Arab-American groups call Coke Super Bowl ad "racist"

Reuters.com ^ | 1/30/2013 | Reuters

[mykroar]

(Reuters) - Arab-American groups have sharply criticized a Coca-Cola Super Bowl ad depicting an Arab walking through the desert with a camel, and one group said it would ask the beverage giant to change it before CBS airs the game on Sunday before an expected audience of more than 100 million U.S. viewers.

"Why is it that Arabs are always shown as either oil-rich sheiks, terrorists, or belly dancers?" said Warren David, president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, or ADC.

Coca-Cola released an online teaser of the commercial last week, showing the Arab walking through a desert. He soon sees cowboys, Las Vegas showgirls and a motley crew fashioned after the marauders of the apocalyptic "Mad Max" film race by him to reach a gigantic bottle of Coke.

In its ad, Coke asks viewers to vote online on which characters should win the race. The online site does not allow a vote for the Arab character.

"The Coke commercial for the Super Ball is racist, portraying Arabs as backward and foolish Camel Jockeys, and they have no chance to win in the world," Imam Ali Siddiqui, president of the Muslim Institute for Interfaith Studies, said in an email.

[glennaro]

Arabs in the Arabian Peninsula are actually very proud of their Camel Culture. They go on desert camping excursions, hold camel races, etc.

It's the etc. part of the arab "camel culture" that I suspect would be more insulting but would no doubt be banned from showing on commercial TV ... or so I've heard ...

[windsorknot]

Yes, it’s true. And many an Arab would “walk a mile for a Camel”.

[VeniVidiVici]

Yes, it’s true. And many an Arab would “walk a mile for a Camel”.

Or a goat.

[MrB]

Richard Prior quote as reported by Eddie Murphy.

[Tublecane]

The neologism “racism” is problematic enough. But the idea that racial stereotypes, even making fun of certain people through these stereotypes—though it’s unclear to me whether that’s happened—are inherently racist is silly. I suppose they prefer a world where commercials are peopled by amorphous blobs with no discernable characteristics.

[VeniVidiVici]

Now having watched the commercial how do they know the guy is even an Arab? Looks Mexican to me. A Mexican who found a camel while crossing the border and ran into some cowboys and Vegas show girls.

[onedoug]

Arab Diversity

[bgill]

Super Balls were fun! Hurt like heck when you got hit with one. Yep, right up there with lawn darts, slip ‘n slides, bb guns and clackers but we didn’t have mass shootings by.

[Fiji Hill]

Let me tell you 'bout Ahab The Arab,
The Sheik of the burning sand.
He had emeralds and rubies just a-dripping off of him
And a ring on every finger of his hands.
He wore a big ol' turban wrapped around his head
And a scimitar by his side.
And every evenin' about midnight,
He'd jump on his camel named Clyde..

[rfreedom4u]

oil-rich sheiks, terrorists, or belly dancers?”

They left out sexual deviants who engage in sex with little boys for fun.

But so far the shoe fits.....

[Venturer]

Me?? I am just tired of Arab-Americans, African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, When they come here they should be Americans, or go the Fudge back to wherever they came from.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

[traditional1]

"Why is it that Arabs are always shown as either oil-rich sheiks, terrorists, or belly dancers?"

Yeah; the rest of them are running 7-11's, or Convienience Stores.......

[katana]

For many years the only cola brand available in the Arab countries was Pepsi (pronounced "beepsee" in Arabic). Coke had a bottling plant in Israel, hence the long boycott. And one might suppose certain elements in those populations saw Coke's global popularity as a sign of one more Zionist plot.

The official Arab League boycott of Coke was lifted around 1991 (might have had something to do with a half million US troops on the ground saving the Saudi's - ahem! - bacon) and Atlanta's own is now available in those countries (pronounced "koo-ka-koolah"). But maybe excluding the Dromedary Driver in the commercial from having any chance to win the contest is just a little bit of payback.

[Boonie]

In the interest of political correctness and being non-offensive to ANY person, place, thing, or animal be it mammal, reptilian, inssect, or amoeba...

All commercials from here on should be white screen with name of product in 200 languages printed in black on the screen in alphabetical order. This screen shot should stay on the screen with absolutely nothing else for a full 60 seconds before regular programs continue.

[reegs]

Not to be confused with the "Happy Fun Ball". Remember, do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

[Resolute Conservative]

“The Coke commercial for the Super Ball is racist, portraying Arabs as backward and foolish Camel Jockeys, and they have no chance to win in the world,”

No shiite Sherlock. Name the advances that have come from the Muslim world over the last 1,000 years. Waiting.........

[USAF80]

They have wild camels in America. Some dummy released some a years ago and they did not die. He thought they would not be able to survive here but they did.

Jackwagons think camels are only an Arabic thing. They have camels in Africa too. They don’t ride them, they are used to carry stuff. Americans have pickups, they have camels.

[bergmeid]

I believe it has everything to do with the Vegas showgirls. That guy that was on O’Reillys show last night would not come out and say it but knowing a thing or two about islam, I bet that is the problem. Could be wrong of course!