Standing Up For Human Rights

By Alicia Constant
Albuquerque, New Mexico

July 20, 2005: Lin Hongying, a 56-year-old woman farmer, was beaten to death by police in Jiangsu. (Biao and Jia 2) April 3, 2008: Hu Jia, a human rights activist who fought for justice in China, is sentenced to three and a half years in prison on falsified charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” (Casey) March 14-15, 2008: unrest in Tibet and a violent crackdown by police sparks international protests. These examples are only a few of the black marks on China’s human rights record, and the reason why China is the greatest challenge facing the Foreign Service in the 21st century.

During the countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China’s record of denying its citizens basic rights of life, liberty, and property, despite guarantees in Articles 33-41 of China’s constitution, has gained worldwide awareness. For example, in March, Tibetan leaders estimated that more than 140 Tibetans were dead and hundreds to thousands of others wounded, detained, or facing starvation in the aftermath of what began as a peaceful demonstration. China’s censorship of journalists and citizens makes assessing the actual damage nearly impossible. (Shrestha) In order to “clean up” the streets of China for the Olympics, police have sent many human rights activists, impoverished Chinese, and governmental dissidents to prisons or labor camps. As of 2007, an estimated 1.25 million people have had their houses forcibly demolished without compensation in order to make way for Olympic construction. (Biao and Jia 2) China has also consistently enforced the one-child rule, forcing women who have more than one child to undergo an abortion. (China: Country Reports) China’s long-standing history of human rights abuses has sparked protests by activists along the route of the Olympic torch from London, to Paris, to San Francisco.

The U.S. Foreign Service, a world leader in democracy and individual rights, faces multi-dimensional challenges in its effort to improve human rights in China. The U.S. has not attempted to resolve the human rights issue diplomatically since 2004, when talks were broken off after 12 rounds of unproductive dialogue. However, China has recently announced that it is “ready to resume the human rights dialogue,” (“Rice, Chinese F.M.”) and talks are scheduled for spring 2008. In order to resolve this problem, Ambassador Randt, President Bush, the Commercial Officer, and all other officials of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing must unite in a collateral effort to promote a strong U.S. presence in China. While engaging in diplomatic talks on human rights, the ambassador must represent and promote U.S. foreign policy to the Chinese government and influence China to make the right choices. (Dorman 10-11) China’s recent collaboration with the UN to end the violence in Darfur demonstrates that consistent pressure by U.S. diplomats is succeeding. (Christensen)

To send a strong international message about China’s human rights record, many protestors have demanded that President Bush boycott the Olympics or refrain from attending the opening ceremonies. In a June 2007 statement, the State Department rejected the option of an Olympic boycott on the basis that it would only cause bitterness among the Chinese people, destroy the progress already made by U.S. diplomats towards resuming talks on human rights, and deprive American athletes of the chance for a gold medal. (Green) China has already accused the U.S. of “clinging to a Cold War mentality” (Labbott and FlorCruz) and a boycott would confirm this false assumption by reflecting the 1980 U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics. According to President Bush, the upcoming Olympics should be a “moment where China's leaders can … show confidence by demonstrating a commitment to greater openness and tolerance [in Chinese society].” (Green) Instead of a boycott, the Foreign Service should use the Olympics as an opportunity to urge China closer to a free society by emphasizing the benefits of respecting human rights.

Because the United States and China are becoming increasingly economically interdependent, their relationship is one of the most critical and complex in the world. In the past five years, U.S. exports to China have increased from $18 to $52 billion, while U.S. imports from China have grown from $102 to $287 billion. (“Remarks”) This relationship is further complicated by the United States’ $232.5 billion bilateral trade deficit. (U.S. House) The Commercial Officer and the entire Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) play an important role in maintaining a healthy economic relationship while encouraging American companies to sell to China and further increasing U.S. exports. (Dorman 22-23) The FCS must urge China to respect intellectual property rights and crack down on the rampant piracy that has cost U.S. companies 2.5 billion dollars in lost sales. (Congressional Research Service) By reducing the U.S. trade deficit, we can decrease our economic dependence on China and gain leverage to promote our human rights values.

Improving human rights in China will be beneficial to both the Chinese people and the United States by encouraging China’s stability and further economic growth. China will gain the respect of the international community and loyalty from its own people. As President Bush noted, “By meeting the legitimate demands of its citizens for freedom and openness, China's leaders can help their country grow into a modern, prosperous, and confident nation.” (“U.S. Sees Progress”) Change of any kind requires time. Although the Olympics have raised international awareness of China’s human rights situation, they alone will not be enough to fully resolve this issue. Through persistent diplomacy in the 21st century, the members of the U.S. Foreign Service will continue to progress toward the day when the Chinese people will be free from governmental repression. As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared, “No corner of the Earth is permanently condemned to tyranny. Change may take time, but change will come.”

Essay Word Count: 960

Works Cited
Christensen, Thomas. “Shaping China’s Global Choices through Diplomacy.”U.S. – China Economic and Security Review Commission. U.S. Dept. of State, 2008. 10 Apr. 2008.

Dorman, Shawn, ed. Inside a U.S. Embassy. Washington, D.C.: American Foreign Service Association, 2005.

Green, Eric. “Views Mixed on Boycotting 2008 Beijing Olympics.” America.gov. 19 Nov. 2007. 5 Apr. 2008. < http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/November/200711191741031xeneerg0.1641657.html>

Labott, Elise, and Jaime FlorCruz. “China Rejects U.S. Attack on Human Rights.” CNN News. 12 March 2008. 10 Apr. 2008.

People’s Republic of China. The Constitution of the People’s Republic of China. Ch. II, Articles 33-41 and Amendment 4, Article 24.

Shrestha, Manesh. “Tibet Protesters Claim Death Toll Now 140.” CNN News. 25 March 2008. 10 Apr. 2008.

Biao , Teng, and Hu Jia, “The Real China and the Olympics,” letter to the international community, Human Rights Watch, 27 September 2007.

United States. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. China: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. 11 Mar. 2008. 3 Apr. 2008.

---. Congressional Research Service. China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy. By Kerry Dumbaugh. Apr. 2008. 14 Apr. 2008

---. Dept. of State. “China: Verdict on Activist Hu Jia.” Press Statement. By Tom Casey. 3 Apr. 2008. 10 Apr. 2008.

---. ---. Fact Sheet: U.S. - China Relations. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 2006.

---. ---. U.S. Embassy, Beijing. “Remarks by Ambassador Alan F. Holmer at Qinghua University Entitled ‘Establishing New Habits of Cooperation in U.S.-China Economic Relations.’” 14 Nov. 2007. 10 Apr. 2008

---. ---. “Rice, Chinese Foreign Minister Joint Press Availability in Beijing.” February 2008. Accessed 10 April 2008. Transcript.

---. House of Representatives. Committee on Foreign Affairs. Testimony of Deputy Secretary John D. Negroponte: The Future of Political, Economic and Security Relations with China. Washington: GPO, 2007.

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

By Brian Parker


In November 2003, a 10-year-old Palestinian boy hunting birds with his friends near Gaza city was shot by Israeli troops who thought he was carrying a bomb (The Guardian). In November 2004, a crowded market in Tel Aviv exploded into chaos when a 16-year-old Palestinian blew himself up, leaving three Israelis dead (Erlanger). In December 2008 and January 2009, twenty-two days of fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas combatants left 960 Palestinian civilians dead (United Nations). The countless tragedies are a grim sign that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be the greatest challenge to the American Foreign Service in the 21st century.

Foreign Service members at home and in the Middle East confront obstacles every day in their mission to promote peace in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. As special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell recently stated, “The situation in the Middle East is volatile, complex and dangerous” (State Department). The rise of Hamas in the Gaza Strip in 2007 virtually ended diplomatic relations between the United States and the Palestinians of Gaza because of Hamas’s status as a terrorist organization. In the West Bank, American diplomats face the important task of conveying to Arab leaders that even though the United States has a long-standing alliance with Israel, it is also dedicated to the welfare of Palestinians. In Israel, Foreign Service members have to deal with Israeli agendas that sometimes clash with America’s foreign policy objectives. For example, during his campaign, recently elected Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that he would increase development in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. President Obama’s goal of “a Jewish state in Israel and a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security” (State Department) cannot be realized if Israeli settlements continue to encroach on Palestinian territory. These are but a few of the difficulties that the Foreign Service faces in the Middle East.

In spite of these enormous challenges, the men and women of the Foreign Service have resolutely persisted in diplomacy. The invaluable work of Foreign Service members in Israel and the Palestinian territories plays a fundamental role in promoting peace and advancing the United States’ interests. First, the work of diplomats exemplifies the American value of human rights. This is made evident by State Department spokesman and Foreign Service Officer Robert Wood’s recent call for Israel to stop its unjust practice of demolishing homes to deter terrorists (Olster). Next, the Foreign Service advances American interests by promoting economic development. It accomplishes this through the United States Agency for International Development, which has provided Palestinians with more than 2.2 billion dollars in aid since 1993 (usaid.gov). USAID also provides loans and technical assistance to help Palestinian businesses grow and increase exports. In this way, the Foreign Service Officers in USAID are helping to create a future partner in free trade for the United States. Finally, the diplomatic relations forged by the Foreign Service are invaluable tools against terrorism. By insisting upon America’s desire for peace and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians, Foreign Service Officers foster goodwill towards the United States, which translates into a safer world for American citizens.

In 2002, the State Department wrote up the Road Map to Peace plan (Otterman). Its first phase called for an end to Palestinian violence and a freeze on the expansion of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory. It is true that this first phase has not been accomplished. Even so, the plan was not created in vain. On April 1st 2009, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman declared that Israel would honor the Road Map plan (Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs). The Foreign Service member’s work in 2002 may be the groundwork for future progress.

It is imperative that American diplomats keep striving towards the peace outlined in the Road Map and other agreements. In some cases, this means communicating American approval of positive acts. In other cases, this means exerting pressure to end activities that delay peace. For example, the State Department must persist in opposing the expansion of Israeli settlements and the destruction of Palestinian homes in Eastern Jerusalem. It also must reiterate that Hamas will not gain official recognition if it continues to fire rockets into Israeli towns. Furthermore, recent polls show that a majority of both Israelis and Palestinians favor a two-state solution to the conflict (Yaar and Hermann). The State Department must convince Israeli and Palestinian officials to reflect their peoples’ will in their policy. On April 13th 2009, special envoy George Mitchell arrived in Morocco and commenced his tour of the Middle East to enlist the support of Arab nations in negotiating a two-state solution (State Department). This shows the State Department’s readiness to lead international efforts to form a sovereign Palestinian state.

The Foreign Service’s tireless efforts, both past and present, illustrate a key truth about the Israeli-Palestinian struggle: the peace process demands time, patience, and persistence. The conflict started more than sixty years ago. After the fighting ends, it might be decades before mutual mistrust between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs completely subsides. This is why the Foreign Service’s work is so important. A durable solution requires what Mitchell calls “committed, persevering, and patient diplomacy” (State Department). Success in the Middle East cannot be measured solely by the major breakthroughs that make the front page at home, but also by the unrecognized every day efforts undertaken by United States Foreign Service members to maintain dialogue and understanding between Israeli and Palestinian officials.

At a press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Clinton declared: “There is never reason to give up hope… Persevering, rethinking, regrouping, [and] being committed will eventually result in the goal that we are seeking together” (State Department). This is the message the United States Foreign Service sends to Israelis, Palestinians, and the rest of the world. The 21st century may know many challenging conflicts, but through solidarity and commitment to international partnerships, peace is always possible.

Psychoanalyzing a character in a book

by: Amiry Hottinger,
High Tech High, San Diego CA
October 22. 2009
The Women of Brewster Place
by Gloria Naylor

Question: Choose a character in the book and psychoanalyze him or her. Why is this character important in the novel? Go in depth to explain behaviors and hidden motivations. Show, with evidence, why this character is essential to the development of the novel.


The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor is a montage of the collective strength of seven diverse African American women who live in abandoned buildings on a walled-off street of an urban neighborhood. They have arrived there in different ways; some women have come up from the South to the "Promised Land" of the North, only to find disillusionment and loss. Others have moved in from better parts of the city to escape prejudice or protest against the relentless onslaught of middle class values. Gloria Naylor tells each woman's story separately, but slowly links development between and among the various characters. In general, they are all stories of the will to survive and the overcoming of predatory and inhumane behavior from their own relatives and neighbors. The women progressively try to make a community out of a group of unfulfilled dreamers that don't really understand each other, but ultimately become self-reliant women. Of all the characters presented in the story, the middle-aged matriarch of the group, Mattie Michael, becomes the backbone and the source of comfort for several of the other women. She is the most consistent and prominent character that is presented throughout the book that coveys the true portrayal of African American women.
Mattie Michael is first introduced in the novel during her teen years in Tennessee where she lived with her parents: Samuel, her overprotective father and Fannie, her nurturing mother. Mattie allows herself to be seduced by Butch Fuller, a boy whom Samuel warns Mattie about. When Samuel learns that Mattie is pregnant by Butch, he becomes enraged and beats her. In order to escape her father's abuse, pregnant Mattie leaves her home and stays with her friend, Etta Mae Johnson in North Carolina. After five months, Mattie gives birth to a baby boy whom she names Basil. When Etta Mae leaves for New York, Mattie is left with her son in the apartment. After a terrifying incident with a rat harming Basil, Mattie decides to leave the apartment and find a new home. When she comes across Eva Turner and her grand-daughter, Luciela, they allow Mattie and her son to move in with them. When Eva passes away, Mattie remains to take care of the house but later loses it when she posts bail for Basil. Ultimately, Basil runs away and Mattie moved to Brewster Place, neglected and heartbroken, only to build up herself once again.
Mattie also has a strong grasp on the concept of friendship. Etta Mae Johnson and Mattie both have known each other since they grew up together in Tennessee. Throughout the years, they have remained very good friends and have been there for one another through difficult times in their lives. When Etta Mae first appears in Brewster Place, she is the center of attention; pulling up in a Cadillac with a Florida license plate and then comes out of the car wearing a green sundress and sunglasses. Etta Mae seemed as if she always lived a life very different from that of Mattie Michael. Etta Mae broke all the rules; she did not believe in being submissive to whites, and she did not want to marry, be a mother, and remain with the same man for the rest of her life. She is a woman who is aware of her own mind. Etta Mae was always looking for something that was just out of her reach, attaching herself to a a new man until she was got bored of him. As a result, Etta Mae spends her life moving from one man to the next. When Etta Mae meets Reverend Woods during Sunday morning church, she automatically falls for him. Mattie on the other hand, is more conscious of what Etta Mae's motives are and confronts her friend and questions her of what it is that she somehow felt obligated to straighten her friend out; to allow Etta Mae to realize that what she was doing with her life was not productive nor it was it moral and expected of a woman. As Mattie pushed her concerns towards Etta Mae, she completely defends herself and practically puts Mattie in the position of offense. To Mattie's defense, she thinks to herself: "Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over. Mattie realized that this moment was called for all three (Naylor, 70.)" Mattie knows how to be a true friend and knows when to back off when she pushes things too far. With the realization of her foolishness, Etta Mae returns home to Mattie: "Etta laughed softly to herself as she climbed the steps toward the light and the love and the comfort that awaited her (Naylor, 74)." Mattie knew what she was doing and she knew that it was up to Etta Mae to make the right decision and to come to the realization that Mattie was just trying to help. Friendship is always something that Mattie will cherish, and despite that the fact that friends do tend to argue, they will always be waiting for one another and be there for one another and maintain an even stronger bond.
Mattie plays a significant role into Luciela's recovery after a devastating incident. Luciela (Ciel) Louise Turner first appears in the story as the grand-daughter of Eva Turner. She previously lived with Eva and Mattie in North Carolina, but moves to Brewster Place later on in the story. Once Mattie moves to Brewster Place, Luciela is all grown up and has a daughter of her own. She also has a husband, Eugene, whom she loves very much, despite the fact that he abuses her verbally and threatens to harm. Luciela feels the need to always please Eugene and desperately tries to have their relationship work. When Luciela learns that Eugene does not want the child that she is pregnant with, she aborts the baby. Soon after, she regrets it and she begins to realize the kind of person that her husband really is. After an attempt to have Eugene stay with her, Luciela's daughter, Serena is killed in an unfortunate accident. Ultimately, Luciela is heartbroken and devastated after her child dies and goes into depression. During Serena's funeral, Luciela secludes herself in a room away from all her guests. Mattie comes in and tries to end Luciela's long-suffering: "She rocked her into her childhood and let her see murdered dreams. And she rocked her back, back into the womb, to the nadir of her hurt, and they found it- a slight silver splinter, embedded just below the surface of the skin. And Mattie rocked and pulled- and the splinter gave way, but its roots were deep, gigantic, ragged, and they tore up flesh with bits of fat and muscle tissue clinging to them. They left a huge hole, which was already starting to pus over, but Mattie was satisfied. It would heal (Naylor, 103.)" Mattie made a substantial effort to bounce Luciela back into reality and to face the grieve that she would have to overcome in order to accept the loss of her daughter. Luciela was living almost as if she had completely shut herself from the physical world; she was not aware of her surroundings, she let the house and herself go and she seemed as if she was not sure of what to do or what to think because of all the emotions that she felt for the loss of her daughter. Mattie did the utmost aspect of the loss of a loved one but allowing Ciel to feel the pain and to let her emotions out.
Not only does Mattie attempt to mentally stabilize Luciela, but she also tries to play the motherly role of physically cleansing her: "Mattie cupped her hands under the faucet and motioned for Ciel to drink and clean her mouth. When the water left Ciel's mouth, it tasted as if she had been rinsing with a mild acid. Mattie drew a tub of hot water and undressed Ciel. She let the nightgown fall off the narrow shoulders, over the pitifully thin breasts and jutting hipbones. She slowly helped her into the water, and it was like a dried brown autumn leaf hitting the surface of a puddle... (Naylor, 104.)" Mattie Michael also made an attempt to physically bounce Luciela into reality by making her cleanse her mouth and giving her a bath because she had not done so for says. Mattie was simply just trying to allow her to feel reality once again and gain conscious awareness of her surroundings and she was able to successfully achieve that goal.
Mattie also manages to see situations in a very different perspective. Lastly in the book, we meet Lorraine and Theresa, also known as "The Two." They are unique amongst the Brewster Place women because of their sexual relationship, as well as their relationship with their female neighbors. Their neighbors find their relationship very difficult to accept. As lesbians, Lorraine and Theresa represent everything foreign to the other women. Lorraine feels the woman's hostility and longs to be accepted. Theresa, on the other hand, makes no apologies for her lifestyle and gets angry with Lorraine for wanting to fit in with the women. Theresa wants Lorraine to toughen up- to accept who she is and not try to please other people. One of the main oppositions of the two and the one that is responsible for leading the campaign against Lorraine and Theresa, is Sophie. During a block party meeting, she states her opinions about how Lorraine and Theresa's relationship was not socially acceptable and was an abomination against the bible. Mattie steps in and opposes of Sophie's views of The Two and respectively voices her own opinion: "Well, I've loved women, too. There was Miss Eva and Ciel, and even as ornery as you can get, I've loved you practically all my life. (Naylor, 141.)" Mattie views Lorraine and Theresa's relationship much more different than Sophie and most of the other women on the block. She then says: "But I've loved some women deeper than I ever loved any man," Mattie was pondering. "And there been some women who loved me more and did more for me than any man ever did (Naylor, 141.)" Mattie sees their relationship as something that isn't exactly that ironic. She views their relationship from a completely different perspective than everyone else. She believes that two women can love each other unconditionally the same way a woman can love her closest girl friend, a man can love a women or in any other variety. Quite understandingly, Mattie considers that the definition of love is universal and that there is merely not one solid meaning.
Mattie's strength, truthfulness, morals as well as her ability to survive hardships- losing a child, fleeing her parent's home, and losing her own home, she still continues to persevere. Her constant strength is a source of support for women such as Etta Mae Johnson, Luciela Turner and Lorraine and Theresa. Her generous heart and deep faith represent the best elements not only of Brewster Place but also of African-American women in general.


Works Cited
Naylor, Gloria. The Women of Brewster Place: New York: Penguin, 1982.

Kathryn and Sally

Kathryn carries deep-seated resentment for her father, who has recently returned after a period of living with an older woman. In this confrontation, Sally, Kathryn's older sister, argues for understanding and forgiveness now that their father has returned to the household.

Huong Pam and Janelle Tating, both senior students of Bethel High School in Vallejo, California portrayed the role of Kathryn and Sally in their rendition of a Roger Karshner's piece (courtesy of VCAT).

LEARNING TO TEACH OTHER

By: Alex Riolo, San Diego CA

Biodiversity Project - Fall 2009

In this project we learned about a specific taxa, gymnosperms, or pine trees. After researching our taxa we wrote lab background information sheets. We then created and interactive component to teach middle school students about our taxa, and had a lab day to share our information with them.


The final aspect of this project was the lab activity. Our lab activity was to have the 7th graders identify the differences in pinecones. We provided them with background information, as well as pictures and other information to assist them in identifying the pinecones.

I leaned more about pinecones, and pine trees, and how they mate and live. Furthermore, I learned how to write lab background information. I also learned how to communicate the information that I learned to other people.

When presenting to the middle school students we learned a lot about how to make the information more palatable to students with less background information that we have. As the day progressed we were better able to tailor our presentation to the audience. In the end I feel that we were able to impart a good portion of the information.

In total the whole project went really well. I learned a lot about not only how to learn information myself, but also how to teach others. It was a little slow in the beginning, but we learned how to catch up and make a strong finish. If we were to do this again I think that we would work harder in the beginning and spread out the work.

ENVIRONMENT

Environment, Social and Economic Business Model
by Saptarshi Pal, India

Zoot Suit Riots

Alma Sanchez
Paul Lopez
Humanities, p.4/5, HTH,
San Diego CA
May 22, 2008


Imagine hanging out with your friends, having a goodtime when all of a sudden 5,000 officers, sailors, and civilians start attacking you and the people around you. Not because of who you are, but because what you’re wearing. That is what happened to young Mexicans and African Americans in Los Angeles during the Zoot Suit Riots of the 1940s. During these years the stereotype of Mexicans being know as violent and trouble makers, became stronger due to how the media was portraying them. Back then and even now Mexican American people were/are seen as dirty and sloppy; therefore they wanted to find a different identity and started wearing what they call “Zoot Suits,” but it instead many believed they perpetuated the stereotype of being gangsters, thugs, and violent.


The zoot suits became popular during the 1930s. The term zoot suit came from a mispronunciation as a result from Mexicans pronouncing the word “suit” with a “z” rather than an “s”. Zoot Suiters were young, hip, Mexican teens sharp dressed in long-tailed coats, wide brim hats, baggy pants, long chains hanging from their waists and high boots, this attire is known as a "zoot-suit". This attire was mostly worn by Mexicans and African American that wanted to earn the respect they “deserved”.


The Zoot Suit Riots were supposedly led by what they called juvenile delinquents, in other words “Zoot Suiters”. It occurred during the 1940s while World War II was going on. During that time all Zoot Suiters wanted was to earn respect. They would always roll by sailors expecting respect, but sailors just insulted them. Sailors would look for fine Chicanas just to have sex with them and leave them after; they were used for pleasure just because sailors complained about their wives. The riots started because one of the Zoot Suiters was caught dating one of the sailor’s girlfriend. Sailors then came down to LA with weapons and basically a whole army to hurt all Zoot Suiters. Of course Zoot Suiters didn’t back down from the riots so they brought their own weapons and their own people to fight back. But sailors weren’t satisfied with just a fight, so they organized a retaliatory strike against the Zoot Suiters.


Mexicans, African American, Sailors, Caucasians, and even the media were involved in this event. According to the media the sailors were the victims, but in reality they were the ones who started these riots. Sailors went into the “barrios,” or Latino communities, to beat up all Mexicans and invade their territory.


The media contributed to the stereotype of Mexicans and Zoot Suiters being lazy, dirty, thugs, & violent. The media made it worse for Zoot Suiters and reinforced a stronger stereotype. Zoot Suiters were seen as these crazy people who liked to start problems; on the other hand sailors were seen as innocent people. It was all a lie that the media created and because of it many people were against Zoot Suiters and Mexicans. At that time it was no longer only sailors, but it was also soldiers, marines, and civilians who were against all Mexicans. It became a stronger issue due to how the media portrayed Mexicans. They were being attacked on the streets not only for being Zoot Suiters but because they were Mexicans. While these riots were going on World War II was happening as well. All media cared about was to make Mexicans look bad instead of focusing on a major issues.


In conclusion the stereotype of Mexicans being thugs & violent is still out in our society especially after the Zoot Suit Riots. This could’ve been prevented if the media would’ve been truthful about what had really happened instead of making up a new story. “More Mexican Americans died in the Zoot Suit Riots than all who served in WW II.”