Power to the People

Steven Shames’s documentary photograph of George Jackson’s funeral epitomizes one of the central themes of the Black Panther movement. The photo features Panther leader Huey Newton delivering the eulogy at the 1971 funeral.

The black and white photograph is visually stunning for its details of two unidentified party members openly displaying loaded shotguns, flanking either side of the coffin. The other major point is that there is seems to be no deliberate focal point in the picture. Newton is actually in the background of the shot. The coffin is static and not shot in closeup. Neither are the gunmen. They aren’t even facing the camera, and their eyes are covered in sunglasses. Their bodies are rigid and tall, while the shotguns are slung loosely across their chests.

The power of the photo is that your eye is still drawn to the shotguns. They are not being pointed, the men holding them are still, but the feeling of menace is overwhelming. The viewer is forced to acknowledge these deadly men above all other details of the image. The black and white photo is stark and bleak. It emphasizes both the solemnity of the occasion and the party members’ seriousness of purpose.

This photo ably demonstrates one of the Panthers’ central party themes; self-defense. Formed after Malcom X’s assassination, the Panthers advocated armed resistance. It’s hard to imagine why they felt the need for self protection at a funeral, but the clear message is that they stand ready to protect their party. They look like dangerous, serious men, and those who might challenge them need to be aware; those men will shoot to kill.

Be a Pepper? Heck Yeah!

My son loves Dr. Pepper. He loves it, even though I have tried several times to get him to switch to a cheaper brand. He admits that it tastes okay, but he will always choose Dr. Pepper, even though it costs more. It can’t taste that much different from knock-offs; they all use high fructose corn syrup. What is it about Dr. Pepper that makes him so loyal? I think it’s this: he wants to be a Pepper.

Being a Pepper means, in ad-speak, I’m an oddball, and it’s okay! Heck, it’s great. And there are lots more where I came from! Not only am I unique, but so is he, she, them over there, and hey, how about you? Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper too? By the time you’re done watching attractive people soft-shoe and sing a jingle about how wonderfully different they are, of course you want to be a Pepper too! Who wouldn’t?

Dr. Pepper sells itself as a quirky drink for people who are both special and unique. This ad is from the 1980’s, but is thoroughly identified with the brand. People sing the jingle. This is why it tastes better to my son, but its flavor does not appeal to most people. Therefore, advertisers had make drinkers see themselves as more than the wierdos who like something that tastes like carbonated prune juice. Would you rather be known for drinking some odd drink, or for doing a carefree dance, tipping your hat to the world and exclaiming, "I'm a Pepper, wouldn't you like to be one, too?”I just want to know one thing. If I switched Dr. Pepper for a similar drink and put it in the Dr. Pepper bottle, would my son notice? More importantly, would he still be a Pepper?

My Media Habits

My media habits have been both shaped and changed by the technological revolution of the 1990's. I did not grow up with the Internet or cable tv, so my sources of news were my parents': the evening news with Walter Cronkite and the local paper. The only source of infotainment at the time was Johnny Carson's monologue. As an adult, I find myself going back and forth between the convenient sound bites of CNN, MSNBC, and Fox just to get a different perspective from my usual liberal bent. If I want to read, I go to the slightly more in-depth internet news. This offers more writing and a global perspective that I don't get from the Baltimore Sun. I have recently added BBC world and NPR news, which offers in-depth analysis of issues that don't get broadcast on other news outlets. I never watch network nightly news, which feels dated and very very narrow to me. Lastly, I watch The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and sometimes Keith Olberman, because I love the way they actually sneak true news analysis and commentary onto shows where you can also watch a three-way fight between Colbert, Stewart and Conan O'Brien. Brilliant! The best aspect of my news viewing is that I try to go to several sources to get different perspectives and hear about different types of stories around the world. Probably the worst is that I read too much celebrity gossip, because it is sometimes a nice relief from all the somber, distressing news stories out there. I have already tried to improve my news consumption by adding analysis to the sound bites and attempting to incorporate what I'm told into my own personal beliefs and critical thinking ability, instead of just accepting what the talking heads tell me.

Introducing Myself

Hi, my name is Barb Regan and I'm a senior at UMBC. I'm a social work major, and as you can see, I'm supporting Barak Obama in 2008. This is the first election candidate I have ever felt enthusiastic about, so I am, for the first time, becoming a bit of a political junkie! I have two kids, one of whom will be voting in her first election this year. I am trying to get her to come to an Obama rally with me, but no luck so far.

If anyone is on the fence about the candidates, I want to provide a link to Obama's web site. Check out www.barackobama.com and see what you think!