Mayday, m’aider.

Sifting through the May4Archive, one line at the end of the chronology sent chills down my spine: “As the Guard reaches the crest of Blanket Hill near the Pagoda of Taylor Hall, 28 Guardsmen suddenly turn around 180 degrees, walk back a few steps, and fire their weapons into the group located in the parking lot. Sixty-one shots are fired in 13 seconds. Four students are killed and nine others injured. Various professors are successful in preventing further bloodshed.”

Especially in combination with the film shown in class a few weeks ago, this quote really hit home for me. So many realizations come to mind: I am in college. I am an advocate. I am living in the middle of a war across an ocean. I am the same age as some of the students who died that day. Could this have happened at the Love is Louder counter-protest? Could this have been us? Could this have been me?

Suddenly it is much easier to picture something like this happening at Emerson, to put myself in those students’ shoes and feel deeply affected by the events of May 4, 1970. Suddenly I studying Kent State is so much more relevant to my life and who I am as a student, as an advocate, as a contributor to society, and as a person in general. Suddenly I understand more deeply the anti-war campaign, the strong sense of gathering for a cause, then the distraught emotion, the agony, and the grievance.

To top it off–I still can’t believe that between newspapers’ and FBI investigations, civil and criminal trials, a Federal and Ohio Grand juries, judicial appeals, and numerous forums, books, and articles, that there still is no cemented information, no clear explanation or reason for how or why this happened.

And so I join the resounding, “Why?!” and “How?!”

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Bridging passion and technique.

Although it was freezing in the cabaret, I still really enjoyed our speaker this morning. He had a lot of great tricks and tips and pointed out things you wouldn’t normally notice on your own–like articulation, stress, and pauses; things you use all the time but don’t necessarily know how to use in the best possible way.

I particularly appreciated this quote about balancing enthusiasm with knowledge and organization: “Passion without technique is embarrassing. Technique without passion is boring.”

This reminded me a little of our public diplomacy group. Yes, we have a lot of dedication and motivation, we just don’t know where to channel it first. And although having raw passion for something helps you push the issue and make your case, without refined technique that’s passion is: raw. Undeveloped, unrefined, and without direction, passion is useless. And, according to our speaker today, embarrassing.

Better get concentrated, ladies.

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Don’t vote? Don’t listen to that.

The “Don’t Vote” ad shown in class today was appalling. That is the only word I can use to accurately describe it. I was shocked to see a political group telling voters to stay clear of the voting booths–and then to try and pin it on a Latin American group when it was really the GOP? How much lower can it possibly get?!

I realize that their goal was to keep voters from voting Democratic, but–now matter who you are or what your political background–telling anyone not to vote is wrong. By voting, one chooses to voice an opinion, to put a small drop into the bucket and contribute to society. Discouraging such participation is wrong and I will never agree with it–no matter the case. I guess this goes back to Machiavelli’s theory on doing anything for winning. But I don’t agree with that either, so I guess we’re both out of luck.

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Public discourse, public diplomacy.

Our public diplomacy group decided to so something different. Instead of spending our efforts on something that would only be presented in class, we decided to run with something that will hopefully make an impression on the Emerson community and be worth more than just a grade on our transcripts.

Inspired by other college advocacy groups, we have decided to create an Emerson chapter of the group ONE, a public diplomacy-based group that mainly focuses on poverty and disease rampant in Africa but also responds to crises and immediate response needs. We have so many ideas running through our minds that have yet to decide on a focus for our first project and also our launch into the Emerson community. We are almost too excited for this that we don’t know where to begin–maybe Dr. Payne (our official advisor!) will help us focus our energy and be super concentrated and productive on one idea instead of being spread thin over ten or more. Enthusiasm is great, but not always the most efficient from of energy. But we’re working on it!

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Exchanging more than news in Saudi Arabia.

I have never been abroad. I have never left the country. I haven’t even been to the western part of the United States. Long distance travelling hasn’t been a big part of my background, but it is (and always has been) something I want to pursue in my future.

After reading The News Exchange and understanding the experiences of those who participated, I am struck by one column in particular by recent Harard graduate, Allyson Burley. Writing about “finally being able to truly see,” she says that her perception of Saudi Arabia was previously skewed; that her interaction with its people realigned her views and gave her a beautiful sense of awareness, an even stronger sense of accomplishment, and a deep appreciation for other cultures. And although I haven’t really had the opportunity to participate in a program like the one she experienced, I am even more inspired to travel for deeper reasons than sight-seeing or taking beautiful photographs. From learning ancient rituals and ceremonies to practicing new and different cooking techniques, I want to learn it all and grow from it, just like Allyson did.

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Negative aura.

“Barack Obama is the worst president in history…. somebody has to go to Washington and knock the hell out of the place.” – Ben Quayle

It is statements like this one that make me hate negative advertising. Statements that are used solely for shock-value and have no substantial, if any, support behind them.

Listening to candidates bicker back and forth via 30-second television promotions is annoying and turns me off of politics completely. While I realize that disproving the ideas of the opponent strengthens one’s own arguments, it only does so to an extent. For the most part, negative advertising is overrated and, to be completely honest, unnecessary in most cases.

Take Ben Quayle’s ad, for example. What empirical information does he present? There is none. Not one piece of data, not one fact is presented to support any of the accusations he is making. Isn’t that the first step to creating an argument in the first place–providing evidence?

Let’s just go back to the ’50s and early ’60s (pre-Nixon campaign) and positively advertise oneself again. This method was better. It was more appealing to viewers, which made it more effective and impactful and, sometimes, less prone to falsities.

Be bold. Make a jingle and announce what you stand for. Come on, Kennedy and Ike did it. Why can’t you?

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Selling me the President.

From the start McGinnis had me hooked. With his first person narrative introduction that describes how he came to write Selling of the President, I immediately felt involved and fully invested in the story.

The novel-like structure of this book truly pulls the reader into the story. McGinnis’ descriptions alone are entrancing. Even though these events occurred more than 30 and 40 years ago, I feel as though I am beside McGinnis as he encounters each character and issue.

I honestly can’t believe I am enjoying a book about corruption in campaign advertising this much.

McGinnis avoids dry explainations and lets the events speak for themselves. Nixon’s team was smart. They knew how to manipulate the media and the audience, it was just a matter of how to execute it in the best way possible to suit their needs.

Selling solely the image of a candidate, not the candidate himself nor his platform; carefully orchestrating a single advertisement, going through numerous takes, slightly varying the word choice–all of this is a meticulously constructed and fabricated perception being served to us, the well-researched audience.

If only audience did some research of its own.

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Lying is lying.

“Political advertising ought to be stopped. It’s the only really dishonest kind of advertising that’s left.”  – David M. Ogilvy

This was one of the quotes on my iGoogle homepage today. It really stuck with me because, when you think about it, what commercials are allowed to air that don’t necessarily tell the truth–or at least the whole truth–other than those of political campaigns?

There are none.

Companies are restricted from falsely advertising their products and misleading the public but our officials–our “leaders”–aren’t held to that same standard when a position in office is up for grabs. How is that possible?

I’m hoping the upcoming section on political advertising will explain this to me because right now, it just doesn’t make sense.

Maybe it’s not meant to.

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Social media buzz.

Sometimes it is so helpful to hear positive words about the future.With so many people talking about the grim job outlook, the terrible economy, and the death of print journalism, it isn’t hard to fall into a negative mindset yourself.

Talking with Grant and John, however, had the complete opposite effect. They were so inspiring. Hearing that their efforts lead them to Washington and that they think we could do the same if we wanted puts more motivation into everything I do.

Here are these two recent Emerson graduates, making it at the DNC and loving every minute of their jobs. Not to mention knowing the ins and outs of everything they were doing. If I can be that knowledgeable, have that much expertise, and be that happy in my career (especially the beginnings of my career!), I will be on cloud nine. Forever.

– Rheanna Bellomo –

Beyond the front lines.

I can’t wait to see this exhibit and learn about life on the battlefield from behind the lens. Photojournalism is such a powerful medium for important messages and impactful events, especially war. I may be a little biased being a photography minor, but sometimes I think a single still image can hold more meaning than minutes, or even hours, of video. The power of one moment resonates with people and puts emphasis on that one interaction, that one choice, that one second framed forever.

Look at this child for example, tucked under the bicycle. A video clip of this baby crawling around in the dirt near a bike would not leave the viewer with anything to think about or feel for after. A photographer choosing to capture this one moment amplifies any and every emotion tied to it. Photographs seal a single second of time and leave us to relish them years after those moments have passed.

Because of this I have loved, and always will love, photography. I can’t get enough. And I hope to use my passion for it in ways similar to this–to show the world parts of itself that need to be seen, to tell stories otherwise unspoken, and to move people the way I have been moved by others.

– Rheanna Bellomo –