EOTO #1: William Lloyd Garrison's The Liberator

                                                               The Liberator

Photo courtesy of: massmoments.org

     The Liberator was an abolitionist newspaper, established by William Lloyd Garrison, a white abolitionist during the nineteenth century.  The Liberator lasted for 34 years from 1831 to 1865.  

William Lloyd Garrison's objective in writing The Liberator was to advocate for the interdiction of slavery, as well as mechanisms for advancing the black community.  He believed that in order for African Americans to attain freedom and equality, they would need support from the press, which he was willing to foster through The Liberator.  

Garrison first conceptualized the idea of creating the newspaper a year prior to its first publication, when he was in jail in Baltimore.  He had initially planned to publish his newspaper in the nation's capital, until he realized that he would face stiff competition from a former colleague who had similar ideas.  

                                                   Photo courtesy of: thoughtco.com

Garrison, therefore decided to edit and publish The Liberator in Boston, Massachusetts.  The content in The Liberator typically reflected Garrison's radical approach to abolitionism, as he was straightforward, somewhat critical and unafraid to denounce systematic racism and white supremacy.  

He differed from many other white abolitionists during this era who were more moderate and not as vocal about ending slavery immediately.  For example, The Liberator noted hypocrisy in the U.S. in the sense that on one hand, all people were deemed equal under the Declaration of Independence; Yet, African Americans did not have equal rights and were considered as property by slave masters who brutalized them.  

                                                           Photo courtesy of: bpl.org

The newspaper also entailed articles and photographs comparing the lives of enslaved African Americans to African Americans who were free.  Garrison's motive in publishing these pieces was to illustrate a potential promising future to African Americans who desperately desired freedom.  

                                                         Photo courtesy of: bpl.org

This content generated controversy among many white people in the North and South. As a result, The Liberator initially had a modicum of subscribers during its first years of publication; In fact, it was because of the immense support from black subscribers that the newspaper survived as long as it did.  

Many black people in northern cities, such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia subscribed to The Liberator.  One of the topics highlighted in The Liberator was the expansion of educational opportunities for black people in Boston.  

This was a commom subject among black committes, such as the Adelphic Union Library Association.  The Adelphic Union Library Association utilized The Liberator to vocalize their stance on demanding more academic resources and how they did not feel as though the white community genuinely cared about their progress in educational elevation. 

 Furthermore, The Liberator reported on speeches and lectures given by black and white speakers.  One of the issues covered was the direct correlation between segration in schools and churches and the perpetuation of racial prejudice.  

Considering the amalgamation of black and white voices in these news articles, The Liberator garnered more support from white subscribers.  In the early 1840s, Garrison's messages in The Liberator emphasized the importance of voting.  

His reasoning behind it was that he felt if black people did not have a voice in democracy, then they would continue to be oppressed by those who governed them.  The Liberator persuaded black voters in Boston to vote for Congressional candidate, Bradford Sumner over Abbott Lawrence, and to ensure that their names were present on Boston's voting record.  

By virtue of The Liberator, it was reported that the congressional election of 1840 had the highest turnout among black voters in Boston's history.

     I personally think The Liberator was the most powerful abolitionist newspaper that ever existed because I love how it addressed issues ranging from discrimination, education, and political activism.  Speaking as a black female, I am aware that these are some of the most prevalent issues in the black community today.  

                                                Photo courtesy of: UShistory.org

The problem is that they do not receive as much noteriety from the press as they should, which I do not agree with or appreciate.  As a society, we cannot rectify problems by sweeping them under the rug and acting as if they do not exist.  

We must confront them head on, determine the root causes and from there, implement propositions for how to overcome them.  Change obviously cannot be made overnight, but somebody must take the reins.  Maybe that person will be me.  

I do not like seeing my people suffer, and I am genuinely immersed in helping the African American community.  This is also another reason why I respect William Lloyd Garrison so much, as did most other African Americans during that time period.  

His actions reflected that he was dedicated to improving the lives of African Americans, as he advocated for our rights through Journalism and politics; Unless there is some history to prove otherwise, I think that was a rarity among white people during the nineteenth century. 

 I also thought Garrison's efforts to bring out the black vote in the 1840 Congressional election was similar to former Georgia gubernatorial candadate, Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight Action organization.  I remember reading that through this mission, Abrams mobilized an exorbitant number of black voters to turnout in the 2020 presidential election.  I personally believe that this is the reason why Georgia flipped to blue in the 2020 presidential and senate elections.

                            Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utAFTDuwNw4

                 

                                Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYisgFgysEE

Sources: https://www.jstor.org/stable/364529?seq=10

https://www.bpl.org/blogs/post/the-liberator/

https://transcription.si.edu/project/11766
https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Liberator-American-newspaper

https://www.massmoments.org/moment-details/boston-abolitionists-await-emancipation-proclamation.html

Good Night, and Good Luck

                                            Photo from: azquotes.com

                                                          Synopsis

The 2005 film, "Good Night, and Good Luck" is centered around a team of journalists at CBS News in the early 1950s.  Edward Murrow, a journalist for CBS firmly believes in exercising his first amendment rights under freedom of speech and the press; He also advocates the importance of disseminating factual information to the public.  

Unfortunately, at this particular moment in history, Sen. Joseph McCarthy was attempting to instill fear in Americans by alleging that communists were penetrating the U.S. government.  Furthermore, CBS had received word that Milo Radulovich had been eliminated from the U.S. Air Force, as he had been accused of refusing to condemn communism within his family.  

                                                         Photo from: participant.com 

Throughout the film, Murrow along with his news team are determined to publicly denounce Senator McCarthy for his bullying tactics.  On one of their broadcasts, Murrow exposed Senator McCarthy's true character by attesting that he falsely labels anyone who contradicts him as a communist without any evidence to back it up.  

The CBS team was aware that they would inevitably be villified by Senator McCarthy for taking this risk.  Nevertheless, they were confident that the truth would ultimately prevail, which it did in the end.

                                              My response/commentary

     Good Night, and Good Luck is now one of the most inspiring and empowering movies I have watched to date.  Edward Murrow was a hero and trailblazer throughout the whole film.  

  

Photo from: thecrimson.com

I admired how he was unafraid to exercise his liberties and speak out against injustices.  One particular scene that resonated with me was when Murrow talked about how Milo Radulovich had been tried without sufficient evidence.  

As I listened to that part, it made me reflect back on Radulovich's television interview in the beginning of the movie when he said his children would be taught that he was a security risk.  On one hand, I felt outraged because I believe people should be judged by their actions and characteristics; I also did not like how Radulovich had been penalized based on rumors and hearsay rather than solid proof.  

I do, however, applaud Murrow for pointing this out because I doubt that anybody else would have had the courage to do that.  Furthermore, this movie has helped me shape a clearer perspective on Joseph McCarthy, and it isn't a positive one.  

I have zero tolerance for bullies, having been bullied myself by multiple people.  Furthermore, I cannot respect anybody who implements scare tactics to get his or her way because that is downright immature.  

My respect for CBS News is greater after watching this movie because I admire their integrity and objectivity when reporting their stories.  As a matter of fact, I kind of would like to work for CBS now.

                                            

                                       Takeaways from this film

     One of the key takeways from this film is advocating for what is right and not allowing others to push you around.  I am still trying to master this myself because in the past, I have allowed other people to push me around.  

Although I knew what they were doing to me was not right, I was too intimidated to speak up for myself, as I feared how they would retaliate against me.  After watching this movie, I now feel more confident to stand my ground and hold other people accountable for their actions.  

I do not have time to be afraid, and I refuse to let anybody control me regardless of who or what they are.  While I am aware that I will be persecuted and hated for doing what is right, I will not allow that to deter me.  

At the end of the day, God is on my side, and He will always protect me against the evil of this world.  Another takeaway from the movie aligns with the cliche that, "everyone is innocent until proven guilty."  

          

                                        Photo from: allamericanbailcolorado.com 

I detest false accusations, especially that are based off of hearsay, and there isn't any solid evidence to substantiate allegations against an individual.  I am a person who believes in listening to the facts, as well as all sides of a story before making a final decision as to whether someone is guilty or innocent.

                                        

                                     Connections to other films/books

     1.) I thought Senator McCarthy was similar to the character, Hilly Holbrook in the movie/novel "The Help."  They both have authoritarian personalities and want to dominate everybody around them; And, if anybody challenges or exposes them, they will go to harsh lengths to retaliate.  They both, however are defeated in the end when the same people they tried to bully and oppress confront them for their evil actions.

                             

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97a8a22eyvg

2.) Joseph McCarthy's claim that communism was infiltrating the U.S. government reminded me somewhat of a book I read titled, "The Color of Law."  There was one chapter in The Color of Law that discussed how the Federal Housing Administration used to used blockbusting tactics to induce white flight during the 20th century.  They would convince white homeowners that racial integration would cause property values to drop, as more black people relocated into the neighborhoods.  Although statistics proved the exact opposite, many white homeowners sold their homes and relocated to suburban communities.

                                                  Photo from: thebibliophage.com

3.) Edward Murrow reminds me of Attorney Brian Stephenson in the movie, "Just Mercy."  These two characters are similar in the sense that they were willing to advocate for what was right and not be intimidated by those in power.  They also fought for people who might have been deemed as the underdog, which I think is so nice to see considering it is rare for many people to do what they did.

  

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8HYTVbznn4

Collateral murders-2007

                                                          My reaction

     Before I proceed to write my reaction to the Collateral murder video, there is something I would like to say first.  While I know I am being graded on my response, I view this particular blog post as more than just a class assignment.  

I would like to use this platform to speak what is on my heart, as there is plenty I wish to say.  In the first five or 10 minutes after I watched the Collateral murders video, I was emotionally numb.  

Part of me wanted to cry, whereas another part of me could not because I was still so shocked and mortified by everything I had just seen.  Within a half hour, my perception of our nation's army had drastically flipped.  

Ever since I was in elementary school, I had been taught to be patriotic and supportive of our country's military efforts.  At the time, I accepted these principles without question.  

After all, I was young, and it just seemed like the right thing to do considering I was and still am a U.S. citizen.  However, I am not the kind of person who is willing to support or defend heinous acts of violence against innocent people.  To say that the U.S. Army should be ashamed of themselves is an understatement that does not even begin to express the level of anger and sadness that I feel inside.  

                                              Photo from: theguardian.com

Furthermore, I doubt that the Collateral muders in Baghdad was an isolated catastrophe perpetrated by the U.S. Army.  This then brings me to my next question, "Why is it that the media does not report on incidents such as this?"  

I feel like this video was an eye opener for me personally, as it goes to show how the media is biased when it comes to selecting what they want the American public to see.  As a journalist, I can learn from that because I know that ultimately, it is my duty to report the truth, regardlesss of what it might be.  

Do I want my country to be depicted in a positive fashion?  Absolutely.  On the other hand, I am not willing to conceal wrongdoings, such as the Collateral murders from the American people.  

These stories need to be talked about, not only in the media but they need to be taught in schools as well.  If it happens to tarnish some people's views of the United States Army, then so be it.  

But, as civil rights activist, John Lewis always said, "When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up."  This message empowers me to apply that same strength in the media, even if it means I have to stand alone.  

Secondly, this video makes me worry about what is at stake for me as a journalist.  Two journalists, Saeed Chmagh and Namir Noor-Eldeen were murdered while covering events of the war. 

                                             Photo from: theweek.com

 Let me first just say that my heart goes out to these two gentlemen and their loved ones.  I especially commend them for their bravery to do their jobs while putting their lives on the line.  

It makes me wonder wonder whether I would have had the courage to do the same.  Of course, I want to serve the public by doing my job as a journalist; However, I do not want to die in the process, and I don't want other members of the press to die for simply doing their jobs either.  

I think all aspiring journalists should watch this video, as it can help them make a more informed decision as to whether they are willing to sacrifice their lives to do their jobs.  

There were two parts of the video that especially traumatized me.  The first part was towards the beginning when two men were shown transporting what I believe was a dead body into a van.  

The other part was when a group of people were ducking for cover at a nearby vehicle during an airstrike.  Because it was so graphic, I am not sure if I am able to elaborate on what was going through my head as I was watching it.  

In fact, it is still taking time for me to process the entire video.  I just feel terrible for the people who had to endure this, as well as those who died in the process.  

The collateral murders reminded me a lot of 9/11.  Although I was only four months old when 9/11 happened, the videos I watched made me feel as if I was there witnessing it firsthand.  

For example, I watched one video which showed the north tower of the World Trade Center burning after Flight 11 crashed into it.  About three and a half minutes into the video, I then saw Flight 175 crash into the south tower. 

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiOIxuHXG-g

 I think this may have been one of the few instances when I have witnessed the last couple seconds of someone else's life.  People on the ground below were running and trying to take cover wherever they could, whether in nearby stores or under cars. 

 I often wonder what the people on the four planes were thinking in the final moments of their lives.  If I could have done anything to save those innocent people's lives, I would have because they did not deserve that.  

                                           Photo from: Britannica.com

I am literally crying as I am writing this because the same question keeps ringing through my mind again and again, "Why is there so much evil and hatred in the world?"  

I would now like to conclude this blog post by spreading a message of kindness.  Wake up every day with the intent of trying to be a blessing in somebody else's life.  Just because you might see others around you precipitating division and wickedness does not mean you should emulate that. 

 Although our world will never be a perfect place, that should not deter us from striving to make it a better one where all people are loved, valued and revered.  The song below is titled, "What's going on?" by Marvin Gaye.  I believe the lyrics really put into perspective many events around the world and how we can progress.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-kA3UtBj4M

Key Post #1: What I learned from another team's EOTO

             The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC)

                       By: Grace Weisenfield and Reece Harnett

                                          Mission Statement

     The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists was established in 1957 by John Stampone and several other newspaper cartoonists.  There are several objectives of The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.  

One objective is to promote editorial cartooning and the artistic expression of politics from a range of platforms.  Editorial cartooning correlates with freedom of speech and freedom of the press, as it allows journalists to excercise their liberties to speak freely about the government without any repercussions.  

                                           Photo from: editorialcartoonists.com

Furthermore, freedom of the press permits editorial cartooning and political art because citizens depend on the media to keep them abreast on government activity, as well as other significant matters.  Secondly, AAEC strives to serve as a national and international example of how to promote political cartooning that is protected under the freedom of speech clause.  

By doing so, this opens the door for young aspiring journalists and editorialists to showcase their creativity and talents while also exploring the different dimensions of political cartoons.  

                               History of Political Cartoons-Thomas Nast

     Thomas Nast is remembered as one of the most prominent cartoonists in American history.  During his 24-year tenure at Harper's Weekly, he was most notable for his works pertaining to the Civil War, Reconstruction Era, race relations/racism, and politics.  

                                                    Photo from: cnn.com

During the 1874 midterm elections, the New York Herald publicized that then President Ulysses Grant had considered seeking re-election a third time, which was a scandalous endeavor during this era.  

Nast, however, was not at all shy about expressing his support for the Republican Party.  He also used his cartoons as a mechanism to illustrate political polaraization between the Democratic and Republican parties.  

                                                           Photo from: cnn.com

For example, one of his political cartoons depicts the New York Herald as a donkey arousing fear of American democracy under the Grant administration.  Another one of Nast's cartoons portrays the Republican party (elephants) as fragile, inferior and venturing down a destructive path.

                                                        Photo from: cnn.com 

                             Importance of Cartoons in Journalism

     Cartoons are vital in Journalism, especially in today's political climate.  First of all, they are designed to highlight commentaries on social, political and economic matters that editors might not be permitted to dislose.  Journalists and editors are expected to remain neutral when covering politics, as it is intertwined with ethical values.  It is also sometimes hard to trust reporters and editors on political issues without knowing where they stand on the political spectrum.  Political cartoons, therefore allow readers to interrelate more with cartoonists in the sense that they are able to view current events from the cartoonist's perspective.

                                           My perspective

     I personally believe political cartoons are beneficial for younger audiences, as it incentivizes them to read the news and follow politics.  When I was growing up, it was rare to encounter other people my age who read the news, whether in print or digital form.  

It is imperative that we as U.S. citizens educate ourselves about what is going on in our society because it affects our lives on a daily basis.  Political cartoons are also conducive in helping younger audiences think for themselves and formulate their own political ideologies.  

Most of the time, children inevitably adopt the same political beliefs as their parents and peers because it is all they know.  Studying political and social matters from another person's point of view, espcially in cartoons, forces readers to think critically and see matters from both sides.  

I am a stong advocate for critical thinking, as it is something I am still working towards myself. When I was younger, I had a horrible habit of allowing other people to think for me because I was so insecure that I did not feel my opinions and feelings mattered.  

Over the years, I have become more confident in my own philosophies, but I'm still trying to work on not allowing others to force their views on to me.  We should not always accept what others say or believe without comprehending it on our own to determine whether it makes sense and if it is true.  

I am beginning to consider myself as more of a maverick because I am less afraid to challenge the status quo and things that my parents and peers believe.  I don't feel any shame in admitting this either, as I am my own person, and I know that just because I view something differently does not mean that I am wrong.

                                   My favorite political cartoon 

     One of my most favorite politcal cartoons is the 2016 cartoon of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsing former President Donald Trump in Iowa.  I like this cartoon because it accurately reflects the whole dynamic of the video.  

Sarah Palin was very incoherent during her entire speech and did not appear knowledgeable on anything she was talking about.  I vividly remember listening to her speech over and over again and trying to understand her better each time, but I could not.  

Judging by Donald Trump's facial expressions during parts of the video, it appeared that he was even unclear as to where she was coming from with what she was saying.  I love looking at this cartoon whenever I need a good laugh because it is honestly hysterical.

     

                                      Photo from: usnews.com

     Sarah Palin endorsing Donald Trump-video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvlm3LKSlpU 

Sources cited: https://www.usnews.com/cartoons/sarah-palin-cartoons

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/why-democrats-are-donkeys-republicans-are-elephants-artsy/index.html

https://editorialcartoonists.com/about-the-association-of-american-editorial-cartoonists/

http://ignited.in/a/55931 

Key Post #3-What I learned about Smear Campaigns

                                               Smear Campaigns

     This past week, I listened to another team's EOTO preseantation regarding Smear 

Campaigns.  A smear campaign is a machination to harm an individual's reputation by 

perpetuating negative and false information.  People in the public eye tend to be more 

susceptible to being the victims of a smear campaign.

Photo courtesy of: depositphotos.com/https://depositphotos.com/58002539/stock-photo-smear-campaign.html
 

     Although many people might not realize it, the media is notorious for publicizing smear 

campaigns against certain individuals.  Celebrities, politicians and journalists are often 

targets of smear campaigns.  

     Considering how we rely on the media to formulate our perceptions of people in the public 

eye, the media uses this to their advantage.  Even if a statement about a particular person is 

either exaggerated or flat out untrue, the media exploits the "illusory truth effect," in hopes 

that the more they spread inaccurate information, the greater the prospect that the public will 

believe it.

     The media utilizes diverse strategies to create smear campaigns.  Some of these strategies 

are labelling, taking words or actions out of context, as well as presenting visuals depicting 

people in a less favorable manner.

     For example, if celebrities or politicians were to say or do something controversial, the 

media will sometimes resort to attacking their characters by associating them with negative 

labels.  The purpose of this tactic is to distract viewers from the bigger issue and instead focus 

on the individual's character.  By calling someone's character into question, this aspect of the 

smear campaign can alter other people's perceptions of the targeted individual and 

consequently, turn them against him or her.  

     Another mechanism the media might use during a smear campaign is eliminating the 

context of a person's words or actions.  This is especially prevalent in the political 

atmosphere because politicians are aware that anything they say during an interview or 

debate may be taken out of context by the media.

     Given how different media outlets in today's world tend to either lean liberal or 

conservative, this tactic can be especially detrimental for politicians on opposing sides.  If the 

media is biased against a specific political candidate, they can take part of something he or 

she might have said and exaggerate it or lie without providing the full context.  The media 

knows that constantly villifying certain individuals will cause them to lose support from the 

public.

     A third element used by the media in a smear campaign is using photographs of public 

figures to portray them in a bad light.  In an effort to damage their reputation, the media will 

garner photos, videos or voice recordings that depict certain people as spiteful, preposterous, 

vacuous, bigoted, or haughty and publicize them to the general public.  This tactic correlates 

with the second point because although some will attest that visuals do not lie, it is also 

imperative to onsider the context and circumstances behind them. 

 

Photo courtesy of: mediavsreality.com/https://www.mediavsreality.com/mediavsreality2/2021/2/24/the-smear-campaign-how-the-media-destroys-reputations

     As I listened to this EOTO presentation, I was flabbergasted to learn that the media would 

go to such lengths to defame people.  I do not think this is right because as journalists, our job 

is to remain neutral and report facts.  

While it is okay to have our own opinions on public figures, it is not acceptable or ethical to 

incorporate those biases into our work as journalists, where we are expected to give a fair and 

balanced story.  Furthermore, I dread being the target of a smear campaign when I become a 

public figure because I abhor people spreading lies about me.  

     Example: The video below is about Taylor Lorenz, a Washington Post journalist, who 

suffered major repercussions from a smear campaign.  It was disheartening to hear about how 

people could be so cruel to threaten her and her family.  What's worse is that she seemed to 

have had minimal support when she tried to defend herself.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTiSE8Myj50 

On the other hand though, I know that this is inevitable, so I must have the resilience to deal 

with it.  If a smear campaign severly damages my reputation, then I will retaliate by either 

exposing the perpetrator myself or filing a civil lawsuit against them.  Otherwise, I do not 

need to dignify every negative thing people say about me, as it is not worth my time or energy.

     The reason this EOTO presentation especially resonated with me was because it reminded 

me of narcissistic smear campaigns, which I have been studying since last summer.  I started 

researching this topic because I had reason to believe that I had recently been the target of a 

narcissistic smear campaign.  

Through my research, I learned that narcissists create smear campaigns against people who 

challenge them, hold them accountable, see their true colors, etc.  Narcissists perceive these 

types of people as threats, as they fear they will expose them for who they truly are. 

 

Photo courtesy of: quora.com/https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-narcissist-s-smear-campaign-so-effective-in-turning-family-and-friends-against-the-target

Narcissists therefore form smear campaigns where they spread vicious lies about the other 

person in hopes to preserve their own false image.  To this day, it still makes me furious 

knowing that I went through this because it is hard to fathom how some people can be so evil, 

immature and inhumane.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M2d1MvOdKA

Initially, I was tempted to get revenge, until I read why it was best not to.  Narcissistic people 

will eventually reveal their true characters at the right time, and people who used to worship 

them will turn on them.  

Secondly, I had to take solace in knowing that I did not do the things I was falsely accused of.  

The only reason I apologized to them at the time was because I was insecure, mentally 

unstable and did not realize that they were gaslighting me to avoid accountability for what 

they had done to me.  

Photo courtesy of: clevelandwrightjr.com/https://clevelandwrightjr.com/analyzing-a-smear-campaign/

Another part of me still wanted things to work out between us, even if it meant I would 

apologize when I had not done anything wrong.  In hindsight, I regret that I allowed them to 

manipulate me into apologizing for things I did not say or do; Especially when part of what I 

said was taken out of context, and they would not even afford me the opportunity to clarify 

what I actually meant.  

But, at the end of the day, I know who I am, God knows who I am, and He knows my heart 

better than they ever will; And as my mom told me, "No matter what we do or don't do, there 

will always be some people who don't like us, and that's okay.  As long as you like yourself, 

and you are fine just the way you are, then that is all that matters."