Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiuRrsgMoME
The film you are about see is called, “El Norte.” (click the first blue link) many people from Mexico and Latin America use this term to mean “going to the United States.” This film at the beginning is in Spanish with English subtitles, the second half will be in English. Keep in mind, we are using some of the concepts that ch. 10 uses to profile new immigrants-country of origin, why they leave, the migration experience (getting to the border), what happens once they get here. This could fit the experiences of the boat people from the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa. I just read a newspaper article of an African male leaving Africa to Latin American then traveling to the Tijuana to cross the border. Currently, we have the people from Central American walking all the way to the U.S. Mexico border. El Norte could be a film on those Central Americans. Think about the difference between the 1890-1924 immigrant experience and this group.
Answer all the following questions.
- Discuss the reasons why Enrique and Rosa left Guatemala. Describe the village lifestyle and how people live everyday. How did magazines and TV shows influence their view of the United States? What type work do most people do? Education? Gender roles for women in Guatemala?
- Describe the migration experiences from Guatemala to the U.S. Mexico border? What types of situations did Rosa and Enrique find themselves in? How did they make the connection from Tijuana to L.A.?
- Once they got to L.A.,, what happen to Rosa and Enrique? How did they find a place to live and work? How did the people of L.A. treat Rosa and Enrique? What types of work did they find, and wages? Since they had little education back home and spoke no English, what were their chances of getting a skilled jobs?
- What are your opinions of the immigrant experience? What is it like living in the “shadows” of society(not being seen or found out)? What are the cost and benefits of having immigrants like Rosa and Enrique? How would you describe this “underground economy”? (who get’s paid).
Part 2
Another example of group diversity. The Asian American community is made up of numerous cultures, languages, and history in the U.S. These groups have a variety of faiths, from Buddhism to Confucianism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. Cultural traits “tend to stress group membership, kinship relations, sensitivity to the opinions and judgments of others,” This is different from our cultural traits. Like many world cultures, “traditional Asian cultures are male dominated, and women were consigned to subordinate roles.” (our textbook). All these traits would change to some degree through assimilation like the third and fourth generation Japanese Americans. Today, the Asian American population is the fastest growing group in the United States. Asian cultures stress the importance of maintaining respect, good opinions of others, avoid shame, and public humiliation, and uphold honor. Asians believe in Anglo conformity and hard work, while retaining culture (pluralism). Chinese women are faithful and serve their husband and eldest son. Women under Confucianism had four virtues: Chastity, obedience, shyness, a pleasing demeanor, skill in domestic duties. Some of these are common to other cultures that are “patriarchal.” Chinese and Japanese labor and union experience in the U.S. is well documented, they are part of the U.S. labor history, and their history is also marked by immigration. Policies like the “Alien Act,” and “Interment Act” Pay attention to the Asian SES that shows high educational success, attending college in high numbers, living in White middle class neighborhoods. Because of this success, Asians are often referred to as the “model minority,” Why? Yet, many reject this idea of “model minority.
Chapter 10 profiles the new immigrant using a variety of factors based on: country of origin-developed or underdeveloped (rich or poor), are they from rural or urban areas from the old country or in the U.S., language assimilation old language or English, skills, religion, reason for leaving? When they entered the U.S., are they welcome, types of jobs, live, experience prejudice and discrimination like are other groups?
Select one of the following questions. Be sure to include, name, question number, and date.
- Asian Americans are widely thought of as being successful in U.S. society. How accurate is this portrait of the “model minority?” Compare and contrast the cultural and structural explanation of the contemporary situations of Chinese and Japanese Americans.
- Does the history of Japanese and Chinese Americans contain any lessons for other minority groups? Have these groups found a pathway to “success” that could be followed by Native American Indians? African Americans, and Latinx Americans? Why or why not?
- Describe the cultural characteristics of Asian American groups and explain how these characteristics shaped relations with the larger U.S. society?
- What gender differences characterizes Asian American groups? What are some of the important ways in which the experiences of women and men vary? How do you think young Asian American women are changing, or not, their status in American society and culture?
- Chapter 10 profiles the new immigrants using a variety of factors based on: country of origin-developed or undeveloped countries(rich or poor), are they from a rural or urban area back home, language and transition to English, class background, skills or unskilled, education, religion, and why they leave? What are the “push/pull” factors that motivated their emigration? How are they welcome and do they experience prejudice, discrimination, or hate?
- In the chapter section, “Costs and Benefits,” do immigrants or undocumented individuals cost more than they contribute to society? What kind of education and occupational qualifications do they possess? Does immigration harm or help the U.S,? Use chapter 10 for this question. These two questions are in the forefront of today’s media, politics, Congress and the President. Poli sci classes are really into the issue of immigration.Keep or xerox chapter 10.
Part 3
When you are ready to watch the film, click the click the blue link above the film picture, click the film the first film that has 1.47:28 in the bottom right hand corner. The film you will be watching is, “Farewell to Manzanar”. Manzanar is one of many internment camps in the west that your chapter covered. If you are ever on north SR 395 to Bishop, California, you will run across the Manzanar museum.
While there are many Asian American experiences in the U.S., the one that stand out for it’s horrific impact on this community, was the internment of Japanese/Japanese Americans during WWII. By WWII Asian Americans were living a good life, living in Asian American and mixed communities, having businesses, and experiencing social mobility for their 2nd generation children. Yet, they still experienced prejudice and discrimination. I recall when 9/11 occurred, America was devastating by the terrorist action. Many people were numb and questioned everything. I knew that the action was to change our society forever, our freedom had been violated. However, it was my middle eastern students here at Grossmont College who felt the brunt of that terrorist action. People were angry and put the blame on all middle easterners and looked at them as being terrorist. On campus, we made sure that we discuss the impact of 9/11 and not to blame all middle easterners. When I studied the bombing of Pearl Harbor in my college history class, Americans felt the same way towards Japan and the ones who took brunt of Pearl Harbor. There was the criticism towards Japanese Americans and fear that these people would secretly spy for Japan and couldn’t be trusted. At this point, the first generation Japanese were considered spies since they had direct contact with Japan, but it was mostly with relatives and not consistent contact. They had settled in the U.S. to start a new life, which they did. They didn’t have rights like owning property or voting (which was a process), but it was their children, the second generation, that could own property which was in their name. Soon, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the President of the United States executed Ex. Order 9066. This order was to put all Japanese into internment camps to secure the safety of the United States, The public, especially on the west coast, were fearful that Japan would invade the west coast and Japanese living on the west coast would assist them as spies. Life in these internment camps would become an experience that Japanese Americans will never forget. The film you are about to see is about that experience and how Japanese Americans felt about life in the camps. To begin with, Japanese Americans lost all their possessions, honor and respect, and more importantly, their rights as citizens of the United States. The ones who felt abandon were the “Nisei” because they had been born here in the U.S. The Nisei had been, to degree, assimilated by education but retain their culture and language. In other words, many were like Mr. Martinez, many were assimilated 50/50. It would be the “Nisei” who would enter the military and fight out loyalty for this country, like many of our minority groups-Native American Indians, African Americans, Mexican American/Latinx, and Women. While their families were in camps, they were fighting battles against Japan and Germany. Talking about Germany, while we fighting against Germany, German Americans were not put in camps, (?).
The film you are reviewing is, “Farewell to Manzanar”, this camp is located on the highway 395 going to Bishop, California. There is a museum on the site today, I make it stop when I’m going to Reno to visit my nephew and his family. By the way, their were many camps throughout the west.
Answer all the following questions from your film notes, typed and double space, and title of the film.
- As the result of Ex. Order 9066, why did the President of the United States sign the order to intern Japanese (Issei) Japanese Americans (Nisei)? Why did it most of the order take place on the west coast?
- What did the Japanese and Japanese Americans lose as a result of being placed in camps? Personally, materially, and personal loss?
- Describe the relocation and interment experience of the Japanese Japanese Americans in the U.S. during WWII. What were the camp conditions like for the families? Could you apply the concept of “cabin fever” after being in the camps for months?
- What are your opinions of the internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans? Could this happen again? Were there similar reactions to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and 9/11 by the American public?
Part 4
The Asian American communities are the fastest growing minority in the United States. As their population grows, what past issues and future issues can they expect? Have things changed for Asians in the United States? We often hear that they are successful in science and math, is this considered a stereotype? If they are successful in science and math, why don’t we have more Asian American CEO’s in the United States? Their example of success has resulted in the “model minority” label, how is this true and false? People suggest that other minorities should follow the Asian American model minority approach to their situation, what are the pros and cons of this approach for other minorities? What about new immigrants that chapter 10 covers? Are they being received like the Asian Americans experienced in chapter 9, especially when Asian first came into the U.S.? Do they experience what Mexicans and latinos from Latin America experience? Remember, you can answer a question(s) or answer in a general way. Don’t forget, 3-4 replies.
