The Guardian (LJ 3/21)

As I won't be in class today, I felt like I at least needed write about the newspaper assignment, focusing primarily on film, photography, and religion. Unfortunately, these typically aren't the sections I read in a US newspaper, so it was difficult (but not impossible) to distinguish the "Englishness" and the differences from American culture. But here are the most interesting headlines and blurbs.

Pro-choice supporters plan first ever protest against anti-abortion activists

Counter-demonstration to be held at British Pregnancy Advisory Service clinic in London targeted by religious groups

"In America women are routinely harassed and abused outside clinics and abortion providers fear for their lives. Now US anti-choice groups are setting up shop over here.

'We need to send a very clear message that we will not tolerate that sort of activity in the UK.'"

Obviously, if this is the first ever protest, the UK does things differently. Not only are protests accepted in the US, they are expected. True, violence isn't condone per se, but it is fairly typical especially with such a divided issue. But in the UK, it isn't tolerated; you should just keep your opinions to yourself.

Church warns against Sunday trading laws being relaxed by the back door

Church leaders fear that Sunday trading laws could be permanently scrapped by the back door, following an “emergency” suspension for the Olympics

I think this is not even an issue in the US. Utah maybe, but not the US. This article shows the importance of tradition in the UK. And even religion. I think that in the US we are so concerned about separating church and state we wouldn't even have this article or concern. 

Beatles' Yellow Submarine relaunches

Apple has digitally remastered the 1968 film, which was out of print for years, and are planning the full reissue treatment

It's the Beatles. Is there anything more British? And yes, that is the photograph included for the promotion. In the US, I think an actual picture of the Beatles would have been included, not pop art.

Harry Potter star jailed for two years for violent disorder during London riots

Jamie Waylett, who played Hogwarts bully Vincent Crabbe, also admitted swigging from a stolen bottle of champagne

Compare this photo and headline to the recent one on both msn and yahoo of Clooney being arrested --for crossing a police line. With Clooney, there was a picture of him actually being arrested. Here, there is only a tiny photo to id him, mostly. And the headline is hardly sensational for poor Crabbe. "Swigging from...champagne"--hardly detrimental by Hollywood standards. 


Photography


In searching for a typical photo, I realized nudity is not much of a problem. Sensual, blatant, or even mundane, it seems to be more integrated in the culture so it is not as much of a problem. Maybe? 

Aside from that, the "typical" photo in the Guardian simply did not have the same amount of raw emotion. For example, the following photographs are about the same story: the Toulouse Jewish school shooting. Both show grieving females, but there is a difference in the emotion and privacy of the subjects.


The first photograph is from the UK Guardian. You can tell she is upset, but there isn't a full face shot of her tears and pain. If you were to met her in the street, you probably would not be able to point her out. 

However, the second photograph gives a close up of two women, both clearly distraught. But the photo  is close up enough that you can see her tears, her scrunched up face, and her red eyes. There is not really an attempt at privacy or discretion. This photos represents the differences in privacy and public emotions in the US and UK.