open Democracy News Analysis - “I am an American” , Cynthia Weber - Comments

patricia molloy on "“I Am an American”: portraits of post-9/11 US citizens "

patricia molloy — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:18:18 +0100

I love this project! It really gets at the diversity of ways of being American, who gets to count or not count as being American, and tosses what "being American" is into the thin air. The videos look and sound great and it's a great example of an academic taking pedagogy beyond the classroom and into the public media sphere, ie, doing internet/media/cultural activism. I wish more academics would follow suit (and this is coming from an academic!).

bwcanes on "“I Am an American”: portraits of post-9/11 US citizens "

bwcanes — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:32:25 +0100

To use a sports analogy, Cynthia Weber has hit a homerun with her film, "I am an American." Her opening segment, featuring Chris Simcox, is both fascinating and educational. And, I believe it conveys the feelings of many Americans in the US at this time. Ms. Weber's use of audio and natural sound enhances the profile. The four minute segment flies by leaving you wanting more. For the record, I too am an American and am damn proud of it. I'm also proud of her first segment and look forward to seeing more as they become available.

“I am an American” , Cynthia Weber

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:32:14 +0100

"I Am an American"

Click here to view the original Advertisement

On 21 September 2001 - ten days after 9/11 - the Ad Council in the United States launched its "I am an American" advertising campaign. The campaign of the US's leading producer of public-service advertisements "sought to celebrate the ideals that keep this country strong by highlighting the nation's extraordinary diversity". It featured thirty- and sixty-second television spots in which a montage of individual US citizens of diverse ages, races and religions looked directly into the camera and declared, "I am an American", while the emotive Americana music of Edgar Meyer plays in the background. Each spot concluded with the longstanding US motto E Pluribus Unum ("Out of Many, One"), underscoring the idea that these living portraits of individual citizens combined to create a single, shared vision of the US nation. According to the Ad Council, "the ads helped the country to unite in the wake of the terrorist attacks".

Read the rest of this post...