Aladdin – A Model for Arab-American Prejudice
The animated film Aladdin clearly displays how American film can have an effect on American opinions through its use of racist imagery and ideas in relation to Arab culture. In the opening scene of the movie, a song is used to describe the city; one of the lines of the song characterizing Agrabah states “it’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home” (Aladdin). So, within the first five minutes of the movie, this city home to fictional Arab characters is described as being “barbaric,” reinforcing American opinions that Arabs are barbaric because they have an inherent disposition to committing acts of violence.
Furthermore, both Aladdin and his love interest, Jasmine, are light-skinned and purposely more Anglo-Saxon looking than their movie counterparts. Characters like Jafar are distinct looking; their skin is darker, their noses are oddly shaped, they have thick beards, and speak with Middle Eastern accents. In a movie set in an Arab land, it makes no sense that the main character, Aladdin, a poor citizen of Agrabah is distinctly more “white” than the other men in the movie that come from similar backgrounds. Other than Aladdin, the men in the movie dress in much more traditional Middle-Eastern clothing and it is obvious that the filmmakers purposely wanted viewers to make a distinction between Aladdin and the other characters. However, the reasoning for this distinction is very misplaced as it leads movie-goers and viewers to view the stereotypical Middle-Eastern men as more barbaric than the protagonist, whiter Aladdin.
9/11 – A Day That Will Live in Infamy
Following 9/11, Arab-Americans were “faced with a demand to transmit or translate their culture to mainstream Americans.” (Salaita, p. 149) Since the attackers were of Middle Eastern descent, Americans wanted answers from Arab-Americans such as why and how. However, Arab-Americans were asking the same questions and were being forced to explain the actions of select members of their ethnicity which, in turn, Americans could use as an explanation for the ethnicity as a whole. Due to 9/11, Arab-Americans were subject to much more attention than ever before; however, this attention centered around contempt for Arabs and the “terror” they caused on 9/11. Despite Arab-Americans having a diverse religious background, they were constantly grouped under Islam. Popular figures in American society have even spoken out against Arab-Americans, too, such as Fox News analyst Mike Gallagher suggesting that there be “Muslim Only” lines in security lines in airports and talk show host Bill Maher suggesting that Islam is an inherently “warlike” religion. Hearing such sentiments from prominent entertainment figures aided in fueling American ideas of dissent towards Arab-Americans. According to the Arab American Institute, “reported anti-Arab hate crime incidents rose some 38 percent.” (AAI) Unfortunately, we believe that 9/11, and subsequent events, and the view of Arab-Americans that followed has caused the incidences of hate crimes to rise. Americans hear their favorite radio hosts and watch their favorite movies that depict Arab-Americans under a certain light and unjustly feel urged to act. These actions are so unjust because they are based in myth and skewed portrayals of Arab-Americans following an increasing contempt after the September 11 attacks.
Arab Women – A Stereotyped People
The majority of stereotypes regarding Arab women over the past several decades is based on Western culture’s beliefs. These stereotypes alter the way our society functions by setting boundaries and confining identities. A prominent stereotype of Arab women is based on the way they dress. A covered Arab woman is known to be “oppressed” and an uncovered woman means that they are western and free. Woman are scrutinized for doing either of these. If they are covered, people say that they are living in a different era, and if they are uncovered, they are judged by people in the Arab community. These stereotypes classify the way Arab women are seen in western society. Orientalism is highly pronounced in Arab women’s lives and it is difficult for them to escape these stereotypes since they are already engraved in society.
Other stereotypes that Arab women go through are a lack of education and having no input in political decisions. Due to the culture in the Middle East, women have been oppressed for years. However, that does not mean that every woman is incapable of accomplishing their goals and having a voice. Egyptian politician, Nadia Ahmed Abdo, is now the governor of the coastal province of Beheria and became the first woman to serve as a governor in Egypt. Also, 15 percent of Egypt’s members of parliament are women (Kahlife, Page 1). These are huge strides that Arab woman are making all around the world and this shows they are far more active in the political world. In order to eliminate Arab woman stereotypes from our society, we must take action.
Racial Division Comes From Misunderstanding
Currently, America’s racial tensions are higher than ever. A majority of Americans have a misunderstanding of Arab culture leading us to these issues. Due to misrepresentations created by the media and post 9/11 hysteria, the two most prominent assumptions about Arabs are that they are either rich playboys or desert traders who ride camels. Both of these assumptions could not be further from the truth. In fact, if more Americans understood the Arab culture, they would be amazed at how similar we are.
In Doug Rutledge’s book, “The Somali Diaspora,” he discusses the lack of knowledge that a majority of Americans have for Somali refugees. When referring to the refugees work ethic he says, “Consequently when Americans see Somalis starting businesses, this is not a skill that they are simply picking up from their new environment. It is an ancient aspect of their cultural tradition (Rutledge, Page 1).” This idea is nearly identical to the American Dream and shows that Arabs value hard work. In addition, Rutledge also explores the value of family. He explains a story about a Somalian who is looking for a place to stay and states that if a stranger from Somalia knocked on the door of another Somali, the host “would even give the traveler their own bed (Rutledge, Page 2).” This act of kindness is something that most Americans rarely think of doing. Americans should come to the realization that a lot of Arab Americans share similar ideas and customs. If both cultures were able to understand each other, we could more easily live together in unity and continue to thrive off of one another.
Truths and Impact of Arab American Stereotyping 