takedown of the imdb page for their movie Wrath of the Titans. The one page that had all of the official information for the actors, helpers, and facts of the movie was requested to be taken down by Warner Brothers. imdb is used by millions a day, so wouldn't this page actually help advertise WoT? Not to mention that the imdb page wasn't really infringing on any copyright laws.

The RIAA asked Google to take the entire electro-pop section of Last.fm out of its search pages, because it might have contained a pirated copy of an album.


These examples show that copyright laws aren't working as they were originally intended. Instead of protecting artists, large companies are flexing their muscles by requesting takedowns of millions of websites a month. 
Google has to then filter through all of these requests, which takes time and resources, and after all is said and done, the allegedly infringing websites are still up and running.


How would you fix the copyright laws so that these sorts of ridiculous claims wouldn't happen?

Standing on The Shoulders of Giants

I didn't make up the phrase in the title. I took that from Isaac Newton's quote:  

"If I have seen further it is by standing on ye sholders of Giants."

Newton himself took this quote from Bernard of Chartes who stated:
"We are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and things at a greater distance, not by virtue of any sharpness of sight on our part, or any physical distinction, but because we are carried high and raised up by their giant size."

How did I learn all of this? I took it directly from a Youtube video  called "Everything is a Remix".

 

I found this video while searching for an answer to a question that came up in my Junior Theme: Do artists and thinkers deserve copyright protection? In one of the best mini-documentaries I've ever seen, Youtuber Kirby1 dissects various aspects of our world to show that nothing can be created out of thin air. All new ideas are just tiny flowers, with massive intertwining roots that reach to the beginning of time. These flowers will become roots themselves in the future. 

Many people believe that ideas should receive protection from others, but who is protecting the ideas that were sampled in the first place? Should George Lucas have consulted Akira Kurosawa before borrowing heavily from his films in "Star Wars"? Given the borrowing nature of people and ideas, should copyright even exist? I urge you all to watch this fascinating video.

Operation: Korean Freedom

North Korea has been making some pretty serious threats lately. Just recently they fired missiles into the sea of Japan, and threatened to attack if American B-52's flew over their country again. Despite all of these possible signs of war, The US has been adamant about reporting on the situation or even addressing it. Numerous sources claim that North Korea is one of the most oppressed nations in the world. Concentration camps are scattered throughout the land, and many citizens are starving to death or close to it.


Looks like it's time for America to rain freedom down once again! But alas, Obama and others have made no publicized effort to take down Kim Jong Un's dictatorship. It was only 10 years ago that Americans were overjoyed that Bush was invading Iraq with American troops. Why isn't this situation producing the same level of enthusiasm.

What does America have to win if North Korea falls? Other than a debate with China, probably nothing. What did we gain by invading Iraq? Countless military contracts, investments, and maybe the most important advantage: oil. Had it not been for these benefits, congress probably wouldn't have been almost-unanimous in their choice to occupy the Middle-East.

Should America fulfill its role as a guardian of freedom and invade North Korea, or take up a more conservative strategy?

Star Wars (TM) (c)

While researching my junior theme topic of copyright, I came across a particularly interesting video. Youtuber CGPGrey posted a video primarily focusing on the copyright issues surrounding Star Wars:

The video states that right now, if you make intellectual property, you have the right to it for the entirety of your life and 70 years after. This made me think: why do people care about their property after they die?

Once your dead, your dead. That book you wrote probably won't follow you to the afterlife of your choice. Is there a logical reason to extend the copyright so that nobody in your lifetime can make a story using your characters? 

For some people, the logical explanation is just one word: money. Extending the copyright length ensures that the author's family, or the company that owns the property, continues to see profits long past the initial burst of creation. Copyright is supposed to promote people to write their own stories, not discourage people. If you made a home video with Han Solo and posted it on Youtube, it could be taken down by Lucasfilms. 

Should the length of copyright be extended or truncated? What is the purpose of copyright?

Sympathy for the Devil

We often discuss in class how Americans like to construct a narrative for our country and people. When this ideal image is shattered, it can be difficult to pick up the pieces. About a week ago, two Ohio high school boys were found guilty for repeatedly raping a girl from their school. Clearly, this crime is completely unjustified, and the two boys deserve the punishment they got. However, these weren't just any high school boys... they were on the Football Team!

While less important to students at New Trier, being a star player at a rural school in Ohio means a lot to your family and the community. So much, in fact, that people can look over your horrible crimes against others and focus more on mourning the loss of two promising futures of the boys.


CNN made a report on the story, and outraged hundreds of thousands with its coverage. A TV report focused much less on the act the boys commited and instead sympathized with the boys. Here's one quote from the reporter.


“I’ve never experienced anything like it, Candy. It was incredibly emotional, incredibly difficult even for an outsider like me to watch what happened as these two young men that had such promising futures — star football players, very good students — we literally watched as, they believe, their life fell apart,


While the courtroom certainly could have been "emotional", I believe shedding it in this light makes the case look less like a rape and more like a case from a dramatic TV show. 
Telling us that their "life fell apart" seems to connote some sort of tragic situation. Shouldn't CNN be rejoicing that the justice system nabbed these criminals and made their secret crimes available to the public eye? Over 200,000 people have signed a petition demanding CNN to apologize for their cover. Do you believe the story was inappropriately conveyed?

SPQR

More and more people are seeing the resemblance between America and ancient Rome. Both were the most powerful nations of their time, being centers for economics, culture, and religion. How each rose to their place in the world isn't completely clear, but they certainly had help from slavery, military conquest, and skilled leaders.

For keeping their populace under control, Romans had one saying: "Panem et circem", meaning "bread and games". The connotation if this quote is if you gave the common people enough bread, and kept them entertained with games, there would never be an upset populace. America has similar stadium-like games to the Romans, such as football and boxing. We also spend huge amounts of money to make sure that every citizen has enough to eat. The Founding Fathers even used Roman government as a starting point for our own constitution. 

So can we use the history of Rome as a crystal ball for America's future? One reason that many historians can pin Rome's fall to was its size. The Roman empire was simply too big to sustain. Old buildings began crumbling, slaves outnumbered citizens, and the borders of the Empire were under constant attack by Barbarians. If we fast forward 1,500 years, America is facing similar challenges, along with some new ones. Our prison population is swelling, and the number in poverty keeps increasing. Towns that used to have booming infrastructure are beginning to crumble.

Is America on the same path that the Romans were on? Can we make changes to our culture and laws so we don't face a similar demise?

American Idol=American Dream?

The TV sensation American Idol is once again returning for another season this fall. It first aired in 2002, and while its popularity is currently waning, there's no doubt that millions upon millions of Americans rave over this show. The show highlights some of the most picturesque American stories: small town guys and gals that have been working hard their whole lives get a chance to take a national stage and represent their family and hometown. The winner receives a singing career and fame for the rest of their life.
One has to wonder, though, how much of the show is constructed to maximize emotion, and maximize profits?


On the surface, American Idol embodies ideal American values: hard work, social mobility, faith, and in the end, fame. Speaking of fame, what does "American Idol" even mean? The word "idol" means "an object or representation of a god used for warship". Perhaps the "representation" in the show is the winner, and the "god" is the American Dream. Perhaps each contestant isn't going up on the stage to represent themselves, but to fill the role that society wants them to fill. The producers realize this role appeals to our emotions, which is why Idol was one of the highest-earning shows on television. And what happens to the people that don't fit the part? "Weirdos" and "crazies" are always laughed at during auditions and are forgotten the moment they are off camera.

The short career that the winners do have is littered with contracts and ends up becoming more of a business than an art. Can you see the product placement in Idol winner Lee DeWyze's video "Sweet Serendipity"? It's pretty blatant.

Is American Idol truly looking for new talent, or is there a hidden agenda that favors profits?

The Civil Liberties of a Madman

The news story of Chris Dorner has rarely been discussed or reported on, even though the story itself is riveting. If you aren't caught up on the whole story, Chris Dorner was an LAPD officer who went on a killing spree after he was allegedly wronged by his superiors in the force. The police hunted him down to a cabin in the woods and burned the cabin down. That's all that is certain. That, and the fact the LAPD rammed into the same type of car that Dorner was driving and killed the innocent person inside.


While the LAPD claim otherwise, a tape taken from Dorner's final moments contains the words of police men giving the order to set fire to the cabin Chris Dorner was in. He was surrounded on all sides by armed policemen that were already firing at him.

This reminds me of our perilous times unit, where the LAPD is limiting the civil liberties of Dorner and people suspected to be Dorner in order to protect concerned Californians.

Even though Chris Dorner committed terrible crimes with his murdering spree, should the LAPD have followed procedure and have attempted to arrest him instead of burning him alive?

Symbolic Legislation

For the last two weeks our class has been trying to devise the best possible plan to rebuild the South after the Civil War. We've tried to pass train bills, land bills, teaching bills, and many others. Our goal was to repair the South as quickly and efficiently as possible. While our class is on topic, certain lawmakers are on a different schedule with the laws they make.

Nowadays, some legislators write up bills that they have no intention of passing. For instance, Idaho State Senator John Goedde introduced a bill that would make reading Atlas Shrugged a high school graduation requirement. Fox News reported that the bill was "bill as a protest to a state Board of Education decision to roll back online class requirements".
 

Ohio Senator Nina Turner also introduced a symbolic bill that would limit a man's ability to get a Viagra prescription. She wrote this bill to express her outrage at all of the birth-control laws being passed in her state. (Source)

We've seen certain actions take place after the Civil War that are similar to the creation of these laws. Andrew Johnson required that Southern Generals apologize at his office before he pardoned them of war crimes. Did this requirement bring the US any closer to being United again?

These bills are supposed to represent the belief of the legislator, and clearly aren't made with the thought of American citizens in mind. While protesting is perfectly acceptable, and in most cases encouraged, in the United States, perhaps legislation isn't the most efficient way to do so. Do you think these sorts of laws muck up our political system, or do you think they are an example of the 1st Amendment and should be respected?

Combat For All!

Earlier this week the Pentagon announced its plan to officially allow women in the army to take on combat roles. While women have certainly been in these positions before, they are now officially recognized by the government as being combat soldiers.

The law seems more symbolic than practical, since many women face danger in the army every day. But how is this change going to affect the army and our society?

Since the beginning of human civilization, the warrior class has in most cases been reserved for men. We see images in history textbooks and art of brave men running into the heat of battle. What isn't usually discussed is the role of women in American wars. Women have been participating in battle since the Revolutionary War. They had to dress as men to sneak into the military, or go with their husbands into battle.

I believe recognizing women as soldiers as oppose to "helpers" is a huge step in the right direction. In the future, maybe the idea of a warrior will just be synonymous with a courageous human, and not a specific gender.

Many are worried that sexual tensions among soldiers will compromise our operations. I believe that if our troops understand that they are giving their lives to protect their country, then sexual motives will fade away.

Should women be side-by-side with men in combat positions? Should there be any amendments to what women can do in combat positions?

R.A.P Music (Final Exam Post)

Link to artifact


While the song “Reagan” by Killer Mike only directly references one era of American history, the themes he expresses in the lyrics transform this song into a contemporary artifact.

Killer Mike is an African American, and “Reagan” brings up many important ideas regarding Slavery and Equal Rights. He states that Reagan’s policies allowed the police to abuse their power, especially when they were accusing Black males. Regarding police brutality, Killer Mike states “They boots was on our head, they dogs was on our crotches, and they would beat us up if we had diamonds on our watches”. When he says “boots on our head”, Killer Mike means that he was being restrained on the ground without being accused of a crime. This situation reminds me of how Frederick Douglass describes his owners. “To be accused was to be convicted, and to be convicted was to be punished” (13). In the context of the song, young Black men haven’t done anything wrong, but the police still take action because they were able to accuse and assault the teenagers and not be punished. I believe the term “diamonds on our watches” is a metaphor for the hopes and dreams of African American males. A pristine diamond could demonstrate the hopes of African Americans who wanted to advance in society. Dreams like these threaten the power of the police, which is why they attack anybody that has them.

Another idea that Killer Mike raps about is the failure of our democracy to enable real social change. The first time Killer Mike speaks, he says “The ballot or the bullet, some freedom or some bullshit, will we ever do it big or just keep settling for little shit”. The phrase “the ballot or the bullet” was used by Malcolm X during the Civil Rights movement to show that African Americans could not wait for society to advance through democracy while they themselves were still being assaulted. By recalling this phrase, Killer Mike is trying to show that our democracy is about as effective now as it was back when African Americans had to protest in massive crowds and be beaten by police to get their idea across. Killer Mike wants to “do it big”, as in change our society all at one time, rather than “settle for little shit”, which means going step by step according to our laws until we finally become the society that he envisions. Mr. O’Connor appears to agree with Killer Mike according to his blog post “It’s a free country, isn’t it?” When he cites the fact that Occupy protesters were arrested for violating a “curfew standard” and asks, “What would our society lose without public space to air dissenting opinions?” Our class has heavily focused on social change this semester, and this song takes a stance on that topic.

 At the end of his song, Killer Mike is paranoid about expressing his opinions. He says “If I say anymore, they might be at my door, who the fuck is that staring at my window.” What he’s “saying” is his outrage against Reagan, and the “who” in this lyric is a government employee that’s come to watch Killer Mike because of his beliefs, and to make sure he doesn’t cause any more trouble. Killer Mike’s character in this song is similar to that of John Proctor. John acts out against the court by ripping his warrant as an act of speech, and his accusers use this against him. Parris states “All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in Salem! These people are gloomy for it!” Parris believes that the ripping of the warrant means that Proctor is not “innocent and Christian”, just like in “Reagan” where the government believes that Killer Mike could be causing trouble for his beliefs.

Overall, Killer Mike’s interpretation of the Reagan Era is a perspective that could be applied to many other eras of American History, which makes “Reagan” a socially and politically important piece of art.