Blog 6

After September 11^th 2001, the United States was looking for answers. Who are these people and why did they do what they did? The government franticly tried to explain this unexplainable situation to the U.S. in ways that everyone could understand. George Bush said a speech on the 20^th of September and Dick Cheney was interviewed about the matter on the 16^th of September. They both addressed the same question: who are the terrorists?

            George Bush let everyone know that the terrorists that were attacking our country were the terrorist group known as al Qaeda. Bush also mentions that al Qaeda is a loosely affiliated terrorist group with followers all over the world. He is basically implying that they could be anywhere and we just don’t know it. He also says, “its goal is remaking the world – and imposing its radical beliefs on people everywhere.” They are driven by what they believe and believe the rest of the world should believe it, too. George Bush also states that they are a form of Islamic extremists. They are driven to kill off Jews, Christians and anyone else that doesn’t believe the same things they do. Starting to sound a lot like Nazi’s. Even in his speech he refers to them as following the path of Nazism. He is trying to evoke the feelings of hatred towards the Nazis and project it onto these terrorists. Bush also lets the world know that, “they stand against us, because we stand in their way.” They are threatened by our power and us. They know that we are one of their biggest threats and to take us down is the easiest way to take the Untied States down. They wanted to make their mark with a surprise attack and throw us a curve ball to throw us off.

            George Bush also says that our enemy isn’t just al Qaeda but any country that aids them and their plan. Any country that supports them with supplies, shelters them or has any hand in the matter, are the United States sworn enemy. He even warns the terrorists and the countries supporting them that their will be consequences if they do not stop and turn over and power they have. This is a naive statement because this is what the terrorists want. They want to evoke anger and have someone to fight and leave their mark on. They want to spread the word of what they believe in. They want the whole world to know that they have power over strong countries like the United States and they can rough us around.

            Dick Cheney is very similar in his views as George Bush when it comes to terrorists. He first explains their name as “the base” because that’s what it stands for in Arabic. This doesn’t give us much insight into what they truly stand for. He calls them barbarians. He is basically dividing a line between the U.S. and these terrorists by saying they are uncivilized and we are. He basically goes on to cover the basics such as they are al Qaeda and they are a terrorist group. The interviewer tries to get a feel for what the United States’ next move is but Dick Cheney just keeps trying to move from the subject and basically telling him he doesn’t quite know. Many people knew a war was inevitable and that we were going to fight back but Dick Cheney didn’t want to let that slip.

            Both of these men led the U.S. to the idea that these terrorists are this loose idea and group of people that could be anywhere. They are uncivilized and trying to push their beliefs on the world by making these huge acts of terrorism on powerful countries. 

Blog 5

            The music video, “Gold Digger” starring Kanye West and Jamie Fox, portrays the beauty myth. The particular beauty myth in this music video is one of the male-reliant, playboy cover model.

            The women in the music video are often seen posing like models. The backgrounds in which they pose in front of all have writing that say things like, “vixen,” “pin-up,” “fantasy,” and even “bold, beautiful bodies.” They are exaggerating the beauty myth of how women are portrayed by men. They make these women come of as materialistic and appearance driven. He even talks about plastic surgery. In the lyrics he says, “She was supposed to buy ya shorty Tyco with ya money.

She went to the doctor got lipo with ya money. She walkin' around lookin' like Michael with ya money.” He believes that these women are taking their beauty more seriously than their own children. He even says he met her at a beauty salon. He is enforcing this stereotype of women driven by appearance and will do anything to get it, even if that means sacrificing other things. Not once does he mention her being intelligent or educated. Its all about the appearance and how even though she spends all his money, he still loves her.

            As Naomi Wolf mentions, women are always associated with monogamy while men are associated with polygamy. This is not the case here. This beauty myth is one of a girl that isn’t interested in just one man but many. They all must have money to support her beauty costs and luxuries. In the lyrics it says, “From what I heard she got a baby by Busta. My best friend say she used to fuck with Usher. I don't care what none of y'all say I still love her.” This trend is found to be fairly common now and is what Kanye calls the gold digger. Women will jump from man to man (or more than one man at a time), to satisfy their needs of beauty and material items. This is another beauty myth that Wolf says sets us back. How can you give complete and total rights and freedoms to a group that runs from man to man just to get some cash to support her unrealistic lifestyle? Its unjustified and this is one of the beauty myths that holds women back in the world. A woman being dependent on men is another way to look at this song and beauty myth. The women not being able to, or not choosing to, support herself makes women in general look weaker. Its enforcing the idea that women still need the help and assistance of men.

Also making women look like objects, as the video visually does, also enforces this beauty myth. The women just dance around and look seductive. They are shown as though they are covers of playboy magazines. They are not taken seriously but as sex objects. Wolf points out that pornography is a booming industry that enforces these beauty myths. They give off that idea that women are all about physical appearance and should be seen as sex objects. Women see this pornography and want to look and act like the women because its what men “want.” Women often compromise other, more important things, to achieve this look and vibe of sexuality and beauty they think that men want to see. By putting these other things aside, it shows to the rest of the world that appearance and sex are more important to these women than other things that would make them successful in other ways.

These actions by these women called “gold diggers” keep males in charge. They put them as the provider for these women and give them that sense of power and dominance over women. Its as if they need the men to survive and wouldn’t be able to do it on their own. In one part of the song, Kanye talks about how its not as nice being with a broke guy because he can’t provide for his women but to stick around because he’ll become rich one day. He assumes that this man will become successful but what about the woman? Why can’t she become the successful one? Oh that’s right, she’s a gold digger that depends on the male to provide for her. He even talks about how she’ll trap him for 18 years by having one of his kids. He is forced to pay child support for the baby that she will in turn spend on herself. He is making the assumption that these women are selfish and conniving when that is not always the case.

 This song and music video make women out to be sex objects that need a man to provide for them. Kanye West makes a lot of assumptions about women and how they act to achieve a certain level of beauty, hence why we call it a beauty myth. 

"Gold Digger" music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vwNcNOTVzY&ob=av3e