How have you all been enjoying the novel and the play? What are you thinking about for your paper?
Use this blog post as a way to give your ideas for the final paper of the summer a voice or just to discuss the novel and the play. These discussions should help you fully understand the literature you've read more fully.
Happy Thinking,
Mr. B
Monday, August 17, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Chapter 17
Chapter 17: "Or Does It Explode?"
443-47:
1. Why does Zinn say that the "black revolt of the 1950s and 1960s" should not have been a surprise? Because the black people had been oppressed and considered lesser than their white counterparts for years on end, during slavery and in the many years after its abolishment. Hughes' poem is saying that the continuous oppression of the black people had exploded, which is one of the possible results of oppression, as oppression is what causes "a dream deferred". Hughes' poem is an example of the hidden messages artists and musicians would convey in their art as a way of expressiong their opinions in a society where being outspoken could result in serious consequences.
2. Poets normally would pen their opinions clearly and openly, and many black poets wrote about memories that demonstrated the mistreatment of blacks, the rising pride of the young black community, and how the white poets were "silent", though most "had used their pens to protest in other cases of injustice".
3. The black people mostly took on a complacent demeanor that concealed the "resentment, anger, energy." that arouse in poems, in hopes for a better tomorrow.
4. Unrest was gradually building in the black community, against the "white South" that said for blacks to know their "place" and the police and lynch mobs that forced blacks to stay silent.
5. The Communist party attracted many blacks due to the party's ability to have blacks and whites working together in equality and due to its involvement with race equality. Not all blacks supported the party - the NAACP and liberals thought that the Community party exploited focusing on race equality "for its own purpose". Zinn points out that there are two truths concerning the Communist party: one, most white allies to the blacks had ulterior motices and two, the black Communists were respected by other blacks because they managed to achieve various things despite the obstacles all black people faced.
48-51:
1. Zinn gives examples of how the black Communists were viewed as dangerous since they were radical and active, and how even important black figures who didn't support Communism, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, supported black Communists. This "Black Militance" was less abundant later on during WWII, despite the contradiction that the U.S. "denounced racism, and...maintained segregation in armed forces...kept blacks in low-paying jobs." But it was becoming harder to so blatantly discriminate after the war, as Asian and African immigrants made the U.S. their home.
2. Because the United States was more internationally involved than ever before, the need for racial equality was important for appearance to other nations, to dedicate all existing talent and money to important causes, and to keep the morale of blacks in the armed forces. Truman passed laws that, while didn't completely dissipate discrimination from all aspects of life, did stop lynching, voting discrimination, and was a start of the end of racial discrimination in jobs.
3. In order to achieve more racial equality, laws that had always been in place but rarely enforced were brought to attention and actions such as preventing blacks from voting in the South were declared unconstitutional. "Seperate But Equal" was done away with and integration was to be done "with all deliberate speed" - which resulted in segregatrion continuing even ten years after integration was to begin. By the late 1950s and into the 1960s, rebellion began. According to Zinn, the blacks in the North were more shocked at the open "insurrections" of the Southern blacks - as those in the South had "deep memory of slavery", more so than the North.
4. To fight segregation on public buses, and in response to Rosa Parks' refusal to obey the Montgomery law for segregation on buses, Montgomery blacks boycotted bus lines. The white segregationist reaction was violent and homes and churches were bombed and boycott leaders sent to jail. By Novemeber 1956, however, segregation on local bus lines was outlawed. This protest began the protests for racial justice in the South.
52-55
1. Method to gain racial equality varied, and while Martin Luther Jr. believed in nonviolence and stressed that many of the people who discriminated against blacks only did so out of a learned practice rather than hatred, others believed that there were situations in which nonviolence was not an option to gain the equality they wanted. This mindset led to the Klan "being challenged with its own tactic of violence,", though many southern blacks continued nonviolent protests such as sit-ins in restaurants where they were refused service.
2. Despite violent opposition, sit-ins became increasingly popular, sometimes even including some white participants, until blacks were allowed to sit at lunch counters in various areas, like Greensboro, by the end of 1960. There was then attempts to introduce integration of interstate travel (only local bus line segregation had been outlawed and enforced by the government - Presidents were often worried of stepping on toes of Southern white leaders and so approached racial issues slowly and cautiously) into the South by northern whites and blacks traveling together; the buses were intercepted in South Carolina, riders beaten, while authorities did nothing to stop the violence. Violence and imprisonment against integrated riders occurred often when these trips were attempted and, when the Department of Justice was asked for protection, they declined with the promise to investigate if anything were to happen.
3. The violence against the Freedom Riders was becoming internationally known and, in order to gain Mississippi police protection, it was allowed for them to be unconstitutionally held in jail in Jackson, Mississippi. Blacks in the deep south were becoming less subservient, thanks to the growing racial equality movement, and the new younger generation was learning to not be silent, to speak out for their rights.
4. Violence and jail imprisonment rose as black men and women registered to vote and protested racism.
56-59:
1. In Mississippi, violence was particularly bad, to the point that locals testified about the dangers of the violence and that the national government had "legal power to give protection against such violence.". The national government's repeated failure to provide protection of blacks against violence, and its tendency to create laws to discourage racism only to ignore or not enforce them, led to dissatisfaction. Congress only truly enforced voting rights due to the world focus on the situation.
2. The federal government wanted to appease the black community and calm the revolts so, though it allowed for marches and protests, went to lengths to ensure gatherings were moderate in mood.
3. The government continued to attempt to keep blacks calm and their protests in moderation, but violence and bombings against blacks continued and riots in response to violence, to unemployment rates, to shootings and murders and rampages, could not be held back.
4. By 1966, nonviolence protesting in the South was actually more effective than violent response, because it shed the South segregationists in a bad light and garnered national opposition against the segregationists actions and values.
60-63:
1. In 1967, riots continued in ghettos, and it was said that the 'typical rioter' was high school aged, normally no longer in school, and either had no job or was working and underpaid. The government dealt with this by observing and isssuing a report on the matter under the belief that a strongly, calmly worded report would "have a soothing effect". But among the rebelling blacks, there was a new way of thinking, of distrusting 'the system', 'the man', to take liberties rather than be given them under paternalistic condescension, to take pride in race.
2. This was around the time that the Black Panthers began, under the belief in nonviolent protest would get blacks nowhere and guns and extreme behavior were necessary to get freedom. Congress passed bills to not only try and minimize violence against blacks and the depriving blacks of civil rights from blacks but to also control riots instigated in or by the black community.
3. Martin Luther King tried to discourage the violent riots, believing that even though they expressed a deep rebellious feeling that nonviolent protests needed to also project in order to get the message across, riots were "self-defeating". King's assassination was the first of many killings of blacks, violence that wasn't being prevented by the courts despite the civil rights laws that now existed.
4. While there were various random bouts of violence against blacks spawned from racism, there was also a surprising case of FBI and police pre-planned violence against the Black Panters, which ended with the killing of the Black Panther leader. Zinn brings up queries concerning if the government as a whole was attempting to eradicate the more militant of the black rebels that would not be calmed into moderate actions.
64-67:
1. The respect and support the black community as a whole had for the Black Panthers, Zinn proposes, possibly scared the government, due to the ability the Black Panthers were steadily gaining to affect black focus - which was in danger of shifting from voting to class differences and issues that still persisted. If class issues became the primary focus, then it endangered the upper class from being attacked by blacks and whites of the lower class. In federal response to the organization of black workers for 'revolutionary change', "black capitalism" was brought to attention and leaders of revolutionary groups were offered positions and loans that would be favorable for their organizations, and "Nixon set up an Office of Minority Business Enterprise".
2. There were attempts to improve black education and to help black businesses, which were only earning "0.3 percent of all business income". Black people were becoming more common in the media and all its sources in this time frame as there were moves for changes in the economic world and also in the submissiveness of black women to male supremacy.
3. The government continued to try and contain 'explosive upsurge' as blacks began to land executive and politically important positions - though it was said that "Whites almost always retain economic power.". By this point, there had been leaps and bounds on the racial front: blacks and whites could ride buses together, more schools were intermixed, blacks could go to hotels and restaurants, more blacks could continue on to universities and medical and law school. However, unemployment rates among blacks and especially among poor blacks were rising, and with it violence, crime, and drugs. The end result in 1977 was that there was a newly emerged, black middle class, though it was very small and vastly 'richer' than the lower class. That black middle class was still far worse off than the white middle class, and incredibly underpaid.
4. Though slavery had always been considered a problem of the South, as civil rights were passed and enforced, it allowed for blacks to become an obstacle for the poor whites, as blacks tried to move in white neighborhoods and get the few available jobs. Even in the North there were violent riots against the initial mixing of whites and blacks in school, which was attempted by busing white children to black schools and black children to white schools. The black population, Zinn points out, was condemned to the ghettos, but was also split into the poor and middle class, all while fighting whites against racial equality and the conflicted government. But an even great note of interest was that, as the 1970s began, black and white were slowly joinging together in unions as unemployment increased and the employee was mistreated and underpaid.
443-47:
1. Why does Zinn say that the "black revolt of the 1950s and 1960s" should not have been a surprise? Because the black people had been oppressed and considered lesser than their white counterparts for years on end, during slavery and in the many years after its abolishment. Hughes' poem is saying that the continuous oppression of the black people had exploded, which is one of the possible results of oppression, as oppression is what causes "a dream deferred". Hughes' poem is an example of the hidden messages artists and musicians would convey in their art as a way of expressiong their opinions in a society where being outspoken could result in serious consequences.
2. Poets normally would pen their opinions clearly and openly, and many black poets wrote about memories that demonstrated the mistreatment of blacks, the rising pride of the young black community, and how the white poets were "silent", though most "had used their pens to protest in other cases of injustice".
3. The black people mostly took on a complacent demeanor that concealed the "resentment, anger, energy." that arouse in poems, in hopes for a better tomorrow.
4. Unrest was gradually building in the black community, against the "white South" that said for blacks to know their "place" and the police and lynch mobs that forced blacks to stay silent.
5. The Communist party attracted many blacks due to the party's ability to have blacks and whites working together in equality and due to its involvement with race equality. Not all blacks supported the party - the NAACP and liberals thought that the Community party exploited focusing on race equality "for its own purpose". Zinn points out that there are two truths concerning the Communist party: one, most white allies to the blacks had ulterior motices and two, the black Communists were respected by other blacks because they managed to achieve various things despite the obstacles all black people faced.
48-51:
1. Zinn gives examples of how the black Communists were viewed as dangerous since they were radical and active, and how even important black figures who didn't support Communism, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, supported black Communists. This "Black Militance" was less abundant later on during WWII, despite the contradiction that the U.S. "denounced racism, and...maintained segregation in armed forces...kept blacks in low-paying jobs." But it was becoming harder to so blatantly discriminate after the war, as Asian and African immigrants made the U.S. their home.
2. Because the United States was more internationally involved than ever before, the need for racial equality was important for appearance to other nations, to dedicate all existing talent and money to important causes, and to keep the morale of blacks in the armed forces. Truman passed laws that, while didn't completely dissipate discrimination from all aspects of life, did stop lynching, voting discrimination, and was a start of the end of racial discrimination in jobs.
3. In order to achieve more racial equality, laws that had always been in place but rarely enforced were brought to attention and actions such as preventing blacks from voting in the South were declared unconstitutional. "Seperate But Equal" was done away with and integration was to be done "with all deliberate speed" - which resulted in segregatrion continuing even ten years after integration was to begin. By the late 1950s and into the 1960s, rebellion began. According to Zinn, the blacks in the North were more shocked at the open "insurrections" of the Southern blacks - as those in the South had "deep memory of slavery", more so than the North.
4. To fight segregation on public buses, and in response to Rosa Parks' refusal to obey the Montgomery law for segregation on buses, Montgomery blacks boycotted bus lines. The white segregationist reaction was violent and homes and churches were bombed and boycott leaders sent to jail. By Novemeber 1956, however, segregation on local bus lines was outlawed. This protest began the protests for racial justice in the South.
52-55
1. Method to gain racial equality varied, and while Martin Luther Jr. believed in nonviolence and stressed that many of the people who discriminated against blacks only did so out of a learned practice rather than hatred, others believed that there were situations in which nonviolence was not an option to gain the equality they wanted. This mindset led to the Klan "being challenged with its own tactic of violence,", though many southern blacks continued nonviolent protests such as sit-ins in restaurants where they were refused service.
2. Despite violent opposition, sit-ins became increasingly popular, sometimes even including some white participants, until blacks were allowed to sit at lunch counters in various areas, like Greensboro, by the end of 1960. There was then attempts to introduce integration of interstate travel (only local bus line segregation had been outlawed and enforced by the government - Presidents were often worried of stepping on toes of Southern white leaders and so approached racial issues slowly and cautiously) into the South by northern whites and blacks traveling together; the buses were intercepted in South Carolina, riders beaten, while authorities did nothing to stop the violence. Violence and imprisonment against integrated riders occurred often when these trips were attempted and, when the Department of Justice was asked for protection, they declined with the promise to investigate if anything were to happen.
3. The violence against the Freedom Riders was becoming internationally known and, in order to gain Mississippi police protection, it was allowed for them to be unconstitutionally held in jail in Jackson, Mississippi. Blacks in the deep south were becoming less subservient, thanks to the growing racial equality movement, and the new younger generation was learning to not be silent, to speak out for their rights.
4. Violence and jail imprisonment rose as black men and women registered to vote and protested racism.
56-59:
1. In Mississippi, violence was particularly bad, to the point that locals testified about the dangers of the violence and that the national government had "legal power to give protection against such violence.". The national government's repeated failure to provide protection of blacks against violence, and its tendency to create laws to discourage racism only to ignore or not enforce them, led to dissatisfaction. Congress only truly enforced voting rights due to the world focus on the situation.
2. The federal government wanted to appease the black community and calm the revolts so, though it allowed for marches and protests, went to lengths to ensure gatherings were moderate in mood.
3. The government continued to attempt to keep blacks calm and their protests in moderation, but violence and bombings against blacks continued and riots in response to violence, to unemployment rates, to shootings and murders and rampages, could not be held back.
4. By 1966, nonviolence protesting in the South was actually more effective than violent response, because it shed the South segregationists in a bad light and garnered national opposition against the segregationists actions and values.
60-63:
1. In 1967, riots continued in ghettos, and it was said that the 'typical rioter' was high school aged, normally no longer in school, and either had no job or was working and underpaid. The government dealt with this by observing and isssuing a report on the matter under the belief that a strongly, calmly worded report would "have a soothing effect". But among the rebelling blacks, there was a new way of thinking, of distrusting 'the system', 'the man', to take liberties rather than be given them under paternalistic condescension, to take pride in race.
2. This was around the time that the Black Panthers began, under the belief in nonviolent protest would get blacks nowhere and guns and extreme behavior were necessary to get freedom. Congress passed bills to not only try and minimize violence against blacks and the depriving blacks of civil rights from blacks but to also control riots instigated in or by the black community.
3. Martin Luther King tried to discourage the violent riots, believing that even though they expressed a deep rebellious feeling that nonviolent protests needed to also project in order to get the message across, riots were "self-defeating". King's assassination was the first of many killings of blacks, violence that wasn't being prevented by the courts despite the civil rights laws that now existed.
4. While there were various random bouts of violence against blacks spawned from racism, there was also a surprising case of FBI and police pre-planned violence against the Black Panters, which ended with the killing of the Black Panther leader. Zinn brings up queries concerning if the government as a whole was attempting to eradicate the more militant of the black rebels that would not be calmed into moderate actions.
64-67:
1. The respect and support the black community as a whole had for the Black Panthers, Zinn proposes, possibly scared the government, due to the ability the Black Panthers were steadily gaining to affect black focus - which was in danger of shifting from voting to class differences and issues that still persisted. If class issues became the primary focus, then it endangered the upper class from being attacked by blacks and whites of the lower class. In federal response to the organization of black workers for 'revolutionary change', "black capitalism" was brought to attention and leaders of revolutionary groups were offered positions and loans that would be favorable for their organizations, and "Nixon set up an Office of Minority Business Enterprise".
2. There were attempts to improve black education and to help black businesses, which were only earning "0.3 percent of all business income". Black people were becoming more common in the media and all its sources in this time frame as there were moves for changes in the economic world and also in the submissiveness of black women to male supremacy.
3. The government continued to try and contain 'explosive upsurge' as blacks began to land executive and politically important positions - though it was said that "Whites almost always retain economic power.". By this point, there had been leaps and bounds on the racial front: blacks and whites could ride buses together, more schools were intermixed, blacks could go to hotels and restaurants, more blacks could continue on to universities and medical and law school. However, unemployment rates among blacks and especially among poor blacks were rising, and with it violence, crime, and drugs. The end result in 1977 was that there was a newly emerged, black middle class, though it was very small and vastly 'richer' than the lower class. That black middle class was still far worse off than the white middle class, and incredibly underpaid.
4. Though slavery had always been considered a problem of the South, as civil rights were passed and enforced, it allowed for blacks to become an obstacle for the poor whites, as blacks tried to move in white neighborhoods and get the few available jobs. Even in the North there were violent riots against the initial mixing of whites and blacks in school, which was attempted by busing white children to black schools and black children to white schools. The black population, Zinn points out, was condemned to the ghettos, but was also split into the poor and middle class, all while fighting whites against racial equality and the conflicted government. But an even great note of interest was that, as the 1970s began, black and white were slowly joinging together in unions as unemployment increased and the employee was mistreated and underpaid.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
chapter 24 notes
Brian House
July 31, 2009
“The Clinton Presidency” notes
Zinn’s thesis: Zinn believes that Bill Clinton was not the president that he should have been. He feels that Clinton did not accomplish what he said that he would and therefore is not in favor of the Clinton administration.
I. Clinton barely won both of his elections.
A. He obtained 45% of the vote in 1992 to Bush’s 38%.
B. In 1996 the Republican candidate was “lackluster”, which enabled Clinton to win the election according to Zinn.
-There was a lack of enthusiasm among voters in both elections. Only around half of the possible voters voted.
II. Clinton, along with Janet Reno made bad decisions at Waco according to Zinn.
A. Zinn didn’t mention the murders of federal agents.
B. There was speculation of child molestation.
III. Clinton passed the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.
A. Zinn says, “Allows the deportation of any immigrant ever convicted of a crime, no matter how long ago or how serious”.
B. The Nation was shocked with the Oklahoma City bombing.
C. Clinton said that he would do what he could about Timothy McVeigh, this was it.
D. Mainly used for prisoners facing the Death Penalty.
IV. Zinn said that Clinton did not create government programs to create jobs.
A. This does not mean that he did not create jobs.
B. He created 6 million jobs in his first two years of office.
V. Zinn associates monetary deficits with Bill Clinton.
A. According to an online account entitled The Clinton Record, “President Clinton signed into law the largest deficit reduction plan in history, resulting in over $600 billion in deficit reduction. The deficit is going down for 3 years in a row for the first time since Harry Truman was president.”
July 31, 2009
“The Clinton Presidency” notes
Zinn’s thesis: Zinn believes that Bill Clinton was not the president that he should have been. He feels that Clinton did not accomplish what he said that he would and therefore is not in favor of the Clinton administration.
I. Clinton barely won both of his elections.
A. He obtained 45% of the vote in 1992 to Bush’s 38%.
B. In 1996 the Republican candidate was “lackluster”, which enabled Clinton to win the election according to Zinn.
-There was a lack of enthusiasm among voters in both elections. Only around half of the possible voters voted.
II. Clinton, along with Janet Reno made bad decisions at Waco according to Zinn.
A. Zinn didn’t mention the murders of federal agents.
B. There was speculation of child molestation.
III. Clinton passed the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.
A. Zinn says, “Allows the deportation of any immigrant ever convicted of a crime, no matter how long ago or how serious”.
B. The Nation was shocked with the Oklahoma City bombing.
C. Clinton said that he would do what he could about Timothy McVeigh, this was it.
D. Mainly used for prisoners facing the Death Penalty.
IV. Zinn said that Clinton did not create government programs to create jobs.
A. This does not mean that he did not create jobs.
B. He created 6 million jobs in his first two years of office.
V. Zinn associates monetary deficits with Bill Clinton.
A. According to an online account entitled The Clinton Record, “President Clinton signed into law the largest deficit reduction plan in history, resulting in over $600 billion in deficit reduction. The deficit is going down for 3 years in a row for the first time since Harry Truman was president.”
Saturday, August 1, 2009
chapter 21
Chapter 21:
Carter-Reagan-Bush: The Bipartisan Consensus
Notes
· Zinn feels that both Republicans and Democrats are incapable of serving the people beyond Capitalistic goals
· Much of the population was experiencing economic insecurity
· No major candidates proposed dramatic reform
· Voter rates dropped and non-enthusiasm rose
· Many people felt excluded from politics
· Commercial radio was dominated by the right wing
· President Carter changed little about the government system
· The Panama Canal contract was renegotiated
· The United States trained foreign military leaders
· Spending on national defense was high
· Tax reforms benefited big business under Carter
· Hostages were held in Iran until the 1980 election
· Federal judges were mostly conservative
· OSHA was managed to benefit corporations
· George Bush wanted to appear as an environmentally-friendly President, especially after the Clean Air act
· Tax cuts under Reagan were meant to stimulate the economy
· Although Zinn mentions that unemployment grew during Reagan years, he fails to mention that it actually dropped overall by the end of Reagan’s second term, just as inflation did
· Welfare was denounced
· The rich-poor gap grew
· Both congressional Democrats and Republicans were responsible for the deregulating of savings and loan banks
· The Soviet collapse left the United States unprepared
· Liberal democrats like John Kerry supported military intervention on several occasions to show bipartisan foreign policy
· Bush went to war twice
· Hussein was not removed from office after Desert Storm
Carter-Reagan-Bush: The Bipartisan Consensus
Notes
· Zinn feels that both Republicans and Democrats are incapable of serving the people beyond Capitalistic goals
· Much of the population was experiencing economic insecurity
· No major candidates proposed dramatic reform
· Voter rates dropped and non-enthusiasm rose
· Many people felt excluded from politics
· Commercial radio was dominated by the right wing
· President Carter changed little about the government system
· The Panama Canal contract was renegotiated
· The United States trained foreign military leaders
· Spending on national defense was high
· Tax reforms benefited big business under Carter
· Hostages were held in Iran until the 1980 election
· Federal judges were mostly conservative
· OSHA was managed to benefit corporations
· George Bush wanted to appear as an environmentally-friendly President, especially after the Clean Air act
· Tax cuts under Reagan were meant to stimulate the economy
· Although Zinn mentions that unemployment grew during Reagan years, he fails to mention that it actually dropped overall by the end of Reagan’s second term, just as inflation did
· Welfare was denounced
· The rich-poor gap grew
· Both congressional Democrats and Republicans were responsible for the deregulating of savings and loan banks
· The Soviet collapse left the United States unprepared
· Liberal democrats like John Kerry supported military intervention on several occasions to show bipartisan foreign policy
· Bush went to war twice
· Hussein was not removed from office after Desert Storm
Chapter 25 – the ez way if you know current events
Here are my notes…for all of you who know me, this wont be a surprise.
· George W. Bush won the 2000 election over Al Gore. The election came down to Florida votes. Bush was connected so he won. Zinn criticizes him and wanted Nader to win which you can infer from the text.
· 9/11/01 – everyone knows what that is
· Zinn gives many viable but biased reasons for 9/11
· Bush starts War on Terrorism, Torrential bombings of Afghanistan and stirs debate about if this decision is right.
· Bombings kill numerous civilians.
· Americans support war
· Patriot Act.
· Zinn gives reasons for why the U.S. should be humanitarian
Chapter 21: Carter-Reagan-Bush: The Bipartisan Consensus
Note: George Washington was opposed to political parties stating it would divide the
- Both parties while having different views share common goals and values of capitalism.
- Both parties showed that they could not go beyond capitalist gains.
- Fundamental problems could not be fixed without bold change but no major party candidate was willing to make these changes.
- Due to this voters stayed away from polls in large numbers or voted without enthusiasm.
- People were alienated from the political system.
- Politicians’ major concern was their own political power.
- The culture reflected the distance between the people and politics with the media forcing the public to view a parade of politicians.
- The fairness doctrine of the FCC requiring air time for dissenting views was eliminated.
- Despite Jimmy Carter’s gestures toward the poor and black people he continued to protect corporate wealth and power, maintained a huge military machine that drained the nations wealth, and allied the
- All of Carter’s major cabinet appointments were given to wealthy or cabinet leaders from older administrations. This gave confidence to wealthy businessmen
- Carter combined practical strategic needs with the advancement of civil rights to bring business opportunities to American businessmen.
- Politicians disguising personal interests with humanitarian goals.
- Political leaders constantly saying one thing then later contradicting themselves.
- Defense Department viewed war as a ruthless attack on civilian populations for strategic military and economic interests but tried to show people that war was an unfortunate error.
- Multinational corporations were the third largest economy 98% of there executives were Americans.
- Although the
- Carter stated to lawyers that the laws were on the side of the rich.
- Carter approved tax reforms that mainly helped the corporations. The tax reduction included 18 billion dollar tax reduction mostly for affluent individuals and corporations.
- While corporate oil companies’ net income rose in 1979 three thousand independent gas stations went out of business.
- Carter supported right wing dictatorships fighting leftwing rebels.
- Carter’s loss in the 1980 election brought Reagan into office who lacked the faint liberalism that Carter had.
- Reagan’s policies included cutting benefits to poor people, lowering taxes fo the wealthy, and increasing the military budget.
- Concern for the “economy” under Reagan-Bush became a short hand term for corporate profits became more important than workers and consumers.
- Enforcement of environmental laws became voluntary leaving it up to the businesses to decide.
- Funding for environmental regulation had decreased. EPA received 80,000 complaints about contaminated drinking water, only 100 were investigated.
- Business worries about regulation are more important than the safety of the public.
- The crisis had become so severe and obvious that Pope John Paul II rebuked the wealthy of the industrial nations stating that, “Today, the dramatic threat of ecological breakdown is teaching us the extent to which greed and selfishness, both individual and collective, are contrary to the order of creation.”
- The United States lead the world in carbon emissions.
- During the Reagan administration 90% cuts were put on the research into renewable energy.
- Reagan’s budget cuts included the Social Security disability benefits were terminated.
- In 1982 30 million people were unemployed all or part of the year.
- New requirements eliminated free school lunches for more than one million poor children.
- Democrats joined republicans in denouncing welfare programs.
- Politicians denounced welfare programs to gain political support from middle-class public that believed they were paying axes to support teenage mothers and people they thought too lazy to work.
- The public did not know that welfare took a tiny amount of the government budget and the military took huge amounts of the budget.
- During this time the superrich were given more and more tax reductions starting from 91% to 70 of incomes over 400,000 a year. To 50 percent in 1986 then the republicans and democrats sponsored a bill to lower the top rate to 28%. At this time a schoolteacher, factory worker, and a billionaire all paid 28% of their yearly income.
- Social Security decreased during this period.
- Those earning less had to pay a higher percentage of their income towards social security than those who earned more.
- The gap between rich and poor increased during the 1980’s. CEOs were making 40 times the factory workers in 1980 by 1989 they were making 93 times as much.
- From 1977 to 1989 the before taxes income of the richest 1% grew 77% while the poorest two fifths of the population stayed the same.
- Huge military spending took money away from social programs.
- Military spending was approved by both the republicans and the democrats.
- The military buildup was caused by the cold war and the impending fear that the Soviet Union was going to invade
- Misinformation was used to inflate military expenditures. The CIA reported that Soviet military spending since 1975 was growing 4 to 5 percent a year when the actual figure was 2 percent.
- Even with the disintegration of the Soviet Threat the Military budget remained huge with some small reductions. Both Republicans and Democrats supported this.
- During this time 59% of American voters wanted a military spending decrease of 50% over 5 years.
- Both parties continued to ignore public’s opinion about military spending by keeping military spending high.
- The Reagan administration would also support right wing tyrannies over left wing rebels justifying this by saying they were fighting communism.
- During the Reagan administration there was a law banning military involvement directly or indirectly in
- The Bipartisan Consensus of the Carter-Reagan-Bush is the equivalent to a one party system in a totalitarian state.
- The only person to be imprisoned by the Iran-contra affair was a pacifist critic of American Foreign policy Bill Breeden who stole a street sign that was named after one of the key figures in the affair John Poindexter.
- This affair shows that the American government will break its own laws in the pursuit of foreign policy.
- The War Powers Act stated that the president had to consult congress before proceeding with military intervention or possible military intervention. This Act was constantly broken by Reagan in areas such as
- A
- Even with the end of the cold war military spending was still at optimum levels.
- In 1989 the
- Bush wanted to invade
- The public was given misinformation on how powerful the Iraqi military was and that the
- American reporters were not allowed in
- When the war ended the
- The war brought anti-Arab racism to the
- The war in
Chapter 25 Notes
Notes for chapter 25 The 2000 Election and the “War on Terrorism” Colin Faherty
- Clinton served two terms as president.
- The democratic candidate was Albert Gore.
- Bush accused Gore of “Appealing to class warfare”
- Joe Lieberman, Gore’s Vice president, was “Proudly pro- business”. He supported Silicon Valley and the military-industrial complex of Connecticut.
- Bush raised 50 million more than Gore showing he had more corporate support.
- Bush and Gore both did not have a plan for free health care, low cost housing, or dramatic changes in environmental controls.
- Both supported death penalty, the enlargement of prisons, the military establishment, the use of land mines, and sanctions against Cuba and Iraq.
- Ralph Nader was the third party candidate. He criticized corporate control of the economy.
- Nader emphasized health care, education, and the environment.
- He was shut out of nationally televised debates.
- Poor people did not think either of the candidates would affect their way of life.
- Al Gore received much more of the popular vote.
- The election came down to the electoral votes in Florida.
- George Bush’s brother, Jeb, was the governor in Florida.
- The Secretary of state in Florida, Katherine Harris was a Republican she rushed the recount process and declared Bush the winner.
- The Supreme Court which was dominated by conservatives ruled in favor of bush being the winner.
- Bush proceeded with his pro-big-business agenda.
- The democratic only put up a week objection.
- Bush cut taxes for the wealthy
- 9/11, The World Trade Center was hit along with the pentagon.
- The hijackers were mostly from Saudi Arabia saw the united states as the enemy.
- The” War on Terrorism” by George Bush.
- Osama bin laden was primary objective He was believed to be in Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan was invaded.
- Bush was stupid to retaliate against the terrorist. It did not work for the British against the IRA.
- The Pentagon was only bombing military target, but admitted that they may be injuring some civilians.
- The public was overwhelmingly supportive of the war on terrorism.
- The news network was determined to show patriotism.
- The government went to great lengths to control the information out of Afghanistan.
- American flags became very popular items to display.
- The FBI talked to people for being critical of the government.
- Congress passed the “Patriot Act” which made it legal to detain non-citizens on suspicion
- Bush cautioned the nation not to react with hostility to the Arab Americans.
- Government begins to round up Muslims holding them in detention without charges.
- Peace rallies took place.
- 600 citizens signed a newspaper ad for the universal declaration of human rights.
- Some of the family members of people that had died in the September 11 attack wrote President Bush urging that he not match violence with violence.
- Some families of victims of 9/11 went to visit Afghan families that had lost loved ones in bombings.
- Critics of bombing said that the terrorist activities were rooted in deep grievances against the United States.
- Such changes could not be accepted by the military industrial complex that dominated the major parties.
- Soldiers should be sent overseas not to kill and maim but to restore the nation’s infrastructure.
- The futility of meeting violence with violence become clear.
- Clinton served two terms as president.
- The democratic candidate was Albert Gore.
- Bush accused Gore of “Appealing to class warfare”
- Joe Lieberman, Gore’s Vice president, was “Proudly pro- business”. He supported Silicon Valley and the military-industrial complex of Connecticut.
- Bush raised 50 million more than Gore showing he had more corporate support.
- Bush and Gore both did not have a plan for free health care, low cost housing, or dramatic changes in environmental controls.
- Both supported death penalty, the enlargement of prisons, the military establishment, the use of land mines, and sanctions against Cuba and Iraq.
- Ralph Nader was the third party candidate. He criticized corporate control of the economy.
- Nader emphasized health care, education, and the environment.
- He was shut out of nationally televised debates.
- Poor people did not think either of the candidates would affect their way of life.
- Al Gore received much more of the popular vote.
- The election came down to the electoral votes in Florida.
- George Bush’s brother, Jeb, was the governor in Florida.
- The Secretary of state in Florida, Katherine Harris was a Republican she rushed the recount process and declared Bush the winner.
- The Supreme Court which was dominated by conservatives ruled in favor of bush being the winner.
- Bush proceeded with his pro-big-business agenda.
- The democratic only put up a week objection.
- Bush cut taxes for the wealthy
- 9/11, The World Trade Center was hit along with the pentagon.
- The hijackers were mostly from Saudi Arabia saw the united states as the enemy.
- The” War on Terrorism” by George Bush.
- Osama bin laden was primary objective He was believed to be in Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan was invaded.
- Bush was stupid to retaliate against the terrorist. It did not work for the British against the IRA.
- The Pentagon was only bombing military target, but admitted that they may be injuring some civilians.
- The public was overwhelmingly supportive of the war on terrorism.
- The news network was determined to show patriotism.
- The government went to great lengths to control the information out of Afghanistan.
- American flags became very popular items to display.
- The FBI talked to people for being critical of the government.
- Congress passed the “Patriot Act” which made it legal to detain non-citizens on suspicion
- Bush cautioned the nation not to react with hostility to the Arab Americans.
- Government begins to round up Muslims holding them in detention without charges.
- Peace rallies took place.
- 600 citizens signed a newspaper ad for the universal declaration of human rights.
- Some of the family members of people that had died in the September 11 attack wrote President Bush urging that he not match violence with violence.
- Some families of victims of 9/11 went to visit Afghan families that had lost loved ones in bombings.
- Critics of bombing said that the terrorist activities were rooted in deep grievances against the United States.
- Such changes could not be accepted by the military industrial complex that dominated the major parties.
- Soldiers should be sent overseas not to kill and maim but to restore the nation’s infrastructure.
- The futility of meeting violence with violence become clear.
Chapter 23
Zinn Chapter 23 Notes
Title of the chapter, The Coming Revolt of The Guards, is not a prediction, but a hope by Zinn
The title of the book, respects the “people’s” views on resistance – Zinn likes to disrespect the government
Zinn thinks in terms as a racist, and believes people have been deceived – has strong appeals towards rebellion of the minority and independent thinkers
Tries to appeal to the working class as the “people”
He tries to “rebel” against the government by opposing the US with how they support the elite
The US used, in the first hundred years, slogans and the “people’s” ideas to engrave its own ideas and put them into action
In the early years of the US, the government was very controlling and more willing to sacrifice heavily then after the Civil War
During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, turmoil and social upsurges were greatly impacting the US
After WWII, the 60’s was a time of radical change and revolts along with war and the politics of Watergate
Often, Zinn puts forth his opinions on the under classes and their struggles
He states how the government is making the country worse by its policies and actions
Zinn looks more on the failures and events that affect the revolts and rebellions of all the movements, even though he stated he supported the revolts.
The middle class is like the buffer or the “guards” of the social system, if they stop caring or take a side, the entire system fails and falls
Zinn likes to focus on the middle class and has strong opinions towards the ideas that we are to sacrifice all to keep the system in check, even though Zinn has stated that the system is corrupt and should be replaced
Strongly states that a new revolution of the middle class is coming with the “now” progression
Zinn expresses the world as a prison – with superiors or supervisors that are corrupt and have evil intentions
He focuses on the idea that with all the hardships of the past it can only get worse
Zinn likes to switch his statement views. He will, at one point, support the ideas of the middle class and that it should rebel; then he will stop and state that all should stop the madness of the middle class and make sure that there is no rebellion with those ideas
He very strongly uses the fear of crime to try and show that something is coming, with very little evidence to support it
He expresses the ideas for radical change and elite intervention, which he previously expressed should be prevented
Now, Zinn tries to state that the people should come up with a new system of government and apparently expresses the terms, socialism and socialist a lot. I believe he wants a Socialist America
Zinn’s Main Viewpoint of the Chapter: to bring about change with little violence, but involves everyone and his views of a greater future.
Title of the chapter, The Coming Revolt of The Guards, is not a prediction, but a hope by Zinn
The title of the book, respects the “people’s” views on resistance – Zinn likes to disrespect the government
Zinn thinks in terms as a racist, and believes people have been deceived – has strong appeals towards rebellion of the minority and independent thinkers
Tries to appeal to the working class as the “people”
He tries to “rebel” against the government by opposing the US with how they support the elite
The US used, in the first hundred years, slogans and the “people’s” ideas to engrave its own ideas and put them into action
In the early years of the US, the government was very controlling and more willing to sacrifice heavily then after the Civil War
During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, turmoil and social upsurges were greatly impacting the US
After WWII, the 60’s was a time of radical change and revolts along with war and the politics of Watergate
Often, Zinn puts forth his opinions on the under classes and their struggles
He states how the government is making the country worse by its policies and actions
Zinn looks more on the failures and events that affect the revolts and rebellions of all the movements, even though he stated he supported the revolts.
The middle class is like the buffer or the “guards” of the social system, if they stop caring or take a side, the entire system fails and falls
Zinn likes to focus on the middle class and has strong opinions towards the ideas that we are to sacrifice all to keep the system in check, even though Zinn has stated that the system is corrupt and should be replaced
Strongly states that a new revolution of the middle class is coming with the “now” progression
Zinn expresses the world as a prison – with superiors or supervisors that are corrupt and have evil intentions
He focuses on the idea that with all the hardships of the past it can only get worse
Zinn likes to switch his statement views. He will, at one point, support the ideas of the middle class and that it should rebel; then he will stop and state that all should stop the madness of the middle class and make sure that there is no rebellion with those ideas
He very strongly uses the fear of crime to try and show that something is coming, with very little evidence to support it
He expresses the ideas for radical change and elite intervention, which he previously expressed should be prevented
Now, Zinn tries to state that the people should come up with a new system of government and apparently expresses the terms, socialism and socialist a lot. I believe he wants a Socialist America
Zinn’s Main Viewpoint of the Chapter: to bring about change with little violence, but involves everyone and his views of a greater future.
Zinn Chapter 25 Notes
Chapter 25 Notes: The 2000 Election and the “War on Terrorism”
The 2000 Election
Who was running?
George W. Bush for the Republicans, Albert Gore for the Democrats, and Ralph Nader as the third party candidate.
The Bush campaign raised $220 million and the Gore campaign raised $170 million. Neither had a plan for free national health care, both supported capital punishment. Nader’s plan emphasized health care, education, and the environment. He, however, was shut out of televised debates and since no big businesses supported him he had to raise money from people who believed in his program.
Bush and Gore both had support of big businesses, which gave them a large advantage in the election.
What did the people who Zinn quoted think of the two major candidates?
The two women he quoted thought that the candidates did not think about people like them, and the women didn’t even pay attention to them because they thought that either which way their lives would not change.
Zinn fails to say anything about the Americans who did care about the election. He simply focuses on the lazy Americans who don’t seem to understand that their vote actually meant something.
Where/Which state had the deciding votes?
Florida.
Zinn tells the story of how votes were not counted in neighborhoods with a large percentage of black voters, and ballots that had been disqualified on technical grounds. He also pulls the “Bush had the advantage” card by indicating that his brother, Jeb Bush, was governor of Florida, and the secretary of state in Florida was Katherine Harris, a Republican.
When were the other bizarre elections?
In 1888 and 1876.
The popular vote was in the favor of one candidate, but the other received more electoral votes, so that candidate won.
Why did the Supreme Court overrule the Florida Supreme Court’s decision?
They said that recounting the ballots violated the constitutional requirement for equal protection of the laws because there were different standards in different counties of Florida for counting ballots.
The liberal judges said that the Court did not have the right to interfere with the Florida Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law. Zinn then goes on to say that since the Supreme Court refused to allow any reconsideration of the election, it must mean that they favored Bush.
War on Terrorism
Who supported Bush’s War on Terrorism?
Congress, Senate, House of Representatives, all but Barbra Lee.
Barbra Lee was a black woman from California, Zinn says. DOES THAT REALLY MATTER? Why she did not support the war means a whole heck of a lot more to me than her ethnicity.
What did the United States do to Afghanistan?
We bombed Afghanistan.
Zinn goes on about how the bombs killed innocent civilians in Afghanistan, and that the Pentagon said that they were only bombing military targets, and the killing of civilians was unfortunate, an accident, and regrettable. War has never been clean. Civilians have been killed in wars and attacks before, just look at 9/11 and all the innocent civilians that were killed. It is an unfortunate normality of war, there really is nothing that can be done about it.
Where did the terrorists come from?
Saudi Arabia.
They were radical Islamist. Zinn seems to praise them in saying that they were willing to die in order to deliver a deadly blow against what they clearly saw their enemy, a superpower that had thought itself invulnerable. Zinn, is this an act of bravery, or cowardice? Zinn seems to think of this as a good thing for America.
When did the American people begin speaking out against the war?
After the initial shock of the attacks was over.
People would protest about returning violence with violence. People became angered about the killing of innocent lives. Well, America is dealing with a different force here. These people who attacked America want to see its down fall and will stop at nothing, they are totally brainwashed. They even terrorize people into joining them by threatening their families with torture. That became more of the reason why troops were over seas in the later years. To protect and defend the innocent people against these terrorists. People just don’t seem to get that.
Why is America hated?
According to Robert Bowman, America is hated not because we practice democracy and value freedom, but because we deny these rights to Third World countries. Bowman believes that we should do good instead of evil, that our sons and daughters should not be sent over to Kill Arabs for the oil under their sand, but to rebuild the infrastructure, supply clean water, and feed starving children.
America’s goal was to kill the terrorists, and we did that. THEN we protected the citizens against radical militant groups, all while helping them rebuild, govern, and help the children. It is unfortunate that innocent lives were taken in this fight. But war is war, and freedom is not free.
The 2000 Election
Who was running?
George W. Bush for the Republicans, Albert Gore for the Democrats, and Ralph Nader as the third party candidate.
The Bush campaign raised $220 million and the Gore campaign raised $170 million. Neither had a plan for free national health care, both supported capital punishment. Nader’s plan emphasized health care, education, and the environment. He, however, was shut out of televised debates and since no big businesses supported him he had to raise money from people who believed in his program.
Bush and Gore both had support of big businesses, which gave them a large advantage in the election.
What did the people who Zinn quoted think of the two major candidates?
The two women he quoted thought that the candidates did not think about people like them, and the women didn’t even pay attention to them because they thought that either which way their lives would not change.
Zinn fails to say anything about the Americans who did care about the election. He simply focuses on the lazy Americans who don’t seem to understand that their vote actually meant something.
Where/Which state had the deciding votes?
Florida.
Zinn tells the story of how votes were not counted in neighborhoods with a large percentage of black voters, and ballots that had been disqualified on technical grounds. He also pulls the “Bush had the advantage” card by indicating that his brother, Jeb Bush, was governor of Florida, and the secretary of state in Florida was Katherine Harris, a Republican.
When were the other bizarre elections?
In 1888 and 1876.
The popular vote was in the favor of one candidate, but the other received more electoral votes, so that candidate won.
Why did the Supreme Court overrule the Florida Supreme Court’s decision?
They said that recounting the ballots violated the constitutional requirement for equal protection of the laws because there were different standards in different counties of Florida for counting ballots.
The liberal judges said that the Court did not have the right to interfere with the Florida Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law. Zinn then goes on to say that since the Supreme Court refused to allow any reconsideration of the election, it must mean that they favored Bush.
War on Terrorism
Who supported Bush’s War on Terrorism?
Congress, Senate, House of Representatives, all but Barbra Lee.
Barbra Lee was a black woman from California, Zinn says. DOES THAT REALLY MATTER? Why she did not support the war means a whole heck of a lot more to me than her ethnicity.
What did the United States do to Afghanistan?
We bombed Afghanistan.
Zinn goes on about how the bombs killed innocent civilians in Afghanistan, and that the Pentagon said that they were only bombing military targets, and the killing of civilians was unfortunate, an accident, and regrettable. War has never been clean. Civilians have been killed in wars and attacks before, just look at 9/11 and all the innocent civilians that were killed. It is an unfortunate normality of war, there really is nothing that can be done about it.
Where did the terrorists come from?
Saudi Arabia.
They were radical Islamist. Zinn seems to praise them in saying that they were willing to die in order to deliver a deadly blow against what they clearly saw their enemy, a superpower that had thought itself invulnerable. Zinn, is this an act of bravery, or cowardice? Zinn seems to think of this as a good thing for America.
When did the American people begin speaking out against the war?
After the initial shock of the attacks was over.
People would protest about returning violence with violence. People became angered about the killing of innocent lives. Well, America is dealing with a different force here. These people who attacked America want to see its down fall and will stop at nothing, they are totally brainwashed. They even terrorize people into joining them by threatening their families with torture. That became more of the reason why troops were over seas in the later years. To protect and defend the innocent people against these terrorists. People just don’t seem to get that.
Why is America hated?
According to Robert Bowman, America is hated not because we practice democracy and value freedom, but because we deny these rights to Third World countries. Bowman believes that we should do good instead of evil, that our sons and daughters should not be sent over to Kill Arabs for the oil under their sand, but to rebuild the infrastructure, supply clean water, and feed starving children.
America’s goal was to kill the terrorists, and we did that. THEN we protected the citizens against radical militant groups, all while helping them rebuild, govern, and help the children. It is unfortunate that innocent lives were taken in this fight. But war is war, and freedom is not free.
Zinn, Chapter 24
In this chapter, I found that despite all good things Bill Clinton supposedly did for this country, he is not one of the nation's great presidents. During his presidency he was more focused on winning with as little effort as possible rather than trying to effect social change. His main focus was to keep Republicans and big businesses happy. The main way he did this was by providing large sums of money to the military. Instead of cutting back on military funds because of the lack of threat from the Soviet Union, he kept troops stationed across the world and used military force even when it was not necessary.
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