Blog #3 - Pick a question

Sorry this is late: DUE FRIDAY 10/3/08

Pick one of the following questions and answer it with a minimum of 150 words:


1. Should the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country get a chance at citizenship by learning English, paying fines and work towards citizenship? Why or why not?

2. Should America make English its official language? How about English and Spanish? Think about the consequences for the country and compare it to Canada. For either question, why or why not?

3. Is it important that America maintain the wall along its Mexican border? Or do you think the wall is unfair and a symbol of oppression? Think about the issues brought up in the TIME article (crime, health care, national security, etc.) and tell us what you think.

Thanks.

Blog #2 - Still Unanswered Questions?

We did a power writing session earlier this week, and in it, you were asked to write about five things you were certain of, and write down three things you were confused about concerning our unit on industry and unions in the late 19th Century. Now, I'm asking you to think once again about the stuff you're still unsure of even after taking the test on Friday.

After linking corruption in the business world today to the abuse of power back then, and contrasting moral businessmen like J.P. Morgan with modern ones like the Enron head honchos, after comparing Carnegie Steel and Standard Oil with Clear Channel's vertical and horizontal integation, what nagging question still remains? Is there something that you're not quite still clear about?

There were some great questions on the power writing. For example:

1. How could Enron look profitable for so long yet practically collapse almost over night?

2. Why do people get so greedy that they'll risk everything?

3. How is Clear Channel a monopoly if they only own 10% of the market?

4. Apple appears to be nice and friendly in their ads, but that article, at least the author, seems to really hate Apple. Why?

Your job, in Blog #2, is to pick your toughest question that still nags you and try to answer it in no less than 150 words. Due Monday, Sept. 22, 2008.

Blog #1 - Pick a quote and analyze it

Pick one of these quotes and tell me what you think the speaker means by it and what the President is saying about democracy / government specifically.

1. Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind...War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today. John F. Kennedy

2. No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent. Abraham Lincoln

3. Finishing second in the Olympics gets you silver. Finishing second in politics gets you oblivion. Richard Nixon

4. People ask the difference between a leader and a [political] boss. . . . The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives. Teddy Roosevelt

5. Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of it. The history of liberty is a history of resistance. Woodrow Wilson

6. No democracy can long survive which does not accept as fundamental to its very existence the recognition of the rights of minorities.

The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little. Franklin Roosevelt

Minimum 150 words. Due Monday, September 8.

Is hell freezing over?

Or does this message - by the Reverend Al Sharpton, an outspoken civil rights leader, and Pat Robertson, televangelist known for his conservative views - show a "thawing" of partisan relations?

Could it be that politicians on the left and the right are finally getting a clue?

Only time will tell.



Here's another one featuring current Speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi and former Speaker, Republican Newt Gingrich.




Check it out at http://wecansolveit.org/

The Daily Show: Indecision 5768

Here's Jon Stewart's take on the visit that Clinton, Obama and McCain all recently made to AIPAC, American Israel Public Affairs Committee.



Beware: Jewish humor. :)

Blog #24 - Evaluation of Retro U.S. history

We're just about done with the school year and you've been working with the latest American history (1929 - present) in a backwards, thematic manner. This semester, I've taken several issues or problems that we see in the news regularly - the Iraq War, the 2008 Presidential election w/ Senators Obama, Clinton and McCain, distrust of the government, the current economic recession, and the threat of nuclear terrorism and proliferation - and show you the roots of these problems by working backwards from the present.

What I'd like you to do in this blog is assess your learning:

1. Do you think you learned history better by learning it backwards or in this case, starting with a modern day problem and then working towards its root causes, much like a case study? Or was this approach more confusing because we didn't learn history in the traditional manner? Or wouldn't the approach matter - history is confusing? Why?

2. What do you think are the benefits of learning backwards? What are the faults or drawbacks?

3. Compared to what your friends in other U.S. history classes learned, do you think you learned more, less, or the same amount of stuff? Why?

4. Which unit do you think you learned the most in? Why? Which unit do you think you learned the least in? Why?

Due by Monday afternoon - 4 p.m. - 200 words minimum.

Thanks for your comments in advance. I appreciate all the feedback; it helps me improve for next year's class.

Senator Obama visits Troy, MI

O.k., o.k. I know it is the last week of school, but how many times do you get to see the man who might be the next president of the United States? My daughter and I played hooky and had a (practically) front row seat to the senator's speech and brief town hall meeting.

Blog #23 - How does Seabiscuit reflect the Great Depression?

After watching clips of Seabiscuit and discovering how much of a hero he and Red Pollard were to America at the time, please explain why so many average Americans were identifying with a sports hero - and one that wasn't even human!

Check out "American Experience: Seabiscuit" and how Charles Howard turned the Biscuit's name into a brand name: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/seabiscuit/mammalsevents/e_branding.html

The radio calls for Seabiscuit's greatest races: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/seabiscuit/sfeature/sf_radio.html

Interview with the author, Laura Hillenbrand, who wrote the book that the movie is based upon:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/seabiscuit/sfeature/sf_hillenbrand.html

Big Brown, the current Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, is battling a hoof injury and has taken a few days off before the Belmont Stakes that will be held on June 7th. Big Brown is the 4th horse since 2002 to come close to winning the Triple Crown (having come to Belmont after winning the first two races). You can even buy T-shirts and hats w/ Big Brown on them http://horsehats.com/BigBrown.html .

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing hasn't been won since Affirmed last did it in 1978. Affirmed also happens to be the great-great-grandson of War Admiral who we saw in the film. Other famous horses include Secretariat (1973 Triple Crown winner) and Seattle Slew (1977 Triple Crown winner and the only undefeated horse to win the TC).

Due Thursday, May 29 - 150 words minimum (in brown in honor of BB).

Blog #22 - Which of the following is the potentially worst economic challenge we face?

We've been studying lots of economic problems facing the country: the national debt, falling dollar, skyrocketing oil prices ($128 a barrel - a new historic high as of Friday). We also looked at Detroit's failure to adapt to the increasing demand for hybrids and higher mileage cars. In addition, we looked at the spread of big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target.

Price pressure on these stores' suppliers have driven many manufacturing jobs overseas in order to keep prices low. In addition, these big stores have forced many smaller stores in the area to close b/c they don't have the purchasing power that a Wal-Mart does. This eliminates smaller businesses - ones in which people have put their hopes and dreams. These companies have also discouraged unions and employed illegal immigrants in pursuit of cost-cutting. Is the creation of these kinds of huge stores just another step in streamlining the dog-eat-dog world of capitalism?

The national debt will be a burden on ourselves and our children if we don't do something about it soon. We can't keep overspending billions and billions of dollars every year. Can we continue to ignore it? Should we raise taxes or cut spending or both? Why? Here's a link to the Treasury Dept.'s frequently asked questions http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/resources/faq/faq_publicdebt.htm

The Gross National Debt

Detroit has had a hard time keeping up with the demand for higher mileage cars since they've depended upon the big profits from SUVs. With consumers switching over in a big way to other companies besides the Big 3, what does this mean for Detroit and the state of Michigan?

With fuel prices going up through the roof, inflation has started to kick in a way that we haven't seen since the 1970s - way before you guys were born! Ask yor parents about how much prices went up and the long lines for gas. Just a couple of days ago, Saudi Arabia had agreed to boost its oil production up 300,000 barrels of oil, and Washington said that it would add to the "Strategic Petroleum Reserves" How do we push the country into better energy independence? Is our dependence on foreign oil creating a security nightmare for us because we are stuck in a war in the Middle East?

Which of these issues that we have studied lately do you think will be the worst potential economic problem? Why?

Due Wednesday, May 21-

150 word minimum

The stars of Hippie Day - May 2, 2008

5th Hour (and Jourdan?) flashing the peace sign.


Groovy!

Sweet!

4th Hour hippies! Peace, y'all.

Who knew Tyler was a hippie? I mean, who knew?

2nd Hour hippies!

Is that Ben Wallace, or someone with a 60s style (Abbie Hoffman) fro?

Sheila, the 1974 VW Minibus (Microbus)

Whenever people ride in Sheila, Joe asks that they sign the interior.

Here are some pictures of Joe's bus, Sheila. Many thanks to Joe for putting on his talk today in the pouring rain. Rain didn't stop the hippies at Woodstock, and it didn't stop us now. As Joe said, "everyone has a little hippie in them."

Blog #21 - Do It Yourself, Part 2

Pick one of the following blogs and give a full, detailed and well-thought out answer. As usual, you can't pick your own, and your answer must be a minimum of 150 words.

1. Do you think that the U.S. would have been any safer w/o fighting the Vietnam War? Was it really worth it? Why or why not? - Lorne, Ben, Ryan B., Bethany, Jourdan, Tyler, Megan W., Jason S.,

2. When public support is so low for a war (Vietnam / Iraq), why did/do we continue to fight that war? - Ally R.

3. With many of the same characteristics as the Vietnam War, do you think that the Iraq War will end the same way or differently? Why? - Christy, Ben, Kelsey, TJ, Robbie L., Alex D., Matt Ba.,

4. Why doesn't the media show us the reality of wars? Should they show us the reality of what's going on in Iraq? - Emily C., Nicole, Michael G., Jessica,

5. How would life (our future) be different today if there was a draft like in Vietnam? Would you enlist, skip out on the draft, or allow yourself to be drafted? Why? - Trevor, Andrew, Claire, Derek M., TJ, Mollie,

6. Do you think it is disloyalty to America if the citizens don't support the troops who are fighting the war? Why or why not? - Raekeshia

7. Do you think the chemical nicknamed Agent Orange was appropriate to use considering the destruction and casualties? Why or why not? - Ian, Fred,

8. Do you think President George H.W. Bush should have gone after Saddam Hussein and his army after freeing Kuwait in 1991? Why or why not? - Rob G., Bethany, TJ, Emma,

9. With over 4,000 soldiers killed and 30,000+ injured from the war in Iraq, besides pulling out the troops, what other solutions are there to stop more Americans from being killed in Iraq? Is there another alternative to pulling out of Iraq? - Angelina

10. If you were on the grand jury in the Kent State shooting case, how would you have voted? Why? - Sarah

11. Given that there are so many similarities between the Vietnam and Iraq wars, why haven't our leaders learned from history? How would you do things differently if you were president? - Sarah, Amber, Jacob T., Jessica,

12. How do you feel about our current foreign policy: do you feel our priorities are out of whack or should we be able to look out for ourselves first? Is there another alternative? - Alexandra, Jacob T.,

13. Should Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara have spoken up sooner about our misguided Vietnam policy than he did? - Paul, Matt Ba., Jessica,

14. Would you have been a protester during the Vietnam War? Why or why not? - Marin, Nikita, Tyler H., Jason S., Megan W.,

15. Do you think the student protests influenced America's decision to leave Vietnam? Why or why not? - Stefan

16. Why didn't more nations support us when we went into the Persian Gulf the second time in 2003? - Stefan

17. Should the American people be able to vote against the President's decisions during war time? Why or why not? - Rob S.,

18. Who was to blame for the Kent State shootings: the National Guard, the students, or someone else? What other ways could this have been handled? - numerous students

19.

Blog #20 - Is it treason to protest a war while it's going on?

During the Vietnam War, student protests played a small but pivotal role in turning public opinion against America's involvement in South Vietnam. Many groups formed to protest the war - groups like the Yippies, The Weather Underground, and Students for a Democratic Society. Yet, 70% of Americans felt that protests in Dec. 1967 were "acts of disloyalty." There's the thinking that the country should rally around the President during war time - no matter what. After the Tet Offensive, opinions on the war turned against it, and so did opinions of the President - both Johnson and Nixon.

In Washington D.C. in November 1969 and and April 1971, over 1/2 million people showed up to protest the war. After the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970, more average Americans began protesting the war:

"Many labor leaders spoke out for the first time, and blue-collar workers joined antiwar activities in unprecedented numbers. However, construction workers in New York assaulted a group of peaceful student demonstrators, and (with White House assistance) some union leaders organized pro-administration rallies." 2

A recent article from Common Dreams compared the two anti-war movements.

"America's current anti-war movement is resourceful and persistent, but often seems to lack the vibrancy of its counterpart in the Vietnam era when protesters burned draft cards, occupied buildings and even tried to levitate the Pentagon.

A lot of the opposition to Vietnam was motivated by people's fear of going to war - maybe it was pretty self-centered. With this movement, maybe it's not as big, but it comes from a deeper place than 'Hell No, We Won't Go.'

"We're not as unified, not as hard-core, not as big," said Frida Berrigan, 32, a board member of the War Resisters League and daughter of the late peace activist Philip Berrigan. "There's a reason there's not a draft."

"During Vietnam, the perception was that atrocities were everywhere - the military was looked down on," he said. "There is a serious effort now not to stigmatize the military - a conscious effort to say, 'This is not a bunch of baby-killers.'" 1

After the Iraq war began, criticism was somewhat muted, but there were worldwide protests in the hundreds of thousands. By August 2004, almost 500,000 rallied in NYC at the Republican National Convention where President Bush accepted his nomination to run for the presidency again.

Since 2003, there have been sporadic protests, including Michael Moore's infamous blasting of President Bush at the Oscars after winning the award for Bowling for Columbine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Is43K6lrg

So, what do you think?

Is protesting a war during war time a treasonous offense? Is it an act of disloyalty? Why or why not?

Things to think about: what exactly should be allowed as a protest? Everything? Marches, letters to the editor, sit-ins, etc.? Would you go as far as burning an American flag? What if the draft was reinstated? People were jailed during World War I for speeches (Eugene Debs) and passing out pamplets that called for an end to the war and the draft.

Due Monday, April 28th - minimum of 200 words.

Sources:

1. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines07/0321-03.htm

2. http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/vietnam/antiwar.html

3. Iraq War pictures. http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/03/19/us/0319-PROTEST_10.html

4. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protests_against_the_2003_Iraq_war

Colbert Report: What does it take to get John Edwards's vote?

WoW! The election in Pennsylvania hinges on the "white working class" male vote. It's no longer soccer moms or Reagan Democrats. It's the white guy's turn. And here's Senator John Edwards with his take on how Obama or Clinton can get his vote.
Enjoy!

Blog #19 - Is the world ready for American democracy?

As we talk about American foreign policy, we've discussed what our goals and guiding principles should be. Our foreign policy goals, as we have collectively discussed in 3 different classes, seem to be:

1. protect U.S. freedoms at home
2. improve the quality of life around the world
3. promote democracy
4. gain allies
5. become wealthier as a nation by promoting trade
6. to maintain our status as the world's superpower.

Today, we discussed how the U.S. might act in situations involving human rights violations (we used China as an example) or genocide (Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur come to mind). In addition, many other scenarios could come to mind when thinking about how America should act - how should we treat our allies? Should we honor treaties that we've signed 40 years ago but don't really fit our needs now? What kinds of trade practices should we follow? With these and many other questions, we could fill the rest of the year w/ debate and discussion.

But, right now, I just want to focus on two:

1. Should America's #1 foreign policy goal be to spread democracy around the world? Why or why not? (Think about the assumptions as mentioned in your textbook -pgs. 894-895)

2. Should America be the world's policeman, creating order out of chaos, helping ending conflicts, etc.? Why or why not? Please check these links for a debate about this actual question:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19180589 - NPR audio file of the debate.

http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/TranscriptContainer/AmericaWorldPoliceman%20021208.pdf - transcript of the debate.

Answer only one of these questions in a thoughtful paragraph of a minimum 150 words. Your answer is due Wednesday before class.

Blog #18 - D.I.Y. Blog - Git 'Er Done!

(Before we begin, I must say that I have been highly impressed with the quality of the thinking and the depth of analysis that has gone into the questions. I am especially impressed by the students who I am working w/ for the first time this semester - wrapping your head around these blog questions can be a little tricky sometimes. Well done, and keep up the good work!)

During this Civil Rights and Women's Rights movements unit, we've seen a lot of injustice and been witness to tremendous acts of courage and bravery. I think that there are still many questions left unanswered, so I decided to let you guys ask the questions for a change.

1. Do you think that affirmative action is good or bad for America? - Tyler F., Phil,

2. If Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were competing for different political parties instead of the same party, who do you think would win the national election for the presidency? Why? - Alyssa T.

3. If you were Fannie Lou Hamer, would you feel that registering to vote was worth all the hassle after? - Derek M., Raekeshia,

4. What if Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King were alive today?

• How would they react to today's tragedies like Hurricane Katrina?



• How would the world be different today if they were alive? - Jake C.



• Which one's tactics/philosophy would you join today? - Kelsey

5. Do you think the things that Senator Obama said in his speech about distractions from the real problems that face America is true or not? Why? - John C.

6. Why do you think someone so unimportant to politics like Bill Russell (or other sports figures in today's world) can have such a big social/cultural impact on America? - Matt Bergin

7. How could the response to Hurricane Katrina have been improved? - Jourdan, Jessica, Jason S., Paul, Carleigh, Ian,

8. Do you think we would be closer to energy independence and newer forms of alternative fuel if if Al Gore had won the election in 2000 instead of George W. Bush? - Tyler H.

9. Which do you think had a bigger impact on the country and why: the Civil Rights or the women's rights movement? - Rob S., Robbie L.,

10.If you were a leader of the Civil Rights Movement back then, would you be a leader more like Dr. King or more like Malcolm X with regard to philosophy and tactics (non-violence vs. by self-defense / convert the opponent vs. black power and nationalism)? Or would you be something completely different? Why? - Stefan, Stefanos, Amber

11. Why is it taking so long to rebuild and repair New Orleans? - Nick

12. How would life be different for women if the E.R.A. amendment had been passed? - Matt Bajorek, Raffi

13. Why did the Bush administration take so long to get down to New Orleans after Katrina? - Ashley D., Alex D., Bethany, Raffi, Ian, Raekeshia, Stefanos,

14. Has women's advancement during the past 40-50 years hurt or helped men? Why? - Nikita

15. Women have always had difficulty with gaining equality and respect from men. So, why would some women dress scantily and only care about their looks to attract men? If women truly wanted to be better, why act dumb and do nothing? - Emma

16. Why do you think women in the 1950s were so dissatisfied with living "the ideal life" as a housewife? - Mollie, Tommy

17. In your opinion, would the appearance of the current female image of "beauty" have changed if pop culture sensation Twiggy not been discovered? Why or why not? - Angelina, Gina

18. Will discrimination ever be over in the future? - Audrey

19. Even though V.P. Al Gore had won the popular vote in the 2000 election, he lost the electoral vote to Governor George Bush. Do you agree that the current voting system we have is o.k. (with the electoral college) or should it be reformed to something else? - Paul

20. Was the non-violent protest method the best way to fight Jim Crow and establish Civil Rights? Why or why not? - Bethany, Sarah, Raffi, Ryan, Marin, Christy, - (It may be easy to judge this in retrospect since it worked, but would a self-defense strategy have worked faster or provoked a more violent reaction from a very racist, resistant South? - the editor)

21. Pretend you didn't know the outcome of the Children's March: would you have taken a stand with the other kids of Birmingham, AL in May of 1963? Why or why not? - Lydia, Angelina, Bethany, Sarah, Kelsey, Ally R., Amber

22. If you were 18 this year, who would you have voted for in each of the primaries and why? - Robert G.

23. If you had lived in New Orleans or in the Gulf Coast region in late August 2005 and Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on the area (pretending you don't know the aftermath, of course), would you have evacuated or stuck it out? Why? Why do you think so many people who could leave stayed? - Sarah

24. Who do you think was the most influential woman in the women's movement? Why? (here's a link to help you with your decision - http://www.legacy98.org/move-hist.html )- Ben, Ally R.

25. Were there parts of Senator Obama's speech of March 2008 that you agreed / disagreed with? Why? - many people asked this question in several different ways.

26. The children of Birmingham, AL marched for freedom. Despite being jailed, their attempts eventually worked, and things became integrated in the South. Many people think that kids can't change history even though here is at least one example that proves them wrong. What would students / teenagers today march for and feel strongly enough to fight for (and maybe even be willing to go to jail in protest)? - Katie B.

27. Do you think you would have urged your state representative to vote for the E.R.A. Amendment back in the 1970s or would you have worked w/ Phyllis Schlafly to defeat the amendment? Why? - Christy

28. How can you try someone for a crime in 2005 that he/she might have committed in 1964 like with the Mississippi Burning case? - Emily C.

29. Why did it take so long for President Kennedy to react to the racism going on in his own country back in the early 1960s? - Lorne

30. How do you think sexual independence has changed women's roles in society today? (Others have asked similar questions about the Pill or Helen Gurley Brown's book, Sex and the Single Girl) - Claire, Tommy

31. What do you think the "proper shape" is for men and women today? - Ryan B.

Pick any one of these questions and answer it fully. You may NOT pick your own blog. Minimum word reply is 200 words.

Due Monday, April 14th, 2008.

The Daily Show: Celebrity Endorsements

This is a hilarious look at celebrity endorsements when (it seems) everyone in Hollywood is taking sides in the 2008 Election.

Blog #17 - Why do you think women have had such a hard time?

Throughout the course of American history, in the land of the free, where "all men are created equal", women have had such a difficult time achieving and maintaining equality. From the time Abagail Adams reminded her husband, John Adams, to include something about women's rights in the Declaration of Independence to Hillary Clinton's Presidential campaign, women have had an uphill road to walk for equality.

Question: Why do you think their (women's) road has been so tough in their fight for equality?

Things to consider: Everyone in America a woman (1/2 the population given the 2000 census) or has been touched by, involved with women in some way or another; with such a close relationship, how can men NOT be influenced to accept women as equals? Is there something built-in to our culture - an anti-woman bias - that keeps women down or degrades them?

Why do you think Hillary Clinton is not succeeding as well as Barack Obama, especially considering that BOTH of them are historical, groundbreaking candidates? Is she losing b/c she's a woman or is she losing b/c of her policies and personality? Lastly, why do groups like Phyllis Schlafly's sabotage women's fight for rights?

200 words minimum.

Due Wednesday, April 9th - Please note new due date. Sorry this was posted so late - have had a busy weekend so far.

Extra Credit Blog: William Faulkner Quote

In Senator Obama's speech, he quoted Southern writer William Faulkner who had said this about history:



"The past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past."


When you think of Southern history and all that has passed between blacks and whites over the last 400 years, this quote seems to make more and more sense to me.

As we progress through this Civil Rights unit, tell me what you think the author means by the quote. Think of our history going all the way back to slavery times, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and through the Jim Crow times that Faulkner lived in.

Maximum points: 5
Minimum words: 150
Due by the end of April.

Blog #16 - Is Fake News Good For America?

Is fake news good for America?

I pose this question for our blog b/c in many ways, though it makes us laugh and it has good reporting, it can also blur the lines between fiction and reality. First, let’s talk about the Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

Jon Stewart joined the Daily Show around 1999 or so and the show became a huge topical news hit when deadpan reporter Steve Carell (the same Steve Carell from 40 Year-Old Virgin, Dan in Real Life and Horton Hears a Hoo) got onto John McCain’s campaign bus called the Straight Talk Express and asked such goofy questions that seemed so real “that McCain didn’t know if [Carell] was joking or serious.” 1

Since then, The Daily Show has become the “pit stop” for politicians looking to get re-elected or people (including politicians) looking to pimp their new books. Even the president of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, one of America’s most important allies in the war on terror appeared on the show last year (2007). When politicians appear on the show, they know they might get mocked, yet they play along with Stewart’s schtik anyway.

Appearing on late night shows, a tradition started by a saxophone-playing Bill Clinton on the Arsenio Hall Show in 1992, has tended to result in positive publicity for a politician. Whether it’s Leno, Letterman, Stewart, Colbert or Kimmel, “America wants to see these guys poke fun at themselves…” and “present a hipper, gentler side.” 1

Sometimes, these appearances don’t always go positively or they come too late to matter. In 1996, Senator Bob Dole went on the Late Show w/ David Letterman after he lost the election to Bill Clinton. Dole’s quick wit was such a huge hit that many voters wrote to him wishing that they had voted for him earlier. In the 2004 election, President Bush (“came off horribly wooden”) and Senator John Kerry (who rode a Harley onto Leno’s set) both flopped. 1

But, with all of these politicians playing along with the jokes and even being in on some of the gags, sometimes, a viewer might not know where the reality ends and the satire begins. Jon Stewart’s interviews are sometimes better than the ones that the professionals do. In 2000, The Daily Show won a Peabody Award for its coverage of the Bush / Gore campaign – an award that goes to people in the journalism field. And what about the Colbert Report? Stephen Colbert breaks his wrist and believes that “anything he cares about is important enough to talk about every day.” He wanted people to wear “Wrist-Strong” bracelets for wrist-awareness. 2 How much different is this silliness than Glenn Beck, MSNBC’s pundit, talking about his hemorrhoid surgery and the difficulty he had with it on TV? 3

So when we can’t tell the news from the comedy, when we can’t figure out the truth from fiction, how can we make informed decisions? How can we vote for the right candidates? Does all of this confusion mean that American democracy has become a joke? Or is it that the media isn’t doing its job b/c it is too busy following the government or corporate storyline?

The question: Is fake news good for America? Why or why not? Consider the discussion and the questions above before writing your answer (150 words minimum).

Sources:
1. Peyser, Marc. “Red, White and Funny: The new year will bring a host of intriguing faces front and center. Politicians. Actors. Tycoons. Educators. And one fake news anchor, bravely battling pomposity and misinformation. Jon Stewart prepares for Campaign 2004.” Newsweek. Dec. 29, 2003. P. 70.
2. Weinman, Jaime. “The Secret Agenda of the Colbert Report: in two years, he’s turned a “Daily Show” spin-off into a wacky sitcom.” Maclean’s. Oct. 22, 2007. P. 57.
3. The Drudge Report. http://www.drudge.com/news/102972/glenn-becks-eye-opening-hemorrhoid-surgery . Accessed 3/29/08.