The Role of Media in our Lives

How much influence does the media have on our lives?




Do we, as the human race, have the power to block out what they are telling us and make our own decisions and choices?



Who is ultimately responsible for what the media "feeds" us?

Think about "messages" that the media has given you in the past about a story or a situation or a group of people. Have any of these messages ever angered you?
How far does a journalist go to "get a story"; or how far SHOULD he go to get a story?

And now the 6 million dollar questions:
SHOULD THE MEDIA EVER BE CENSORED?

What about this example of a regular radio broadcast in Rwanda prior to the genocide of 1994:
"You have to kill the Tutsis; they're cockroaches.
All those who are listening, rise so we can fight for our Rwanda. Fight with the weapons you have at your disposal: those who have arrows, use arrows. Those who have spears, use spears. We must all fight.
We must all fight the Tutsis. We must finish them, exterminate them, sweep them from the whole country. There must be no refuge for them.
They must be exterminated. There is no other way."

Here is an example of the media attempting to SWAY its audience:
Here is an example... MOSQUE AT GROUND ZERO

How do we BLOCK it out and make our own decisions?

Part 2- In Class Writing

Part 2 (Chapters 4-6)

Describe Loung's behavior in these chapters. Is her behavior that of a "typical spoiled five year old"?

The Power of Words

As you consider Maya Angelou's poem "The Calling of Names", think about this incident that happened on April 4, 2007.

Meet Don Imus, radio talk show host:


Meet the Rutgers University Lady's Basketball Team:



During a discussion about the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, Imus characterized the Rutgers University women's basketball team players as "rough girls" commenting on their tattoos.

His executive producer Bernard McGuirk responded by referring to them as "hardcore hos". The discussion continued with Imus describing the girls as "nappy-headed hos" and McGuirk remarking that the two teams looked like the "jigaboos versus the wannabes" mentioned in Spike Lee's film, School Daze; apparently referring to the two teams' differing appearances.

IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and—

McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.

IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some—whew. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like—kinda like—I don't know.

McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.

IMUS: Yeah.

McGUIRK: The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes—that movie that he had.

After some outrage from the initial repeated reports, Imus dismissed the incident as "some idiot comment meant to be amusing".

Imus immediately issued a statement of apology:
I want to take a moment to apologize for an insensitive and ill-conceived remark we made the other morning regarding the Rutgers women's basketball team, which lost to Tennessee in the NCAA championship game on Tuesday. It was completely inappropriate and we can understand why people were offended. Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, and we are sorry.

Imus said, "Our agenda is to be funny and sometimes we go too far. And this time we went way too far. Here's what I've learned: that you can't make fun of everybody, because some people don't deserve it."


Should Imus have been fired?
Is there ever an "appropriate" time for name-calling?
What effect can name-calling have on society?

Here is what poet Maya Angelou had to say on the subject; as you listen think about the words of her poem "The Calling of Names" that we have analyzed earlier today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n9Pq1LNLwM

What were The Killing Fields?

This film was released in 1984 and follows the story of an American journalist, Sydney Schanberg and Dith Pran, his Cambodian interpreter and fellow journalist. They have been working in the Cambodia, reporting the events of the civil war that was going on in the early 1970s. However, in 1975 everything changed.

On April 17, 1975, Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh, fell under the control of the Khmer Rouge, the communist guerilla group led by Pol Pot. They forced all city residents into the countryside and to labor camps. During the three years, eight months, and 20 days of Pol Pot’s rule, Cambodia faced its darkest days, an estimated 2 million Cambodians or 30% of the country’s population died by starvation, torture or execution. Almost every Cambodian family lost at least one relative during this gruesome holocaust.

________________________________________
Pol Pot's Year O

Pol Pot declared 'Year Zero' when Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975. He immediately directed a ruthless program to "purify" Cambodian society of capitalism, Western culture, religion and all foreign influences. He wanted to create Cambodia into an isolated and totally self-sufficient state. Anyone who opposed was killed. Foreigners were expelled, embassies closed, and the currency abolished. Markets, schools, newspapers, religious practices and private property were forbidden. The police, public servants, military officers, teachers, ethnic Vietnamese, Christian clergy, Muslim leaders, members of the Cham Muslim minority, members of the middle-class and the educated were identified and executed.

The country's entire population was forced to relocate to the agricultural labor camps, the so-called "killing fields". Inmates lived in primitive conditions. Families were separated. Former city residents were subjected to unending political indoctrination and brainwashing. Children were encouraged to spy on adults, including their parents.

An estimated 1.5 - 3 million worked or starved to death, died of disease or exposure, or were executed for committing crimes. These crimes which were punishable by death included: not working hard enough, complaining about living conditions, collecting or stealing food for personal consumption, wearing jewelry, engaging in sexual relations, grieving over the loss of relatives or friends and expressing religious sentiments

________________________________________

"We will be the first nation to create a completely Communist country without wasting our time on the intermediate steps." -Khmer Rouge Minister of Defense, Son Sen

"To spare you is no profit, to destroy you is no loss." -Khmer Rouge slogan

________________________________________

It is at this point we find Sydney Schanberg and Dith Pran. Sydney has been sent back to the United States, but his Cambodia colleague is forced to stay and sent to a work camp in the Killing Fields. Sydney is struggling to understand just who is responsible for these atrocities while his friend is struggling to stay alive.
________________________________________

An Introduction to "First They Killed my Father"

Watch the following photo story and answer these questions: What do you see? What do you know? What do you feel? What do you wonder?



The Cambodian Killing Fields lasted 3 years and 8 months and 20 days. But what were they? Who were the victims? And who were the guilty parties that caused them? All of these questions, as well as many others, will be answered as we follow the journey of Loung Ung in