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CWR=20 Virtual Cultural XChange=20
Nigeria/USA - USA Edition

By Emma=20 Ward

CWR Student = Correspondent

Cheyney = University of=20 Pennsylvania,=20 = USA

My=20 Journal =20

=

As I reflect on the = brief=20 discussions that my virtual exchange partner, = Ayo, and I=20 had this month, I wonder how his meeting went = with=20 President Obama? The last time we spoke, Ayo = relayed to=20 me how excited he was to have the opportunity to = not=20 only meet the U.S. President, but also discuss = what that=20 experience entailed with me later.=20

Flicking through television = stations these=20 days, would give one the impression that = everyone in the=20 country is furious over Obama's landmark health=20 legislation that was recently passed. However, = hearing=20 Ayo's energy and excitement, conveyed through = email,=20 from another part of the world was certainly a = relief=20 for me!

When it comes to = journalism=20 and mass media, there is a growing need to bring = back=20 trust and respect from the people. Way too many = factors=20 are interfering with the reputation for = fairness,=20 accuracy, and objectivity that this field has = long been=20 regarded for. That is why it's particularly = important to=20 me as a graduating senior and U.S. Virtual Tour = Guide=20 for this program to participate. I want to share = my=20 knowledge about America with readers in Nigeria = because=20 from my observations, most foreigners have lost = respect=20 for it. After all, sharing and learning about = our=20 cultural similarities and differences, enables = us to=20 grow and gain knowledge.

Speaking = of=20 learning, this month I was directed to an = article titled=20 "Nigeria: Thousands protest for election = reform," by=20 Bashir Adigun of The Network Journal. It was = concerning=20 a recent protest in Nigeria's capital, Lagos, = over next=20 year's election process. Although Ayo and I did = not have=20 the chance to discuss this matter, I was able to = get a=20 sense of what led to the protest: "fraud, = intimidation=20 and violence," stemming from Nigeria's "first=20 civilian-to-civilian transfer of power," in = 2007.=20 Obviously, there are constraints that come along = with=20 discussing sensitive issues like this one, so I = wanted=20 to check with my pen pal and make sure that he = felt=20 comfortable commenting on it. It is nonetheless, = a=20 conversation that I look forward to, and it = influenced=20 me to begin writing about government and = politics in my=20 country.

To begin, I would like to = share=20 some brief history on the principle in which my = country=20 was founded and I think it will help my readers = I refer=20 to Barack Obama's speech: "A More Perfect = Union."=20 Honestly, I could think of no better person who = gives a=20 vivid account of it and sums it up so = eloquently.=20

The speech was delivered on March = 18, 2008=20 in Philadelphia, PA which is considered the = birthplace=20 of America's democracy. The opening paragraph=20 states:

"We the people, in order to form a more = perfect=20 union." Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in = a hall=20 that still stands across the street, a group of = men=20 gathered and, with these simple words, launched=20 America's improbable experiment in democracy. = Farmers=20 and scholars, statesmen and patriots who had = traveled=20 across the ocean to escape tyranny and = persecution=20 finally made real their declaration of = independence at a=20 Philadelphia convention that lasted through the = spring=20 of 1787."
=

In the speech, Obama speaks to a vast = population of=20 Americans who consist of blacks, whites, rich, = poor,=20 young, and old, about the importance of coming = together=20 despite our differences to form a more perfect = union.=20 Throughout his speech, he refers to the idea of = equality=20 for all Americans as the underlying objective of = the=20 constitution which serves as the fundamental law = of the=20 land. Unfortunately, the idea of equality under = the law=20 for every American was contradicted by our = forefather's=20 tolerance of slavery which inevitably caused = inequities=20 toward black Americans. So, to say the = least, the=20 purpose of Obama's speech is to remind Americans = of that=20 long history and emphasize how important it is = in these=20 times for citizens to come together and work = toward=20 forming a more perfect = union.

Democracy is=20 an area of America's government and politics = that I=20 would like to further expand on. Having = completed Mass=20 Communication Law and Ethics this semester, I = can start=20 off with the basic structure of our laws. = Including the=20 Constitution, there are six: Statute, Equity, = Common,=20 Administrative, and Executive. Paraphrasing = definitions=20 from my textbook, "The Law of Journalism & = Mass=20 Communication," by Robert Trager, Joseph = Russomanno, and=20 Susan Dente Ross, I will begin with Statutes. = Statutes=20 are laws enacted by city, county, state, and = federal=20 legislative bodies. Equity law is usually = handled by=20 judges and deals with principles of ethics and = fairness.=20 Common law is based on rules and principles = developed=20 throughout history that are unwritten and = judge-made.=20 Administrative laws involve official orders, = rules, and=20 regulations by executive branch agencies such as = the=20 Federal Communications Commission or the Federal = Trade=20 Commission and finally, Executive orders come = from a=20 government executive such as the president, = governor, or=20 the mayor, who all have the force of=20 law.

Several different types of = political=20 parties exist in the United States, but for the = most=20 part, the biggest include Democrats, = Republicans, and=20 Independents. Honestly, my personal values are = tied to=20 all three. On the democratic side, I believe in = fair=20 treatment and that everyone should be able to=20 participate in the process of government, but on = the=20 other hand, I have religious convictions tied to = Republican ideologies. Nevertheless, I also feel = like an=20 independent because the only way to reach "A = More=20 Perfect Union," as Obama puts it, is to = eliminate our=20 biases against each other by joining forces to = improve=20 America. So, to conclude on this topic, I hope = that I=20 have been helpful to all of you in understanding = government and politics in America. It is an = integral=20 part of my country's identity, and as a = journalist, I am=20 grateful for the freedom of speech and of the = press that=20 I am able to enjoy because of our First = Amendment.

About=20 the Author: Emma Ward is a senior = communications major at Cheyney University of=20 Pennsylvania, USA.

=20

Contact=20 Information:

Emma=20 Ward

Email:=20 Emma@CWRMagOnline.com

Blog: VCXNigeriaUS.spaces.live.com/ =20 =

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