The United States Army’s long-standing requirement of a clean-shaven face is a hairy criterion that conflicts with the First Amendment right to freedom of religion.
Recently, Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Menachem Stern, fell victim to the ostracizing policy. As an Orthodox Jew, Stern believes that shaving his facial hair to join the army would be a violation of his religious rights.
“The 29-year-old is suing the US Army for refusing him the right to keep his beard, on the grounds of his religious beliefs.”
The government is responsible for regulating the physical appearance of army participants, which includes the enforcement of the no facial hair rule. Requiring army members to have a shaved face is discriminatory because it excludes potential volunteers of particular religious faiths. “Joining the army can sometimes be difficult for Muslims, Sikhs and Jews who feel obliged by their faith to grow a full beard.” As the agency of government responsible for
defending Americans’ constitutional way of life, the U.S. Army should realize
that forcing all male participants to shave is not only passé, but it also is an assault on the first amendment because this rule violates certain religious convictions.
Perhaps the army should spend less time shaving and more time brushing up on the logistics of human rights. If a man signs up for duty, survives his training, and is approved for deployment, why should the rigid shaving requirement interfere with his right to serve the country, given that he has already proven himself to be qualified? The length of facial hair is not an indicator of an individual’s capabilities.
Rabbi Stern has since filed for a shaving waiver, which stipulates that he will be exempt from shaving. However, the possibility that his request will be approved looks rather grim. "I would like to be able to say that government agencies are becoming more accepting of various aspects of appearance but frankly Rabbi Stern's experience with the US Army leads me to conclude that there are still very strong restrictions that the people who have control over these institutions are imposing."
The need for revision is apparent, but given that the army is a volunteer-based organization, it can be argued that the government is not responsible for protecting the rights of minorities from this partisan rule. This argument is undermined by the weak foundation on which this tradition stands. There is no reason to continue to enforce this regulation because the reasons for keeping the rule as is are rather transparent.
“A US Army spokesman said it was to do with ‘long-standing traditions of uniformity, hygiene, and good order and discipline’, adding that it was in keeping with strict dress codes which required a sense of professionalism and group identity.”
This argument is refutable because the aforementioned ideals, such as uniformity and discipline, are subjective and have been defined by cultural convictions. None of these principles is a legitimate reason to enforce the rule because there is no way to prove that any of these qualities are linked to a man’s facial hair. There is no clear evidence to justify that a clean-shaven face has any impact on a soldier’s performance.
The policy perpetuates stereotypes about facial hair that marginalize men of various religions by expelling entire groups of people from useful participation in the Army based on their physical appearance. In order to generate respect between individuals of different cultures and religions, it is vital that an effort is made on an institutional level to even the playing field. Specifically, putting an end to unjustified practices like the no beard policy is an essential step in ending the cultural imperialism that is inherent in Army policy because this systemic change would expand the definition of what it means to be an American soldier by revaluing the significance of the physical characteristics of a male in the service.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Internet's Role in the Future of Democracy
Congress is finally making an effort to control the economic deficit by cutting federal spending. However, the Republican dominated House of Representatives is endorsing a spending plan that disregards the needs of constituents. It is vital that Americans use the internet to retaliate and stand up for their needs and rights. Specifically, the House has endorsed the Pence amendment that will eliminate financing for Planned Parenthood. Through the use of new media websites, including Twitter, Facebook and Youtube, Americans are accumulating the support necessary to let the Senate know, before the bill reaches the Senate, that taking away Planned Parenthood funds would be undermining Americans’ rights to the health care opportunities that Planned Parenthood offers.
Today’s government has become too inundated with internal federal affairs to acknowledge the needs of constituents. Therefore, the internet and new media are necessary elements to successfully develop a campaign by and for citizens against legislative assault, like the movement against the Planned Parenthood bill has generated.
New media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, that link together like-minded individuals are essential democratizing forces because they offer a completely open platform for the American public to unite and to make their voices heard. This is essential in strengthening the connection between the distant representatives of congress and their abstract relationships with their constituencies.
Activist groups, such as Advocates for Youth’s Youth Activist Network, have demonstrated the power of the internet as a resource to be a reactionary force. The group has established Amplifyyourvoice.org, which has set up blogs, blog-a-thons, and other easy-to-access methods to spread their message to overturn the Pence amendment via new media. These options include, “amplify on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube”. All major outlets have been targeted in order to reach those who will be impacted the most by this particular budget cut.
The movement has gained a vast following through new media websites such as Facebook. New media is a fundamental aspect of this campaign, especially given the disreputable nature of the topic. Individuals can join the 261,835 members who have already joined the “I stand with Planned Parenthood” Facebook group. Individuals also have the option to sign an anonymous petition via amplifyyourvoice.org. The message is quickly and efficiently being mobilized as the internet attempts to counter balance the imbalanced state of American government.
Planned Parenthood online has linked its “Call Congress” campaign to numerous Twitter accounts to draw more attention to the page. The page explains the repercussions of the Pence amendment, “The consequences of this bill are clear and they would be devastating. More women would have unintended pregnancies. Cancer would develop, undiagnosed, in countless women. There is no doubt: cutting off millions of women from care, that they have no other way to afford, places them at risk of sickness and death.” The site also offers talking points and phone numbers to call in order to protest the passage of the Pence amendment in the U.S. Senate.
Planned Parenthood also has its own channel available on Youtube.com. The channel offers a collection of homemade videos of supporters who stand with Planned Parenthood in their fight against the Pence act. The channel has had over 92,407 views since its start, and continues to communicate the importance of overturning the amendment.
The government will continue to ignore citizens’ needs if action is not taken. The most efficient means of action have clearly been demonstrated in the reaction towards the Pence amendment. Campaigns such as this one have the potential to permeate the system through the internet. The internet is universal and adds needed pressure to the federal government to acknowledge needs outside their own. If we are living in a country that is “for the people and by the people”, the internet is the most suitable entity to carry out this ideology. It is imperative that Americans get involved with the government to keep the government in check at this time.
Today’s government has become too inundated with internal federal affairs to acknowledge the needs of constituents. Therefore, the internet and new media are necessary elements to successfully develop a campaign by and for citizens against legislative assault, like the movement against the Planned Parenthood bill has generated.
New media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, that link together like-minded individuals are essential democratizing forces because they offer a completely open platform for the American public to unite and to make their voices heard. This is essential in strengthening the connection between the distant representatives of congress and their abstract relationships with their constituencies.
Activist groups, such as Advocates for Youth’s Youth Activist Network, have demonstrated the power of the internet as a resource to be a reactionary force. The group has established Amplifyyourvoice.org, which has set up blogs, blog-a-thons, and other easy-to-access methods to spread their message to overturn the Pence amendment via new media. These options include, “amplify on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube”. All major outlets have been targeted in order to reach those who will be impacted the most by this particular budget cut.
The movement has gained a vast following through new media websites such as Facebook. New media is a fundamental aspect of this campaign, especially given the disreputable nature of the topic. Individuals can join the 261,835 members who have already joined the “I stand with Planned Parenthood” Facebook group. Individuals also have the option to sign an anonymous petition via amplifyyourvoice.org. The message is quickly and efficiently being mobilized as the internet attempts to counter balance the imbalanced state of American government.
Planned Parenthood online has linked its “Call Congress” campaign to numerous Twitter accounts to draw more attention to the page. The page explains the repercussions of the Pence amendment, “The consequences of this bill are clear and they would be devastating. More women would have unintended pregnancies. Cancer would develop, undiagnosed, in countless women. There is no doubt: cutting off millions of women from care, that they have no other way to afford, places them at risk of sickness and death.” The site also offers talking points and phone numbers to call in order to protest the passage of the Pence amendment in the U.S. Senate.
Planned Parenthood also has its own channel available on Youtube.com. The channel offers a collection of homemade videos of supporters who stand with Planned Parenthood in their fight against the Pence act. The channel has had over 92,407 views since its start, and continues to communicate the importance of overturning the amendment.
The government will continue to ignore citizens’ needs if action is not taken. The most efficient means of action have clearly been demonstrated in the reaction towards the Pence amendment. Campaigns such as this one have the potential to permeate the system through the internet. The internet is universal and adds needed pressure to the federal government to acknowledge needs outside their own. If we are living in a country that is “for the people and by the people”, the internet is the most suitable entity to carry out this ideology. It is imperative that Americans get involved with the government to keep the government in check at this time.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The Influence of New Media on American Politics: For the People and by the People
New Media is reshaping the nature of American governmental affairs, as the cyber world entwines itself with the political world. New media is an essential tool that is necessary to maintain a functioning modern representative democracy that can accommodate a growing population. The direct accessibility made available by blogging, podcasting and social networking sites opens the means of communication to the public, thereby increasing the connectivity of government agencies with citizens and strengthening the influence of constituents, which has resulted in the manifestation of the empowerment of grassroots movements.
“The growth of the cyber world has been both the most empowering and, to already unresponsive institutions, the most influential social change to penetrate society in the last 50 years.”
The internet is fundamental in renewing the populations’ interest in public affairs. The majority of Americans are skeptical of campaigns corrupted by ulterior motives and biased funding, intimidated by the growing polarization between the two main political parties, discouraged by institutions like the electoral college and political practices like gerrymandering. These dilute the potency of a singular vote. All of these contributing factors have resulted in growing apathy amongst Americans when it comes to issues involving their government. In 1961, 75 percent of the U.S. population had a high amount of trust in the government. “By 2003, according to a CNN/Time poll, that confidence had reached a low of 32 percent.”
Americans’ distrust in their government stems from the inability to trust in campaigns that are funded by private interests. The Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case has further empowered wealthy institutions to infiltrate their partiality into campaign advertisements that fail to concentrate on the needs of the citizenry. American negligence to politics partially stems from the corrupt campaign ads full of slander often funded by these very companies who invest in particular policies or candidates because of the direct effect on their businesses. The United States Supreme Court in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, turned down recent accusations against these companies, “a bitterly divided Supreme Court […] ruled that the government may not ban political spending by corporations in Candidate elections.” The decision struggled to pass as it granted corporations the power to influence the political market of the U.S. “The difference between selling a vote and selling access is a matter of degree, not kind […] and selling access is not qualitatively different from giving special preference to those who spent money on one’s behalf.” Allowing companies to finance politicians and policies, ultimately privileges wealthier agencies to manipulate the electorate in their favor. Hence, numerous Americans are apprehensive to vote because the information accessible to them is typically influenced by economic concerns.
In the recent November 2010 election in California, for example, the expenditures of particular institutions, like the Texas oil companies who endorsed Proposition 23, were blatantly associated with the policy because it held the potential to benefit their sales. Whether directly tied to a policy like Proposition 23, or a candidate, supporters are invested in particular policies and candidates because they promote or obstruct their personal agendas. Further, it is hard to tell who to believe when “Yes on 23” commercials are telling the viewer that voting yes will save their jobs, and “No on 23” commercials convince the viewer that the environment will be destroyed if they vote yes. Although corporations should have the right to provide information to the American public, no matter the biased intentions, Americans possess the right to think for themselves and to fully understand the source of this information. The fine print that flashes on the bottom of a campaign commercial, or the miniscule writing on the bottom of a yard sign is not prominent enough to overpower the undue influence that wealthy campaign contributors have. The confusing advertisements and the often-offensive presentation of information made available to the American public during political campaigns, discourages their trust in their media sources.
In addition to policies such as Proposition 23, candidates themselves are made to appear untrustworthy and difficult to relate to. The most popular way to generate support during the short campaign period is to employ negative advertising against an opponent since the image of a candidate is a fundamental part of persuading voters. “We have today a system that rewards politicians for conflict and confrontation, and encourages them to demonize opponents.” For example, in the recent gubernatorial election in California, 35 days before the election, it was brought forward that republican candidate, Meg Whitman, employed an illegal immigrant as a housekeeper for nine years. This personal information seemed to, in the end, be more memorable than any of the millions of dollars Whitman spent on commercials. The predominance of defamation morally degrades the political system, which in turn dissuades the general public from feeling allegiance to any candidate. Americans are looking for a relatable candidate, and it is difficult to connect to candidates when they are portrayed as criminals. Further, Americans are distanced from government officials and this abstract relationship between representatives and constituents attributes to the lack of interest in the general public.
Even those who typically feel enthusiastic about a candidate tend to have their own hidden incentives. For instance, Whitman’s alleged housekeeper hired Gloria Allred as her lawyer for the lawsuit against Whitman. Coincidently, “Ms. Allred was a personal friend of Jerry Brown, […] and had donated to his past campaigns. ‘So there’s a clear relationship and party affiliation that’s undeniable.’” Allred’s involvement exemplifies exactly how financial investment in a candidate enables her private agenda with Brown. Allred clearly had more invested in Brown’s candidacy than just money; therefore, she utilized her power to influence the decisions of voters. Although she is entitled to do so, her financial influence corrupts the perspective of a voter. How can the public trust information provided to them if it is tainted with the prejudice of individuals or private companies?
The internet has proven to be an effective anecdote for this issue. The internet allows for information to circulate that would otherwise be limited by the nature of media, which is funded by private entities. The internet allows like-minded citizens to come together quickly with social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace. The internet does not tailor content to fit a particular political agenda, nor does it inhibit individuals from expressing their opinions. With the power of the internet, public interest in governmental issues has been revived because information is accessible to everyone, and communicating the importance of a particular movement has become easy to do. Supporting a political movement now comes at the expense of clicking a button. Individual citizens have power and influence over their government. Making a difference and being heard is a possibility for just about anyone with a blog or a Facebook these days. The result is that political interest has been revived.
“There was an astonishing 11 percentage point increase of voter turnout in 2004. While there may be socio-political factors involved that can explain this sharp hype, it is interesting to note that one difference between the world of 2000 and the world of 2004 is accessibility and popularity of internet applications such as online petitions and online networking.”
The most successful public servants are those who utilize this new media to effectively carry out their message. “Take Barack Obama. The reason he is the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee is that he combines his message of hope and “Yes We Can” with a savvy staff that understands the value and use of Web 2.0 social-media tools. His campaign effectively uses blogs, wikis, podcasts, event-planning tools, reviews, ratings, comments and rich media uploads and downloads — all of which engage constituents in ways that make them feel validated and important.” Obama’s successes can be easily linked with his efforts to reach out via new media websites. America needs relatable politicians, and new media makes even the president accessible with just one click.
New media offers newly-found power to individual campaigns as well as entire political movements, particularly of grassroots nature. The number of people identifying with political parties is waning, and the manifestations of grassroots movements such as the Tea Party, embody American dissatisfaction with the current party system. Voters feel disconnected from their candidates, and movements like the Tea Party seem to represent the desperate need for a connection that is otherwise not being satisfied by current political parties. Grassroots movements expose the frustrations of politically engaged citizens and often act as the means acquiring to needed change. The use of new media in grassroots movements has allowed the public to challenge the current political system with recognizable force. The Tea Party, for example, started when CNBC’s Rick Santelli went on a memorable rant about the Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan. The broadcast quickly spread via Twitter and other social networking websites. Within weeks Santelli’s message had inspired a powerful series of Tea Party Protests, which eventually developed into the Tea Party that exists today.
Grassroots movements assist in the governance of a democracy because they echo the voice of the people, and the volume of this voice is measured by the amount of support the movement has. The Tea Party would not be as successful as it has become without the use of new media to spread its message. Gathering support and communicating the message of a campaign has become much quicker and easier with new technology. Technology and social media websites have lowered the cost of communication. Finding like-minded people is extremely accessible with social networking sites, and fundraising can be done through websites like Pay Pal. Democracy thrives on the participation of its people, and the information age has made getting involved quicker, easier and cheaper than ever before.
In order to sustain the success of a campaign, people must feel that they own the movement. When a movement provides the people involved with a sense of ownership, it gives them a sense of responsibility as well. To maintain success or to win an election, campaigns must utilize new media so that followers of the movement feel that they are responsible for the movement’s vitality.
The information age has reoriented public policy around the self. “What we live in is not the age of the extended mind but the age of the inverted self.” Politics is no longer a function of ideology but of identity. Individuals identify with a movement, which is seen as an expression of the manifestation of selfhood. In the information age, identity imposes ideological coherence rather than the ideology defining the ultimate meaning of a movement. The human condition for selfishness seems to have a whole new mechanism for infiltrating politics. However, when there are biased funds influencing media surrounding a campaign or political decisions, one has to ask themself: In an age where large corporations are capable of funding a particular policy or candidate who would benefit their personal agenda, what is wrong with an individual Twittering about political opinions for free?
These new technologies are intended to increase connectivity, and when used wisely, they serve their purpose. “A social network is crucially different from a social circle, since the function of a social circle is to curb our appetites and of a network to extend them. Everything once inside is outside, a click away; much that used to be outside is inside, experienced in solitude.” The repercussions of this relative to politics are that it allows individuals to unite quickly and acquire numbers of astronomical proportions in a short period of time, like the Tea Party. However, a Facebook petition is a much less threatening form of protest than a riot. The internet holds great potential to change American government for the betterment of its people.
Enlightening peoples’ government via new media should be seen for its potential to be a force for good. The key to exploiting the good of the Internet, while guarding against the bad, is to educate consumers and create a new generation of useful consumers. The internet is necessary to counterbalance the lack of representation in American politics, and further, it serves to uncover truths that would otherwise be kept under wraps by media outlets. New media provides the tools necessary to amplify the often-unheard voices of the American population. The future of politics includes new media as an important element of public relations, and this means the future of politics includes a solid platform for individuals to receive a democratic dose of attention.
“The growth of the cyber world has been both the most empowering and, to already unresponsive institutions, the most influential social change to penetrate society in the last 50 years.”
The internet is fundamental in renewing the populations’ interest in public affairs. The majority of Americans are skeptical of campaigns corrupted by ulterior motives and biased funding, intimidated by the growing polarization between the two main political parties, discouraged by institutions like the electoral college and political practices like gerrymandering. These dilute the potency of a singular vote. All of these contributing factors have resulted in growing apathy amongst Americans when it comes to issues involving their government. In 1961, 75 percent of the U.S. population had a high amount of trust in the government. “By 2003, according to a CNN/Time poll, that confidence had reached a low of 32 percent.”
Americans’ distrust in their government stems from the inability to trust in campaigns that are funded by private interests. The Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case has further empowered wealthy institutions to infiltrate their partiality into campaign advertisements that fail to concentrate on the needs of the citizenry. American negligence to politics partially stems from the corrupt campaign ads full of slander often funded by these very companies who invest in particular policies or candidates because of the direct effect on their businesses. The United States Supreme Court in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, turned down recent accusations against these companies, “a bitterly divided Supreme Court […] ruled that the government may not ban political spending by corporations in Candidate elections.” The decision struggled to pass as it granted corporations the power to influence the political market of the U.S. “The difference between selling a vote and selling access is a matter of degree, not kind […] and selling access is not qualitatively different from giving special preference to those who spent money on one’s behalf.” Allowing companies to finance politicians and policies, ultimately privileges wealthier agencies to manipulate the electorate in their favor. Hence, numerous Americans are apprehensive to vote because the information accessible to them is typically influenced by economic concerns.
In the recent November 2010 election in California, for example, the expenditures of particular institutions, like the Texas oil companies who endorsed Proposition 23, were blatantly associated with the policy because it held the potential to benefit their sales. Whether directly tied to a policy like Proposition 23, or a candidate, supporters are invested in particular policies and candidates because they promote or obstruct their personal agendas. Further, it is hard to tell who to believe when “Yes on 23” commercials are telling the viewer that voting yes will save their jobs, and “No on 23” commercials convince the viewer that the environment will be destroyed if they vote yes. Although corporations should have the right to provide information to the American public, no matter the biased intentions, Americans possess the right to think for themselves and to fully understand the source of this information. The fine print that flashes on the bottom of a campaign commercial, or the miniscule writing on the bottom of a yard sign is not prominent enough to overpower the undue influence that wealthy campaign contributors have. The confusing advertisements and the often-offensive presentation of information made available to the American public during political campaigns, discourages their trust in their media sources.
In addition to policies such as Proposition 23, candidates themselves are made to appear untrustworthy and difficult to relate to. The most popular way to generate support during the short campaign period is to employ negative advertising against an opponent since the image of a candidate is a fundamental part of persuading voters. “We have today a system that rewards politicians for conflict and confrontation, and encourages them to demonize opponents.” For example, in the recent gubernatorial election in California, 35 days before the election, it was brought forward that republican candidate, Meg Whitman, employed an illegal immigrant as a housekeeper for nine years. This personal information seemed to, in the end, be more memorable than any of the millions of dollars Whitman spent on commercials. The predominance of defamation morally degrades the political system, which in turn dissuades the general public from feeling allegiance to any candidate. Americans are looking for a relatable candidate, and it is difficult to connect to candidates when they are portrayed as criminals. Further, Americans are distanced from government officials and this abstract relationship between representatives and constituents attributes to the lack of interest in the general public.
Even those who typically feel enthusiastic about a candidate tend to have their own hidden incentives. For instance, Whitman’s alleged housekeeper hired Gloria Allred as her lawyer for the lawsuit against Whitman. Coincidently, “Ms. Allred was a personal friend of Jerry Brown, […] and had donated to his past campaigns. ‘So there’s a clear relationship and party affiliation that’s undeniable.’” Allred’s involvement exemplifies exactly how financial investment in a candidate enables her private agenda with Brown. Allred clearly had more invested in Brown’s candidacy than just money; therefore, she utilized her power to influence the decisions of voters. Although she is entitled to do so, her financial influence corrupts the perspective of a voter. How can the public trust information provided to them if it is tainted with the prejudice of individuals or private companies?
The internet has proven to be an effective anecdote for this issue. The internet allows for information to circulate that would otherwise be limited by the nature of media, which is funded by private entities. The internet allows like-minded citizens to come together quickly with social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace. The internet does not tailor content to fit a particular political agenda, nor does it inhibit individuals from expressing their opinions. With the power of the internet, public interest in governmental issues has been revived because information is accessible to everyone, and communicating the importance of a particular movement has become easy to do. Supporting a political movement now comes at the expense of clicking a button. Individual citizens have power and influence over their government. Making a difference and being heard is a possibility for just about anyone with a blog or a Facebook these days. The result is that political interest has been revived.
“There was an astonishing 11 percentage point increase of voter turnout in 2004. While there may be socio-political factors involved that can explain this sharp hype, it is interesting to note that one difference between the world of 2000 and the world of 2004 is accessibility and popularity of internet applications such as online petitions and online networking.”
The most successful public servants are those who utilize this new media to effectively carry out their message. “Take Barack Obama. The reason he is the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee is that he combines his message of hope and “Yes We Can” with a savvy staff that understands the value and use of Web 2.0 social-media tools. His campaign effectively uses blogs, wikis, podcasts, event-planning tools, reviews, ratings, comments and rich media uploads and downloads — all of which engage constituents in ways that make them feel validated and important.” Obama’s successes can be easily linked with his efforts to reach out via new media websites. America needs relatable politicians, and new media makes even the president accessible with just one click.
New media offers newly-found power to individual campaigns as well as entire political movements, particularly of grassroots nature. The number of people identifying with political parties is waning, and the manifestations of grassroots movements such as the Tea Party, embody American dissatisfaction with the current party system. Voters feel disconnected from their candidates, and movements like the Tea Party seem to represent the desperate need for a connection that is otherwise not being satisfied by current political parties. Grassroots movements expose the frustrations of politically engaged citizens and often act as the means acquiring to needed change. The use of new media in grassroots movements has allowed the public to challenge the current political system with recognizable force. The Tea Party, for example, started when CNBC’s Rick Santelli went on a memorable rant about the Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan. The broadcast quickly spread via Twitter and other social networking websites. Within weeks Santelli’s message had inspired a powerful series of Tea Party Protests, which eventually developed into the Tea Party that exists today.
Grassroots movements assist in the governance of a democracy because they echo the voice of the people, and the volume of this voice is measured by the amount of support the movement has. The Tea Party would not be as successful as it has become without the use of new media to spread its message. Gathering support and communicating the message of a campaign has become much quicker and easier with new technology. Technology and social media websites have lowered the cost of communication. Finding like-minded people is extremely accessible with social networking sites, and fundraising can be done through websites like Pay Pal. Democracy thrives on the participation of its people, and the information age has made getting involved quicker, easier and cheaper than ever before.
In order to sustain the success of a campaign, people must feel that they own the movement. When a movement provides the people involved with a sense of ownership, it gives them a sense of responsibility as well. To maintain success or to win an election, campaigns must utilize new media so that followers of the movement feel that they are responsible for the movement’s vitality.
The information age has reoriented public policy around the self. “What we live in is not the age of the extended mind but the age of the inverted self.” Politics is no longer a function of ideology but of identity. Individuals identify with a movement, which is seen as an expression of the manifestation of selfhood. In the information age, identity imposes ideological coherence rather than the ideology defining the ultimate meaning of a movement. The human condition for selfishness seems to have a whole new mechanism for infiltrating politics. However, when there are biased funds influencing media surrounding a campaign or political decisions, one has to ask themself: In an age where large corporations are capable of funding a particular policy or candidate who would benefit their personal agenda, what is wrong with an individual Twittering about political opinions for free?
These new technologies are intended to increase connectivity, and when used wisely, they serve their purpose. “A social network is crucially different from a social circle, since the function of a social circle is to curb our appetites and of a network to extend them. Everything once inside is outside, a click away; much that used to be outside is inside, experienced in solitude.” The repercussions of this relative to politics are that it allows individuals to unite quickly and acquire numbers of astronomical proportions in a short period of time, like the Tea Party. However, a Facebook petition is a much less threatening form of protest than a riot. The internet holds great potential to change American government for the betterment of its people.
Enlightening peoples’ government via new media should be seen for its potential to be a force for good. The key to exploiting the good of the Internet, while guarding against the bad, is to educate consumers and create a new generation of useful consumers. The internet is necessary to counterbalance the lack of representation in American politics, and further, it serves to uncover truths that would otherwise be kept under wraps by media outlets. New media provides the tools necessary to amplify the often-unheard voices of the American population. The future of politics includes new media as an important element of public relations, and this means the future of politics includes a solid platform for individuals to receive a democratic dose of attention.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Navigating the Career Path of a Public Intellectual
The subsequent question that follows suit is whether or not public intellectuals become less-than-effective sources as their career statuses improve. Is there a direct correlation between popularity and polarity? The answer is conditional upon the public intellectual to whom one is referring. Susan Estrich utilizes her power correctly by holding on to her ideals throughout her career, while other public intellectuals provide a poor sampling of the public intellectual pool, like Juan Williams, whose intellect was sacrificed as his publicity increased.
Both Estrich and Williams have worked as editors for various periodicals, represent minority groups, identify with a liberal political position and have worked for Fox News. However, the news outlets that employed Williams eventually imputed his thinking and restructuring of his political assumptions, which can be measured by his controversial commentary on Fox News’s The O’Reilly Factor, followed by his termination as the host of National Public Radio’s daily talk show, Talk of the Nation.
When asked by Bill O’Reilly if he felt the United States was facing a dilemma with Muslims, Williams responded by saying, "Look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."
Soon after, Williams soon became a pariah in his own political party. He lost his job at NPR the following week, which was announced with the release of this statement in regard to his termination, “His remarks on The O'Reilly Factor this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR”. Perhaps his political opinions simply changed over time, but it is hard to ignore the fact that his quick swing to the right corresponds with his increasing appearance on conservative television. Further, Bill O’Reilly was in the process of battling his own slanderous backlash from his appearance on ABC’s The View where he blamed Muslims for the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. O’Reilly was looking for support, and Williams provided just that. Williams’ opinion was clearly influenced by those around him because it was out-of-line with his previous political positions.
Public intellectuals’ knowledge can only be viable as long as their identities remain consistent and strong. Susan Estrich manages to work within the confines of the polarized media that exists today without sacrificing her opinions to meet the demands of the audience.
In a blog posting by Estrich on January 9, 2009, she defended her allegiance to Israel,“if Israel is your enemy, so am I.”
There has been no change in her stance on Israel despite the recent demonstrations in Egypt, and America’s support of the Egyptian pursuit of freedom and democracy. She does not overlook the topic of Israel, and on February 11, 2011, she responded in accordance with her previous political positions about Israel,
“They are saying that one of the best and most courageous things Mubarak has done — despite some difficult periods, he maintained relations with Israel and recognized its existence — is reason enough for his downfall. I have a hard time finding anything romantic about that.”
Estrich does support the endeavors of the Egyptian population, but she does not marginalize her own priorities in favor of the greater American opinion. That is what qualifies her as a reliable, model public intellectual. In a pragmatic sense, the public intellectual must broaden its audience in order to survive, yet stick to what it knows best. A public intellectual offers expertise, not mediation.
Both Estrich and Williams have worked as editors for various periodicals, represent minority groups, identify with a liberal political position and have worked for Fox News. However, the news outlets that employed Williams eventually imputed his thinking and restructuring of his political assumptions, which can be measured by his controversial commentary on Fox News’s The O’Reilly Factor, followed by his termination as the host of National Public Radio’s daily talk show, Talk of the Nation.
When asked by Bill O’Reilly if he felt the United States was facing a dilemma with Muslims, Williams responded by saying, "Look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."
Soon after, Williams soon became a pariah in his own political party. He lost his job at NPR the following week, which was announced with the release of this statement in regard to his termination, “His remarks on The O'Reilly Factor this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR”. Perhaps his political opinions simply changed over time, but it is hard to ignore the fact that his quick swing to the right corresponds with his increasing appearance on conservative television. Further, Bill O’Reilly was in the process of battling his own slanderous backlash from his appearance on ABC’s The View where he blamed Muslims for the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. O’Reilly was looking for support, and Williams provided just that. Williams’ opinion was clearly influenced by those around him because it was out-of-line with his previous political positions.
Public intellectuals’ knowledge can only be viable as long as their identities remain consistent and strong. Susan Estrich manages to work within the confines of the polarized media that exists today without sacrificing her opinions to meet the demands of the audience.
In a blog posting by Estrich on January 9, 2009, she defended her allegiance to Israel,“if Israel is your enemy, so am I.”
There has been no change in her stance on Israel despite the recent demonstrations in Egypt, and America’s support of the Egyptian pursuit of freedom and democracy. She does not overlook the topic of Israel, and on February 11, 2011, she responded in accordance with her previous political positions about Israel,
“They are saying that one of the best and most courageous things Mubarak has done — despite some difficult periods, he maintained relations with Israel and recognized its existence — is reason enough for his downfall. I have a hard time finding anything romantic about that.”
Estrich does support the endeavors of the Egyptian population, but she does not marginalize her own priorities in favor of the greater American opinion. That is what qualifies her as a reliable, model public intellectual. In a pragmatic sense, the public intellectual must broaden its audience in order to survive, yet stick to what it knows best. A public intellectual offers expertise, not mediation.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The Public Intellectual
Power is the fundamental element that drives politics. Those who get to make decisions in this country are often a source of controversy, especially when individuals who influence public decisions are not elected officials. Much of the debate surrounding public intellectuals stems from their celebrity-like power within civic domain. Many feel cynical about the aristocratic status of public intellectuals and believe their authoritative expertise devalues the duties of citizens. Many believe that the careers of a public intellectuals are outdated and are in a state of decline because their beliefs are elitist, and the broadcasting of these opinions conflicts with democratic principles of self-reliance.
In Professor Stephen Mack’s article, “The ‘Decline’ of Public Intellectuals?” he states that “we need to be more concerned with the work public intellectuals must do, irrespective of who happens to be doing it”. This brings forth the question, what ‘must’ these intellectuals do?
First, we must realize that the public intellectual is on our side. The real issue is not that there is a decline in effective public intellectuals, but a decline in political interest in general. Therefore, the public intellectual must revive public interest and represent those who the government fails to account for.
The United States’ alarmingly low voter turnout confirms this dissatisfaction amongst the population. The majority of Americans are skeptical of campaigns corrupted by ulterior motives and biased funding, intimidated by the growing polarization between the two main political parties, discouraged by institutions like the electoral college and political practices like gerrymandering, which dilutes the potency of their vote, or they are confused by all the red tape that is required to register in the first place. All of these contributing factors have resulted in growing apathy amongst Americans when it comes to issues involving their government.
The public intellectual can help renew faith in politics by balancing extreme opinions. Public figures such as Susan Estrich are identified by their expertise instead of their political party. This means that the population has the opportunity to be enlightened by a different perspective other than that of the actual politicians themselves. Estrich bridges the political gap. She spreads her rather liberal opinion as a political commentator on Fox News, which is a right-winged news provider. Further, she represents minority groups as a Jewish feminist herself, providing a prominent voice for the often overlooked opinions of Jews and feminists in the U.S.
Estrich has acted as a pioneer for females. She was the first female to head a national presidential campaign and the first woman president of the Harvard Law Review. Public intellectuals should fall in line with this sort of inspiring activism, working with the institution and leading by example.
Currently, Estrich is the Robert Kingsley Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of Southern California. She writes for several outlets, including USA Today and the “Portia” Column for American Lawyer Media, as well as edits for major news sources including The Los Angeles Times.
Her activism through the use of her knowledge includes a long list of books about controversial social and political issues featuring titles such as, Getting Away with Murder and her latest, Sex & Power.
The public intellectual is, in fact, not in danger as long as they remain effective and utilize their power, as Susan Estrich does, to represent the various factions of society. Public interest is what is truly at risk, and the public intellectual ideally will nurture the needs of its unofficial constituencies.
In Professor Stephen Mack’s article, “The ‘Decline’ of Public Intellectuals?” he states that “we need to be more concerned with the work public intellectuals must do, irrespective of who happens to be doing it”. This brings forth the question, what ‘must’ these intellectuals do?
First, we must realize that the public intellectual is on our side. The real issue is not that there is a decline in effective public intellectuals, but a decline in political interest in general. Therefore, the public intellectual must revive public interest and represent those who the government fails to account for.
The United States’ alarmingly low voter turnout confirms this dissatisfaction amongst the population. The majority of Americans are skeptical of campaigns corrupted by ulterior motives and biased funding, intimidated by the growing polarization between the two main political parties, discouraged by institutions like the electoral college and political practices like gerrymandering, which dilutes the potency of their vote, or they are confused by all the red tape that is required to register in the first place. All of these contributing factors have resulted in growing apathy amongst Americans when it comes to issues involving their government.
The public intellectual can help renew faith in politics by balancing extreme opinions. Public figures such as Susan Estrich are identified by their expertise instead of their political party. This means that the population has the opportunity to be enlightened by a different perspective other than that of the actual politicians themselves. Estrich bridges the political gap. She spreads her rather liberal opinion as a political commentator on Fox News, which is a right-winged news provider. Further, she represents minority groups as a Jewish feminist herself, providing a prominent voice for the often overlooked opinions of Jews and feminists in the U.S.
Estrich has acted as a pioneer for females. She was the first female to head a national presidential campaign and the first woman president of the Harvard Law Review. Public intellectuals should fall in line with this sort of inspiring activism, working with the institution and leading by example.
Currently, Estrich is the Robert Kingsley Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of Southern California. She writes for several outlets, including USA Today and the “Portia” Column for American Lawyer Media, as well as edits for major news sources including The Los Angeles Times.
Her activism through the use of her knowledge includes a long list of books about controversial social and political issues featuring titles such as, Getting Away with Murder and her latest, Sex & Power.
The public intellectual is, in fact, not in danger as long as they remain effective and utilize their power, as Susan Estrich does, to represent the various factions of society. Public interest is what is truly at risk, and the public intellectual ideally will nurture the needs of its unofficial constituencies.
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