Stereotyping of Arabs and Muslims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stereotyping of Arabs and Muslims - Essay Example The present paper discusses the historical development of stereotyping of Arabs and Muslims by the US media and also explores the causes behind such a development. The US media is rife with the "vilest racist" stereotyping of Arabs, with prominent publications such as the Wall Street Journal publishing articles, such as those by Cynthia Ozick, which tend to defile Arab culture and religion (Said 2). Since America came under attack by terrorists, extremely restrictive regulations have been posed on immigrants and travelers from Muslim lands (Paden & Singer 8). The September 11 incident gave rise to mass paranoia against Arabs and the mainstream media fueled this. However, the September 11 terrorist incident is not solely responsible for the negative stereotyping of Arabs. Anti-Muslim sentiments were already widespread in the US prior to the terrorist attacks. According to Shaheen, the Beirut bombing incident of 1983, which killed several Americans at the American Embassy and many US marines, along with the TWA passenger jet-hijacking incident of 1985, followed by the hostage incident in the US embassy in Iran led to Anti-Arab sentiments in Amer ica (4). Arabs were perceived as "dark-complexioned Muslim rogues, flaunting unkempt beards or moustaches" (Shaheen 4). Such stereotyped images ruled the American psyche and were further promoted by motion pictures, television shows and cartoons. According to Geyelin, Journalists tend to think and speak of them collectively, to judge the many by the egregious excess of the few. Scholars write of Arab tribalism and unsettled nomadic instincts. The suggestion is that Arabs are somehow incapable of statecraft or stable nationhood. They dress funny, carry guns (qtd in Shaheen 5). Such stereotyping of Arabs harbored prejudices against them in the American minds, which were rekindled by the terrorist attacks of September 11. The misrepresentation of Muslim