Will We See the Real War?, J.Alter
-No. (explained below)

Rules for the press, Pentagon

- The Pentagon’s draft rules allow the press to interview or photograph wounded soldiers only in the presence of a military escort and with the consent or patient, doctor and commander.
The visual and audio recordings of personal in agony or sever shock are not authorized.
Imagery of patients suffering from severe disfigurement or undergoing plastic-surgery treatments are not authorized.
Interviews with or visual imagery of patients undergoing psychiatric treatment are not authorized.

Embedded correspondents
- Frontline reporting
- real and direct reporting
- bring truth to the local citizens as well as the people far away
= major progressive development

- but: part of a military unit and takes on the soldiers’ views
- government controls them (“propaganda”)
- distorted view of reality
- personal danger
- US-ARMY has the possibility of manipulating the reports

Reality is different from what is written in the newspapers.
Reality is clouded by fog of war.
A fog that governments create in order to camouflage the reality.
Information is censored for the purpose of not damaging the military’s reputation.
Information is released to justify the war and to maintain a certain narrow-minded picture of the war. (one sided, biased reporting)
Human Interest Stories are released to manipulate people and to draw attention.
HIS are heroic stories that describe the fate of a single person.
A legend remains regardless whether the story is true or not.

The function of the press
- Information (truthful account of events)

Code of Ethnics (moral principle) for American Journalists
= Responsibility of information having to reach the public
- Freedom of the press
- Independence (independent from governments)
- Sincerity, Accuracy (Aufrichtigkeit/Richtigkeit)
- Impartiality (Objectivität)

Total information awareness (erkenntnis) motel
- Pentagon – embedded media
= both in one bed == connected = P. controlling the e.m.

Reshaping the American Dream, Griffith
traditional form:
- “liberty and justice for all”
- “land of promise”
- “pursuit of happiness”
-> Declaration of Independence
Everybody shall be able to develop to the fullest stature.

present form:
- “more than incomes and titles”
- material wealth and social position are basic personal goals
- the idea of progress for future generation
- but also: crime rates increased, state of affluence is accompanied by losses of individuality
- idea of social and moral advancement (not achieved: crime rates)

future form:
- A.D. is still a basic ingredient
- but: Americans have lost confidence in their future
- limitation of resources -> planning != dream
- new challenges for the future
- the American Dream has a new shape

Michael Moore, The Big One
This documentary deals with the subjects social security cuts, its consequence, unemployment caused by companies and the widening gap between rich and poor.
Moore uses irony, the means of direct confrontation, provocation, humour, sarcasm, exaggerations and news reports to draw attention to his issues.
It is good to see that people like Michael Moore stand up to large companies and confront them with what the vast majority thinks.

Adams
- A.D. = lure, promise of America
- no clear definition
- land of opportunity
- richer fuller life
- pursuit of happiness
- success
- not a dream of material plenty (cars and high wages)
- equality (equal treatment regardless of the circumstances of birth/position)
- freedom (of choice)
- in order to make the dream come true, people have to build together (better), and not bigger (keeping up with the Joneses)
- communal spirit must be higher
- intellectual life must be higher
- top society members are to become more dedicated to society and share their intellectual wealth

Independence Day – 4th of July – Declaration of Independence was passed
Stars and Stripes – white = purity, red = endurance, blue = justice
Melting Pot – metaphor describing America. Individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men.
New Canaan – reference to Canaan, the land Moses led his people, New Canaan = America, “The Promised Land”
Frontier – line of settlement (westward)
Individualism – central concept in the way Americans see themselves and are viewed by others. Responsibility for one’s fate shaped the American culture.
Manifest Destiny – America’s mission to democratize the world. USA = “nation of the future”. Used the M.D. to justify the territorial expansion. The role of the US as global mediator in political conflicts grew out of this idea.

Reasons for the immigration:
- Industrial revolution
- Gold rush
- Building of railroads
- persecution of Jews

Later on, limited immigration due to laws. Set quotas, changed immigration system. Illegal immigration of Mexicans and Latin Americans.

Franklin
Ladder of success:
- Industry = Fleiss
- perseverance = Ausdauer
- courage = Mut
- economy = Sparsarmkeit
- integrity = Anpassungsfähigkeit
- prudence = Klugheit
- temperance = Gelassenheit

Elliott
The American Dream:
- Democracy and freedom
- Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream”
- Equality (no racial/political differences)
- Success
- Progress
- The frontier (line of settlement)
- Individualism
- Capitalism
- Peace
- Pride
- Happiness
- Wealth
- Unlimited possibilities
- The founding fathers (Franklin, Jefferson, Washington)
- Everyone has a different “American Dream”