Media critic who will be appearing on ABC News Nightline's "UpClose" (Oct. 9-10) and author of the book: "ARAB AND MUSLIM STEREOTYPING IN AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE".
Subject
ARAB AND MUSLIM STEREOTYPING IN AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE
For more details on these issues please read Dr. Jack Shaheen’s most recent book: "Real Bad Arabs" which can be obtained from Amazon.com
Answer
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Name
Suzanne
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Profession
graphic designer
Question
Mr. Shaheen, to be honest, I'm not familiar with your work, so I can't compare any of your previous work with today's comments. That said, I find it hard to believe that you can state to people today that 1. there is no bias towards muslims in the US media, and 2. the US strike only military targets. Military targets like a civilian wedding? Like towns that might have Taliban association? Like friendly Canadian soldiers who are participating in exercises? I was born and raised in Canada, and have alot of exposure to American media, and I have to say I am disgusted with what I read in newspapers and see on tv. There seems to me, especially to me to be a very clear bias (e.g. referring to "muslim terrorists" all the time) that we don't have in Canada. They seem to have drawn a very clear line between "us" and "them", with ALL Muslims falling into the "them" category.
Answer
If you would be so kind to read my books or any of my essays there is no one more critical of media bias against Arabs and Muslims then yours truly. The problem is and continues to be many members of both print and especially broadcast media equate Arab and Muslim and terrorist as one in the same. Since 9/11 this horrific myth has escalated lumping together 1.2 billion Muslims and 300 million Arabs with the 19 terrorist who attacked the world trade center and the pentagon.
We have to be careful not to stereotype all journalists and all image makers as being anti Arab or anti Muslim. There are men and women who work in the media who posses integrity and write honest and nonbiased accounts of issues pertaining to the peoples of the middle east and the Islamic world. I would suggest that when you see or read biased images and words that you contact the person responsible for his or her bias.
Name
Omer
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Profession
Question
How has popular portrayal of Muslims and Arabs changed since 9/11?
Answer
A number of things have happened. Radical religious leaders and their followers like Jerry Fallwell, Pat Robertson, and Frank Grahem as well as columnists like Cal Thomas, William Saffire, Charles Krauthaumer and networks like FOX and CBS have poisoned the minds of innocence by declaring that Islam is a faith of violence and that all Muslims and Arabs are terrorists and that America's Muslims and Arabs are not loyal citizens. What is particularly disturbing is that TV entertainment programs such as Jag, West Wing, Family Law, Law and Order, The District and the CBS movie the Presidents Man: A line in the Sand not only vilify anything ad everything Arab and Muslim, but project American Arabs and Muslims as cooperating with Arab-Muslim Terrorists or as untrustworthy citizens. The problem is and continues to be with these entertainment shows, that no major Arab/ Muslim American organization has yet to establish a lobby in Los Angeles to regularly monitor these programs and regularly meet with those producers, writers, and network executives responsible for them. Such a lobby would in the long term prevent much of the demonization that we are currently exposed to. Without such a lobby which can be staffed by a handful of intelligent young people it is safe to assume that the demonization process will continue. The question has been and continues when will America's Arabs/Muslims recognize this enduring problem and work together and create this much-needed lobby. Every racial/ethnic group has such a lobby so why don’t America's Arabs and Muslims. After all there are two centers of power in our country, Washington DC and Hollywood. We lobby in Washington and ignore Hollywood. In so doing, we fail to recognize perceptions of Arabs/Muslims impact public opinion and in turn public opinion impacts foreign policy.
Name
Omer
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Profession
Question
How has the image of Arabs/ Muslims essentially changes in Hollywood since sept 9/11 which makes i different then how Arabs/ muslims were portryed in the past in films.
Answer
As far Hollywood movies are concerned it is too early to judge how this portrayal has essentially changed because the business of making movies requires a number of years so they haven’t had the time to make enough movies since Sept 11 to reflect this change.
AS for TV entertainment shows this change is much more threatening. Historically, There are many shows which focus on journalists, lawyers and doctors, yet there has never been a TV show that portrays American Muslims/Arabs in the American mainstream TV programming. Although we have very successful professionals such Hellen Thomas, Ralph Nader and Dr. Michael DeBakey their heritage and accomplishments are not reflected in American TV programming. Americas Television continues to portray Arabs and Muslims as vicious lunatics. There is no bounds to this. We never see any Humane Arab/Muslim on the TV. Added this, both last season and this season, Americans of Arab heritage and American Muslims are being projected as un-American and/or terrorists.
Name
JENNIFER
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Profession
Question
I AM AN AMERICAN MUSLIM
I DO WATCH THE AMERICAN MEDIA AND I CAN HONESTLY
SAY THAT THE MEDIA,ESPECIALLY FOX NEWS VERY BIAS TOWARD ARAB AND MUSLIMS,THEY DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT MUSLIMS OR ARABS,IT IS IN A WAY INSULTING TO THE AMERICAN MIND.
Answer
You are correct about FOX. I suggest you and/or your friends write or call FOX news and state specifically why you believe they are bias and ask to meet them to correct this bias. To recognize the bias is not sufficient, one must respond to it in an intelligent manner. I am sure you are capable of doing this. If you cannot meet or speak FOX network directly, contact one of the many Muslim organizations and share your insights with them about FOX so they can arrange a dialogue with them to discuss your points.
Name
AMAD
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Profession
Question
I HAVE READ MANY OF YOUR BOOKS,GOOD WORK.MY ONLY COMMENT IS I DO BELIEVE
ARAB AND MUSLIMS ARE THE TARGET NOW.JUST LIKE THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN THE PAST.
Answer
Thank you for your kind comments.
In the media, Arabs/Muslims have always been targeted as the "cultural other" and someone who is different and a threat to society. Fortunately, we no longer target African Americans, Asians, Latino, Native Americans and others as we once did.
