Ideology and Race

After the lecture, we were assigned to watch a 1 hour long video called Reel Bad Arabs - How Hollywood Vilifies a People. Throughout the whole documentary, it was sickening and depressing seeing how a race is vilified everywhere especially in North America. The video stresses that Arabs were always portrayed as the antagonist in countless Hollywood films all the way from 60 years ago till today.

About 90% of all the Hollywood films that were analyzed showed Arabs as villains, carrying guns, shooting anyone in sight, inhumane, dumb and perverted. Not only were men portrayed with all the stereotypical "evil" villain, but Arabian woman were always shown belly dancing, seducing men and wearing sheer clothing.

Even in the infamous Disney movie Aladdin, Arabs are vilified as men that would slaughter people if they felt like it. This is extremely offensive and sickening since it was shown to millions of children and families. The media, typically the media in North America doesn't show the innocent side of Arabs, they don't show the innocent civilians that are killed for no reason, beaten, or captured by the Americans. It seems that it is justified if Arabs were punished but loathsome if Arabs kill.

We all need to learn to not believe everything we see in the media, especially stereotypes and depictions of a particular race being only 'evil'. Hollywood needs to stop vilifying a race because how would Arabs feel watching Hollywood movies? Hollywood is giving no chance for them to be entertained without being offended and insulted. We should all think about the the results of all the acts if injustice through our history and learn to not repeat our mistakes. The holocaust and many detainment of innocent people do not, and should not ever need to happen again.