By arthur Weinreb
2/18/05
The television show, 24, contained a storyline about agents seeking to stop a Muslim terrorist sleeper cell from attacking the United States. Despite the fact that the show had featured non ethnic bad guys as well as those from other ethnic groups in the past, the Council for american-Islamic Relations (CaIR) accused the Fox Network of stereotyping Muslims and helping to escalate Islamophobia throughout the United States. after a meeting last month between CaIR and Fox execs, the network agreed to read a disclaimer before the offending show was aired. The following was read at the beginning of the program:
Hi. My name is Kiefer Sutherland. and I play counter-terrorist agent Jack Bauer on Fox’s 24. I would like to take a moment to talk to you about something that I think is very important. Now while terrorism is obviously one of the most critical challenges facing our nation and the world, it is important to recognize that the american Muslim community stands firmly beside their fellow americans in denouncing and resisting all forms of terrorism. So in watching 24, please bear that in mind.
It could have been worse. Fox could have pulled the program and replaced the Muslim sleeper cell with a cell of disgruntled white americans from some militia group in Georgia. But reading the disclaimer as it was worded was bad enough.
It will only be a matter of time before someone objects to the fact that a black actor who carries a gun or deals in drugs is portraying a negative stereotype of african americans and demand a disclaimer. Similar stands can be in regards to actors of other ethnic minority groups. Ethnic groups, especially african americans, have long complained that they are underrepresented on television and in the movies. The possibility that casting blacks and members of ethnic groups in "bad guy roles" will be the subject of criticism will lead producers to use more white actors whose casting will be free from criticism.
If a disclaimer had to be used, the one that 24 showed went way too far. It would have been sufficient to indicate that the vast majority of american Muslims are peace loving and opposed to terrorism. But that is not what it said. The disclaimer implied that all american Muslims "stand[s] firmly beside their fellow americans in denouncing and resisting all forms of terrorism." This is simply not true that all Muslims in the United States are opposed to terrorism.
The actions of Fox in appeasing the Council on american-Islamic Relations will undoubtedly come back to haunt not only them, but the rest of the entertainment industry.