The Hip-Hop Generation Chunk #3

The Hip-Hop Generation Chunk #3 is about confronting the crise of African American culture and the problems that are facing the "hip-hop generationers" in America. Bakari Kitwana discusses about the aspect of social responsibility, politics, and cultural significance and how hip-hop has affected it lyrically and socially. This is during a time where "hip-hop generationers" are being held socially accountable for their actions, are seen as important figures in society, and seen as role models for the youth. He makes references to criticism of hi-hop lyrics by prominent black leaders, especially C. Delores Tucker, and the divide between "hip-hop generationers" and their civil rights generation parents. The audience can be both generationers and can be a way for understanding between both. The purpose of this chunk was to discuss the impact hip-hop has had in the 90's and 00's and the how hip-hop music has affected the political climate of that time.

Clarification: What started to happen to hip-hop music in the 90's?
Application: Do you know of any "hip-hop generationers" that have made a political impact?

The Hip-Hop Generation Chunk #2

The Hip-Hop Generation Chunk #2 is about a race war, love between black men and women, and hood movies. Bakar Kitwana discusses the problems that African Americans have with the justice system and how they are dealt a bad hand. For example, "Blacks make up only 13 percent of monthly illegal drug users, whereas whites constitute 74 percent of monthly illegal drug users...the Justice Department found that the number of Blacks incarcerated for drug offenses increased 707 percent during the decade between 1985 and 1995 (compared to a 306 percent increase for whites)." The defamation of women is addressed in chapter 4, he discusses the gender divide between black men and black women and the rise of sexual abuse. He uses the sexual abuse cases of Tupac Shakur and Mike Tyson. Finally he addresses "coming-of the-age" or "hood movies" such as Boyz N the Hood, Menace II Society, and New Jack City. These films are the first of ots kind that shows what it is like to be a young black man in the inner city and the problems with crime and poverty that we face. This is during a time in which a young generation of African Americans are being caught up in the War on Drugs, increasing arrest rates and police brutality, deteriorating relationships between women, and the expression of the "hip-hop generationers" on film. This is meant for young African Americans and Latinos that are apart of the Hip-Hop Generation or the generation after that. This is written to express the problems that people of this generation faces. As a "hip-hop generationer" Bakari Kitwana gives a good insight into the issues we face.

Clarification: What was the main subject of this chunk?
Application: What else is a problem that young black men face?

Envy of the World

Envy of the World by Ellis Cose is a story about the Black man's journey in America and his experiences. He discusses problems that the African American men experience such as identity issues of. Academic issues and their supposed inability to succeed in school and go to college. He discusses how Black mean have a hard time staying out of prison and have the highest numbers per capita in prison. Finally he discusses the problems the Black man has in relationships and fatherhood and his inability to be good at. In the final chapter he gives solutions to the problems of Black men and how they can improve how people see them. He uses anecdotes, statistics, and personal experience to strengthen his arguments.

Clarification: What are some of the problems Black men face?
Application: Do you know Black men that have thses flaws and if so how can they improve them?

Hip-Hop Generation Chunk #1

Hip-Hop Generation by Bakari Kitwana is the story of a new generation, in fact the first generation since the end of the civil rights movement. Chunk 1 discusses its emergence and its rise and its difference from the previous generations. "Both rappers, like their peers who saw hope and promise in their short lives, were hip-hop genrationers--those African Americans born between 1965 and 1984 who came of age in the eighties and ninties and who share a specific set of values and attitudes(4)." People born in this period of time have a different outlook on the world than their elders. He discusses how "hip-hop generationers" experience hardships such as poverty, crime, racial animosity, negative stereotypes, few job opportunities, and corruption. He discusses how young African Americans are given less of a chance to succeed in a society that does not care for them. For example, "The hip-hop generation, those Blacks born between 1965 and 1984, entered the job force during the 1980s and 1990s, a period marked by falling wages, worsening conditions for unskilled workers, and growing disparities in income and wealth between America's minority rich and majority poor (27)." This is an example of one of the many problems that "hip-hop generationers" experience.

Clarification: What makes the "hip-hop generationers" different from the previous generations?
Application: Have you ever experienced or known anyone who has experience the problems that the "hip-hop generationers" experience?

Obama Visits Mexico, Where the News Isn't All That Bad

"Obama Visits Mexico, Where the News Isn't All That Bad" by Michael Elliot is about the visit President Obama will make to Mexico for the annual Summit of the Americas to address the issues that are affecting the continents. There they will discuss the problems Mexico faces with drugs and its struggling economy. However they will also discuss the positive things that have happened in Mexico, "If Obama is wise, he will reflect not on Mexico's challenges, real as they are, but on what extraordinary strides the nation has made in the last quarter of a century." This is to show that positive things are happening in Mexico and not just negative things such as the violence related to the drug war.

Clarification: Why is President Obama visiting Mexico?
Application: What have you heard about Mexico?

"Gay Families to Attend WH Easter Event"

"Gay Families to Attend WH Easter Event" by Gillian Gaynair states how gay and lesbian families are being invited to do the easter egg hunt at the White House. "The White House is allocating tickets for the upcoming Easter Egg Roll to gay and lesbian parents as part of the Obama administration's outreach to diverse communities.", this is apart of his movement for change in America. In past years they were rejected and people feared they would use it to express their ideology.

Clarification: Why were LGBT people left out before?
Application: WHat is your opinion of LGBT people and their lifestyle?

"U.S. to Attend Group Nuclear Talks with Iran"

"U.S. to Attend Group Nuclear Talks with Iran" by Matthew Lee is about the policy shift that the Obama Administration is making in the situation with Iran's nuclear program. In the past the U.S. refused to negotiate with Iran and compromise, which put us on a track to war. "the Bush administration had pursued a policy of isolating Iran and not attending the group's meetings with Iranian officials.", the Obama Administration is stopping that practice and making diplomatic strides to improve relations.

Clarification: What is the U.S. attending?
Application: How do you feel about this change in policy?

30,000 Demand Resignation at Thai PM's Office

"30,000 Demand Resignation at Thai PM's Office" is on Time.com and is written by Ambika Ahuja. It is about the political unrest that is occurring in Thailand surrounded around the contoversy of the Prime Minister election. Critics of the Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva state "'We want this illegitimate government out. The longer they stay, the more damage will be done to Thai democracy,"' because they believe his government is fake and illegitimate and prefer former PM Thaksin.

Clarification: Who is being criticized?
Application: Why is Thailand having political issues at this time?

Precis

"South Africans Protest New Catholic Mass" is from Time.com and written by Michelle Faul. The article deals with the Vatican trying to make a trial run at a literal word-for-word translation of the bible rather than the more latinized version in South Africa. "Critics say the new, more literal word-for-word translation is part of an attempt to roll back the progress made decades ago when the church halted its incistence on latin." This is about the evolution of the Catholic churches practices and their movement toward liberalization, however, it has become apparent that many prefer traditional prayer and liturgy that they are familiar with. Church leaders and members are calling this "another major embarrassment to the pope."

Clarification: What are the protests in South Africa about?
Application: Do you think mass should be given in Latin, a traditional latinized English, modern regional standard English?

Fast Food Nation Chunk #4

In the final chunk of the book the author discusses dangers of the meat used in fast food what should be done to prevent it, and America's economic imperialism around the world. Chapter 9 discusses how a man named Lee Harding got food poisoned from E. coli O157: H7 "a virulent and potentially lethal foodbourne pathogen" through Safeway frozen hamburgers. Children under the age of five, the elderly, and the people with impaired immune systems are the most likely to suffer from illnesses caused by E. coli O157:H7 . He discusses how an 11 year old boy got sick from a school hamburger, E. coli was later found in the meat and the company's owner eventually killed himself. Schlosser also dicusses Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium perfringens which are also foodbourne bacteriums. He also dicusses the McDonaldization of the world by adding a new McDonald's to every place that is in good relations with America. For example, putting McDonald's in Eastern Bloc countries after the fall of Communism.

Clarification: What are the symptoms of E. coli O157: H7?
Application: Have you ever experienced the symptoms to E. coli O157: H7

Fast Food Nation Chunk #3

In chunk 3 Eric Schlosser discusses the industrial side of fastfood corporations. Meat and potatoes are no longer processed by individual farms and ranchers, but large corporate chains such as ConAgra Foods and the J. R. Simplot Company, which perfected the concept of the frozen french fry, and how they have a strong hold, or monopoly, of the food processing industry leading to a massive economic and social shift that led to farmers and ranchers being left disenfranchized and hopeless, some committed suicide. The hazards of working for these companies are also expressed, and how it is a constant danger to work in the factories owned by these companies. For example, "a fire at a poultry plant killed twenty-five workers in 1991...its emergency exits had been chained shut," shows the danger of working in these factories.

Clarification: As you read the chunk were you disgusted by the conditions that these employees work in?
Application: Were you at all surprised at how the industry works and how it effects the economic and social aspects of certain regions?