For those of you who do not know Jack Bauer (FOX channel people would not be happy with you), he is the main character in the show series "24". What makes Jack so awesome is his ability to hunt down, interrogate (read: torture), and then punish (whatever that might entail) terrorists. Terrorists who endanger the United States and/or its representatives. Terrorists, who unfortunately, but not surprisingly, often are of Arabic origin and Muslim faith. These two characteristics, btw, are used interchangeably in this show. If you don't see the problem with that, here is an illustratory equation, in a form Prof. Nurullah used it in his thorough analysis of "24" and its potential impacts on the viewers:
Muslims = Arabs = fundamentalists = terrorists = Muslims (Nurullah 1044)
For specific numbers, examples from the episodes, and other data cited by Prof. Nurullah, please follow this link to his article:
http://www.insanbilimleri.com/ojs/index.php/uib/article/view/815/530
I wonder how many Christians would like an equation based on a somewhat similar logic:
Euroamericans = Christians = Catholics = pedophiles = Euroamericans
Sounds not fair, twisted, ignorant? Yeah...
Besides the portrayal of many of the show's villains as Muslims and/or Arabs, the timing of the show's launching was also detrimental to the image of Muslims, especially in the US society: the show first went on air shortly after the attacks of 9/11 (Nurullah 1042). Speaking of the audiences' susceptibility to any Muslim-related messages, let alone the negative ones...
Some of you may think that a show is just a show - after all, it is fiction, and as such people understand it, distinguishing it from reality. While some highly media literate viewers probably do draw this distinction, I dare to say that still a large part of the audience believes the images and the messages sent to them via TV regardless of the format. And when such images are coherent with a schema established through a real-life experience ( like the 2001 terrorist attacks), even a fictional show may acquire the veracity of news.
Source:
Nurullah, Abu Sadat. "Portrayal of Muslims in the Media: "24" and the 'Othering' Process." International
Journal of Human Sciences 7.1 (2010): 1020-1046. Ulusrararasi Insan Bilimleri Dergisi. Web.
15 Apr. 2010.<http://www.insanbilimleri.com/ojs/index.php/uib/article/view/815/530>.
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I think one of the problem is that human mind simply need to works in schematics, the see thinks in black and white. Even if we intellectually know it is not as simple, it feels good to be presented with black and white differentiation. That´s the purpose of cliché, something that we complain about and what was on TV (or any other media) many times. But it happens, that movies that are just absolute clichés often become blockbusters (Star Wars, Titanic or now Avatar).
ReplyDeleteBut I am getting of track. I meant to say that media entertainment usually needed to create some group as "the enemy." During the Cold War era, the enemies in popular media were often Russians or Communists (and media at that time probably also failed to make a distinction between the two). Now it is Muslims and terrorists. But I for myself do not think it is that bad, but maybe I watch shows that are not as mainstream. It is not always like that. In NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) while there are often Muslim terrorists portrayed, it is often made clear that Muslim does not mean terrorists. I remember a scene (I may find a reference to it if you want, I don´t remember the name of the episode) where Israeli agent tells Muslim religious leader that her best childhood friend was Palestinian and that he was killed in a Israel retaliatory strike and that she thinks there is been enough killing.
I think there should be more of this differentiations. Terrists do exists and those that attack on US soil are often Muslims, but it should be made clear that Muslim does not mean terrorist. In TV shows and movies it is simple, all there is too it is to make a sympathetic character who is also a Muslim. Being overly Politically correct may not be the best answer however. Otherwise the only bad guys in movies would have to be white atheist heterosexual males. :-)
You can also check a Generation Kill miniseries. It is very objective portrayal of war in Iraq (the first three weeks of the invasion) and it was based on a book by a war correspondent who was there. I liket it, because it is neither pro war, neither anti-war, it seemed to simply showed things as they were, even if it was from the American POV.
And of course, I can always talk about these things in a science fiction. While it is not minstream, Sci-Fi seems to point out nicely at these generalizations and so on. I think that when people change the labels and instead of Christian and Muslims, you see Klingons and Cardassians, the viewer is not biased at the start and may be able to approach the issue more open minded and then see the real world comparisons.
Honza K.
Thank you, Honza, for recommending the shows - I will try to watch at least one episode if I can find it online. It is always refreshing to see something outside of the mainstream, free of the same-old spin and frames.
ReplyDeleteYou are right that every now and then (and it seems to be getting better) there are likeable Muslim characters in TV shows - the problem with that is that they often come out as cheesy and the agenda is too obvious. The audiences may feel it too and simply don't buy into that. What do you think?
If you want to watch that specific episode of NCIS (with the Muslim Marine) it is 5x11 "Tribes" I may even have it somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI don't neccessarily think the agenda is too obvious. But I don't watch that many contemporary shows, so I don't really know. NCIS still has more terrorists as Muslims, but there are episodes like the one above mentioned.
And of course in the past, there was a lot positive representation in the western media, because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Rambo 3 was dedicated "to the brave people of Afghanistan." Or the Bond movie Living Daylight where Afghan Mudjahedins assist Bond in his mission. After 9/11 it was probably to be expected to have more negative portrayal of Muslims. But I agree with you that it seems to be getting better. And I don't think that the "good Muslims" are portrayed too good and nice. Do you have a specific movie character in mind?