Review the anti IT-AM cartoons (video).
Recall the first, gut reactions when you first saw it. I insist on the 'emotional' responses, not the more cerebral and intellectual ones, which normally come later in the consciousness process.
Was it surprise, disgust, embarrassment, discomfort, incredulity - or maybe, pleasure, enjoyment?
(This is no moral test, just an effort to decipher our individual internal mechanisms of response.)
Click COMMENT and write CLEARLY, addressing the prompt.
LATER, return to add your REPLY to one or more comments left by your classmates.
After see the video, I was at first surprised by how racist people in America were to Italians at the time. Italians came from the same continent as many others from America at the time. Surprise then turned to discomfort about how wide spread these ideas about Italians were made to be made true at the time
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. Til this day it completely baffles me how a country built on colonialism has always had a issue with immigrants. This is clearly a reoccurring pattern in the U.S, and unfortunately it doesn't seem like its gonna go anywhere anytime soon.
DeleteMy initial gut reactions as I saw these cartoons were a overall sadness and disgust. It bothered me how easy it was to widely spread false propaganda just to force a unjust ideology onto society.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Its horrific to see that all sorts of media has power over how immigrants are seen, whether true or not. It is a constant reminder of how powerless immigrants are when they come to the United States and how much control they do not have in regards of how they are represented.
DeleteI felt a range of emotions throughout this video. But the emotions I felt the most was surprised, disgusted, and horrified. I learned a lot about the non-acceptance of Italian immigrants since the late 1880's. I did not know a lot of things about the treatment towards Italian immigrants until now. The media, the newspaper, was very influential and portrayed the Italian immigrants as animalistic, trash, and as nuisances. I am at a loss for words because this is the first time I have heard of these treatments and actions towards Italian immigrants.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is surprising to see how Italian Americans were treated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
DeleteI agree with you that the media is such a powerful thing and the fact that they used their power to change the views of many people living here spreading hate and disgust.
DeleteMy initial reaction was surprise because I didn't know that Italians encountered such hardships upon immigrating here. Comparing them to rats and monkeys is quite horrible. I feel like maybe this group of immigrants is less talked about compared to other groups, especially since many of us have Italian ancestry and its more accepted now. These videos are eye opening.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine the Italians they immigrated to the US later on, the way media depicted the Italians during the 1880s would only give the Italians who are coming to the US for the first time a hard time. Being treated as if they weren’t even human. As time went on, like you said, they are being more accepted now unlike before.
DeleteMy initial reaction was to be offended. Seeing as my family on my grandmothers side is Italian, it is disturbing to see images such as these.
ReplyDeletePartha Dey
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to this video was very surprising because I always thought that racism was just a certain group of people not liking another group of people because of their color. But seeing the Italian people who are now considered white people it is a very surprising thing that back then they have been discriminated against. This probably changed my thinking of racism that a certain group of people in power or in a majority does not like being threatened by a growing minority so they become racist and discriminate.
I would have never thought the Italians would have it rough immigrating the United States of América. The newspaper depicted the Italian immigrants as scum, a plague, a problem to the population. Creating cartoons to show the world what Italians are and act like when they might not even be true about all of them. My initial reaction was feeling disgusted, I truly felt sorry for the Italians when they first came to the US.
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ReplyDeleteAt first I was surprised. I thought just because Italian's are white that they wouldn't have a rough beginning, but then at the same time it wasn't so surprising because Americans tend to discriminate when something/someone is different. The reaction then didn't surprise me at all.
ReplyDeleteover all, i felt disappoint on how history repeats it self. seeing the images of Italian's were treatment hits home for me. as a Spanish american (Dominican) we are messed treat and discriminate basic of color-ism and appearances. nothing has changed over the years in this country a least. in my opinion , america seems to be heartless to those who are different and in a sense people forget on where they come from.
ReplyDeleteTo be very honest I was disgusted as a human being seeing the treatment of Italians and how they were viewed as rats. I think it is inhuman to depict any human in association with an animal or a rodent. Rodent is considered to be something to get rid of. These Italians were being wiped out and being treated as if they are some sort of dogs. No matter who you are, where you are from this sort of treatment should never be accepted and is not okay.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty funny
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