Letting Stereotypes Slip By (Peace-loving TROP™ misrepresented… poor fellows!)

The Harvard Crimson ^ | January 12, 2005 | Jade Jurdi and Magdey A. Abdallah

[quidnunc]

This past week, the Undergraduate Council presented an advance screening of the first three episodes of Fox’s popular television show, “24.” In doing so, the council insensitively aired an offensive portrayal of Middle Eastern Americans. Given the simplistic depiction of Middle Eastern Americans in Fox’s “24,” the show was inconsistent with the values of cultural awareness and diversity that the Undergraduate Council and the University seek to promote.

The show portrays a Turkish-American Muslim family in Los Angeles, Western in appearance and lifestyle, as a terrorist sleeper cell. In a news story that appeared in the Edmonton Times, a Fox spokesman refused comment when asked about the questionable content of the show. But the fact remains that 24’s facile and harmful representation of this “model” terrorist cell exceeds what is realistic and what is necessary for the show’s entertainment value. The show makes sure to convey how long this family lived in the United States, participated in its commerce and even utilized its public schools. Over the breakfast table, a familiar setting to us all, the father tells the family: “What we will accomplish today will change the world. We are fortunate that our family has been chosen to do this.” “24” has essentially turned the kitchen table of an average Muslim family into the center of all the evil that has gripped our nation. The implication of the episode is that one can never be certain that the Muslim or Arab family next door are not terrorists. Harvard should be the last place such a mentality is accepted.

-snip-

[weegee]

That was season 3. I was referring to season 2. I never even saw season 1.

All 3 are on dvd now.

[phoenix0468]

I wanted to post this somewhere else, and may do that later. Anyway, I have a theory on terrorism in general. Although at the present time it seems to just be Islamists who are attacking us, I have to believe their is more involved. There are more groups than just Middle East Muslims who hate our way of life. There are Latin American Drug Cartels, Right Wing Militias, Communist organizations in just about every country including ours, and also organizations such as Black Panthers and such. The gamut runs through every race, religion, creed, you name it. What I am trying to say is this, profiling may catch the ones who are outwardly attacking us, but it won't catch those either in our country or outside of it who are willing to collaborate with other groups that hate us. I.E. there is a theory that ties exist between McVeigh and Terry Nichols and Al Queda. Some may think this is far fetched, but a terrorist is a terrorist, and he will get help from where ever he can get it. One interesting thing is Nichols trip to the Philippines. He said it was business, but there are some in the government who surveyed him in training with know terrorists.

This is the scenario. As has been suggested in 24, the many groups that hate our government and our way of life may have already, and could very well in the near future collaborate to launch a massive attack on our country. I am not saying to be paranoid, but if you have a valid reason to believe someone is being subversive, do not hesitate to call the FBI. The worst they can do is survey the suspect until they find out right from wrong. I know this may sound McCarthyist, but we live in a very dangerous time, and our enemy may not just have brown skin, dark eyes, and bow to the east five times a day. He may live in Elohim City, Ok. have blue eyes and blonde hair and profess the name of Christ. Or he may be of east asian decent, smile at you when he hands you your order of moo goo gai pan while laughing inside because he and his communist brothers have found ways to subvert our nation.

We have always been and will continue to be a welcoming nation. We could have closed our shores as tight as a drum on 9/11 but we didn't. We have continued to accept refugees, immigrants, and dissidents. And we are a better and stronger nation for it. But in the midst of those aforementioned is the few bad apples that will and have the fortitude to do harm on us. Be alert, don't be paranoid, but be attentive to what is going on in your neighborhood and town. Get to know your neighbors, and your children's friends. Get to know the dry cleaner and the butcher and the baker. Don't put yourself in a shell and hide away. That is what they want us to do. They want us to be afraid, afraid of the Turkish family across the street, the Latin couple who just moved in next door. They will use this to infiltrate and destroy us. The better we know these people, the better the chance of catching something out of the ordinary.

I love my country and the diversity it thrives on. I want the rest of the world to see us as the "light on the hill" that RWR talked about. We have as many allies as friends out there in the cruel cruel world. I would like to make more.

[phoenix0468]

You guys think Post #22 would make a good vanity?

[Drango]

Uh, last I checked about 100% of the terrorists that want to kill us and attack our country are MIDDLE EASTERN.

Uhhhh two good old white boys were responsible for the bombing in Oklahoma City.

[phoenix0468]

Two out of severl hundred thousand. Still pretty darn close to 100% thank you very much.

[phoenix0468]

I spoke too soon with the last post. Yes you are correct. Two white boys from Kansas. And there are many more white, yellow, red, and brown all over the world that have one reason or another to hate us and/or our government. If you read my post #22 you may agree. Thanks for the post and sorry again for being hasty in my response.

[Drango]

LOL...I do it all the time. No worries....

[o_zarkman44]

In reference to having shame in a family for what a brother has done I think back to the Doctor who treated and helped John Wilkes Booth escape after assasinating Abraham Lincoln. The Doctors last name was Mudd.

Because he was branded a traitor for participating in the conspiracy, the term "Your Name Is Mudd" was coined as being derogatory. His own family members were shamed by Dr. Mudds' actions and literally had to hide from persecution. All just because they were related to a man who helped the murderer of President Lincoln.

Perhaps our Arab American friends should take some American history lessons? They might better understand the shame and other consequences of keeping silent when their brethern are plotting murder and destruction against Americans. Our history of retaliation against conspirators who harm our own is well documented.

[Gondring]

You're right on. They are wanting us to attack our own Constitution. They thrive on our fear and reactions, and the fact that the average American wants the government to "keep them safe". We should be recognizing we are ALL in the war, and there is no "safe place"...and that maintaining our American principles and not giving into panic are the best way to keep us strong and resistant to the threat of Islamist or other enemies.

[backhoe]

Islam, The Alleged Religion of Peace® ( TARP™ )? Click this picture:

[texasflower]

son is chased by a pretty blonde girlfriend.

You must not have seen the episode on Monday.

[texasflower]

Yes.

[broadsword]

"That's right, my son. Keep using their Constitution against them."
"We will have them in the end, and DESTROY that Constitution you pretend to love."
"Those stupid infidels will bleed like pigs, thanks to infiltrators like you."
"Allahu-ak-BARBARIAN!"

[Prime Choice]

[blogbat]

I see I'm going to need to hit the Photoshop here soon just to keep up with you guys ;)

[Former Dodger]

Last year the "enemy" was a combination of ruthless, psychotic Colombian Drug dealers, and ruthless, psychotic Eastern Europeans, containing all the favorite boogie men: Russians, Serbians, Albanians, etc. trying to release a deadly Ebola-like virus.

2003 had Jack and CTU battling Psychotic Muslims supported by Psychotic American Corporate bosses, and his own special Army-trained Death squad who are trying to detonate a Nuclear weapon in LA to get the USA to attack an innocent Muslim country and start WW3 for the profiteering.

The First season was Jack versus pschotic, revenge-seeking Serbians trying to assassinate the President.

I'm sure some Serbians hated Season 1, while most Croats and others loved it.

Season 2 had lots of various ethnic groups, and some Anerican dirtbags to hate, and showed the Muslims more as being scapegoated than guilty.

Last seson, no Muslims, but wonderfully stereotypical MAD Colombian drug dealers, combined with the East Europeans and a rogue British agent.

But, hey, ya know what: IT'S ONLY A TV SHOW!

I wonder if the aggrieved parties from Harvard feel the same about the Fictional "News" that Al Jazeera broadcasts daily?

[sheik yerbouty]

"What is best in life?" To crush the jihadists, to drive their collaborators before you, and to hear the lamentations of their media! Allahu fubar!

[sheik yerbouty]

CAIR should be declared a seditious organization, and its leaders, like Stupor Hooper, should be jailed.

[Gondring]

LMHO! That was awesome!

Usama bin Laden stars in...."Onan the Barbarian!"

[sggunal]

As a Turk I couldn't care less if a Turkish family is portrayed as terrorists on a TV show.. It's just a scenario, who cares? But it does annoy the hell out of me that simple facts about Turkey (that would take less than a minute to look up) are completely ignored in this portrayal. eg. The Turkish alphabet is latin-based, not arabic... (ie. A B C etc, instead of curly script) Turkish people speak Turkish, not Arabic! And they sound nothing like each other. The names of the people aren't even Turkish, but Persian !?! Is it really so hard to find out these things before you write a whole TV series about it??