The American Political and Social Landscape through Visual Communication (EC Blog)

On Thursday, October 28, 2010, I attended a presentation in the Annenberg Auditorium in which photographers Nina Berman and Jon Lowenstein displayed their a series of photos detailing American life. Nina Berman(created the collection Homeland and Purple Hearts) focused focused on documenting the lives of injured veterans. She felt that the images presented in the media about the Iraq War failed to give Americans a clear picture of the conditions abroad.She often pictured the men alone in a domestic setting in order to show the transition from a "warrior" to a disabled veteran.Throughout the discussion of her presentation Berman discussed the importance of showing the ordinary lives of individuals. She appeals to the emotions of her audience yet does not wish to place her work into a category of being anti-war or pro-war.She draws attention to their scars and lost limbs and uses her interviews to show how their ideas about war and being a soldier have changed. Often the men remarked that they joined the army because their liked the adrenaline-rush or feeling like heroes. However, they felt they had been denied the truth. In AMST 252 we often discuss the use of propaganda by the government and institutions to condone war and violence.

Berman's photo of War Veteran marrying High School Sweetheart

Lowenstein's photo of Immigrant workers

Jon Lowenstein (creator of the collection called Shadow Lives USA) instead focused on displaying the lives of immigrants. He wanted to provide Americans with pictures that displayed both sides of the issue. He stated that often people are led to believe immigrants only come to the U.S. to work while many are motivated to leave due to social unrest and violence. He wanted to use his photos to encourage people to create a solution that will benefit both groups. Just as we have discussed in Writing 140, Lowenstein sees the imporatnt of not only appealing to emotion but also informing his audience.His photos showed the obstacles people go through trying to cross the border and their determination.He called his audience to realize that immigrants are also entitled to the pursuit of happiness.

Logical Fallacies- Stirring Symbols aka "Flag Waving"

A recent ad by the Courage Campaign against Meg Whitman displays people standing in front of local buildings. The ad claims that she will make massive cuts and turn our state into "Meg's California". Rather provide evidence of her plans to do so or previous examples during which she has advocated budget cuts the ad using stirring pictures to gain the public's sympathy. One stirring image is the photo of a mother and child in front of Children's Hospital holding a closed sign.As intended, the ad is likely to draw the anger of parents who understand the importance of having adequate health care and hospitals for their family to seek medical assistance.


They associate Meg Whitman with the loss of schools,loss of City Hall(opportunities for individuals to question the government) and unemployment. The photo displayed throughout the ad insinuates that California will in essence become a tyranny with Meg Whitman as the dictator if elected. This ad appeals to emotion rather than providing viewers statistical data or other forms of hard evidence.All to often, voters fall for these tricks as they fail to inform themselves.Rather than making choices based off a emotional response to the ad, voters should do their research.

President Obama- October 22, 2010

While I didn't get to see President Obama up close and personal on Friday, I did get to hear his speech. His words as well as the presence of other celebrities made the event a memorable experience. I think it's important that he chose to come to USC. It helped bring the community on campus and inspired people to go out and vote on November 3rd. Often we get excited about people or events and don't do anything to follow-up. It's important that we take time out to really sit down and think about the experience.His message was crafted with a purpose.As college students at this university we need to take advantage of all opportunities to learn whether or not we agree with the message. We need to be informed before we head out to the polls.We cannot simply take the words of celebrities and politicians.

Sonia Nazario author of Enrique's Journey

Sonia Nazario's presentation on October 20, 2010 was truly life-changing.As the daughter of immigrants, I understood the numerous struggles that people undergo to reach America. However, I never considered the effects that immigration battle can have on children. Just like Sonia had never taken the time out to ask her housemaid about her children prior to the event, I too often fail to be considerate of the struggles other people face.I believe that sometimes we get so caught up in our lives that we can forget that there's "someone out there who has it worse that you".

Photo of a woman who lost both legs while trying to get onto the speeding train.

The figures were startling. She claimed that an estimated six thousand individuals had died trying to cross the border.Mothers and children also constitute much of the immigrant population. As mothers often struggle to bring their children from Latin America to provide them with better shelter, food and education.With people riding on top of trains and facing gains and corrupt police officers, it brings me to wonder why these individuals continue to try. Yet when she shares the story of the poor townspeople who offer their supplies to the people. I see the resilience of the human spirit and understand why.

Assignment # 3- Blog Entry # 2- During the Research Process

Often vilified throughout history books and films as the man who stood in opposition to the non-violent tactics fellow Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King , Jr. , Malcolm X tends to be overlooked when studying the great figures of that era. From an early age Malcolm was influenced by the ideas of black segregationist such as Marcus Garvey who advocated a sense of black nationalism. Raised in different regions throughout the Midwest, he witnessed the effects of racism and it's dehumanizing effects as he was made to believe he could never be as successful as white men.




While serving his sentence of seven years Malcolm X became dedicated to his studies. Prison proved to be a place were he could further his education. He was drawn to the Nation of Islam after his brother visited him in prison to discuss how his faith had changed him. For the most part historians agree that Malcolm was probably drawn to the Blue-eyed Devil theory of the white man in part because his father was killed by a white vigilante group for his participation in black activist groups.
Despite claims of reporters throughout the era stating that Malcolm preached violence it must be noted that he he truly advocated self-defense. He tried to instill a sense of pride within Africans Americans . He wanted them to under that they came from a long history of oppressed people and that the cycle would only continue unless they learned their value and fought for their rights.

Assignment #3- Malcolm X

"Martin Luther King Jr. helped blacks get justice. He advocate the use of non-violent civil disobedience, a tactic first practiced by Ghandi", this statement sums up much of what I learned about the Civil Rights' Era throughout elementary school and high school. Much of the emphasis was placed on the work of MLK Jr., as books portrayed him as savior of the black population. Figures whose ideas proved too controversial or seemed "unpatriotic" were often dismissed . Malcolm X, a one-time member of the Nation of Islam an organization which approved of segragation and believed that African Americans should set up separate institutions for themselves, was a devote follower of Elijah Muhammed. Though he later left the organization due to a conflict of beliefs, Malcolm X rose to fame due to his period and gained a wide variety of followers who were attracted to his  intelligent and straightforward speech.

 He was an influential figure of the period whose ideas on the issue of racism and injustice evolved with the growth of his faith. Though known mostly for his controversial statements, the transformation of Malcolm X and his contributions to the Civil Rights Era should be studied. His position differed from that of MLK Jr. and other contemporaries, yet it is important that students nationwide understand the dynamics of the era and that not all individuals agreed with the tactics of organizations such as NAACP and SCLC.The legacy of Malcolm X lives on throughout several communities rather than just evaluate this figure by his words it is important to understand his position and how the institution of religion also played a role in this movement.

Cairo mosque, Sept. 1964
Photo by John Launois/Black Star

Assignment #3- Civil Rights Riots

"Martin Luther King helped blacks get justice. He called for  the use of non-violent civil disobedience, a practice begun by Ghandi in India", this statement sums up much of what I was taught about the Civil Rights Era throughout elementary school and high school. While some teachers did mention the violence blacks and whites advocating equality faced from police officers and vigilante mobs, they often failed to mention many of the less known "heroes" who gave their lives to further the struggle. Throughout the 1960s a series of riots occurred throughout American cities as a result of the culminating tensions between blacks and whites. I wish to place and study three key riots: Detroit riot of 1967,Harlem riot of 1964 and the Watts riot of 1965.

These riots often foreshadowed much of the violence that was to come as blacks remained angry at the lack of equality in schools, housing, police brutality and a variety of other issues. The riots are key part to understanding the history of the Civil Rights era and show that not all individuals followed King's call for non-violent civil disobedience.Whereas in some cases the riots were the result of retaliation after an incident of police brutality , in others they were peaceful demonstrations gone wrong. This information is a good candidate for re-evaluation as it will help students to better grasp an understanding of the social conditions of the U.S. and to understand that the Civil Rights Era is about more than just a bus boycott.