Islamophobia in the News
Newsstands reflect anti-Muslim rhetoric
According to Edward Said in Orientalism, a latent form of Orientalism exists, driving fear and misconceptions. The media can exacerbate this latent Orientalism by dessiminating information reinforcing steroytypes, especially reguarding Islam and Muslims. The news, in both print and televised broadcasts, is the main way to disseminate knowlege and information to millions of people accross the globe. The problem that arises is that many take what they hear on news programs as fact, rather than looking at a variety of sources to confirm the validity of the information.
Abdullah Sajid in Islamophobia: A New Word for an Old Fear, explains that the main effects of Islamophobia are violent language, negative stereotypes, and media misrepresentations. Martin-Munoz notes in Unconcious Islamophobia that Islam is ofter portrayed as a monolithic block, that is static and unresponsive to change. It is seen as having values incompatible with the west, emphasizing its barbaric, violent, and irrational nature.
With groups like Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer's Stop the Islamization of America on the rise, it is crucial to address how these radical organizations garner broad support in the United States. These types of groups employ fear-mongering advertisements to paint Islam as violent and antithetical to American values and democracy. Anti-Muslim attack ads can be seen in many subway stations and buses in major cities like New York and San Francisco.
Abdullah Sajid in Islamophobia: A New Word for an Old Fear, explains that the main effects of Islamophobia are violent language, negative stereotypes, and media misrepresentations. Martin-Munoz notes in Unconcious Islamophobia that Islam is ofter portrayed as a monolithic block, that is static and unresponsive to change. It is seen as having values incompatible with the west, emphasizing its barbaric, violent, and irrational nature.
With groups like Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer's Stop the Islamization of America on the rise, it is crucial to address how these radical organizations garner broad support in the United States. These types of groups employ fear-mongering advertisements to paint Islam as violent and antithetical to American values and democracy. Anti-Muslim attack ads can be seen in many subway stations and buses in major cities like New York and San Francisco.
The World according to Fox News
Iraq labeled as Egypt in broadcast
The rise of such anti-muslim groups suggests some form of latent Orientalism in mainstream culture. One technique employed by many major news outlets is when they consistently refer to the middle east, or describe a person, idea, or organization as middle-eastern. As professor Bazian notes, when you contrast this to examples in europe, where people and ideas are almost always labeled by their specific nationality, not just religion or region. While it is not always the case, grouping millions of people into one homogeneous "middle eastern" identity stunts cultural understanding and fuels fear. For example, Iran and Saudi Arabia have completely different ethnic and religious makeups, but too often are they are lumped together in news broadcasts simply as "the middle east."
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Coverage of the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary was full an inflammatory rhetoric, but one of the worst examples was Herman Cain's Islamophobic remarks. He goes on to explain that he would be uncomfortable having a muslim in his administration. By stating "I would not be comfortable because you have peaceful muslims, militant muslims-those who are trying to kill us." He dangerously combines extremists under the umbrella of a whole religion, which leads to Cain's statement that all muslims make him uncomfortable. There are radical islamic terrorists, just like there are radical christian and jewish terrorists, yet he feel that only muslims must first prove their dedication to the constitution before being appointed to a Cain administration. Based on the principles of Article VI of the US Constitution, no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States. Herman Cain's extreme views, were not only anti-muslim, but also unconstitutional.of the US Constitution, no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States. Herman Cain's extreme views, were not only anti-muslim, but also unconstitutional.
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Congressman Peter King's discussion on Fox News demonstrates the type of programs that give credibility to the idea that muslims in America are being radicalized and approaches the american muslim community with a guilty until proven innocent mentality. The concerning part of this video is when Peter King, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, advocates that law enforcement should not "give into political correctness." While tracking down potential threats from wherever they come from is essential, explicit profiling only perpetuates a cycle of fear and hatred toward the entire muslim community, not just radical extremists. Media outlets, both left and right leaning, often don't present a balanced view of the issue. By not addressing the obvious racism leading to the hearings, Fox is condoning treating the entire American-Muslim community with fear and distrust, rather an focusing on the few radical extremists.
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In this video from CNN, comedian Dean Obeidallah provides a rational and humorous response to the media's obsession with the changing demographics of the country and how the growing population of muslims in the United States warrants no fear or anxiety. You often see reports on these changing demographics, that reflect the latent orientalist ideal of a "white christian" America. A muslim community of about seven million in a population of about 314 million people represents only 2.2% of the total population, yet the unfounded fear that muslims are taking over America persists. As long as the media continues to treat muslims as a homogenous group, it will only reinforce stereotypical beliefs held by the general pubic. Presenting a balanced viewpoint, distinguishing the muslim community, from radical extremists is the best way to combat any latent Orientalism on our society.
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Work Cited
Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Vintage, 1979. Print.
Sajid, Abdullah. "Palestine-Israel Journal: Islamophobia: A New Word for an Old Fear."Palestine-Israel Journal: Islamophobia: A New Word for an Old Fear. N.p., 2005. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.
Martin-Munoz, Gema. "Unconcious Islamophobia." HUMAN ARCHITECTURE: JOURNAL OF THE SOCIOLOGY OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE. N.p., Sept. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.
Sajid, Abdullah. "Palestine-Israel Journal: Islamophobia: A New Word for an Old Fear."Palestine-Israel Journal: Islamophobia: A New Word for an Old Fear. N.p., 2005. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.
Martin-Munoz, Gema. "Unconcious Islamophobia." HUMAN ARCHITECTURE: JOURNAL OF THE SOCIOLOGY OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE. N.p., Sept. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.