Erasing @race- Going White in the (Inter) Face- Kolko

In chapter 12 of “Race in Cyberspace,” Beth E. Kolko begins by discussing interactions people have with technology. She brings in the concept of cyberspace and argues that there is a more intense engagement with cyberspace than with simply a computer. Cyberspace allows people to decide their identity and who they want to be. Kolko notes that race is a missing factor when developing a virtual identity. She goes on to discuss that there are many different virtual worlds. Characters within these worlds have properties that reflect “real life” elements of identity and allow them to define their virtual self (215). A person’s use of language to describe oneself is highly important in cyberspace. She notes that most of the five senses that are presented face-to-face are not in the virtual world. Through cyberspace, there are several properties that are available to be presented. However, Kolko notes that race is not one of them and therefore the “default race” is assumed to be white (216). Sites that do not present an @race property means that racial identity is irrelevant and that the “ideal” user is a white user. Cynthia Selfe and Richard Selfe saw that their computer-based teaching contributes to a larger cultural system. Interfaces allow users to see the outcomes or what it produces but not the actual program (219). Interfaces are powerful and equally important for what they show and what they don’t show. Kolko argues that “the effaced @race is a component of interface that helps construct the kinds of experience users can have online” (222). Even for certain virtual sites that allow people to mark their race, it disappears when “role-playing games (RPGs) are not present and the site is simply social. It was also believed that while people say that race was taken out of the virtual world, it was never actually there (224). A lack of race in cyberspace represents the technology as “raceless” to the user. Kolko’s conclusion for this chapter is that bringing race into cyberspace will provide information that can be useful in other communication systems and about how users bring perception and pattern into it (230).

After reading this chapter, it was brought to my attention that race is rarely included in the virtual world. For example, facebook does not included a section where people are able to define their race if they have the desire. One question I would pose for this section is why is there such a need to establish race through cyberspace? Some people may choose to do so but I personally don’t feel that it is necessary. Also, I do not think of everyone on the internet to be white but I can see where some would think that.

Facebook post

This picture was found on one of my old high school friend’s facebook page. In the picture are my friend and his father who is titled at “Poppa Raj.” They are both making similar gestures towards the camera. Their hands are raised away from their bodies and their hands are positioned with their middle finder over their ring fingers. The father has a rather plan look on his face with a little bit of a smile mixed in. The son is smiling without his teeth and seems to be excited at the moment. From the background, they are inside their home and seem to be a rather privileged family. The rooms seem to be large, there are several paintings that are hanging on the wall and I see a granite counter top as well.

They are making a gesture that is most associated with the black community. I know this because one of the comments made on the picture said something along the lines of “your dad’s going gangstaaa.” Many of the other comments made on the picture show that the viewers really like the picture and are completely surprised by it as well. Viewers may be surprised by this because they are of Hindu decent and it is highly unlikely that someone of another minority group would add to a stereotype of another minority group (blacks). Blacks have suffered enormous amounts throughout history and the representation of this picture does not seem to be politically correct. Other people viewing this picture are just seeing it as a joke and that it is extremely funny. However, they are not aware of the message it sends to others in cyberspace.

Race in Cyberspace- I’ll take My Stand in Dixie-Net (McPherson)

The reading from “Race in Cyberspace” written by Tara McPherson talks about southern history and the motives of most white males in the south that she sees through internet websites. People in the south want to keep the region as a confederacy. McPherson goes on to introduce such websites as “cyber-south” websites. “Cyber-south” websites discriminate mainly against blacks and women. These websites were mainly established by white men of a wide range of ages. Southern history fills the pages of these sites. Plantation life is an example of some of the information that is mentioned within these sites. Also, women are displayed as they were many years ago doing activities such as sewing. McPherson makes clear that there is not one specific website that portrays each aspect of what she considers “cyber-Confederacy” to be. However, many of the websites do display Southern separatism of nationalism along with some type of a mission statement that shares the group’s aims (121). She also makes the point that “Such narratives highlight that, much like webpages, the South is sill undergoing ‘reconstruction’” (123). Sites also mention “the cultural genocide of the Confederacy” (125). The “virtual battle” that is being fought is to defend Southern heritage that is white. The white men who develop the websites define the term “whiteness” through images of “blackness” (126). There are several symbols such as the Southern flag that represent the meaning of “whiteness” (127). McPherson ends this chapter talking about the “neo-confederates” as the conservative group. Also, how when they are creating websites about the south, they only talk about the ways southern white males see southern heritage instead of including things such as slavery.

I thought that this section was difficult to understand at first and I did not grasp her point. I had never heard of some of the concepts before reading McPherson’s chapter. While I am such her findings on this topic are correct, I have personally never some across one of the websites she is talking about and if I have, I did not realize it. I will make such to pay attention to such things from now on. How does racism still occur after all or country has been through? People have heard of the racism that went on back then and now it finally needs to come to an end. I think it is sad that racism still exists within out society.

Cybertypes Race, Ethnicity, and Identity on the Internet

In chapter 4 of “Cybertypes Race, Ethnicity, and Identity on the Internet,” Lisa Nakamura discusses different types of discrimination that are present within the internet. According to the commercial “Anthem,” “There is no race. There is no gender. There is no age…There are only minds” on the internet (87). Within Nakamura’s analysis of several advertisements she concludes that race and discrimination are in fact present within them. In “Anthem” diversity is presented in a visual way and the MCI internet services that we only see minds. However, Nakamura makes the valid point that “If technology will indeed make everyone, everything, and every place the same, as ‘Anthem’…then where is there left to go?” (92). In one ad, the depiction of race should be eliminated or should be considered “’not to count’ through technology” (88). If we can communicate through computers and networks “without ‘the rest of it’” then our world would be without boundaries, “a world without limits” (89). In one instance, a Compaq advertisement shows children admiring the rain forest. The ad frames the entire ad to show a window into an “other” world (91). This ad illustrates that the product will preserve nature and all its beauties through the image on the screen. Another ad shows an Arab man on a camel and in the background behind him are perfectly displayed pyramids. The natural image this picture provides is taken away by the supposedly comedic cartoon dialogue. This dialogue takes away from what the actual picture was supposed to signify. The people who made the ad intended for the Arab man to look nothing like someone who would normally refer to cyberspace. This ad made the camel rider look “authentic” and different than United States citizens appear.

While I was reading this section, I was having a difficult time understanding the idea of what Nakamura was trying to get across. Part of this was because of the language used. It was a change from the pieces we have been reading in this class so it through me off a little bit. Once I was finished reading I’m pretty sure I understand the chapter for the most part. One question I would ask is what is the ratio of ads that produce discrimination verses ads that do not? While the internet may give off some bad vibes I feel that it has made a large positive impact within our society and changed our world for the better.

“Why I Hate Abercrombie & Fitch”

The article, “Why I Hate Abercrombie & Fitch” written by Dwight McBride is about his personal views on the store. He begins by discussing his personal encounter with the label “Abercrombie & Fitch.” One night while he was out with his friends he noticed someone wearing a shirt that sported the logo and as he continued to look around he noticed that one-third of the men there were wearing some form of their clothing (60). He then goes on to discuss of the history of the store. “Abercrombie & Fitch” became known in 1892 by David T. Abercrombie. The store produced “high-end gear for hunters, fishermen, campers, and explorers” (62). A partnership later developed in 1904 with lawyer Ezra Fitch, which today is the label of an expensive clothing line within A&F. As the years went on, A&F began to grow and expand its store. Clothing became available for purchase for men and women. Abercrombie’s reputation was well established when the “rich and famous” such as John F. Kennedy became customers “as the outfitter of the rich, famous, and powerful” (63). Even in the earlier stages of A&F, the store catered to the white upper classes. Today, “Abercrombie & Fitch has devised a very clear marketing and advertising strategy that celebrate whiteness…has worked hard to produce a brand strongly associated with young, white, upper-class, leisure lifestyle” (66). While the clothes at A&F are geared towards whites, the hiring is looking for the same thing. Words such as “natural, classic, American” are often used to describe those who are A&F worthy. Therefore, the Native American is excluded from applicants who may be looking to be hired. Companies such as Ralph Lauren and Banana Republic are geared more towards the upper-class but they are open to other races in advertising and employment for their companies (72). McBride then concludes from this that these companies are not on the same level as A&F.

After reading this article, I feel badly that people are being discriminated against within a clothing store I used to shop in. I do not agree with anything A&F does in relation to their employees. However, I don’t think that their clothing suggests that it is meant only for white people. Even if it does and people disagree with me, there is clothing that is geared only towards groups such as black that if I wore such brands of clothing I would be looked at differently. One thing I would like to know is what about the store Hollister? This is close to the same thing as A&F and I would like to know if it is seen as the same in relation to the race and class controversies.

Takaki Chapter 12

In chapter 12, Takaki begins to discuss the views and hope the Mexicans had of America. Word spread fast that America was a nice place and more and more people wanted to come. Many Mexicans left Mexico to escape starvation and to receive wealth and prosperity. Mexicans could easily enter and leave the United States without passports whenever they wanted (312). Frustration and anger lead to the Mexican Revolution. The civil war spread across Mexico and lead to hundreds and thousands of deaths. Mexicans fled Mexico and planned to return once the conditions were better. However, conditions did no get better. Migrants were pulled “El Norte” and worked a wide rage of manual jobs that were usually the worst jobs. Transportation accelerated the movement of Mexicans into the United States (315). Mexicans were sad to leave their home land. Mexicans soon saw the discrimination within their work force and realized that working in “El Norte” was different than it used to be in Mexico. White farmers believe that “no one drives him (the Mexican), he can stop any time and his pay is by the weight at the scales. There’s…no oppression” (321). Mexicans worked for extremely low wages and this caused many of them to go into debt so they were not able to leave their employers. Mexicans often moved jobs. The location of their jobs changed where they would be living. “Mexicans are ‘here today and elsewhere tomorrow’” (324). This shows that the growers did not care where they were and simply used them for their labor. Mexicans wanted their children to be well educated to they “won’t have to kill themselves working” (329). However, Mexicans attending American schools was seen as a threat to “Anglo racial and cultural homogeneity” (329). Overall, while Mexicans were able to establish their own lifestyles in America and carry their traditions over the border, they never actually felt at home in America.

After reading this chapter, I felt bad that the Mexicans had such high hopes for the United States and did not get what they were expecting out of it. They ended up disliking it and wishing they could go back to their home land but they needed the employment in the United States. One question I would pose for this chapter is did the Americans want the Mexicans to return to their homeland aside from their work benefits in the United States?

“The Power of the Illusion” (Part 3)

The film “The Power of the Illusion,” begins by discussing the concept of race. As more and more immigrants came to America, the different races were new and apart from anything they had ever seen before. Skin color became the way whites were classifying others. The color of one’s skin carried along several stereotypes. It was noted in the film that “the United States is the origin of race.” Immigrants came to America to seek economic opportunity and to have a better life for them and their families. Immigrants and minority groups within the United States were forced to work the hardest and most dangerous jobs. Eventually, what was known as “the melting pot” came into the picture. The idea of “the melting pot” was the melting or the assimilation of all white races and making one race, Americans. However, this concept did not include those races of colored skin such as blacks and Asians. “To be white was to gain the full rewards as an American citizen.” This shows that the white race had the ultimate power and authority in American at this time. Other races were not considered to be United States citizens because they were not Caucasian. White men who decided such things always said what whiteness wasn’t and not what it was. Housing discrimination existed among blacks. While they were continuing to immigrate into America, black families were not allowed to live in white neighborhoods. Integration among neighborhoods would lower property values in the area. Because of this, blacks were forced to live in public housing. The Fair Housing Act eliminated segregation among housing and allowed blacks to move into white neighborhoods. Shortly after this act was presented, the idea of “block busting” was developed. “Block busting” happened when black moved into white neighborhoods causing whites to move out of the area turning the original white neighborhood into an all black neighborhood. Whites did not like this and moving out of their homes into new ones hurt the real estate of the area. As whites moved out of their homes, they took their resources with them.

After watching this film, I felt bad that those of other races had such a difficult time in America. They came here for freedom and were not treated fairly. While many of the immigrants shared the same beliefs as whites, their skin color stopped them from pursuing their idea of the American and was always holding them back. Did the races that were accepted into “the melting pot” share the same beliefs as those that were Caucasian? Were beliefs even considered?