The following quote was produced by a first year student in college (university) in America in the 1980s. The student had never read any books by the famous author Horatio Alger, but had heard of the message/s that his stories, essentially Ragged Dick, stood for.
"A young child dreams of being rich and of some day being a famous business tycoon. He goes to school and studies hard. The hard work pays off by his receiving many scholarships for his higher education. After graduation he receives numerous job offers from very prestigious firms from all over the world. He starts at the bottom of the business ladder and works his way up to be a top executive."
The message from Alger that hard work eventually pays off and earns oneself a better living is infamous.It has become something of an American myth. From the beginning America has been known as the 'land of dreams', where anything (if not most things) as possible in regards to financial and business success.
In reality America is a vast and varied land. However unlike the numerous stories that has been told about the USA, America is not a country in which luck comes in abundance and to everyone. many people that have travelled to the country in search of the 'American Dream" have not found it. The part of Alger's message in which you essentially get what you work for is, on the other hand, is quite historically accurate. Nonetheless, this is so for most people in whichever country they end up in, thus dimming the exceptionally bright light that seems to have been focussed on the United States.
In spite of this America continues to be an internationally recognised pinnacle of aspiration. It is such stories as Ragged Dick that have have successfully contributed to upholding the concept of the infamous 'American Dream'.
Source: http://faculty.atu.edu/cbrucker/Alger.html
Sunday 16 January 2011
Tuesday 7 December 2010
Another Dramatic Maybelline Advert ...
Firstly the advert questions the viewr as to whether the prefer/are happy with 'normal lipstick'. As you would expect, especially from the perspective of a non-American looking in on American culture, America is never satisfied, and refuses to be sated by the 'normal' and standard - you only have to look at the variety and volume of commodities, from gadgets to clothes available in the USA today for evidence. The answer to being happy with the norm is essentially no, especially when lipstick is (portrayed in the advert as) a sensual tool.
The image of the flower implicitly allows the lipstick to be compared to the bright, attractive colours of nature, inferring that it is somehow only natural to own this lipstick; as if it is only as natural as nature itself.
The image of the New York skyscrapers acts, I feel in this advert, as a reminder of where the product originates from: the 'big apple' of New York, one of the internationally recognized cities of style and influence. A subtle suggestion of patriotic sentiment can also be detected here, as well as the impression the America is reminding the large number of international viewers of this advert, of the USA's clout in the world. The scene of the taxis driving by reinforces the USA's character (as yellow taxis are easily recognized), and therefore uniqueness.
The women smiling towards the end of the advert displays how the item has made her happy; the pathetic-fallacy-type display ofthe flower petals emphasizes this, conveying the importance of material items in US culture.
The lipstick ultimatel makes the police officers prettier and does the same for the ordinary girl on the bike. This again adavnces the case that the advert is putting across: that this material commodity will enhance your life in numerous ways.
This essentially is the essence of the USA's 'consumer culture' that is often highlighted, and in turn imitated by the rest of the world.
The iPad is...
This advert for the Apple iPad is a recent advert, which a handful of similar adverts are on at the moment. The iPad is a tablet computer made by Apple. It was released earlier this year in America in April. The iPad seems to boast many practical features such as Internet browsing, word processing, and many other such activities that can be downloaded on the app store. The Use value is very obvious of a tablet computer, much like a laptop. It can access the Internet, its portable, you can use it anywhere really. It can take the place of a book, or a newspaper. Its a multi-purpose gadget that is supposed to revolutionize the way we interact with media.
The Exchange value of the iPad is probably quite drastic. Seeing as they are going for £450 for the average iPad, they were probably produced and manufactured for far cheaper. The iPad, even though a very American product (being produced by an American company, advertised to an American/worldwide audience) it has been manufactured in middle eastern countries such as Chine and Indonesia. This Exchange value, is very clear that Apple is gaining rather great profits. Whilst we all fall for it and buy this product. Helping the capitalist machine continue to run.
Finally the Symbolic value of the iPad is quite clear really. The images you associate with the iPad is the multi-tasking ability. The amount of money you spend on it, generally gives the impression you are quite well off. Well enough to throw money at the iPad. It also gives off the impression that having the iPad means you are pretty clued in on technology and are accepting this new portable computer that is revolutionising the portable computer market, as well as the medium of the Internet. And to be honest, if I had enough disposable money, I would most probably buy one. The iPad, is like the iPhone 4, people seem to aspire to have one, to be at the top of the technological pyramid.
Project Natal (Kinect)
The Kinect is the newest addition to Microsoft's Xbox 360, this piece of software encourages the audience to become more envolved in gaming as it enables them to 'become the controller'. Microsoft's Xbox 360 is one of the highest selling game consoles of all time and evidently is sought after by many people, therefore the release of this new add-on is very likely to be successful as people will want to add to the gaming repertoire. The Kinect, or formally Project Natal, is a camera which recognises the gamers body shape and then uses this to create an animated character on screen which you can then use by moving your body parts to play games. The Kinect is designed to compete with the Wii (Nintendo) which is the leader in console sales and is a similar style of gameplay.
This advert for the Kinect shows a number of different people playing the console, the advert includes lots of different demographics though, as there are people of all races and genders. Also the advert identifies that Kinect can be played be people no matter there profession, as we see a man in business atire playing it but also a sports team and children, amongst others. The feeling I get from this advert is that Kinect is targeted unspecifically and tries to attract a mass audience.
The Exchange Value of the Kinect like most new technological advancements to come out of America, would be quite high. The reccomended retail price for the Kinect is £129 but it is estimated that it only costs Microsoft £44 to make, so therefore the would be making a substantial profit. Also the Symbolic Value of the Kinect is very clear, as the price tag is quite high, it would indicate that the owner would be quite affluent, but also owning one of these indicates to someone that you are an avid gamer who always purchases the next best thing when concerning game consoles. Yet the irony of it all is that it won't be long before the Kinect is outdated and the Kinect 2 hits the shelves and everyone is pressured into buying the new model so that they are not outdated themselves.
Horatio Alger
The phrase 'Horatio Alger' is a phrase which embeds the American Dream, his stories often used the concept of rags-to-riches to show how the American Dream works, this is seen in his novel 'Ragged Dick'. In which the protagonist Dick who is a poor boot black but through the pursuit of happiness, Dick goes on to become a well paid clerk and a 'spectable' young man. The use of this phrase as a contemporary saying is difficult to find, however the concept itself that Alger developed is still a very prominent ideal in modern day America.
The film 'The Pursuit of Happiness' was released in 2006 and stars Will Smith, this film is based on the true story of how Christopher Gardener achieved the American Dream going from rags-to-riches. The story is very fitting to many poor people in America juggling many jobs and struggling to pay the rent and survive, however it shows how the American Dream can be achieved for those who have the drive and desire to better their lives.
Horatio Alger, in my opinion, tried to portray this message that with desire and a wanting to have a better quality of life, in America, it can be achieved with the right work ethic. This film, which is based on a true story encapsulates Alger's idea. If the phrase were used today to describe the American Dream, then a story such as this would certainly be an example.
However the 'Horatio Alger Myth' which is a criticism of Alger's stories would also apply to such an film, as it glamorizes the American Dream and some people may believe provides an unrealistic account of how the American Dream can be achieved. Therefore I believe that Horatio Alger's ideals are outdated as this idea that was seen in 'Ragged Dick' of rags-to-riches, is not so telling in today's society.
3D LED TV by Samsung
This week I have chosen to look at one of the latest advertisements for the new 3D TVs available in America in 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xshgWuZmC6k
The commercial starts off with a typical family day out to the Sea Life Centre. I think this is to show that before you even know what the product is, it is for every typical American family and therefore easily accessible.
The Father then pulls out a box which has fish in it and it is 3D. They then drive home with the box on the roof and he puts the box into the television. This shows that this new TV can give you a realistic feel and a whole new dimension to enjoyment of TV.
I picked on the line "Have you ever wondered how amazing it would be to experience life in another dimension?". This is saying "well now you can", and tempting you to think about the question and want to buy the TV.
The Values...
The use Values of this product is pretty simple as it is to be used for consumer enjoyment and leisure. The Value as a commodity is that there is a new phenomenon of 3D TVs being brought at the same time, therefore there is competition. Samsung, in my opinion, is known as a good, reliable brand and therefore are more expensive than a lesser known brand name.
The symbolic value of this product is a little more complex. It really depends on sort of person you are and how high-tech you are. The advert suggests that it is for average families, however in reality this TV is worth thousands of Dollars.
So this links back to the lecture as you could buy a fountain pen that is used for writing that would also do the same job as a Monte Blanc pen. Likewise you could possibly find a 3D TV that wasn't a well known brand name that still did the same job yet it wouldn't have the same respectability and would not show what class you are in terms of wealth.
It would be very difficult to personalise your Samsung 3D TV as you would not put a huge scratch in the middle of the screen. In the lecture we discussed putting rips or dying our jeans to make them more individual. With electrical products it is increasingly difficult to make them different to everyone's 3D TV.
To some people having a 3D TV seems like the best thing in the world however to other people they would aspire to have one and in a way this gives a good indication to the person they are.
This week I have chosen to look at one of the latest advertisements for the new 3D TVs available in America in 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xshgWuZmC6k
The commercial starts off with a typical family day out to the Sea Life Centre. I think this is to show that before you even know what the product is, it is for every typical American family and therefore easily accessible.
The Father then pulls out a box which has fish in it and it is 3D. They then drive home with the box on the roof and he puts the box into the television. This shows that this new TV can give you a realistic feel and a whole new dimension to enjoyment of TV.
I picked on the line "Have you ever wondered how amazing it would be to experience life in another dimension?". This is saying "well now you can", and tempting you to think about the question and want to buy the TV.
The Values...
The use Values of this product is pretty simple as it is to be used for consumer enjoyment and leisure. The Value as a commodity is that there is a new phenomenon of 3D TVs being brought at the same time, therefore there is competition. Samsung, in my opinion, is known as a good, reliable brand and therefore are more expensive than a lesser known brand name.
The symbolic value of this product is a little more complex. It really depends on sort of person you are and how high-tech you are. The advert suggests that it is for average families, however in reality this TV is worth thousands of Dollars.
So this links back to the lecture as you could buy a fountain pen that is used for writing that would also do the same job as a Monte Blanc pen. Likewise you could possibly find a 3D TV that wasn't a well known brand name that still did the same job yet it wouldn't have the same respectability and would not show what class you are in terms of wealth.
It would be very difficult to personalise your Samsung 3D TV as you would not put a huge scratch in the middle of the screen. In the lecture we discussed putting rips or dying our jeans to make them more individual. With electrical products it is increasingly difficult to make them different to everyone's 3D TV.
To some people having a 3D TV seems like the best thing in the world however to other people they would aspire to have one and in a way this gives a good indication to the person they are.
Monday 6 December 2010
Glee Commercial
Glee is, to me, the most important television show on right now. And the commercial I’m focusing on is that for the DVD for the complete season one.
The commercial starts off with a Madonna rendition, which is a change from their most popular song (“Don’t Stop Believin’”). I really think it is placed there from a very advertising point of view, as Madonna is huge all around the world. It kind of seems that the producers are trying to show that Madonna is a fan, so, everyone else should be too.
The rest of the clips are some of the shows popular moments, showing the favourite characters (Sue Sylvester).
I picked up on the line “Mercedes is black, and I’m gay. We make culture” because it zones on the variation of minorities the show picks up on. And, the show as a whole has literally a person to connect to for everyone.
Linking it to the values which were discussed in class…
The use value of this product is simply, to watch it for enjoyment of the consumer. But the symbolic value really depends on who you are and your thoughts on the show. The value is dependent on what the status and word “Glee” means. Because even though it is out there for everyone, the way it affects each person, is different. So individuality can be brought in. So it links, to when in the lecture, we were talking about how jeans can ever be individual because they are mass produced. So instead of ripping or customising, we can have difference in the way we feel about “Glee”.
For some people, having the Glee DVD means nothing and really doesn’t appeal, whereas to others, it’s everything and it very much describes the type of person.
I also think that Glee is somewhat changing the culture of America (and if not the whole country, at least the people who watch it). Because it shows the transformation the country has gone through regarding stereotypes and sexuality. And I think it links to the reading of this week, because there was a section which spoke about the globalization of America, as McDonalds are placed nearly everywhere. And with Glee, it is now shown in over 30 countries.
Thursday 2 December 2010
Horatio Alger
During this weeks Blog task I came to the conclusion that it was going to be difficult to research Horatio Alger as he is not as well known as he maybe was 20 years after his death. This week I have decided to look at the Horatio Alger Association.
"The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles."
This quote is still related to the book and society in the 21st Century. Ragged Dick in the book has to work hard to get where he ends up. This would not be possible without determination and the aspiration to be a high achiever. In today's society this ideal is obviously still very huge part of American life. (This is also known as the "American Dream"). Again today without a hard work ethic and elbow grease you will not go very far. This is very much the same as Johnny Nolan.
International Horatio Alger Award
"The Horatio Alger Association annually presents the International Horatio Alger Award to a citizen of another country. As with the Horatio Alger Award, recipients of this award must have overcome humble beginnings and/or adversity to achieve success. They serve as outstanding role models to the international community and are committed to the Association's mission of encouraging and educating today's young people."
This award indicates that Alger's ideas of the "American Dream" also exist in countries all over the world. It still requires a the same sort of aspirations and the will to do well in life. Therefore countries all over the world do have "Americanized" ideals and aspire to achieve them. I have to stress that this association isn't to make you rich (Rags to Riches) but what was mentioned in this weeks lecture - Rages to Respectability. The awards on the website are just a stepping stone the right direction.
It is clear to see that Alger has not been totally forgotten and his theories are still very much a guide to a happy and fulfilling life.
http://www.horatioalger.com/index.cfm
During this weeks Blog task I came to the conclusion that it was going to be difficult to research Horatio Alger as he is not as well known as he maybe was 20 years after his death. This week I have decided to look at the Horatio Alger Association.
"The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles."
This quote is still related to the book and society in the 21st Century. Ragged Dick in the book has to work hard to get where he ends up. This would not be possible without determination and the aspiration to be a high achiever. In today's society this ideal is obviously still very huge part of American life. (This is also known as the "American Dream"). Again today without a hard work ethic and elbow grease you will not go very far. This is very much the same as Johnny Nolan.
International Horatio Alger Award
"The Horatio Alger Association annually presents the International Horatio Alger Award to a citizen of another country. As with the Horatio Alger Award, recipients of this award must have overcome humble beginnings and/or adversity to achieve success. They serve as outstanding role models to the international community and are committed to the Association's mission of encouraging and educating today's young people."
This award indicates that Alger's ideas of the "American Dream" also exist in countries all over the world. It still requires a the same sort of aspirations and the will to do well in life. Therefore countries all over the world do have "Americanized" ideals and aspire to achieve them. I have to stress that this association isn't to make you rich (Rags to Riches) but what was mentioned in this weeks lecture - Rages to Respectability. The awards on the website are just a stepping stone the right direction.
It is clear to see that Alger has not been totally forgotten and his theories are still very much a guide to a happy and fulfilling life.
http://www.horatioalger.com/index.cfm
Tuesday 30 November 2010
Alger Today
After trying to research a detailed report on Horatio Alger in today’s society I obviously came to the end where it isn’t going to be that simple. But it seems that he isn’t at all forgotten. He is mentioned in two news articles I found, focusing on the celebrity life of America.
The first was an article involving Jay-Z’s beginning in life and before his career spectacularly shot into our world. The news article only mentions Alger once:
“And the basic outlines of his Horatio Alger story are well known: his childhood in Bed-Stuy during the crack epidemic; his father's departure from the family, leaving him "a kid torn apart"; his career as a dealer, "tryin' to come up/in the game and add a couple of dollar signs to my name"; his debut album, "Reasonable Doubt," in 1996; his ascent as a rap star, followed by his success as a producer, an entrepreneur and a chief executive ("I'm not a businessman/I'm a business, man.").”
The second article was focusing on the recent book of Portia De Rossi, and the downfall of celebrity’s effect on people who follow them:
“In her new memoir, Unbearable Lightness, de Rossi kicks up the wormy underbelly of a Hollywood Horatio Alger story: Aussie moves to L.A., finds fame on TV, happily marries the most prominent lesbian in Hollywood, Ellen DeGeneres. But the reality was far grimmer.”
Both assume that the reader understands the term “Horatio Alger story”. The rags-to-riches (or rags-to-respectability that was mentioned in our lecture) story is still around today. But the point both articles actually make is that the story is never simple. And this is exactly what Alger was trying to point out to the adult readers of “Ragged Dick”. These tricky situations that Dick first encountered still happen today but in an obvious more 21st century way. Instead of children living on the streets (although, of course that does still happen), people need to be aware of drugs, eating disorders and self-harm.
But then, as noted in our lecture, and in the lives of Jay-Z and Portia De Rossi, who have to be open to chance. Jay-Z nor Portia would be where they are if the first event didn’t trigger the rest.
Alger’s respectability is still well known today and even though his fame came after his death, it seems that America uses it as a bases to route they can go through. They can place themselves on the line of one of his characters and use it to travel through the success.
But as the second article is from a Canadian news post, it isn’t just American’s that are familiar and use Horatio in their lives.
Jay-Z: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101128/ENT03/11290304/1028/ENT/Jay-Z-explores-life-in-Decoded-
Wednesday 24 November 2010
NRA vs Handgun Control battle it out over Gun Control.
This week, I have chosen two websites, one is the official American NRA website, the other is Handgun Control official website. Obviously these two have very opposing opinions on gun control in America!
Pro-Gun.
The website for the NRA, is very official, linking you to many different projects the NRA back. There is a link on how to join, how to contribute to the website and association. It also has a link to the Legislation's and Policy issues, all about gun control. This website is clearly backing gun control. There are many programmes on gun control, such as safety issues and competitive shooting. The NRA is very clear on responsible gun control, and obviously is proud to teach people how to use guns, and get certain gun laws passed. On the homepage of the website it has links to NRA's top stories, NRA in the media and Legislative alerts to do with gun control. Though the one thing I have noticed in comparison with the other website, is the lack of people depicted on their website. Surely it would come across better, if there were pictures of people using guns safely, instead of no pictures of people, and the first image that pops into your head when you think of the NRA is a gun. Its kind of got bad connotations in a way. Though in the corner of the website there is a picture of the American Eagle on the American Flag, which is safe to say pretty cliche when it comes to America. If you are part of the NRA, you are an American. Which in short is saying if you have a gun, you are an American.
Source.
Anti-Gun
The Anti-Gun website I found was Handgun Control. Right from the very beginning, there is the American colours of red, white and blue. This is clearly to say if you support Handgun Control, you are a good American. What also sticks out is the constant news feed of gun related news, such as one of the headlines is "Gun Control Supporters From Both Parties Win Senate Seats." This is clearly bad news for Handgun Control, and inspires the people of Handgun Control to rally against this. Something interesting I found was how to join Handgun Control. Its very in your face on the front page, unlike the NRA where you have to click through some links to get there. This is clearly wanting people to join immediately with their cause to get rid of guns, or at least limit their abilities drastically. But I think the most important thing on the website itself is in the top right hand corner, It has a counter of people shot in America this year so far, and people who have been shot today. These numbers are quite scary if you look at them for the first time. Its obviously trying to provoke you to join their cause, and to stop this amount of people dying from guns. Its got a clear message that guns are bad, and America can do without them. To back this up as well, is a link to Victims and Advocates. This is showing the more personal side to gun control, seeing as these people have lost, or have been shot by people with guns. Its an emotional back up for their main message. In a way this is a very clever tactic.
Source.
Pro-Gun.
The website for the NRA, is very official, linking you to many different projects the NRA back. There is a link on how to join, how to contribute to the website and association. It also has a link to the Legislation's and Policy issues, all about gun control. This website is clearly backing gun control. There are many programmes on gun control, such as safety issues and competitive shooting. The NRA is very clear on responsible gun control, and obviously is proud to teach people how to use guns, and get certain gun laws passed. On the homepage of the website it has links to NRA's top stories, NRA in the media and Legislative alerts to do with gun control. Though the one thing I have noticed in comparison with the other website, is the lack of people depicted on their website. Surely it would come across better, if there were pictures of people using guns safely, instead of no pictures of people, and the first image that pops into your head when you think of the NRA is a gun. Its kind of got bad connotations in a way. Though in the corner of the website there is a picture of the American Eagle on the American Flag, which is safe to say pretty cliche when it comes to America. If you are part of the NRA, you are an American. Which in short is saying if you have a gun, you are an American.
Source.
Anti-Gun
The Anti-Gun website I found was Handgun Control. Right from the very beginning, there is the American colours of red, white and blue. This is clearly to say if you support Handgun Control, you are a good American. What also sticks out is the constant news feed of gun related news, such as one of the headlines is "Gun Control Supporters From Both Parties Win Senate Seats." This is clearly bad news for Handgun Control, and inspires the people of Handgun Control to rally against this. Something interesting I found was how to join Handgun Control. Its very in your face on the front page, unlike the NRA where you have to click through some links to get there. This is clearly wanting people to join immediately with their cause to get rid of guns, or at least limit their abilities drastically. But I think the most important thing on the website itself is in the top right hand corner, It has a counter of people shot in America this year so far, and people who have been shot today. These numbers are quite scary if you look at them for the first time. Its obviously trying to provoke you to join their cause, and to stop this amount of people dying from guns. Its got a clear message that guns are bad, and America can do without them. To back this up as well, is a link to Victims and Advocates. This is showing the more personal side to gun control, seeing as these people have lost, or have been shot by people with guns. Its an emotional back up for their main message. In a way this is a very clever tactic.
Source.
Tuesday 23 November 2010
Gun Control (Pro vs. Anti)
Brief Argument for Gun Control
In the above video Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign, gives statistics that provide reason to beleive that the activity of guns should at least be controlled, if not banned completely. The fact that an American is stating such facts is somewhat refreshing as there seems to be a general assumption that all Americans are in support of their so-called 'gun culture'. It should thus be noted that not all Americans feel it is necessary to have a gun as part of their 'freedom'.
Website Arguing against Gun Control
On the other hand, the usual argument that the Constitution allows, in 'the introductory clause "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state"' can be seen as just as valid: Even though the clause is subject to interpretation in regards to its meaning, the fact that such a proposition hade been put forward such a long time ago gives it a little more standing.
Personally the figures of how many casualities there are in America due to the regulations concerning guns and their handling/usage, the argument for gun control is more convincing. When looking at lives, of which cannot be replaced once taken, the usage of guns is evidently not being taken as seriously as it should. Furthermore learning that guns are now produced especially for children, in 'kid-size' version, is even more frightening as children cannot fully understand what they hold in their hands when in possession of such a device.
A gun does have the potential to bring about freedom as it can ultimateky eliminate danger. However, this is/will/can be done only by taking life, and life is something that humans cannot duplicate, but only replace with another. In addition it seems that their attitude towards gun violence, for example the war in Iraq, is taken somewhat lightly in comparison to the rest of the world, and could easily be extended to more hazardous devices, such as nuclear bombs as displayed in the Cold War. This slightly contradicts America's portryed ideology that every individual is important when in search of that all important 'American Dream', as guns do not discriminate between individuals but rather bring anonymity to its victim - life cannot be duplicated, but a gunshot easily can.
In the above video Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign, gives statistics that provide reason to beleive that the activity of guns should at least be controlled, if not banned completely. The fact that an American is stating such facts is somewhat refreshing as there seems to be a general assumption that all Americans are in support of their so-called 'gun culture'. It should thus be noted that not all Americans feel it is necessary to have a gun as part of their 'freedom'.
Website Arguing against Gun Control
On the other hand, the usual argument that the Constitution allows, in 'the introductory clause "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state"' can be seen as just as valid: Even though the clause is subject to interpretation in regards to its meaning, the fact that such a proposition hade been put forward such a long time ago gives it a little more standing.
Personally the figures of how many casualities there are in America due to the regulations concerning guns and their handling/usage, the argument for gun control is more convincing. When looking at lives, of which cannot be replaced once taken, the usage of guns is evidently not being taken as seriously as it should. Furthermore learning that guns are now produced especially for children, in 'kid-size' version, is even more frightening as children cannot fully understand what they hold in their hands when in possession of such a device.
A gun does have the potential to bring about freedom as it can ultimateky eliminate danger. However, this is/will/can be done only by taking life, and life is something that humans cannot duplicate, but only replace with another. In addition it seems that their attitude towards gun violence, for example the war in Iraq, is taken somewhat lightly in comparison to the rest of the world, and could easily be extended to more hazardous devices, such as nuclear bombs as displayed in the Cold War. This slightly contradicts America's portryed ideology that every individual is important when in search of that all important 'American Dream', as guns do not discriminate between individuals but rather bring anonymity to its victim - life cannot be duplicated, but a gunshot easily can.
Gun Control
Anti-gun Control
Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is committed to preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
I found a very interesting page on this website where there is a list of National Organisations and there was well over 150 across the United States. In many instances, these organizations lent their name in support specific campaigns to pass anti-gun legislation's. Many of these organisations were listed as "Campaign Partners," for having pledged to fight any efforts to repeal the Brady Act and the Clinton "assault weapons" ban. All have officially endorsed anti-gun positions. Following, there is a list of Celebrities and national figures speaking out for anti-gun legislation and providing a voice for anti-gun organisations and causes.
The home page for this website is very official and has many advertisements to try and get you involved in anti-gun campaigns. The other aspect that strikes me is that there is merchandise that can be purchased such as baseball caps and T-Shirts. This is a very typical American image of American attire.
http://www.nraila.org/
Pro-Gun Control
One of the most obvious things i noticed about this website was the fact that there is a huge American flag with a large gun over the top of it followed by the second amendment. What struck me as interesting was the fact that when you put the cursor over a category it came up with a picture a bullet. This gives a clear indication of the ideals of this website.
I was not surprised to see that many of the advertisements are promoted by the Tea Party and other organisations that are Pro gun ownership.
To the left of the homepage there is a a short slide show which is very powerful in my opinion. The words say "Don;t forget what happened". Following these words there are a series of pictures from the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers and people dead or seriously injured. This is a clear indication that guns are needed to protect yourself, your homes and your families from any outside threat.
At the very bottom of the page there is a small picture of a pink gun. As it is a Pro gun website for women it is quite fitting that they use a stereotypical "girls colour" to show the femininity and in a way to show that women can be seen as looking good with a gun.
http://www.armedfemalesofamerica.com/
Anti-gun Control
Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is committed to preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
I found a very interesting page on this website where there is a list of National Organisations and there was well over 150 across the United States. In many instances, these organizations lent their name in support specific campaigns to pass anti-gun legislation's. Many of these organisations were listed as "Campaign Partners," for having pledged to fight any efforts to repeal the Brady Act and the Clinton "assault weapons" ban. All have officially endorsed anti-gun positions. Following, there is a list of Celebrities and national figures speaking out for anti-gun legislation and providing a voice for anti-gun organisations and causes.
The home page for this website is very official and has many advertisements to try and get you involved in anti-gun campaigns. The other aspect that strikes me is that there is merchandise that can be purchased such as baseball caps and T-Shirts. This is a very typical American image of American attire.
http://www.nraila.org/
Pro-Gun Control
One of the most obvious things i noticed about this website was the fact that there is a huge American flag with a large gun over the top of it followed by the second amendment. What struck me as interesting was the fact that when you put the cursor over a category it came up with a picture a bullet. This gives a clear indication of the ideals of this website.
I was not surprised to see that many of the advertisements are promoted by the Tea Party and other organisations that are Pro gun ownership.
To the left of the homepage there is a a short slide show which is very powerful in my opinion. The words say "Don;t forget what happened". Following these words there are a series of pictures from the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers and people dead or seriously injured. This is a clear indication that guns are needed to protect yourself, your homes and your families from any outside threat.
At the very bottom of the page there is a small picture of a pink gun. As it is a Pro gun website for women it is quite fitting that they use a stereotypical "girls colour" to show the femininity and in a way to show that women can be seen as looking good with a gun.
http://www.armedfemalesofamerica.com/
Gun Control
Anti-Gun Control
http://www.armedfemalesofamerica.com/
Armed Females of America
The first thing you see when looking at this website is the American flag used as a banner with a females eye, an AK47 and the 2nd Amendment. This gives us an insight as to the websites ideologies just by looking at this banner, we can assume that the website is a Female run Anti-Gun control website. Suzanna Gratia Hupp, is a representative of the Texas State Legislature and she wrote the introduction for this website. She met the Executive Director of AFA, Carma Lewis, who had lost her son through being shot. Yet she tells of how Carma felt that American females should carry guns in order to protect their families. This website is clearly appealing to mothers of American families to support the right to bear arms, it is interesting how they use the second amendment and dotted all over the website are talks of liberty and freedom, so this shows us how they are using old American ideals to try and justify the allowance of guns. "OUR HUMAN RIGHTS are worth fighting for -- specifically, our right to keep and bear arms, and we're prepared to fight to our death to preserve those rights. We always seek peaceful solutions first, but never underestimate the aim of . . .Armed Females". This is quite a threatening statement made and found on the mission tab on the website, this shows us quite a strong attitude that is upheld by those who do not want to lose their right to bear arms. One of the other tabs on the page, is the links page and on this page there are many different links to sites described as being; education and safety, women's gun rights activists among others, but most interestingly is the links to 'Anti-Freedom Organisations' or otherwise known as Pro-Gun Control.
Pro-Gun Control
Women Against Gun Violence
The opening banner on this website is a lot more striking as it reads '8 kids a day are too many...Our goal is 0' this of course referring to the statistics that 8 children are killed a day in America by gun fire. The organisation set out to prevent gun related murder by raising awareness of the danger to the public and the financial problems they provide. Many Anti- Gun Control groups criticise those Pro-Gun Control organisations of trying to take away their freedom as American citizens, but the WAGV cleverly use the right of freedom in saying that they are free to want rid of gun violence as of the dangers that go with it. This website also uses the technique of fear to get their opinions across, however they do so by offering statistics about how dangerous owning a gun can be, "A gun kept in the home is 22 times more likely to be used in an unintentional shooting, a criminal assault or homicide, or an attempted or completed suicide than to be used to injure or kill in self-defense. (Kellermann, AL et al., "Injuries and Deaths Due to Firearms in the Home." Both websites offer strong sides to the Gun Control debate and both appear to be quite aggressive in doing so, by trying to play on American ideals such as Freedom and Liberty.
Brady vs PSAC
ANTI
The website I have found is not in favour of banning guns completely, but rather having significantly more restrictions and rules about who can own a gun, and how guns are sold and treated in America. Rather than the out right banning of guns, which would cause endless legal wrangling and anger all over the US, the move to promote safety and a sensible attitude towards guns is one I think is a very positive step. The Brady Campaign is also involved in helping victims of gun crime, as well as helping to organise vigils for victims and getting involved with the families of the injured or deceased victims - in cases such as the Virginia Tech shooting of 2007, they often strive to use these big news stories as platforms for their anti-gun message, and have become instrumental in supporting many candidates in elections.
http://www.bradycampaign.org/about/
PRO
The Pro Second Amendment Committee is somewhat less well thought out and prepared than the Brady Campaign site, but its aims are still clear. The group believe that anyone in any position of political power than opposes the 2nd Amendment is not doing their job properly by not honouring their oath to 'uphold the constitution'. It seems as though the issue for the PSAC not the dangers of guns or the facts based on the amount of deaths they cause, but actually more on the nature of it being a right as an American.
http://www.prosecond.org/index.html
Having read through the arguments that both websites have and seeing their list of supporters and their reasoning, I am more inclined to agree with the Brady Campaign. As I'm sure many other English and European people may agree, the idea of owning a gun, of wanting to own a gun is quite bizzare, and seemingly quite needless. The PSAC group seems to be more keen on promoting the constituion and continuing to support the right of American people rather than explaining the dangers that guns pose to society. This follows on from the lecture on Monday that discussed what it is about American laws and ideology that makes their rhetoric so fantastical. The idea of opposing the 2nd Amdendment seems almost anti-American, and in a way paints the PSAC to have quite the isolationist view of American poltics. This is countered of course by the facts section on the Brady Canpaign site where it is implied that Americans should be more European in their approach to guns and realise that guns are not as integral to one's happiness as many might imagine.
The website I have found is not in favour of banning guns completely, but rather having significantly more restrictions and rules about who can own a gun, and how guns are sold and treated in America. Rather than the out right banning of guns, which would cause endless legal wrangling and anger all over the US, the move to promote safety and a sensible attitude towards guns is one I think is a very positive step. The Brady Campaign is also involved in helping victims of gun crime, as well as helping to organise vigils for victims and getting involved with the families of the injured or deceased victims - in cases such as the Virginia Tech shooting of 2007, they often strive to use these big news stories as platforms for their anti-gun message, and have become instrumental in supporting many candidates in elections.
http://www.bradycampaign.org/about/
PRO
The Pro Second Amendment Committee is somewhat less well thought out and prepared than the Brady Campaign site, but its aims are still clear. The group believe that anyone in any position of political power than opposes the 2nd Amendment is not doing their job properly by not honouring their oath to 'uphold the constitution'. It seems as though the issue for the PSAC not the dangers of guns or the facts based on the amount of deaths they cause, but actually more on the nature of it being a right as an American.
http://www.prosecond.org/index.html
Having read through the arguments that both websites have and seeing their list of supporters and their reasoning, I am more inclined to agree with the Brady Campaign. As I'm sure many other English and European people may agree, the idea of owning a gun, of wanting to own a gun is quite bizzare, and seemingly quite needless. The PSAC group seems to be more keen on promoting the constituion and continuing to support the right of American people rather than explaining the dangers that guns pose to society. This follows on from the lecture on Monday that discussed what it is about American laws and ideology that makes their rhetoric so fantastical. The idea of opposing the 2nd Amdendment seems almost anti-American, and in a way paints the PSAC to have quite the isolationist view of American poltics. This is countered of course by the facts section on the Brady Canpaign site where it is implied that Americans should be more European in their approach to guns and realise that guns are not as integral to one's happiness as many might imagine.
Monday 22 November 2010
Gun Control.
I have found two very different webpages, each looking at one side of gun control argument. Both websites are personal sites, being managed by what seems one person for each.
Anti-Gun Control: Lest Darkness Fall
http://www.lestdarknessfall.com/Pages/gun_rights.htm
The opening sentence to this website is “expression of personal freedom designed to interest, entertain and educate people interested in exploring the meaning and importance of freedom”. It is very much a place for the writer to vent about whatever they decide. The webpage itself is quite dark, with black background and various cartoons of shootings and murders.
I felt that the writer of this page was quite aggressive and very much believed they were right in every sense and their mind would never change.
Pro-Gun Control: Asahi-Net
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zj5j-gttl/guns.htm
This website is run by a guy called Jason; who uses it as well to post about the situations he decides to. He graduated University with an English & East Asia Studies degree (thus he now lives in Japan) and also went to Harvard.
Comparison
Regarding the information that each person put into their post; there are very similar sections. The first would be that both mentioned the Constitution, in particular the second Amendment; "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
Lest Darkness Fall (LDF) took this statement very literal. Believing that every person in America between the ages of 18 and 49 was included in this “well-regulated militia”, whereas Jason disagreed. LDF believed this article allowed each person own a gun, because that is what it states. Jason looked beneath the statement and thinks that each right that Americans hold have boundaries. Sometimes a person’s right contradicts another.
Both use murders in their posts, again pointing out different aspects of it. LDF use the well-known line of being able to protect yourself in your home or in a public area (agreeing to state laws of course). He believes, that taking away a criminals gun, will just make them pick up another weapon, which he links to England and our rise in knife crime.
Jason agrees with this and understands that a certain amount of people will just pick up something else. But that is only one type of murders in America. Another type which is mentioned, are those that shoot out of a “heat of the moment” situation. The gun is there and they’re angry; it’s the solution they see. And if guns were banned, this statistic would decrease.
LDF uses various statistics to back up the opinions stated, and frankly, was the only section of the post that I could acknowledge and like of it. It states that 6,000 crimes are stopped per day by pointing a gun at would-be rapists, thieves, murderers etc. I also believed that he made a valid point in that criminals, who are out with the motive to cause a murder or robbery, already discard the law so a new piece of legislation surely wouldn’t stop them either.
With being able to convince people one way or the other, I think my English views push me towards the pro-gun control. But still, discarding my English-ness, I like the fact that Jason recognised that banning guns is quite unrealistic, so controlling them was a better idea for the moment. He created his own points that could help with controlling murders and gun crime in America.
As opposed to LDF who disagrees with everything about gun-control. He is unable to acknowledge that sometimes in the hands of the public, guns can be a negative.
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