Friday, September 29, 2017

Friday, September 29

SCREENING: 13th

Answer or take notes on the following questions at the bottom of your prep document:
13th Film Analysis Questions
  1. What is the central perspective of 13th?  As a piece of rhetorical discourse, what does it want us to do/change/think about differently?
  2. According to the film, how have the rhetoric of “law and order” and the “war on crime” become racially charged?  
  3. How does the film use logos/pathos/ethos to modify your perspective?
LOGOS
PATHOS
ETHOS
  1. What most surprised, disturbed, enlightened you about this film? Did it effectively modify your perspective on the topic?  Why or why not?
  2. What perspectives does this film leave out?  How might one push back on some of its points?
  3. What is a question that this film raised for you that you feel would be good to address in our seminar?

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Thursday, September 28

Three cheers for LINK!:   Welcome, Janae!

WORK TIME
TO-DO before Monday:  Be sure to consume all the media found on this sheet and annotate your thoughts for seminar.


End of the hour:  Watch the first 13 minutes of 13th.  (Stop it at President Johnson’s face)

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Wednesday, September 27

Starter 9.27: (record in seminar/quiz prep document):   Reparations for our history of racial injustice?
Do you think the UN Commission on Human Rights found correctly in this case?

 Schedule Change?  Seminar Monday, Quiz Wednesday?

Four Corners
  • The United States should officially go through a process of Truth and Reconciliation to deal with the oppression and racial injustice in our past.
  • Affirmative action is reverse discrimination against whites
Affirmative Action refers to a policy or program providing advantages for groups who have experienced historical discrimination with the aim of creating a more egalitarian society through preferential access to education, employment, health care, and social welfare. We will be focusing on race-based educational affirmative action.
Context
Record your reaction in your seminar prep document.
Discuss:  How does Edward Norton’s character exemplify an ideological perspective on race in America?
Independent Work Time:
Two blogs:  
By David Marcus, (conservative blogger)
By Awesomely Luvvie (liberal blogger)
Other Media:
Storycorps Interview: Alex Landau’s story
Macklemore’s “White Privilege” (Lyrics here)
Without Sanctuary (watch flash movie or explore the postcards themselves)
Optional:  White People (add a row on your document!)
Other sources of your own finding? (add rows on your document!)



TO-DO before Monday:  Be sure to consume all the media found on this sheet and annotate your thoughts for seminar.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Tuesday, September 26

Four Corners
  • In order to combat racism, we should all try to be colorblind.
  • We talk about race too much in America. Talking about race and racism makes the problems worse.
Starter (In prep document):  Who Are WE? (fill in your thoughts and observations on the prep sheet
React and Discuss:  How does this video function as a piece of rhetoric?  
For whom is it convincing?  Why?  
How does the speaker seek to make himself more credible?
Arguments?
Appeals?
What is your personal reaction?
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: : Josiah Strong (1885)
Highlight several key phrases that you feel exemplify the perspective of this article
Fill in the space on the seminar prep packet under “Responses to discourse”
Share with a neighbor your reaction to the reading.  What did we think of Josiah Strong?  What is his claim?  Is it convincing?  Why or why not?
Do you still see this ideology in the American experience?  How does this resonate with Richard Spencer?  Is this a fringe perspective nowadays?  
The Color of Fear, “Red Ground” Scene
How does this rhetorical exchange between the two men exemplify an ideological conflict that we still see in America?

Some more media clips:
White Nationalism in America
React!
Clip from “Chelsea does Racism” (Netflix 30:00-39:00)
React!
WORK TIME/HOMEWORK
Two blogs:  
By David Marcus, (conservative blogger)
By Awesomely Luvvie,
(liberal blogger)

EXPLORE THE ALT-RIGHT!  (See links on your prep document)

Monday, September 25, 2017

Monday, September 25

REACT AND DISCUSS:
For you (and your ideological bias), which side is more justified?
Rhetorically, how does this conflict fit in with some of the principles of rhetoric that we have learned about?
This Week's Big Questions:
  • What is racism and how does it play out in today's society?
  • What are ideological, historical, rhetorical, and institutional factors that impact America’s relationship with race?
  • Can Dr. King’s “dream” be achieved in America?  How might racism end?

  • Quiz next week!  You will be allowed to choose any of the pieces of rhetorical discourse that we look at this week to analyze for your quiz.  The quiz will be open-note, so the more you make an effort to make rhetorical observations this week, the more of the intellectual work you will already have done for the quiz.
  • We will also have an ungraded seminar after the quiz about the content of this week and the “big questions.” The point of this seminar is not to debate, but rather to make meaning on this difficult topic.  The reflection will be graded, but not the seminar.
  • Make a copy of the Google Doc.  This will be where you compile your thoughts of the week in preparation for the quiz and the seminar.
  • If you prefer a paper copy, I will print it for you, and you can attach additional papers as necessary.
  • Bring headphones this week for independent work time.
Reminders


Four Corners
  • In America, everyone has equal opportunity to lead a successful, happy life regardless of race.
  • Racial injustice is still rampant in America.
  • In order to combat racism, we should all try to be colorblind.

Trevor Noah and Tomi Lahren
REACT/DISCUSS:  Do you agree with Tomi Lahren that Colin Kaepernick’s methods of protest are disrespectful?  What might be a better way?

More Discourse: 


REACT/DISCUSS:  In both videos, the idea is brought up that race and racism are talked about too much.  Do you agree with this idea?  Why or why not?  Where do your views on this topic come from?



WORK TIME
Fill in the spaces on your prep document for the discourse we consumed today.
Establish definitions for some terms key to our discussion on race.  Create your own definitions, use the internet, or use this resource (Key Terms Powerpoint)
Reading: Josiah Strong (1885)
Fill in the space on the seminar prep packet under “Responses to discourse”

Homework if you don’t finish in class.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Thursday, September 21

Starter 9.21:  What are some of the takeaways you have from the sessions with the former presidents Jefferson and Jackson?
What are some new thoughts and/or questions you now have about America and her history?  (see questions below for prompts to spur your thinking.
Impromptu seminar/discussion:
Share out some of your thoughts and questions!
What struck you most about what these two men shared?  
What new thoughts about America do you have now?
What new thoughts do you have about the ideological contradictions in our founding documents?
Jefferson avoided answering questions about modern politics directly, but he implied that we could infer from his answers what he would have thought.  What do you think he would have thought about our contemporary politics and leaders?
Jefferson spoke to the disagreement he had with Hamilton over how much direct democracy to give the people (the “rabble”).  Hamilton wanted a layer of protection between the whimsies of the rabble and the educated class of elites.  Jefferson wanted to educate the rabble so they could participate in democracy.  Looking at our current politics, what do you think of this disagreement?  Who was right?
What did you think the Jefferson quote: “We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.”  What will be the barbarism that our ancestors remember us for?  What are we complicit in that will appall future generations?

Jackson (as everyone) was the product of the ideology of his time. Did he tweak your thinking at all about what you have learned about Manifest Destiny?




General Course Questions
How do we think about America differently than we did a month ago?
In what ways are we exceptional?  What do we want to change about our country?
Are we the country that Jefferson founded? If not, how do we get there?  

JOURNAL 9.21:  Process your thoughts on any of the above questions and the course content so far.  Where are you currently in your thinking about the project essential question:  What do I believe about America and why?

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Wednesday, September 20

BIG QUESTIONS:
  • What are the roots of American exceptionalism in the American experience?
  • What was Manifest Destiny and how does it relate to American exceptionalism and our current ideology on America’s place in the world? 


Starter (verbal): Discuss with a partner.  What is happening in this painting?  What is the message?

What is Manifest Destiny?
How did Manifest Destiny shape the American West?
What does John O’Sullivan believe about America?
How has his ideology played out over the years?
Do you see parallels between his ideology and modern foreign policy driven by American exceptionalism?


PASEO (REVIEW THIS WEEK’S CONCEPTS):
  • What is Putin trying to get the reader to accept?  What sort of foreign policy does he believe the US should embrace?
  • Why does Putin criticize the idea of American exceptionalism?
  • Do you agree with Putin?  How does the principle of ethos influence your interpretation of this text?
  • How does Putin appeal to the values of his reader?
  • What did the Bush administration seem to believe about America’s role in the world?
  • Was their use of rhetoric ethical?
  • In your opinion, is the Bush Doctrine a good strategy for fighting terrorism?
  • In general, what do you think of the concept of American exceptionalism?  Is it more or less appropriate now than it was in the early decades of our founding?
TIME?
What questions do we have for Thomas Jefferson?  Andrew Jackson?

Do a bit of background research on these two presidents.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Tuesday, September 19

Starter 9.19:  The Pathos of Poetry: Rafeef Ziadah: “We teach life, sir.”
  1. How does this poem impact you? How does poetry function as rhetoric?
  2. Are artistic perspectives important to consider when we formulate our perspectives about political issues?  Why or why not?  What are perspectives we should consider when we formulate our views on foreign policy?

WORK TIME:  Finish yesterday’s activity and journal!

Compare the two major party platforms’ foreign policy declarations and share your thoughts with a partner.
GOP: American Exceptionalism (Read at least “A Dangerous World” and scroll through the other subheaders)
Democratic Party Platform: (Scroll down to “Principled Leadership” and “Confronting Global Threats”)
What major ideological similarities and differences do you see between the two parties in regards to foreign policy?
Which do you find agreeing with more?

JOURNAL 9.19 Reading:  “A Plea for Caution” by Vladimir Putin
  • What is Putin trying to get the reader to accept?  What sort of foreign policy does he believe the US should embrace?
  • Why does Putin criticize the idea of American exceptionalism?
  • Do you agree with Putin?  
  • How does the principle of ethos influence your interpretation of this text?
  • How does he appeal to the values of his audience?



Monday, September 18, 2017

Monday, September 18

Starter 9.18: Find a quote from each reading (Dr. Grossman AND Kagan & Asmus) that you believe encapsulates the bias about foreign policy that each expresses.  What does each document express about America’s role in the world?

Discuss take-aways from the readings.
  • What questions did you have when you read?
  • What bias on foreign policy does each piece of discourse represent?
  • What recommendations does each make?
  • What does each believe about America’s role in the world and how we should use our military?
Four Corners: a few more…
  • When a foreign people is being governed by a tyrannical leader, the United States should intervene to overthrow that leader.
  • Citizens should have a say in whether or not their country goes to war.
  • It is unpatriotic to oppose a war.
  • America has a special role to play in the world to help spread democracy and keep the peace.
What was the response?
Bombs over Baghdad:  How is “Shock and Awe” rhetorical?


Leading to War:  Examining the “Rhetoric and Spin” of the Bush Administration
Watch the first few minutes together.
As individuals, choose one of the following options to explore how the Bush administration used rhetorical strategy to build a case to go to war with Iraq during the 18 months that followed 9-11.  Either option will end with you answering the same prompts in your digital comp book (see below).
OPTION 1:  Watch the entire film and answer the prompts in your journal.
OPTION 2:  Using the resources provided on their website, explore the rhetorical analysis work of the filmmakers
  2. After reading the intro, choose min. 6 (of the 12) of the subheaders to explore.  Read the intros and then watch the videos in your headphones AND/OR read through the quoted materials.  If you are choosing this option, please note in your journal which sections you examined.
  3. Answer the journal prompts in your digital comp book.
JOURNAL 9.18:  Leading to War/Rhetorical Analysis of Bush administration’s case for war
  1. Explain some of the rhetorical strategies that the Bush administration used to build a public case for going to war in Iraq.  BE SPECIFIC!  Use examples from their own rhetoric and connect them to concepts we have studied.
    1. How did they use Aristotelian appeals?
    2. How did they connect to the value system of their audience?
    3. Was their use of rhetorical strategy ethical?
    4. How did their language shape public perception and knowledge?
  2. Why is this important? What can we learn from studying this as critical consumers of rhetoric in our democracy?
  3. In your opinion, is the “Bush Doctrine” a good way to fight terrorism?  Why or why not?
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