TA3BEER

In the wake of President Obama’s official statement on the death and capture of Osama bin Laden, the amount of jubilation in the moments just prior and hours after resembled those of celebrations in the streets of Baghdad when Saddam Hussein was executed; and possibly even the post-September 11^th attack celebrations seen at some Palestinian refugee camps. The irony here of course being that while Americans can freely celebrate the killing of bin Laden, without the perception of being blood-thirsty; the Western media consistently perpetuates an Arab obsession with murder and massacre.

After the 9/11 attacks, while just about most of the world voiced their condolences to the victims and their families, many news outlets used images of Palestinians celebrating. In fact, shortly after, Palestinian Officials warned journalists that their safety would not be guaranteed if they continued to capture footage of celebrations. Yet, the Palestinian Authority Chairman, at the time, Yasser Arafat’s condemnation of the hijackings was not of course juxtaposed with these images. Additionally, lest us not forget the monumental release of the decapitation video of journalist Daniel Pearl and the hanging of Saddam Hussein; these videos were of course condemned and seen as incredibly vulgar although being looped on news casts for American audiences to see.

The perpetuation of this perceived sadistic obsession is furthered in many American fictional films and even cartoons. I must refer to this short video on the vilification of Arabs in Hollywood, as it chronicles the shaping of this characterization through these very films so well.

While the killing and capture of Osama bin laden is a feat that will certainly bring closure to many families who were affected by the murderous objectives of al'Qaeda, there is a disclaimer that should be attached. As Americans, we must understand the difference between justice, perception and reality. Arabs are no more blood-thirsty than we are. The video released of Daniel Pearl was done to incite terror and from agents not representative of anyone but the agenda of al’Qaeda. As the President explained in his speech, "…we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.”

By Kallie Ejigu