Offensive? let's rethink that one...

Submitted by Naomi (United States), Apr 13, 2005 at 19:16

Bravo on pointing out this occurrence.

The actions of some having provided a bad representation of the whole group doesn't mean "the Muslims" are untouchable and special; when you're talking to the whole group, that includes those who've disgraced their fellows.

The commercial American media (mostly comprised by the entertainment industry) has never been too considerate of its living subjects' (victims?) feelings, opinions, or for that matter, religious leanings; most obviously, when it lies (an apology to the makers of A Beautiful Mind, but it was the British who did the vast, vast majority of code-cracking).

One can only accept the apologies of the makers of the show as a kindness that wasn't really called for. If this is the beginning of good manners in this country's media, I welcome it wholeheartedly.

However, Islamism as a subject in entertainment can contribute to the widespread confused perception of Islamism as Islam. That part of the package isn't very worthy of praise, but it's okay by the First Amendment, so it must be okay by Americans, including Muslims. We can only trust to discretion by the perpetrators of the entertainment industry, even if that isn't a very solid trust.

Everyone ought to remember that entertainment is almost wholly dependant on fiction (does the average American even have cable so he or she can watch CNN?)

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