Jose Antonio Vargas

I have a special feeling after reading Jose Antonio Vargas' story especially the day after the U.S government decided to expand Chinese students' validity of visas. I happened to talk about the immigration problem with my boyfriend last night. I joked him because his visa was rejected one year ago since the U.S. embassy thought he had tendency to immigrate. He still didn't know why he was considered to have the immigration tendency, but as a result, he lost his chance to come here for graduate school last year.

It was always very interesting for me to talk about the visa problem.

As a foreigner, I was always asked: do you want to stay here after graduate? Are you considering to be a U.S citizen. Even when I interviewed people before the election,  people always asked me, did you vote? When I answered "I don't have the right to vote since I'm not an U.S. citizen", they would continue, but you will be in the future right?

I don't think I'll be a U.S. citizen in the future. But being asked for several times, I begin to be curious about how Americans think about foreigners who study or work here? How do Americans think about immigrants?

I do know that many foreigners want to stay here. They try different ways to get citizenships.

 Back to 2013, when I first went to the U.S. embassy to apply for my Visa before I came here, I met a girl sitting outside of the door, crying. She told me that it was her fourth times that the U.S. embassy refused to grant her visa . "I'm done," she said, "I have to give up. I can't even travel in the U.S.  My family can never immigrate to the U.S. ". Barely no one can get their visas passed after being rejected for four times. She said her parents applied for immigration when she was 8 years old, but failed. Her family wanted to immigrate through her study in the U.S. So the family record might hurt her.

I also knew that some mothers came to the U.S. to give birth in order to get their children U.S. citizenships. I also heard that some people even some friends at UGA  got married with Americans in order to get their green cards.

Also, some people, like Jose Antonio Vargas' mother, sent their children to the U.S. illegally for better life.

To some extent, I understand them.

I saw a documentary several years ago. A famous universities' professor chose to stay at the U.S. illegally during his conference in the U.S. I was shocked because as a professor who taught music, he had high social status and good salary in China, why he chose to stay at the U.S. and even had to sing on the street. I can't remember if he said because of his son. But I remembered he felt regretful about his choice. He can't go back to his original life. His can't speak English well, and can't get involved in Americans' life. "I am outcast," he said.

Back to Vargas' story and journalism ethics. It's often the rule that journalists should avoid their stories related to they themselves. It could obey the objectivity. And journalists cannot write stories  for their private interests. However, this seems not apply to this case.

For Vargas, he is not only fighting for his own interests, but also those millions of undocumented immigrants. No one else knows more deeply about the hard situation than him.

We can never deny that his reporting or stories on newspapers were too subjective for those who support to send undocumented immigrants back. But sometimes not all problems have right or wrong answers.

I don't think it is right to immigrate illegally. I do think it may urge more  people immigrated illegally if the law permits illegal immigrants to get the U.S. citizenships when they are qualified some criteria.

However, back to the journalism ethics, this is a public topic. I think the journalists have the right to write the issue. At the same time, others have the right to write the opposite opinions.

Reading Response

My senior seminar class for my history minor was a class that focused on American immigration policies, world events that led to mass immigration, and the lives of new immigrants. Though much of what we discussed and eventually wrote about concerned legal immigration, the professor, from Canada, felt as though we could not talk about immigration in American history without addressing illegal immigration, particularly in the case of people arriving in the American Southwest from Mexico or arriving in the United States by traveling through Canada.

Vargas' story was unlike anything we were able to read or watch because of the honesty with which he told it. The vast majority of illegal immigrants are (understandably) too scared to tell their stories. I never really stopped to think about what actual daily life is like for someone who has to hide who they really are in terms of legal status in this country. Maybe most telling, he considered coming out as gay to be far less scary than revealing he is here illegally. I honestly can't imagine how exhausting it must be to have to live with such a heavy secret. Obviously it's somewhat ironic that he chose to pursue a career in journalism all the while using fake documentation. I think that his decision to stop hiding that part of his identity certainly was influenced by his conscience.

The most complicated part of journalists being required to "exercise their personal conscience" is the idea of personal conscience. How do we know that all journalists have the same internal standards that make up someone's personal conscience? I think that it's true that in order for journalists to feel as though they can do that, managers/editors/etc need to create and continually foster an environment that encourages everyone to speak their mind. No one is always right and no one never makes mistakes, so in order for the collective conscience of the paper or magazine or whatever to be sound, individuals have to believe that what they say and how they "exercise their personal conscience" is heard.

Vargas story

The part of the reading I enjoyed the most was Jose Antonio Vargas's moving story on his struggles with being an undocumented immigrant, especially at such a young age. From starting with a language barrier, to getting a driver's license, to coming out as being gay, Vargas had many hurdles to overcome.

What I found uplifting was that most of the people in his life that were close to him didn't turn their backs on him once they found out that he was he was undocumented. People's understanding of his difficult situation was pleasantly unexpected. I like when he said he called his former employers and friends and apologizes for misleading them, they still allowed him to use their real names in the story.

Reading Response: Book/Jose Antonio Vargas Story

          The ethics chapter in News Reporting very insightful. I think one of the main problems behind society’s negative perception of journalists is that anyone can try to act like a journalist today. Because of all our online resources and ways of communicating, a lot of time those reading don’t realize they may not be getting information from a real reporter. This also goes along with the problem of not having licensed journalists. People can try and act like a journalist and write things for the public to see, and “only the public, by patronizing specific news outlets, decides whose writing is valuable” (468). I also thought this section was interesting in the chapter because I never realized all the different laws that are pushed in the favor of journalists, and I thought that was motivating.  

         The Jose Antonio Vargas story was very moving, and the writing made it even better. I enjoyed how he sectioned off parts to explain each of his challenges as he tried to fit into the United States. The story was also quite an eye-opener. You hear of all these instances where illegal immigrants are being deported, but I never really think about what the circumstances might be on the ends of those being deported. It really is scary, and although his mother was trying to give him a better future, it was still illegal.

            The story really shows the complicated issues with immigration and immigration laws. I loved the part where he explains why he realized he wanted to be a journalist, and it was because it was his open door of acceptance and what made him feel like an actual part of the U.S. I was also surprised of all the support he found along the way through his life of trying to achieve. So many people saw his potential, and rather than letting him fail, they helped him get around the laws. I couldn’t believe people would risk so much, but it just shows how immigration laws don’t work in people like Jose’s favor. I also really enjoyed reading the comments at the end of the story. He gained more supporters after telling the public the truth.  

Blog Post 11/10

Before I read the chapter about ethics in News Writing and Reporting I knew there was a code of ethics among journalists. I did not know however that there were so many facets to this code of ethics. I had never heard of deontological, teleological and antinomianism ethics. The type of ethics a journalist adheres to can influence the type of journalist they are and how they write.  After reading more about what each of these types of ethics entails I wondered why any journalist would limit himself or herself to adhering to just one type of ethics. Why wouldn’t they follow deontological, teleological and antinomianism?  If one of the main rules of journalism is to be objective, it seems like you’d need to also not limit yourself to one kind of ethics.

The New York Times Vargas story was really moving. I thought it was interesting that he talked about how he felt like he had to prove that he belonged in America and decided to prove himself through journalism. I was surprised how many people supported him and accepted the fact that he was an illegal immigrant with forged documents. There is so much emphasis put on the negative aspects of illegal immigrants that we have lost site of the people who come to this country to make something of themselves and truly believe that being an American citizen will give them a chance at a successful future.

Jose Antonio Vargas'

Jose Antonio Vargas' story was a really touching and passionate piece of journalism. I'm sure certain conservatives are incensed by his idea of a "real American." Frankly, I feel conflicted about his story. His family did break the law, but Vargas had been in the country for four years before he even realized that he was here illegally. So, if there is anyone to quote, unquote blame, it would be his parents or grandparents who purposefully broke the law.

Immigration reform has been a hot button issue in America because of its many flaws. If immigrants are productive members of society, and contributing members to the communities in which they live, I believe they deserve a chance to stay. I really like his quote, "Actions are illegal, never people." It speaks to the underlying issue with immigration reform where American law makers and citizens attack the issue with an underlying racial prejudice rather than the morality of being undocumented. Nevertheless, I applaud Vargas for telling his story. He used his platform as an esteemed journalist to help others plagued by be undocumented. That show true character and good use of conscience.

2 news videos

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/dr-lapook-on-stricter-cdc-ebola-guidelines-for-health-workers/

The first video is about Ebola on CBS. It's CBS morning news. I like the style: two hosts and one guest. The guest can well explained the questions that the guests asked. The video also had some infographics during their talk.

http://news.ifeng.com/world/special/ebola/#playerDiv
The second video is also about Ebola on CCTV (China Central Television). I chose the second one to compare with the first one. Most of the news sources are from American news reporting.  Basically  the host explained how the Ebola virus came while the scene showed some related pictures or shots.

News Videos

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/20/world/meast/isis-airstrikes/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

This is an interesting video due to its very aggressive nature and strong visuals. What I connect with in the piece is narration. His voice and dictation are professional, but there is a hint of concern or desperation that changes the overall feel of the story. It almost comes off as he is the audience himself.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29685125

The reporting on this video is engrossing. Instead of feeling forced and scripted, it instead feels very natural and thoughtful. The subject matter is questionable and controversial, so the humanistic approach works to its benefit.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000003181298/this-weeks-movies-oct-17-2014.html?playlistId=1194811622182&region=video-grid&version=video-grid-thumbnail&contentCollection=Times+Video&contentPlacement=11&module=recent-videos&action=click&pgType=Multimedia&eventName=video-grid-click

The final video is in my wheelhouse in that it is just recaps and reviews of the new movies that were released over the weekend. Video is a great medium for these kinds of pieces in that there can be an audible narrative review while showing a sample of a subject that relies so heavily on visuals.

2 news videos

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2014/sep/23/yak-polo-pakistan-government-support-video

This first video is on The Guardian's website. It's about a Pakistani yak polo player who is trying to gain government support for his beloved sport. I think what makes this video interesting is the unusualness of the topic being covered. I like the use of subtitles instead of narration because the video is short and narration would distract from the overall feel of the video.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/tech/2014/09/11/pkg-build-tomorrow-prosthetics-bionic-legs-exoboot-hugh-herr-crane.cnn.html

On a more serious note, this second video is about a man who's father was one of terrorists that planned the 9/11 attacks. He's being interviewed about his book "A Terrorist's Son". A lot of times I get bored pretty quickly by news interviews, but this one kept me engaged. I enjoyed his message of how he chose peace and nonviolence rather than following his father's past. The questions were engaging and it made me want to read his book.

2 News Video Impressions

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/chi-emanuel-on-chicagos-preparedness-ebola-20141017-premiumvideo.html

This video covers Mayor Rahm Emanuel's public statement on the ongoing development of a plan for Ebola preparedness in Chicago. He clarifies that the situation is not the same as it is elsewhere yet but that it is not only a public health issue but also a public safety issue. He talks about what has already happened in the formation of this plan as well as what the next steps will be. It was a little bit difficult to hear without turning the volume way up but I think his statement was well-prepared. It addresses the ever-increasing concerns about what's happening and how it could potentially directly affect his city as well as what is actually being done and who is involved. I think the purpose is to help assuage fears a little bit that no preparations will be in place if there were to be an outbreak in Chicago.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/asia/100000003152942/to-kill-a-sparrow.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=video-player-region&region=video-player-region&WT.nav=video-player-region

This video is completely different than the previous one. It is the story of a young Afghan woman who was engaged to be married by her father when she was 5 (to a man who was her father's age at the time). When she grew up she didn't want to marry him and ran away with another man. Her father found her and had her arrested. The video was done almost entirely through subtitles, except for some instances of English narration. Normally that frustrates me a little bit, but in this case, the story was interesting enough that I didn't mind the subtitles. I liked how she showed the woman's life, the man she ran away with's perspective, a women's rights lawyer's perspective, and that of her family (brother and father). It made the story even more compelling than if it had just been a single interview with the woman herself.

2 News Video Impressions

·               http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/africa/100000003107917/dying-of-ebola-at-the-hospital-door.html?playlistId=100000003105684&region=video-grid&version=video-grid-thumbnail&contentCollection=Ebola+Outbreak&contentPlacement=3&module=featured-videos&action=click&pgType=Multimedia&eventName=video-grid-click

         This video “Dying of Ebola at the Hospital Door” was about life in Monrovia, the Liberian capital, and the title says it all because the only hospitals in Liberia are having to close their doors to needy patients. This video seemed so simple, but it expressed a lot about the complexity and pain of the Ebola virus. I also believe it would’ve been hard to do because they were speaking a different language, so the voice had to kind of explain what was going on.

I also liked how the narrator gives an explanation of what’s going on before he introduces himself. It’s obvious what the video is about from the start, and after showing a clip of someone with the virus, the speaker goes into his narration – made it a little more interesting and drew me in to continue watching. 

It’s a pretty scary video and puts you directly into life in Liberia with a virus like Ebola going around. The Doctors Without Borders are doing their best, but hospitals are full, and it really shows you life in Liberia right now as Ebola spreads.

·               http://www.nytimes.com/video/fashion/100000003183200/back-to-the-land.html?playlistId=1194811622182&module=tv-carousel&action=click&pgType=Multimedia&contentPlacement=1
          This video was a nice contrast to the previous Ebola story. It’s called “Vow – Back to the Land.” It was a feature story/video on a couple from East Hampton who went to high school together, and then reunited later in life and got married. The video had a nice, upbeat music playing in the background and it showed their story being told by each of them. I liked how it showed them interacting with each other, and it shows a different life than the big city or what people think about people living in the Hamptons. They have a barn and do yard work, and they are just letting people know there’s a different life other than what people think about the Hampton locals. It was a sweet video and it told a story. Introducing the couple, talking about their childhood, and then we got to hear them discussing their future with their wedding plans in the family barn.

2 Videos on News Websites

http://www.theonion.com/video/owners-box-start-joique-bell-which-means-now-hell,37197/

A little profane, but here is The Onion's NFL weekly series Owner's Box.

http://www.usatoday.com/media/cinematic/video/16912093/punchlines-ebola-on-the-backs-of-isil/

Here is an update from the USA Today on all the Ebola jokes circulating the media. Stephen Cobert and Jon Stewart make appearances.

4 Fascinating Journalistic Photos

This first one is a breaking news picture. The guy was crying because he lost his bother during the Kenya war in 2008.  I like this one because it recorded the  real human emotion. A guy could be also very fragile when he lost their relatives.  The picture has a strong visual impact, and reminds the audience how crucial the war was.

The second one is also a breaking news picture. It was shot at a train station a during the Spring Festival travel peak in China.  It is the largest annual movement in the world, with more than a total of 2 bn journeys during over three weeks.  People would take trains to go back home to celebrate the holiday. Every train station is crowed of people during that time.  This picture did a good job in taking people's facial expression. It showed how difficult to get home. Everybody who has experience about the spring festival rush would has the same feeling.

The third one was a scene that a teacher taught students in a poor room in China's rural area. They did't have books or blackboards. Their desks were also not suitable. There was even a girl standing there listening to the class by holding her sister on her back.
This picture showed how poor the studying environment was in some remote areas. At the same time, those children have a strong sense of learning. It shocked me.

This fourth one was simply about a giraffe. I like it because it well captured the moment of the giraffe running in a river.  It was energetic. The color is beautiful.

4 Fascinating Journalistic Photos

This photo is of a Syrian boy waiting to be treated at a hospital after his family's house was shelled. The look on his face conveys so much emotion and heartbreak, and the soldier standing by only adds more gravity to the situation.


This photo of U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas captures so much motion even though it is just a still frame. It makes for a more compelling shot than if she had just been standing on the beam.


This photo does a great job of capturing differing actions in a time of conflict. The police officer on the left is attempting to kick the downed rioter, while the officer in the center is attempting to protect him.


This is a photo of Obama during a conference discussing the mission of dealing with Osama bin Laden. The intensity on his face conveys a good sense of the gravity of the situation.

4 Fascinating Photos

This photo is of a young man watching as members of the Red Cross bury his father who they suspected died of Ebola. The raw emotion on his face is what makes it so powerful.

This is a photo from Ferguson, MO. Having lived in St. Louis, I find images such as this one almost unbelievable. Some people may see bravery in this image, but all I see and hear from all of the stories, videos, and photos coming from this entire situation is fear. The protesters, police, and residents of surrounding neighborhoods are all scared of one another.

This photo comes from a photo essay about a now 16-year-old girl with quadriplegia, who was in a car accident and suffered a bruised spinal cord at the age of six. After her accident, her doctors, nurses, and specialists told her that she was lucky to be alive. This index card comes from a school project that she did about her injury, recovery, and life since. After working with people with disabilities as a result of an accident of some kind, I found many feel this way. Seeing a 16-year-old articulate this so bluntly, however, gives the sentiment even more strength.

This photo shows a vending machine in a former rice field. It was pushed inland by a tsunami. I’m not sure exactly what I like about it. I think it’s a mixture of the light and perspective. I think this one also shows strength, but a different kind.

4 Fascinating Photos

This first picture was part of an AP article. I found it compelling because it gets across all the emotion surrounding the Boston Marathon bombing even though it's not a picture of victims at the finish line. I like the angle of the picture because it makes you feel like you're kneeling at the memorial. This picture gives a good sense of the support of not only the Boston community, but also the support of people around the country for the bombing victims.

This second picture was part of an article in The Mirror. This image shows the seriousness of the Ebola epidemic by portraying UN workers in an area where an outbreak is present. However, the use of a traffic sign to let people know Ebola is present in the area seems to lessen the seriousness of the situation.

This third picture was used in a Bloomberg article about the protests in Hong Kong.  People took to the street to show their support for free speech and to protest an attack on a newspaper editor. The angle of this shot showcases the massive crowd and the overwhelming support for free speech. Not only is the large sign in the middle compelling because of what it says, but also because it's in English. This is interesting since the protest is in Hong Kong and the other signs are in Chinese.

This fourth picture is one of the AP editors' picks. It shows traditional Rajasthani dancers performing during the Modi festival at Madison Square Garden. I really like all the bright colors and the dancers' facial expressions. This picture captures the lightheartedness of the event.

Four Fantastic Journalism Photos

This first image is interesting to me because of how much context it gave to me about the events in Ferguson, MO the first time I saw it. Also, I saw so much discussion of the photo on social media. The photograph is of a demonstrator throwing a can of tear gas back at the police. When the photo first came out, the gentleman (whose name I can’t seem to find) said on his Twitter account that he was trying to get the can away from the children who were out on the street. There has been much discussion about the irony of this man wear an American flag shirt while putting on a show of defiance against the police.

I really liked this point of view shot of legs hanging over the city. This photo definitely arouses my inner acrophobic, but it leaves many questions to the imagination: Is this the magical work of Photoshop? How is this picture being taken? Is this person really sitting over that ledge?

I saw this picture on The Guardian and they were admonishing Mirror for using this photo out of context and calling it a lie. I honestly can agree. As a journalist, I would never put this photograph with a story unless this child was directly related (with parental consent, of course). One thing that really pulls at the heartstrings of Americans is sad looking animals and crying children. This photo is heartbreaking to look at, as it seems that despair is in this child’s eyes. In reality, the tears could be from a normal child temper tantrum and used as a stock photo.

I picked this photo, because I thought it was very visually interesting, not just with the bright colors, but the mise-en-scene. This is so much social commentary that is going on within this photo. The American flag, matched with the classic “more perfect union” sign, provides a stark contrast to the constraints of Washington D.C.  in the backdrop.