World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has decided to drop an Arab American character off programming on their network:
Due to the unfortunate terrorist attacks in London on Thursday, July 7, which coincided with our pre-produced WWE SmackDown! program, UPN has asked us to be sensitive to the usage of the Arab-American character, Muhammad Hassan. We have agreed with UPN, and have not had the character on SmackDown! since that date. It is uncertain as to whether or not the WWE will continue with this character beyond this Sunday's Pay-Per-View, The Great American Bash.
Quoting some comments from Wrestling Observer:
The Hassan character only served to incite racial hatred and stir up the feelings of xenophobia among the mainly American wrestling fans. It was also poorly researched, as my previous letter to you stated, which would only serve to irritate those of a Middle Eastern background (I also discovered later that the graphic on their entrance video that was supposed to say "Khosrow Daivari" actually spelt out "Khasroo Daoudi" so they couldn't even get that bit right).
Dean Ayass
Another comment:
WWE: �Because these henchmen wore masks and camouflage pants, and because Hassan is of Arab descent, some viewers may have leapt to the conclusion that these henchmen are terrorists.�
-In other words, because we assumed they were terrorists based simply on their dress and ethnicity (nothing to do with their penchant for piano wire of course), we in fact are nothing more than a big bunch of racists.
WWE: �Hassan is not a terrorist. Because he is dissatisfied with some aspects of America, and expresses those opinions, does not make him a terrorist. Because he chooses to wear some Arab clothing does not make him a terrorist. The men who assisted him last week may share the same feelings of disenfranchisement experienced by Hassan, they may wear masks, but that also does not make them terrorists.�
- If you tell a lie enough times to enough people, eventually someone may believe it. And did we mention that you are all big fat RACISTS?
AdsSo there you are, what appears to be a sleazy, morally bankrupt little angle is actually the McMahon�s noble attempt to heal the world and make it a better place. Although if that was the case and their point was to debunk racial stereotype and prejudice, wouldn�t it make more sense to a) have Hassan be a babyface who doesn�t do what would be perceived to be stereotypical �Arab� things, and b) NOT HAVE HIM ACTUALLY ACT LIKE A TERRORIST. However when you consider that in the alternative reality the McMahons call home, the 9/11 attacks were comparable to Vince being indicted in 1994, should any of this really come as a surprise?
Steve McCullagh
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I appaud UPN for taking a stand. It needs to be realized that in this time of great world unrest, we don’t need to be inciting violence against people of Middle Eastern decent. I believe it was a poor decision on the part of the WWE writers to bring this character so quickly after everything that has happened world-wide.I would hope they would exercise better judgement in the future.
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