menace in society quotes
Caine: I thought killing those fools would make me feel good, but it really didn't make me feel anything. I just knew that I could kill somebody, and if I had to, I could do it again.
Ronnie: You need to be glad that you graduated from high school, and that you're alive at eighteen, and you need to do something with yourself before you end up like he did.
Caine: My father sold dope and my mother was a heroin addict. Moms and Pops were real popular in the neighborhood. They would always be giving parties for friends of theirs who just got out of jail or was on their way to jail. They only got married 'cause I was born. My pop sometimes worked as an electrician or a cab driver or a plumber, but his main job was selling drugs. Sometimes Mom would use 'em all up before he could even sell 'em. Then he'd have to beat her up. Growing up with parents like that, I heard a lot and I saw a lot. I caught on to the criminal life real quick. Instead of keeping me out of trouble, they turned me on to it.
Caine: You going to Kansas with this fool?
Sharif: Yeah, Caine. You should come too, man. I mean, you're not doing nothing out here but getting yourself in a lot of trouble. I know your grandmother would be happy.
Caine: Shit, I ain't going no place.
Mr. Butler: Being a black man in America isn't easy. The hunt is on, and you're the prey. All I'm saying is... All I'm saying is... Survive! All right?
Thursday 27 December 2007
Menace II Society
Menace II Society is a 1993 American film and the directorial debut of twin brothers Allen and Albert Hughes. The film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival and was released in the United States on May 28, 1993. The film gained notoriety for its frequent scenes of violence and crude language. Despite mixed reviews, however, Menace II Society was critically acclaimed for its gritty portrayal of urban violence and its powerful underlying messages.
The film takes place in Watts, a high crime district of Los Angeles, California, and follows the life of 18-year-old Caine "Kaydee" Lawson during a long summer after his high school graduation. Although he is a drug-dealer, Caine has a number of redeeming qualities; he lives with his loving grandparents, and with his recently completed high school education, has a number of doors open to him. He financially and emotionally supports a close female friend who is a single mother. Most of Caine's friends - in particular, the homicidally trigger-happy Kevin ("O-Dog") - all seem to be heading towards either jail or an early grave, and are threatening to take Caine with them.
The movie begins as a flustered Caine and his friend, O-Dog, flee the scene after a liquor store robbery. They are in the store to buy malt liquor before going to a party. The Korean shopkeeper and his wife are watching them with apparent unease. O-Dog is verbally abusive of the Korean couple and they demand he and Caine leave. The shopkeeper's parting comment about feeling sorry for O-Dog's mother causes O-Dog to shoot the man, killing him, and also his wife as a witness. O-Dog takes money from the cash register and steals the surveillance videotape. (He later watches it repeatedly, seemingly proud of his actions. He also doesn't hesitate to show it to his friends, ignoring Caine's warnings that it will get them both into trouble.)
In a flashback the audience learns that several years before the start of film, the drug epidemic has hit the Watts District hard, and Caine's father, Tat Lawson (Samuel L. Jackson), has made this his main source of income by selling heroin. His mother (Khandi Alexander), a heroin addict, is strung out most of the time, so a young Caine has no one to take care of him and is left to fend for himself in an unforgiving world of drugs, guns, and violence. Caine is given a handle on this form of societal decay by the ubiquitous Pernell, who becomes in a way Caine's "street" father, a replacement for his "real" father, who was killed during a drug deal when he was 10. It also is stated that his mother died of a drug overdose.
Years later, with Pernell in jail and his parents gone, Caine lives with his grandparents in Jordan Downs. He has just graduated from high school and is the proud recipient of a diploma. To celebrate, he and his cousin Harold head off to a party. The celebration quickly turns ugly as Harold (Saafir) and Caine are caught off guard ("caught slippin'") and are both shot during a carjacking for their car, a BMW. Fortunately, Caine is only shot in his shoulder, which causes him to go into shock. Harold isn't so lucky; a bullet enters his brain, killing him.
After receiving treatment for the shoulder injury, Caine is granted permission to go home. He is picked up by Ronnie, the ex-girlfriend and mother of Pernell's five-year-old son, Anthony, a boy who often reminds Caine of how he used to be when he was much younger. Caine develops a bond with the young child, forming a father-son relationship with him, much like the one he had with Pernell years before. This relationship - Caine, Ronnie, and Anthony - shows us a different side to our rather unconventional hero.
As the summer drags on, Caine becomes implicated in two additional murders, grand theft auto, and the acquisition of stolen goods: a registered car, rims, and jewelry that he robs from another youth. He's also learned that cops can be as "hard" as he can, but what sets them apart from him is that they have badges and guns, where he only has a gun. Caine winds up in the hospital after experiencing police brutality. Ronnie visits him during his recovery process, but with more on her mind than just a simple meet-up. She is worried about Caine, and would be less concerned if he were to come with her and Anthony to Atlanta, where she plans to work. She leaves him alone to think about her offer, and Caine reminisces on all that has happened to him, all that he's done, and all the things he'd ultimately end up doing if he stayed.
With Pernell's encouragement, Caine decides to go with Anthony and his mother. In the final scenes of the movie we see the gang, even O-Dog, taking Caine's belongings out of the rooms and into the van outside Ronnie's house. It's a beautiful day outside, the ice cream truck is making its rounds, and Anthony's trying out the new big wheel Caine just bought him. However, earlier in the film Caine had allegedly impregnated a girl named Ilena, and Ilena's cousin, angry from a beating by Caine over Caine's refusal to acknowledge his responsibility, drives past the house. As Caine and his friends are about to leave, Ilena's cousin and his buddies perform a drive-by shooting. Caine and Sharif are shot, Sharif dying instantly. Caine uses his body to protect Anthony from the bullets, and Caine dies in Stacey's arms.
CulTurAl ImpACt
While the movie was seen by fans as a gritty portrayal of urban strife, many critics of the movie felt that it actually glamorized the lifestyle.[citation needed] This was the exact opposite of what the directors had intended when making the movie. This movie, along with popular debut albums from Eazy-E and Compton's Most Wanted, helped to popularize the thug lifestyle idolized by a subset of Californian black youths in the early nineties.
The movie was largely successful due to the brilliant and realistic dialogue. It was also one of the first movies to use the regional slang and dialect of urban blacks in Los Angeles as opposed to the New York black slang and accent that dominated most of urban media. The film has also become known for its frequent crude and profane language. For example, the word "fuck" and it's derivatives are used 300 times in this 97-minute film[1]. There have been many references to the movie in pop culture. The most recent example is The Boondocks a japanese anime-influenced cartoon series written by Aaron McGruder currently airing on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The show has incorporated quotes from the movie into the dialogue of the character voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, in addition to that there is a parody of the interrogation scene in the the 3rd episode of the second season of The Boondocks entitled Thank You for Not Snitching. Also, on T.I.'s song King of da South from Trap Muzik he says "I've been a menace to society (since when) since Menace II Society." Another is on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, where on the Girls, Girls, Girls remix in the final track he says: "For now I get around, like the late Makaveli on Pirelli twenty inches, or Caine and O-Dog's stick-up tape from Menace." In another Jay-Z song, "Money, Cash, Hoes (Remix)" in Memphis Bleeks' verse he says "Wanna be a menace so you got Caine in you, I put them thangs in you". In the song "High All the Time", 50 Cent raps about being a role model where he says "sippin' Guinness watching Menace and Oh Lord, have a young nigga buckin shit like he O-Dog." Similarly in "New York", The Game raps "it's the sequel to Menace and Oh Lord he done went O-Dog". Also in The Alchemist Hold You Down (The Alchemist song) on Prodigy verse he says When it comes to teks, I'm similar to a menace,Like Ol' Dog sniffin caine couldn't fuck with the damage .In Jim Jones video for his song "Certified Gangstas", he and rapper The Game have an exact word for word conversation with the Asian owners of a liquor store, just as O-Dog and Caine in the first scene in the movie.
Menace II Society is a 1993 American film and the directorial debut of twin brothers Allen and Albert Hughes. The film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival and was released in the United States on May 28, 1993. The film gained notoriety for its frequent scenes of violence and crude language. Despite mixed reviews, however, Menace II Society was critically acclaimed for its gritty portrayal of urban violence and its powerful underlying messages.
The film takes place in Watts, a high crime district of Los Angeles, California, and follows the life of 18-year-old Caine "Kaydee" Lawson during a long summer after his high school graduation. Although he is a drug-dealer, Caine has a number of redeeming qualities; he lives with his loving grandparents, and with his recently completed high school education, has a number of doors open to him. He financially and emotionally supports a close female friend who is a single mother. Most of Caine's friends - in particular, the homicidally trigger-happy Kevin ("O-Dog") - all seem to be heading towards either jail or an early grave, and are threatening to take Caine with them.
The movie begins as a flustered Caine and his friend, O-Dog, flee the scene after a liquor store robbery. They are in the store to buy malt liquor before going to a party. The Korean shopkeeper and his wife are watching them with apparent unease. O-Dog is verbally abusive of the Korean couple and they demand he and Caine leave. The shopkeeper's parting comment about feeling sorry for O-Dog's mother causes O-Dog to shoot the man, killing him, and also his wife as a witness. O-Dog takes money from the cash register and steals the surveillance videotape. (He later watches it repeatedly, seemingly proud of his actions. He also doesn't hesitate to show it to his friends, ignoring Caine's warnings that it will get them both into trouble.)
In a flashback the audience learns that several years before the start of film, the drug epidemic has hit the Watts District hard, and Caine's father, Tat Lawson (Samuel L. Jackson), has made this his main source of income by selling heroin. His mother (Khandi Alexander), a heroin addict, is strung out most of the time, so a young Caine has no one to take care of him and is left to fend for himself in an unforgiving world of drugs, guns, and violence. Caine is given a handle on this form of societal decay by the ubiquitous Pernell, who becomes in a way Caine's "street" father, a replacement for his "real" father, who was killed during a drug deal when he was 10. It also is stated that his mother died of a drug overdose.
Years later, with Pernell in jail and his parents gone, Caine lives with his grandparents in Jordan Downs. He has just graduated from high school and is the proud recipient of a diploma. To celebrate, he and his cousin Harold head off to a party. The celebration quickly turns ugly as Harold (Saafir) and Caine are caught off guard ("caught slippin'") and are both shot during a carjacking for their car, a BMW. Fortunately, Caine is only shot in his shoulder, which causes him to go into shock. Harold isn't so lucky; a bullet enters his brain, killing him.
After receiving treatment for the shoulder injury, Caine is granted permission to go home. He is picked up by Ronnie, the ex-girlfriend and mother of Pernell's five-year-old son, Anthony, a boy who often reminds Caine of how he used to be when he was much younger. Caine develops a bond with the young child, forming a father-son relationship with him, much like the one he had with Pernell years before. This relationship - Caine, Ronnie, and Anthony - shows us a different side to our rather unconventional hero.
As the summer drags on, Caine becomes implicated in two additional murders, grand theft auto, and the acquisition of stolen goods: a registered car, rims, and jewelry that he robs from another youth. He's also learned that cops can be as "hard" as he can, but what sets them apart from him is that they have badges and guns, where he only has a gun. Caine winds up in the hospital after experiencing police brutality. Ronnie visits him during his recovery process, but with more on her mind than just a simple meet-up. She is worried about Caine, and would be less concerned if he were to come with her and Anthony to Atlanta, where she plans to work. She leaves him alone to think about her offer, and Caine reminisces on all that has happened to him, all that he's done, and all the things he'd ultimately end up doing if he stayed.
With Pernell's encouragement, Caine decides to go with Anthony and his mother. In the final scenes of the movie we see the gang, even O-Dog, taking Caine's belongings out of the rooms and into the van outside Ronnie's house. It's a beautiful day outside, the ice cream truck is making its rounds, and Anthony's trying out the new big wheel Caine just bought him. However, earlier in the film Caine had allegedly impregnated a girl named Ilena, and Ilena's cousin, angry from a beating by Caine over Caine's refusal to acknowledge his responsibility, drives past the house. As Caine and his friends are about to leave, Ilena's cousin and his buddies perform a drive-by shooting. Caine and Sharif are shot, Sharif dying instantly. Caine uses his body to protect Anthony from the bullets, and Caine dies in Stacey's arms.
CulTurAl ImpACt
While the movie was seen by fans as a gritty portrayal of urban strife, many critics of the movie felt that it actually glamorized the lifestyle.[citation needed] This was the exact opposite of what the directors had intended when making the movie. This movie, along with popular debut albums from Eazy-E and Compton's Most Wanted, helped to popularize the thug lifestyle idolized by a subset of Californian black youths in the early nineties.
The movie was largely successful due to the brilliant and realistic dialogue. It was also one of the first movies to use the regional slang and dialect of urban blacks in Los Angeles as opposed to the New York black slang and accent that dominated most of urban media. The film has also become known for its frequent crude and profane language. For example, the word "fuck" and it's derivatives are used 300 times in this 97-minute film[1]. There have been many references to the movie in pop culture. The most recent example is The Boondocks a japanese anime-influenced cartoon series written by Aaron McGruder currently airing on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The show has incorporated quotes from the movie into the dialogue of the character voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, in addition to that there is a parody of the interrogation scene in the the 3rd episode of the second season of The Boondocks entitled Thank You for Not Snitching. Also, on T.I.'s song King of da South from Trap Muzik he says "I've been a menace to society (since when) since Menace II Society." Another is on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, where on the Girls, Girls, Girls remix in the final track he says: "For now I get around, like the late Makaveli on Pirelli twenty inches, or Caine and O-Dog's stick-up tape from Menace." In another Jay-Z song, "Money, Cash, Hoes (Remix)" in Memphis Bleeks' verse he says "Wanna be a menace so you got Caine in you, I put them thangs in you". In the song "High All the Time", 50 Cent raps about being a role model where he says "sippin' Guinness watching Menace and Oh Lord, have a young nigga buckin shit like he O-Dog." Similarly in "New York", The Game raps "it's the sequel to Menace and Oh Lord he done went O-Dog". Also in The Alchemist Hold You Down (The Alchemist song) on Prodigy verse he says When it comes to teks, I'm similar to a menace,Like Ol' Dog sniffin caine couldn't fuck with the damage .In Jim Jones video for his song "Certified Gangstas", he and rapper The Game have an exact word for word conversation with the Asian owners of a liquor store, just as O-Dog and Caine in the first scene in the movie.
Wednesday 26 December 2007
Quotes from: teen movies: American youth on screen by Timothy Shary.
page one:
movies would be the most influential entertainment medium in the world shaping cultural notions about history, behaviour and values. This profound influence was used to convey emotions, sway opinions ad represent social groups in both sincere and stereotypical terms.
page two:
As with the depiction of any minority group in the media, a question of motivation must be raised: does the industry depict the minorities to fulfil the expectations of the majority, to appeal to the minority or a balance of both?
Hollywood and independent studios systematically developed different youth sub genres to depict an increasing diverse array of teen experiences.
Page three:
teen films, like successive generations of teenagers themselves, have grown up and changed with the times, testing their boundaries, exploring their potential and seeking new identities. indeed the study of teen films reveals the evolving maturity of our culture.
page six:
more often, films about teenagers in the 1920's were designed to exploit adult fears about youth rather then appeal to real youth interests.
page one:
movies would be the most influential entertainment medium in the world shaping cultural notions about history, behaviour and values. This profound influence was used to convey emotions, sway opinions ad represent social groups in both sincere and stereotypical terms.
page two:
As with the depiction of any minority group in the media, a question of motivation must be raised: does the industry depict the minorities to fulfil the expectations of the majority, to appeal to the minority or a balance of both?
Hollywood and independent studios systematically developed different youth sub genres to depict an increasing diverse array of teen experiences.
Page three:
teen films, like successive generations of teenagers themselves, have grown up and changed with the times, testing their boundaries, exploring their potential and seeking new identities. indeed the study of teen films reveals the evolving maturity of our culture.
page six:
more often, films about teenagers in the 1920's were designed to exploit adult fears about youth rather then appeal to real youth interests.
Sir Trevor MacDonald
Renowned broadcaster and first UK black TV news anchorman
Born in Trinidad in 1939, Trevor worked in various aspects of the media including local newspapers, radio and television. He joined the Caribbean regional service of the BBC World Service in 1960 as a producer, before moving to London at the end of that decade to work for the corporation (BBC Radio, London).
Born in Trinidad in 1939, Trevor worked in various aspects of the media including local newspapers, radio and television. He joined the Caribbean regional service of the BBC World Service in 1960 as a producer, before moving to London at the end of that decade to work for the corporation (BBC Radio, London).
Moving to Independent Television News (ITN) in 1973, he rose steadily through the ranks. He's served as news, sports and diplomatic correspondent before moving on to become diplomatic editor and newscaster. Twice voted Newscaster of the year, McDonald is perceived as the face of ITN after years of fronting its flagship 'News at Ten' bulletin.
An accomplished journalist, he has penned several books including autobiographies on cricketers Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards. His own biography, 'Fortunate Circumstances', was published in 1993.
Once viewed as the best-spoken person in the country and was reported to have fronted a two-year inquiry into the state of language learning. It warned that government education policy failed to teach pupils the necessary language skills needed for later life.
In 1992 he received an OBE in the Queen's Honours List, and received a knighthood in 1999. He continues to be the anchor for the News at Ten, and presents Tonight with Trevor McDonald, which was launched in 1999.
"Coach Carter" has a good lesson about high school sports and the value of education, but it sends a mixed message about teen pregnancy and how an abortion can solve that problem quickly. It also shows that the coach is a good role model, but he does use a good bit of profanity when he gets angry with the kids he is coaching. Still the overall message is a good one and makes "Coach Carter" both entertaining and informative.
http://www.jackiekcooper.com/MovieReviews/MovieArchive/CoachCarter.htm
http://www.jackiekcooper.com/MovieReviews/MovieArchive/CoachCarter.htm
"Coach Carter"
A high school basketball movie that's not a bunch of dribble!
By Stephanie Zacharek
Jan 14, 2005 The idea of a high school basketball coach who benches the whole team for getting lousy grades -- as real-life coach Ken Carter, of Richmond, Calif., did in the late '90s -- sounds like a dream come true for manly-man cultural conservatives, the sort who like to grumble that the misguided youth of America just need a little discipline, dammit.
But even though schoolwork should take precedence over sports for student athletes, all that bullying pulpit-thumping is more of a turnoff for kids (and for plenty of grown-ups) than schoolwork itself. What's more, while the Ken Carters of the world really do make a difference, in their communities and beyond, once they're turned into movie subjects they usually come off as deadeningly square -- like walking public service announcements for that maddeningly vague yet undeniably important concept known as self-esteem.
And yet somehow "Coach Carter," which is based on the story of Ken Carter, avoids that trap. The movie has problems: At some two hours and 15 minutes long, it not only belabors some of its points but tacks on a few extra ones just for good measure. This isn't a ponderous movie, but its sheer length sometimes makes it feel like one -- it would pack more of a wallop if it were shorter and sharper. But "Coach Carter" is also one of those highly effective conventional pictures that remind us that conventionality isn't always a bad thing. There's a reason the "To Sir With Love"-style role-model picture has become a fixture; even when we know these movies are bad, we often feel stirred by them.
"Coach Carter" contains all the usual ingredients of such pictures (including at least one "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" speech, a requirement of the genre), but it's also intelligent and scrappy. What's more, Carter's treatment of social issues -- not least among them that eternal hot button, teen pregnancy -- is more progressive than anything I've seen at the movies in years. In that respect, "Coach Carter," a picture straight outta Hollywood, puts smug, cutesy little indies like "Saved" to shame.
Carter is played by Samuel L. Jackson, who seems well aware of the dangers of playing a role model: Instead of trying to defy the stereotype, he plays into it for its entertainment value. Carter, a successful businessman who owns several sporting-goods stores and is never seen in anything but gorgeously tailored suits, is an alumnus of Richmond High School, a down-at-the-heels city public school with a high dropout rate. A former star basketball player for the school, he has been lured back to coach its current team, a job that requires long hours for not much pay. The first day he faces his team -- a racially mixed but largely African-American group of kids who, of course, immediately begin testing him -- he stares them down with a glare in his eyes that's almost as fierce as the gleam of his elegantly shaved pate: "If practice starts at 3, you're late at 2:55." Coach Carter's ass is clearly as hard as his head.
Even so, there's something a little mischievous about Jackson's drill sergeant bit. He takes the role of Carter seriously without taking himself seriously, which is perhaps the key to playing this kind of character without making him insufferable. And so even though you'll be able to guess ahead of time most of what happens in "Coach Carter," there's still pleasure to be had in watching the way Jackson interacts with the younger actors (among them Antwon Tanner as "Worm," an incorrigibly charming cutup who's a hit with the ladies, and Rob Brown, who played the young writer in "Finding Forrester," who gives a fine performance here). Coach Carter takes some tacks that are predictable (like lecturing the guys on why they shouldn't use the term "nigga") and others that are less so: While he expects them to address him as "sir," he also insists on addressing each of them as "sir" -- because, as he explains, "'sir' is a term of respect, and you will have my respect until you lose it."
At the start of his tenure as coach, Carter makes each kid on the team sign a contract, promising that he'll maintain at minimum a 2.3 grade-point average (and also that he'll wear a jacket and tie to school on game days). And when, predictably, several of the players dip below that average, Carter keeps his word and locks the gym, jeopardizing the team's extremely good chances at winning the state championship -- they can't win if they can't play.
A high school basketball movie that's not a bunch of dribble!
By Stephanie Zacharek
Jan 14, 2005 The idea of a high school basketball coach who benches the whole team for getting lousy grades -- as real-life coach Ken Carter, of Richmond, Calif., did in the late '90s -- sounds like a dream come true for manly-man cultural conservatives, the sort who like to grumble that the misguided youth of America just need a little discipline, dammit.
But even though schoolwork should take precedence over sports for student athletes, all that bullying pulpit-thumping is more of a turnoff for kids (and for plenty of grown-ups) than schoolwork itself. What's more, while the Ken Carters of the world really do make a difference, in their communities and beyond, once they're turned into movie subjects they usually come off as deadeningly square -- like walking public service announcements for that maddeningly vague yet undeniably important concept known as self-esteem.
And yet somehow "Coach Carter," which is based on the story of Ken Carter, avoids that trap. The movie has problems: At some two hours and 15 minutes long, it not only belabors some of its points but tacks on a few extra ones just for good measure. This isn't a ponderous movie, but its sheer length sometimes makes it feel like one -- it would pack more of a wallop if it were shorter and sharper. But "Coach Carter" is also one of those highly effective conventional pictures that remind us that conventionality isn't always a bad thing. There's a reason the "To Sir With Love"-style role-model picture has become a fixture; even when we know these movies are bad, we often feel stirred by them.
"Coach Carter" contains all the usual ingredients of such pictures (including at least one "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" speech, a requirement of the genre), but it's also intelligent and scrappy. What's more, Carter's treatment of social issues -- not least among them that eternal hot button, teen pregnancy -- is more progressive than anything I've seen at the movies in years. In that respect, "Coach Carter," a picture straight outta Hollywood, puts smug, cutesy little indies like "Saved" to shame.
Carter is played by Samuel L. Jackson, who seems well aware of the dangers of playing a role model: Instead of trying to defy the stereotype, he plays into it for its entertainment value. Carter, a successful businessman who owns several sporting-goods stores and is never seen in anything but gorgeously tailored suits, is an alumnus of Richmond High School, a down-at-the-heels city public school with a high dropout rate. A former star basketball player for the school, he has been lured back to coach its current team, a job that requires long hours for not much pay. The first day he faces his team -- a racially mixed but largely African-American group of kids who, of course, immediately begin testing him -- he stares them down with a glare in his eyes that's almost as fierce as the gleam of his elegantly shaved pate: "If practice starts at 3, you're late at 2:55." Coach Carter's ass is clearly as hard as his head.
Even so, there's something a little mischievous about Jackson's drill sergeant bit. He takes the role of Carter seriously without taking himself seriously, which is perhaps the key to playing this kind of character without making him insufferable. And so even though you'll be able to guess ahead of time most of what happens in "Coach Carter," there's still pleasure to be had in watching the way Jackson interacts with the younger actors (among them Antwon Tanner as "Worm," an incorrigibly charming cutup who's a hit with the ladies, and Rob Brown, who played the young writer in "Finding Forrester," who gives a fine performance here). Coach Carter takes some tacks that are predictable (like lecturing the guys on why they shouldn't use the term "nigga") and others that are less so: While he expects them to address him as "sir," he also insists on addressing each of them as "sir" -- because, as he explains, "'sir' is a term of respect, and you will have my respect until you lose it."
At the start of his tenure as coach, Carter makes each kid on the team sign a contract, promising that he'll maintain at minimum a 2.3 grade-point average (and also that he'll wear a jacket and tie to school on game days). And when, predictably, several of the players dip below that average, Carter keeps his word and locks the gym, jeopardizing the team's extremely good chances at winning the state championship -- they can't win if they can't play.
Sunday 23 December 2007
HeLpFuL qUoTEs.....BoYz N thE hooD
Furious Styles: Why is it that there is a gun shop on almost every corner in this community?
The Old Man: Why?
Furious Styles: I'll tell you why. For the same reason that there is a liquor store on almost every corner in the black community. Why? They want us to kill ourselves.[Furious has shot at a burglar]
Furious: Somebody must have been praying for that fool, cause I swear I aimed right for his head.
Tre Age 10: You should have blew it off.
Furious Styles: Don't say that. Don't say that. Just would've contributed to the killing of another brother.
Doughboy: We got a problem here? We got a problem, nigga? [Ferris and gang take a step back]
Ferris: Put the gun away, nigga.
Female Club Member: Can we have one night where there ain't no fightin'; nobody gets shot?
Furious Styles: [referring to drug epidemic] I know every time you turn on the TV thats what you see, Black People, pushing the rock, selling the rock, that's what you see. But see that wasn't a problem as long as it was here [referring to Compton, Watts, other Black ghettos]
Doughboy: Trey, your pops is like mothafuckin Malcolm... Farrakhan.
HeLpFuL qUoTeS!....CoAcH cArtER
- Coach Ken Carter: (to the people in attendance at the board hearing)
You really need to consider the message you're sending this boys by ending the lockout. It's the same message that we as a culture send to our professional athletes; and that is that they are above the law. If these boys cannot honor the simple rules of a basketball contract, how long do you think it will be before they're out there breaking the law? I played ball here at Richmond High 30 years ago. It was the same thing then; some of my teammates went to prison, some of them even ended up dead. If you vote to end the lockout, you won't have to terminate me; I'll quit.
l came to coach basketball players, and you became students. l came to teach boys, and you became men.
- It begins on the street. It ends here. tagline
- In this state you're 80% more likely to go to prison than college.
"This is our time, not theirs""I came to teach boys and you became men""I see a system that's designed for you to fail""You're here because you deserve this, but just 'cause you deserve this don't mean they're going to give it to you"
http://www.theredrighthand.co.uk/7coachcarter.html
Saturday 22 December 2007
http://bilansblog.blogspot.com/
" If he's gonna kill me why shouldn't i kill him?/ If he's gonna do me why shouldn't i do him?" 2This quote epitomises this as "Bullet Boy" heavily features the abuse balck males inflict on themselves.The way black males are represented in the media, or the way the black males represent themselves, for instance, the way Rap and Hip Hop and UK Garage stars glomourise the gangster life style and glorify gun crime. This sort of represenatation has lead to people thinking that the young black males of our society have no real role models.
Black Representation and Urban Policy - Albert Karning
Black Looks : Race and Representation- Bell Hooks
Black and White Media: Black Images in Popular Film and Television- Karen Ross
http://afgen.com/black_nationalist_theory.html
http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/08_august/05/trouble.shtml
" If he's gonna kill me why shouldn't i kill him?/ If he's gonna do me why shouldn't i do him?" 2This quote epitomises this as "Bullet Boy" heavily features the abuse balck males inflict on themselves.The way black males are represented in the media, or the way the black males represent themselves, for instance, the way Rap and Hip Hop and UK Garage stars glomourise the gangster life style and glorify gun crime. This sort of represenatation has lead to people thinking that the young black males of our society have no real role models.
Black Representation and Urban Policy - Albert Karning
Black Looks : Race and Representation- Bell Hooks
Black and White Media: Black Images in Popular Film and Television- Karen Ross
http://afgen.com/black_nationalist_theory.html
http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/08_august/05/trouble.shtml
Stan cohen.....Folk devils and moral panics
showed how agents of social control, particularly the police, 'amplified' deviance. They also demonstrated the media's rôle in this process and thus started to draw attention to the ideological rôle of the media in actively constructing meanings, rather than merely 'reflecting' some supposedly shared reality.
This approach was then developed by the Marxist critics of the media. Such studies were used to demonstrate how the media helped to avoid wider conflict in society by focusing our attention on the supposedly deviant behaviour of outsider groups, including youth 'gangs', 'welfare scroungers', trade union 'militants' and so on. By focusing attention in this way the media, it was claimed, contribute to creating and underpinning the social consensus on our society's core values. That view is well summarised below by Fowler:
Law and public opinion stipulate that there are many ideas and behaviours which are to be condemned as outside the pale of consensus: people who practise such behaviours are branded as 'subversives', 'perverts', 'dissidents', 'trouble-makers', etc. Such people are subjected to marginalization or repression; and the contradiction returns, because consensus decrees that there are some people outside the consensus. The 'we' of consensus narrows and hardens into a population which sees its interests as culturally and economically valid, but as threatened by a 'them' comprising a motley of antagonistic sectional groups: not only criminals but also trade unionists, homosexuals, teachers, blacks, foreigners, northerner, and so on.
Fowler (1991)
http://www.cultsock.ndirect.co.uk/MUHome/cshtml/index.html
Stan Cohen was the first theorist to address this prejudice towards the teen, his study of the Mods and Rockers in the 1960’s, led to the infamous ‘Folk Devils and Morale Panic’ theory. Cohen believed that young teens were presented in an unfair, negative way, and he perceived this societal indifference towards the teen and the government’s failure at controlling them, as "a condition, episode, person or group of persons [who] become defined as a threat to societal values and interests."
showed how agents of social control, particularly the police, 'amplified' deviance. They also demonstrated the media's rôle in this process and thus started to draw attention to the ideological rôle of the media in actively constructing meanings, rather than merely 'reflecting' some supposedly shared reality.
This approach was then developed by the Marxist critics of the media. Such studies were used to demonstrate how the media helped to avoid wider conflict in society by focusing our attention on the supposedly deviant behaviour of outsider groups, including youth 'gangs', 'welfare scroungers', trade union 'militants' and so on. By focusing attention in this way the media, it was claimed, contribute to creating and underpinning the social consensus on our society's core values. That view is well summarised below by Fowler:
Law and public opinion stipulate that there are many ideas and behaviours which are to be condemned as outside the pale of consensus: people who practise such behaviours are branded as 'subversives', 'perverts', 'dissidents', 'trouble-makers', etc. Such people are subjected to marginalization or repression; and the contradiction returns, because consensus decrees that there are some people outside the consensus. The 'we' of consensus narrows and hardens into a population which sees its interests as culturally and economically valid, but as threatened by a 'them' comprising a motley of antagonistic sectional groups: not only criminals but also trade unionists, homosexuals, teachers, blacks, foreigners, northerner, and so on.
Fowler (1991)
http://www.cultsock.ndirect.co.uk/MUHome/cshtml/index.html
Stan Cohen was the first theorist to address this prejudice towards the teen, his study of the Mods and Rockers in the 1960’s, led to the infamous ‘Folk Devils and Morale Panic’ theory. Cohen believed that young teens were presented in an unfair, negative way, and he perceived this societal indifference towards the teen and the government’s failure at controlling them, as "a condition, episode, person or group of persons [who] become defined as a threat to societal values and interests."
Boyz n the Hood (1991)
Research a historical text that you can use to compare with your contemporary one (that is the main focus of your study). By 'historical' it is meant anything pre-1990 but the 40s, 50s, 60s or even 70s might be more fruitful because they pre-date many of the important changes that have occurred recently (such as the gains for women as a result of feminism). The purpose here is to be able to demonstrate how society has changed over the years and how these changes are reflected in different media texts.
Boyz n the Hood is an Oscar-nominated 1991 film directed by John Singleton. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Regina King, Nia Long, and Morris Chestnut, the film depicts life in crime-ridden South Central (now South) Los Angeles, California, and was filmed and released shortly before the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. It was nominated for both Best Director and Original Screenplay during the 1991 Academy Awards, making John Singleton the youngest person ever nominated for Best Director and the first African-American to be nominated for the award.
In 2002, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. This film ranked number eight on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Fifty Best High School Movies.
Plot summary
The story begins in 1984 with 10-year-old Tre Styles and three other youths heading to school, during which they come across a crime scene. At school, Tre misbehaves and receives a three-day suspension after fighting with a classmate. In a phone conversation Tre's mother, Reva (Angela Bassett), seems angry at the white schoolteacher on the telephone yet is also tired of Tre's disobedience. She decides to send him back to the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles to live with his father, Jason "Furious" Styles (Laurence Fishburne). Furious instructs Tre on his household responsibilities, which include cleaning and taking care of the house. Although these tasks seem unfair and harsh to Tre, Furious explains that learning responsibility will make Tre a man and keep him from ending up dead or in jail. During his first night in his new home, Tre has his first experience with gunfire.
A college USC recruiter visits Ricky one night for an interview; Brenda kicks Doughboy and his friends out onto the porch where they discuss college and girls. Meanwhile, the recruiter promises Ricky a berth at USC if he earns a minimum SAT score of 700.
Ricky struggles during the test, looking to Tre for help, and seems unsure of passing. Later that day, Tre and Ricky visit Furious at his job. Furious drives the boys to Compton and lectures them and a group of Compton citizens on gentrification, explaining how violence and drugs divide the black community by decreasing property values, allowing real estate companies to buy the land cheaply from black residents and sell it at a profit to developers. The influx of white investment money raises property values and taxes, pushing out the remaining old residents in the process. Furious tells the crowd that the rest of the nation will not help the urban poor because they are not personally affected by the violence -- the blacks must rely on themselves to end the cycle of violence plaguing the neighborhoods.
That night in Crenshaw Ricky is provoked by Ferris, a local gang leader, and Doughboy pulls out his pistol to defend his brother and the scene degenerates into gunfire, though nobody is hurt. While speeding away from the scene, Tre and Ricky are pulled over by the LAPD. One officer is the same officer who had responded to Furious's emergency burglary call in 1984. He is a hateful African-American cop who, fully enjoying the power his badge allows him, shoves a gun in Tre's face and asks him what he will do about it. On the verge of tears Tre arrives late to Brandi's house; later that night they sleep together.
The next day, Ricky, annoyed when his girlfriend tells him to go get a box of cornmeal, gets into a fight with Doughboy. Brenda rushes to Ricky's aid while neglecting Doughboy, even slapping him, further amplifying that she values Ricky and his impending scholarship more than Doughboy. (At this time, Ricky's SAT scores are delivered by a sunglasses-wearing mailman, but we do not see the results until later.) Ricky and Tre head to the grocery store, but they are spotted by Ferris and his gang. In an attempt to escape, Ricky and Tre split up. As Ferris and his crew drive around to catch the two, they drive by Ricky's and Doughboy's house- where Doughboy realizes they are after someone. Then he remembers the incident between Ferris and his brother and rushes to his car with Dookie, Monster, and Lil Chris behind him in an attempt to get to Ricky and Tre before Ferris does. However, Ferris and his crew spot Ricky alone walking towards them with his head down. After walking towards the car not paying attention Ricky then tries to run in the opposite direction. A man rolls down the window and shoots Ricky in the leg and abdomen, killing him. He dies in Tre's arms while Doughboy, Monster, Chris and Dookie arrive at the scene too late. His body is taken home by Doughboy and his crew. Brenda becomes hysterical upon seeing Ricky's body and immediately blames Doughboy, who tries to comfort her but is rebuffed. Later on that night Brenda sobs over Ricky's test results; he earned a 710, just enough to qualify for the scholarship.
Doughboy, Dookie, Monster, and Tre vow revenge on the enemy gang; Tre tells Doughboy to meet him at his house in five minutes. Furious comes home to find Tre covered in Ricky's blood and holding his .357 Magnum pistol, seemingly ready to go shoot someone. He convinces Tre to put the weapon down but Tre escapes out his bedroom window to join Doughboy and the gang as they drive off in search for the killers in Doughboy's low-rider. That night as they are driving around, Tre changes his mind and decides to leave, getting out of the car; Doughboy accepts Tre's decision quietly. Later the gang finds Ricky's murderers and Monster guns them down drive-by style with an AK-47. Doughboy gets out of the car and shoots one of the injured gang members in the back, killing him. As a wounded Ferris begs for his life and screams that he wasn't personally responsible for Ricky's murder, Doughboy pauses for a moment before shooting him. Monster and Dookie proceed to shout at Doughboy telling him to hurry up in case police arrive. Tre, meanwhile, returns home where he and Furious exchange a quiet look. Saying nothing, Furious leaves the room.
The next morning Doughboy tells Tre that he understands Tre's decision to leave the car before the shooting, and that he knows he might be killed soon. Doughboy seems to have changed, realizing that his drug dealing and crime played a part in the ongoing violence in the ghetto; nevertheless, he recognizes that Ricky's death was senseless even in the context of their world. He also seems resigned to his fate and despondent about the overall situation in the neighborhood and his perception of societal indifference, stating "either they don't know, don't show, or don't care about what's goin' on in the hood." Before the credits roll it is mentioned that Doughboy is murdered two weeks after Ricky's funeral, and that both Tre and Brandi go on to college, "across the way" from one another at Morehouse College and Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.
ThEmEs!
One theme is the benefit of a strong father figure on young black males. As Furious tells Tre: "Any fool with a dick can make a baby, but only a real man can raise his children". Of Tre, Ricky, and Doughboy, only Tre's father is present in his everyday life (Ricky and Doughboy, though brothers, have different fathers). He leads a very different life than his two friends because of his father's guidance. His decisions, especially not to partake in the revenge of Ricky's death, happen because of the morals instilled in him.
The film also deals largely with the seemingly unstoppable violence that plagues urban life. It is set in South Central Los Angeles, where Tre's father owns a house. The neighborhood is a violent one; the sounds of shootings and patrolling helicopters are heard often and even something as common as a passing car can mean death. The police that patrol the neighborhood seem indifferent to the notion of preventing crime. Early in the film Furious frightens off a would-be thief with the pistol he keeps in a night table next to his bed. The police, arriving an hour after Furious' call, do not seem concerned about the effect of the crime on the people they are supposed to protect. Additionally, the African American officer possesses a combative personality and has a tense exchange with Furious about the proper execution of his job. (As a teenager, Tre is pulled over by the same policeman while fleeing gunfire on Crenshaw Avenue and the officer threatens him with his pistol, an act of police misconduct. This officer was based on a black officer encountered by John Singleton while growing up in South Central Los Angeles.) The officer's remarks to Tre's father at the beginning of the film (the officer wishes Furious's shot would've killed the man) show a belief that law enforcement is lazy and corrupt.
Tre also grapples with the moral implications of teenage sexuality. As a young man, and due no doubt to peer pressure, it is important to lose one's virginity. Tre's girlfriend, Brandi, has strongly resisted Tre's demands to have sex with her, mostly due to her own beliefs as a Catholic. It is clear that Tre has no wish to follow the path of Ricky, who fathered a son with his own girlfriend. Additionally, Tre's father gives him a tough lecture on the responsibilities and perils of becoming sexually active after Tre tells him a fabricated story about his first instance of sexual intercourse. The conversation arose from an off-handed remark by Tre about his future children, which causes some anxiety in his father who does not want to become a grandfather in his mid-30s.
The main theme in the movie is to "increase the peace" and is shown at the closing credits, as well as being hinted in the beginning segment when the audience is presented with a "STOP" sign.
Other themes present but not covered as extensively include gentrification of poor neighborhoods, drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, equality in college admission, and cultural bias in standardized testing.
Research a historical text that you can use to compare with your contemporary one (that is the main focus of your study). By 'historical' it is meant anything pre-1990 but the 40s, 50s, 60s or even 70s might be more fruitful because they pre-date many of the important changes that have occurred recently (such as the gains for women as a result of feminism). The purpose here is to be able to demonstrate how society has changed over the years and how these changes are reflected in different media texts.
Boyz n the Hood is an Oscar-nominated 1991 film directed by John Singleton. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Regina King, Nia Long, and Morris Chestnut, the film depicts life in crime-ridden South Central (now South) Los Angeles, California, and was filmed and released shortly before the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. It was nominated for both Best Director and Original Screenplay during the 1991 Academy Awards, making John Singleton the youngest person ever nominated for Best Director and the first African-American to be nominated for the award.
In 2002, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. This film ranked number eight on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Fifty Best High School Movies.
Plot summary
The story begins in 1984 with 10-year-old Tre Styles and three other youths heading to school, during which they come across a crime scene. At school, Tre misbehaves and receives a three-day suspension after fighting with a classmate. In a phone conversation Tre's mother, Reva (Angela Bassett), seems angry at the white schoolteacher on the telephone yet is also tired of Tre's disobedience. She decides to send him back to the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles to live with his father, Jason "Furious" Styles (Laurence Fishburne). Furious instructs Tre on his household responsibilities, which include cleaning and taking care of the house. Although these tasks seem unfair and harsh to Tre, Furious explains that learning responsibility will make Tre a man and keep him from ending up dead or in jail. During his first night in his new home, Tre has his first experience with gunfire.
The next day Tre meets up with three old friends, half brothers Ricky and Darin (nicknamed Doughboy) and a boy named Chris (nicknamed Lil' Chris); Doughboy and Ricky live with their unmarried mother. The boys walk along train tracks to the site of a dead body, and are then harassed by a gang of teenagers who steal Ricky's football. Doughboy picks a fight with an older, stronger boy to try and get his brother's ball back; he ends up getting backhanded in the face and kicked in the stomach. The ball is returned to Ricky through the philanthropic actions of another older boy, a rare act of kindness between strangers in the film.
Furious, who appears to be the only father present in the neighborhood, takes Tre on a fishing trip, where he warns him about unprotected sex and instructs him to use condoms. The pair then returns to Crenshaw, where a handcuffed Doughboy and Chris are being led by police officers into a squad car for stealing, and later put in juvenile hall.
Seven years pass, and it's 1991. At a welcome home party at the Baker home, Doughboy (now played by Ice Cube) has just been released from prison. He sits at a table playing dominos with Chris (now confined in a wheelchair), Dookie, and Monster. Ricky (Morris Chestnut) mans the grill and holds his newborn baby son — Ricky's girlfriend Shanice (Alysia Rogers) and son live at home with his mother, Brenda (Tyra Ferrell). Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) arrives at the party and is greeted by Brenda, who asks him to pass his responsible behavior to Doughboy. Tre tries to talk to his girlfriend Brandi (Nia Long) but he becomes nervous and she leaves in a huff.
A college USC recruiter visits Ricky one night for an interview; Brenda kicks Doughboy and his friends out onto the porch where they discuss college and girls. Meanwhile, the recruiter promises Ricky a berth at USC if he earns a minimum SAT score of 700.
Ricky struggles during the test, looking to Tre for help, and seems unsure of passing. Later that day, Tre and Ricky visit Furious at his job. Furious drives the boys to Compton and lectures them and a group of Compton citizens on gentrification, explaining how violence and drugs divide the black community by decreasing property values, allowing real estate companies to buy the land cheaply from black residents and sell it at a profit to developers. The influx of white investment money raises property values and taxes, pushing out the remaining old residents in the process. Furious tells the crowd that the rest of the nation will not help the urban poor because they are not personally affected by the violence -- the blacks must rely on themselves to end the cycle of violence plaguing the neighborhoods.
That night in Crenshaw Ricky is provoked by Ferris, a local gang leader, and Doughboy pulls out his pistol to defend his brother and the scene degenerates into gunfire, though nobody is hurt. While speeding away from the scene, Tre and Ricky are pulled over by the LAPD. One officer is the same officer who had responded to Furious's emergency burglary call in 1984. He is a hateful African-American cop who, fully enjoying the power his badge allows him, shoves a gun in Tre's face and asks him what he will do about it. On the verge of tears Tre arrives late to Brandi's house; later that night they sleep together.
The next day, Ricky, annoyed when his girlfriend tells him to go get a box of cornmeal, gets into a fight with Doughboy. Brenda rushes to Ricky's aid while neglecting Doughboy, even slapping him, further amplifying that she values Ricky and his impending scholarship more than Doughboy. (At this time, Ricky's SAT scores are delivered by a sunglasses-wearing mailman, but we do not see the results until later.) Ricky and Tre head to the grocery store, but they are spotted by Ferris and his gang. In an attempt to escape, Ricky and Tre split up. As Ferris and his crew drive around to catch the two, they drive by Ricky's and Doughboy's house- where Doughboy realizes they are after someone. Then he remembers the incident between Ferris and his brother and rushes to his car with Dookie, Monster, and Lil Chris behind him in an attempt to get to Ricky and Tre before Ferris does. However, Ferris and his crew spot Ricky alone walking towards them with his head down. After walking towards the car not paying attention Ricky then tries to run in the opposite direction. A man rolls down the window and shoots Ricky in the leg and abdomen, killing him. He dies in Tre's arms while Doughboy, Monster, Chris and Dookie arrive at the scene too late. His body is taken home by Doughboy and his crew. Brenda becomes hysterical upon seeing Ricky's body and immediately blames Doughboy, who tries to comfort her but is rebuffed. Later on that night Brenda sobs over Ricky's test results; he earned a 710, just enough to qualify for the scholarship.
Doughboy, Dookie, Monster, and Tre vow revenge on the enemy gang; Tre tells Doughboy to meet him at his house in five minutes. Furious comes home to find Tre covered in Ricky's blood and holding his .357 Magnum pistol, seemingly ready to go shoot someone. He convinces Tre to put the weapon down but Tre escapes out his bedroom window to join Doughboy and the gang as they drive off in search for the killers in Doughboy's low-rider. That night as they are driving around, Tre changes his mind and decides to leave, getting out of the car; Doughboy accepts Tre's decision quietly. Later the gang finds Ricky's murderers and Monster guns them down drive-by style with an AK-47. Doughboy gets out of the car and shoots one of the injured gang members in the back, killing him. As a wounded Ferris begs for his life and screams that he wasn't personally responsible for Ricky's murder, Doughboy pauses for a moment before shooting him. Monster and Dookie proceed to shout at Doughboy telling him to hurry up in case police arrive. Tre, meanwhile, returns home where he and Furious exchange a quiet look. Saying nothing, Furious leaves the room.
The next morning Doughboy tells Tre that he understands Tre's decision to leave the car before the shooting, and that he knows he might be killed soon. Doughboy seems to have changed, realizing that his drug dealing and crime played a part in the ongoing violence in the ghetto; nevertheless, he recognizes that Ricky's death was senseless even in the context of their world. He also seems resigned to his fate and despondent about the overall situation in the neighborhood and his perception of societal indifference, stating "either they don't know, don't show, or don't care about what's goin' on in the hood." Before the credits roll it is mentioned that Doughboy is murdered two weeks after Ricky's funeral, and that both Tre and Brandi go on to college, "across the way" from one another at Morehouse College and Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.
ThEmEs!
One theme is the benefit of a strong father figure on young black males. As Furious tells Tre: "Any fool with a dick can make a baby, but only a real man can raise his children". Of Tre, Ricky, and Doughboy, only Tre's father is present in his everyday life (Ricky and Doughboy, though brothers, have different fathers). He leads a very different life than his two friends because of his father's guidance. His decisions, especially not to partake in the revenge of Ricky's death, happen because of the morals instilled in him.
The film also deals largely with the seemingly unstoppable violence that plagues urban life. It is set in South Central Los Angeles, where Tre's father owns a house. The neighborhood is a violent one; the sounds of shootings and patrolling helicopters are heard often and even something as common as a passing car can mean death. The police that patrol the neighborhood seem indifferent to the notion of preventing crime. Early in the film Furious frightens off a would-be thief with the pistol he keeps in a night table next to his bed. The police, arriving an hour after Furious' call, do not seem concerned about the effect of the crime on the people they are supposed to protect. Additionally, the African American officer possesses a combative personality and has a tense exchange with Furious about the proper execution of his job. (As a teenager, Tre is pulled over by the same policeman while fleeing gunfire on Crenshaw Avenue and the officer threatens him with his pistol, an act of police misconduct. This officer was based on a black officer encountered by John Singleton while growing up in South Central Los Angeles.) The officer's remarks to Tre's father at the beginning of the film (the officer wishes Furious's shot would've killed the man) show a belief that law enforcement is lazy and corrupt.
Tre also grapples with the moral implications of teenage sexuality. As a young man, and due no doubt to peer pressure, it is important to lose one's virginity. Tre's girlfriend, Brandi, has strongly resisted Tre's demands to have sex with her, mostly due to her own beliefs as a Catholic. It is clear that Tre has no wish to follow the path of Ricky, who fathered a son with his own girlfriend. Additionally, Tre's father gives him a tough lecture on the responsibilities and perils of becoming sexually active after Tre tells him a fabricated story about his first instance of sexual intercourse. The conversation arose from an off-handed remark by Tre about his future children, which causes some anxiety in his father who does not want to become a grandfather in his mid-30s.
The main theme in the movie is to "increase the peace" and is shown at the closing credits, as well as being hinted in the beginning segment when the audience is presented with a "STOP" sign.
Other themes present but not covered as extensively include gentrification of poor neighborhoods, drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, equality in college admission, and cultural bias in standardized testing.
Wednesday 19 December 2007
http://www.kidulthoodlife.blogspot.com/
Stan Cohen was the first theorist to address this prejudice towards the teen, his study of the Mods and Rockers in the 1960’s, led to the infamous ‘Folk Devils and Morale Panic’ theory. Cohen believed that young teens were presented in an unfair, negative way, and he perceived this societal indifference towards the teen and the government’s failure at controlling them, as "a condition, episode, person or group of persons [who] become defined as a threat to societal values and interests."
http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/FAS/Bromley/classes/socprac/readings/Kali-Tal-unbearable.htm
Stan Cohen was the first theorist to address this prejudice towards the teen, his study of the Mods and Rockers in the 1960’s, led to the infamous ‘Folk Devils and Morale Panic’ theory. Cohen believed that young teens were presented in an unfair, negative way, and he perceived this societal indifference towards the teen and the government’s failure at controlling them, as "a condition, episode, person or group of persons [who] become defined as a threat to societal values and interests."
http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/FAS/Bromley/classes/socprac/readings/Kali-Tal-unbearable.htm
Thursday 8 November 2007
the blog buddy i have picked from my class is Neelema. the reason i have chose Neelema is because we are studying the similar topics, her social issues social issues of how certain factors are changing in society would be similar. she is also looking at the representations of youth and how freedom writer subvert the stereotypes. her topic also focuses on education.
my blog buddy from the other class is kunal. he is doing the same film and same issue of representations in black youth. We are both focusing on how the youths in the movie are represented therefore alot of our research and information is going to be alike. therefore his blog and knowledge will be useful.
my blog buddy from the other class is kunal. he is doing the same film and same issue of representations in black youth. We are both focusing on how the youths in the movie are represented therefore alot of our research and information is going to be alike. therefore his blog and knowledge will be useful.
Friday 2 November 2007
The following is an article that was featured in The Metro.. http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=73637&in_page_id=34
Black people are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than whites, it was revealed on Tuesday.An extra 14,000 black people were targeted by stop and search in 2005/06 – a 12 per cent rise on the previous year – according to a Ministry of Justice report.Officials claimed the rise could be partly blamed on the London bombings and on the rising incidence of drug crime But a race watchdog last night voiced concerns that the numbers could fuel distrust among ethnic minorities.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission warned that the high levels of stop and searches among the black population could drive a wedge between communities.There were 878,153 stops and searches recorded by police in the year, up three per cent on the previous year. Of these, 15 per cent were of black people and eight per cent were of Asians.The Metropolitan Police conducted 75 per cent of all searches on black people in England and Wales. A Home Office spokesman said that stop and search was a 'vital tool' for police dealing with crime. The figures were published as part of the Race and the Criminal Justice System report.
Black people are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than whites, it was revealed on Tuesday.An extra 14,000 black people were targeted by stop and search in 2005/06 – a 12 per cent rise on the previous year – according to a Ministry of Justice report.Officials claimed the rise could be partly blamed on the London bombings and on the rising incidence of drug crime But a race watchdog last night voiced concerns that the numbers could fuel distrust among ethnic minorities.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission warned that the high levels of stop and searches among the black population could drive a wedge between communities.There were 878,153 stops and searches recorded by police in the year, up three per cent on the previous year. Of these, 15 per cent were of black people and eight per cent were of Asians.The Metropolitan Police conducted 75 per cent of all searches on black people in England and Wales. A Home Office spokesman said that stop and search was a 'vital tool' for police dealing with crime. The figures were published as part of the Race and the Criminal Justice System report.
Possible books that would be helpful with my independent study.
· Race manners for the 21st century ‘navigating the minefield between black..’ by Bruce A Jacobs
· Formations: A 21st century media students textbook by Dan Fleming
· Race and reparations: a black perspective for the 21st century by Clarence J Munford
· The new black: Alternative paradigms & strategies for the 21st century by Rodney D Coates
· Bfi- the cinema book
· Representing race by Robert ferguson.
· Black peoples of the Americas by Marika Sherwood.
· Representing black Britain: black & Asian images by sarita malik
· Diversity and discrimination by bhavini algarra.
· The media studies reader by tim o Sullivan & jewkes
· The black image in a white mind media and race in America by Robert f entman.
· Race manners for the 21st century ‘navigating the minefield between black..’ by Bruce A Jacobs
· Formations: A 21st century media students textbook by Dan Fleming
· Race and reparations: a black perspective for the 21st century by Clarence J Munford
· The new black: Alternative paradigms & strategies for the 21st century by Rodney D Coates
· Bfi- the cinema book
· Representing race by Robert ferguson.
· Black peoples of the Americas by Marika Sherwood.
· Representing black Britain: black & Asian images by sarita malik
· Diversity and discrimination by bhavini algarra.
· The media studies reader by tim o Sullivan & jewkes
· The black image in a white mind media and race in America by Robert f entman.
Marxism- media texts within society, maintain social divide. Keep the rich rich and the poor poor. Media producers produce texts from the change in society.
· you could say that coach carter is based on ideologies and values set by people in power. They set these standards and we follow them and do not question them.
Bullet theory- idea that audiences merely absorb dominant ideologies in a passive way.
· Coach carter sends ideologies out about race, education and youth and the audience are feed them.
Hegemony- controlling people is easier by getting them to agree with the ideologies rather then forcing them upon the audience it is more effective this way.
Racist ideology- The black person as a troublemaker. News items present links between race and crime. Problems are said to be due to the number of immigrants, the influx of refugees or cultural identity of black people.
Stereotypes- not all stereotypes are false one-dimensional distortions of reality, some contain an element of truth…facts and figures.
Social and economic background ‘young black males in inner city areas ARE more likely to be poor, unemployed, dissatisfied & therefore more aggression’
Positive values- to educate to inform, to create sympathy, to encourage social or political change.
Coach carter aims to do this through the messages it sends out.
· you could say that coach carter is based on ideologies and values set by people in power. They set these standards and we follow them and do not question them.
Bullet theory- idea that audiences merely absorb dominant ideologies in a passive way.
· Coach carter sends ideologies out about race, education and youth and the audience are feed them.
Hegemony- controlling people is easier by getting them to agree with the ideologies rather then forcing them upon the audience it is more effective this way.
Racist ideology- The black person as a troublemaker. News items present links between race and crime. Problems are said to be due to the number of immigrants, the influx of refugees or cultural identity of black people.
Stereotypes- not all stereotypes are false one-dimensional distortions of reality, some contain an element of truth…facts and figures.
Social and economic background ‘young black males in inner city areas ARE more likely to be poor, unemployed, dissatisfied & therefore more aggression’
Positive values- to educate to inform, to create sympathy, to encourage social or political change.
Coach carter aims to do this through the messages it sends out.
Thursday 18 October 2007
EVALUATION:
1 = excellent, 2 = v. good, 3 = good/average, 4 = poor, 5 = v. poor
Attainment- 2
Effort -3, I am giving myself three because i feel that i could be putting more effort into my module five blog.
Punctuality-1 i attend all my media lessons and am rarely late.
Submission and quality of homework-3, i hand in work on time however i think i need to manage my time better.
Ability to work independently- 3 i can work as an individual just as well as i can in team.
Quality of writing- 3 i need to start using more media terminolongy in the right ways.
Organisation of Media folder - 5, my media folder is very organised.
Oral contributions in class -3 i definatlty feel i should contribute more in class because when i do i feel more confident and understand the work more.
Standard of Module 5 blog-2 could use more research and ananysis of images from coach carter.
Standard of Module 6 blog- 5 homework is all there with weekly stories from media guardian.
WWW:
1 = excellent, 2 = v. good, 3 = good/average, 4 = poor, 5 = v. poor
Attainment- 2
Effort -3, I am giving myself three because i feel that i could be putting more effort into my module five blog.
Punctuality-1 i attend all my media lessons and am rarely late.
Submission and quality of homework-3, i hand in work on time however i think i need to manage my time better.
Ability to work independently- 3 i can work as an individual just as well as i can in team.
Quality of writing- 3 i need to start using more media terminolongy in the right ways.
Organisation of Media folder - 5, my media folder is very organised.
Oral contributions in class -3 i definatlty feel i should contribute more in class because when i do i feel more confident and understand the work more.
Standard of Module 5 blog-2 could use more research and ananysis of images from coach carter.
Standard of Module 6 blog- 5 homework is all there with weekly stories from media guardian.
WWW:
- my media migrane analysis went well.
- my knowledge of new big insitutions which i learnt in med 6
- greater understanding of subject.
ebi:
- contributed more in class.
- more effort in med 5
- manage time more so the quality of my work is high.
Sunday 7 October 2007
i analysed a scene from the DVD but couldn't find it on youtube so when i do i will post it up but her is the analysis.
Analysis of the street violence scene.
This scene is set in a dark rough area, it is dark because of the time of day but this makes the scene more realistic. Streetlights are used, this creates shadow and a more dramatic scene building up tension and allowing the audience infer that some sort of danger is going to happen. The characters (male teenage boys) are dressed in hoodies and caps represented as thugs. They are all standing in a gang. The language they are using is socially unaccepted swearing is used the term ‘nigga’ is referred to a lot. The boys use slang as a way of communicating with each other words like ‘holla’ are used. Mr cruz walks in a dominant confident trying to intimidate other gangs to show how powerful he is. A fight is caused between the boys and another gang there is a lot of violence hitting and pushing a close up of a gun is shown this shows this is done because that is the cause of the problems the disruption and there are issues in society about guns. Gunshots are fired and someone is shot we see Cruz running towards the injured person we hear he is out of breath and orchestral music is being played representing how dramatic and serious this scene is. Sound that is used is gunshots and panicking voices a lot of shouting and mr Cruz is shouting in Spanish. There are a lot of sirens in the background.
Analysis of the street violence scene.
This scene is set in a dark rough area, it is dark because of the time of day but this makes the scene more realistic. Streetlights are used, this creates shadow and a more dramatic scene building up tension and allowing the audience infer that some sort of danger is going to happen. The characters (male teenage boys) are dressed in hoodies and caps represented as thugs. They are all standing in a gang. The language they are using is socially unaccepted swearing is used the term ‘nigga’ is referred to a lot. The boys use slang as a way of communicating with each other words like ‘holla’ are used. Mr cruz walks in a dominant confident trying to intimidate other gangs to show how powerful he is. A fight is caused between the boys and another gang there is a lot of violence hitting and pushing a close up of a gun is shown this shows this is done because that is the cause of the problems the disruption and there are issues in society about guns. Gunshots are fired and someone is shot we see Cruz running towards the injured person we hear he is out of breath and orchestral music is being played representing how dramatic and serious this scene is. Sound that is used is gunshots and panicking voices a lot of shouting and mr Cruz is shouting in Spanish. There are a lot of sirens in the background.
TEN MEDIA WORDS I CAN USE IN MY INDEPENDENT STUDY.
1. Attitudes, beliefs and values- this term is commonly used when discussing the audience for media products and the factors influencing the reception of media messages.
I will be using this term in my independent study when I discuss the ideologies and values that are brought up in Coach carter such as the attitudes to single parents and what the audience are interpreting while watching, how they feel seeing the representation of black teenagers in a negative way.
2. Binary opposition- a term used by Levi Strauss, he stated that narratives are structured around opposite elements such as bad vs good and death vs life.
I plan on using this term as it relates to what is being portrayed in the film in coach carter the binary oppositions would be the guns and violence vs books and a good education.
3. Epic- this is a big budget film with a big cast and has a powerful theme.
The powerful theme that is being used in coach carter is the way black youth is being represented as criminals and underachievers. The importance of having an education.
4. Family values- this term is associated with political and religious views of society.
I can use this term when explaining how the absense of a father is the cause of the increase of black youth going to jail because they have no role model.
5. hybrid genre- this term is a cross between one film genre and another.
This term relates to coach carter as it has a sports genre and a melodrama genre.
6. Stereotypes- is the social classification of a group of people by identifying common characteristics and applying them allowing the audience to make assumptions and judgments about the group concerned.
In coach carter I will be looking at the stereotype of youth, they are seen as troublemakers and kids who are yobs who drink and party all the time.
7. Representation- this is where the media construct versions of people, places and events in images words or sound for transmission through media texts to an audience.
I will be representing the way males are portrayed in coach carter. The film is male dominated, they are represented as men who cause trouble and have no responsibility.
8. Racism- behaviour involving social and economic discrimination based on the false assumption that one particular ethnic group or race is culturally and biologically inferior to another.
I will be exploring the theme or racism in coach carter. In the film it shown that all black youths are related to crime and facts and figures in society show that the number of black people in jail are on the rise. But this cannot be the case for all black people.
9. mise en scene- the arrangement done by a filmmaker of everything in that is too be included in the shot. This may Include costumes, lighting and props.
For the mise en scene element I will be looking at wearing heavy jewellery diamonds and long chain necklaces represents status in the area, The area is rough in a rural area often referred to the ‘ghetto’ & ‘hood’ and ‘Teenage’ clothes are worn by the characters- hoodies, tracksuits and caps.
10. Teen movie- a film directed specifically at teenagers they address teenage interests.
Coach carter is a teenage movie, which addresses issues at teenagers. Issues that are mentioned are teenage pregnancy and peer pressure within friendship groups.
1. Attitudes, beliefs and values- this term is commonly used when discussing the audience for media products and the factors influencing the reception of media messages.
I will be using this term in my independent study when I discuss the ideologies and values that are brought up in Coach carter such as the attitudes to single parents and what the audience are interpreting while watching, how they feel seeing the representation of black teenagers in a negative way.
2. Binary opposition- a term used by Levi Strauss, he stated that narratives are structured around opposite elements such as bad vs good and death vs life.
I plan on using this term as it relates to what is being portrayed in the film in coach carter the binary oppositions would be the guns and violence vs books and a good education.
3. Epic- this is a big budget film with a big cast and has a powerful theme.
The powerful theme that is being used in coach carter is the way black youth is being represented as criminals and underachievers. The importance of having an education.
4. Family values- this term is associated with political and religious views of society.
I can use this term when explaining how the absense of a father is the cause of the increase of black youth going to jail because they have no role model.
5. hybrid genre- this term is a cross between one film genre and another.
This term relates to coach carter as it has a sports genre and a melodrama genre.
6. Stereotypes- is the social classification of a group of people by identifying common characteristics and applying them allowing the audience to make assumptions and judgments about the group concerned.
In coach carter I will be looking at the stereotype of youth, they are seen as troublemakers and kids who are yobs who drink and party all the time.
7. Representation- this is where the media construct versions of people, places and events in images words or sound for transmission through media texts to an audience.
I will be representing the way males are portrayed in coach carter. The film is male dominated, they are represented as men who cause trouble and have no responsibility.
8. Racism- behaviour involving social and economic discrimination based on the false assumption that one particular ethnic group or race is culturally and biologically inferior to another.
I will be exploring the theme or racism in coach carter. In the film it shown that all black youths are related to crime and facts and figures in society show that the number of black people in jail are on the rise. But this cannot be the case for all black people.
9. mise en scene- the arrangement done by a filmmaker of everything in that is too be included in the shot. This may Include costumes, lighting and props.
For the mise en scene element I will be looking at wearing heavy jewellery diamonds and long chain necklaces represents status in the area, The area is rough in a rural area often referred to the ‘ghetto’ & ‘hood’ and ‘Teenage’ clothes are worn by the characters- hoodies, tracksuits and caps.
10. Teen movie- a film directed specifically at teenagers they address teenage interests.
Coach carter is a teenage movie, which addresses issues at teenagers. Issues that are mentioned are teenage pregnancy and peer pressure within friendship groups.
Sunday 30 September 2007
homework
kunals blog:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5337361780774415593&postID=913658361134879203
jagjeets blog:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3511805145326685102&postID=7694141921014859021
neelemas blog
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=635062964791141179&postID=3813217312275293445
kunals blog:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5337361780774415593&postID=913658361134879203
jagjeets blog:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3511805145326685102&postID=7694141921014859021
neelemas blog
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=635062964791141179&postID=3813217312275293445
neemas blog
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7976173871063581850&postID=7238280864182533761
poojas blog
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3771230747965798629&postID=9074094209181012722
Thursday 27 September 2007
- Migran analysis of Coach carter
Media language:
Coach is using an authoritive voice because he is a figure of authority. Allows the audience to recognise this. He gains respect using this voice.
A lot of medium shots are used just to show the shoulders and faces of the characters.
Mis en scene in the gym- dark and dim, low key lighting creating shadows. During games the gym is lit by lights in the gym.
Mis en scene in the school- quite dingy, rough and dark.
Close ups of the basketball and school contracts this shows the importance of the contracts. As they are what determines the students playing basketball and there education.
The coach is dressed up in a suit. Authoritive figure.
During the basketball game, music is played and it is fast paced this is because the game is being played fast. Creates excitement for the audience.
Clothes the players are wearing are what is expected of them, sports gear tracksuits, shorts and vests (team jersey).
Players are expected to wear suits after there game.
‘Teenage’ clothes are worn by the characters- hoodies, tracksuits and caps.
Quick cuts.
Tracking shot is used when the game is in action, it follows the players but mostly the ball as the ball is represented as an important factor of the game. The tracking shot also build ups the pace of the game.
Facial expressions during the game show seriousness and determination.
Clapping
Voice in the gym is echoing.
To state the importance of the game the camera uses quick cuts to the players, to the scoreboard then to the coach.
The area is rough in a rural area often referred to the ‘ghetto’ & ‘hood’.
The song ‘locked up’ by Akon is played in the background this song relates to the issues in the film and of the scene has what he is doing can get him locked up. The songs lyrics relate to the characters feelings.
Facial expressions- quite serious, trying to look like there bad. Can infer there status, determines trouble.
Fade in while boys are playing to mr Cruz doing push up’s.
Mis en scene- wearing heavy jewellery diamonds and long chain necklaces represents status in the area.
Swearing/ use of racist terminology.
Slang is used by the boys.
Genre
Genre is hybrid- made up of loads of other genres.
Music aspect of the film- genre of the music in the film is hip-hop and RnB.
Teen movie.
Sport aspects.
Melodrama.
Representation
Youth/black youth is being represented. They are being represented as ‘yobs’ that cause trouble. Kids are criminals.
Black youth represented as poor and under achievers.
Stereotypes- of teenagers.
Teenagers like to drink and party.
Males are represented as trouble.
Male dominated film.
Women are represented as more independent, yet some girls are represented is a demeaning way.
Single mother is represented as a strong independent woman.
Audience
Film is rated 12a.
Film is mainly targeted to teenager’s aged 15- 20
Males
Sports related fans.
Middle class.
Genre expectations are fulfilled.
Ideologies’ and values
· Single parent families.
· Racism.
· Missing fathers. Lack of a role model.
· Gun crime rate.
· More and more Teenagers (looking at the black ethnicity in particular. going to jail and getting in trouble.
· Male dominated film.
· Abortion.
Narrative
Has closure and a resolved ending.
Narrative is in chronological order. Is in liner form.
Coach is seen as a hero.
Binary oppositions- education – sport
Creates no enigmas.
Has a disruption in the narrative- coach closing the gym down and cancelling games due the poor grades the players are receiving.
Institution
Paramount films.
MTV
Hollywood
Mainstream film
Thursday 20 September 2007
Clark University professor Timothy Shary has published a book about teen movies. the book is called 'teen movies: american youth on screen.
According to Shary, recent films have addressed serious youth issues like never before - a trend he hopes will continue. “Coach Carter,” “Mysterious Skin” and “The Ballad of Jack and Rose,” all released in 2005, tackled such topics as the value of education among athletes,
“These are films that show young people confronting issues about race, religion, body image, romance, drugs, parents, friends, sex, sexual preference and crime, and they explore these issues with a mature attitude while still allowing their characters to explore their youth,”
i plan on looking at this book for more information on teen movies.
According to Shary, recent films have addressed serious youth issues like never before - a trend he hopes will continue. “Coach Carter,” “Mysterious Skin” and “The Ballad of Jack and Rose,” all released in 2005, tackled such topics as the value of education among athletes,
“These are films that show young people confronting issues about race, religion, body image, romance, drugs, parents, friends, sex, sexual preference and crime, and they explore these issues with a mature attitude while still allowing their characters to explore their youth,”
i plan on looking at this book for more information on teen movies.
Inspired by the true story of controversial Richmond, California basketball coach Ken Carter, who received both high praise and staunch criticism when he made national news for benching his entire team undefeated team for poor academic performance. Tension mounted as the Richmond High Oilers faced the upcoming basketball championship. The town was wild with excitement over their undefeated team and the bleachers were filled with cheering fans for every game. No one could imagine that on January 4, 1999 the community would erupt in dissention and so many lives would change forever when coach Carter padlocked the gym, refusing the players access for failing to keep up their grades.
Wednesday 5 September 2007
Straw backs black mentors plan for youths
Michael WhiteTuesday August 21, 2007The Guardian
Jack Straw, the justice secretary, yesterday backed plans to help inner city black youths avoid the temptations of crime by providing them with successful black mentors, including army officers.
Mr Straw said: "The best examples for disaffected black youngsters are other black people who have made their way in society because they have a far better understanding of the pressures in these communities."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2152898,00.html
Michael WhiteTuesday August 21, 2007The Guardian
Jack Straw, the justice secretary, yesterday backed plans to help inner city black youths avoid the temptations of crime by providing them with successful black mentors, including army officers.
Mr Straw said: "The best examples for disaffected black youngsters are other black people who have made their way in society because they have a far better understanding of the pressures in these communities."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2152898,00.html
At what age can you be a criminal?
Stephen MossTuesday September 4, 2007The Guardian
The news that last year children too young to be prosecuted were the chief suspects in 2,840 crimes in England and Wales has produced outrage.
figures showed criminals were getting younger;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2162006,00.html
Stephen MossTuesday September 4, 2007The Guardian
The news that last year children too young to be prosecuted were the chief suspects in 2,840 crimes in England and Wales has produced outrage.
figures showed criminals were getting younger;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2162006,00.html
FaCTs & FIguREs
Young black people and crime
· 2.6 times more likely to be a violent crime victim; 1.6 times more likely to be robbery victim; and 5.5 times more likely to be murdered
· Six times more likely to be stopped and searched by police and three times more likely to be arrested
· Three quarters of the young black male population will soon be on the DNA database
· 8% of young black people arrested were remanded in custody, compared with 4% of young white people. Overall, black people are five times more likely to be jailed
Young black people and crime
· 2.6 times more likely to be a violent crime victim; 1.6 times more likely to be robbery victim; and 5.5 times more likely to be murdered
· Six times more likely to be stopped and searched by police and three times more likely to be arrested
· Three quarters of the young black male population will soon be on the DNA database
· 8% of young black people arrested were remanded in custody, compared with 4% of young white people. Overall, black people are five times more likely to be jailed
MPs urge safe houses for youths who want to break with gangs
The report on young black people and the criminal justice system also warns that boys and young men who lack the involvement of a father in their lives can develop "father hunger" - a trauma that leaves them vulnerable to peer pressure and involvement in gang culture.
The MPs also challenge radio and television broadcasters to tackle concerns that rap, grime and hip hop music glamorise violent, criminal lifestyles.
The inquiry by the Commons home affairs select committee comes after three black teenagers were shot and killed in 11 days in south London in February and two black schoolboys were stabbed to death in the space of six days. In London in 2006, 75% of the victims of gun crime and 79% of the suspects were black.
The MPs say the over-representation of young black people at all stages of the criminal justice system poses a "serious crisis" for all sections of the black community. They are particularly concerned at the prediction - confirmed by ministers - that three-quarters of the young black male population will soon be on the DNA database as a result of disproportionate arrest rates and the alarming growth in the numbers in custody
The report says these factors "interact in a 'web of disadvantage' compounded by other trends within black communities, such as lack of father involvement and the lack of positive role models, and the presence of powerful alternative negative role models in media and popular culture".
The MPs' proposals to extend mentoring and to increase funding for prevention, rehabilitation and gang exit programmes were supported by Nacro, the crime reduction charity, but it criticised their opposition to setting targets to produce more equal outcomes for young black people in the criminal justice system, saying discrimination remained.
The report on young black people and the criminal justice system also warns that boys and young men who lack the involvement of a father in their lives can develop "father hunger" - a trauma that leaves them vulnerable to peer pressure and involvement in gang culture.
The MPs also challenge radio and television broadcasters to tackle concerns that rap, grime and hip hop music glamorise violent, criminal lifestyles.
The inquiry by the Commons home affairs select committee comes after three black teenagers were shot and killed in 11 days in south London in February and two black schoolboys were stabbed to death in the space of six days. In London in 2006, 75% of the victims of gun crime and 79% of the suspects were black.
The MPs say the over-representation of young black people at all stages of the criminal justice system poses a "serious crisis" for all sections of the black community. They are particularly concerned at the prediction - confirmed by ministers - that three-quarters of the young black male population will soon be on the DNA database as a result of disproportionate arrest rates and the alarming growth in the numbers in custody
The report says these factors "interact in a 'web of disadvantage' compounded by other trends within black communities, such as lack of father involvement and the lack of positive role models, and the presence of powerful alternative negative role models in media and popular culture".
The MPs' proposals to extend mentoring and to increase funding for prevention, rehabilitation and gang exit programmes were supported by Nacro, the crime reduction charity, but it criticised their opposition to setting targets to produce more equal outcomes for young black people in the criminal justice system, saying discrimination remained.
A lack of leadership
Young black teens need more positive support, says Ben Bowling
Wednesday June 20, 2007
Who will lead the effort to reduce the over-representation of young black people in the criminal justice system?
to address the alarming number of black people flowing into the criminal justice system.
The report is most remarkable for what it does not say. Absent is New Labour's weary language of popular punitiveness. The word "tough" is nowhere to be found. There is no call for "zero tolerance", harsher sentences or more prisons. Instead, the committee calls on the government to "review, revise and redouble" its efforts to prevent young black people from ever entering the criminal justice system. It recognises that preventing criminalisation lies in social justice not criminal justice, and its focus is social exclusion, poverty, substandard housing, inadequate amenities, drugs, community mental health and the need for positive role models - broad social problems that have fallen particularly harshly on young black Britons.
soon, 75% of young black males will be on the DNA database, and expresses concern about disproportionate arrest rates and the dramatically increasing black prison population. However, the committee never quite grasped the corrosive effect of police practices that unjustifiably target black people.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2107043,00.html
Young black teens need more positive support, says Ben Bowling
Wednesday June 20, 2007
Who will lead the effort to reduce the over-representation of young black people in the criminal justice system?
to address the alarming number of black people flowing into the criminal justice system.
The report is most remarkable for what it does not say. Absent is New Labour's weary language of popular punitiveness. The word "tough" is nowhere to be found. There is no call for "zero tolerance", harsher sentences or more prisons. Instead, the committee calls on the government to "review, revise and redouble" its efforts to prevent young black people from ever entering the criminal justice system. It recognises that preventing criminalisation lies in social justice not criminal justice, and its focus is social exclusion, poverty, substandard housing, inadequate amenities, drugs, community mental health and the need for positive role models - broad social problems that have fallen particularly harshly on young black Britons.
soon, 75% of young black males will be on the DNA database, and expresses concern about disproportionate arrest rates and the dramatically increasing black prison population. However, the committee never quite grasped the corrosive effect of police practices that unjustifiably target black people.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2107043,00.html
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