How can media be oppressive when it comes to race? Write a blog post (250 words) to answer this. Choose one concept from the Readings. Describe briefly and discuss in relation to an example from the media. Share your own reflections.
Media is a largely oppressive medium where racism and sexism can occur. By warping specific images and roles to stereotypically fit the western’s perspective of the rest of the world, racism of that particular culture could largely be viewed. Westerns are always at a place of ignorance in properly researching accurate cultures in order to represent them. Therefore, certain cultures (such as Arab) are considered minority and oppressive, violent, and uneducated. They tend to paint those roles and characters into “villains” in most of Hollywood films. According to (Shaheen, 2003), “What I am say ing is that almost all Hollywood depictions of Arabs are bad ones. This is a grave injustice. Repetitious and negative images of the reel Arab literally sustain adverse portraits across generations. The fact is that for more than a century producers have tarred an entire group of people with the same sinister brush.” This indicates, that among all the mass media that is being produced in Hollywood, most of the producers have entitled roles and characters of Arabs that do not match the true nature of their characteristics. Apart from consistently representing them as terrorists or islamists, they also represent them in an inhumane or unrealistic aspect, sometimes as animals, and other times overly wealthy; “In the Disney movie Kazaam (1996), O’Neal pummels three Arab Muslims who covet “all the money in the world” (Shaheen, 2003). They stereotypes dangerously hinder how the rest of the world views each culture. Most of the films that are produced and watched internationally, are those made by the west, therefore their representation of cultures could be extremely damaging when depicted in wrongful manner. Additionally, the portrayal of veiled women and belly dancers in western media are century lifestyles and traditions that are still strongly being represented even though they are loosely still accurate. Veiled women are viewed to be oppressed and only useful in filling the desires of their partners.
An example in media where I have viewed the stereotype of Arabs is in the movie: Back to the Future (1985), the main character is shot by a stereotypical embodiment of an “Arab”, more specifically, a Libyan. This character was viewed to be reckless and an Islamist terrorist. That role did not need to be specifically Arab nor did he need to have any particular Arab characteristics, the director chose for him to be the antagonist in the story and kill the protagonist. These depictions only reinforce the stereotypes and images of Arabs to the rest of society.
I believe that this notion has been an ongoing issue in western films as well as western mass media. Arabs have almost always been depicted in a bad light, no matter the circumstance or role. Although this relentless stereotypes is consistently been represented, the morals and beliefs of those cultures are not being valued true to nature. These aspects seem to be unchanging and stagnant, although they require no effort to change the comedic need into more culturally aware role. They act against the initial attempt to being funny, and end up offensive and racist.
Media and Society 