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Notebook #5

Chris Keoravanh Chomthakham

Prof. K. Wayne Yang

Yesscia Garcia, 5PM

ETHN 2

20 March 2017

Notebook #5

This past winter quarter I had attended a class called Ethnic Studies 2: Introduction - Circulations of Differences. From what I had experienced in the class, the purpose was to examine any sort of racism and dive into the focus into it. How and why such act of racism was seen as racism?

Professor K. Wayne Yang is a great instructor to provide his evaluations in the course. One of lessons that I resonated me was the mention about the book “Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, how woman was seen as a witch because she performed the act of adultery. Meaning that, the woman in the story had to follow the social norms that their town had set in how women should behave. I believe that the Professor did a great job in bringing the mentions of the book because he provides connections to our current society in how we are able to reduce the stereotypes of women significantly, as well as addressing the problem that the stereotypes of the mare still absurd. In other words, the professor brings focus in how years later, gender is still a problem till this day, but it has improved. It has improved to the point that our society does not have to make stupid laws for specific genders.

The mentioned about gender stereotypes has already brought mentioned in my Zine (my notebooks to be exact) because I had observed the music video by John Lennon - “Happy Xmas (War is Over).” Even though the video simply shows the terror for those who had experienced war - there were parts where US soldiers were seen as white men. There was no mention about women US soldiers being involved, which I believe was a significance since not all soldiers are men.

Overall, I believe the class that the Professor had created made it great because he provides in why such matters should be an importance in our life. Why we should care? Of course, as well as why it does matter? I actually ended up being friends with the professor (well more of a mentor), he is a fun and down-to-earth person to talk with. I am glad for being in his class. Thank you.

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A Real Life Fairytale…

@circulationsofdifference

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Zine gif!

@circulationsofdifference

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@circulationsofdifference

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Chris Keoravanh Chomthakham

ETHN 2

Prof. K. Wayne Yang

Yesscia Garcia, Mon - 5pm

06 March 2017

UCSD Race, Gender, Nation, Empire, & Digital Scholarship Group

When I arrived to the event, I am not sure if I missed any introductions about the guest speaker, but when I did arrive the guest speak, Tara McPherson had already started her presentation. McPherson explained how feminism and race were involved in our digital creation or media, such as: the industry of making electronic hardware. For example, McPherson brought up about on how those who work with electronic hardware must wear a suit. At first, I thought the reason why they would wear such a suit would be because it would protect them from any harmful radiation and whatnot that would endanger them. In this case, it was not. McPherson brought up in saying that the reason was to not let human aspects towards the hardware, such as strips of hair. In other words, there are feminist intent that come to play towards such work environments - how a question that is brought upon, when does an eletronic become an object? Because of the suits, we do not know each person’s class, gender, nor race, which is we groom for.

Throughout the presentation, I do understand McPherson’s intent was to provide her audience the awareness of how feminist and race comes to play in our digital life nowadays. Yet, what resonated me was when she briefly mentioned about the media. McPherson briefly mentioned examples of using Critical Race Theory coming into play in the media. This had resonated me to the point that I asked that, “is the media subjective towards such important issues, such as race and feminism?” McPherson did provide her opinion in how the media is subjective towards such issues, agreeing that modern media is something that is essential and should be talked about, but I felt as though she was trying to derail the question just because she did briefly mentioned about the media and rather focused on the feminist and race attribute of our digital creation/media.

[cchomtha-blog]

(Click on the image to view my Zine on Issuu)

or click on this link : https://issuu.com/cchomtha/docs/zine-page-001

Although, my first draft is visually different from my final Zine, the information that was provided in both draft and final are not different at all. Rather, my final Zine provided a comic approach, rather than a simple informative booklet.

[cchomtha-blog]

Chris Keoravanh Chomthakham

Prof. K. Wayne Yang

Yesscia Garcia 5pm

25 February 2017

Notebook #4 - Jonathan Tao

Palm oil is Jonathon Tao’s zine, he discusses the matter in how significant palm oil comes to play in our society, yet as any good - there’s a bad. Palm oil comes from any products that we normally use like shampoo, yet what it is exchanged is the unethical of killing trees-rainforest. Then, Tao brings up Mohammed Rubel, a forced worker who had to deal with the Malaysian plantation that had to come to face with ordeals that he was recognized as an illegal slave.  The adversities Rubel had were similarity in the United States for slaves - minimum wages, rights, and etc. Likewise, Rubel had shared an experience in conditions when cotton plantation - slavery was still happening, which was how they both were traveled by boats to complete their work as “slaves.”

Tao states that “He was not the only capable working male on the boat so his labor is easily replaced,” (Notebook #2) he describes Rubel as if they were disposable gloves - once new, but when it gets too dirty or it has had enough, then it gets tossed. In a sense, that is what Tao is saying , which I feel that Tao should expand on that idea of how Rubel is being treated wrongly with this context in mind. A fact that Tao states is that “The African slaves that did not make it to the plantations and died during the sea were thrown overboard,” (Notebook #3) Tao provides the truth in how African slaves were treated during that time. I find this compelling because it connects the idea of how Rubel is being treated - slaves that are objectified and dehumanized.

In the picture provided, I suggest that Tao should use this picture in his Zine because it demonstrates in how terrifying it is being at a place where chopping down trees is a social norm. The picture would also demonstrate the negative emotions his audience would follow - feeling sympathy, sad, and possibly hatred.

The intersectionality that I had identified in Tao’s notebook would be citizenship and rights because Rubel is a foreigner and is being treated as a slave, which has condemned his rights as a human of the place he lives. As mentioned before, the adversity he had to face is citizenship, thus it becomes a massive difficulty for someone like Rubel to (especially) be forced into work without necessarily having a voice. Yet, Rubel cannot becomes he is a foreigner. I feel the emphasis on Rubel not being a foreigner is impacted because it demonstrates that in this society whether or not“if you belong.” Especially at this time, immigration is a controversial topic that can be easily to enter. Therefore, I feel there should be more emphasis on Rubel’s citizenship with difficulties with the forced work.

[cchomtha-blog]

Chris Keoravanh Chomthakham

ELWR 2B

Professor Wayne Yang

Yesscia Garcia, 5PM Monday

03 February 2017

John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War is Over) #3

Previously, in my notebook #2 I mentioned about how my intentions throughout the song “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono still remains, which I am following with that. For those who have not read my previous post, generally, I wanted to examine why Lennon and Ono believe that the people’s voices are much powerful than the authorities. To somewhat answer that, Lennon states that “That’s why we say it’s all, everybody’s responsibility. We really believe that those wars are manifestations of the whole world’s violence. Not just America’s or just the communists.” (Overthinkingit) In this context, Lennon believes that people do not have a choice in being a bystander, rather to stand up and make something happen. Simultaneously, providing his audience that by not being a bystander shows leadership - a skill that does not need to restrict themselves against any sort of higher authority/system. Also, Lennon states that “I don’t believe people believe politicians, especially the youth.” (Overthinkingit) Although, this may not be apart of the answer, yet if you compare what Lennon said and examine our campaign that recently happened. There are a-lot of Trump supporters believing that being a businessman is a gamer changer. Personally, I feel as though people who voted for Trump do relate towards what Lennon had said because I believe that those supporters voted Trump based on identify, rather than issues. In other words, Lennon just provided a perfect example for Trump supporters. Off-topic, I know. One thing for sure is that Lennon wanted specify the youth to hear such song and provide the current and next generation that if you want peace; you have to make peace.

Throughout the music video, the relational analysis that I have gathered were that it appealed to the viewer’s emotions, discussion of war, having unity, and Christmas. If you haven’t already watched the music video, it ranges from babies to adults suffering because of how war affected them. The music-video appeal was mainly sympathy because it was directed towards people who were not directly involved in the war, but were “bystanders.” To provide them that they must do something. As previously mentioned before in notebook #1, this song was created during the late Vietnam War, yet Lennon wanted to discuss about wars in general. Wars being unnecessary, harmful, and stupid that would lead civilians in danger.  Then, Lennon mentions multiple of races that we should not have conflict one another instead provide unity because nobody wants to suffer. As well as, emphasising the holiday/term Christmas. As any other American, Christmas is perceived as a time where you can have an amazingly-wonderful time with friends and family that there wouldn’t be any sorts of problems and that's what Lennon was aiming for, In the music video, Lennon provided the word Christmas as if the word for those were suffering had changed. Changed as if Christmas never existed for them. To put it another way, the music video Lennon provided sympathy to his audience that war is wrong and there should be peace and unity to whoever you may be - color doesn’t matter; heart matters.

Works Cited

https://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/12/24/the-musical-talmud-happy-xmas-war-is-over/

http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/db1969.1219.beatles.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN4Uu0OlmTg

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Chris Keoravanh Chomthakham

Prof. K. Wayne Yang

Yesscia Garcia, 5PM

K. Wayne Yang

28 January 2017

                                   Happy Xmas (War is Over) #2

Just to reiterate my intentions in analyzing the song “Happy Xmas, (War is Over)” which were to examine why John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono believe that the people have the same amount of power as the authority (government). As well as, why people nowadays perceive this song as an ordinary Christmas song?  In addition to that, why a powerful song of such as this was not an impact during the time of release, even though the clear message was to provide people the realization that they have to create the peace themselves. Nowadays, there are many protests that the people had setup, such as: LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning), BLM (Black Lives Matter), and I believe it is called “Resist” (To go against President Trump). These types of protests are an example in how the people’s voices are heard, yet that is during the modern times. I wonder if people during the Vietnam War were passive compared to modern times. One possible claim would be that the people during the Vietnam War were not confident enough.

Based on the national binds, I believe this song would be connected towards “Citizenship” because it provided the people a sense of identity. In the verse of the lyrics, it states that “For black and for white. For yellow and red ones,” Lennon perceived blacks as blacks, whites as whites, yellows as the Vietnamese, and reds as the Native Americans. (Genius) Although, the choice of color for the Vietnamese is considered offensive, it was acceptable because it was “highlight that the real offense was how American military policy was dehumanizing the Vietnamese.” (Genius) The importance of the excerpt from the song was that no matter who and what you are - creating peace is up to you, the people or humans. In other words, Lennon brings up color symbolism to acknowledge that each part of the world is “so wrong.” (Genius) The people’s voices are as strong as the authority.

Race and Gender were the intersectionalities that I believe were involved in this song. In the music video, (provided in my notebook #1) I am not sure about how to identify other race’s soldiers, but for the sake of identification there were American soldiers shown in the video. Although, the song does not provide any mentions about gender at all. What I saw were white men that were providing a message towards their loved ones. The Vietnam War took place on 1954 - 1975. (History) Although, women were officially able to become soldiers on 1948 - there were much more appreciation towards the white-men soldiers. (History and Collections) Likewise, there were other women in the video that were happened to perceive as mothers. In other words, the video did not necessarily capture the different types of people that had experienced such terrors. The video provided the social norms, such as a mother who wanted to provide aid for a kid that was suffering. Therefore, the music video somewhat followed the social norms of race and gender.

https://genius.com/John-lennon-and-yoko-ono-happy-xmas-war-is-over-lyrics

http://wzlx.cbslocal.com/2014/12/15/john-lennon-peace-for-christmas-war-is-over-1969/

http://www.choices.edu/resources/supplemental_vietnam_camps.php

https://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/rr/s01/cw/students/leeann/historyandcollections/history/learnmoreques.htm

https://images.rapgenius.com/fe5860fc4fd60f149cabb43f72693393.1000x1000x1.jpg

https://images.rapgenius.com/83ffb726ae1eed85250efc978f400335.430x424x1.jpg

[cchomtha-blog]

Chris Keoravanh Chomthakham

K. Wayne Yang

Yesscia Garcia, 5PM

ETHN 2

20 January 2017

                                       Happy Xmas (War is Over) #1

Christmas has been perceived as a holiday to spend some time with family and to celebrate any religious purposes behind the holiday. Most oftenly, Christmas songs would be played during such times, since it does have that “christmas spirit.” A song that may be played and/or heard would be one called “Happy Xmas (War is Over) written by John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, produced by Phil Spencer. The song was released nearly a year earlier for the United States (Dec. 1, 1971) than the United Kingdom (Dec. 24, 1972). (The Beatles Bible) During the productions of the song, Phil Spencer brought along the Harlem Community Choir inside the recording studio “at the Record Plant in New York.” and (of course) Lennon sang most of the song. (Rolling Stone)

I would classify this song as “War and the Figure of the Refugee” because this song was during the time of the Vietnam war, which took place on 1954 - 1975 and this wasn’t accidental. (History) Before the release of the song came about, Lennon and Ono believed that the people needed a realization that in order to-gain peace in the world, the people must develop it themselves. By conveying them that the people have as much power as their government. (YouTube) Lennon states that “the idea that we're just as responsible as the man who pushes the button. As long as people imagine that somebody's doing it to them, and that they have no control, then they have no control.” (The Beatles Bible) In other words, Lennon and Ono believe that the people’s voices do bring a significant difference that the government shouldn’t take for granted. Likewise, Lennon and Ono were able to advertise their song by spreading their message in their songs throughout billboards stating “WAR IS OVER! (If you want it).” (RollingStone) Contradictory, the song provided a lack of success because it lacked the amounts of advertisements Lennon and Ono were aiming for. But, as soon they released it in the United Kingdom - it was successful again. (The Beatles Bible)

The importance of the song “Happy Xmas” was to convey the people that their voices are truly valued that if they believe in peace -  they have to produce it themselves, without the permission of authority. As time passes by, the song’s message was forgotten that some may believe it is just another Christmas song. However, I do believe that many are still educated about the Legendary John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono creating a single that was significant for the people who desired “peace.”

                                                 Works Cited

"John Lennon: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." The Beatles Bible. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2017.

https://www.beatlesbible.com/people/john-lennon/songs/happy-xmas-war-is-over

"Readers' Poll: The Best Christmas Songs of All Time." Rolling Stone. N.p., 30 Nov. 2011. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/readers-poll-the-best-christmas-songs-of-all-time-20111130/2-the-pogues-fairytale-of-new-york-0447719

History.com Staff. "Vietnam War History." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 23 Jan. 2017.

http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history