Teddy David
The movie Mean Streets portrays the life style in New York City at the time it was released. In the decade of 1970s New York City was facing an economically, social and political issues. Let us take crime (in terms of social concept). For example, in the 1970s the crime rates were high. The economy was not good; family had to move from one apartment to another because they could not afford the rent payment. At the time, the nation was in the Vietnam War which not only affected the country but New York City as well. Does the movie follow step by step the reality of the city in terms of social and economical event?
The economy in New York City during the 1970s was bad. The city borrowed money to pay the government which made the situation even worse “Borrowing to pay for government operations was not part of the solution to New York's earlier fiscal crisis. It was part of the problem, a practice from the early 1970's that helped put the city (and, to a lesser degree, the state) into that deep hole” [The New York Times]. The “deep hole” refers to a high debt not only in New York City but the state as well. In the 1970s New York City reached its lower point in history. There were crisis, lots of crimes and homeless “The 1970s were a low point in city history as a fiscal crisis almost pushed it into bankruptcy, crime rates soared, and homeless people crowded sidewalks as public services crumbled” [Reuters].
Due to the economy there were issues in New York about teachers' salary. The average teacher was thirty-four years old- according to the Teachers Associations [TA]. “In 1973-74, in New York State, the average teacher was 34 years old, had taught for 8 years, and earned an average salary of $13,371” [West Genesee, teachers associations]. And the New York State
Teachers Retirement System created Tier 2 in 1973. “In February, 1979, the cost of living was 7.9% and the West Genesse Teachers Association dues were $155 per year. The average Teachers’ Retirement System member during the 1978-79 school year was 60 years, 4 months of age, had 25 years, 4 months of service, had a final average salary of $21,322.63, and a retirement allowance of $11,315.29” [west genesse teachers association]. In the 1970s there were 65 teacher strikes in New York City.
The highest percent of the rent regulation went to Manhattan and the rest of poor neighborhoods did not receive any benefit at all “search shows that 75 percent of rent regulation's benefit goes to Manhattan tenants below 96th Street, and that poor neighborhoods get virtually no benefit.” [The New York Times 1997]. Charles Morries, who published a book called The Cost of Good Intentions considers the 1970s as a “terrible decade” “I am still researching the terrible decade of the 1970s for my book on the transformation of the city's economy” [Crain's new York business]. During Richard Nixon's presidency there were economic changes “During his presidency, many economical changes would erupt questioning his leadership ability. In the early seventies there would be a nationwide rail road strike and a postal strike” [US history]. The inflation during the seventies was terrible “There was a mix of a high demand and a low supply of things such as jobs, houses, cars etc. The reason for this high inflation was because no one wanted to take office as the Federal Reserve chairman” [US history]. This inflation did not only affect the nation but also the cost of living in New York City. There was rents decontrol. In the 1970s vacancies decontrol was tried in New York and according to The New York Times the situation turned worse after the trial “Bob Herbert (column, May 5) argues that when vacancy decontrol was tried in New York City in the early 1970's, it was a ''disaster'' for tenants. Yes, rents rose 52 percent, but mainly on apartments that hadn't
had an increase in almost 20 years” [The New York Times 1997]. The occupied households in New York were 5,913,749. The statistics shows that 4,378,187 men were employed and 164,365 were unemployed. This means that there were 96.4% employed and 3.6% unemployed. Despite the economy and social issues the rate of employment was high.
Gross Rent (Housing Units With Cash Rent)
Paying cash rent: 632,136
Less than $30 1,903 0.3%
$30 - $39 6,699 1.1%
$40 - $49 17,314 2.7%
$50 - $59 30,306 4.8%
$60 - $69 47,547 7.5%
$70 - $79 55,414 8.8%
$80 - $89 56,177 8.9%
$90 - $99 52,343 8.3%
$100 - $119 78,129 12.4%
$120 - $149 77,323 12.2%
$150 - $199 80,017 12.7%
$200 - $249 47,180 7.5%
$250 - $299 29,384 4.7%
$300 or more 52,400 8.3%
The chart shows how the rent payment was increasing and the percentages were unstable. Family could not afford the payments.
During the early seventies a few problems occurred in America regarding politics. There were strikes and wars that affected the country politically. “Oversea wars were ended and relations with the European powers were improved. Other problems were the Arab oil embargo of 73, the water gate scandal, and Nixon's presidency” [US history]. During the early seventies many issues regarding politics aroused “Nixon pulling out of the Vietnam War was a huge one. He also did a lot to get better relations with China and the U.S.S.R. he didn't do very much domestically but he did plenty foreign work” [US history]. There were lots of issues going on during the seventies.
In the 1970s there was lots of violence in New York. “At 4 p.m. one Saturday last month, a tall, thin, eighteen-year-old youth called Judd was standing on Daly Avenue in the South Bronx fingering the butt of the sawed-off shotgun that jutted from the top of his dungarees. Flanking him on either side were two other young men, Mike and P.I., both seventeen, both with pearl-handled .22-caliber pistols in their belts. All three wore the colors of a Bronx street gang called the Black Assassins”[New York news & features]. According to the magazine “. . .Without much notice, it seems, street gangs have again become a problem in New York City, this time on a scale with a potential for violence that may be unprecedented”. The police were powerless --according to The Digital Journalist-- “Crime was rampant, and the police were powerless to stop it. Random killings by the 'Son of Sam' made New Yorkers even more fearful”[The Digital Journalist]. New York City was very dangerous back in the 1970s.
According to The New York Times the 1970s were the worst period in Harlem's history because of poverty. As we can see, the economy was not the only problem that the nation and New York City as well were facing, there were social issues like crime especially Gangs in the streets.“ By some measures, the 1970s were the worst period in Harlem's history. Many of those Harlemites who were able to escape from poverty left the neighborhood in search of safer streets, better schools and homes”[New York Times, March 1, 1978 ].
The movie Mean Streets was released in 1973. First the movie portrays the social concept. In the first scene Johnny Boy an irresponsible guy who was Charlie's girlfriend's brother was walking and as soon as he crossed the street a sudden explosion occurred. The next shot sequence of the bar there was a man doing drugs in the restroom, the next shot was the women dancing almost naked. Charlie, is torn between the life of the streets [and trying to help Johnny Boy with his problems] and the life his uncle can give him. He is also deeply religious, patterning himself after St. Francis of Assisi—testing his faith and seeking penitence for his sins on the streets. The testing of this faith takes the form of Johnny Boy and his sister Teresa. Charlie's uncle doesn't want Charlie to keep company with either of these people [Johnny Boy because he seems to be so unstable, and Teresa because she is an epileptic]. Charlie was looking the woman dancing and says “she is beautiful but she is black”. There was racism even though the rate of black employed was high. According to the Employment Status for Black Population the employed in New York was 146,549. Which percentage would be 52.8% that percentage means that black people had more opportunities than decades before.
Michael who loaned money to Johnny was in the bar with Charlie drinking while waiting for Johnny Boy. Johnny who was a trouble maker walked in accompanied with two women and Charlie took Johnny to a private place to talk about the money he owed to Michael. Charlie told Johnny that Michael was mad at him because he did not pay the money the last Tuesday. Johnny tried to justify himself he said that he did not pay Michael because he had too many things to spend the money to pay rent, and to give some money to his mother. I noticed that Michael was desperate to receive his money back. The first two shots of the movie the message is all about the money. Despite the bad economy, they were in a bar spending money on glass of whiskey.
Johnny Boy slept in Charlie's apartment. The apartment was not big; in the shot, the bedroom seems small. The neighborhood seems to be part of low class. The building entrance was dirty and prostitutes down the streets. Charlie and the gang went to a pool hall and they were talking about business with the pool manager who owed them money. The manager invited them to drink a couple of glasses and Johnny asked the manager to put down the music and he pointed where a group of girls were standing listening to the jukebox. The manager said “hey the girls like the music loud” and Johnny said “girls? You called those gangs girls!” and started to make fun of him and called the pool manager “asshole”. The manager felt offended “hey we are not going to pay... we are not paying” the manager said. “Hey I did not say anything!” Michael said and the manager said “we are not paying because this guy- pointing to Michael-this is a fucking mook” then Michael said that he could not call him a “mook”. “I cannot?” asked the manager and a few seconds later he punched Michael in the face and then Johnny punched the manager. The costumers who were playing pool got involved in the fight and at the end all of them ended up fighting. Two police officers calmed them down and was about to arrest Charlie's group. “Davis... Davis this is very embarrassing, how long do we know each other?” the manager told the police man and then he gave him some money and the police did not arrest the gang and the manager as well.
The movie portrays the violence in modern America and foreign characters “made his first feature length filength film in 1968, and scored his first success with Mean Streets (1973). Oftendealing with violent and obsessive aspects of modern America and focusing on Italian-American characters” [EBSCOhost]. At the time in New York City there were lots of violence “Snipers hid in wooded patches just off Oread Avenue. Piano wire hung at head height in darkened alleyways. Arson was rampant. Police fell under gunfire. At times, they shot back — twice with deadly results. Blacks were angered by the inequalities that persisted. Radicals were protesting an unjust war, the draft and the Establishment. Adding fuel to the unrest were drugs and the fact that Lawrence was the halfway point for those in the counterculture traveling from San Francisco to New York” [LJWorld].
I believe that the producer wanted to show the reality of the city through the movie. The movie is about mafia and violence. In more than seven shots we can see fights, business and a few sex scenes. Maybe the producer wanted the audience to watch the reality of the city through the drama. According to the statistic of the average $ gross rent by race for renter-Occupied units, the Black Renter Occupied Housing Units were 135, 312. The poverty status of white family shows 231,125 above poverty level which was 89.7% in the 1970s. Below poverty level were 26,561 which was a 10.3%. The 1970 was a difficult decade for New York City.
Johnny Boy and the others guys showed irresponsibility. For instance, Johnny Boy was in a roof with a shotgun and was shooting like crazy. He did not think about the consequences or the problem he was making by shooting.
The charts below show the rate of employment/ unemployment during the 1970s:
Employment/Unemployment Status For Male Population
Male 16 years and over In Civilian labor force: 409,853
Employed 390,508 95.3%
Unemployed 19,345 4.7%
Employment/Unemployment Status For Female Population
Female 16 years and over In Civilian labor force: 331,888
Employed 316,312 95.3%
Unemployed 15,576 4.7%
Both male and female employment rate was higher than unemployed percentage. Johnny Boy who could get a job put not effort to get it. Instead, he borrowed money and he paid $ 10 out of $2,000.
These charts show the rate of employment/ unemployment by race.
Employment/Unemployment Status For White Population
White Population 16 years and over In Civilian labor force: 557,915
Employed 533,160 95.6%
Unemployed 24,755 4.4%
Employment/Unemployment Status For Black Population
Black Population 16 years and over In Civilian labor force: 155,613
Employed 146,549 94.2%
Unemployed 9,064 5.8%
Like I mentioned before, the movie portrays a little bit of racism. When charley was in the bar watching women dancing he said “she is beautiful but she is black”. The charts show that even though in the 1970s black population had more opportunities there was favoritism toward certain race: The white population. The employment status for white population was 533,160 [95.6%] while the employment status for black population was 146,549 [94.2%].
Gross Rent Payment Method
Total renter occupied: 639,307
Paying cash rent 632,136 98.9%
Without payment of cash rent 7,171 1.1%
The chart shows the payment method. As we can see the paying cash rent was 98.9% which means that out of 639, 307 renters occupied 1.1% was under the method of without payment of cash rent.
The movie Mean Streets follows step by step the reality of the city. Crime, Drugs, mafia, and business those concepts identified the 1970s as the worst decade of the city. What made the movie interesting was how the producer wants us to see the society. The film was well received by most critics “Pauline Kael was among the most enthusiastic critics; she called it "a true original, and a triumph of personal filmmaking" and 'dizzyingly sensual'. Other critics like Dave Kher of the Chicago Reader said 'the acting and editing have such original, tumultuous force that the picture is completely gripping'. Vicent Canby of the New York Times reflected that 'no matter how bleak the milieu, no matter how heartbreaking the narrative, some films are so thoroughly, beautifully realized they have a kind of tonic effect that has no relation to the subject matter'” [Wikipedia]. The film was definitely great.
References
• Stockwell, Jamie. "New York City and Crime 1970."Washington post November 29, 2002: n. pag. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• Gralla, Joan. "New York City fears returns to 1970s."Reuters. www.reuters.com, n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• Castellano, Vicent. "West Genesse Teachers' Association ."The New York Times. www.reuters.com, May 10,1997. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• David, Greg.Crain's New York business. www.reuters.com, May 10,1997. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• "American Politics 1970."UsHistory. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• Weingartin, Gene. "Issue of New York magazine."New York News and features. N.p., March 27, 1972. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• "New York Times." N.p., March 1, 1978. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• Tannenbaum, Allan. "The Digital Journalist." New York in the 70s: a Remembrance. N.p., February 2004. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Out Line [research paper]
The 1970s was a decade where New York City when through many problems. The economy was not good at all, there were lots of crimes and there was a Vietnam War.
The economy was horrible during the 1970s. “Borrowing to pay for government operations was not part of the solution to New York's earlier fiscal crisis. It was part of the problem, a practice from the early 1970's that helped put the city (and, to a lesser degree, the state) into that deep hole” [The New York Times].
During the early seventies a few problems occurred in America regarding politics. “Nixon pulling out of the Vietnam War was a huge one. He also did a lot to get better relations with China and the U.S.S.R. he didn't do very much domestically but he did plenty foreign work” [US history]. There were lots of issues going on during the seventies.
In the 1970s there was lots of violence in New York. “At 4 p.m. one Saturday last month, a tall, thin, eighteen-year-old youth called Judd was standing on Daly Avenue in the South Bronx fingering the butt of the sawed-off shotgun that jutted from the top of his dungarees. Flanking him on either side were two other young men, Mike and P.I., both seventeen, both with pearl-handled .22-caliber pistols in their belts. All three wore the colors of a Bronx street gang called the Black Assassins” [New York news & features].
The highest percent of the rent regulation went to Manhattan and the rest of poor neighborhoods did not receive any benefit at all “search shows that 75 percent of rent regulation's benefit goes to Manhattan tenants below 96th Street, and that poor neighborhoods get virtually no benefit.” [The New York Times 1997].
References
• Stockwell, Jamie. "New York City and Crime 1970."Washington post November 29, 2002: n. pag. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• "American Politics 1970."UsHistory. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• Castellano, Vicent. "West Genesse Teachers' Association ."The New York Times. www.reuters.com, May 10,1997. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
The economy was horrible during the 1970s. “Borrowing to pay for government operations was not part of the solution to New York's earlier fiscal crisis. It was part of the problem, a practice from the early 1970's that helped put the city (and, to a lesser degree, the state) into that deep hole” [The New York Times].
During the early seventies a few problems occurred in America regarding politics. “Nixon pulling out of the Vietnam War was a huge one. He also did a lot to get better relations with China and the U.S.S.R. he didn't do very much domestically but he did plenty foreign work” [US history]. There were lots of issues going on during the seventies.
In the 1970s there was lots of violence in New York. “At 4 p.m. one Saturday last month, a tall, thin, eighteen-year-old youth called Judd was standing on Daly Avenue in the South Bronx fingering the butt of the sawed-off shotgun that jutted from the top of his dungarees. Flanking him on either side were two other young men, Mike and P.I., both seventeen, both with pearl-handled .22-caliber pistols in their belts. All three wore the colors of a Bronx street gang called the Black Assassins” [New York news & features].
The highest percent of the rent regulation went to Manhattan and the rest of poor neighborhoods did not receive any benefit at all “search shows that 75 percent of rent regulation's benefit goes to Manhattan tenants below 96th Street, and that poor neighborhoods get virtually no benefit.” [The New York Times 1997].
References
• Stockwell, Jamie. "New York City and Crime 1970."Washington post November 29, 2002: n. pag. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• "American Politics 1970."UsHistory. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
• Castellano, Vicent. "West Genesse Teachers' Association ."The New York Times. www.reuters.com, May 10,1997. Web. 23 Nov 2010.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Minority Report
The movie Minority Report presents a future where they are able to know when and where the future murder is going to be made. There is no privacy, there are a few scenes where we can see the lack of privacy. For example, Howard Marks was in his bedroom and suddenly a group of police officers “breaks in” and he was arrested “Howard Marks is in his bedroom putting on his glasses when a group of armed police officers breaks in, frantically tackles him, and slaps restraints on him. He is under arrest, they explain, for the 'future murder' of Sarah Marks and Donald Dubin, a crime of passion that was to occur just seconds in the future when he found his wife in bed with her lover” [Science Fiction and Philosophy pp.103]. In the world of Minority Report there is no privacy at all, the police only care about the security, nothing else.
I consider the society should look for security without violate the citizens privacy. Another example of lacking of privacy was when the police where looking for the former chief John Anderton they used a technology, the iris identification system [eye-scaner]. The iris identification looks like a spider and it walked in all the apartment and scaned everyone's eyes. There were people who were in the bed, in the toilet and they were sorprised by the sudden intrusers so-called “iris identification”. That showed that the police did not care about privacy.
According to the author Michael Huemer under the subtitle Hard Determinism and the threat to free will free will consists in two concepts: self control and options “traditionally, having free will is thought to requiere two things: alternate possibitilies and self-control” [Science Fiction and Philosophy pp.104]. If that is the case Howard Marks did not have free will because the “precogs” knew already that he was going to committ a murder. Huemer state that if god knows what is going to happen, there is no free will “if God is all-knowing then he must know everything that is going to happen in the future. But if God already knows what is going to happen, then it seems that there are no alternative possibitilies; events must unfold as God has foreseen them” [Science Fiction and Philosophy pp.104,105]. I believe that God is all-knowing and whether he knows what will going to happen or not that does not stop us from making decisions. In the garden of Eden, the first human couple had free will whether to take the fruit of the tree ofknowledge not. God knew what will going to happen if the first human couple took the fruit, “But as for the tree if the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die” [Genesis 2:17]. God advised them not to take the fruit, and he gave them reason and they did it anyways, Eve took the fruit and as we know, the consequence of their desobedience is death. I consider God gave us free will because we are not a robot, robots cannot do whatever they please, robots are programed to do certain things but God created us with the ability to do what we wish. Depends on us if we believe in humans philosophy or our creator.
I consider the society should look for security without violate the citizens privacy. Another example of lacking of privacy was when the police where looking for the former chief John Anderton they used a technology, the iris identification system [eye-scaner]. The iris identification looks like a spider and it walked in all the apartment and scaned everyone's eyes. There were people who were in the bed, in the toilet and they were sorprised by the sudden intrusers so-called “iris identification”. That showed that the police did not care about privacy.
According to the author Michael Huemer under the subtitle Hard Determinism and the threat to free will free will consists in two concepts: self control and options “traditionally, having free will is thought to requiere two things: alternate possibitilies and self-control” [Science Fiction and Philosophy pp.104]. If that is the case Howard Marks did not have free will because the “precogs” knew already that he was going to committ a murder. Huemer state that if god knows what is going to happen, there is no free will “if God is all-knowing then he must know everything that is going to happen in the future. But if God already knows what is going to happen, then it seems that there are no alternative possibitilies; events must unfold as God has foreseen them” [Science Fiction and Philosophy pp.104,105]. I believe that God is all-knowing and whether he knows what will going to happen or not that does not stop us from making decisions. In the garden of Eden, the first human couple had free will whether to take the fruit of the tree ofknowledge not. God knew what will going to happen if the first human couple took the fruit, “But as for the tree if the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die” [Genesis 2:17]. God advised them not to take the fruit, and he gave them reason and they did it anyways, Eve took the fruit and as we know, the consequence of their desobedience is death. I consider God gave us free will because we are not a robot, robots cannot do whatever they please, robots are programed to do certain things but God created us with the ability to do what we wish. Depends on us if we believe in humans philosophy or our creator.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Special project
During my visit to the Museum of the Moving Image I realized that the guide tour created a chronology narrative sequence. First she explained about Phenakistoscope thing,the nickelodeon machine, the wheel which had a picture inside with a black man running. Then I saw moving images of Charlie Chaplin film called eating soup. Then the guide tour showed us the first cameras and explained how the cameras worked, after that she showed the machine that the filmmakers used to edit. Then the guide tour went on to explain how the very first televisions and radios worked. It was a huge television, one of the I noticed that one of the TV had a mirror to project the image, it was very interesting.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Blog 10 Gattaca
According to the author George J. Anna “the new ideal human, the genetically engineered ‘superior’ human, will almost certainly come to represent ‘the other’. If history is a guide, either the normal humans will view the ‘better’ humans as the other and seek to control or destroy them or vice-versa”. As we know, the concept of the other is the opposite personality. The movie Gattaca for example, shows how human treat “the other”. In the movie Vicent is guy who has the probability to live up to 30 years and have a weak heart. He faces discrimination because of his health status and the only way to accomplish his dream (to become an astronaut) is to borrow another identity. Throughout the movie we can see how the “better” human (those who qualifies to become an astronaut) discriminate those who does not have the requirement. Even in human history we can find how the “better” humans seek to control the “other”. In the 1950S and '60s -for instance- there was discrimination toward “Black” people. That is how humans treat "the other".
Monday, November 1, 2010
Essay #2 [revised]
Most of the time when we hear the word Hero we imagine a strong guy, good looking and with a good moral. The media plays an important role in the community because through the media we know who that hero is. The media has a strong social and cultural impact upon society. This is predicated upon their ability to reach a wide audience with a strong and influential message. However, what is the message that the movie accidental hero portrays? The movie also shows how a low class man save many lives. Both character Bernie Laplante and John Bubber has different qualities but also they have something in common as well.
The media control what we see. The reporter Gale Gayley and her cameraman recorded a office man who jumped off the roof. When the man jumped, the reported asked her cameraman “did you got that?”. That scene shows one thing, the media only care to portray its message not matter the circumstances. The news reporters have the ambition to report the best news ever. Gayley, who was in the hospital after the plane crashed was told that a unknown character saved her life and the rest of the passengers'. Immediately the media entitled the issue as the angel of the flight 104 they name the angel to make an impact and to make a public reaction toward that incident. To be hero is not necessarily to be famous, I agree with Bubber when he said that a hero is a symbol of good personality that everyone has. That is true, it does not matter whether you are poor or reach or whether you belong to a low class society, if you help others [like Bubber does in the movie] then you are a hero.
The music plays a good role in the media. While Gayley was interviewing the survivors the instrumental music was heroic to manipulate the audience. For instance, when Bubber, a homeless decided to show up for the interview and he said that he showed up because the money the instrumental music was a little sad because he Bobber was homeless. The media is powerful, it can make you famous like Bubber in the movie Hero. On the other hand, Laplante a selfish man, he was the one who committed the heroic act [he saved fifty four passengers]did not received any credit at all. Why? Because the media focuses in good images like Bubber.
The media have the potential to control the readers, the viewers and the action. Nowadays we can see how the media portrays the message when something wrong happens and how they try to manipulate the viewers. I consider the media as a two edge sword, it can make you famous but also it can destroy you like the scene when Gayley was talking about the onion metaphor. The movie has a meaningful message; it shows the good qualities that human beings have [when Laplante saved a bunch of people]. The movie also portrays the role of the media and how journalists can make a person like bubber who was a homeless into a rich celebrity and the miserable life of the man who suicided when he jump from the building. That could happen in real life and that is why I consider the movie Hero a good movie .
The media control what we see. The reporter Gale Gayley and her cameraman recorded a office man who jumped off the roof. When the man jumped, the reported asked her cameraman “did you got that?”. That scene shows one thing, the media only care to portray its message not matter the circumstances. The news reporters have the ambition to report the best news ever. Gayley, who was in the hospital after the plane crashed was told that a unknown character saved her life and the rest of the passengers'. Immediately the media entitled the issue as the angel of the flight 104 they name the angel to make an impact and to make a public reaction toward that incident. To be hero is not necessarily to be famous, I agree with Bubber when he said that a hero is a symbol of good personality that everyone has. That is true, it does not matter whether you are poor or reach or whether you belong to a low class society, if you help others [like Bubber does in the movie] then you are a hero.
The music plays a good role in the media. While Gayley was interviewing the survivors the instrumental music was heroic to manipulate the audience. For instance, when Bubber, a homeless decided to show up for the interview and he said that he showed up because the money the instrumental music was a little sad because he Bobber was homeless. The media is powerful, it can make you famous like Bubber in the movie Hero. On the other hand, Laplante a selfish man, he was the one who committed the heroic act [he saved fifty four passengers]did not received any credit at all. Why? Because the media focuses in good images like Bubber.
The media have the potential to control the readers, the viewers and the action. Nowadays we can see how the media portrays the message when something wrong happens and how they try to manipulate the viewers. I consider the media as a two edge sword, it can make you famous but also it can destroy you like the scene when Gayley was talking about the onion metaphor. The movie has a meaningful message; it shows the good qualities that human beings have [when Laplante saved a bunch of people]. The movie also portrays the role of the media and how journalists can make a person like bubber who was a homeless into a rich celebrity and the miserable life of the man who suicided when he jump from the building. That could happen in real life and that is why I consider the movie Hero a good movie .
blog: 11
Teddy David David1
Professor: Louis A. Lucca
10/28/10
“Malcolm X and the media”
When we think of important milestones in media, we think of obvious choices like the first printing press by Johannes Gutenberg [1453], C.E books becoming the first mass medium or the first newspaper in the colonies [the second medium] or the telegraph [the third medium] Samuel F.B Morse. Yet for one to have an impact sometimes it is enough that they use the media already available to them in new ways, and Malcolm X was one of the characters that made an impact in terms of mass media evolution. What was that impact? Why was that impact considered as an important event? Back in the 1950s Malcolm X made an impact in all media such as television documentaries, radio stations, and newspapers.
First, let us talk about Malcolm's childhood. Malcolm was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1925. His mother, Louis Norton Little was a homemaker occupied with the family's eight children. His father Earl Little was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Malcolm was a smart guy in school. however, Malcolm wanted to become a lawyer but one of his teachers told him that "becoming a lawyer was no realistic goal for a nigger" [the biography of Malcolm X] and Malcolm lost interest, so he dropped out of school. Malcolm moved to Boston and then traveled to Harlem, New York where he committed crimes, then he moved back to Boston and there he was arrested and convicted on burglary charges [1946]; he was convicted to seven- years in prison. Malcolm took advantage of being in jail because he focused on educating himself. He read books and looked up the dictionary to change his vocabulary. During the period of self-enlightenment, Malcolm learned about the nation of Islam leader: Elijah Muhammad who taught that "white society worked to keep African Americans from empowering themselves and achieving political and economic
David2
success. Then, Malcolm was a devoted follower with the new surname "X"; he chose the "X" to signify his lost tribal name [biography of Malcolm X].
In 1959 two white policemen breaking up the street scuffle between some Negroes, ordered other Negro passers-by to “move on!” Among those Negroes, two were Muslims “brother Johnson Hinton and another brother of temple seven” [the biography of Malcolm X]. Johnson Hinton was attacked by the white policemen and his scalp was split open, then he was taken to the nearby precinct. When Malcolm saw Hinton he ordered an ambulance and the doctor says that a steel plate would have to be put into Hinton's skull “(after that operation, the nation of Islam helped him to sue, a jury awarded him over $70,000, the largest police brutality judgment that New York City has ever paid) [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.270).
“In Harlem, the world's most heavily populated black ghetto, the Amsterdam news made the whole story headline news and for the first time the black man, woman, and child in the streets was discussing 'those Muslims'” [The autobiography of Malcolm X pp.270]. After the jury awarded Hinton over $70,000, black Muslims caught journalists attention.
In the same year 1959 the journalist Louis Lomax asked Malcolm whether the nation of Islam would cooperate in being filmed as a television documentary program for the Mike Wallace show. Elijah Muhammad gave his consent and a cameraman began recording Muhammad and some minister including Malcolm X. “Every Muslim happily anticipated that now, through the white man's powerful communications media, our brainwashed black brothers and sisters across the United States, and devils, too, were going to see, hear, and read Mr. Muhammad's teachings which cut back and forth like a two-edge sword” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp. 272]. Through the white media communication, the nation of Islam was going to be watched for the first time ever.
David3
Black Muslims made their own efforts to employ the power of print. Malcolm X made an appointment to see editor James Hicks of the Amsterdam News. Hick said that he felt every voice in the community must be heard. Later, each week Amsterdam news carried a column that Malcolm X wrote. Then Muhammad agreed to write also a column for “that valuable Amsterdam News space” and Malcolm X's column was transferred to another black newspaper called “the Los Angeles Herald Dispatch”. Malcolm X always wanted to establish their own [black Muslims] newspaper, so what he did was, he went in the city where the Herald Dispatch was and he saw how newspaper was put together. “Every chance I had, I wrote some little news about interesting nation of Islam happenings. One day every month, I'd lock up in a room and assemble my material and pictures for a printer that I found” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp. 273]. The newspaper established by Malcolm X Muhammad Speaks which by the end of the decade would have a national circulation and by the time was the most widely read black owned newspaper in the country [Muhammad Speaks a trailblazer in the newspaper industry].
The producer Mike Wallace in his television program, shows Malcolm X introducing Elijah Muhammad Wallace said that Malcolm X had good news for black man and bad news for the white man; according to the producer, the good news for black man was that “he was about to recapture his position as the ruler of the universe” and the bad news for white man was that “his long and weak reign will be over” [PBS the hate that hate produced]. After Muhammad's speech the journalist Louis Lomax interviewed Malcolm and he asked him if a white man can join the temple and Malcolm answered that none of them has ever joined and the reason that people think that Muhammad teaches hate -explained Malcolm- is because Muhammad gives warnings to the Muslims to be careful. Muhammad compares white man to a snake, the devil! Even those words made white reporters angry. “White reporters, anger in their voices would call us 'demagogues'” [the autobiography of Malcolm X]. The press edited
David4
Malcolm’s answer; in his autobiography Malcolm says “but I don't care what points I made in the interviews, it practically never got printed the way I said it. I was learning under fire how the press, when it wants to, can twist, and slant. If I had said 'Mary had a little lamb', what probably would have appeared was 'Malcolm X lampoons Mary'”. In other words, the media try to edit the interviews and probably change the information to produce a violent reaction from the audience.
In 1959 “the hate that hate produced” brought a public reaction; in his autobiography Malcolm X said that “In America for centuries it had been just fine as long as the victimized, brutalized and exploited black people had been grinning and begging and 'Yessa, Massa'”. The big national weekly news magazines advertised: “hate-teachers”, “violence seekers”. The hate that hate produced became a controversial issue in the media. The television documentary by Mike Wallace -for instance, he introduced the documentary by the title “the hate that hate produced” and then Wallace said that a group of Negroes were taking the street corner, church pulpits and sports arenas across the United States. Wallace showed several pictures of a Muslim school in Chicago where “children were taught to hate white man” and how their clothes differed from Americans’ and showed Malcolm X with one of the five Negro newspapers in America. Wallace called Muhammad “the preacher gasper of hate” and then he showed the recorded video when Muhammad says that “white man is the greatest liar on earth”. After that once Malcolm X came up with the title “the hate that hate produced” the media changed, it was in almost everywhere, in newspapers, television programs, and even in his autobiography. Malcolm X explained that in his personal opinion the title the “hate...Hate” was responsible for the reaction. Lots of people were shocked because of the television documentary title, the hate that hate produced “in late 1959, the television program was aired 'the hate that hate produced'-the title-was edited tightly into a kaleidoscope of 'shocker' images” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.273]. The video shows black Muslims on their own restaurants, and their parish school. In other words, Muslims
David5
became independent, they had their own store.
In both media, the white and black press, it was hot copy and articles. Life, Look, Newsweek and Times reported black Muslims. According to Malcolm X, some newspapers chains began to run a series of three, four or five “exposures” of the nation of Islam. In other words, the medium were making their own opinions about the nation of Islam. The media made the black Muslims famous, they were in everywhere, in television documentaries, magazines and newspapers that by 1950’s were read worldwide like the reader's digest, “the reader's digest with its worldwide circulation of twenty-four million copies in thirteen languages carried an article titled 'Mr. Muhammad Speaks'” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.280].
According to Malcolm, in his biography he says that the reason that both, white and black (those who were not a member of the nation of Islam) people were against Elijah Muhammad's teaching was that Muhammad wanted to separate the Muslims from the white society and Malcolm X agreed with Muhammad. In the radio station, Malcolm said that every time he mentioned “separation” people had a reaction because they associated “separation” with “segregation” and then Malcolm X proceed to explain the difference between those words [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp. 283].
After the television documentary “the hate that hate produced” [title] by Mike Wallace, Dr. C. Eric Lincoln published a book called the black Muslims in America. Bringing even more attention toward the nation of Islam “the press snatched at that name. 'Black Muslims' was in all the book reviews, which quoted from the book only what was critical of us, and generally praised Dr. Lincoln's writing” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.284]. Once again, the Muslims were in all Medias, television Documentaries, radio stations, newspapers, and even in books whose author was Dr. Lincoln. The book The black Muslims in America was published in 1960. The book context is all about sociological exploration such as the black movement that back in the 1950s and 1960s was the big
David6 issue “Dr. C. Eric Lincoln originally published The Black Muslims in America in 1960. His study is a classic for several reasons. To begin, it is the first scholarly sociological exploration of a black movement” [website research]. According to the website, “no other black movement had such a unifying power and synergy to command such national attention” [American Muslim Perspective].
Malcolm X had a huge influence in the media back in the 1950s and 1960s. Specially the newspaper he established covered a wide issue in terms of race, crime, and it had a political cartoon. An example would be the Muhammad Speaks newspaper published in September 15 1962. It had an article in page eleven called “MR MUHAMMAD SPEAKS Some Of This Earth That We Can Call Our Own!”. What does that mean? The article talks about slaves and what they should do once the owner set them free. “We, the members of the original Black Nation of the earth, who were once lost from our own kind, are supposed to be free” [Muhammad Speaks sept. 15, 1962]. I consider that the reason that there were many public reaction toward the newspaper, because of the title. For instance, the Muhammad Speaks newspaper volume 1, no. 3 has and article on page 4 that read “THE EVILS OF RACIALLY MIXED SEX RELATIONS” [Muhammad Speaks January 1962]. In the interview between Louis Lomax and Malcolm X, said that Muhammad taught them (the Muslims) that there was not a serpent in the Eden garden and added that “the bible was written in symbols, and the serpent is the symbol to hide the real identity of the one who actually was” [PBS the hate that hate produced]. Malcolm X considered the “white man” as “evil” and that was the reason that there were many controversies in all the media.
Malcolm X changed the media in terms of events. Malcolm X dared to say out loud that “white man is the devil” in the Hate that Hate Produced” documentary. The news media was looking for Malcolm X even from different country “the calls naturally were directed to me, New York City being the major news-media headquarters, and I was the New York minister of Mr. Muhammad. Calls me,
David7
long-distance from San Francisco to Maine... from even London, Stockholm, Paris” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.276]. The media followed Malcolm X from everywhere, even from Europe.
The media is powerful. It can manipulate social issues; it can make a person and even a group like the nation of Islam famous. Moreover, Malcolm X who committed crime during his childhood and went to prison the media did not pay attention to him. However once he established the Muhammad Speaks newspaper, he became famous. Why? Because the media is interested in the people who make the difference in society. For instance, once Malcolm X established the newspaper, the news-media wanted to interview him. Louis Lomax asked Malcolm x for permission to film his speeches becoming Malcolm an important public image and all because the media made it possible.
Nowadays we do have the privilege to choose any newspaper we please. For instance, there are not newspapers specifically for “black nor white”. A “white” man can read the New York Times and a “black” man as well. There are not restrictions in terms of media. For example, in television documentaries, and movies we can see people of different races. Malcolm utilized newspaper columns, radio, and television to communicate the nation of Islam's message across the United States; I consider that was the important role and contribution to the mass media.
X, Malcolm, The Autobiography of Malcolm X. June 1973. New York: The Random House , 1964. Print.
"The Hate That Hate Produced." our media channel of creativity. Web. 27 Oct 2010.
Muhammad, Askia. “the final call." Muhammad Speaks A Trailblazer in the newspaper industry. N.p., 03-10-2000. Web. 27 Oct 2010.
Lincoln, eric. "American Muslims perspective." the black Muslims in America. N.p. December, 2004. Web. 27 Oct 2010.
Professor: Louis A. Lucca
10/28/10
“Malcolm X and the media”
When we think of important milestones in media, we think of obvious choices like the first printing press by Johannes Gutenberg [1453], C.E books becoming the first mass medium or the first newspaper in the colonies [the second medium] or the telegraph [the third medium] Samuel F.B Morse. Yet for one to have an impact sometimes it is enough that they use the media already available to them in new ways, and Malcolm X was one of the characters that made an impact in terms of mass media evolution. What was that impact? Why was that impact considered as an important event? Back in the 1950s Malcolm X made an impact in all media such as television documentaries, radio stations, and newspapers.
First, let us talk about Malcolm's childhood. Malcolm was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1925. His mother, Louis Norton Little was a homemaker occupied with the family's eight children. His father Earl Little was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Malcolm was a smart guy in school. however, Malcolm wanted to become a lawyer but one of his teachers told him that "becoming a lawyer was no realistic goal for a nigger" [the biography of Malcolm X] and Malcolm lost interest, so he dropped out of school. Malcolm moved to Boston and then traveled to Harlem, New York where he committed crimes, then he moved back to Boston and there he was arrested and convicted on burglary charges [1946]; he was convicted to seven- years in prison. Malcolm took advantage of being in jail because he focused on educating himself. He read books and looked up the dictionary to change his vocabulary. During the period of self-enlightenment, Malcolm learned about the nation of Islam leader: Elijah Muhammad who taught that "white society worked to keep African Americans from empowering themselves and achieving political and economic
David2
success. Then, Malcolm was a devoted follower with the new surname "X"; he chose the "X" to signify his lost tribal name [biography of Malcolm X].
In 1959 two white policemen breaking up the street scuffle between some Negroes, ordered other Negro passers-by to “move on!” Among those Negroes, two were Muslims “brother Johnson Hinton and another brother of temple seven” [the biography of Malcolm X]. Johnson Hinton was attacked by the white policemen and his scalp was split open, then he was taken to the nearby precinct. When Malcolm saw Hinton he ordered an ambulance and the doctor says that a steel plate would have to be put into Hinton's skull “(after that operation, the nation of Islam helped him to sue, a jury awarded him over $70,000, the largest police brutality judgment that New York City has ever paid) [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.270).
“In Harlem, the world's most heavily populated black ghetto, the Amsterdam news made the whole story headline news and for the first time the black man, woman, and child in the streets was discussing 'those Muslims'” [The autobiography of Malcolm X pp.270]. After the jury awarded Hinton over $70,000, black Muslims caught journalists attention.
In the same year 1959 the journalist Louis Lomax asked Malcolm whether the nation of Islam would cooperate in being filmed as a television documentary program for the Mike Wallace show. Elijah Muhammad gave his consent and a cameraman began recording Muhammad and some minister including Malcolm X. “Every Muslim happily anticipated that now, through the white man's powerful communications media, our brainwashed black brothers and sisters across the United States, and devils, too, were going to see, hear, and read Mr. Muhammad's teachings which cut back and forth like a two-edge sword” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp. 272]. Through the white media communication, the nation of Islam was going to be watched for the first time ever.
David3
Black Muslims made their own efforts to employ the power of print. Malcolm X made an appointment to see editor James Hicks of the Amsterdam News. Hick said that he felt every voice in the community must be heard. Later, each week Amsterdam news carried a column that Malcolm X wrote. Then Muhammad agreed to write also a column for “that valuable Amsterdam News space” and Malcolm X's column was transferred to another black newspaper called “the Los Angeles Herald Dispatch”. Malcolm X always wanted to establish their own [black Muslims] newspaper, so what he did was, he went in the city where the Herald Dispatch was and he saw how newspaper was put together. “Every chance I had, I wrote some little news about interesting nation of Islam happenings. One day every month, I'd lock up in a room and assemble my material and pictures for a printer that I found” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp. 273]. The newspaper established by Malcolm X Muhammad Speaks which by the end of the decade would have a national circulation and by the time was the most widely read black owned newspaper in the country [Muhammad Speaks a trailblazer in the newspaper industry].
The producer Mike Wallace in his television program, shows Malcolm X introducing Elijah Muhammad Wallace said that Malcolm X had good news for black man and bad news for the white man; according to the producer, the good news for black man was that “he was about to recapture his position as the ruler of the universe” and the bad news for white man was that “his long and weak reign will be over” [PBS the hate that hate produced]. After Muhammad's speech the journalist Louis Lomax interviewed Malcolm and he asked him if a white man can join the temple and Malcolm answered that none of them has ever joined and the reason that people think that Muhammad teaches hate -explained Malcolm- is because Muhammad gives warnings to the Muslims to be careful. Muhammad compares white man to a snake, the devil! Even those words made white reporters angry. “White reporters, anger in their voices would call us 'demagogues'” [the autobiography of Malcolm X]. The press edited
David4
Malcolm’s answer; in his autobiography Malcolm says “but I don't care what points I made in the interviews, it practically never got printed the way I said it. I was learning under fire how the press, when it wants to, can twist, and slant. If I had said 'Mary had a little lamb', what probably would have appeared was 'Malcolm X lampoons Mary'”. In other words, the media try to edit the interviews and probably change the information to produce a violent reaction from the audience.
In 1959 “the hate that hate produced” brought a public reaction; in his autobiography Malcolm X said that “In America for centuries it had been just fine as long as the victimized, brutalized and exploited black people had been grinning and begging and 'Yessa, Massa'”. The big national weekly news magazines advertised: “hate-teachers”, “violence seekers”. The hate that hate produced became a controversial issue in the media. The television documentary by Mike Wallace -for instance, he introduced the documentary by the title “the hate that hate produced” and then Wallace said that a group of Negroes were taking the street corner, church pulpits and sports arenas across the United States. Wallace showed several pictures of a Muslim school in Chicago where “children were taught to hate white man” and how their clothes differed from Americans’ and showed Malcolm X with one of the five Negro newspapers in America. Wallace called Muhammad “the preacher gasper of hate” and then he showed the recorded video when Muhammad says that “white man is the greatest liar on earth”. After that once Malcolm X came up with the title “the hate that hate produced” the media changed, it was in almost everywhere, in newspapers, television programs, and even in his autobiography. Malcolm X explained that in his personal opinion the title the “hate...Hate” was responsible for the reaction. Lots of people were shocked because of the television documentary title, the hate that hate produced “in late 1959, the television program was aired 'the hate that hate produced'-the title-was edited tightly into a kaleidoscope of 'shocker' images” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.273]. The video shows black Muslims on their own restaurants, and their parish school. In other words, Muslims
David5
became independent, they had their own store.
In both media, the white and black press, it was hot copy and articles. Life, Look, Newsweek and Times reported black Muslims. According to Malcolm X, some newspapers chains began to run a series of three, four or five “exposures” of the nation of Islam. In other words, the medium were making their own opinions about the nation of Islam. The media made the black Muslims famous, they were in everywhere, in television documentaries, magazines and newspapers that by 1950’s were read worldwide like the reader's digest, “the reader's digest with its worldwide circulation of twenty-four million copies in thirteen languages carried an article titled 'Mr. Muhammad Speaks'” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.280].
According to Malcolm, in his biography he says that the reason that both, white and black (those who were not a member of the nation of Islam) people were against Elijah Muhammad's teaching was that Muhammad wanted to separate the Muslims from the white society and Malcolm X agreed with Muhammad. In the radio station, Malcolm said that every time he mentioned “separation” people had a reaction because they associated “separation” with “segregation” and then Malcolm X proceed to explain the difference between those words [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp. 283].
After the television documentary “the hate that hate produced” [title] by Mike Wallace, Dr. C. Eric Lincoln published a book called the black Muslims in America. Bringing even more attention toward the nation of Islam “the press snatched at that name. 'Black Muslims' was in all the book reviews, which quoted from the book only what was critical of us, and generally praised Dr. Lincoln's writing” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.284]. Once again, the Muslims were in all Medias, television Documentaries, radio stations, newspapers, and even in books whose author was Dr. Lincoln. The book The black Muslims in America was published in 1960. The book context is all about sociological exploration such as the black movement that back in the 1950s and 1960s was the big
David6 issue “Dr. C. Eric Lincoln originally published The Black Muslims in America in 1960. His study is a classic for several reasons. To begin, it is the first scholarly sociological exploration of a black movement” [website research]. According to the website, “no other black movement had such a unifying power and synergy to command such national attention” [American Muslim Perspective].
Malcolm X had a huge influence in the media back in the 1950s and 1960s. Specially the newspaper he established covered a wide issue in terms of race, crime, and it had a political cartoon. An example would be the Muhammad Speaks newspaper published in September 15 1962. It had an article in page eleven called “MR MUHAMMAD SPEAKS Some Of This Earth That We Can Call Our Own!”. What does that mean? The article talks about slaves and what they should do once the owner set them free. “We, the members of the original Black Nation of the earth, who were once lost from our own kind, are supposed to be free” [Muhammad Speaks sept. 15, 1962]. I consider that the reason that there were many public reaction toward the newspaper, because of the title. For instance, the Muhammad Speaks newspaper volume 1, no. 3 has and article on page 4 that read “THE EVILS OF RACIALLY MIXED SEX RELATIONS” [Muhammad Speaks January 1962]. In the interview between Louis Lomax and Malcolm X, said that Muhammad taught them (the Muslims) that there was not a serpent in the Eden garden and added that “the bible was written in symbols, and the serpent is the symbol to hide the real identity of the one who actually was” [PBS the hate that hate produced]. Malcolm X considered the “white man” as “evil” and that was the reason that there were many controversies in all the media.
Malcolm X changed the media in terms of events. Malcolm X dared to say out loud that “white man is the devil” in the Hate that Hate Produced” documentary. The news media was looking for Malcolm X even from different country “the calls naturally were directed to me, New York City being the major news-media headquarters, and I was the New York minister of Mr. Muhammad. Calls me,
David7
long-distance from San Francisco to Maine... from even London, Stockholm, Paris” [the autobiography of Malcolm X pp.276]. The media followed Malcolm X from everywhere, even from Europe.
The media is powerful. It can manipulate social issues; it can make a person and even a group like the nation of Islam famous. Moreover, Malcolm X who committed crime during his childhood and went to prison the media did not pay attention to him. However once he established the Muhammad Speaks newspaper, he became famous. Why? Because the media is interested in the people who make the difference in society. For instance, once Malcolm X established the newspaper, the news-media wanted to interview him. Louis Lomax asked Malcolm x for permission to film his speeches becoming Malcolm an important public image and all because the media made it possible.
Nowadays we do have the privilege to choose any newspaper we please. For instance, there are not newspapers specifically for “black nor white”. A “white” man can read the New York Times and a “black” man as well. There are not restrictions in terms of media. For example, in television documentaries, and movies we can see people of different races. Malcolm utilized newspaper columns, radio, and television to communicate the nation of Islam's message across the United States; I consider that was the important role and contribution to the mass media.
X, Malcolm, The Autobiography of Malcolm X. June 1973. New York: The Random House , 1964. Print.
"The Hate That Hate Produced." our media channel of creativity. Web. 27 Oct 2010.
Muhammad, Askia. “the final call." Muhammad Speaks A Trailblazer in the newspaper industry. N.p., 03-10-2000. Web. 27 Oct 2010.
Lincoln, eric. "American Muslims perspective." the black Muslims in America. N.p. December, 2004. Web. 27 Oct 2010.
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