Phase 3 Module 2 - Reel Bad Arabs

The first thing that came into my mind when I thought about the word "Arab" was a picutre of a dark skinned man wearing a turban and a robe.
I think that this image comes from the movie "Aladdin".



1. The limbic part of my brain was intrigued by the stereotypical Middle Eastern music. I feel that the images in the video are also very powerful, especially the video clips of well known movies that relate to the stereotyping of Arabs. The reptilian part of my brain was suprised by the sudden explosions and guns shots in the beginning of the video. The neocortex part of my brain is stimulated by the questions that this video brings up. For example, why are Arabs stereotyped as villans and murderers? Is it to make us less sensitive to future attacks on Arabs?

2. I think that the camera movement and the short clips of other films are powerful.

3. Rhetorical Questions are commonly used throught this film. For example in the beginning of the film when Dr. Shahenn asks, why can we not unlearn our predjudices against Arabs? These questions provoke thought.
Group Dynamics are also used in this film. As found in this quote from the film, "whenever we see anyone being vilified on a regular basis we have to speak up". Dr. Shahenn is trying to use Group Dynamics to call us to action.
I agree with the points the Dr. Shahenn makes in this film, but I think that he uses Hollywood as a Scapegoat for making us believe stereotypes about Arabs. Although the Arabs we see in movies may be a large part of what we see when we think of Arabs, we also find these stereotypes in newspapers, television, and in other people.

4. One suggestion I would make to the filmakers of "Reel Bad Arabs" would be to point out that not only Hollywood wants and makes us believe these stereotypes about Arabs.

5. I do recommend this film becuase I think it asks important questions about the way we think of Arabs.