An Interesting Look into Reel Bad Arabs!
Last month, my friend Emma, a French oriented American,and I were involved in organising two film screenings at American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR) here in Amman.
The first screening was for ” Driving to Zigzigland” , a film I brought up recently on MEY, but it still hasn’t come out on DVD yet! And the second one was for no other than “Reel Bad Arabs” .
After each screening, we would facilitate a discussion with the audience, which was primarily consisted of American scholars and students, about the content of each film. The discussions were really interesting, and we received a great feedback about them from ACOR’s management that we will hopefully keep organising screenings there in the future.
On her blog, Emma provided a very interesting look into both films, she also posed three valid and important questions-in my opinion- about Reel Bad Arabs that I encourage you to take a look at.
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Emma asks these questions:
First, presenting a negative image in the context of an assertion that explains relevance is the proper way to explain things. It does not perpetuate negative images.
Second, Americans are among the most racist people in the world. I know. I have lived among them since birth and experience the racism every day. The reality is, though, and this is my theory, that Americans can only hate one race at a time. There is a hierarchy, inotherwords to their hatred and racism and Arabs have hovered around the top spot for the past three decades, alternating with African Americans.
But life has eased for other groups, including African Americans, in Hollywood films where most American racism originates (secondarily through TV). For example, Italians complain theya re always portrayed as being members of the Mafia. It is true there are many Mafia films and TV shows in the US that present a horrible image of Italians. BUT … there are just as many or even more instances where Italians are portrayed as heros and in a positive light.
The anti-Arab racism in the American media (Hollywood, TV and even the journalism profession) is accentuated by the FACT that there are few positive images of Arabs in Hollywood. I did a study in the 1990s that concluded the same thing. 200 Hollywood films that portray Arabs are evil and one, a cartoon in which the main character doesn’t even look Arab (Aladdin) portrays us as somewhat positive (minus the original lyrics fromt he movie which were changed only after ADC protested in the 1990s (when I was active with them).
Finally on point three, many of the terrorists in Hollywood films are played by Arabs, and some are celebrated by our community. I think it is wrong but I also believe people have a choice and in tolerance of differing views so I won’t condemn them. But we do permit these images by our inaction and refusal to work together.
Arabs in America are a dysfunctional community who work against each othe rmore than they work with each other. I know, again, as I publish a national Arab American Newspaper that focuses on non-political Arab American life and it is amazing to me how many people around the country refuse to support an Arab newspaper but will support and buy and subscribe to mainstream papers that denegrate us.
It seems when you are a victim, as Arabs are in America, we tend to become victimized in our ways and we act the way victims do. We can’t beat the oppressor so we turn into ourselves and beat up on ourselves.
Just my thoughts.
Of course, I know Jack Shaheen very well. Someone needed to prove what we have been asserting for years but that the racist Hollywood film industry has refused to acknowledge. (And I don’t consider a comedy performance on COmedy Central to be the answer to our problems. We need a mainstream TV showthat includes a positive image of Arabs in acting positions either portraying Arab themes or being Arab with a focus on some other topic).
Ray Hanania
http://www.AATimesNews.com
Ray,
What you said was extremely generalising, and I strongly disagree with it!
To clear up potential misunderstandings… my post about “Reel Bad Arabs” and “Driving to Zigzigland” is actually in three different segments… it was rather long and I didn’t want to post everything at once (thus discouraging potential readers). It looks like Mohammed just links to the first installment which is simply the introduction. I expand on the questions in the posts that follow. See: http://whitheremma.blogspot.com for the all of ‘em.
Emma,
I linked to your blog’s man page as well, if you check, ” on her blog, Emma….” the word blog is in orange and if you click on it it will link to your blog’s main page:)
I’m not sure how I feel about this (responding to the first comment by Ray).
I wouldn’t call Americans the most racist nation in the world… I think a lot of the racism by Americans – not all, but many – is actually just ignorance of other cultures and the lack of care/relevance to do anything to learn more or care. I think that so many are comfortable with what they know and don’t feel the need to get to know more.
I’m speaking as an outsider to the Arab-American community and as someone from the East coast, which is very different from the South or Midwest… So I can only speak for what I know.
I agree with you Eliesheva completely on this one, it’s ignorance and carelessness that make some people intolerant of each other, I meet with young Americans frequently in Amman, they are well-traveled and educated, they are different from each other in race, religion , and way of thinking,but one thing they have in common is that they are eager to learn more about this part of the world,and they are very openminded and respectful of the social and cultural norms of this region.
Comment I sent to Emma:
First, I hope you did not take any offense to what I wrote … I think you touched on a great subject and I thought it was worth commenting on to share on the topic …
I am sure we might disagree on some issues, but it’s true, Arabs in America are far more dysfunctional than other ethnic or racial or religious minority groups (when we talk about Muslim groups, they are mostly non-Arab even though they claim toc hampion Arab issues) … the key is balance in projection. African American are also presented in a very negative way too, but that negative presenation is often balanced off by many positive presentations … to me the issue is not whether Arabs are negatively protrayed … the portrayals of Arab terrorism is accurate in the sense many of the terrorists are Arab and Muslim … but it is the context that is disturbibg to me, that I thought Shaheen touched on … they ONLY present the negative and never or rarely present the positive
anyway, we should put this on the web site
it is a great discussion
Ray
Comment I sent to Mohammad:
It’s no problem, Mohammed … I’m not like the rest of the Arabs who get angry at everything they disagree with
I do believe that Americans are the most racist people on Earth … but obviously, that includes mainstream Americans, not those open enough to travel to the Middle East … that is a different breed of people … but I have lived in this country long enough to know that Americans are driven by Race and they have to hate at least one race at a time to keep their gyroscopes focused
Just my view from experience … this country is horrible and that is why I and others are working to change it … that’s why Democracy is so good … America used to be a wonderful place to live, but everyday all I see is anti-Arab hate, bias in the mainstream news media — that refuses to publish the views of Arab Americans on the Op-Ed pages that are filled with repeated and boring anti-Arab hatred and trash … that is where the media bias exists …
Anyway, just my thoughts
Ray
The debate continues. But on friendly terms!
Ray: what worries me in your posts is your over-generalizations which I think are counter-productive because they make people defensive (and thus make it harder to have a useful debate!). I think that what Mohammad and Eliesheva are trying to highlight is that there is a huge variety in the States and while perhaps it is the prejudiced voices that we hear most loudly, they aren’t the only ones.
Second: I’d challenge you to name a country where xenophobia is not rampant. And the problem isn’t just racism, it’s sexism, hetereocentrism, classism, etc etc – any manifestation of the fear of that which is different. But xenophobia is everywhere in the world; it’s pandemic.
Third, about journalism: of course American news have their flaws (ahem, Fox news) – I’m pretty pessimistic about them as well which is why independent, underground news sources are really important to support. But just a few days ago, I had a really interesting conversation with a journalist raised in Morocco who now works at for a cultural TV station in Europe. One of his reasons for staying in the EU and not returning to Morocco was because he has much more freedom in the West than in a country where information is highly controlled. Yes, it’s manipulated in the States and the EU, but to a much different degree. At least, like Ray points out, there is some hope that this can be changed from the ground.
You’re entitled to your beliefs, but how would you know? Do you have any evidence of this, or did you just decide this in your own mind and then determine it must be a universal truth? Have you lived and been around most other groups to make such a comparison between American racism and theirs? At best, you can say that Americans are racist in your opinion, but you are in no position to compare us to thousands upon thousands of other peoples around the world, and then gauge their attitudes toward “the other” against ours.
Ray,
I have to be honest with you, I find it really strange that someone like you claiming to raise awareness among the Arab American community and encourage their involvement in America’s social structure, would say such a thing!!
The difference between you and AAI‘s president Dr. James Zoghby , and I wath his show “Viewpoint” every once in a while, and even though I tend to be critical of his approach at times, is that he promotes more integration of Arab Americans, and you’re promoting more isolation!
Your argument is not just counter-productive in my opinion, it’s repulsive and discouraging to those Arab Americans wanting to integrate more into their American society.
And we ask ourselves why is the Arab American community “dysfunctional” as you called it?? , it’s because of those voices encouraging more isolation and lesser integration coming from prominent figures like yourself .
In my e-mail to you, I wrote that my experiences with Americans have been nothing but pleasant , and that my understanding of America is this multi-racial society where sometimes severe differences exist, we have for example the Ku Klux Klan and the Quakers, they are both American, yet they’re on opposite ends, KKK promotes racism and white suprimacist ideas, while the Quakers promote peace and tolerance and understanding!!
First, obviously it IS my opinion. I doubt anyone here is a researcher who can say for certain that their observations are FACT … they can analyze and interpret events but even in that case, the most they can say is that these are THEIR opinions.
This is a blog and these are MY opinions. I don’t know, I have only been writing in the American mainstream media for 32 years, covering all sorts of events and working at all levels of American society.
You may not agree with my view, but I feel the evidence is mounting, examining how Americans reject out-of-hand the rights of Iraqis, for example, the failure of Americans to understand fundamental basics such as the difference between “Muslim” and “Arab.” The mainstream media is in fact a reflection of American society and the mainstream media is racist and biased. I encounter it everyday.
I used to write for Creators Syndicate, for two years they tried to sell my column to mainstream newspapers. One of the ONLY Arab American voices with a professional journalism background (and numerous journalism awards) writing not as an activist but with a journalist’s eye, and they said they had to let me go because most newspapers did not want an Arab American viewpoint. I wonder why? Because the Arab American viewpoint is worthless? Or, because American readers react with anger to our viewspoints, regardless of where we come from on the spectrum between “moderate” and “extremist.”
I receive hundreds of letters every week from readers of my columns, mostly Americans who attack me for my views and my views are so “moderate”, always doling out criticism equally on the Palestine-Israel conflict, and trying to address issues like the detention of six Iraqis and their expulsion from an American Airlines flight because a passenger said she was concerne dwhen she heard them speak Arabic.
Was it because she was an authority in Arabic and knew what they were saying? And if she couldn’t speak Arabic, how did she know it was Arabic.
I don’t encouragemore isolation, I encourage recognizing the challenges and then remediating them, addressing them, developing our strategies to speak to them and not bury our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is good. It’s not good. More Arab Americans have lost jobs in the past five years than any other group based on my experiences and contacts … the US refuses to include Arab Americans in a census — the fact is by denying someone a place in the census you can control them and isolate them better. Because we do not have accurate data about ourselves, we can’t organize as effectively as others.
Finally, I published an Arab American newspaper from 1975 until 1977 and again in 1999 until 2002 … the amount of hatred and anger I faced from mainstream Americans was outrageous. The threats, the letters attacking the newspaper, and this was before AND after Sept. 11, 2001. Since Sept. 11, the hatred and racism has only increased.
I don’t know where you all live, but where I live and from my standpoint, the experience is one of confronting racism and hatred.
Jim Zogby is a good guy but he is working on a very narrow level that does not reach mainstream Americans … he is working to galvanize Arab Americans and I wish him the best. But I have worked with the AAI for years and we have a few differences but that’s fundamental to democracy and tolerance.
Anyway, you are entitled to your opinion, but frankly, I see now basis for you to made a counter case other than your own experiences. You can challenge mine, but I think yours have less basis.
Ray Hanania
PS … last week I launched a national Arab American Newspaper. You read it online. I should post the hate letters I have been receiving from “Americans” who are angry because “Arabs” are terrorists …
I also launched a syndication of Arab Writers, and I also begin my weekly radio show in Chicago every wednesday from 1 to 3 pm on mainstream issues … you can bet when I write or speak about Arab issues, I am constantly attacked. Most Americans who write me want me to shut up. Now, is it political or racism? I thinkt he latter.
Ray,
First,none of us here-I believe- is naive enough to believe that everyone is good!
Though,no wonder why you receive so much criticism from mainstream Americans. Your opinions are demonising them, and it’s a human trait to react to those who demonise and villify us!
I ask you, why hasn’t Dr. Zogby been subjected to rants and harsh criticism?, how did he manage to get prominentand influential figures in America such as distiguished author and NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman and former U.S Secretary of State Dr. Madeiline Albright to appear on his show?
I also ask why did Tony Shelhoub the star of the hit tv show ‘Monk’, and even though it’s known that he’s of Arab descent succeed and his show receives high approval ratings and good reviews, why didn’t we see people in America calling for taking it off the air because was an Arab American??!!, why didn’t people object when he won the Emmy award, the most presigeous award for tv in America, for his role in that show.
Why didn’t anyone mention Salma Hayek’s ethnic background , when she was nominated for oscars on her role in ‘Frida’, or why didn’t people in America rant about Lebanese-born ‘Keanu Reeves’ when he released his astonishing Matrix trilogy, and why didn’t that fact stop them from going in millions to see his films in the theatres?
The answer is very simple, because they are just adopting a different approach than yours, they assimilate themselves well into their society, they wouldn’t go on ranting about people didn’t accept them for who they were!!
When Thomas Friedman appeared on ‘Viewpoint’,the show hosted by Dr.Zogby, they were discussing the issue of an Emarati company wanted to get licence to run some key sea ports in America, after the licence granted to a British company had expired!, and how some people in America were against granting the Arab-based company the licence to run those ports…
I highly respected Friedman, whom everone knows his credibility and knowledge of the Mid East, for what he said in that regard, and how he defended the Arab company highliting the fact it was professional company with sufficient experience in running key ports in Dubai and the gulf.
So again, I ask you, why do those people, who aren’t Arab, and very influential speak out and compliment moderate Arab policies.
And even Jack Shaheen, who ranted for nearly 40 minutes of his 50-minute long documentary about the bad image of Arabs in hollywood, expressed his hope and faith in young America to work on changing that stereotypical image!
Allow me to repeat myself, the pre-mentioned people’s arguments and approches are not counter-productive and repulsive like yours!
Try instead of ranting and complaining,on your radio show to bring a brightside of America, try to bring Arab Americans closer to their community, like for example hosting a couple who’s one of them is Arab and the other is of another descent, how they met, and how they fell in love ..etc, things that touch upon the human aspects of life.., and believe me, you’ll see a more positive reaction then.
Suffice it to say that Tony SHalhoub is Lebanese American and there is a slight difference … and honestly, despite your conjecture, the hatred directed at me is not the result of my calling a spade a spade … my piece in Newsweek in 1998 which urged Americans to see Arab Americans are no different than any other ethnic group received some 600 letters (before email was popular) and 90 percent of the letters were utter, ugly hatred.
But, I know you don’t have to do any research. You can just blather. It’s your opinion. Your own ranting borders on an ugly edge, but that’s your choice.
Thanks for your opinions.
Oh, and as for Thomas Friedman, I and many other Arab Americans do not share the same feeling. We have no respect for him at all.
Ray
Ray,
According to the red state/blue state thesis, there are two different Americas. Although this thesis has its flaws, it is correct in pointing out that there exists an America that is highly educated, upwardly mobile, cultured, and worldly. There is also the other half – Fox News viewers, Wal Mart shoppers, and Christian fundamentalists. Much of the distribution of these groups is geographic. And of course, it is not clear cut – there are varying shades. Increased voting among the second group resulted in Republican victories in all presidential elections since Carter, with the exception of Clinton, thus portraying one side of America on the international stage.
These two groups appear in some form in just about any country. Considering the size of the US and the fact that intercontinental travel is outside the financial reach of lower and some middle class Americans, you cannot expect them to have the same multicultural experience as Europeans who can drive through several countries to get to their weekend vacation destination. The media will have to play a more educational role, and unfortunately there have been mixed results.
The so-called mainstream media has always largely echoed the Executive Branch. “Mainstream” sources do a bad job separating all Middle Easterners from a small number of extremists. Of course this happens in varying degrees with different news sources. It is not out of malicious intent, but more an issue of news sources trying to secure as many viewers/readers as possible. The news is dumbed down, and inaccurate world views are the result.
Fortunately, American “mainstream” sources are becoming less important as international sources and blogs like this one become increasingly popular in the US.
As far as Hollywood, yes, some Arabs are portrayed as terrorists. But terrorism is one of the greatest global issues. It is not surprising that Hollywood would make movies about this it. And as Mohammad mentioned, Arabs like Shalhoub and Hayek are quite popular in roles having nothing to do with terrorism.
And Ray, I find your sweeping generalization about Americans being the world’s most racist people to be absolutely ridiculous. Racism exists in all countries. The US has not seen the growth of neo-Nazi or far right-wing parties as Europe has experienced. Also, Arab Americans have done a much better job of integrating in the United States than in other western countries.
The Republican party receives its support based on perceived (if incorrect) fiscal conservatism and alleged moral clarity. This goes hand in hand with a “Red America” aversion to taxes and desire for personal financial independence. Because of this phenomenon, the country has been unable to redistribute wealth, education, or power in sufficient amounts to blacks or aboriginals, this being the key reason for persistent poverty among these groups.
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I think a lot of the racism by Americans – not all, but many – is actually just ignorance of other cultures and the lack of care/relevance to do anything to learn more or care. I think that so many are comfortable with what they know and don’t feel the need to get to know more.