Riverbend is a female bloggers writing from Iraq during the 2000's. She mostly writes about her own life but also discusses politics and news of what is happening in Iraq during the American occupation after September 11, 2001. Riverbend uses her blog as a personal, political, and educational outlet while she attempts to separate the myths from reality about life in Iraq during the War on Terror.
Riverbend's blog can be characterized as many different types of a blog. In a personal way, Riverbend allows readers to learn about her day-to-day life. She opens up to her readers about her opinions and problems that she is facing. In several entries, including the Thursday, August 28, 2003 entry, Riverbend brings up her own family members when she is telling a story or making a point. In political terms, Riverbend makes a point to get her political opinion across in several of her postings as well. In the post "The Promise and the Treat," she makes a very compelling observation concerning the way that the rebuilding of Iraqi bridges was being handled. She shows her political opinion concerning the situation when she says: "...these dubious reconstruction projects are going to plunge the country into a national debt only comparable to that of America," (Riverbend). Political opinions such as this are frequent throughout her blog and give the reader the knowledge of Riverbend's political views. Her blog can also be seen as educational because she attempts to share with her readers things they may not have already known about life in Iraq. Many Americans believed that Iraq was an undeveloped country before the War on Terror that was in need of American assistance to better the people's quality of life. The writers of "Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives" make the observation that "[c]onstructing a continuum from 'undeveloped' to 'developed' suggests that this process is both linear and the best way for a nation to progress," (Kirk & Okazawa-Rey 375). This idea that a country must be a "developed" country in order to be prosperous is a stereotypical American belief. Riverbend makes the argument however, that Iraq was a developed country long before American influences in a way of teaching her readers. In this way, Riverbend also attempts to separate myths from the truth in relation to facts about Iraqi life. She goes as far as to begin her August 28th entry by stating an Iraqi Myth concerning everyday life in Iraq. She then counters this with a Fact. By comparing Myths and Facts, Riverbend is able to inform her readers of a truth they may not of known making this blog educational.
Riverbend's blog allows readers an insight into the everyday life of a young woman in Iraq. She uses political opinions and personal experiences as tools for teaching her readers about the larger issues going on in Iraq that are not always addressed through regular media outlets. Riverbend is utilizing Third Wave Feminism media outlets to get her personal and political views out to as many people as possible. She address social, political, religious, and gender issues throughout her writings. Because "[t]he military shapes our notions of patriotism, heroism, honor, duty, adventure, and citizenship," (Kirk & Okazawa-Rey 494), sometimes it is harder for Americans to see The War on Terror from an Iraqi perspective. The majority of Americans are much more easily able to believe that the U.S. is doing everything they can to help the people of Iraq no matter what. Riverbend's blog counters this idea with hard opinions and statements that make her American readers question this notion.
Works Cited:
Riverbend. "The Promise and the Threat" Web log post. Baghdad Burning. Blogspot, 28 Aug. 2003. Web. 5 Apr. 2010.
I always feel irritated when I hear or read that one thinks it is more advanced or better than another. It is these kinds of ideas that makes the "better" one think it has a right to control the other. Unfortunately the U.S. has a history of doing this; like what was done with the Native Americans.
ReplyDeleteWhether or not Riverbend actually experienced this or not does not deter the fact that this is going on in Iraq. She definitely does a good job of painting the perfect picture of what's going on,but more importantly what a woman during this time was going through.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about the idea of being 'developed' is a stereotypical American belief. With a structure and guidance,a nation such as this can pick themselves back up and start over fresh!