Tragedy and Stereotype
It is always sad when the news tell about killing people who became just numbers in their corresponding reports that explain a story. This is what I felt today, Friday 6th, while reading about the shooting in both Fort Hood and Orlando in the USA. I however pause a little bit at the actions/reactions in the tragedy of Fort Hood from all sides.
Mass-Media Effect
I shall start by placing my condolence for the families of the victims since what happened is a ‘tragedy’ indeed, since nothing can express it other than this. However suddenly we have been flooded by hatred story-lines and tweets in the form of “attacking/defending” where media highlighted on the roots of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan who is the suspect in Fort Hood's shooting versus the defending from Arab and Muslims organisations in USA that denies the link between Arab, Muslims and and Terrorism.
I am not surprised for the way majority of media-outlets deal when Arabs and/or Muslims are involved either by focusing on their ethnic, religious and racial background or portraying all of them with terrorism. Take a look at the various articles that mentioned the story in the from of the suspect's religious background, the way that the suspect deal in a Mosque, his faliure to have a religious girl to match with him from the mosque to marry which later escalated to the extreme of Jihad in Fort Hood and Palestinian terrorim of the suspect.
C'mon! Needless to mention that media do not usually deal with other crimes as they did in this case but that is not my only reason to feel sick; I mainly feel so because this represents direct and indirect incitations for community members against each others which is a sign of unhealthy actions and mentalities that has nothing to do with coexsisting principals by fixing the common stereotyped images against Arab, Muslims or both either being American citizens or not.
Three Wise Monkeys
Furthermore, I understand that in the time of crises like this one, 'fair media' call for investigations to know what happened, do not jump for results before they appear and finally call for compensating from the killer according to the law after accusing. This scenario is supposed to move in parallel with supporting the whole community regardless their religious, ethnic, cultural and political background, not in a narrow-minded way like that!
On the other hand, I am always wondering about these 'fair media' which ignore other people who are being killed everywhere in the world; I have neither heard anything about making any investigation for the roots of their non-Arab and/or non-Muslim killers nor placing any kind of condolence for their families because they are not that juicy in their eyes.
For that that matter, my heart not only goes for victims everywhere regardless their faith or race but also goes for alive victims too and wonders about when people start to educate themselves?!
“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
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on November 6, 2009 | 11:45 PM
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November 7th, 2009 @ 10:33
clouded by your media sensitivity, you fail to see the true nature of this horrific act of betrayal!
1 in the late 60’s when the lebanese were throwing palestinians in refugee camps the US was welcoming his parents with open arms.
2 he was given a life and a promising career by the US ARMY at the age the 17!
3 They put him through collage and MEDICAL SCHOOL. (courtesy of the american TAX PAYER)
4 he walked around US military base in a Jalabaya and scull cap on his days off.
5 tried to convert patients and colleagues all the time.
3 screamed alah-o-akbar when he started shooting innocent people.
what i see here is a LOWLIFE that bit the hand that fed him after 23 years! he deserves to be damned and condemned by every muslim and arab in the US and outside!
BEFORE WE GO BLAMING ZA JOOZ OR THE MEDIA, we should take a long look at ourselves and see this horrible act of betrayal for what it really is!
November 8th, 2009 @ 15:14
abou galambo: He deserves everything according to what the investigation shall reveal. No body deny since voilence is not accepted regardless the faith or race. What happened is not in the name of Allah (God), Islam, Arabs or Muslims. I however discussed the title of this post which is elaborated in the post and I hope people read it not just scan! Thanks for your visit!
November 7th, 2009 @ 16:52
when some people that actually not but call themeselve as muslim did something wrong or something ugly people blame “muslim”, but when other people do the same thing they not blame religious or ethnic or whatever the blame the person himself. that just not fair.. and i agree with all your points.
November 8th, 2009 @ 15:14
izzat: this is the point exactly. I am glad that you get it right!
November 7th, 2009 @ 19:43
The reactions to the “arab” aspect of these stories hurt me personally more than the act itself. We need to stop stereotyping.
Being here in Egypt is very interesting for me as I am hearing stuff about my culture from an equally tilted view.
I’m very sad that people die and kill in the name of religion…. However I really wish the media would stop misuing the work “jihad” and start looking into the fact that maybe they are partly to blame for young people (arabs and americans alike) becoming so hateful of the “West”.
November 8th, 2009 @ 15:20
Forest: I am very sad for the whole matter too. I am for understanding each other and stop this silly stereotype from everybody towards everybody which simply means educating ourselves because generalising sucks. Thanks for your visit.
November 8th, 2009 @ 21:38
Most of the media is always biased writing, because they are chasing ratings and circulation. They make the news as a commodity like goods of basic needs, and rarely from those who preach as they are, balanced and without any tendency. Most bad, when the political part of media fame.
Suresh@How to lose Weight fast´s last blog ..Home Exercises to Lose Weight Quickly
November 8th, 2009 @ 23:40
Suresh: Media help in the formation of people’s perception either directly or indirectly and this is the main problem with generalising which lead to the title of this post! Thanks for stopping by here!
November 9th, 2009 @ 05:41
Remember Naom Chomsky’s, ‘Manufacturing Consent?’ It isn’t that this was not a major, unfortunate event. But the media is an industry out to make money. Now there will be an onslaught of related things they report on.
November 9th, 2009 @ 17:52
Canada: I understand what you mean; bussiness. Although I agree with you, this way should be critisized. On the other hand, thanks for mentioning Chomsky’s book entitled Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media (1988), so if anybody is interested, check more information over Wikipedia. Thanks for stopping by here!
November 9th, 2009 @ 08:24
Talking about media, there is the aspect of political media. BY times the media is here only to inform people of decisions made by their government and thats it. It is all about communi-politico media.
priscus´s last blog ..Blog Post
November 9th, 2009 @ 17:54
priscus: indeed and this is another aspect.
November 9th, 2009 @ 17:33
As a graduate of journalism at a local university, I can attest to what Suresh has said. I am convinced that the media is heavily invested in Purrell. I need to get into the hand sanitizer business.
November 9th, 2009 @ 17:56
College grants: You and Suresh comments are welcomed. You may be interested in reading Canada’s comment for that matter. Thanks for stopping by here!
November 10th, 2009 @ 11:03
Chomsky’s been called both a nazi and a communist by the establishment. ‘Manufacturing…’ is also a documentary. Check out Youtube.
November 10th, 2009 @ 16:17
Amanda: Chomsky is controversial but intellectual so it is normal to be called this. Thanks for your tip and stopping by here!