Official selection of the Sundance Film Festival 2005
A trailer-esque montage spectacle of Hollywood's relentless vilification and dehumanization of Arabs and Muslims.
Inspired by the book "Reel Bad Arabs" by Dr. Jack Shaheen.
Out of 1000 films that have Arab & Muslim characters (from the year 1896 to 2000) 12 were positive depictions, 52 were even handed and the rest of the 900 and so were negative. [Hat tip: Samar]
Hollywood? hmm.. does this remind you of anything?
{ 21 } Comments
racists & ignorants!
that's what they are ! Im sick of all this racism against Arabs and Muslims
Whenever I watch this montage, I feel like the scum of the earth, which is how these movies (and cartoons) aim to depict Arabs and Muslims and "Orientals".
This was a submission by Jackie Salloum, who's also working on another documentary "Sling-Shot Hip-Hop: The Palestinian Lyrical Front".
A similar film that uses montage to the same effect is T.V's Promised Land, which was made after September 11th.
While I appreciate what these films are attempting to do, i.e exposing the racist representations of Arabs and Muslim in Hollywood and the media generally, I do find that they have a limited appeal, especially if the audience is not the "converted." Some dismiss them by saying that Hollywood stereotypes everybody. Others resist the editorializing that is involved in putting the montage together (this is more applicable to Promised Land) and feel that the director is using the same reductionist and manipulative techniques he's criticizing. One can argue that the director is doing that on purpose to draw attention to the propagana the ordinary American is exposed to on daily basis and to give a "taste of your own medicine" kind of thing. But the audience I was watching the film with didn't buy it–at least not all of them.
In other words, aren't these films preaching to the converted?
what do you expect from the big bosses in Hollywood ? Ask yourself are they friends of Arabs and Muslims ? Certainly not . they are the one financing illegal Settlements in the Westbank , and the Goland heights and the jordan valley .
Arabs or camel jockies or rag heads, call'em whatever you want, shouldn't be allowing living with regular folk. They'is dangerous and blood thirsty. Them should be quaranteened on an island with no way of communicating with regular people.
Nice self-description, Ed. You’d better see a doctor, change your blood, find a new surname (maybe Ding-Dong or something), and leave the Arab land before the Neo-Nazis which you support, comes in to clean it while you are there. You know, these words will not save your ass then and you will be taken as one of the Arabs :-D
PS. Yes, he is an Arab. Unfortunately!
Did I deny being an Arab Mr Haitham! Don't remember I ever did. Why would I deny it??? Supporting and adoring what you name Neo-Nazis (and they are not) does not change my nationality. It is just a different mind set than the one on your shoulders. Maybe that is difficult for some to accept, but I wasn't expecting you to accept difference anyhow. I read your postings and can easily judge from your topics. You have a mind set which is closing in on the Neo-Nazis from this side of the world but is a bit more refined. Just read the comments from the Eastern Neo-Nazis and hard leftists here and you'll see. You didn't go after them did you now? I do and did for my country much more than most of the so-called nationalists roaming the net, so don't judge me when you know nothing about me. I don't and won't have to explain myself to you but I will say this.
My earlier note is coming from deep resentment of the current state we have reached as Arabs. Arabs have hit rock bottom. Each time we hit another low, I say well, maybe we'll learn and move forward but guess what, I find there is a new low for the people here. It's amazing really. Arabs seem to be unidirectional and it isn't a north heading.
Truely yours,
Sawalha-Jordan
Ed Says:
October 10th, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Arabs or camel jockies or rag heads, call’em whatever you want, shouldn’t be allowing living with regular folk. They’is dangerous and blood thirsty. Them should be quaranteened on an island with no way of communicating with regular people.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
soo arabs shouldnot be allowed to live and should be quarantened on an island doesnot that include yu what kind of a man will say that about his people …..
Ed,
The main reason you call them camel jockies is because that is a North American term that was originated in the seventies in the US when Arabs started to immigrate to the US.
Back then we needed educated people to fill a labour void, (an educated void). These people who immigrated were not all Muslims but their skin colour was the same so they were all lumped into the same barrel. But they were educated. (Ever hear of the term PAKI?)
I am an immigrant but I am white. I guess that makes me OK in your books.
I guess that you are threatened by people of a different skin colour than yours.
I only judge people by their personality, not by their colour, religion, race, nationality, size or anything else.
Try to do the same! If not you are a rascist and not an American!
I guess that you haven't replied because I was right.
why were there no clips from lost?
Well,uh,really, what percentage of terrorist are Arabs? And when the Arabs blame the US and Israel for 9/11, it makes them seem totally ignorant. All Muslim countries (except Turkey) do believe that(see ANY poll taken there), so, hey, what do you expect?
Kimmy, Kim, Mickie or whatever you'd like to be called. These comments here aren't about you and how you deal with others. We weren't talking about you so I don't know why you went on and on trying to explain where you're from and where you're at and what you think of others. Me, me, me!!!
Another thing… Seems like you're the one who's extremely color conscious. So in that sense why don't you go off and start burning crosses on "people of color" front yards? Reminds you of what your grandparents did back in the 60s doesn't it?
Ed,
Only worth this reply: Not worthy of a reply.
You kept saying "me,me,me".
I didn't say "me".
I said that your comments were rascist. I don't see colour, sex, religion, or anything else except the person.
There is no "me" in my posts.
There is a question of Palestinian suffering. There is a question of Zionist lies. There is a question of Palestinians losing their lands.
You are sounding like a Bush supporter who is "white" and trying to immitate yourself as an Arab (muslim) to discredit this site!
Ed, try to be understanding and accepting of other people who don't fit into your small world.
"Hollywood? hmm.. does this remind you of anything?"
Hmm. Real life among the more radicalized elements of the Muslims? When dooes this fine flick open? I'm ready!
Good thing there aren't any slightly biased movies or news in Arab countries!
Kimmy. Sorry if I was out of line earlier. Didn't mean to be offensive.
Please go back to my second posting. I am bitter about where Arabs have sunk to. Most of the critisizm, sarcasm Arabs collect around the world is self inflicted. One way or another, Arabs have done more harm to themselves and their causes than their opponents did to them. There are so many examples in history and from today supporting this. If you want, I can list a few. I don't support ISRL in their occupation, nor their daily humilation of the palestinians. I don't know where you got this idea from. I've been to ISRL and the occupied terretories 3 times and have seen the situation there first hand. There are many disturbing examples I can give you about the treatment I got from the ISRLs and from the Palestinians. Believe me when I tell you, the Palestinians were worst to me than were the ISRLs. This may not sink well for most of the readers of these lines but this is the bare truth. Nevertheless, Palestinians are my neighbours, my co-workers and my friends. I don't hate them and never will.
Ed,
I hear stories from both sides. My family gave up their Jewish faith because of 1948.
I hear scary stories in North America about Israeli atrocities. These stories are from "white politicians".
I see lands stolen and occupied by the Israelis.
I hear lies by Bush and Olmert.
How much more suffering can the Palestinians suffer?
Palestein has become a land of occupation and a land of stolen dreams.
At least the Aboriginals in North America have their reservations. (small as they are). But they are not being occupied or stolen.
Check this site out, another view, http://ifamericansknew.org/
Then get back to me!
gee,kimmy. Maybe if they didn't elect recognized terrorists to office, that might help a little. I hope you're pretty, babe,'cause you sure aren't smart.
steve,
Can't we just claim the same about your elected terrorist?
How about, David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir, Shimon Peres, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon and last but not least , Ehud Olmert and his puppets.
All these – and more – are terrorist of first degree. Their hands are full of Arab/Muslim/Christian blood. Need I tell you of some of their terror crimes and massacres? Not worth pulling links. Just check my archive and tags for massacre and war crimes, you won't get disappointed:
http://sabbah.biz/mt/tag/war-crimes/
http://sabbah.biz/mt/tag/massacre/
(not to forget
dishonor Israel president and his sex scandals).steve,
I may not be smart like you but I do not assume that when I see the name steve, that you are a male.
You see the name kimmy, and you assumed that I was female.
Are you gay?
I have nothing against gays, but I should let you know that I am married with two beautiful daughters and a wife just as beautiful and your approach doesn't interest me.
Please send your intentions to other people and not me.
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[...] Planet of the Arabs on Sabbah's blog. Check it out.A similar film that uses montage to the same effect is T.V's Promised Land, which was made after September 11th.While I appreciate what these films are attempting to do, i.e exposing the racist representations of Arabs and Muslim in Hollywood and the media generally, I do find that they have a limited appeal, especially if the audience is not the "converted." Some dismiss them by saying that Hollywood stereotypes everybody. Others resist the editorializing that is involved in putting the montage together (this is more applicable to Promised Land) and feel that the director is using the same reductionist and manipulative techniques he's criticizing. One can argue that the director is doing that on purpose to draw attention to the propagana the ordinary American is exposed to on daily basis and to give a "taste of your own medicine" kind of thing. But the audience I was watching the film with didn't buy it–at least not all of them.In other words, aren't these films preaching to the converted? [...]
[...] Posted by brownfemipower on 09 Oct 2006 at 06:23 pm | Tagged as: Uncategorized, radical woc feminism, the internet/blogging as liberation via Sabbah's Blog [...]
[...] characters (from the year 1896 to 2000) 12 were positive depictions, 52 were even handed. . . add a comment | problem? function commentFormAction(action) { if (action=='show') {document.getElementById('commentForm').style.display="; } else { document.getElementById('commentForm').style.display='none'; document.getElementById('visitorComment').value="; } } [...]
[...] Out of 1000 films that have Arab & Muslim characters (from the year 1896 to 2000) 12 were positive depictions, 52 were even handed and the rest of the 900 and so were negative. (via sabbah.biz)Click here for the full story Submitted by mohamed on Sun, 2006-10-08 18:33. [...]