Here's a link to the assignments due Thursday.
I'm adding this list of three extra articles for you to consider as options. The first is related to the Parenti/Goodland series. The next (on nooses) is about racism. The last is related to who controls public opinion and policy. If taxes and world economic policies don't interest you, consider racism/nooses or child labor. You could substitute the articles.
Three articles to consider:
Child/slave labor:
"Indian 'slave' children found making low-cost clothes destined for Gap"
Sunday October 28, 2007
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2200590,00.html
................................................................
Racism/nooses:
"Resurgence of nooses reminds African Americans of past horrors"
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/10/29/MN5OT1FH1.DTL
..................
Related to both injustice and our previous unit on who controls public opinion and policy:
"War protests: Why no coverage?"
October 30, 2007
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1030/p09s02-coop.htm
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Bring Hard Copies
Because of the D2L access problems please bring hard copies of your essays to class on Thursday. Put your name on every page in case the staple or paper clip comes undone, or in case you don't use one. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Due Thursday, November 1
Revised essay 2 due. For those students who have turned in first drafts by 6:00 on Thursday, October 25, I'll be reading and sending some feedback. If you're late with your first drafts, still turn in a copy to the drop box, and post a copy to the Essay 2 discussion forum. Go to the Center for Excellence in Learning in the basement of the library to speak with a tutor about getting feedback.
Unit 3: Unit 3: Wealth, poverty and injustice
(We're in the second week of this unit)
Week 10: The Business of Rich & Poor
Thursday, 11/1
READINGS:
This week we'll have a number of options for reading:
- Many of the essays are about wealth and poverty.
- Some are about who pays the largest percent of their income in taxes in the US.
- Some are about the growing gap between the wealth and poor, or the wealthy and middle class.
- Some are about world poverty, and how the policies of the rich nations help create poverty and keep people living in poverty in third world countries.
- Some are about the growing gap between CEO's of major corporations and their lowest paid employees.
- Then there's also an essay from Blair Reader about "lifeboat ethics" and "aid that harms."
Here are some options:
1. Readings on World Poverty, Global Apartheid and the IMF/WTO (International Monetary Fund or World Bank, and World Trade Organization). Go to the content section on D2L and look under unit three. Choose one, write a summary and response, and post to "World Poverty, Global Apartheid & IMF/WTO" forum under Unit Three on D2L. All the sources below (except for "e") are available under "content" (Unit 3 section) on D2L.
(a) Mystery: How Wealth Creates Poverty in the World. (One page)
(b) How to aid destruction (World Bank & poverty) (One page)
(c) Structural Adjustment & Poverty (w/3 videos)
(d) Video trailer to Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
(e) Wikipedia on Business Plot (example of a shock-doctrine attempt that fizzled)
(f) John B. Cobb Jr. article (21 pages).
2. CEO Pay: (See Content on D2L under unit 3). Choose one, write a summary and response, and post to "CEO Pay" forum under Unit 3 on D2L. All the sources below are available under "content" (Unit 3 section) on D2L.
(a) CEO pay (scroll down for article and graphs)
(b) CEO Pay: 'Actionable Intel' in Class War - by Sean Gonsalves
(c) CEO Pay: Travails of the Super-Rich - by Barbara Ehrenreich
3. Taxes: Rich, Middle Class, & Poorer. Choose one, write a summary and response, and post to "Taxes: Rich, Middle Class, & Poorer" forum under Unit 3 on D2L. All the sources below are available under "content" (Unit 3 section) on D2L.
(a) Billionaires up, America down
(b) Wealth Distribution 2001
(c) Income, wealth and power
(d) Who really pays taxes in America?
(e) Warren Buffett on the low taxes the rich pay
For the above three, you must choose one in each. If a topic above interests you for the next essay, skim other resources in that list for use in your essay.
The reading below is not required but optional/extra. Skim it and see if it might be useful in your next essay.
4. Contrast: Darwinian "survival of the fittest" economics & ethics?
- Garret Hardin, "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against 'Aid' That Harms," BR p.697
5. SMGW: Chapter 13, Cueing the Reader. Skim. No summary due.
6. CWH, Sentence problems - ch 26, p.261-272
Divide the next week's readings among students by interest.
Unit 3: Unit 3: Wealth, poverty and injustice
(We're in the second week of this unit)
Week 10: The Business of Rich & Poor
Thursday, 11/1
READINGS:
This week we'll have a number of options for reading:
- Many of the essays are about wealth and poverty.
- Some are about who pays the largest percent of their income in taxes in the US.
- Some are about the growing gap between the wealth and poor, or the wealthy and middle class.
- Some are about world poverty, and how the policies of the rich nations help create poverty and keep people living in poverty in third world countries.
- Some are about the growing gap between CEO's of major corporations and their lowest paid employees.
- Then there's also an essay from Blair Reader about "lifeboat ethics" and "aid that harms."
Here are some options:
1. Readings on World Poverty, Global Apartheid and the IMF/WTO (International Monetary Fund or World Bank, and World Trade Organization). Go to the content section on D2L and look under unit three. Choose one, write a summary and response, and post to "World Poverty, Global Apartheid & IMF/WTO" forum under Unit Three on D2L. All the sources below (except for "e") are available under "content" (Unit 3 section) on D2L.
(a) Mystery: How Wealth Creates Poverty in the World. (One page)
(b) How to aid destruction (World Bank & poverty) (One page)
(c) Structural Adjustment & Poverty (w/3 videos)
(d) Video trailer to Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
(e) Wikipedia on Business Plot (example of a shock-doctrine attempt that fizzled)
(f) John B. Cobb Jr. article (21 pages).
2. CEO Pay: (See Content on D2L under unit 3). Choose one, write a summary and response, and post to "CEO Pay" forum under Unit 3 on D2L. All the sources below are available under "content" (Unit 3 section) on D2L.
(a) CEO pay (scroll down for article and graphs)
(b) CEO Pay: 'Actionable Intel' in Class War - by Sean Gonsalves
(c) CEO Pay: Travails of the Super-Rich - by Barbara Ehrenreich
3. Taxes: Rich, Middle Class, & Poorer. Choose one, write a summary and response, and post to "Taxes: Rich, Middle Class, & Poorer" forum under Unit 3 on D2L. All the sources below are available under "content" (Unit 3 section) on D2L.
(a) Billionaires up, America down
(b) Wealth Distribution 2001
(c) Income, wealth and power
(d) Who really pays taxes in America?
(e) Warren Buffett on the low taxes the rich pay
For the above three, you must choose one in each. If a topic above interests you for the next essay, skim other resources in that list for use in your essay.
The reading below is not required but optional/extra. Skim it and see if it might be useful in your next essay.
4. Contrast: Darwinian "survival of the fittest" economics & ethics?
- Garret Hardin, "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against 'Aid' That Harms," BR p.697
5. SMGW: Chapter 13, Cueing the Reader. Skim. No summary due.
6. CWH, Sentence problems - ch 26, p.261-272
Divide the next week's readings among students by interest.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Due Thursday, October 25
Go to this link and do the self-evaluation for the end of unit 2.
Go to this link and read the discussion questions related to the end of unit 2, "Who controls public opinion and policy, and how." Respond and discuss on D2L.
A new Unit begins this week:
Unit 3: Wealth, poverty and justice issues
Week 9: Readings from The Blair Reader (BR):
Thursday, 10/25
Due:
1. Response & summary for one of the following two (choose one):
(a) Jonathan Kozol, "Savage Inequalities" - BR p.112
(b) M. Sanger, "The Turbid Ebb and Flow of Misery" - BR p.553
2. Response & summary for one of the following two (choose one):
(a) C.R. Lawrence & M. Matsuda, "The Telltale Heart: Apology, Reparation, and Redress" - BR p.436;
(b) Russ Feingold, "The Need for a Moratorium on Executions," BR p.719
3. SMGW, ch.6 (Argument): read and summarize (long summary) Basic Features section, and skim Guide to Writing.
In class we'll divide up readings for week 11 (3 students per)
............................................
Looking ahead to the rest of the unit's reading:
............................................
Week 10: The Business of Rich & Poor
Thursday, 11/1
1. Reactions & short summaries for the readings posted under "content" at D2L, for unit 3.
Readings on American empire and Global Apartheid (see content for unit 3 on D2L):
(a) Mystery: How Wealth Creates Poverty in the World. (One page)
(b) John B. Cobb Jr. article (21 pages).
2. Skim the next one, and read/summarize it if it seems you might use it as a paper source. Contrast: Darwinian "survival of the fittest" econ. & ethics?
- Garret Hardin, "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against 'Aid' That Harms," BR p.697
3. Reaction & short summary for readings on the Business Plot (see blog next week or D2L content for web links).
4. SMGW: Chapter 13, Cueing the Reader. Read closely.
5. CWH, Sentence problems - ch 26, p.261-272
- Make sure readings for next week are divided among students if not already (3 students per reading).
Week 11: Anarchy, Insanity, or Truth-to-Power?
Thursday, 11/8
1.Reactions & short summaries for the following three:
(a) Henry David Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience," BR p.664
(b) Martin Luther King, Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail," BR p.682.
(c) Research and consider worldwide February 15, 2003 protests, organized largely via email, internet and word of mouth (new phenomena).
2. Choose and read two as divided up in class. For each, write a reaction and a short (paragraph) summary.
- Malcolm X, "A Homemade Education," BR p. 173
- Alleen Pace Nilsen, "Sexism in English..." BR p.203
- Henry Louis Gates Jr., "One Internet, Two Nations," BR p.499
- Brent Staples, "Just Walk On By," BR p.417
- Scott R. Sanders, "The Men We Carry in Our Minds," BR p.345
- Judy Brady, "Why I Want a Wife," BR p.348
- Christina Hoff Summers, "The War Against Boys," BR p.380
- Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, "The Girls of Gen X," BR p.372
- Or propose another article reflecting your own interests in discrimination or poverty issues.
Due today or next week: Graded essay 3. Oral readings of a few student essays if time.
Go to this link and read the discussion questions related to the end of unit 2, "Who controls public opinion and policy, and how." Respond and discuss on D2L.
A new Unit begins this week:
Unit 3: Wealth, poverty and justice issues
Week 9: Readings from The Blair Reader (BR):
Thursday, 10/25
Due:
1. Response & summary for one of the following two (choose one):
(a) Jonathan Kozol, "Savage Inequalities" - BR p.112
(b) M. Sanger, "The Turbid Ebb and Flow of Misery" - BR p.553
2. Response & summary for one of the following two (choose one):
(a) C.R. Lawrence & M. Matsuda, "The Telltale Heart: Apology, Reparation, and Redress" - BR p.436;
(b) Russ Feingold, "The Need for a Moratorium on Executions," BR p.719
3. SMGW, ch.6 (Argument): read and summarize (long summary) Basic Features section, and skim Guide to Writing.
In class we'll divide up readings for week 11 (3 students per)
............................................
Looking ahead to the rest of the unit's reading:
............................................
Week 10: The Business of Rich & Poor
Thursday, 11/1
1. Reactions & short summaries for the readings posted under "content" at D2L, for unit 3.
Readings on American empire and Global Apartheid (see content for unit 3 on D2L):
(a) Mystery: How Wealth Creates Poverty in the World. (One page)
(b) John B. Cobb Jr. article (21 pages).
2. Skim the next one, and read/summarize it if it seems you might use it as a paper source. Contrast: Darwinian "survival of the fittest" econ. & ethics?
- Garret Hardin, "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against 'Aid' That Harms," BR p.697
3. Reaction & short summary for readings on the Business Plot (see blog next week or D2L content for web links).
4. SMGW: Chapter 13, Cueing the Reader. Read closely.
5. CWH, Sentence problems - ch 26, p.261-272
- Make sure readings for next week are divided among students if not already (3 students per reading).
Week 11: Anarchy, Insanity, or Truth-to-Power?
Thursday, 11/8
1.Reactions & short summaries for the following three:
(a) Henry David Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience," BR p.664
(b) Martin Luther King, Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail," BR p.682.
(c) Research and consider worldwide February 15, 2003 protests, organized largely via email, internet and word of mouth (new phenomena).
2. Choose and read two as divided up in class. For each, write a reaction and a short (paragraph) summary.
- Malcolm X, "A Homemade Education," BR p. 173
- Alleen Pace Nilsen, "Sexism in English..." BR p.203
- Henry Louis Gates Jr., "One Internet, Two Nations," BR p.499
- Brent Staples, "Just Walk On By," BR p.417
- Scott R. Sanders, "The Men We Carry in Our Minds," BR p.345
- Judy Brady, "Why I Want a Wife," BR p.348
- Christina Hoff Summers, "The War Against Boys," BR p.380
- Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, "The Girls of Gen X," BR p.372
- Or propose another article reflecting your own interests in discrimination or poverty issues.
Due today or next week: Graded essay 3. Oral readings of a few student essays if time.
Discussion questions for end of Unit 2
Who controls public opinion and policy, and how?
Final discusion questions
Introduction:
Think about the material we've read (or films we've viewed) in this unit (some of which were optional):
- Corporate advertisers influence public opinion, not only through ads and commercials, but also through what media shows and magazines they will sponsor(Steinem).
- Politicians and political parties influence public opinion and policy, sometimes through lies and smear campaigns (Doonsbury).
- Leaders and political groups sometimes produce propaganda to influence public opinion (Huxley, possibly Freedom's Watch, and others).
- Sometimes ideology or bias that claims to be "fair and balanced" in the news is anything but (Outfoxed), and we're left wondering if any network news is really giving us the stories we need, told not with equal time given to left and right, but with insight about what is true.
- Bridging from our first unit, we know that politicians and corporations sometimes use disinformation campaigns to confuse the public and cast doubt on issues that might otherwise be more clear (UCS report/Smoke and Mirrors/Exxon disinformation campaign).
- Political groups and corporations sometimes form "astroturf" groups, or artificial grass-roots groups, or stage fake/fictional media events (Students for Academic Freedom, Kuwaiti babies story) to influence public opinion.
- Political and military leaders sometimes plan "false flag" operations that would make it appear as if an enemy attacked, thereby solidifying public support in favor of war. Some of these are merely plans that were never acted upon (Operation Northwoods), and sometimes they're actually realized (Glaudio bombing scandal in Italy, the Reichstag fire in Germany).
- Political and military leaders can "bait" and/or allow attacks to occur that might have otherwise been prevented in order to solidify public support in favor of war (perhaps FDR and Pearl Harbor, perhaps Bush and 9/11). These might be called "strategic" decisions (as part of a strategy that takes the long view). If FDR baited or knew in advance about Pearl Harbor, but let it happen, then by getting into the war with strong public support, this gave FDR a very strong voice in shaping the post-war world (although our main motive may have been to save the world from dictators - ?). If Bush knew about impending terrorist attacks but let them happen, then by getting into Afghanistan and Iraq, this gave the US access to oil resources and more influence in the region (although our main motive may or may not have been, in Afghanistan, to cauture Osama bin Laden--who is still on the loose--and to liberate the Iraqi people--whose country is now torn by rebellion and near civil war).
- Sometimes events occur that we never quite understand which also influence opinion and policy, and it's hard to tell who is pulling the strings (antrax letters and increased bioterrorism spending).
- Sometimes election laws and regulations can allow for wealthy interests, corporations and lobbyists to have what may be a dangerously unfair influence on elections (campaign finance funding and reform).
- Sometimes technological solutions like electronic voting, which leave no paper trail for recount, can leave citizens wondering if their vote really counts, or if election outcomes are being manipulated, and if true democracy is more an illusion than a reality.
Question:
With many groups seeking to control opinion and/or policy, what are your ideas for how to teach people (or even children, from when they're young) how to avoid having their opinions manipulated too easily by outside groups and forces? What must individuals learn to do? What role might parents play, or schools, or newspapers, or the internet, or...?
Post your ideas to the unit 2 forum on D2L titled "End of unit discussion."
Final discusion questions
Introduction:
Think about the material we've read (or films we've viewed) in this unit (some of which were optional):
- Corporate advertisers influence public opinion, not only through ads and commercials, but also through what media shows and magazines they will sponsor(Steinem).
- Politicians and political parties influence public opinion and policy, sometimes through lies and smear campaigns (Doonsbury).
- Leaders and political groups sometimes produce propaganda to influence public opinion (Huxley, possibly Freedom's Watch, and others).
- Sometimes ideology or bias that claims to be "fair and balanced" in the news is anything but (Outfoxed), and we're left wondering if any network news is really giving us the stories we need, told not with equal time given to left and right, but with insight about what is true.
- Bridging from our first unit, we know that politicians and corporations sometimes use disinformation campaigns to confuse the public and cast doubt on issues that might otherwise be more clear (UCS report/Smoke and Mirrors/Exxon disinformation campaign).
- Political groups and corporations sometimes form "astroturf" groups, or artificial grass-roots groups, or stage fake/fictional media events (Students for Academic Freedom, Kuwaiti babies story) to influence public opinion.
- Political and military leaders sometimes plan "false flag" operations that would make it appear as if an enemy attacked, thereby solidifying public support in favor of war. Some of these are merely plans that were never acted upon (Operation Northwoods), and sometimes they're actually realized (Glaudio bombing scandal in Italy, the Reichstag fire in Germany).
- Political and military leaders can "bait" and/or allow attacks to occur that might have otherwise been prevented in order to solidify public support in favor of war (perhaps FDR and Pearl Harbor, perhaps Bush and 9/11). These might be called "strategic" decisions (as part of a strategy that takes the long view). If FDR baited or knew in advance about Pearl Harbor, but let it happen, then by getting into the war with strong public support, this gave FDR a very strong voice in shaping the post-war world (although our main motive may have been to save the world from dictators - ?). If Bush knew about impending terrorist attacks but let them happen, then by getting into Afghanistan and Iraq, this gave the US access to oil resources and more influence in the region (although our main motive may or may not have been, in Afghanistan, to cauture Osama bin Laden--who is still on the loose--and to liberate the Iraqi people--whose country is now torn by rebellion and near civil war).
- Sometimes events occur that we never quite understand which also influence opinion and policy, and it's hard to tell who is pulling the strings (antrax letters and increased bioterrorism spending).
- Sometimes election laws and regulations can allow for wealthy interests, corporations and lobbyists to have what may be a dangerously unfair influence on elections (campaign finance funding and reform).
- Sometimes technological solutions like electronic voting, which leave no paper trail for recount, can leave citizens wondering if their vote really counts, or if election outcomes are being manipulated, and if true democracy is more an illusion than a reality.
Question:
With many groups seeking to control opinion and/or policy, what are your ideas for how to teach people (or even children, from when they're young) how to avoid having their opinions manipulated too easily by outside groups and forces? What must individuals learn to do? What role might parents play, or schools, or newspapers, or the internet, or...?
Post your ideas to the unit 2 forum on D2L titled "End of unit discussion."
Unit 2: What Did You Learn?
Write a brief essay (3 paragraphs or more) that explains what you learned during Unit 2. Post the results to the D2L discussion forum titled, "What I learned in Unit 2.
- Don't be too brief, so that it seems you're trying to get away with the least possible work.
- Don't be too long-winded, and especially don't pad the writing to make it unnecessarily long.
- Reflect honestly on what you learned, and explain what you learned in writing the draft of the essay.
- Focus especially on what information was new to you, what surprised or disturbed you.
To Prepare to Write:
- Look over all the discussion forums on D2L, which is an easily accessed list of readings we read and films we viewed for the unit.
- We studied and read about advertising, censorship, propaganda, astroturf, the role public relations "fictional" events and testimony play in shaping opinion (Kuwaiti babies story); we also had optional readings related to campaign finance reform and voter fraud. We watched "Outfoxed" (media bias) and "9/11: Press for Truth."
- Consider:
(a) Sometimes we view the world as a place where each person has his/her own opinion, and assume everyone is fairly honest.
(b) Sometimes we assume that the world is a place where we're saturated with expensive advertising, with people trying to get us to buy something, agree with their point of view, or vote for their candidate, but these ads and influences all represent people who are doing a job, who have opinions, who might disagree, but who are being somewhat honest.
(c) Sometimes we get a glimpse of the world as a place where people are willing to lie and create ficitonal events or organizations to change people's opinion, which might result in war, or larger profits (Exxon Disinformation Campaign, Kuwaiti Babies, and possibly others sources).
- Did the unit challenge or expand your normal way of seeing the struggles in the world over influencing public opinion, including your own struggles? If so, how?
- What did you learn about your assumptions?
- What sources we read or viewed were the most surprising or eye-opening to you, if any?
- What did you learn about your writing and study habits?
Write up a brief essay about what you learned, focusing especially on the highlights. Don't pad. Not too short, not too long. If you're really trying, and if you're being honest, you'll know how long this should be (some could do well with less than a full page; some might need more).
- Don't be too brief, so that it seems you're trying to get away with the least possible work.
- Don't be too long-winded, and especially don't pad the writing to make it unnecessarily long.
- Reflect honestly on what you learned, and explain what you learned in writing the draft of the essay.
- Focus especially on what information was new to you, what surprised or disturbed you.
To Prepare to Write:
- Look over all the discussion forums on D2L, which is an easily accessed list of readings we read and films we viewed for the unit.
- We studied and read about advertising, censorship, propaganda, astroturf, the role public relations "fictional" events and testimony play in shaping opinion (Kuwaiti babies story); we also had optional readings related to campaign finance reform and voter fraud. We watched "Outfoxed" (media bias) and "9/11: Press for Truth."
- Consider:
(a) Sometimes we view the world as a place where each person has his/her own opinion, and assume everyone is fairly honest.
(b) Sometimes we assume that the world is a place where we're saturated with expensive advertising, with people trying to get us to buy something, agree with their point of view, or vote for their candidate, but these ads and influences all represent people who are doing a job, who have opinions, who might disagree, but who are being somewhat honest.
(c) Sometimes we get a glimpse of the world as a place where people are willing to lie and create ficitonal events or organizations to change people's opinion, which might result in war, or larger profits (Exxon Disinformation Campaign, Kuwaiti Babies, and possibly others sources).
- Did the unit challenge or expand your normal way of seeing the struggles in the world over influencing public opinion, including your own struggles? If so, how?
- What did you learn about your assumptions?
- What sources we read or viewed were the most surprising or eye-opening to you, if any?
- What did you learn about your writing and study habits?
Write up a brief essay about what you learned, focusing especially on the highlights. Don't pad. Not too short, not too long. If you're really trying, and if you're being honest, you'll know how long this should be (some could do well with less than a full page; some might need more).
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Due Thursday, October 18
Unit theme:
Who controls public opinion and policy, and how?
Week 8 sub-theme: Fighting Over Anthrax, Pressing For Truth:
Who controls public perception of 9-11 and the anthrax letters?
----------------------------------------------
1. REVIEW AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR DRAFT OF SECOND ESSAY:
A rough draft of a second paper is due this week. This time, remember to include citations in your rough draft. This is a requirement. It's actually a way to help save you a lot more trouble and work later: If you omit them from your rough draft, it's much harder to add them later.
So far in this unit, we've been considering various factors that influence public opinion and policy:
- Corporate advertising (Steinem)
- Corporate media (Outfoxed)
- Public relations/PR (Astroturf)
- Big money, political campaigns and election reform
- Propaganda (Huxley)
- Political manipulation (White House Manual article, 9-11: Press for Truth)
- Freedom's Watch as an example of political manupulation and emotional-appeal propaganda, or patriotism?
One of many key quotes from Outfoxed was from the media expert who said propaganda in the US is even more effective than in totalitarian governments because people don't know they're being propagandized - from a Salon.com review of the film:
"As media critic Robert McChesney says in the film, it is much easier to propagandize a public that believes in its own freedom, and does not expect propaganda, than it was in a Soviet-style system where people were always suspicious of official pronouncements."
For the second paper, you will have to think about the sources you've read and watched: Consider which area, or combination of areas, interests you most. Besides the resources in SMGW on speculating about causes (ch.9), there are also resources in CWH (page 71, page 117). The first few pages of the "Guide to writing" deal with finding a subject to write about considering options, and choosing a subject. This section may not be exactly what you need as it's very general and not focused on our unit, but the "phenomenon" and "trend" division may be helpful. Read that part of the guide and use it to consider possibilities for your paper. The "Focused Thesis Statement" exercise (related to CWH) below may also help you generate ideas for a focused topic for your paper.
ESSAY 2 OPTIONS
Instead of designing your own paper topic, if you'd like some already-defined essay suggestions, try this link here.
---------------------------------------------------------
PRESS FOR TRUTH DISCUSSION
2. Having viewed the movie, 9/11: Press for Truth, do three things:
(a) Post a response exercise (in response to the film, instead of a text you read). Be sure to address, expecially, what your assumptions were on this topic before you viewed the film, and if the film challenged any of your assumptions.
(b) Visit later and read other people's responses. Respond to someone's response. Try a little discussion/dialogue/polite debate on some of your impressions and concerns related to the film.
(c) Consider and comment in response to some of the following questions:
- Do you think the 9/11 widows' version of the story, and that of Paul Thompson (who compiled the timeline from published or publicly available sources) is more trustworthy, or that of the Bush administration and the 9-11 commission?
- If Thompson and the widows are wrong, or lying, how do you believe they are wrong, or why do you believe they might lie?
- If the Bush administration and the commission are wrong or lying, how do you believe they are wrong, or why do you they might lie?
- The movie, 9-11: Press for Truth seemed to imply that the Bush administration, the commission, and the press and news media were somehow, together, responsible for the way we perceive 9-11, and the movie claims that this perception is a false one that fails to address key questions about the events of 9-11. Question: Do you think that, if people were misled about 9-11, certain elements bear more responsibility than others, or is it a shared responsibility? Or, if you feel we have not been mislead, why?
(If you did not watch the movie last week, I'll show it again).
-------------------------------------------------------
EXERCISES
1. Integrated Quotations: Using quotes from recent reading assignments, sometime in the next *two* weeks (either by the 18th or 25th), I'd like you to do the integrated quotes exercise again, and include proper MLA citations and a list of works cited. This exercise should help those of you still struggling to integrate quotes.
- Remember that citations are those points in the text where you indicate where you got the quote or information paraphrased or summarized, and the list of works cited lists all the citations. Post the results to D2L.
- Look at CWH chapter 52 for information on how to format your citations, and 53 for how to format your list of works cited.
- For example, if you state the author in the sentence, you don't need to include it in the citation:
The Grimm's Brothers' tale is about a shoemaker who, "through no fault of his own," wasn't able to make ends meet (557).
- If you don't say the author, you need at least a last name or abbreviated title of the text:
The economy "may implode because of what is happening in the sub-prime market" (Jones 27).
In a recent movie, Gore quotes Mark Twain's famous line about how "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." (Inconvenient).
2. Focused Thesis Statement Exercise: Read through CWH pages 64-67. Note the explanation of "focusing on a topic" on page 64, the samples on 65-66, and the "One Writer's Process" on 67. Write 2-3 focused thesis statements that you might consider for an essay related to Unit 2: Who Controls Public Opinion and Policy, and How. Post the results to the discussion board titled "Focused Thesis Statement Exercise" listed in the "first things" section of the discussions. A rough draft of that essay is due on the 18th, so this exercise should help you consider topics.
3. Introduction Exercise: Do the Introduction Exercise. Instead of doing many exercises as the exercise explains, do one or two well-developed introductions of any style listed in the exercise. This means you don't just plop down the raw materials of a certain style of introduction, like a startling statistic or interesting fact; you have to develop and integrate the material into a good introduction that ends in a thesis statement and contains all necessary transitions between the various material it contains. Post the result to D2L, to the introductions forum listed under the "first things" section of the discussions. You may write an introduction to a thesis you wrote for exercise 2 above, but you must post the introduction and well-integrated thesis statement to the introduction exercise forum.
------------------------------------------------
If you're having trouble with any of these skills--integrating quotes, writing introductions or thesis statements, make an appointment with The Center for Academic Excellence in the basement of the library. It's free, and peer tutors are ready to help with feedback, ideas about writing strategies, and suggestions.
Office: ML 125 / Tutoring and Academic Support: ML 116 /
(507) 389-1791
------------------------------------------------
READINGS: (Optional) If you're doing alright on your rough draft of the next essay, Pick one or more of the articles below, and write at least a summary or a response. For those really interested in research and a high grade in the course, read, summarize and respond to two or three. Post the results to the related D2L discussion board.
Anthrax-attack readings:
(a) The "Cold" Or "Dead End" Investigation:
Reading: Allan Lengel, "Little Progress In FBI Probe of Anthrax Attacks."
(b) The conspiracy theory version(?): Richard Ochs, "Learning the wrong lessons."
(c) The neocon, propaganda, damage-control version(?):
David Tell, "Remember Anthrax?" published in the conservative Weekly Standard, edited by William Kristol (member of neocon group, Project for a New American Century).
Due today (draft) or next week (revised): Graded essay 2.
Oral readings of a few student essays if time.
Who controls public opinion and policy, and how?
Week 8 sub-theme: Fighting Over Anthrax, Pressing For Truth:
Who controls public perception of 9-11 and the anthrax letters?
----------------------------------------------
1. REVIEW AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR DRAFT OF SECOND ESSAY:
A rough draft of a second paper is due this week. This time, remember to include citations in your rough draft. This is a requirement. It's actually a way to help save you a lot more trouble and work later: If you omit them from your rough draft, it's much harder to add them later.
So far in this unit, we've been considering various factors that influence public opinion and policy:
- Corporate advertising (Steinem)
- Corporate media (Outfoxed)
- Public relations/PR (Astroturf)
- Big money, political campaigns and election reform
- Propaganda (Huxley)
- Political manipulation (White House Manual article, 9-11: Press for Truth)
- Freedom's Watch as an example of political manupulation and emotional-appeal propaganda, or patriotism?
One of many key quotes from Outfoxed was from the media expert who said propaganda in the US is even more effective than in totalitarian governments because people don't know they're being propagandized - from a Salon.com review of the film:
"As media critic Robert McChesney says in the film, it is much easier to propagandize a public that believes in its own freedom, and does not expect propaganda, than it was in a Soviet-style system where people were always suspicious of official pronouncements."
For the second paper, you will have to think about the sources you've read and watched: Consider which area, or combination of areas, interests you most. Besides the resources in SMGW on speculating about causes (ch.9), there are also resources in CWH (page 71, page 117). The first few pages of the "Guide to writing" deal with finding a subject to write about considering options, and choosing a subject. This section may not be exactly what you need as it's very general and not focused on our unit, but the "phenomenon" and "trend" division may be helpful. Read that part of the guide and use it to consider possibilities for your paper. The "Focused Thesis Statement" exercise (related to CWH) below may also help you generate ideas for a focused topic for your paper.
ESSAY 2 OPTIONS
Instead of designing your own paper topic, if you'd like some already-defined essay suggestions, try this link here.
---------------------------------------------------------
PRESS FOR TRUTH DISCUSSION
2. Having viewed the movie, 9/11: Press for Truth, do three things:
(a) Post a response exercise (in response to the film, instead of a text you read). Be sure to address, expecially, what your assumptions were on this topic before you viewed the film, and if the film challenged any of your assumptions.
(b) Visit later and read other people's responses. Respond to someone's response. Try a little discussion/dialogue/polite debate on some of your impressions and concerns related to the film.
(c) Consider and comment in response to some of the following questions:
- Do you think the 9/11 widows' version of the story, and that of Paul Thompson (who compiled the timeline from published or publicly available sources) is more trustworthy, or that of the Bush administration and the 9-11 commission?
- If Thompson and the widows are wrong, or lying, how do you believe they are wrong, or why do you believe they might lie?
- If the Bush administration and the commission are wrong or lying, how do you believe they are wrong, or why do you they might lie?
- The movie, 9-11: Press for Truth seemed to imply that the Bush administration, the commission, and the press and news media were somehow, together, responsible for the way we perceive 9-11, and the movie claims that this perception is a false one that fails to address key questions about the events of 9-11. Question: Do you think that, if people were misled about 9-11, certain elements bear more responsibility than others, or is it a shared responsibility? Or, if you feel we have not been mislead, why?
(If you did not watch the movie last week, I'll show it again).
-------------------------------------------------------
EXERCISES
1. Integrated Quotations: Using quotes from recent reading assignments, sometime in the next *two* weeks (either by the 18th or 25th), I'd like you to do the integrated quotes exercise again, and include proper MLA citations and a list of works cited. This exercise should help those of you still struggling to integrate quotes.
- Remember that citations are those points in the text where you indicate where you got the quote or information paraphrased or summarized, and the list of works cited lists all the citations. Post the results to D2L.
- Look at CWH chapter 52 for information on how to format your citations, and 53 for how to format your list of works cited.
- For example, if you state the author in the sentence, you don't need to include it in the citation:
The Grimm's Brothers' tale is about a shoemaker who, "through no fault of his own," wasn't able to make ends meet (557).
- If you don't say the author, you need at least a last name or abbreviated title of the text:
The economy "may implode because of what is happening in the sub-prime market" (Jones 27).
In a recent movie, Gore quotes Mark Twain's famous line about how "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." (Inconvenient).
2. Focused Thesis Statement Exercise: Read through CWH pages 64-67. Note the explanation of "focusing on a topic" on page 64, the samples on 65-66, and the "One Writer's Process" on 67. Write 2-3 focused thesis statements that you might consider for an essay related to Unit 2: Who Controls Public Opinion and Policy, and How. Post the results to the discussion board titled "Focused Thesis Statement Exercise" listed in the "first things" section of the discussions. A rough draft of that essay is due on the 18th, so this exercise should help you consider topics.
3. Introduction Exercise: Do the Introduction Exercise. Instead of doing many exercises as the exercise explains, do one or two well-developed introductions of any style listed in the exercise. This means you don't just plop down the raw materials of a certain style of introduction, like a startling statistic or interesting fact; you have to develop and integrate the material into a good introduction that ends in a thesis statement and contains all necessary transitions between the various material it contains. Post the result to D2L, to the introductions forum listed under the "first things" section of the discussions. You may write an introduction to a thesis you wrote for exercise 2 above, but you must post the introduction and well-integrated thesis statement to the introduction exercise forum.
------------------------------------------------
If you're having trouble with any of these skills--integrating quotes, writing introductions or thesis statements, make an appointment with The Center for Academic Excellence in the basement of the library. It's free, and peer tutors are ready to help with feedback, ideas about writing strategies, and suggestions.
Office: ML 125 / Tutoring and Academic Support: ML 116 /
(507) 389-1791
------------------------------------------------
READINGS: (Optional) If you're doing alright on your rough draft of the next essay, Pick one or more of the articles below, and write at least a summary or a response. For those really interested in research and a high grade in the course, read, summarize and respond to two or three. Post the results to the related D2L discussion board.
Anthrax-attack readings:
(a) The "Cold" Or "Dead End" Investigation:
Reading: Allan Lengel, "Little Progress In FBI Probe of Anthrax Attacks."
(b) The conspiracy theory version(?): Richard Ochs, "Learning the wrong lessons."
(c) The neocon, propaganda, damage-control version(?):
David Tell, "Remember Anthrax?" published in the conservative Weekly Standard, edited by William Kristol (member of neocon group, Project for a New American Century).
Due today (draft) or next week (revised): Graded essay 2.
Oral readings of a few student essays if time.
Some sources on vets and retired US generals opposed to the war
Argument from experience and authority, or by authority figures, often influences public opinion and policy. Consider the influence on public opinion by retired generals and admirals, and experienced war vets, who oppose the war:
‘A nightmare with no end in sight’
Ex-commander of coalition forces in Iraq lambastes ‘failure of leadership’
By Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube
NBC News
Updated: 7:15 p.m. CT Oct 12, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21272663/
Regarding IRAN (not Iraq):
US ex-generals reject Iran strike
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6328801.stm
Victory Is Not an Option (regarding Iraq)
The Mission Can't Be Accomplished -- It's Time for a New Strategy
By (retired Army Lieutenant General) William E. Odom
Sunday, February 11, 2007; B01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020901917_pf.html
Retired generals rising up against Iraq war
- Article about list of retired generals against the war:
1. Major Gen. Paul Eaton, 2. Lt. Gen. William Odom,
3. Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, 4. Marine Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold,
5. Maj. Gen. John Batiste
- For this many generals to retire and criticize a war
our nation is engaged in is historically unprecedented.
By ERIN SOLARO / GUEST COLUMNIST
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/266638_solarosub16.html
article | posted October 9, 2007 (web only)
How the Military Can Stop an Iran Attack
Jeremy Brecher & Brendan Smith
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071022/brechersmith
U.S. generals call for Democratic takeover
Disgusted with the leadership of the Iraq war, two retired generals say the GOP must go. Plus: More than 100 current military personnel join a campaign to get the U.S. out of Iraq -- now.
By Mark Benjamin
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/10/25/generals/index_np.html
Retired general: Iraq invasion was 'strategic disaster'
By Evan Lehman
09/30/05 "The Lowell Sun"
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10488.htm
Some Top Military Brass Favor Status Quo in Iraq
Containment Seen Less Risky Than Attack
By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 28, 2002; Page A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10749-2002Jul27
---------------------------------
About opposition to war from among lower ranks of soldiers:
Members of Military Make War Views Known
by Guy Raz
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9766511
---------------------------------
About how public image of the war, and public opinion, is controled through actions to silence (or "censor") whistleblowers, including soldiers and others, who have negative views (or who simply do their job and point out fraud):
AP
Whistleblowers on Fraud Facing Penalties
Friday August 24, 3:16 pm ET
By Deborah Hastings, AP National Writer
Those Who Blow Whistle on Contractor Fraud in Iraq Face Penalties
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070824/contractor_whistleblowers.html?.v=1
‘A nightmare with no end in sight’
Ex-commander of coalition forces in Iraq lambastes ‘failure of leadership’
By Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube
NBC News
Updated: 7:15 p.m. CT Oct 12, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21272663/
Regarding IRAN (not Iraq):
US ex-generals reject Iran strike
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6328801.stm
Victory Is Not an Option (regarding Iraq)
The Mission Can't Be Accomplished -- It's Time for a New Strategy
By (retired Army Lieutenant General) William E. Odom
Sunday, February 11, 2007; B01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020901917_pf.html
Retired generals rising up against Iraq war
- Article about list of retired generals against the war:
1. Major Gen. Paul Eaton, 2. Lt. Gen. William Odom,
3. Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, 4. Marine Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold,
5. Maj. Gen. John Batiste
- For this many generals to retire and criticize a war
our nation is engaged in is historically unprecedented.
By ERIN SOLARO / GUEST COLUMNIST
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/266638_solarosub16.html
article | posted October 9, 2007 (web only)
How the Military Can Stop an Iran Attack
Jeremy Brecher & Brendan Smith
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071022/brechersmith
U.S. generals call for Democratic takeover
Disgusted with the leadership of the Iraq war, two retired generals say the GOP must go. Plus: More than 100 current military personnel join a campaign to get the U.S. out of Iraq -- now.
By Mark Benjamin
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/10/25/generals/index_np.html
Retired general: Iraq invasion was 'strategic disaster'
By Evan Lehman
09/30/05 "The Lowell Sun"
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10488.htm
Some Top Military Brass Favor Status Quo in Iraq
Containment Seen Less Risky Than Attack
By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 28, 2002; Page A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10749-2002Jul27
---------------------------------
About opposition to war from among lower ranks of soldiers:
Members of Military Make War Views Known
by Guy Raz
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9766511
---------------------------------
About how public image of the war, and public opinion, is controled through actions to silence (or "censor") whistleblowers, including soldiers and others, who have negative views (or who simply do their job and point out fraud):
AP
Whistleblowers on Fraud Facing Penalties
Friday August 24, 3:16 pm ET
By Deborah Hastings, AP National Writer
Those Who Blow Whistle on Contractor Fraud in Iraq Face Penalties
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070824/contractor_whistleblowers.html?.v=1
Essay 2 (Unit 2) - option E
Essay 2 (Unit 2) - option E
Neglected Stories/under the radar: What explains/causes the neglect of key stories?
Write an essay examining how certain stories have not resulted in a high level of public awareness. What determines, or causes, a certain news story or cluster of information to reach public awareness and reach a "critical mass" in the public mind, enough to shift public opinion?
From among those sources we've read or documentary films we've watched for this unit, consider these and possibly other sources:
1. Opposition of retired generals and admirals to the war in Iraq, and/or the threat of war in Iran. (See recent blog post here titled, "Some Sources on Vets and Retired US Generals Opposed to the War.")
2. The conservative, pro-war bias of the FOX News Channel.
3. The many questions related to 9-11 raised by the Jersey Widows, the 9-11 families for truth, and Paul Thompson's 9-11 timeline, as compared to many mainstream views about 9-11 dominated by Bush-Cheney resistence to an independent investigation of 9-11, and the reluctance of the media to "connect the dots."
Consider:
- Why do stories such as often fail to penetrate very deeply into public awareness and influence public opinion?
- Is it primarily because of political propaganda and lies?
- Primarily because the mainstream press and media news don't dig deep into the stories, or stick with good stories for long?
- Is it because of a lack of interest in the news on the part of American citizens who tend to have other priorities, and tend to be ignorant of them, without much desire to develop informed, educated opinions, or to participate more actively in public debate?
Neglected Stories/under the radar: What explains/causes the neglect of key stories?
Write an essay examining how certain stories have not resulted in a high level of public awareness. What determines, or causes, a certain news story or cluster of information to reach public awareness and reach a "critical mass" in the public mind, enough to shift public opinion?
From among those sources we've read or documentary films we've watched for this unit, consider these and possibly other sources:
1. Opposition of retired generals and admirals to the war in Iraq, and/or the threat of war in Iran. (See recent blog post here titled, "Some Sources on Vets and Retired US Generals Opposed to the War.")
2. The conservative, pro-war bias of the FOX News Channel.
3. The many questions related to 9-11 raised by the Jersey Widows, the 9-11 families for truth, and Paul Thompson's 9-11 timeline, as compared to many mainstream views about 9-11 dominated by Bush-Cheney resistence to an independent investigation of 9-11, and the reluctance of the media to "connect the dots."
Consider:
- Why do stories such as often fail to penetrate very deeply into public awareness and influence public opinion?
- Is it primarily because of political propaganda and lies?
- Primarily because the mainstream press and media news don't dig deep into the stories, or stick with good stories for long?
- Is it because of a lack of interest in the news on the part of American citizens who tend to have other priorities, and tend to be ignorant of them, without much desire to develop informed, educated opinions, or to participate more actively in public debate?
Essay 2 (Unit 2) - option D
Essay 2 (Unit 2) option D
Who controls (or is controling, so far) public opinion and policy on war in Iraq and a possible war with Iran? If you're especially interested in, and following stories about, Iraq and Iran, and the stories of the unprecedented number of retired generals who have opposed the war in Iraq and the plan to bomb Iran, this option might interest you.
Who controls or is controling opinion and policy about war against Iraq and Iran?
- Consider the President and Vice President
- Consider the PR or propaganda (Freedom Watch and possibly other considerations).
- Also consider defense leaders (the Secretary of Defense, the generals, including General Petreus and the retired generals who oppose or are openly critical of the war).
- Consider war cheerleaders like FOX News Channel/FNC.
- Consider protesters like Cindy Sheehan.
- Consider also various other groups, like MoveOn.org, TrueMajority.org, and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW).
Below is a list of some articles related to the generals and others (retired veterans) who oppose the war. These may or may not have a major influence on current polls, but you might find them interesting to consider. The second article below is about Iran, which some insiders have claimed Bush is determined to bomb before the end of his presidency.
Opposition from generals:
‘A nightmare with no end in sight’
Ex-commander of coalition forces in Iraq lambastes ‘failure of leadership’
By Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube
NBC News
Updated: 7:15 p.m. CT Oct 12, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21272663/
Regarding IRAN (not Iraq):
US ex-generals reject Iran strike
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6328801.stm
Victory Is Not an Option (regarding Iraq)
The Mission Can't Be Accomplished -- It's Time for a New Strategy
By (retired Army Lieutenant General) William E. Odom
Sunday, February 11, 2007; B01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020901917_pf.html
Retired generals rising up against Iraq war
- Article about list of retired generals against the war:
1. Major Gen. Paul Eaton, 2. Lt. Gen. William Odom,
3. Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, 4. Marine Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold,
5. Maj. Gen. John Batiste
- For this many generals to retire and criticize a war
our nation is engaged in is historically unprecedented.
By ERIN SOLARO / GUEST COLUMNIST
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/266638_solarosub16.html
article | posted October 9, 2007 (web only)
How the Military Can Stop an Iran Attack
Jeremy Brecher & Brendan Smith
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071022/brechersmith
U.S. generals call for Democratic takeover
Disgusted with the leadership of the Iraq war, two retired generals say the GOP must go. Plus: More than 100 current military personnel join a campaign to get the U.S. out of Iraq -- now.
By Mark Benjamin
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/10/25/generals/index_np.html
Retired general: Iraq invasion was 'strategic disaster'
By Evan Lehman
09/30/05 "The Lowell Sun"
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10488.htm
Some Top Military Brass Favor Status Quo in Iraq
Containment Seen Less Risky Than Attack
By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 28, 2002; Page A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10749-2002Jul27
---------------------------------
About opposition to war from among lower ranks of soldiers:
Members of Military Make War Views Known
by Guy Raz
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9766511
Who controls (or is controling, so far) public opinion and policy on war in Iraq and a possible war with Iran? If you're especially interested in, and following stories about, Iraq and Iran, and the stories of the unprecedented number of retired generals who have opposed the war in Iraq and the plan to bomb Iran, this option might interest you.
Who controls or is controling opinion and policy about war against Iraq and Iran?
- Consider the President and Vice President
- Consider the PR or propaganda (Freedom Watch and possibly other considerations).
- Also consider defense leaders (the Secretary of Defense, the generals, including General Petreus and the retired generals who oppose or are openly critical of the war).
- Consider war cheerleaders like FOX News Channel/FNC.
- Consider protesters like Cindy Sheehan.
- Consider also various other groups, like MoveOn.org, TrueMajority.org, and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW).
Below is a list of some articles related to the generals and others (retired veterans) who oppose the war. These may or may not have a major influence on current polls, but you might find them interesting to consider. The second article below is about Iran, which some insiders have claimed Bush is determined to bomb before the end of his presidency.
Opposition from generals:
‘A nightmare with no end in sight’
Ex-commander of coalition forces in Iraq lambastes ‘failure of leadership’
By Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube
NBC News
Updated: 7:15 p.m. CT Oct 12, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21272663/
Regarding IRAN (not Iraq):
US ex-generals reject Iran strike
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6328801.stm
Victory Is Not an Option (regarding Iraq)
The Mission Can't Be Accomplished -- It's Time for a New Strategy
By (retired Army Lieutenant General) William E. Odom
Sunday, February 11, 2007; B01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020901917_pf.html
Retired generals rising up against Iraq war
- Article about list of retired generals against the war:
1. Major Gen. Paul Eaton, 2. Lt. Gen. William Odom,
3. Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, 4. Marine Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold,
5. Maj. Gen. John Batiste
- For this many generals to retire and criticize a war
our nation is engaged in is historically unprecedented.
By ERIN SOLARO / GUEST COLUMNIST
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/266638_solarosub16.html
article | posted October 9, 2007 (web only)
How the Military Can Stop an Iran Attack
Jeremy Brecher & Brendan Smith
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071022/brechersmith
U.S. generals call for Democratic takeover
Disgusted with the leadership of the Iraq war, two retired generals say the GOP must go. Plus: More than 100 current military personnel join a campaign to get the U.S. out of Iraq -- now.
By Mark Benjamin
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/10/25/generals/index_np.html
Retired general: Iraq invasion was 'strategic disaster'
By Evan Lehman
09/30/05 "The Lowell Sun"
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10488.htm
Some Top Military Brass Favor Status Quo in Iraq
Containment Seen Less Risky Than Attack
By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 28, 2002; Page A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10749-2002Jul27
---------------------------------
About opposition to war from among lower ranks of soldiers:
Members of Military Make War Views Known
by Guy Raz
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9766511
Essay 2 (Unit 2) - option C
Essay 2 (Unit 2) option C
Personal responsibility for public opinion:
Speculate about how ignorance and apathy from a too-comfortable lifestyle may contribute as a cause for why American public opinion is so easily manipulated by corporate interests and/or political propaganda. Instead of focusing mostly on politicians, media or monied interests, focus on individual responsibility for being informed on public events. Use a few diverse examples, from reading or videos assigned in class, and speculate, using these sources as support, regarding how a lack of personal responsibility, or an increase in it, might have led to different outcomes in public opinion and policy.
Consider this quote from Allen Dulles, who was a former CIA director (fired by JFK after the Bay of Pigs failure), and a member of the Warren Commission investigating the assasination of JFK. Some people worried that the theory of a lone gunman, and of a "magic bullet" theory to explain multiple wounds, would never be believed by the public if they read the Warren Commission report. Some would suspect a cover-up. Dulles responded in a memo, "But nobody reads. Don't believe people read in this country. There will be a few professors that will read the record...The public will read very little." (September 6, 1964, Warren Commission internal memo)
If this is true, is it a cause for American opinion being easily manipulated?
You’ll have to narrow down your focus to certain key examples, but here are some possible sources from which to choose:
- Consider statistics on how much TV Americans watch, only a small percent of which is news. Also consider such things as statistics on wealth, consumer spending, energy and sugar consumption in the US. Are Americans spoiled and irresponsible when it comes to being informed about current events?
- Consider Freedom’s Watch commercials (see past blog entries for this unit for links). How might the opinion of these commercials change if people knew how many veterans or retired generals oppose the war, whether the opinions of a few families or veterans represent a majority, and how the opinions of those opposed to the war might have as much emotional appeal as the Freedom’s Watch commercials?
- Consider the Kuwaiti hospital incubator/babies PR story (see past assignments for this unit for links). Were Americans and congress too easily deceived by this PR operation? The saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” If we know politicians can be deceitful, and have been shown this over and over again, why don’t parents and public schools teach students to be more on the alert for deception?
- Consider Karl Rove’s political tactics (see 4 examples mentioned in Doonsbury cartoon under D2L “content”), and how the public should not have been so easily mislead by dirty campaign tactics from the political operative the president nicknamed “Turd Blossom.”
- Consdier “Students for Academic Freedom” as an astroturf organization (see past assignments for this unit for links), and how students and the public should not be so easily mislead or deceived by such organizations.
- Consider the article regarding the leak of the White House Manual for how to deal with protesters (see past assignments for this unit for links), and how citizens should require more visible freedom of speech as a matter of policy at political events.
- Consider the official explanation of 9-11 from the Bush administration, as compared to that in the documentary, “9-11: Press for Truth” and Paul Thompson’s 9-11 timeline; explore why the public should have been much more curious about the details, and much more emphatic about wanting an explanation for why our defenses failed so miserably.
Personal responsibility for public opinion:
Speculate about how ignorance and apathy from a too-comfortable lifestyle may contribute as a cause for why American public opinion is so easily manipulated by corporate interests and/or political propaganda. Instead of focusing mostly on politicians, media or monied interests, focus on individual responsibility for being informed on public events. Use a few diverse examples, from reading or videos assigned in class, and speculate, using these sources as support, regarding how a lack of personal responsibility, or an increase in it, might have led to different outcomes in public opinion and policy.
Consider this quote from Allen Dulles, who was a former CIA director (fired by JFK after the Bay of Pigs failure), and a member of the Warren Commission investigating the assasination of JFK. Some people worried that the theory of a lone gunman, and of a "magic bullet" theory to explain multiple wounds, would never be believed by the public if they read the Warren Commission report. Some would suspect a cover-up. Dulles responded in a memo, "But nobody reads. Don't believe people read in this country. There will be a few professors that will read the record...The public will read very little." (September 6, 1964, Warren Commission internal memo)
If this is true, is it a cause for American opinion being easily manipulated?
You’ll have to narrow down your focus to certain key examples, but here are some possible sources from which to choose:
- Consider statistics on how much TV Americans watch, only a small percent of which is news. Also consider such things as statistics on wealth, consumer spending, energy and sugar consumption in the US. Are Americans spoiled and irresponsible when it comes to being informed about current events?
- Consider Freedom’s Watch commercials (see past blog entries for this unit for links). How might the opinion of these commercials change if people knew how many veterans or retired generals oppose the war, whether the opinions of a few families or veterans represent a majority, and how the opinions of those opposed to the war might have as much emotional appeal as the Freedom’s Watch commercials?
- Consider the Kuwaiti hospital incubator/babies PR story (see past assignments for this unit for links). Were Americans and congress too easily deceived by this PR operation? The saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” If we know politicians can be deceitful, and have been shown this over and over again, why don’t parents and public schools teach students to be more on the alert for deception?
- Consider Karl Rove’s political tactics (see 4 examples mentioned in Doonsbury cartoon under D2L “content”), and how the public should not have been so easily mislead by dirty campaign tactics from the political operative the president nicknamed “Turd Blossom.”
- Consdier “Students for Academic Freedom” as an astroturf organization (see past assignments for this unit for links), and how students and the public should not be so easily mislead or deceived by such organizations.
- Consider the article regarding the leak of the White House Manual for how to deal with protesters (see past assignments for this unit for links), and how citizens should require more visible freedom of speech as a matter of policy at political events.
- Consider the official explanation of 9-11 from the Bush administration, as compared to that in the documentary, “9-11: Press for Truth” and Paul Thompson’s 9-11 timeline; explore why the public should have been much more curious about the details, and much more emphatic about wanting an explanation for why our defenses failed so miserably.
Essay 2 (Unit 2) - option B
Essay 2 (Unit 2) - option B
How do politicians and political organizations/forces manipulate public opinion? Using some of the sources we’ve read or watched for this unit, speculate on how politicians, political organizations, and some of the methods they sometimes resort to, influence public opinion and policy.
You’ll have to narrow down your focus to certain key examples, but here are some possible sources from which to choose:
- Freedom’s Watch commercials (see past blog entries for this unit for links)
- Kuwaiti hospital incubator/babies PR story (see past assignments for this unit for links)
- Karl Rove’s political tactics (see 4 examples mentioned in Doonsbury cartoon under D2L “content”)
- “Students for Academic Freedom” as an astroturf organization (see past assignments for this unit for links)
- Huxley essay in BR on Propaganda
- Article regarding the leak of the White House Manual for how to deal with protesters (see past assignments for this unit for links)
- The official explanation of 9-11 from the Bush administration, as compared to that in the documentary, “9-11: Press for Truth” and Paul Thompson’s 9-11 timeline.
How do politicians and political organizations/forces manipulate public opinion? Using some of the sources we’ve read or watched for this unit, speculate on how politicians, political organizations, and some of the methods they sometimes resort to, influence public opinion and policy.
You’ll have to narrow down your focus to certain key examples, but here are some possible sources from which to choose:
- Freedom’s Watch commercials (see past blog entries for this unit for links)
- Kuwaiti hospital incubator/babies PR story (see past assignments for this unit for links)
- Karl Rove’s political tactics (see 4 examples mentioned in Doonsbury cartoon under D2L “content”)
- “Students for Academic Freedom” as an astroturf organization (see past assignments for this unit for links)
- Huxley essay in BR on Propaganda
- Article regarding the leak of the White House Manual for how to deal with protesters (see past assignments for this unit for links)
- The official explanation of 9-11 from the Bush administration, as compared to that in the documentary, “9-11: Press for Truth” and Paul Thompson’s 9-11 timeline.
Essay 2 (Unit 2) - option A
Essay 2 (Unit 2) - option A
A - Speculate on “Big money” or “Monied Interests” as a major influence of public opinion. Rich people and large corporations have a great deal of influence through such things advertising, campaign finance, corporate media, and large defense contractors that profit from weapons sales. They have also used people or organizations like the “astroturf” sources we’ve considered.
Speculate about a range of ways or examples showing how corporations, “Big money” or “Monied Interests” (like the oil lobby, or the health care lobby) influence public opinion and policy. How might this influence work or unfold? Use a few diverse examples, from reading or videos assigned in class, and speculate, using these sources as support, regarding how these forces influence public opinion and policy.
You’ll have to narrow down your focus to certain key examples, but here are some possible sources from which to choose:
- Gloria Steinem essay from BR
- The documentary film, Outfoxed, or a review of same (Google search for reviews)
- Exxon’s disinformation campaign (UCS report - see past assignments for link)
- The Michael Moore film, Sicko (if you’ve seen it, or plan to see it very soon)
- The articles on Gore film spoof that turned out to be astroturf from a PR firm that had contracts with Exxon (see past assignments for link)
- The possibility that defense contractors could contribute, anonymously, to pro-war PR campaigns (like Freedom’s Watch) so as to extend a war and thereby increase their profits.
- One of many key quotes from Outfoxed was from media critic Robert McChesney who said propaganda in the US is even more effective than in totalitarian governments because people don't know they're being propagandized. Here’s a quote from a Salon.com review of the film:
"As media critic Robert McChesney says in the film, it is much easier to propagandize a public that believes in its own freedom, and does not expect propaganda, than it was in a Soviet-style system where people were always suspicious of official pronouncements."
A - Speculate on “Big money” or “Monied Interests” as a major influence of public opinion. Rich people and large corporations have a great deal of influence through such things advertising, campaign finance, corporate media, and large defense contractors that profit from weapons sales. They have also used people or organizations like the “astroturf” sources we’ve considered.
Speculate about a range of ways or examples showing how corporations, “Big money” or “Monied Interests” (like the oil lobby, or the health care lobby) influence public opinion and policy. How might this influence work or unfold? Use a few diverse examples, from reading or videos assigned in class, and speculate, using these sources as support, regarding how these forces influence public opinion and policy.
You’ll have to narrow down your focus to certain key examples, but here are some possible sources from which to choose:
- Gloria Steinem essay from BR
- The documentary film, Outfoxed, or a review of same (Google search for reviews)
- Exxon’s disinformation campaign (UCS report - see past assignments for link)
- The Michael Moore film, Sicko (if you’ve seen it, or plan to see it very soon)
- The articles on Gore film spoof that turned out to be astroturf from a PR firm that had contracts with Exxon (see past assignments for link)
- The possibility that defense contractors could contribute, anonymously, to pro-war PR campaigns (like Freedom’s Watch) so as to extend a war and thereby increase their profits.
- One of many key quotes from Outfoxed was from media critic Robert McChesney who said propaganda in the US is even more effective than in totalitarian governments because people don't know they're being propagandized. Here’s a quote from a Salon.com review of the film:
"As media critic Robert McChesney says in the film, it is much easier to propagandize a public that believes in its own freedom, and does not expect propaganda, than it was in a Soviet-style system where people were always suspicious of official pronouncements."
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Essay 2 Self-evaluation
You may ask:
Why is he giving us the Essay 2 self-evaluation so early, before the final draft is due?
Answer: So that you know what to work toward.
A. First, consider your essay from top to bottom, with parts like any other essay: How is your title? Is your introduction well-developed, and does it hold your reader's interest? Does it transition smoothly and logically to a clear, focused thesis statement? How is your outline? Are main ideas covered in paragraphs? Are your paragraphs well-developed, or do they wander a bit? Do you use good grammar, good word choice, good spelling and punctuation? Do you include well-integrated quotes, paraphrase, summary of ideas from sources, all necessary citations in MLA format, and a list of cited works?
B. Like the last essay self-evaluation, this self-evaluation will also be based somewhat on the "basic features," in this case, for the "Speculating About Causes" essay described in SMGW chapter 9:
B1. A presentation of the subject: Notice that this category is flexible: If you speculated about what causes hellium balloons or hot air balloons to rise, most people would know what you're talking about, so you could be brief. If you narrow your topic to focus on a cause for something about which your reader may be unaware, you will need to begin by describing/explaining/presenting your subject in greater detail. To do this, you can use some of the strategies you practiced in the last essay, "Explaining a concept."
Ask yourself: Did you present/describe/explain enough information about your subject as your reader needs, or did you assume too much, and leave too much unsaid?
B2. Plausible Causes: (a) Are your speculations about causes plausible, believable? (b) Do you include a forcasting statement in which you list the possible causes and the order in which you'll consider them?
B3. Logical Sequence of Causes: This one is related to the previous one: Do you consider possible causes in some logical order? Types of logical order to consider:
- chronological order
- ascending or descending order of importance
- from obvious to hidden causes
- from external to internal causes:
- - from context or environment to actor
- - from group and others to individuals and me
- in rhetorical order, starting with a cause that might be powerful to consider, ending with another powerful consideration, and sandwiching less important causes in between.
B4. Convincing support: This "requires knowledge and creativity" (SMGW). Do you provide convincing support, based on good research, careful reflection, creative insight? All of your causes should be supported somehow, and the least plausible or most obscure should be given the most careful support. Substantial support *must* come from your research sources, including well-integrated quotes, paraphrase, summary.
B5. A consideration of reader's objections and alternative causes. SMGW clains that nearly every essay of this type considers objections and alternative causes. See the basic features section in SMGW, chapter 9, for more details. Do you consider objections and alternative causes?
C1. What did you learn from writing your last essay that you did better in this one?
C2. What did you learn from writing this essay?
D. Did you use the Writing Center?
Why is he giving us the Essay 2 self-evaluation so early, before the final draft is due?
Answer: So that you know what to work toward.
A. First, consider your essay from top to bottom, with parts like any other essay: How is your title? Is your introduction well-developed, and does it hold your reader's interest? Does it transition smoothly and logically to a clear, focused thesis statement? How is your outline? Are main ideas covered in paragraphs? Are your paragraphs well-developed, or do they wander a bit? Do you use good grammar, good word choice, good spelling and punctuation? Do you include well-integrated quotes, paraphrase, summary of ideas from sources, all necessary citations in MLA format, and a list of cited works?
B. Like the last essay self-evaluation, this self-evaluation will also be based somewhat on the "basic features," in this case, for the "Speculating About Causes" essay described in SMGW chapter 9:
B1. A presentation of the subject: Notice that this category is flexible: If you speculated about what causes hellium balloons or hot air balloons to rise, most people would know what you're talking about, so you could be brief. If you narrow your topic to focus on a cause for something about which your reader may be unaware, you will need to begin by describing/explaining/presenting your subject in greater detail. To do this, you can use some of the strategies you practiced in the last essay, "Explaining a concept."
Ask yourself: Did you present/describe/explain enough information about your subject as your reader needs, or did you assume too much, and leave too much unsaid?
B2. Plausible Causes: (a) Are your speculations about causes plausible, believable? (b) Do you include a forcasting statement in which you list the possible causes and the order in which you'll consider them?
B3. Logical Sequence of Causes: This one is related to the previous one: Do you consider possible causes in some logical order? Types of logical order to consider:
- chronological order
- ascending or descending order of importance
- from obvious to hidden causes
- from external to internal causes:
- - from context or environment to actor
- - from group and others to individuals and me
- in rhetorical order, starting with a cause that might be powerful to consider, ending with another powerful consideration, and sandwiching less important causes in between.
B4. Convincing support: This "requires knowledge and creativity" (SMGW). Do you provide convincing support, based on good research, careful reflection, creative insight? All of your causes should be supported somehow, and the least plausible or most obscure should be given the most careful support. Substantial support *must* come from your research sources, including well-integrated quotes, paraphrase, summary.
B5. A consideration of reader's objections and alternative causes. SMGW clains that nearly every essay of this type considers objections and alternative causes. See the basic features section in SMGW, chapter 9, for more details. Do you consider objections and alternative causes?
C1. What did you learn from writing your last essay that you did better in this one?
C2. What did you learn from writing this essay?
D. Did you use the Writing Center?
In Class Thursday, October 11
In Class Thursday, October 11
We're continuing our Unit 2 theme,
"Who controls public opinion and policy, and how?"
We may look briefly at this article: "White House Manual Details How to Deal With Protesters," by Peter Baker, Washington Post. See the end of paragraph 8 in Huxley. Also consider Bush's "Either you're with us, or you're against us" rhetoric.
The documentary film last week, Outfoxed, touched on how corporate media influences public opinion, including elections.
You were also assigned to read the information about the 9-11 polls. Reading the polls reminds me of a quote from Allen Dulles, former director of the CIA, who was part of the Warren Commission investigating the assasination of JFK. Some people worried that the theory of a lone gunman, and of a "magic bullet" theory to explain multiple wounds, would never be believed by the public if they read the Warren Commission report. Some would suspect a cover-up. Dulles responded in a memo, "But nobody reads. Don't believe people read in this country. There will be a few professors that will read the record...The public will read very little."
Allen Dulles, Warren Commission member, fired by JFK as CIA Director
(September 6, 1964, Warren Commission internal memo)
------------------------------------------------------------
In class we will look at more sources related to elections.
The Week 7 sub-theme is "Big Money, Campaign Finance, and Hired PR Guns."
Instead of asking you to read all the below sources, I'll ask you to consider which you're most interested in, and then choose a few to summarize and respond to on D2L. More information will be forthcoming on the "due October 18" post on this blog (which will appear later).
(a) D. Froomkin, “Campaign Finance Reform Basics: Money Troubles” at the Washington Post. In answer to the question, "Who controls public opinion and policy, and how," this article (in a series of articles) would seem to indicate that it's money, or people or political parties with money, and also describes how money influences campaigns. The article is from 1998, so there have been some small changes since then, but most of what this series describes still holds true.
(b) So what can be done about the influence of money on elections? You can try to pass laws that restrict big money's influence, but will the laws stand up to supreme court challenges, and will big money interests find loopholes anyway?
- A bill sponsored by Republican John McCain of Arizona and Democrat Russ Feingold of Wisconsin sought to overhaul and reform campaign finance, or the way big money influences elections. The law was challenged in the courts (in 2002, I believe), but upheld by the Supreme Court in 2003, as you can read in this article from a PBS Newshour report. The law was challenged again in 2007, with different results. Here's a piece about the challenge called "Supreme Court to Rule on Heart of McCain-Feingold.
(c) More on what unfolded regarding McCain-Feingold in 2007: Time Magazine - CNN article, "A Setback for McCain-Feingold?"
(d) For those interested in voter fraud related to the 2000 and 2004 elections: Jimmy Carter, “Fair Elections: Still Seeking a Fair Florida Vote”
Here's a set of articles about a certain PR scam that bamboozled people before the first Iraq war. If the question is, ""Who controls public opinion and policy, and how," then the answer of this set of readings is, "Clever lies contrived by PR firms to mislead the public into supporting war." This is not so different from "clever lies contrived by PR firms to mislead the public on global warming," but it's about war instead of global warming.
(e) Mitchel Cohen, "How Bush Sr. Sold the Bombing of Iraq" or
(f) SourceWatch: Citizens for a Free Kuwait, or
(g) FAIR: HBO Recycling Gulf War Hoax?
In-class, as an exercise, we may make a list of works cited for the above readings in MLA format.
Extra (optional) sources to consult on election reform:
(Optional) Black Box Voting: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Box_Voting
(Optional) Sources at Public Citizen/Clean Up Washington:
(h) Fair Elections ,
(i) Public Financing of Elections,
(j) Campaign Finance Reform, and
(k) Lobbying Reform
------------------------------------------------------------
In class, we'll begin the film, Press for Truth.
------------------------------------------------------------
We may discuss US military deaths, and Iraqi civilian deaths, in Iraq. Some sources:
U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq at 3,820
October 10, 2007
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gqgQCcv26kB1dkgZRZNHmbn_1J8gD8S6LRLO3
Study Claims Iraq's 'Excess' Death Toll Has Reached 655,000
By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 11, 2006; Page A12
(President estimated 30,000)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/10/AR2006101001442.html
Iraq Body Count
October 11, 2007
74,930-81,653
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/
------------------------------------------------------------
We may also view some YouTube Videos on Freedom's Watch:
Pro War - Freedom's Watch - Condemn MoveOn (Betray Us add)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNPpy2DDrjU&NR=1
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbLuAFkTZJU&NR=1
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - Robinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-PzOvChXGA&mode=related&search=
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - Jesse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2rdL_WC4Zo&mode=related&search=
Pro War - Freedom's Watch MoveOn & "Surge Working"
- RE: MoveOn attacks Democrat for talking about progress in Iraq
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck18N3-4szk&mode=related&search=
Republicans also attack Republicans for talking about ending occupation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqWaIhvFbeM&mode=related&search=
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - Travis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1j7HPCBZKQ&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - Vet walking w/prostheses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNTWYnPi8yc&mode=related&search=
Con - introduced by Dem. Senator from ND - Grand Theft Country
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuRJsqHpdxU&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
con - tatoo citizen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOkO4SWKjOE&NR=1
Con (longer, from Democracy Now and a Wisconsin group)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv1tD0Z1Qjo&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
con 1:23 - should be ashamed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRLSMWAbxfg
Con: German pro-war propaganda movie shown as response to Freedom's watch:
What's the reasoning? Freedom's Watch seems to be doing the same stuff
Germany was doing to promote the war.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7aZqEoU80E&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
Con - Americans United for change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXkogSgVqC4&mode=related&search=
Con ("Liar" soundtrack)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-ZqZz0tgxc&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
Con - Ron Paul - 4 minutes - "for a buck"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmIVxPO_SNo&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
We're continuing our Unit 2 theme,
"Who controls public opinion and policy, and how?"
We may look briefly at this article: "White House Manual Details How to Deal With Protesters," by Peter Baker, Washington Post. See the end of paragraph 8 in Huxley. Also consider Bush's "Either you're with us, or you're against us" rhetoric.
The documentary film last week, Outfoxed, touched on how corporate media influences public opinion, including elections.
You were also assigned to read the information about the 9-11 polls. Reading the polls reminds me of a quote from Allen Dulles, former director of the CIA, who was part of the Warren Commission investigating the assasination of JFK. Some people worried that the theory of a lone gunman, and of a "magic bullet" theory to explain multiple wounds, would never be believed by the public if they read the Warren Commission report. Some would suspect a cover-up. Dulles responded in a memo, "But nobody reads. Don't believe people read in this country. There will be a few professors that will read the record...The public will read very little."
Allen Dulles, Warren Commission member, fired by JFK as CIA Director
(September 6, 1964, Warren Commission internal memo)
------------------------------------------------------------
In class we will look at more sources related to elections.
The Week 7 sub-theme is "Big Money, Campaign Finance, and Hired PR Guns."
Instead of asking you to read all the below sources, I'll ask you to consider which you're most interested in, and then choose a few to summarize and respond to on D2L. More information will be forthcoming on the "due October 18" post on this blog (which will appear later).
(a) D. Froomkin, “Campaign Finance Reform Basics: Money Troubles” at the Washington Post. In answer to the question, "Who controls public opinion and policy, and how," this article (in a series of articles) would seem to indicate that it's money, or people or political parties with money, and also describes how money influences campaigns. The article is from 1998, so there have been some small changes since then, but most of what this series describes still holds true.
(b) So what can be done about the influence of money on elections? You can try to pass laws that restrict big money's influence, but will the laws stand up to supreme court challenges, and will big money interests find loopholes anyway?
- A bill sponsored by Republican John McCain of Arizona and Democrat Russ Feingold of Wisconsin sought to overhaul and reform campaign finance, or the way big money influences elections. The law was challenged in the courts (in 2002, I believe), but upheld by the Supreme Court in 2003, as you can read in this article from a PBS Newshour report. The law was challenged again in 2007, with different results. Here's a piece about the challenge called "Supreme Court to Rule on Heart of McCain-Feingold.
(c) More on what unfolded regarding McCain-Feingold in 2007: Time Magazine - CNN article, "A Setback for McCain-Feingold?"
(d) For those interested in voter fraud related to the 2000 and 2004 elections: Jimmy Carter, “Fair Elections: Still Seeking a Fair Florida Vote”
Here's a set of articles about a certain PR scam that bamboozled people before the first Iraq war. If the question is, ""Who controls public opinion and policy, and how," then the answer of this set of readings is, "Clever lies contrived by PR firms to mislead the public into supporting war." This is not so different from "clever lies contrived by PR firms to mislead the public on global warming," but it's about war instead of global warming.
(e) Mitchel Cohen, "How Bush Sr. Sold the Bombing of Iraq" or
(f) SourceWatch: Citizens for a Free Kuwait, or
(g) FAIR: HBO Recycling Gulf War Hoax?
In-class, as an exercise, we may make a list of works cited for the above readings in MLA format.
Extra (optional) sources to consult on election reform:
(Optional) Black Box Voting: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Box_Voting
(Optional) Sources at Public Citizen/Clean Up Washington:
(h) Fair Elections ,
(i) Public Financing of Elections,
(j) Campaign Finance Reform, and
(k) Lobbying Reform
------------------------------------------------------------
In class, we'll begin the film, Press for Truth.
------------------------------------------------------------
We may discuss US military deaths, and Iraqi civilian deaths, in Iraq. Some sources:
U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq at 3,820
October 10, 2007
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gqgQCcv26kB1dkgZRZNHmbn_1J8gD8S6LRLO3
Study Claims Iraq's 'Excess' Death Toll Has Reached 655,000
By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 11, 2006; Page A12
(President estimated 30,000)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/10/AR2006101001442.html
Iraq Body Count
October 11, 2007
74,930-81,653
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/
------------------------------------------------------------
We may also view some YouTube Videos on Freedom's Watch:
Pro War - Freedom's Watch - Condemn MoveOn (Betray Us add)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNPpy2DDrjU&NR=1
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbLuAFkTZJU&NR=1
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - Robinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-PzOvChXGA&mode=related&search=
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - Jesse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2rdL_WC4Zo&mode=related&search=
Pro War - Freedom's Watch MoveOn & "Surge Working"
- RE: MoveOn attacks Democrat for talking about progress in Iraq
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck18N3-4szk&mode=related&search=
Republicans also attack Republicans for talking about ending occupation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqWaIhvFbeM&mode=related&search=
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - Travis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1j7HPCBZKQ&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
Pro war / Freedom's Watch - Vet walking w/prostheses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNTWYnPi8yc&mode=related&search=
Con - introduced by Dem. Senator from ND - Grand Theft Country
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuRJsqHpdxU&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
con - tatoo citizen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOkO4SWKjOE&NR=1
Con (longer, from Democracy Now and a Wisconsin group)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv1tD0Z1Qjo&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
con 1:23 - should be ashamed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRLSMWAbxfg
Con: German pro-war propaganda movie shown as response to Freedom's watch:
What's the reasoning? Freedom's Watch seems to be doing the same stuff
Germany was doing to promote the war.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7aZqEoU80E&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
Con - Americans United for change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXkogSgVqC4&mode=related&search=
Con ("Liar" soundtrack)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-ZqZz0tgxc&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
Con - Ron Paul - 4 minutes - "for a buck"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmIVxPO_SNo&mode=related&search=freedom%27swatch%20Blakeman%20yukkione%20bush%20iraq%20sex%20politics
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Due Thursday, October 11
Due Thursday, October 11
If you missed class tonight, go to the "Today in class: October 4" blog post, read what we did, and get caught up by reading the articles and contributing to the discussion on the related discussion forums on D2L. The articles can be found under "content" on D2L, listed under Unit 2: each title we examined in class is followed by a "(10/4)."
If you have old assignments that you have not yet turned in, go to the "where to find it" menu in the upper right here on the course blog, and click the link to Due This Week & Past Weeks. Check through past assignments to be sure you're caught up. I'll be reading lots of papers, so I won't have time to check requests for students who are not keeping track of their work, but at the end of the class when I add things up, I'll notice everything that is missing, and yes, it will affect your grade, so get caught up.
If you have not yet read the Steinem and Huxley essays from Blair Reader due last week, do so right away, because much of our discussion on other readings will relate to some of the points they make.
New stuff due:
1. Having viewed the film, Outfoxed in class, post some comments on the film on the related duscussion forum. The view of the film maker, many past FOX employees, various media experts and a former CIA agent/analyst FOX guest commentator, was that FOX is more propaganda than news. In your comments on the "Outfoxed" discussion forum, consider: How might we judge if this assessment is accurate, or if all these experts and the film-maker might just be socialist nuts and terrorist sympathizers with an axe to grind? Make some observations, and then in a civil way, discuss or debate. Don't just agree. If you agree, you have to extend the conversation somehow with something to add. If you disagree, you have to be civil.
2. Read quotes on under "content" regarding propaganda from L.H. Shoup and W. Minter's book, Imperial Brain Trust: The Council on Foreign Relations and United States Foreign Policy (see "Content" section, under Unit 2, on D2L). How would you compare this to Huxley's essay?
3. Brief article: "White House Manual Details How to Deal With Protesters," by Peter Baker, Washington Post. What parts here here sound like Huxley? Which is the exact quote from Huxley which sounds like some of the methods for dealing with protesters? Posts some comments to the discussion forum by this title on D2L.
4. This one was left over from Thursday the 4th of October: Compare two videos, one grassroots, one astroturf: Freedom's Watch and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). Find the article here: here.
View the First video here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Freedomswatch
View the second video here:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CMDAug5wIVAW
See the questions and discussion forum on D2:
Discuss/Debate: Freedom's Watch and IVAW Video Comparison
5. View some poll information at Wikipedia: Some is on 9-11 polls (click the words to go there), some is on the movement to impeach (for this second one, scroll down to the contents and see #4, Public opinion/polls, and click polls 2005, 2006, 2007). Consider two questions:
(a) Notice that 43% of those polled didn't know about WTC building #7 collapsing, although it was not hit by a plane on 9-11. Notice how many, among those who knew this, are interested in an investigation. What does this tell us about polls, and about polling a public that might not know enough about something to voice an educated opinion? Post comments to the 9-11 polls discussion forum
(b) Notice the increasing percent of people who would like to see Bush impeached, and especially Cheney, by the time of the latest polls. Large numbers of Americans would like to see them impeached, many more than the nubmers who wanted Clinton impeached. Notice the high percent, not only of Democrats, but also of Independents, and even a sizable number of Republicans. Consider: How often have you heard impeachment discussed on TV, or on the radio, or in newspapers? If you've heard or read it often, where do you get your news? If you have not, why do you think this is not discussed?
Instead of writing summaries and responses this week, you need to discuss the readings on D2L. Be responsible, make intelligent observations, and don't sluff.
In class on the 11th, we will look at some (more) sources related to elections
(the Week 7 theme is this: Big Money, Campaign Finance, and Hired PR Guns)
(a) D. Froomkin, “Campaign Finance Reform Basics: Money Troubles”
(b) Supreme Court to Rule on Heart of McCain-Feingold
(c) Update on McCain-Feingold (opensecrets.org)
(d) Jimmy Carter, “Fair Elections: Still Seeking a Fair Florida Vote”
Then there's a set about the same historical event:
(e) Mitchel Cohen, "How Bush Sr. Sold the Bombing of Iraq" or
(f) SourceWatch: Citizens for a Free Kuwait, or
(g) FAIR: HBO Recycling Gulf War Hoax?
In-class, I'll ask you to start making a list of works cited for the above readings in MLA format.
Extra (optional) sources to consult on election reform:
(Optional) Black Box Voting: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Box_Voting
(Optional) Sources at Public Citizen/Clean Up Washington:
(a) Fair Elections (optional)
(b) Public Financing of Elections (optional)
(c) Campaign Finance Reform (optional), and
(d) Lobbying Reform (optional)
In class, we'll begin the film, Press for Truth.
If you missed class tonight, go to the "Today in class: October 4" blog post, read what we did, and get caught up by reading the articles and contributing to the discussion on the related discussion forums on D2L. The articles can be found under "content" on D2L, listed under Unit 2: each title we examined in class is followed by a "(10/4)."
If you have old assignments that you have not yet turned in, go to the "where to find it" menu in the upper right here on the course blog, and click the link to Due This Week & Past Weeks. Check through past assignments to be sure you're caught up. I'll be reading lots of papers, so I won't have time to check requests for students who are not keeping track of their work, but at the end of the class when I add things up, I'll notice everything that is missing, and yes, it will affect your grade, so get caught up.
If you have not yet read the Steinem and Huxley essays from Blair Reader due last week, do so right away, because much of our discussion on other readings will relate to some of the points they make.
New stuff due:
1. Having viewed the film, Outfoxed in class, post some comments on the film on the related duscussion forum. The view of the film maker, many past FOX employees, various media experts and a former CIA agent/analyst FOX guest commentator, was that FOX is more propaganda than news. In your comments on the "Outfoxed" discussion forum, consider: How might we judge if this assessment is accurate, or if all these experts and the film-maker might just be socialist nuts and terrorist sympathizers with an axe to grind? Make some observations, and then in a civil way, discuss or debate. Don't just agree. If you agree, you have to extend the conversation somehow with something to add. If you disagree, you have to be civil.
2. Read quotes on under "content" regarding propaganda from L.H. Shoup and W. Minter's book, Imperial Brain Trust: The Council on Foreign Relations and United States Foreign Policy (see "Content" section, under Unit 2, on D2L). How would you compare this to Huxley's essay?
3. Brief article: "White House Manual Details How to Deal With Protesters," by Peter Baker, Washington Post. What parts here here sound like Huxley? Which is the exact quote from Huxley which sounds like some of the methods for dealing with protesters? Posts some comments to the discussion forum by this title on D2L.
4. This one was left over from Thursday the 4th of October: Compare two videos, one grassroots, one astroturf: Freedom's Watch and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). Find the article here: here.
View the First video here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Freedomswatch
View the second video here:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CMDAug5wIVAW
See the questions and discussion forum on D2:
Discuss/Debate: Freedom's Watch and IVAW Video Comparison
5. View some poll information at Wikipedia: Some is on 9-11 polls (click the words to go there), some is on the movement to impeach (for this second one, scroll down to the contents and see #4, Public opinion/polls, and click polls 2005, 2006, 2007). Consider two questions:
(a) Notice that 43% of those polled didn't know about WTC building #7 collapsing, although it was not hit by a plane on 9-11. Notice how many, among those who knew this, are interested in an investigation. What does this tell us about polls, and about polling a public that might not know enough about something to voice an educated opinion? Post comments to the 9-11 polls discussion forum
(b) Notice the increasing percent of people who would like to see Bush impeached, and especially Cheney, by the time of the latest polls. Large numbers of Americans would like to see them impeached, many more than the nubmers who wanted Clinton impeached. Notice the high percent, not only of Democrats, but also of Independents, and even a sizable number of Republicans. Consider: How often have you heard impeachment discussed on TV, or on the radio, or in newspapers? If you've heard or read it often, where do you get your news? If you have not, why do you think this is not discussed?
Instead of writing summaries and responses this week, you need to discuss the readings on D2L. Be responsible, make intelligent observations, and don't sluff.
In class on the 11th, we will look at some (more) sources related to elections
(the Week 7 theme is this: Big Money, Campaign Finance, and Hired PR Guns)
(a) D. Froomkin, “Campaign Finance Reform Basics: Money Troubles”
(b) Supreme Court to Rule on Heart of McCain-Feingold
(c) Update on McCain-Feingold (opensecrets.org)
(d) Jimmy Carter, “Fair Elections: Still Seeking a Fair Florida Vote”
Then there's a set about the same historical event:
(e) Mitchel Cohen, "How Bush Sr. Sold the Bombing of Iraq" or
(f) SourceWatch: Citizens for a Free Kuwait, or
(g) FAIR: HBO Recycling Gulf War Hoax?
In-class, I'll ask you to start making a list of works cited for the above readings in MLA format.
Extra (optional) sources to consult on election reform:
(Optional) Black Box Voting: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Box_Voting
(Optional) Sources at Public Citizen/Clean Up Washington:
(a) Fair Elections (optional)
(b) Public Financing of Elections (optional)
(c) Campaign Finance Reform (optional), and
(d) Lobbying Reform (optional)
In class, we'll begin the film, Press for Truth.
Paper 2 options
Essay 2 (Unit 2) and Options
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
As usual, this essay will be a minimum of two full pages of essay, single spaced, Times Roman 12-pt font with standard 1-inch margins, with the list of works cited on a third or separate page.
- Strive for a strong introduction and a clear thesis statement that's narrow enough for a short paper. See the Introduction Exercise on the blog and the resources in CWH on thesis statements.
- Have a good sense of organization, paragraph development and progression of ideas (which usually comes from drafting after creating an organized outline or list).
- You need not (and usually should not) restrict yourself to a 3- or 5- paragraph essay model. Each paragraph has its own central idea, and usually a topic sentence, or a clearly implied central idea. You'll need as many paragraphs as you have main ideas in your outline.
- You must use in-text and parenthetical citations whether you use direct quotes or simply summarize or paraphrase from other sources; either way, citations in MLA format are needed.
- You will need to use some well-integrated quotes. See the Integrated Quotes exercise on the blog.
- Use at least one major reading source assigned for class as an integrated source in your essay (preferably more).
- Wikipedia, online dictionaries, and other online encyclopedias are not considered strong enough to use as sources for a college essay, but you can start with them in your research. Notice that at the bottom of articles on wikis like Wikipedia or SourceWatch, there is usually a list of references and articles. Read the Wikipedia article if you feel you need to get a first, general grasp of a topic, and then skim and read many articles to broaden your understanding.
- You'll also need a list of works cited in MLA format. Make sure you know the difference between a list of works cited and citations. You'll need both.
- Your conclusion need not simply be a summary, although that sometimes works. Sometimes good conclusions hint at another step for where the reader might go in light of the points made in the essay.
OPTIONS
Option A: Big Money and Corporate Interests.
Speculate on “Big money” or “Monied Interests” as a major influence of public opinion. Click for more information.
Option B: Politicians, political organizations and their methods.
How do politicians and political organizations/forces manipulate public opinion? Click for more information.
Option C: Personal responsibility for public opinion.
Speculate about how ignorance and apathy from a too-comfortable lifestyle may contribute as a cause for why American public opinion is so easily manipulated by corporate interests and/or political propaganda. Click for more information.
Option D: War in Iraq, and possibly, Iran:
Who controls (or is controling, so far) public opinion and policy on war in Iraq and a possible war with Iran? Click for more information.
Option E: Neglected Stories/Under the Radar:
What explains/causes the neglect of certain important, key stories that citizens are not informed of or ignorant about? Click for more information.
Or if you want to propose a topic of your own, submit it by email. Use at least one source we read or viewed during the unit.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
As usual, this essay will be a minimum of two full pages of essay, single spaced, Times Roman 12-pt font with standard 1-inch margins, with the list of works cited on a third or separate page.
- Strive for a strong introduction and a clear thesis statement that's narrow enough for a short paper. See the Introduction Exercise on the blog and the resources in CWH on thesis statements.
- Have a good sense of organization, paragraph development and progression of ideas (which usually comes from drafting after creating an organized outline or list).
- You need not (and usually should not) restrict yourself to a 3- or 5- paragraph essay model. Each paragraph has its own central idea, and usually a topic sentence, or a clearly implied central idea. You'll need as many paragraphs as you have main ideas in your outline.
- You must use in-text and parenthetical citations whether you use direct quotes or simply summarize or paraphrase from other sources; either way, citations in MLA format are needed.
- You will need to use some well-integrated quotes. See the Integrated Quotes exercise on the blog.
- Use at least one major reading source assigned for class as an integrated source in your essay (preferably more).
- Wikipedia, online dictionaries, and other online encyclopedias are not considered strong enough to use as sources for a college essay, but you can start with them in your research. Notice that at the bottom of articles on wikis like Wikipedia or SourceWatch, there is usually a list of references and articles. Read the Wikipedia article if you feel you need to get a first, general grasp of a topic, and then skim and read many articles to broaden your understanding.
- You'll also need a list of works cited in MLA format. Make sure you know the difference between a list of works cited and citations. You'll need both.
- Your conclusion need not simply be a summary, although that sometimes works. Sometimes good conclusions hint at another step for where the reader might go in light of the points made in the essay.
OPTIONS
Option A: Big Money and Corporate Interests.
Speculate on “Big money” or “Monied Interests” as a major influence of public opinion. Click for more information.
Option B: Politicians, political organizations and their methods.
How do politicians and political organizations/forces manipulate public opinion? Click for more information.
Option C: Personal responsibility for public opinion.
Speculate about how ignorance and apathy from a too-comfortable lifestyle may contribute as a cause for why American public opinion is so easily manipulated by corporate interests and/or political propaganda. Click for more information.
Option D: War in Iraq, and possibly, Iran:
Who controls (or is controling, so far) public opinion and policy on war in Iraq and a possible war with Iran? Click for more information.
Option E: Neglected Stories/Under the Radar:
What explains/causes the neglect of certain important, key stories that citizens are not informed of or ignorant about? Click for more information.
Or if you want to propose a topic of your own, submit it by email. Use at least one source we read or viewed during the unit.
Today in class: Thursday, October 4
Today in class: Thursday, October 4
Today we started
Unit 2 - Who Controls Public Opinion & Policy
The type of paper we'll be writing for this unit is described in chapter 9 of SMGW, "Speculating about Causes." For next week, you'll be writing a summary of the Basic Features from pages 474-475 of SMGW, 7th edition.
Our reading due today was two essays from BR:
(a) Gloria Steinem, "Sex, Lies and Advertising," BR 274
(b) Aldous Huxley, "Propaganda Under a Dictatorship," BR 214.
Summaries and responses for these were also due.
Instead of having you read a lot of other material and write summaries and responses for each of them, I made things a little easier by going through them quickly in class. They were as follows, most of the found through the "content" section of D2L (log on to D2L, click our class, click "content"):
We discussed Karl Rove and some of his campaign tactics to influence public opinion and get his boss elected, which then influences policy. We discussed in particular some of the "greatest hits" mentioned in the Doonsbury compic strip accessed on D2L:
Doonsbury on Rove Moving On - 1 of 2 (10/4)
Doonsbury on Rove Moving On - 2 of 2 (10/4)
We talked a bit about censorship:
AT&T Censors Criticism of Bush (10/4)
We reviewed the idea of astroturf, as an organization usually set up by a PR firm to appear to look like a grass-roots organization:
Astroturf defined - at SourceWatch.org (10/4)
We previewed an article about an organization we've mentioned in class before:
Students for Academic Freedom - Astroturf (10/4)
And we looked very briefly about an interesting story related to an anti-Gore global warming documentary spoof, which was meant to seem as if it was made by an amateur and posted on YouTube, but which actually was made by a Republican PR firm that does work for Exxon:
Anti-Gore Astroturf (10/4)
Anti-Gore Astroturf 2 by ABC (10/4)
For some of these, we had online discussion in the discussion forums listed under similar names. Go to the discussion forums for unit 2, and look for which of the above have discussion forums.
We tried to view two videos, one a commercial by an astroturf organization called "Freedom's Watch," and another, an amateur video made of some members of Iraq Veterans Against the War. The sound wasn't very good, so an assignment for next week will be to view the video at your leisure and comment in the related discussion forum in response to the questions there.
We also watched the Robert Greenwald video, Outfoxed.
Today we started
Unit 2 - Who Controls Public Opinion & Policy
The type of paper we'll be writing for this unit is described in chapter 9 of SMGW, "Speculating about Causes." For next week, you'll be writing a summary of the Basic Features from pages 474-475 of SMGW, 7th edition.
Our reading due today was two essays from BR:
(a) Gloria Steinem, "Sex, Lies and Advertising," BR 274
(b) Aldous Huxley, "Propaganda Under a Dictatorship," BR 214.
Summaries and responses for these were also due.
Instead of having you read a lot of other material and write summaries and responses for each of them, I made things a little easier by going through them quickly in class. They were as follows, most of the found through the "content" section of D2L (log on to D2L, click our class, click "content"):
We discussed Karl Rove and some of his campaign tactics to influence public opinion and get his boss elected, which then influences policy. We discussed in particular some of the "greatest hits" mentioned in the Doonsbury compic strip accessed on D2L:
Doonsbury on Rove Moving On - 1 of 2 (10/4)
Doonsbury on Rove Moving On - 2 of 2 (10/4)
We talked a bit about censorship:
AT&T Censors Criticism of Bush (10/4)
We reviewed the idea of astroturf, as an organization usually set up by a PR firm to appear to look like a grass-roots organization:
Astroturf defined - at SourceWatch.org (10/4)
We previewed an article about an organization we've mentioned in class before:
Students for Academic Freedom - Astroturf (10/4)
And we looked very briefly about an interesting story related to an anti-Gore global warming documentary spoof, which was meant to seem as if it was made by an amateur and posted on YouTube, but which actually was made by a Republican PR firm that does work for Exxon:
Anti-Gore Astroturf (10/4)
Anti-Gore Astroturf 2 by ABC (10/4)
For some of these, we had online discussion in the discussion forums listed under similar names. Go to the discussion forums for unit 2, and look for which of the above have discussion forums.
We tried to view two videos, one a commercial by an astroturf organization called "Freedom's Watch," and another, an amateur video made of some members of Iraq Veterans Against the War. The sound wasn't very good, so an assignment for next week will be to view the video at your leisure and comment in the related discussion forum in response to the questions there.
We also watched the Robert Greenwald video, Outfoxed.
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