Margaret's+Reflection+(4)

=**Reflection**=

I wasn't sure what my main focus of this page would be at first. Yet, then, when I had listened to this song called "America" by Tracy Chapman, I had realized that her lyrics are quite accurate in accordance with America today. Throughout the song, Chapman speaks about Columbus conquering America, haunting America, and haunting the world. At the same time, America has acquired an infamous reputation for imperialism. For example, following the Spanish-American War, America annexed not only Cuba, but also Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Today, America still maintains both Guam and Puerto Rico without all the rights and benefits of statehood. Additionally, over the years, America has acquired numerous U.S military bases abroad and this has been widely considered an imperialist-like motive.

Another theme to this page plays around with the idea of democracy. Over the years, America has wrongfully tried to impose democratic ideals in places that typically don't want our help, Iraq being one example. So, on this page, I connected a poem by Langston Hughes known as "Democracy" with a picture of Uncle Sam pressing for an elective government similar to the America. Both objects exemplified the desire to attain democracy and freedom. All in all, I have found that America is most commonly depicted as a place that likes to maintain control and, ultimately, power. Home Page: The American Romantic Imperialism v. Democracy