[HILIARY HELINSKI]

This week we discussed the right to marry, and the right to exist as it pertained to LGBTQIA rights.  When thinking of what image I would choose for this week’s topic, I recalled a post I screenshot of a  post I saw on tumblr, I believe was the platform, a few years ago.  I wasn’t able to find the actual post, but I was able to find a news article on this art installation from AdCouncil, which is linked below.

 

The idea here is that you don’t know the race, age, or gender of the two individuals kissing, you just see them for what they are, human beings.  It calls great attention to people’s prejudice as they can see just this x-ray image of two individuals kissing, and then when the individuals when they step out from behind the screen.  This portrays a very powerful image and the core of LGBTQIA rights, we are all human, we should all therefore, be entitled to the same human, civil rights.

 

 

Source: Image is a still of the video installment titled “Diversity and Inclusion” from the AdCouncil’s ‘Love has No Labels’ campaign. See link to full article below.

 

Date: Article was published March 2015

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2978953/Moving-video-uses-SKELETONS-people-kissing-X-ray-screen-challenge-prejudice.html

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[HILIARY HELINSKI]

Earlier this year, a major uproar was afoot at the fact that children were being separated and detained from their parents who were jailed for entering the US illegally.  The UN even urged the US to stop doing so, on the basis that “Entering a country without the relevant papers should not be a criminal offense”, and that there is “nothing normal about detaining children”.  The image I chose for this week show two boys looking through a fence along the US/Mexican border.  The premise that these children are being detained is so concerning, as the rate of family separations through this is ridiculously high.  This relates to this weeks readings and discussions surrounding illegality and civil rights, as we discussed Jose Antonio Vargas and his deportation, despite his life having been in America.  In the same way, many of the undocumented immigrants in the US have been going through the process toward citizenship for countless years, though have had no help for success from the government, and then, despite doing everything “right” and building their lives in America, they get deported.

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[HILIARY HELINSKI]

This week, while browsing the internet for an image that appropriately fit this weeks theme, I decided to do a Google image search to help me find an image.  This led to my idea to compare supposed “interchangeable” word phrases of “illegal alien” and “undocumented immigrant”.  The idea to do so, came from our related in-class discussion on the implications of the two phrases and their subsequent consequences.  The stark differences of these two searches were shocking, yet unsurprising.  I say this because it is crazy how Americans have this notion that undocumented immigrants are criminals and stealing what is “rightfully there’s”.  I believe that the comparison of the image results of these searches dispel any argument that there is no difference in the phrasing “illegal alien” and “undocumented immigrant”.  “Illegal alien” is de-humanizing, downright disrespectful, and an inaccurate term.  This is so important because with this dehumanization, goes the idea that since they are illegal they have no civil rights.  This idea is completely wrong, and harmful toward the progress that needs to be made.

 

 

Images sources: Screenshots of desktop, taken 5:30pm on Sunday, November 18th.  Screenshots were taken of Google image searches on two searches: “undocumented immigrant” and “illegal aliens”.  The source of the image results of the respective searches, appear on the posted image itself, underneath the image result.

Various photographers and sources.

 

• This reply was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by HILIARY HELINSKI.

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The image below, is a photo of Congresswoman-Elect, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.  She, along with Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib, made history in this most recent midterm elections, as they became the first Muslim women to be elected to Congress.  The article in which this photo relates, linked below, deals with the issue of Islamophobia.  Congresswoman Omar shares advice through this platform of Teen Vogue, to reach young teens on how she dealt, and deals, with Islamophobia.  I think this is so important as it remains such a great issue in the US, and Congresswoman Omar is an example of the great things that any woman can achieve, whether Muslim or not. The article contains a quote from Omar in which she says that she is not at all tolerant of any persons that attack her based upon her identities.

 

 

 

Image taken by Stephen Maturen, and is sourced through Getty Images.

Date taken is unknown, however the article in which the photo was featured, was published November 9, 2018.

Source: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ilhan-omar-shares-how-she-deals-with-islamophobia

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by HILIARY HELINSKI.

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[HILIARY HELINSKI]

This week’s discussion surrounded the topic of Japanese American “internment” camps.  The image that I chose, posted below, is an image taken of a news posting in San Francisco, CA during the 1940’s.  The post is titled in large letters “Instructions to all persons of Japanese Ancestry”.  This particular image stood out to me, as it reminded me of a discussion we had during Friday’s lecture, regarding the “internment” camps and the subsequent circumstances that surrounded individuals of Japanese ancestry’s evacuation.  The signs state that “temporary residence” and “transport” will be provided under a section that details how the city is aiding the Japanese-American individuals.  The words used on this poster make it sound like it is an option for these individuals to evacuate, or even that it is in their best interest, in a way that it will be saving their life from a tsunami coming.  In other words, the post makes it seem as though the government is being so very generous by “helping” those of Japanese Ancestry, when in reality they are forcing them out of their homes, their businesses, their lives, to be imprisoned in designated internment camps.  I thought it very interesting that the postings are overtly dishonest in intent.  As a student mentioned in class, and I believe too, this is a way to make those in power feel better about the terrible atrocity they are committing. It is, as if, they think that by stating this forced evacuation into nice words means they are not doing anything truly bad.  It is astonishing to me that such a terrible act would even occur in the first place, but nonetheless be worded in such a way to seem as though those of Japanese ancestry were being offered a free vacation.

 

Source: Original photographer is unknown, original posting date of the signage is April 1, 1942, in San Francisco, California.

Image posted as a part of a published article on July 20, 2016, on the site, Atomic Heritage Foundation (see link below).

https://www.atomicheritage.org/history/incarceration-japanese-americans-during-world-war-ii

 

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[HILIARY HELINSKI]

This image is an artist rendition of James Baldwin accompanied by one of his famous quotes in prominent bold lettering.  The image relates to this past week’s class discussion regarding James Baldwin.  In our reading and subsequent discussion of, “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin, we were able to see some key messages that Baldwin had for his nephew James.  One of such that stood out to me was when Baldwin was explaining the James that “the white men” do not know where he is from or the good that he has done.  He tells James not to believe the poor and stereotypical things that the white men say about him to be true, as his grandfather did. This ties into the idea portrayed by the quote in the image.  The ignorance on the part of the white men in regards to James, and his great abilities and his rights, coupled with the position of power that they were in in this case, let to gross miscarrying of justice  toward James. Baldwin was amazing activist with many powerful messages packed into condensed quotations, as in the one attached.

Source: https://mollycrabapple.com/pen-america-protest-posters/

Artist: Molly Crabapple

Created for a protest held January 15th, 2018.

[HILIARY HELINSKI]

In 1963, MLK wrote a piece which came to be known as “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in which he wrote, regarding the “white moderate” which he considered to be the greatest obstacle in face of freedom”…[they] who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, ‘I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can’t agree with your methods of direct action’…” (3).  This excerpt summarizes a theme for the week of passiveness in face of others oppression.  As discussed in class, countless people believe that they are not apart of the problem of racial oppression simply because they are not involved in the oppressive acts, however what they don’t realize is that doing nothing at all is just as bad.  Martin Luther King Jr. points out the need, rather, for a positive peace which will bring about justice.  This photo, I think, ties in the idea of peace in a quite literal way with MLK himself holding up a peace sign.

 

 

Photo posted as a part of an article on January 21, 2013 at

http://www.abchome.com/reveal/sticking-with-love-inspiration-words-from-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/

In which they credited “WikiCommons” for the photo.  Photographer and date of image unknown

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[HILIARY HELINSKI]

This photo is a still of from the music video for “This is America”, by artist Childish Gambino (link to official video cited below).  The photo shows Gambino posed as the character Jim Crow, which is the name that became synonymous with the practice of segregating African Americans in the US.  Gambino’s reference to Jim Crow illustrates a point made by Michelle Alexander in “The New Jim Crow”, that many people deny “knowing” about the human suffering that occurred and continues to occur today as countless people claim to have disgust toward past events such as “separate but equal”, lynching, etc., yet deny “knowing” about the systematic racism that continues today. Alexander explains this phenomena by stating, “Most Americans only come to “know” about the people cycling in and out of prisons through fictional police dramas, music videos, gangsta rap,…”.  Childish Gambino’s video is a perfect example of this, as many individuals see Jim Crow as being a thing completely in the past, separated entirely from the present, simply by time; but as Gambino illustrates it is still very present today and is seen through faucets such as systematic racism, mass incarceration specifically of POC, and police brutality.

 

ChildishGambinoVEVO, director. <i>YouTube</i>. <i>YouTube</i>, YouTube, 5 May 2018,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY.

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