California essay

Pastory Muqaibal Dr. Brett Mizelle AMST 350 sec 01 July 26, 2018 Reading Respond

History of California

The past stays in the past, but we learn from mistakes that happened in the past. According

to Laura Pulido in “LA Titudes,” who mentions about the history of Los Angeles racial violence,

“A close study of these questions will reveal that Los Angeles’s soil is soaked with blood.” The

author talks about the landscapes that had been taken from the natives by force. First, The

Tongva’s by Spanish then The Californios’ by the Americans. In addition, the author states the

early racial violence that happened in Los Angeles, and the state knew about what was

happening, but the state did not stop the actions. However, this statement from the book inspired

me when I read it, “All living that pass through a landscape leave a trace—an energy, if you will

— that inhabits the land.” It indicates that history cannot be erased even if you kill everyone that

lived out there, the future will judge you and will learn from the mistakes that occurred.

Personally, I think the author’s message is the past and the present are relevant, and Los Angeles

cannot run avoid the historical events whether its good, or bad. Also, he states that people looks

at the landscapes in the way it looks and how it is produced (p.70).

Steven M Graves who talks about how landscapes are being advertised and appealed for

Americans and tourists. According to Graves in “LA Titudes” states, “The Extraordinary

popularity of this imagery in the San Fernando Vally may have been a product of the way land

developers marketed the Vally as a wholesome, rural escape from perceived dangers rapidly

integrating postwar inner cities.” For example, Cowboy rusticity is one of americans favorite

characters that are shown in Hollywood. Moreover, the author states “developers built an entire

neighborhood of fake cowboy themes,” which shows that developers marketed these ideas to

attract businesses and tourists. The author describes Americans as people who like to be

individualistic, and independent who like to live in urban areas. this character gives the world a

good idea of American’s culture and the way people thinks.