24 is a comic book show. No one can be tortured and everything else that happens to Jack Bauer over each 24 hours and be standing much less save the world. So should Muslims be upset by comic book portrayals of them? And given how real Muslim terrorists have been implicated in and conducted real terrorist acts, is it unreasonable to show them doing so on a TV show?
Two years ago, Muslim groups protested when the plot of the hit Fox drama “24” cast Islamic terrorists as the villains who launched a stolen nuclear missile in an attack on America.
Now, after a one-year respite during which Russian separatists played the bad guys on the critically acclaimed series, Muslims are back in the evil spotlight. Unlike last time, when agent Jack Bauer saved the day, the terrorists this time have already succeeded in detonating a nuclear bomb in a Los Angeles suburb.
Being portrayed again as the heartless wrongdoers has drawn renewed protests from Muslim groups, including one that had a meeting with Fox executives two years ago over the issue. (Watch why “24” is worrying Muslims Video)
“The overwhelming impression you get is fear and hatred for Muslims,” said Rabiah Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations. She said Thursday she was distressed by this season’s premiere. “After watching that show, I was afraid to go to the grocery store because I wasn’t sure the person next to me would be able to differentiate between fiction and reality.”
By the way, in case you ever wondered who you should have on your side in a bar fight (and who hasn’t), Jack Bauer or Harry Potter, here’s one guy’s opinion.
Muslims should get upset if there really was a backlash in this country against them. By that I mean real and multiple instances of illegal discrimination, violence, et. cetera. From what I can see and read about (I live in New York City), I don’t see it.
I think all ethnic and religious advocacy groups are supposed to scream and holler for positive portrayals in the media. That is their job, and this is a free country (no jibes here).
Remember how Fox commentators and others complained bitterly when the media reported on Abu Ghraib and Haditha? How is was so unfair of the media to defame ALL soldiers by the portrayal of “a few bad apples”?
I think that’s something how Muslims feel when they see Muslims so often portrayed as killers and radicals even though the vast vast majority of Muslims are just regular people going about their regular lives just like you and me.
No. Stereotypes exists because they are typically accurate. Look around the world and see what group of people are causing the majority of the trouble. If you’re a towel head and you don’t like the show, don’t watch it.
Gee? I thought they were heros. After all the destroyed one of the most liberal cities in the country. Well I guess they have ignored San Francisco so far.
3,
Thanks for proving once and for all the the Chinese are emotionless slaves and sex-workers, the Negros are gangster thug drug dealing pimps, the Indians are scamming small dicked thieves, the Mexicans are illegal job stealing criminals, the Arabs are murderous terrorists, and the Jews hold all the worlds money and use baby blood for Matzo’s. Oh, and white Europeans are the shining example of modernization and humanity.
I was getting worried there…
Back to the topic… No, they shouldn’t be upset because TVLand is a magical place where “news” headlines are ripped from the papers and stuffed into a TV show to ensure massive ratings… And then newspapers rip TV show themes to create memes that can be sold for massive profits…
When I see the Muslin communities taking a hard stand against terrorism, Osama, Jihad, Beheadings, Death to Isreal, durka durka durka… Then they can complain about being portrayed unfairly.
6,
What you see is what is reported. It can be vastly different that what is happening. And global politics is a long winded, long winding, long twisting road that the complete picture is always missed.
I’m with #1 – those is Rabiah Ahmed’s job to be on top of this. I must say that I am amazed at how politically uncorrect this show is.
>> . Look around the world and see what group of people are causing the majority of the trouble.
Hmmm. Most world citizens would guess you’re talking about Americans but I’m guessing that’s not who you have in mind! đ
#6 Terrorism? Oh, you mean like when U.S. troops go into villages and kill innocent people just because they had a bug up their ass? Or should they be taking a stand against an illegal war that is funded by your tax money? This might fly over your head though… Public schooling I presume?
10,
HEY! I was public skooled, and I unnerstood what you sed!
Answer to your question without all the extra crap. No.
Just a case of art imitating life. Muslims are the majority of terrorists in the world, so it just makes sense that they would be portrayed on TV as such. Maybe Muslims don’t like what they see, because deep down they know its the truth. Like looking in the mirror and not liking what you see.
âAfter watching that show, I was afraid to go to the grocery store because I wasnât sure the person next to me would be able to differentiate between fiction and reality.â
Talk about irony, seems a lot of people fail to differentiate between fiction and reality. All this over superstition.
13 >>Just a case of art imitating life. Muslims are the majority of terrorists in the world, so it just makes sense that they would be portrayed on TV as such.
So, using the same logic, when Americans are portrayed as war mongering, torturing, heartless brutal killers in the foreign media, that bothers us because we Americans know, deep-down, that the stereotype is based in reality>
Hmm, let’s see. I have a plot of LA being nuked by terrorists, so who should I choose as the terrorists?
Montana survivalists? Nope, not believable.
Ditto, polygamists and eco-terrorists.
The IRA? Now how would they get a nuke and why would they use it on LA?
Russian mafia? Uh, what’s their profit motive? Blackmail, of course! Wait a minute, wasn’t there a Bond movie about that?
Muslim fanatics? Perfect.
#15, Good point. I especially liked your point in #2 as well.
If the writers wanted to make it accurate, it would have been the Bloods setting off the nuke in Crip territory.
I think 24 goes to great lenghts not to promote widespread fear, hatered or stereotyping. They often show muslim americans in a positive way as a counter point.
—A recent episode showed an arab looking man denied access to a public bus. He was fortunate the busdriver was a bigot, as someone else blew up the bus.
—The “terror teen” admitted that his father was not a part of his plot. He was taken into custody anyway.
—Some Muslim shop owners helped Jack in a previous season, because they were “true americans” and hated what was being done by the terrorists. I belive one or both of them died as a result.
Outside of Michigan, have there been any pro-U.S. muslim rallies?
The muslim community should just consider the source “Fox” and realize it just a stupid television show.
I think a lot of people are too sensitive. 24 tries not to be stereotypical, but they don’t shy away from controversy either–which is why I like the show so much. They’re “fair and balanced”–pun intended–because on the one hand you have the terrorists that would love to nuke us (gee, that’s not too far fetched is it), and on the other hand you have the Muslims that respect law and order and are willing to sacrifice to do the right thing.
Relax everyone, next year will bring different terrorists to piss off another group of sensitive individuals. Maybe it’ll be Greenpeace with the nukes next year?
The muslim community should just consider the source âFoxâ and realize it just a stupid television show.
Maybe so, but it is popular. I also stand by my above comment.
After skimming through these posts, it seems many have overlooked the fact that its a Muslim, who supposedly has reformed ( at least in the first few episodes) , that is helping Jack for the purpose of stopping the terrorists. Yet here and in other reports I see little or no mention of this.
makes me wounder how many are actually watching the show and how may are just commenting on the story
that should be “Muslim Terrorist”, to be more precise, that is supposedly reformed, not simply reformed Muslim.
I would have mentioned Assad, but I dont know that I trust him yet. This show has a history of red herrings and sudden course changes.
I want to believe that Assad is genuine, but I’m not sure yet. So I only listed the “for sure” positive portrayals of Muslims.
#13 – gquaglia
“Just a case of art imitating life. Muslims are the majority of terrorists in the world, so it just makes sense that they would be portrayed on TV as such. Maybe Muslims donât like what they see, because deep down they know its the truth. Like looking in the mirror and not liking what you see.”
I couldn’t’ve put it better.
Maybe the “aggrieved” groups which get their burqas in a wad over being “stereotyped” would be better advised to save their protests for their own members whose actions give rise to the stereotypes. Y’think?
I think they call that ‘addressing the problem at the source.’