Real Bad Arabs: Hollywood's Portrayal of Arabians

The power of Hollywood and movie is significantly influential. Throughout the years, Arabian men have been portrayed as cold-blooded killers, monsters, and terrorists, whereas women are viewed as submissive and attractive objects in movies. These images have a profound impact on how people view Arabians. Movies play a huge role in reinforcing stereotypes that currently exist in our society; it helps to create hegemony.

Since adolescence, children are brainwashed with stereotypes without even realizing it. Disney animations have been accompanying children throughout their childhood. I was stunned when I have finally realized after watching the video "Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People" that Disney's Aladdin, an innocent looking children's cartoon was in fact an accomplice in maintaining the Arabs stereotypes. Since children are young, and do not have the ability to think for themselves, they are more susceptible to believing in the social norms. When they grow up, rarely do they question the believes that were embedded into them. Disney cartoons, therefore, also plays a role in passing on the stereotypical believes to our younger generations.

Arabians often take parts of movies that have nothing to do with the middle east. Take the movie, Gladiator as an example; Arabs have nothing to do with gladiators, yet they played a role as a slave hunter in the movie. It has become a trend to introduce Arabs in movies as idiots, arrogant rich men, sex addicts who are obsessed with blonde Americans, terrorists, or thieves. Instead of reflecting how Arabs really are, it serves as an entertainment and target for audience to ridicule at. 

The representation of Arabian in movies also serves as a propaganda. After 911, the bias towards them have heightened. Yes, the terrorists of 911 happened to be Arabians, but it does not mean that all Arabians are terrorists. It helps to make the killing or torturing of Arab prisoners easier; "its a slaughter, yes, but it's a righteous slaughter." This is basically like the reproduction of Nazism, except now the targets are Arabs instead of Jews, and the predators are Americans instead of Germans. During Nazism, the Germans were blaming all of their problems on the Jews, and now Americans are blaming everything on the Arabs. 

These types of films is a way for Americans to support their positions as "heroes". Americans, or caucasians in the movies are always playing the part of a protagonist. It helps to maintain the hegemony of American superiority over other countries. Rarely do they show pictures of how their prisoners are tortured; the only scenes shown are Americans being killed, and another American hero avenging the victims. 

In order to maintain peace between Arabs and Americans, the way that Arabs are presented in movies have to change. By showing Arabs killing Americans and not vice-versa will not make the situation any better. It's a vicious cycle; Arabs will keep hating Americans, and Americans will keep hating Arabs. Viewers also have to start to be more skeptical about what they are watching in movies; media are usually biased.