Global Citizenship.

Being a global citizen is about having an understanding of who you are in relation to the world. It is about trying to have an understanding for everything that is around you and being open to it. There is no ideal or perfect global citizen, no one can be aware of everything all the time and have the ability to make all of the right choices benefiting the world. Doing something though, is better than doing nothing. Locally, a global citizen will make their best effort to change their community for the better.

Looking at how musical practices can influence society will tell a good amount about the values a society holds. In America, people view making music as a talent, you are either born with it or not. In other countries there is no such thing of the idea of talent. Anyone at any level can participate in making music; it is encouraged and part of his or her daily lives. High-fidelity music is the most common in America, the main purpose of it is to make a product, which reflects the economic values we also hold. We try to turn everything into a product, selling it to make a profit. There are only transactions between buyer and seller, they each have a goal and they exchange services to achieve that goal. In countries where participatory music is most common, their economy is based more on the interactions taking place between buyer and seller. The exchanges are seen more as interactions rather than transactions.

Global citizenship is not always an easy thing to accomplish. In fact, it can be extremely difficult for people sometimes. Our whole lives we have been conditioned to think a certain way and believe that our way is the right way. When in reality, this is not the case. There are always many options and solutions to chose from, none being any better than the others. Having an open mind to new ideas is a big part of being a good engaged global citizen. Without an open mind people hinder themselves from having new experiences and creating new ways of doing things. Without an open mind, the world would have a hard time accepting change. It is important to ask questions when something is not understood to gain understanding, often people are apprehensive to new things and shut them off simply because they are different from their ideas. Ideas, however, are constantly changing. Accepting other cultures is a key aspect of being a global citizen as well, all cultures in the world share similar values, when everything is stripped we are all human. No one person can be any less or any more human than another. Yet, all over the world we dehumanize other cultures and think of them as being lesser simply because they do not live lives as advanced as ours. If we have been conditioned to think of a certain group of people as “dirty” or “violent” then we think of everyone similar to them as being the same. Their lives no longer matter to us, we do not think of them as having families, homes, and jobs. They become disposable. Working to humanize people of all cultures and races will encourage, if not friendships, then understanding between cultures.

In a local setting citizenship may still be attained. One person is not expected to make a difference for the entire world. Instead, one person can change a community. Paying attention to where the clothes and food we buy come from and attempting to make purchases that better help the locals can manifest global citizenship at a more concentrated level. Giving back to the community somehow, whether it is volunteering, being friendly, or participating in community wide events, can create small ripples that will generate waves. Supporting our communities is an excellent way to begin a path to global citizenship.

The responsibilities of a global citizen will vary from person to person. People do not all have the same values or goals or beliefs. The most important thing is seeing a problem in the world and helping find a solution to fix it.  Sometimes being a global citizen can be overwhelming, we begin to find more and more instances where we see a change that needs to be made and instead of focusing on just one change we begin to focus on too many at once. As a result of taking on too much we find that we are not getting anything done and have not contributed to being a global citizen. By limiting ourselves to only do so much, we increase our ability to get something accomplished. It is not about changing the entire world at once or all of our views of the world at once, starting small and expanding will allow more to be changed over time.

The first major step to becoming a global citizen is to value individuals. We need to learn to value the interactions individuals have on a daily bases. Learning to humanize people all over the world and caring about the impact our choices may have on other people, help us achieve common goals. This class taught me about the music other cultures are listening to, the ways in which they make music, and how it helps those communities function. I have also learned much more than that, I learned about the struggles these people go through, how they are similar and different from mine. Being a global citizen is about finding out who you are, not letting the media or anyone else influence all of your choices. It is about being yourself in relation to the world in the hopes of making it a better place for everyone to live. 

Bloomington Contra-Dance.

Attending the Contra-Dance at the Boys and Girls club was an experience, maybe and experience I will have again one day. Contra-dancing is something that is unlike the dancing of my generation. It becomes more personal, which can cause people to feel uncomfortable at times. Still it is one of the several participatory interactions Bloomington has to offer.

Holding hands with strangers and having conversations with them was unusual at first and later seemed more natural. Being a newcomer, the more experienced dancers were welcoming and proactive with teaching our group the different dances. If we messed up they would laugh a little, but they would help us get better and learn how to do things the correct way. Dancing with all of those people made me feel more connected to a part of Bloomington that many college students here probably never experience. Sometimes I felt uncomfortable even after dancing for a little while, partly because it was difficult for me to dance with some of the taller men, but also because of how controlling some of the more experienced dancers were. My body had to become acquainted with the fact that someone else was guiding my steps.

Contra-dancing is similar to other partner dances in that the male is the lead and in control. The dancing of my generation however, does little to institute control in the male figure. The dancers rarely make eye contact or have conversation, it is a very impersonal experience and once the dance is over you go your separate ways. With Contra-dancing, you hold hands with your partner, the two learn to move together while facing each other and even make some kind of relative eye contact. While dancing and changing partners constantly I found myself feeling more comfortable dancing with my classmates even though I knew their skill level and mine would not improve by us dancing together. I found myself turning down some older men asking me to be their partner, only to then say yes to someone I knew. I felt rude for turning them down, but physical contact with people I hardly know has never been something I am comfortable with.

Dancing with people I had never met before was something I had already experienced with in a Salsa class. Only that experience was more of an intimate one than a friendly, welcoming one. Mostly due to the nature of the dance styles, making connections with people while dancing can take some time to become comfortable with when in todays reality, simply making any kind of connection with people is becoming more of a rarity. I would like to say that I will attend a Contra-Dance at least one more time, but that is not something I will not go out of my way to make sure happens.

Socially, participatory interactions are important for people to feel connected and gain a sense of belonging. All humans have a need to feel like they are accepted and belong. By taking part in events like the Contra-Dance or the Farmers Market they get a sense of welcoming by the community. Everyone that is in attendance is there because they want to be there. They wish to share the things they make, do, and enjoy in the hopes that other people will enjoy them as well. A great benefit to participatory social actions is that it creates a greater sense of community. Once a community is connected they begin to have more of an understanding of the people in it. Having an understanding causes people to care about the wellbeing and lives of their neighbors. They will find themselves wanting to give back to the community more often and fixing the problems within the community. A community where the people give back and are connected continues to create environments that are conductive to creating even more relationships.  

Finding a community that has a strong connection that is welcoming and open is becoming harder to find with the lack of social interactions people have now. Attending a Contra-Dance is not, and will not, be for everyone. Yet, there will be something for everyone that has a participatory aspect to it within a community, especially the Bloomington one. I consider myself lucky to have found a college where the town is more than just a typical college town. The people that live here make it a real town, with more than just college students and businesses that focus solely on those students. The Contra-Dance taught me that there really is something for anyone to be a part of in this community. 

The Punks are Alright!

            Growing up in a mostly white, middle-class, suburban area did a poor job of preparing me for a realization of the way people in other parts of the world live. In my part of the world I live a relatively privileged life, going to college was never a question, instead people asked where I was going. I never had to get a job to help support my family, finding an easy way out and selling drugs on the street was not even an option where I lived. Yet, for thousands, even millions, of young people my age they are stuck with the lives they were born into with little hope for change. The film, The Punks are Alright!, this realization became more evident than ever through the lives of several Punk Artists in Brazil and Indonesia.

            Henrike is the lead singer of the Punk band Blind Pigs, he lives in Brazil with his wife and two children and discusses his influences into Punk, the surrounding youth culture in Brazil, and the religious conflicts in accordance to Punk. Henrike was originally from England and eventually moved to Brazil, growing up his dad was a Naval officer and also the person who led Henrike into the Punk lifestyle. In his community the kids have little hope of staying out of a drug related lifestyle. For them it is an easy way out of a life of poverty, but unfortunately, for many, it can also be a way out of life.

 They grow up with an education that is incapable of providing them with the skills to more than survive in the world. The schools are a safe place to go to in the day, but when the sun falls drug dealers and gangs overrun them. Sometimes there are drive-bys at the police department. Once the sun rises again there will be a street covered with evidence of the previous nights activities. Living in a community like this, Henrike set out to make it better for families who live there by starting a school where he teaches the kids English. By teaching them English he is enabling them to have a better future. In the year 2002 Brazil was the most violent country; a fact that can be appalling to some. For the children growing up in crime-ridden areas, it is difficult for them to imagine any other kind of life.

            In Indonesia, Dolly, is a young man who works at a Nike factory six days a week with a two hour commute to and from work making less than three dollars a day. Punk in his life is what gives him hope when his life is full of everything but hope. Dolly’s life is constricted to working and living at home to help support his family, which might be all his life can be for years to come. I never realized that there were so many people in other countries living in ways so drastically from mine. Here I was raised with the intentions of going on my own and supporting myself, while people like Dolly are raised to support not only themselves, but also their family. I am given the opportunity to move up or even down in my social class, yet to him class is a sickness that he is stuck in and punk is the cure. As much as Dolly loves his music, his band can only afford to practice together twice a year. A reality for him that struck my heart, because I know plenty of teenagers that start bands and are able to practice at a moments notice without a thought.

            The youth in the areas have a lot surrounding them that lead to daily struggles. Yet, these struggles are common enough for them that they may not even recognize it as a struggle anymore, but instead as a fact of life. They grow up in communities ridden with crime and violence without much to live for. As Henrike said, religion is really the only thing these people have. Without their faith then everything would seem pointless, they might not see a point to even try and make something out of their life. I think that hope is something these kids need more than anything, if you give them hope then they will have the confidence to make something of themselves. Playing music, not necessarily punk, but any kind of music is a good healthy way for them to stay off of the streets.

            Relating my lifeway to the artists in the movie is tough. I am not much of a Punk, I would not consider much of what I do to be Punk either, but maybe that is from the standard of American Punk. From Indonesian Punk it could be that I am trying to better my living by continuing my education to increase my job opportunities. In Brazilian Punk it might be that I try and volunteer to help people when I can, trying to provide other people with the things they need in order to succeed in life, similar to the school Henrike teaches at. I may not have the classic Punk look going for me, but I like to be part of something that is changing the world around me.

            Economically, I am connected to Dolly and the people like him who are working in the factories making the clothes I own in poor conditions. Looking at the prices I pay for one article of clothing and comparing that to the conditions these people work in and the pay they get, things do not add up. Changing the working conditions of factory employees may not be an easy task, instead I can pay attention to the clothes I buy and where they come from and who is making them. Instead of supporting factories where if something is filmed a worker is at risk for losing his job, the factory has no shame in revealing their conditions. Yet, if I stop buying those products all together and other people join me, then the workers would lose their jobs and things would be no better off.

            Connecting my life to Henrike’s is a little more difficult; a way our lives intersect do not directly affect one or the other. Henrike expressed in the movie how frustrated he was with the institution of religion, he himself is extremely religious, yet the church has a hard time accepting him because of the way he looks. The hypocrisy of the church is something that I too do not agree with, in fact sometimes I am angry because of it. Like Henrike, my religious beliefs are personal and are not something that is easy to share all the time.

            Punk is not simply a music genre, the tattoos or body art one wears, the clothes or hairstyles, Punk is also a lifestyle. An important part of being Punk is DIY, do it yourself, seeing something that needs to be changed and being that change. Punks are rebels, rebelling against whatever the general flow of the population is. Rebelling is about upsetting, upsetting earlier generations and inspiring a change. Creating a change is what Punk is all about. 

I Love Hip-Hop In Morocco.

         The American film industry has played a key role in shaping the attitudes and beliefs of moviegoers since the creation of the silver screen. From supplementing to breaking stereotypes and generating tears and laughter, watching movies together has been a way for society to create bonds and connections through social interaction. Movies can be the setting of a first date, a break up, a friendly gathering, or even an awkward attempt to break social barriers.

         The documentary film, Reel Bad Arabs, address the overlooked issue of how American films continuously stereotype Arab characters, giving the same few stock character roles associated with the Middle Eastern race. Several specific moments and topics presented in the film stood out amongst the others, one of these is the character of the villain that is most frequently played. The film gives several examples of movies where an Arab plays the villainous character, always being portrayed as the bad guy that is set out to destroy the American people. His character shows no mercy to his victims, seeing this behavior again and again conditions people to believe that everyone from the Middle East is a terrorist and we as Americans should show them no mercy. Even in Disney movies geared towards young children such as Aladdin, the Arab race is seen as a violent people. Our minds are taught young to build prejudices against an entire race of people. The problem with this is that no one seems to have any problem with it. If the same parts were portrayed as a Jewish or Black character society would backlash against the film, yet the fact that the character is an Arab makes it okay. In some movies like Father Of The Bride Part Two, a character is Arab without any reason. He is simply given the part because of stereotypes.

         Another stand out factor is that there is never a film where the Arab people are humanized. In the Eighties and Nineties alone about thirty films were made portraying Arabs as American haters. We never see the people in the Middle East in refugee camps, injured and homeless, like many of them are in reality as a result of the destruction created by Americans. Americans even offer relief efforts to countries in need, yet we do not offer relief to the countries where we created the need for relief. The ways we see those people in films make it difficult for us to see them as real people, we cannot imagine sympathizing with them because we see them as a people that are entirely different from us. They are full of hatred, only hatred for us, they show no mercy, and constrain their women. Only we are no different, because of these stereotypes we have learned we are also full of hatred, for them, we hate an entire people based on the actions of one single group. The American people are quick to judge and place blame to use them as a scapegoat. In the Oklahoma City bombing the media and the government declared the bombing to be an act of terrorism made by a group in the Middle East, when the only information they had was that the bombing took place and what type of bomb it was. The real culprit was a white Irish Catholic male, even though he was the true enactor of the terrorism we did not assume every white Irish Catholic male to be a terrorist, this one man must have been a fluke. Even the Ku Klux Klan can be related back to similar ideals. Even though they were a group of white middle-aged Christian men who had a strong hatred against black people, no one assumed that every white middle-aged Christian man was apart of the KKK. Americans have broken past the stereotypes of many races of people, yet for some reason we continue to encourage our stereotypes and prejudices against Arabs.

         The film industry may project Arabs in such an offhanded way, because it is the way things have always been done. There has yet to be a time when American films constantly provide audiences with an Arab character that is not portrayed in a villainous or comedic way. If American films continue to shed such a negative light on an entire group of people then our views of an entire race of people will never receive a chance to change. Stereotypes have been changed before, they take years to overcome, but it is possible. It takes on person and then others joining in to create a change of thought, the film industry has more power than any other industry to change the beliefs people have.

         When it comes to movies like Rules of Engagement, the audience begins to feel compassion for the people in a city whose lives were destroyed during a shooting with the military forces. An investigation is underway to determine who started shooting at whom. As the investigation process begins overseas we are shown images of people who are injured and broken, people who have suffered great losses as a result of the massacre. We are given the sight of a young girl who has lost her leg in the battle as she walks away with deep brown eyes filled with tragedy. These tear-jerking images are meant to provoke the audience into compassionate and sympathetic mindsets. While the images of devastation continue the social barriers are beginning to break down, we suddenly feel emotions we have been taught not to feel. Once we begin to accept that these are real people, with families, homes, and lives we are suddenly thrust back into our old beliefs as the plot changes and we are brought to a recording that details the events leading up to the massacre. The military did not, after all, shoot first. The first shots came from the citizens, the little girl with one leg that we had minutes before felt sorry for, has a gun in her hand aimed at our own people in uniform.

         Many of the other movies included in the documentary I had never before seen or heard of. The ones that I had heard of though, I had never given any thought to the roles the characters were playing. Seeing it has opened my eyes to the fact that the films we watch sway our beliefs. What we see on the screen is often what we tend to believe is true. We see other characters accurately depicted, so Arabs should be no different. Only, they are different, it is not right for Americans to judge an entire race based on what we see on the big screen or from the actions of a select few. Not all the people in the Middle East hate Americans, so we should not hate all of them either. Our hatred towards them only fuels the fire more; they see our hatred and feel the need to retaliate. This cycle we have created will never end until someone decides to put an end to it.

         Changing the way we view other people can also change the way the world operates. If we had no stereotypes or prejudices against Arabs then maybe the aftermath of 9/11 would have been different, maybe instead of placing the blame on an entire people and their lifestyle we would have kept the blame where it belonged, one group of men who were the center of the destruction. Popular culture has the power to change individual and group beliefs, if only it would use that power to change beliefs for a greater purpose. 

Reel Bad Arabs

         The American film industry has played a key role in shaping the attitudes and beliefs of moviegoers since the creation of the silver screen. From supplementing to breaking stereotypes and generating tears and laughter, watching movies together has been a way for society to create bonds and connections through social interaction. Movies can be the setting of a first date, a break up, a friendly gathering, or even an awkward attempt to break social barriers.

         The documentary film, Reel Bad Arabs, address the overlooked issue of how American films continuously stereotype Arab characters, giving the same few stock character roles associated with the Middle Eastern race. Several specific moments and topics presented in the film stood out amongst the others, one of these is the character of the villain that is most frequently played. The film gives several examples of movies where an Arab plays the villainous character, always being portrayed as the bad guy that is set out to destroy the American people. His character shows no mercy to his victims, seeing this behavior again and again conditions people to believe that everyone from the Middle East is a terrorist and we as Americans should show them no mercy. Even in Disney movies geared towards young children such as Aladdin, the Arab race is seen as a violent people. Our minds are taught young to build prejudices against an entire race of people. The problem with this is that no one seems to have any problem with it. If the same parts were portrayed as a Jewish or Black character society would backlash against the film, yet the fact that the character is an Arab makes it okay. In some movies like Father Of The Bride Part Two, a character is Arab without any reason. He is simply given the part because of stereotypes.

         Another stand out factor is that there is never a film where the Arab people are humanized. In the Eighties and Nineties alone about thirty films were made portraying Arabs as American haters. We never see the people in the Middle East in refugee camps, injured and homeless, like many of them are in reality as a result of the destruction created by Americans. Americans even offer relief efforts to countries in need, yet we do not offer relief to the countries where we created the need for relief. The ways we see those people in films make it difficult for us to see them as real people, we cannot imagine sympathizing with them because we see them as a people that are entirely different from us. They are full of hatred, only hatred for us, they show no mercy, and constrain their women. Only we are no different, because of these stereotypes we have learned we are also full of hatred, for them, we hate an entire people based on the actions of one single group. The American people are quick to judge and place blame to use them as a scapegoat. In the Oklahoma City bombing the media and the government declared the bombing to be an act of terrorism made by a group in the Middle East, when the only information they had was that the bombing took place and what type of bomb it was. The real culprit was a white Irish Catholic male, even though he was the true enactor of the terrorism we did not assume every white Irish Catholic male to be a terrorist, this one man must have been a fluke. Even the Ku Klux Klan can be related back to similar ideals. Even though they were a group of white middle-aged Christian men who had a strong hatred against black people, no one assumed that every white middle-aged Christian man was apart of the KKK. Americans have broken past the stereotypes of many races of people, yet for some reason we continue to encourage our stereotypes and prejudices against Arabs.

         The film industry may project Arabs in such an offhanded way, because it is the way things have always been done. There has yet to be a time when American films constantly provide audiences with an Arab character that is not portrayed in a villainous or comedic way. If American films continue to shed such a negative light on an entire group of people then our views of an entire race of people will never receive a chance to change. Stereotypes have been changed before, they take years to overcome, but it is possible. It takes on person and then others joining in to create a change of thought, the film industry has more power than any other industry to change the beliefs people have.

         When it comes to movies like Rules of Engagement, the audience begins to feel compassion for the people in a city whose lives were destroyed during a shooting with the military forces. An investigation is underway to determine who started shooting at whom. As the investigation process begins overseas we are shown images of people who are injured and broken, people who have suffered great losses as a result of the massacre. We are given the sight of a young girl who has lost her leg in the battle as she walks away with deep brown eyes filled with tragedy. These tear-jerking images are meant to provoke the audience into compassionate and sympathetic mindsets. While the images of devastation continue the social barriers are beginning to break down, we suddenly feel emotions we have been taught not to feel. Once we begin to accept that these are real people, with families, homes, and lives we are suddenly thrust back into our old beliefs as the plot changes and we are brought to a recording that details the events leading up to the massacre. The military did not, after all, shoot first. The first shots came from the citizens, the little girl with one leg that we had minutes before felt sorry for, has a gun in her hand aimed at our own people in uniform.

         Many of the other movies included in the documentary I had never before seen or heard of. The ones that I had heard of though, I had never given any thought to the roles the characters were playing. Seeing it has opened my eyes to the fact that the films we watch sway our beliefs. What we see on the screen is often what we tend to believe is true. We see other characters accurately depicted, so Arabs should be no different. Only, they are different, it is not right for Americans to judge an entire race based on what we see on the big screen or from the actions of a select few. Not all the people in the Middle East hate Americans, so we should not hate all of them either. Our hatred towards them only fuels the fire more; they see our hatred and feel the need to retaliate. This cycle we have created will never end until someone decides to put an end to it.

         Changing the way we view other people can also change the way the world operates. If we had no stereotypes or prejudices against Arabs then maybe the aftermath of 9/11 would have been different, maybe instead of placing the blame on an entire people and their lifestyle we would have kept the blame where it belonged, one group of men who were the center of the destruction. Popular culture has the power to change individual and group beliefs, if only it would use that power to change beliefs for a greater purpose. 

Bloomington Farmer's Market.

The Above picture is my representation of the Bloomington Farmer's Market.

         Until August 2, 2012 I had only gone to a farmers market several times when I was younger, leaving me with a slightly foggy memory of the experience. While walking to the Bloomington Farmers Market, I was unsure of what to expect. The end result was finding a place I would like to visit as many Saturday mornings as possible.

         Looking around the Market, what first caught my attention was the food for sale. The center of the parking lot is filled by four long structures that provide shade for the people selling their products, such as soaps, vegetables, fruits, meat, maple syrup, flowers, and even cheese. Surrounding these structures are small tents set up for individual farms to sell their products. Many sell corn. One sold kettle corn, this tent had the most noticeable difference of age groups as visitors, a conclusion can be made that kettle corn is a favorite of people in any stage of life. The people found shopping or browsing in these locations were predominantly pairs of women, couples with very young children, and older couples. The people selling most of the products were middle-aged women and young children; in some of the sections, Amish women and children would be selling produce, and the men would sell meat.

         Moving to the outskirts of the market, there was a band by the name of Blue Cut, which is a father, son, and daughter trio from Bloomington. They played indie/folk music. When I was there, the daughter was missing from the group, yet the talent was still noticeable. Across from the band were several tents set up for a radio station, farm tours, and a naturalist group. The naturalist group had a butterfly container, which attracted the attention of many small children. Behind them were the steps leading to the entrance of City Hall where Adopt a Puppy, a family favorite, was located and a fountain where kids could be seen playing in the shade. Next to the fountain was a tent set up with tables for tomato tasting, mostly visited by couples.

         Along the side of the City Hall building were more private tents, set up for farms selling produce-mostly corn and vegetables, with one or two selling meat. This section varied in the age of visitors. Farther down the line, at the end of the farmers market, were the political and community event tents and booths. Groups ranged from Monroe County Republic Women to a Build a Garden. There was also a booth for a local children’s art program. Behind this section was another band playing what sounded like jazz music surrounded by lawn chairs for sitting.

         Across from the community section was a small area filled with set ups for local restaurant and bakery businesses. The focal point of this area was a statue in the middle, which provided some seating under pillars which supported a bowl with a spoon giving off heat with what looked like a fish on top surrounded by forks and knives--a symbol that can be seen throughout the eateries of Bloomington. The age group seen throughout this area was early to mid 20’s with few little children. It seemed to be the place for people to come and simply enjoy the company of other people. The music supply of this area was a man playing his banjo while a young woman he was with sat beside him.

         The Farmers Market is an area filled with a diverse group of people who come to operate together in order to achieve many goals, whether finding a way to support a family, finding somewhere to spend time with your family in a pleasant environment, buying food, or even having the experience of being there. The Farmers Market operates in a similar way to participatory music, creating bonds with people through social interactions, building a stronger community within a town. At the Farmers Market, even the observers are a part of something more, listening to the music local artists are performing. Supporting the artists encourages them to keep coming back. Buying the food people are selling provides people with food to eat and also provides people with money to pay for their necessities. The interactions people make help one another; everyone is adding something to the experience of the market.

Shut Up and Sing! American political issues and music.

         For many years, the role of music in politics has been vital. The subliminal messages sent to people by the songs they listen to influence the opinions they hold and the choices they make, whether or not the people are aware of it. In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the role popular music played was no different than before. Music, especially Country, was at the forefront of the most recent political issue: the War on Terror.

         The Dixie Chicks were the American sweethearts of Country. In a genre that represents the iconic image of “America”, these girls were center-stage. Unfortunately for Natalie Maines, the freedom of speech nearly cost her and her fellow band mates their careers. At the time of their concert in London, American’s were debating whether or not they should fight the war on terror. While Country music was a supporter of the war, Natalie was not. In between songs she even said on a whim, “Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." She was right legally in every way to say what she said; however, several days later the response of the nation would become overwhelmingly vehement against the three young women. While Natalie used her freedom of speech to express her opinion of President Bush, many other Americans and Country singers, such as Toby Keith, used their freedoms to express their opinions against what she said.

         In the ensuing years the most appalling outcome of one sentence would possibly be the fact that Country music abandoned the Dixie Chicks and never looked back. Radio stations were boycotting their music; they failed to be nominated for any Country music awards, regardless of their eminent progress with five Grammy’s and the top-selling album of the year. The backlash of their fans was harsh. The way the media took hold of the story and manipulated it further and further, never allowing it to come to an end, was cruel. Yet, they persevered and continued making albums the way they wanted them without the expectations of their fans. The Dixie Chicks were used as an example to prevent further outbursts against the general opinion of the country. Even if someone’s opinion was different, it was best not to voice it. Artists would release songs that would encourage Americans to believe things that the artists themselves did not out of fear of losing their careers. The publicity the Dixie Chicks received, however, boosted their fan base; they traded one group of fans for another.

Artists that were not afraid of losing their fan base were able to make music stating their beliefs without any public backlash. Artists, such as Michael Franti & Spearhead, released songs, such as “Light Up Ya Lighter” in 2006, with confrontational lyrics that clearly describe the conflicts and truths behind the war that is really being fought. With the lyrics, “The war for oil is a war for the beast/The war on terror is a war on peace,” “Tell me President tell me if you will/How many people does a smart bomb kill?/How many of 'em do you think we got?/The General says, we never miss a shot,” music from the entire Yell Fire! Album was inspired by Franti’s trip to the Middle East in an effort to express the human cost of war. Franti even produced the movie I Know I’m Not Alone in an effort to communicate to several generations the cost of war to humans from the point of view of the people who were most affected, rather than through the media from the politicians sitting at a desk. At the same time as the War on Terror, the southern states were in shambles from Hurricane Katrina. In a televised event, an angry and outspoken Kanye West stated, “President Bush doesn’t like black people.” The uproar against the Dixie Chicks started from one sentence in a low-key concert in London, while to this day the majority of the public has yet no knowledge that Kanye declared the President a racist on national television.

The media behaves in a manipulative manner to sway the opinions of its audience. It uses artists as example to keep the ideals of people where they want them, as well as letting the people know only the information they want them to know. Music helps develop and change opinions with little consent from the mind that is being altered. The aftermath of September 11 did not change the way music related to political events; it merely voiced a connection that had long been ignored. 

The Four Fields of Music Making

PARTICIPATORY:
The song I chose for participatory is "With Everything" by Hillsong United (skip ahead to 5:10 to understand)

This song may not entirely fit into the category of participatory, partly because this is a recording. Yet, this song when performed live will always evoke similar responses. I was at my last night ever of being a camper at a place called "That Thing" during worship at night in an auditorium that was over 100 degrees fahrenheit packed full of people. This was one of the last songs the band played and the only part they played was the "oh's." At first most people were standing there wanting to leave, but as more people began to sing, dance, clap, smile, laugh, and cry, everyone in the room felt connected. It did not matter if you knew the person you were standing next to, what mattered is that you were there in the moment with the music connecting every single one of us together. Those moments when everyone in a place is connected through the music they are somehow involved with are indescribable. I could say it was exhilarating, but that is not enough. It may be that as I am a performer I am sometimes more in tune to the connections being made between audience and performer and eventually participants and potential participants.
The expectation with music like this is that everyone, every single human being present, is involved. Honestly, I believe the only limitation is the participants that fail to participate. The value of this kind of music is social bonding, making music with people you may not and never know or people you have always known. Once you have created a bond that way, it becomes difficult to lose it. The potential of this music is creating feelings of empowerment, joining together to make something beautiful is an extremely unique experience.


PRESENTATIONAL:
"Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae to represent presentational music.

"Bottom of the River" is a song that does an excellent job exemplifying presentational music, this song was made for listening. When performed the audience is captivated by the lyrics and talent and does not have the need to have a visual in order to keep the audience's attention. The expectations for this kind of music is that the music itself is enough to sustain the attention of the audience and to have a clear ending and beginning. This piece demonstrates that aspect well during live performances when the main reaction of the audience is to remain quiet and simply listen. The potential of presentational music is to create respect in the listener for the music being performed as well as elicit the appropriate response. Limitations in presentational music include the possibility of error made by the performers, which according to most western standards is little to be desired. The value in this kind of music is the familiarity that is present, this is the kind of music people listen to everyday; people all over the world are regularly exposed to presentational music.



HIGH-FIDELITY:
"Raise Your Weapon" by Deadmau5 (A Capella Cover) is the song I chose for High-Fidelity performance

High-fidelity performance music is generated in a studio by the studio engineer. The different instruments in the song are each recorded separately then later added together to create finished product,  the song is also just that, a product. The song I chose to represent this type of music is a cover done of a song by one guy and his sister. Although the real song is more of a Studio Art music type this version accurately shows the development of the layers of High-fidelity. The guy in this video has taken apart the songs and created separate tracks of him singing it and then later put them together to recreate the full song. The potential with high-fidelity music is that it can be manipulated into what the artist desires or what the mainstream general public desires. A limitation is that songs like this become more difficult to preform when the people who made the music do not rehearse it as often as other types. An expectation of this kind of music is that the sound quality will always be good, usually you purchase these songs, or that is the intention, and people expect to have a good sound in exchange for their money. A value of this kind of music is that is has the ability to make the listener believe that what they are listening to could be live.



STUDIO-AUDIO ART:
"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" by Skrillex is an example of Studio-Audio art music.

This song as well as many others that can be categorized into the techno/dubstep genres where the music is generated by sounds made with computers. This sound is unique to any other kind of music. The potential of studio-audio art is the growth available. This type of music is still relatively new and it has created new doors for artists to enter and discover. Limitations are that it can really only sound like itself. It will not sound like any other style or type of music, the limitations are what causes its growth it can only sound like itself and the sounds the computer can generate and nothing acoustic. The value of studio-audio art is the originality and creativity of it, people can admire it because it is something new and emerging on the scene. The expectations relate to the value, because it is something new and unique there is an expectation that it continue to sound like something that has never been heard before.

Finding Emotion and Meaning in Music.

JOY: "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire

Finding a song that somehow communicated the feeling of joy was actually the most difficult to decide on. The emotion of joy can be expressed in many different forms and it was hard to limit myself to one song. Honestly, I spent the majority if my time working on this assignment trying to pick one single song. In the end my result was "Wake Up". This is not going to be a typical song that expresses joy simply because the joy I find in it is through my experiences. I have an indexical relationship with this song due to always hearing it while driving through downtown with my friends at night. I clearly remember several times playing this song and having a good time, even when all we were doing was dancing in the parking lot of a mall and had security check us out. If this song was played at the beginning of our night, we were certain it was going to be a good one. 

ANGER: "Let it Die" by Foo Fighters

"Let it Die" represents anger to me from the sound of the music. Often people are slow to anger which is represented by the quiet and softness in the beginning of the song. After a good minute of soft simple music, more is added in showing the development of the anger as it continues to progress into the burst of sound that is suddenly harsher to the ears than it was before. The lyrics themselves in the song reiterate the emotion in the music, the repetitive words and accusatory and sarcastic tone give more insight into the anger present. The immediate change in the music catches the listeners attention, just as the immediate change in emotion would catch the attention of whoever is on the receiving end of the anger. 

SADNESS: "Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss

"Whiskey Lullaby" has a clear symbolic relation to sadness. The lyrics describe the relationship between a man and a woman as they went separate ways, yet the actions of one ultimately affected the other which in turn leaves them with the same result years later. The somber tone of the music creates and association with the listener to sadness with a connection to the lyrics and the story they tell. 

SEXUALITY: "If I Were A Boy" by Beyonce
The unique thing about this song is that is somewhat shows what it means both to be a woman and to be a man. The lyrics symbolize the doubt the woman has in the relationship and she goes on to describe all the things she would to if she was to be a man. She describes a man that is honest and caring, not one that cheats and is ungrateful. The song also shows the difference between boys and the real men, the real men understand what he needs to do to fix the mistakes he has made. While the boy will continue to make mistakes and not learn from them.

Family: "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros 

"Home" has been a song I have associated not only with my family, but also with my friends that are close to me like family. I recently had a friend, Iris, who was from Spain leave to go back home. While she was in America this song became one of her favorites, at her going away party I had recently begun learning how to play guitar and I decided to learn this song as my first one in order to play it for her as her going away gift. This song has a indexical relation to me partly through that experience. Not only can I sometimes relate to the relationship the two people in the song have together, but I can relate my relationships with my friends and family with it as well. The bond the people in the lyrics have is the bond I have with them. Home really is wherever I am with them, even if it includes using social media as our medium. 

Let's get past the introductions, shall we?

Hello, my name is Shannon. I'm from Fort Wayne, Indiana where everything is closed after Ten o'clock  PM. I went to Homestead where I was a member of the Color Guard. I am the oldest of three with two younger brothers. Almost my entire family lives throughout Michigan except for and Aunt and Uncle who live in Spain and my family who is in Indiana. I'm Scottish with and Irish first name and people often mix them up, so I will respond to MacKenzie sometimes if I am called that.

"Cough Syrup" by Young the Giant
This song I chose to describe Fort Wayne and growing up. I suppose most people have feelings similar to mine about where they are from, it is not that I hated Fort Wayne, it is that there was not anything there for me anymore. This song can be interpreted as he is getting high off of cough syrup, so do not get me wrong, I don't abuse any kind of drugs. To me the lyrics mean more than what they appear on the surface, the lyrics when taken piece by piece can be a sort of evaluation of the past several years of my life. Beginning with, "So I run now to the things they said could restore me/Restore life the way it should be," it takes me back to when my mom was first diagnosed with cancer, she is doing fine now, but at first things were really difficult I felt like the world I had always known was no more; which fits in with the lyrics, "I'm losing my mind losing my mind losing control." Few things have had as great an impact on my life as that, when the life I had known was beginning to fall through the cracks of my fingers like sand, I was desperate to find something, anything, that would remain constant. I've had this feeling for awhile that there is something more for me to do with my life outside of where I grew up, I know it's close, but it is just out of my reach. When he sings, "If I could find a way to see this straight/I'd run away/To some fortune that I should have found by now" I think of how once I know what I need to be doing, I will be ready for it. 

"All That I Am" by The Afters
 About a year ago I felt closer to God than I ever had before, I spent a week at a camp that really did change my life. My faith has been something I value since I can remember. I don't want to get into a deep discussion about my beliefs, but this song and the lyrics, "I know that You hear me when I say my prayers/I know that You're with me even when I'm all alone/When I close my eyes, You're calling me closer/When I pull away, You're pulling me closer," provide me with the reassurance that I sometimes need. 

"Love Will Save Your Soul" by Grouplove
I have always had a conflicting relationship with my parents. They haven't always been the most supportive of everything I do either. Sometimes I felt left out when my friends would have their parents there with them after events to congratulate them, yet mine would be with my brothers or at home. When the phrase "love will save your soul" begins to repeat in this song, I think of how even though things have not always been the best, as long as I keep thinking positively, then eventually it will all work out. 

"Footloose" by Kenny Loggins 
This song I chose because it always makes me want to dance. Dancing is something that I always love doing, as well as singing. I will sing about pretty much anything anywhere and make up my own songs on the spot. I will also dance to music up and down the grocery isle, yes, I am that person. When I dance though, I feel most comfortable with a group of people I know really well, or people that I do not know at all. Performing is something in general that I would not be able to imagine my life without. Wether it is acting, singing, dancing, or anything else, simply being in front of a crowd of people and captivating their attention is the most exhilarating experience one can have. 

"Sway Your Head" by We Shot The Moon
This is the last song that I feel like describes me well, or well enough. It has been hard to use songs to explain where I am from and who I am. Sway Your Head is a song that can always make me feel like I am prepared to conquer anything. The song is all about not giving up, continuing on, and believing in yourself. I am always ready to try just about everything, if I am not good at it at first then I will keep trying until I do get better. I am often driven and motivated to complete things, I have learned that in order to grow as a person you must always be ready to throw yourself out there, and idea I believe this song expresses well. 




This are the songs, or the best of the songs that I feel can somewhat explain me. I hope that after listening to these songs and reading my paragraphs that you have a better understanding of what makes me, me. 


Shannon MacKenzie