Tonight's news...

Media Discussed:
• Stuart Hall: Representation and the Media
• Edward Said: On Orientalism

This week we viewed another set of films discussing the representation of stereotypes in media. Once again we watched films that organized a series of images based on the media portrayal of “angry and violent Arabs”. During class discussion it was argued that had any other race been represented in such a way there would be an outrage. And as shown in last weeks post I agreed.
However I thought back to the local news segment I had watched the night before. There was another crime shown where the suspect was presumed to be an African-American male. A non-descript description was given; tall African-American male, mid to heavy-weight and accepted. Daily we hear of the violent crimes allegedly committed by African-American males without question. I bring this thought process into this week’s blog because I would like to discuss how American media didn’t just begin to become racist after 9/11 or even the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. I would like to for us to keep that in mind when we offer blanket statements about media racism. Just as we don’t question the motive, or likelihood that it was an African-American male who committed the crime broadcast on CBS news last night, we don’t question the likelihood that “Muslim extremists” are responsible for any sort of terrorist attack domestic or international. Racism in American media is something that needs to be challenged by everyone of every race on behalf of all people who are misrepresented.