from-a-journalism-student

[from-a-journalism-student]

UN and Etidal: Coming Together to Combat Terrorism

Reflection 10: Story of Collaboration

(The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Center (UNCCT) and the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (Etidal) signed on Thursday a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism. Credit to Saudi Gazette for photo and caption.)

On April 1, 2021, the people of The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Center (UNCCT) and the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (Etidal) met over a virtual video call to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU). And despite the date, this is no prank.

The people who signed the MoU included Vladimir Voronkov, UN’s under-secretary for counterterrorism and Executive Director of the UNCCT, and Dr. Mansour Al-Shammari, Secretary-General of Etidal. Also in attendance was Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the UN in his capacity as the UNCCT’s chairman of the advisory board.

The aim of the MoU is to strengthen cooperation to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism. The MoU is also part of the UNCCT’s efforts to bring together the international community to combat this threat and their ideologies.

Terms of the MoU state that a joint projects will be developed to help the UN implement their international counterterrorism strategy. These projects include capacity-building workshops in strategic communications to prevent violent extremism and cyberterrorism, and setting up awareness campaigns on tolerance, youth engagement and support for terrorism victims.

Ambassador Al-Mouallimi welcomed the signing and said in his speech: “Today’s MoU with UNCCT reflects Saudi Arabia’s keen interest and its continuous commitment to combating terrorism.” (Arab News)

Vladimir Voronkov said that “the MoU marks the start of our plan to develop a sustainable, practical partnership between our two organizations, leveraging our respective comparative advantages in technology, analysis and global capacity building. This Memorandum of Understanding will allow UNCCT and Etidal to find synergies in our work as centers of Excellence in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and to share good practices in combatting the spread of violent extremist ideology.” (Saudi Gazette)

Mansour Al-Shammari emphasized the commitment of Etidal to support the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. “This is what we embody today in signing of the Memorandum of Understanding as we seek for cooperation and partnership in a systematic, accurate and professional manner, using the Center's capabilities of ideological, media and digital assets in order to achieve the desired noble goals.” (Saudi Gazette)

[from-a-journalism-student]

Terrorism: The True Forgotten Definition

Reflection 9: Covering Religion, Terrorism and Peace

In watching the full length preview of the documentary Constructing the Terrorist Threat, we answered the following questions on Islamophobia, how the media portrays terrorism, and what it truly means to be a terrorist.

1) What connection does the documentary make between the ban on Muslims and the treatment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War?

In his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump announced a travel ban on people from prominent Muslim areas from entering the US for 90 days. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War 2, many Japanese Americans were forced into squalid conditions by being held in horse stables. Both of these acts are connected by the fact that they dehumanize groups of people for actions they did not commit, but were committed by those who just happen to share the groups’ religion or ethnicity. It’s essentially finding one bad apple and throwing out the whole crate of fruit.

2) How is terrorism defined textually (in words) and visually (in images) in the media? How else should terrorism be defined – or, what is missing?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes terrorism as “the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion”. In the Oxford Learners Dictionary, it’s “the use of violent action in order to achieve political aims or to force a government to act”. But visually speaking, if you search “terrorism” in Google, the majority of images you’ll get are of brown men (usually with beards) or fully masked men. Yet there is a noticeable lack of diversity — specifically a lack of white supremacists, who by definition are terrorists yet aren’t considered as such.

3) How is terrorism “misunderstood”?

The documentary’s narrator, Dr. Deepa Kumar, says that “who is considered a terrorist threat is very much a political process. It is not an objective designation; rather, it is a socially constructed process.” Aside from the aforementioned lack of white people in Google Images’ search of terrorism, there’s also the two vastly different frames when covering acts of violence: if you’re white, and if you’re brown and/or Muslim. If the perpetrator is white, the causes of violence are explained as internal to the person; they have a phycological issue or difficult life situation and so on. If the perpetrator is brown and/or Muslim, it’s automatically proclaimed as cultural proclivity/liking to all brown people/Muslims; “because they follow Islam, they’re all prone to violence” is the mindset.

4) What is the process of “creating racialized others” described?

Dr. Kumar describes this process as “turning people into a race, a threatening race at that.” And this process isn’t a new thing; in the US, it’s been central to its foundation, and can date back to when they considered Native Americans to be savages. When the Chinese were brought in for dangerous work no one else wanted to do, they were denied citizenship and seen as a threat to the US way of life. Even other people now considered white like the Irish or Italians went through racialization.

5) What are some of the origins of what is today labeled as terrorism? What has changed since the 1970s in this regard? What has been the role of the media in this change?

While terrorism had been around before the 1970s, the US didn’t refer to it as such; instead, they called these people “bandits, rebels, guerillas, or later urban guerillas, or revolutionaries, or insurgents.” The sudden rise in terrorism as we recognize it now began with a couple distinct events. The first factor is the 1972 Munich Olympics, where the Israeli team was held hostage then killed by the Palestinian group called Black September; this was broadcasted live to the 900 million viewers tuning in for the Olympics. The second factor was a few years later, with the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The US-backed Shah was overthrown in a popular revolution, and he fled to the US; when the Iranians asked for his return so he can be tried, and the US refused, revolutionary students took over Tehran’s US Embassy and held a few dozen Americans hostage for 444 days.

[from-a-journalism-student]

Tournament Anomalies: Putting the “Mad” in March Madness?

Reflection 8: Resources for reporting a solutions story

March Madness 2021 has been highly anticipated since the 2020 cancellation due to COVID-19. However, since its inception in 1939, various anomalies have popped up year after year. Are these even considered fair or inevitable to begin with, and if not, what can be done to fix them?

For some quick context, March Madness is the The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, set up as a seven-round single elimination tourney consisting of 64 teams. It all leads up to the Final Four, the semifinals round where the last four teams face off to see which two teams will go on to the National Championship. At the start of the tourney, the 64 teams are split into four groups of 16, and each group ranks the teams 1 through 16; these ranks, called seeds, determine who faces who at the starting round. Fans participate by choosing the teams they believe will advance through the rounds; the participation is optional, but some make a gambling game out of it, with a cash minimum buy-in and grand prize.

So, the anomalies in March Madness. The ones most often seen are the 5-rank seeds being upset/defeated by the 12-seeds; another case is seeds 10 through 12 advancing to the third round (the Sweet Sixteen) more often than the 8- and 9-seeds, called the middle-seed anomaly.

[image: A blank version of the 2021 March Madness tournament bracket]

[from-a-journalism-student]

Spent: Balancing Money and Compassion

Reflection 7: Social Status

The going-ons in video games aren’t like real life, but video games can help us teach and learn in our reality. Spent is a simple game where your choices impact your living situation, and provides insight to what living in poverty is like.

You play a person with a young child, a minimum wage job of your choice, and $1000 to your name. And you have to make this money last for the next 30 days. You’ll get paid weekly, but various events and the decisions you make determine how much money you lose or gain on a daily basis. Occurrences like paying bills or rent or getting groceries are expected, but the unexpected can also occur like someone siphoning your gas or sudden body issues that require a doctor. You have choices to gain money, like having a yard sale or donating blood, but can also gain debts to pay, and if your bank account reaches zero, it’s game over.

Representation of poverty, class, race and more can be found in a lot of media. In The Hunger Games, everyone is divided by sections of land that determines its population’s wealth and well-being, kept in check with the vicious games the series is named after. In A Christmas Carol, we see the differences between the rich but miserable Ebenezer Scrooge and the poor but happy Cratchit family, especially from the sickly Tiny Tim. But as I played Spent, it sparked a sense of familiarity to a certain video game.

I was reminded of the game Papers Please, where you play a poor border guard to a strict regime, and your choices of who can and can’t go through impacts your relationships and paycheck, which affects your family. Both Papers Please and Spent have you balancing your money, your job and your compassion, none of which is an easy feat. In Spent, you have a child to care for, and your decisions often have you choose between them and money, or their well-being and yours; it’s the same in Papers Please, where you often have to choose between your own family or the personal relationships of the people whose passports you’re checking.

[from-a-journalism-student]

Reflection 6: Gender Documentary

In this post are my answers to the following questions, in regards to this documentary.

1) How do (negative) stereotypes of femininity and masculinity limit girls and boys?

It tells people — especially young children — that these stereotypes are how to be an “actual” or “real” boy or girl. “Actual” boys play sports, roughhouse with each other, and have action figures. “Actual” girls play dress-up, don’t get dirty, and have dolls. This ends up influencing how they behave and approach others as they grow older.

2) What contradictions do you see between the real girls/women around you and the way they are represented in the media?

Not all women are movie star levels of attractive or physically fit. They don’t always dress like they’re ready for a date or an action movie fight scene. If they are shown as “lazing around”, it’s for comedic purposes or post-breakup scenes.

3) What about the contradictions between real boys/men and the way they are represented in the media?

Same as above; not every man is Hollywood-levels of handsome or athletic, their clothes aren’t always sharp, and scenes of “lazing around” show them as gross slobs.

4) Why do you think media corporations use stereotypes to sell their products?

Media such as movies, TV and games have played a hand in warping our perception of what qualifies as the ideal man and woman. Corporations capitalize on this by using such stereotypes in advertising, saying that by using their product or service, you too can be the ideal person.

[from-a-journalism-student]

Reflection 5: Immersion

Linked above is the YouTube channel to The New York Times and their VR video on the Hiroshima bombing.

What I found intriguing about the video is the addition of the radio announcements placed at the start and end of the video, as well as the science behind the “Little Boy” bomb and how it triggered to explode. I also like the addition of the city of Hiroshima and it’s real-life details, letting us see how it was before its destruction.

What I would report on now regarding this is how people are still recovering from the bombing’s repercussions. Have any efforts or progress been made in curing those with radiation poisoning since the disaster? What about securing housing and financial aid for the surviving victims and their future generations? This video helps draw people in thanks to its VR and CGI, but what can we do to help those affected by the bombing?

[from-a-journalism-student]

Since coming into office, U.S. President Biden has begun to implement his four-part “Build Back Better” proposal, an aim at economic recovery in the country. The fourth part includes investing in infrastructure, manufacturing, housing and other such renovations — most of which will be directed to advance racial equity.

Biden believes an advancement in racial equity — fairness and impartial treatment to all races — will help boost the nation’s economic recovery by closing the racial wealth gap. His plan includes making capital available to minority business owners, improving the opportunity zone program made in 2017, and other similar ideas.

However, Biden’s plan falls short in some of the more ambitious areas. As of now, he hasn’t embraced the idea of reparations for the descendants of slaves, or endorsed the government-run savings program for children known as “baby bonds”. Luckily, Biden’s firm stance on these has not been established, and he isn’t opposed to such ideas.

Still, despite this ambitious project, Biden is still met with skepticism. He’s garnered a lot of support from the older generations of African-Americans, but struggles to excite some progressive voters, especially younger people of color.

[from-a-journalism-student]

Is Implicit Bias A Good or Bad Thing?

Reflection 3: Implicit Associations

In taking the Impicit Association Test (IAT) on Asians and European-Amercians, I am now wondering on the implications of bias and their place in the world, especially my own.

I am an Asian-American, adopted into a European-American white family. I’ve always been aware of the difference in ethnicities and looks between me, my Asian-American brother, and our white parents. I’ve never felt shame or embarrassment for it, or for the fact that I’m adopted; they’re a part of my identity and I’ve embraced that.

I have mixed feelings when it comes to white privilage. On the one hand, I certainly want it to end, as I’m aware of the damage it can cause on minorities. On the other hand, I worry that I unintentionally benefit from white privilage, having grown up in a white conservative family. Sadly, I don’t know of any self-examinations I can do in regards to this dilemma.

[from-a-journalism-student]

Feeling Over My Head and Under My Skin

Reflection 2: Under Our Skin

Right off the bat, I took interest in this project from a technical point of view; even the smallest bit of interaction in articles is more eye-catching to me than regular articles. I ended up clicking on “All Lives Matter” at first, since I recall the phrase being said before in my household; though I couldn’t watch all of it, the video resonated with me.

When COVID-19 became widespread, so did the rumors about how it originated from China; racism against Asians spiked up. As an Asian-American, I’ve been lucky enough to avoid racist slights made at me, but others aren’t so lucky, including my brother of the same ethnicity. I know this racism won’t end once the pandemic does, if it ever does.

Still, though I believe that all lives matter, I don’t endorse “All Lives Matter”; that is, I believe every person is entitled to base needs and respect, regardless of background, but at this present moment, BLM is a more important issue that needs support and recognition.

[from-a-journalism-student]

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Strength in Diversity

Reflection 1: The More We Know, The More We See

Nintendo’s biggest fighting game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is famous for many aspects, but arguably the most well-known is its massive and diverse roster. It’s pulled in over 70 playable characters from various game franchises, and each with their own unique moves, stats and quirks. Every single one of them — when played to their strengths — can hold their own in a match and have as much of a chance at winning as their competitors; where even a small electric mouse can topple a mighty demon king, and matches can turn on any drop of a hat.

Stepping back from the gameplay, the diversity can be seen the moment you lay eyes on the character select screen. The rendered models may share similar artistic aspects (lighting, textures, tints and tones, etc), but the art styles themselves vary from character to character. For example, series like Super Mario, Pokémon, and Splatoon fall into a cartoon-like style; brighter colors, less textures, simplistic and/or “cutesy” designs that wouldn’t look out of place in a kids show. In contrast, series like Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem, and Metroid have a more realistic style; more textures, saturated colors, designs that draw inspiration from anime and the real world. Of course, there are exceptions and outliers, such as the completely 2D character of Mr. Game and Watch or the blocky Minecraft avatar named Steve. But even then, they fit well alongside the colorful mismatch of heroes, villains, monsters, aliens, machines and animals.

And that’s what I find beautiful about this franchise. Super Smash Bros. began as a single small game with only 12 characters, yet from the outset, it strived and succeeded in becoming a celebration of video games. This was reinforced in the third installment — Super Smash Bros. Brawl — which introduced the inclusion of third-party characters and franchises not owned by Nintendo. This includes the aforementioned Minecraft, as well as Sonic the Hedgehog, Metal Gear Solid, Street Fighter, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest. If this most recent installment ends up being the last one, I’ll be happy and satisfied to watch it go out with such a massive bang.