Thesis on "2000 Film Traffic Addresses the War"
Thesis 4 pages (1272 words) Sources: 4 Style: MLA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
the 2000 film Traffic addresses the War on Drugs by making powerful political commentary about its futility. Director Steven Soderbergh illustrates the far-reaching consequences of the war on drugs, through the intersecting lives of the film's main characters. The filmmaker shows that drug prohibition does nothing to curb addiction, which is shown to be a separate issue altogether. Traffic suggests that the war on drugs fuels organized crime and violence. The Drug Czar Robert Wakefield, played by Michael Douglas, is a key figure in Traffic. Wakefield experiences a personal epiphany after discovering that his own daughter is addicted to drugs. The film concludes with Wakefield giving a speech in which he shocks the audience saying that the War on Drugs is a war against our own families. The Drug Policy Alliance Network issues a similar statement: "The war on drugs has become a war on families, a war on public health and a war on our constitutional rights."Soderbergh's decisively anti-drug war stance is one commonly held by Americans but one rarely acknowledged or vocalized. Political impetus for the War on Drugs began first with Richard Nixon, who coined the term and subsequently created the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Nixon also called drug abuse "public enemy No. 1," ("Timeline: America's War on Drugs"). Nixon's heavy-handed approach to drug trafficking and drug abuse became and remains the prevailing political drug policy in the United States. During her husband's presidency, Nancy Reagan became an outspoken advocate of the War on Drugs. Nancy Reagan launched the "Just Say No" advertising campaign, which further drove drug problems into the criminal justice sector and away from the pu
download full paper ⤓
Traffic critiques the War on Drugs, showing how its fundamental philosophy is unfeasible, unreasonable, and ineffective. Soderbergh does so without condoning drug use, too: the filmmaker does not glorify drugs in any way. In fact, he shows how insipid the supply chain is and how sordid drug abuse can become. Through Caroline Wakefield, the Drug Czar's daughter, Soderbergh paints the picture of how an upper-middle class white girl can easily fall into a life of despair and addiction. If her parents were unable to help her, Caroline could easily have died.
The War on Drugs is shown to be a political model that works largely in the favor of cartels. Soderbergh barely hints at the role the American government plays in perpetuating the war on drugs. According to Greer's drug war clock, "The U.S. federal government spent over $19 billion dollars in 2003 on the War on Drugs, at a rate of about $600 per second. The budget has since been increased by over a billion dollars," not including state and local anti-drug budgets. By another estimate, about $44 billion per year is spent on the War on Drugs (Cafferty).
However, Soderbergh does indicate an appreciation for the corruption endemic at the level of government in Mexico. The governments of Mexico and other big suppliers to the United States are frequently as complicit as they are portrayed in Traffic. As Cafferty points out, "The Mexican drug cartels now have operations in 230 American cities." Government officials sometimes play both sides of the war. In Traffic, Mexican General Salazar profits directly off of the cartels and hence, off the War on Drugs. The United States may not be as overtly corrupt in its approach to the War on Drugs but it is highly likely that the campaign is not entirely an innocent one. Issues of corruption aside, the War on Drugs is categorically "insane," if the definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and expecting a different result each time," (Cafferty). Alcohol prohibition failed miserably, and so too is the War on Drugs.
Although the audience does not sympathize with Salazar or the Obregon cartel, the Mexican drug runners are… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for " 2000 Film Traffic Addresses the War" Assignment:
If its a possibility to have- *****s Username: *****
POLITICAL SCIENCE 201
POLITICS AND FILM PAPER
As we have discussed, the media are an important component of democracy. The media provides us with the information necessary to make political decisions and influences the way we perceive politics and society. Typically, Political Scientists study the effects and impact of the news and media on politics. Rarely do we study the impact of the entertainment media on people*****s perceptions of American politics.
For this assignment, you will explore various political themes in film. You are to analyze those themes and relate them to the study of American politics. The purpose of this assignment is to expand your understanding of politics and critically evaluate alternative perspectives on the political and cultural biases of the entertainment industry.
From the list provided, pick and watch one of the movies. While watching the movie, think about the commentary being made about the American political system. Your paper should address the following:
 What are the political themes of the movie?
 How do the political themes of the movie relate to American politics?
 What message is the *****/director conveying about American politics?
 In terms of American politics, is this message constructive or destructive?
 Who are the antagonists in the movie and what forces in society do they represent?
 In what ways do you think the film might influence people*****s perceptions of American politics?
 What viewpoint(s) does the film present regarding what government should do, or be, or what its objectives should be?
DO NOT PROVIDE A PLOT SUMMARY *****“ ADDRESS THEMES!
This is not a movie review. The point is to comment on the portrayal of political processes and how those portrayals represent the American political system.
Your paper should be 4 pages long.
It should be word-processed (typed in 12***** font), double spaced with 1" margins.
It is appropriate and necessary to cite your textbook (Essentials of American Government Continuity and Change, 2008 Edition, Karen O'Connor & Larry J. *****to),
assigned readings, class lectures (federalism, civil rights, civil liberties, congress, & the constitution),
and outside sources (internet). Be sure to CITE all of your sources.
Two movies to pick from:
1) Traffic: A conservative judge is appointed by the President to spearhead America's escalating war against drugs, only to discover that his teenage daughter is an addict. 2000
OR
2) The People vs. Larry Flynt: A partially idealized film of the controversial pornography publisher and how he became a defender of free speech for all people. 1996.
How to Reference "2000 Film Traffic Addresses the War" Thesis in a Bibliography
“2000 Film Traffic Addresses the War.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2009, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/2000-film-traffic-addresses/7305. Accessed 4 Oct 2024.
Related Thesis Papers:
2000 Movie Traffic Term Paper
War on Drugs/Traffic
Ever since President Richard Nixon uttered the phrase "war on drugs," the world has been embroiled in one of the most ridiculous and costly campaigns of the… read more
Term Paper 3 pages (1002 words) Sources: 0 Style: APA Topic: Drugs / Alcohol / Tobacco
John Grierson the Documentary Film Developed Term Paper
John Grierson
The documentary film developed alongside the narrative film, though largely during the sound era. It was shaped most profoundly during the 1930s as filmmakers began to record sociological… read more
Term Paper 75 pages (22277 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Film / Movies / Television
Gangsters the Era of the Gangster Movies Term Paper
Gangsters
The era of the gangster movies began shortly after the era of organized crime in the United States first began. The outlaw, in one form or another, has always… read more
Term Paper 30 pages (9610 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Film / Movies / Television
Human Trafficking in Missions Term Paper
Human Trafficking
In October of 2007, 30 nuns from 26 countries, whose congregations have members in various Asian countries, met in Rome to discuss the trafficking of women and children… read more
Term Paper 10 pages (2990 words) Sources: 7 Topic: Women / Feminism
MS-13 Gang Research Proposal
MS-13: A Transnational Threat
Movies like The Godfather have long memorialized and romanticized the concept of the mafia, despite the fact that this gang was one of the most dangerous… read more
Research Proposal 7 pages (2425 words) Sources: 7 Topic: Crime / Police / Criminal Justice
Fri, Oct 4, 2024
If you don't see the paper you need, we will write it for you!
We can write a new, 100% unique paper!