Planet of the Arabs

[Free Palestine]

Windows Player (http://www.jsalloum.org/planet3.wmv)
Quicktime (http://www.jsalloum.org/planet9a.mov)

A video montage which compiles clips of Hollywood films with Arab characters. It addresses the stereotypical, dehumanized film portrayal of Arabs as hijacking terrorists, bulbous-nosed ignoramuses, knife-wielding horse riders, and wife-beaters. Even high-brow television shows like Law and Order have no problem with perpetuating this portrayal.

The clip at the end in which the yokel explains to authorities that while he has to use euphemisms while talking to his buddies about the African Americans and gays that they loathe, they feel comfortable with boldly using the slur "sand nigger," is really telling. It appears as though depictions of Arabs and Muslims are exempt from politically correct standards in contemporary entertainment.

[Wanted Man]

Terrible. Back to the Future rules though.

[viva le revolution]

Any group that threatened the current establishment has been labelled before. Any group that deviates from the yankee vision of the future. for example, during black enslavement and particularly during the civil rights peroid, blacks were referred to largely as niggers. During the cold war the Russians and anybody from eastern europe were branded Ruskies. From the pan-arab movement onwards the Arabs were labelled sand niggers. It is convenient to lump all those who do not agree with you into one label. this is no new phenomena.
The political correctedness movement is just a load of shit. Giving the regime a rose coloured background, although this is only in words, in action i'm sure you all know the picture.

[TC]

taken out of context most of that is really funny...you just couldn't get away with it when talking about anyone else.

lol i mean imagine seeing a hollywood movie with Jewish Defense League terrorists talking about how they're fighting for God in such a ridiculase way.

The crazy arab fanatic stuff is just a way of denying any discussion of the real issues and motivations relating to american foriegn and economic policy.

[bolshevik butcher]

Yeh, its not even jsut arabs, it's all muslims. Most muslims in britain are of pakistan origin, yet they are still presented as arabs.

I remember 24 as being distinctly anti-arab with all its cliched evil islamists, but yeh so called serious films and tv series have a long record of presenting racial and other streotypes.

[Intifada]

The book "Why Do People Hate America?" by Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies refers to the protrayal of Arabs and Muslims in American films and TV programmes very well.

[Che NJ]

The book "Why Do People Hate America?" by Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies refers to the protrayal of Arabs and Muslims in American films and TV programmes very well.
yeah, I forget the name of the movie, but there was one that justified the slaughter of men, women and children outside of an american embassy.


EDIT: Rules of Engagement (http://imdb.com/title/tt0160797/)

[novemba]

i just sorta got used to it, now i perpetuate the stereotype, just kinda joking around with my friends and shit........im always like "don't fuck with me, i won't hesitate to blow your ass up" shit like that, but i used to get so pissed when i saw shit like that on tv now i just deal with it....arab people are the new black people

[Free Palestine]

To those interested, I suggest checking out Jack Shaheen's excellent anthology Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1566563887/104-6808165-2544748?v=glance&n=283155&v=glance). It categorically catalogues depictions of Arabs in American film. It is very meticulous dissection of the image of the "dirty Arab" and based off his research from over 20 years. Planet of the Arabs still does a good job of reminding us that racist depictions of Arabs in American entertainment is a huge problem though.

[JC1]

Ya, I hate the way middle eastern people are charecterizied in the media.

[Tekun]

Nothin less than racism...
The media is as big an enemy of the people, as the gov

[DanRev]

Agreed, the media is a big enemy.

I really just love all the "heroic" army propaganda articles... "Officer saves 20 other soldiers," its such an advertisement, "If you're brave you can be sucessful in the army and nothing bad will ever happen to you, go kill some insurgents"

You cant walk through london without hearing the sterotypical view of the muslim community shouted down the street. My friend, his dad is persian, gets alot of abuse, the typical "Go back to iraq, you terrorist shit."

[Phalanx]

American society did the same thing in WWII to the Japanese. the government has not gone so far to put anyone in detainment camps. Racism in america seems poorly addressed and I don't think the govt will fix it. The racism and hate may be seen as an advantage by the us government as it stirs hate against Iraq.

[DaRk-OnE]

lol I got banned for posting that in another forum

What do you think I can use in my defense?

[Ownthink]

Anyone know the kickass music featured on this?

[DanRev]

Racism will never be adressed well enough in american or britain, as long as the idea that "East is bad, west is good" continues the government will let racism continue. And yeah, it does get some people backing the war on iraq. Hell, the "East is bad, west is good" has been around for a long time, a long enough time for the govenment to take some action against it.

[Noah]

Me, being a 14 year old iraqi guy who attends high school...people are more scared of me now because i'm generally 'super strong' and I look like a 'terrorist'.

Yours,
Noah

[Commie Rat]

hahah nice Noah at least you dont get hasseled