Miley vs. Syria

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While the topic of Syria has been something our country is struggling with, I find it very interesting that while this is a major event in history, the majority of the country is focusing on Miley Cyrus's performance at the VMA. While the country should be in hot debate over going to war in Syria, we seem to be more focused on our celebrities and the obscenities that happened at the VMA awards. Why does our country push away from the serious issues and focus on these trivial ones?
The political cartoon at to the left shows a young person playing on the computer looking at the top story in the news. Political cartoons have embraced the fact that America as a whole seems to be more concerned with Miley's performance and artists are incorporating it into cartoons and using it to kind of coincide with the crisis in Syria. The image itself is split in two, though unequally. The image on the top which is focusing on the crisis in Syria seems larger and has more of a dramatic impact, drawing the viewer in. The dramatics of the green gas fog engulfing the people while the people cannot escape seems to visually imply what is happening in the country. The representations of explosions and gas seem to incorporate the crisis of the country into a larger panel. This is contrary to the truth, which is actually what is represented in the bottom panel. The citizens over in America seem unconcerned with the crisis in another country, and the top story during this was Miley's performance. While the panel in the cartoon is smaller, showing how this story should actually be viewed, the character is wearing red which is bold compared to the rest of the cartoon. The red could also represent one of the colors of America, and just the fact that he is sitting at the computer unconcerned shows the emotion of the country about this.

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The image to the right is one that seems to affect more of the older generation, since they are the ones being portrayed in this comic. The older generation seems to be appalled by the fact that Miley's performance is what is causing this country such distress as opposed to the crisis. The slouched back positions sitting in front of a flatscreen in a comfortable chair shows the typical American people. This is how American's take in their entertainment from the television. But since these are older, they seem to have more of an interest in the world around them as opposed to the younger generation. The younger generation don't seem as though they take into any concern how different events could impact the country. Like the first cartoon the comfort of our people is shown, and the fact that we have technology that we can use all day long, as well as the lack of the impact the crisis in Syria took on us.
I find it very ingenious that political cartoons are reflecting on this issue, since it seems that young people only care about celebrities and their own lives. Taking into account the young people's interest in the media and how their lives seem to center around it, cartoonists are trying to either reach the young generation in an odd way or to mock them for their ways. It reflects the political mindset of my generation for a vast majority of the population. While these cartoons are satire, they do reflect the truth.

Visually Effective? (Extra)

The most important political issue to me is the Pro-Life movement. I believe that a person is given life at the moment of conception, because from that moment on they grow. In society today, abortion has become such a big issue. There have been severe debates on what constitutes abortion, and whether or not it should be a right, and this extends into the issue of birth control as well. While I believe this political issue is more of an ethical issue, in our current culture abortion becomes a topic of politics. 

Following a Pro-Life group on Facebook I see a lot of the arguments for our cause. But are these arguments effective? Each post is accompanied with an image, and whether or not these images are actually effective could be determined through analysis of these images. 

The image to my left is one that I believe is not very effective. The argument immediately creates negativity with any women who believe their body is their choice. It would cause the pro-choice people to not consider the argument, since it seems like any of their views are pushed away immediately. The image of the baby is poorly photoshopped, where the edges are harsh and it looks less like a baby in the womb. Editing a photo of the baby in the womb would cause less proof that the baby is alive and does deserve respect. Making this image un-realistic looking counteracts the argument, and through that there's nothing that would cause anyone to consider this position. While the wording is accurate, the image itself causes invalidity in the argument. A better way to portray this argument in my opinion would be the next image to the right. 

In this image it shows the baby in the womb, such as the first image, however the baby looks more realistic. Since this is actually a baby in the womb it creates a more effective argument. The color choice seems to compliment each other as well as creating a realistic outlook. It doesn't create negativity with the other side, it's simply asking as opposed to forcing a message. Stating that this isn't an argument, it's the truth doesn't force against either side. This shows that abortion is an issue of mortality and ethical rights other than an issue of political rights. Though the central argument of this issue is apparently political in our society. I believe this message is more effective than the first, not only at showing the truth but for protecting the rights of the other side. While they believe abortion is a right they have and a choice they should be able to make, this is more of an argument that makes one think as opposed to forcing them to choose one side over the other. 

These two different sides don't seem to give each other any "wiggle room" when it comes to the issue. One side believes that if abortion was illegal it would take their rights away as a woman, but that side doesn't seem to consider the life of the child in that situation. The other side believes that abortion should be illegal and that our society should focus on the right of the child, but they don't seem to take into consideration the emotional toll of some circumstances. As a pro-life person, I believe the right of the child is what we should focus on, because they are a living being. However I do believe that my side tends to use extremities when it comes to arguing and that the different ways they push the argument are not always effective. The most effective argument I've seen is this. 

This piece to the left is a work of art that I found browsing through Facebook in a memorial for the unborn children in 2010. This work is by Martin Hudacek from Slovakia. The piece is based off the lose of a child at age 15 to abortion. The speaker at this event spoke about how she believed she could bury the child's memory, but that it could not happen. Burying the child's memory instead ended up capturing her over many years, but that God performed a miracle and let her see the child and that is what the piece represents. This piece shows the struggle of actually having an abortion, and how it affects someone deep down. This image visually seems to give a deep impact. It reflects on someone's personal struggles as well as representing the pain of loosing a child and how it never goes away. I believe this piece is the most visually effective, but it takes an understanding of the image to see why.

This image might not seem like it would be as effective because it takes the understanding of the artwork to notice it, but the fact that the photo of this image is always followed by an explanation allows for the impact of the image to be successful. This is the only way to show an effective argument to both sides, to show the trauma of an abortion years later down the road. In order to change someone's beliefs, you must first get them to understand. There is no winning or loosing when it comes to different sides of an issue, there needs to be an understanding. For what I believe in, the image showing loss and pain I believe is the most visually affective image to promote this belief. 

What Politics is to Me

My name is Rachel Budzenski, but I go by Rei, it is a name that I have chosen for myself because I feel it suits me better. I am an undergraduate student studying art education and studio art with a minor in art history. Politics has always been something I am interested in, especially in modern society where my personal beliefs seem to conflict with a lot of politics but also seem to be what drives it.

As a young member of society I interact with politics every day. When I walk through campus and speak with other students I know that each and every one of them views politics differently. Whether liberal, conservative, or moderate in beliefs, there are many other factors that can play into each and every person's personal political beliefs. There are monetary factors, religious beliefs, personal experiences, or parental influences. Personally, I know that my religious beliefs play a very important role in how I view politics and my personal beliefs. I am very conservative in my beliefs, and am very open to expressing them. The main focus of my political beliefs is the fact that I am pro-life. I very heavily believe that life begins at conception, and that from that moment on a baby is a person. While this is the core of my conservative beliefs, I also allow for my religious beliefs to shape other issues. Politics becomes extremely important to me, because our culture doesn't focus on religion anymore. While religion is important on an individual basis, our culture seems to be backing away from allowing religion to impact our lives. Individually people in society are selfish, and only seem to focus on issues that impact them. But politics pulls away from that, because it forces individuals to at least vote on issues that go beyond them. That is what politics is for me, it is a way to express myself as well as a way to force society to think beyond themselves. Even though not everyone does this fully, at least they choose something. They can choose to not care, be a republican, democrat, moderate, but they could also not choose a side and focus on the issues. Not everyone chooses to keep up with modern issues, however that's part of politics as well. Every person and everything they believe and do become part of politics, and that to me is the most interesting aspect of it. There are so many people, and whether their involvement is minimal or severe they still affect the overall world of politics.

I chose this image because it represents my political beliefs. Though politics goes beyond these beliefs I have, this is something that affects me every day. As a member of a sorority even the issue of being Pro-Life seems to be contradictory to what the country wants, however I do feel it's something the country needs. We need to believe that life is precious and sacred, and not something that can be thrown away. We need God in our country, in some way shape or form, at least this is my personal belief. The gun topic has been one that has always been an issue. However I do believe in the right to bear arms, because I believe in the right to protect myself. I want to have a family some day, and I don't want anything to take that away from me. It is my belief that I should have this right to protect my home, though I do believe higher regulations need to be placed on gun owners.

The image itself develops its own discussion. The image was chosen because it portrays it's message in an obvious manner and shows a lot of information so simply. The color red for republican, which would not have been something relevant until this time period. The colors associated with political parties are part of modern time, such as the shapes of the image themselves. These images are "app"-like, and seem to look like computer buttons. They are also drawn in a way that they would fit on a bumper sticker on the back of a car. There is no discussion, the message is clear and direct and creates a very affective argument. The statement is there, and there is no room for error.

These personal beliefs are not necessarily part of the definition of politics, but they are a part of me and how I interact with politics.