Never in my right mind, could I have imagined that I would be attending an anti-racism rally. Especially in the year 2008! And worst of all, it is stemming from a set of opinion articles that read worse than an essay from a primary school student.
The first article, No Hablo Ingles, was written with the intent to make the point that immigrants to the United States would live a better life if they learned the language. The author, however, displayed her immaturity by stating that she does not like the Spanish language because her teacher "wore this horrendous smelling perfume, which I can still smell to this day. By the end of class, I would sit there with a pounding headache, hoping the punishment would end. She spoke with this heavy Spanish accent that I couldn't even understand. How the hell am I supposed to learn Spanish if I can't even understand the teacher?" Are you serious?!
The other article insinuated different steps that the author, along with anyone that would follow, would make all Asians more "americanized." The author outlines steps that he would take including "hog-tying." The article was labeled satire by the author and the publication, but once again I state...are you serious?!
At the end of the day, my main argument goes against the editors that allowed such garbage to be published. I completely understand that there is such a thing as freedom of speech and the press, however, these points could have been made in a more responsible fashion. Journalists have the OBLIGATION to be responsible with their words and when presented with articles like these, publications should exercise gatekeeping.
Friday, February 29, 2008
USHLI & CMA
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute's annual conference held in Chicago, IL or Chi-Town, as some like to call it...
For the past 15 years, the Center for Multicultural Affairs here at CU has offered a course the nationally recognized course called Collegiate Leadership Development Program (CLDP). The mission of CLDP is to cultivate diverse students including ally leaders through greater activism on campus and in their community. This 7 week seminar series is designed to promote and facilitate constructive dialogue and interaction between underrepresented students and key university officials. A national certificate and recognition is awarded upon completion. In addition, a trip to the USHLI Conference is covered by CMA.
USHLI was originally a grassroots movement whose mission was and is to promote empowerment and civic responsability. USHLI has developed into one of the most powerful, nationally and internationally recognized Latino organizations in the country.
This year's convention featured key note speakers like Rev. Jesse Jackson and Anthony Romero, the Executive Director for ACLU. This year's convention also bestowed the National Hispanic Hero Award upon Raul Yzaguirre who founded the National Council for La Raza. The convention also offered a variety of workshops that ranged from motivational speakers to leadership and beyond. After leaving the conference, one could not help but feel empowered to make a difference in society. It was really amazing.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Words we shouldn't use
Semantics (study of word meaning) is extremely important to minority communities. The words we use in stories to describe people can have a positive – or devastating - effect on them.
Latinos
Perhaps the one ethnic community that is hurt the most by the words that journalists use is Latinos.
HISPANIC: Here’s a government-invented word that is considered a “white word” by many Chicanos.
Historically, it became popularized decades ago by the Census Bureau on its forms to categorize Latinos because it – the bureau – didn’t want to separately list all the many nations in Latin America. It is almost universally disliked by those Latinos who have not become totally Americanized, and still are proud of their cultural heritage.
Even in a border city like San Diego, the white-dominated TV newsrooms unfortunately use the word Hispanic regularly.
ILLEGAL ALIENS: Here is an ugly phrase used consistently by the anti-Latino, Minutemen vigilantes; conservative politicians and many in the news media.
As a kid, an alien in my mind was some little green weirdo with three eyes who came from another planet. My Webster’s dictionary says the word refers to someone who is so different that they are “incompatible.”
Add “illegal” to that incompatibility and you have someone who is really, really bad. Yet, I find that phrase in many newspapers and news magazines in referring to Latinos.
The phrase preferred by many Chicanos is “undocumented immigrant,” but you rarely see it used in news stories or by politicans.
Gays
The word “homosexual” is still being used in news stories even though it is very, very outdated. Back in the 50’s, the popular word to describe Gays was “homophile.” It was a scientific term and, because homosexuality was then universally unlawful in most states, the only way to write about that lifestyle was to put the story into the format of a scientific article.
In the 60’s, the word homophile gave way to the word “homosexual,” in both the alternative press and the mainstream media.
After the Gay Liberation movement took hold in the 70’s, the word Gay became the preferred term. The phrase “Gay Community” referred to both Gays and Lesbians. The word homosexual was, and still is, disliked by gay leaders because of its emphasis on sex, which is really a very small part of the gay experience.
In the 80’s, as Lesbians became more vocal and outspoken, they insisted that separate identity was necessary and the phrase “Gay and Lesbian” became popular. Still uncomfortable with their so-called, second-place position in that phrase, Lesbians gradually insisted that the community be called the Lesbian and Gay Community. That placed Lesbians in the forefront, even though they are numerically a minority in the Gay Community.
There is still today a huge controversy over the prominence of the word Lesbian in identifying that minority community. While many Lesbian-dominated, community organizations are now called LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) groups, gay males are almost universally unhappy with that designation.
To use the word homosexual in a news story is as improper and out-of-date as referring to an African-American as a “negro.”
Asian-Americans
When writing a story about someone from Japan, Viet Nam, Thailand or another country in the Far East, how does a journalist refer to them, generically?
I asked that questions of a Chinese friend of mine. Should I write the word “oriental,” for example?
He responded firmly that it is more proper to say “Asian-American.”
Indeed, in San Diego, we have a solid organization called the Asian-American Journalists Association.
Latinos
Perhaps the one ethnic community that is hurt the most by the words that journalists use is Latinos.
HISPANIC: Here’s a government-invented word that is considered a “white word” by many Chicanos.
Historically, it became popularized decades ago by the Census Bureau on its forms to categorize Latinos because it – the bureau – didn’t want to separately list all the many nations in Latin America. It is almost universally disliked by those Latinos who have not become totally Americanized, and still are proud of their cultural heritage.
Even in a border city like San Diego, the white-dominated TV newsrooms unfortunately use the word Hispanic regularly.
ILLEGAL ALIENS: Here is an ugly phrase used consistently by the anti-Latino, Minutemen vigilantes; conservative politicians and many in the news media.
As a kid, an alien in my mind was some little green weirdo with three eyes who came from another planet. My Webster’s dictionary says the word refers to someone who is so different that they are “incompatible.”
Add “illegal” to that incompatibility and you have someone who is really, really bad. Yet, I find that phrase in many newspapers and news magazines in referring to Latinos.
The phrase preferred by many Chicanos is “undocumented immigrant,” but you rarely see it used in news stories or by politicans.
Gays
The word “homosexual” is still being used in news stories even though it is very, very outdated. Back in the 50’s, the popular word to describe Gays was “homophile.” It was a scientific term and, because homosexuality was then universally unlawful in most states, the only way to write about that lifestyle was to put the story into the format of a scientific article.
In the 60’s, the word homophile gave way to the word “homosexual,” in both the alternative press and the mainstream media.
After the Gay Liberation movement took hold in the 70’s, the word Gay became the preferred term. The phrase “Gay Community” referred to both Gays and Lesbians. The word homosexual was, and still is, disliked by gay leaders because of its emphasis on sex, which is really a very small part of the gay experience.
In the 80’s, as Lesbians became more vocal and outspoken, they insisted that separate identity was necessary and the phrase “Gay and Lesbian” became popular. Still uncomfortable with their so-called, second-place position in that phrase, Lesbians gradually insisted that the community be called the Lesbian and Gay Community. That placed Lesbians in the forefront, even though they are numerically a minority in the Gay Community.
There is still today a huge controversy over the prominence of the word Lesbian in identifying that minority community. While many Lesbian-dominated, community organizations are now called LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) groups, gay males are almost universally unhappy with that designation.
To use the word homosexual in a news story is as improper and out-of-date as referring to an African-American as a “negro.”
Asian-Americans
When writing a story about someone from Japan, Viet Nam, Thailand or another country in the Far East, how does a journalist refer to them, generically?
I asked that questions of a Chinese friend of mine. Should I write the word “oriental,” for example?
He responded firmly that it is more proper to say “Asian-American.”
Indeed, in San Diego, we have a solid organization called the Asian-American Journalists Association.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The history of the blog...
So as my first blog, I have thought for the longest time "what would I write about?!" So I decided to start off by talking about what a blog is, what the controversy is all about and a little time line.
Dictionary.com defines a blog as :
n. an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog, Web log
Blogs began to take form in the mid-90's. However, they originally were thread conversations which we now see as comment pages. Usenet was the primary medium which allowed all posting in a newsgroup to be under the control of an individual or small group. The modern blog eventually evolved from an online diary and can be controlled by anyone.
Now the current controversy is whether or not blogs should be considered journalism. Most people feel that blogs are just opinions and are not news. I agree.
Dictionary.com defines a blog as :
n. an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog, Web log
Blogs began to take form in the mid-90's. However, they originally were thread conversations which we now see as comment pages. Usenet was the primary medium which allowed all posting in a newsgroup to be under the control of an individual or small group. The modern blog eventually evolved from an online diary and can be controlled by anyone.
Now the current controversy is whether or not blogs should be considered journalism. Most people feel that blogs are just opinions and are not news. I agree.
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