I missed the second half of class the other day so hopefully I have interpreted the assignment correctly….
PERSONAL
This image is so upsetting to me. Personally, I am christian and I get very upset when I see people protesting in the name of God. People like this are ignorant. To me this generates hatred and anger and from this the world becomes a little bit less of a good place. For me that is evil, generating hatred and discrimination. What good comes from this?
HISTORICAL
Every one has the freedom to protest what they stand for. This method of communication goes back as far as the problems people are protesting. Luckily we live in a country that this is a freedom we have and as long as it is peaceful there is no problem. But is this peaceful making someone feel less human?
TECHNICAL
Lighting
The lighting in this image is natural. The sun highlights the signs that these men are holding up. The sky is blue and the sun is shining making it look as though it is a happy day.
Composition
This is framed as a waste shot. The emphasis is on the signs more then the men. The photographer shoots from down low making the signs appear larger and more predominant.
Symolism/Vectors
The sign is a graphic vector that draws the audience’s eye straight up, perhaps to the “hateful god”. The red writing conveys the hatred as well. The man to the left appears to be putting up his fist which is symbolic of a supremacy or pride.
Ethical/Cultural/Critical
Ethically protesting this way should be wrong. However, we live in a culture that people are hateful and feel the need to make other people feel less human. I am glad we are able to voice our opinion but I do not see how these people are changing anything. What are they protesting…how are they making a difference? It is critical for us to be able to voice our own opinions. I feel that this picture is a representative of people who protest in a hateful way and this to me is evil. To make people angry and generate hatred is evil. This is a problem and the hate that they generate needs to be stopped.
3 responses so far ↓
emceedowell // April 24, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Thank you so much for highlighting these guys. It seems like irony that people who come in the name of God would be evil. But you are exactly right, these people are evil and they go back about as far as the problems themselves. Jesus spoke very strongly against people like this in his time, I too think it’s intolerable and should be silenced or at very least addressed with equal aggression.
Nathan // April 24, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I definitely see where you are coming from. I really do not like when those people come to campus and preech their faith through threats. Whenever I walk by them I feel uncomfortable and I just want to get out of their. Poeple always argue with them too and it just turns into a shouting match. good post!
adriennerhea // April 25, 2008 at 2:44 am
Steph, I think this picture works great as portraying “the other”. Whenever I walk by these people on campus I feel like they are the evil ones, and not the college students passing by to go to class. It is almost like the people holding the signs don’t appear to be evil, but the signs make them that way. The people who hold the signs cause more negative then they do positive. Preaching in this way will never get others to become Christians.