Although sticks and stones may break your bones words can and always will affect you...

For some of you wondering what I am talking about I’m referring to the impact of journalism. The reason we are informed of our everyday events is because of the constant coverage allowing us to not only become more knowledgeable but to have an opinion about the world we live in. The freedom of speech, petition, press, religion and assembly is what is covered under the first amendment and what gives us the right to be an individual in this country, to voice our concerns and to present our outlook; although, you can show your passions physically or revealing your sword nothing will impact another being such as the words you express and the pen you use to cement your position. The pen is in fact mightier than the sword.

I will be using the text by Rodger Streitmatter entitled Mightier than the Sword: How the News Media have Shaped American History to discuss certain topics in American history and how the journalistic view has impacted the world we live in. I hope you enjoy reading my point of view and I will be expecting to hear from yours as well, happy reading!  

Define: ab·o·li·tion [ab-uh-lish-uhn] –noun 1. The act of doing away with or the state of being done away with;

"Slaves were not free. Slaves could not benefit from the fruits of their own labor, were not guaranteed the right to participate in the domestic relations of marriage and parent-hood, and could not regulate their conduct to prepare the immortal soul for eternity. Slaves were, in short, denied their rights as children of God." (pg. 26-27 Streitmatter)


              

As I was reading chapter two in the book Mightier than the Sword entitled Abolition: Turning America's Conscience Against the Sins of Slavery,  I literally had to look up when the first ten Amendments were written because I forgot how contradictory it was to distribute a list a freedoms to only a selective number of people in this free country. In this chapter the author covers the story of several different people that voiced their opinions to the public during a time when slavery was legal and depicts their struggle with not only getting their messages to be heard, but also the endeavor to stay alive.




The first abolitionist described in the chapter, goes by the name of Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy. Lovejoy went through four different printing presses before they took his life; in essence, the pro slavery activists will go to any extent to stomp on these messages being spread. The worst part about all of this is the government allows it to happen simply by not prosecuting any of the murderers and what does this say about the civil liberties of Americans during this time? In my opinion, the government was instigating the death of anyone expressing their right to freedom of speech but, only selecting those with a certain opinion on slavery. Lovejoy died with no mercy trying to defend the freedom of press.

The next brave soul to step up to the plate was William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison wrote for called the Liberator, which was a paper sharing thoughts about slavery. Garrison wrote his articles with no remorse and no censorship and was soon known as a provocateur, which by definition is a person who deliberately behaves controversially in order to provoke strong reactions. To gain such a title was simply an act of asking for a three red rings painted along his forehead; however, this is what he wanted, to strike people with his words and if he passes away so be it because his words will leave an impact that will remain forever. His words were mocked, he was accused of having secret agents distributing his paper throughout America and not to mention there was a bounty for Garrison that reached a price of $20,000! So, the hunt for Garrison was on and although he felt the rope brushing against his neck and death tapping on his shoulder, his supporters saved him and the act of near death stroked his radicalism. He continued to write for the Liberator and continued with his outrageous acts such as, burning the Constitution, leaving with impressionable actions but more importantly carving words into everyone’s memory.



 Maria Stewart, yeap I said Maria, was my favorite to learn about as I  was reading this chapter and it is not because I am a female just like her but, because to have radicalism that is comparable to William Lloyd Garrison and being a girl not only takes courage but a large set of ... guts. She states in one of her articles "'Cast your eyes about, look as far as you can see; all is owned by the lordly white, except here and there a lowly dwelling which the man of color - midst deprivations, fraud, and opposition - has been scarce able to procure'" (pgs. 36-37 Streitmatter). She bashed America by accusing them of being fraudulent and mocked the white Americans by calling them lordly. The mockery is portrayed by putting them on a pedestal pointing out the fact that they view themselves as the gods of this nation and the black people plainly nothing more then dispensable objects. She was not only discriminated by the white folks but, her fellow black folk as well. They stated that her fiery discourse was inappropriate for a woman and they vandalized her home. According to the text she moved to New York and started a career as a teacher, founding her own school for African-American students.


Aside from the obvious fact that slavery was a horrible, gruesome part of history even the freed slaves were not allowed to voice their opinions. There was a time when you had to be fearful for your life even though you had rights that were protected by law. Imagine yourself writing about an issue that you feel so strongly about that you cannot help but inject venom into your words because the passion is there and it is your right to say what you feel and to publish it; now, imagine fearing that your life will be taken for your actions and the murderer goes home and enjoys dinner. These activists were doing no more than educating the people of our nation and allowing them to take a look through their eyes as to what is going on. Our rights have become so much more powerful throughout the years and not only should we practice them with ease but, remember to treasure them.



There are a number of other chapters that I could have chosen to write about such as the American Revolution, the movement of women’s rights or attacking the municipal corruption. All of those chapters would have been great but, I decided to start my blog off depicting what it could have been like to have such a strict restraint on the first amendment. They were hated by most and spoke out only if they had the right to but still had to worry that their life would be taken for their mere expressions. Also, considering that they couldn’t strike back the way white America can with weapons they used the power of their words which had a far greater impact then just killing one another because those words are still around today even though they themselves aren’t and it is those words that helped bring them to freedom. Today we write with ease and it is something that we can take for granted; for example, by silencing yourself. People died for their rights and died to make a better life for everyone today so that we can live in harmony so, express yourself and take advantage of this blessing in disguise.  

Danny Glover Reads Frederick Douglass

This is a video of Danny Glover reading a speech from Frederick Douglass. There is a quote that in the speech that states:

 "What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sound of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants brass fronted impudence; your shout of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanks-givings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy -- a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour."

When these words escaped the speakers of my computer and leaked into my ears I felt a shiver run up and down my spine. I'm more then certain that there were plenty of freed slaves speaking out for the behalf of their brothers and sisters throughout the nation but, nothing was worded as precisely as Mr. Douglasses speech to convey an image so sharp that even the the most conservative white man during this time had to have felt a tickle of dismay. Nevermind the cruelty that Americans pushed upon the slaves but, focus on the irony; Americans (white male Americans for that matter) celebrate liberty, a fraudulent liberty. America was supposedly built on a system of freedom and established a list of Amendments setting in stone the rights of each human being residing in this country, yet they owned fellow human beings and used them as if they were less than an animal and more of a machine stripping them of their rights. Sure Frederick Douglass spoke out but, he was not practicing the first amendment because this didnt exist for him and others like him he spoke out through courage. Many freed slaves and abolitionists who voiced and published their opinions were murdered for these actions...

Yes, that is my face as Rosie the Riveter....

                Regardless of their color, women, just like slaves, where limited to freedom. Although by law only a few of their rights were not granted, discretely men stripped them of their social acceptance. I mean of course they were allowed to cook; the men had to eat at a certain time right? And they cleaned and prepared the men’s clothing for the following morning and they all looked simply divine while doing it because of course women are not fit like men to actually get their hands dirty. Well not until Rosie the Riveter that is. She’s beautiful, smart, confident, strong and most importantly created by Norman Rockwell through governmental influence. I chose to speak out about women joining the workforce during World War II because this, to me, is the second most important milestone in journalism. I could have chosen to speak about the Ku Klux Klan or Father Coughlin and his speeches on anti-Semitism but, primary to the nooks and crannies is the gain of equal rights for everyone in this country. Allowing women to operate in the same manner as men is HUGE and this is when society slowly begins to unravel and the thought of only white men having the right to freedom in this country begins to diminish.

Rosie the Riveters of World War II

As I was flipping through videos looking for an appropriate video depicting Rosie the Riveter I came across this one in particular and lingered a bit because of the comments that followed after it. There were comments from people who actually knew a couple “Rosie’s” and this was not only interesting to read but, made it more real to me.

Here is the post that originally caught my eye:

• “TheSailingdancer

4 months ago

Thanks for sharing and focusing on the great women of the past, our Rosie's. My mother worked in an aluminum airplane production plant for the military. She was a tough strong woman, very skilled. Later, in my own life, I picked up on a Rosie the Riveter poster that encouraged me as an affirmation to stay strong going through tough times raising kids as a single parent. Thanks again!”

The men tightened their belts, buttoned their jackets and boldly stepped into a new world war, World War II that is. When about ten million working men dropped their careers for a new type of duty someone had to pick up the slack. This was certainly a blessing in disguise for now women had an open opportunity to prove to society that they have what it takes to step outside of the kitchen and into a factory. This was especially hard for men to cope with because of course their pride was shot and this could potentially be the first and only blast they felt during the war. To allow women to bring home a paycheck made them feel as though they were not adequate regardless of their absence. This makes me chuckle only because it took a world war to face the fact that men need women. J

The promotion for women workers was all over the media, through radio broadcasts and newspapers such as the New York Times. Journalists and radio personalities fluffed the working-gal life stating how wonderful and admirable it truly was. Now it certainly seems a bit condescending how they went about the situation and almost seems as if they tricked women into wanting to work but, if you think about the circumstances women were very faithful to the men in their life and wouldn’t want to do anything that would be against their word regardless if it was beneficiary. So the media helped to make the situation sound less disloyal and this not only helped with picking up the slack and aiding in filling rounds for machine-guns so they are ready to go but, also filling in seats behind desks that would forever change the perspective on a woman’s abilities.

Women working expanded to articles in magazines such as Vouge, Glamour and Life and portrayed the beauty behind working and gave it a more glamorous approach. With adorable overalls, cute work boots and classy bob haircuts this type of exposure was designed to make women want to work. This was the media working to it’s full potential targeting the essence of women’s needs; making them feel beautifully accepted. Some articles tackled the situation with role models such as Betty Grable and vocabulary such as “’alluring Grable-like damsels, clad in slacks and bandannas, and oozing glamour from every pore.’” Who wouldn’t want to OOZE glamour from every pore!

“’The younger generation of newspaperwomen is composed of women who can do a man’s job but still look like women.’”  I literally had to quote this because it was perfectly stated. Despite all of the fabrication of making work look glamorous news organizations didn’t want women to forget that their efforts are appreciated and that they are certainly beautiful but nonetheless strong, both physically and mentally. Newsweek and the New York Times vigorously shot messages out to the public boasting about how women make up such a large percentage of the workforce and how they are doing a wonderful job at the same time. Journalists pointed out how women paid such close attention to the details and how they endured working all day and night because you can’t forget the work that needs to still be done around the house. It was this ego boost that helped women understand that they are valued and it was this ego boost that helped continue the expectation that women will continue to work.

Technically the women did have two jobs, one which they get paid for and one which is their duty as a mother or wife.  The book Mightier than the Sword breaks down an article from the New York Times about a woman named Alma. Alma is pretty, has a feminine build, has a job at a war plant, is a mother of three kids and best of all never complains! Isn’t that just wonderful, truly just a new role model for all women because it touches close to home. The media is really trying to shape an image here on how women should act by proving through example and I am sure this was an effective method but, I couldn’t help and think about the wording for this article. The article continues with her daily schedule portraying how she only sleeps about six hours a day but, not simultaneous. She works the night shift and takes naps throughout the day whenever she finds a moment. Finally, the article concludes with Alma’s joy for working because it provides companionship compared to staying home alone all day. This was inspirational for women without a doubt and in my opinion pushed women to want to work even more. The government, with all thanks to the media, went through great lengths to make sure every woman in America wanted to work.  

The media continued to portray working women as unstoppable. They were moving up from being nurses to becoming doctors and soon enough this wasn’t just limited to white females in America, African American females were also pushed to start work as well. During this time Margaret Bourke-White is also recognized for her photo’s that were displayed in Life magazine and are still highly noted today. The picture to the right on this paragraph is one that you may recognize. It is a picture of the Chrysler building and she became famous for portraying factories as Gothic cathedrals. She was a journalist and a photographer during World War II and then became the first woman correspondent accredited to the Army Air Force. Life magazine continued to use stunning photgraphs to portray real life women working and conveyed all of the raw emotion behind it. The direction of the written articles began to change. From glamorous women working and promoting a new concept to real stories of women working. The stories were put out not only to touch the lives of others but, to inform and to remind people of that work that is being done. Granted the journalist stuck by their glamour girl image they also opened up a new perspective by using real photos, not just cartoons.

Work was demanded during this time and America turned to its beautiful women for help. Although it seems as if they were being used because there was no other option, society didn’t realize what was really being done. Women were so pushed by the media into believing it is such a striking thing to do, working that is, that it not only made that want to instantly work but to continuously work. There was a standard that was set and a change in social order. Women can do what men do and will do what men do. Thankfully for this time in history we are where we are today, living in harmony.