I know a few muslims, and I've never seen this happen to them. Everyone in my community just accepts them. And this picture was confusing, because I thought it was a humorous slant on American beliefs before I saw the slide show and how it was actually serious with its message.
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 08/06/10 | Reply
I'm in agreement with the other opinions already expressed.
While stereotyping an entire group based on certain examples is reprehensible, the reverse can be just as bad. Yes, there are fanatical Muslims, just as you can find fanatics in pretty much every religion. If someone simply wants to live their life of their own choice and without harm to others, then things like barring a Muslim woman from a university simply because she won't remove her head scarf is an overkill reaction. That's her business.
Some of these slides make valid points, but some lay it on thick and really skirt if not cross the line of the equal danger of reverse prejudice.
I'm gonna cut out my other views on this piece because I'm kind of in the same boat with most people here: the point is a little heavy-handed but valid, albeit with some oversimplifications here and there.
There's one particular point about this that makes me really nervous, however.
I'm very wary of the comparisons that compare Jews to Muslims. While some comparisons involve other faiths (like the above nun example), you get two rather violent examples in a row later on.
First you have the bit of "when a Jew kills someone...". Now obviously that could have been anyone - a westerner, an American a Macedonian, a Filipino, an Australian, a Christian, a Taoist - it would have made the same point. But the artist specifically chose to use a Jew as his/her example. Maybe that's just the best regional example? This in itself isn't damning, but when you couple it with the next slide . . .
"...But when a Palestinian does it..."
The artist doesn't spell it out, but the implication would be that the little chibi aggressor in the picture is an Israeli ready to kill a son, break a brother, and rape a mother. Really, what other combatant would a Palestinian be up against in an example like this?
For that section of slide, the argument shifts away from "the world puts Muslims unfairly in a bad light" to "Israel and the Jews can get away with this, why shouldn't we?" That underscoring makes me extremely nervous.
I've no doubt looking at all the comments that this piece is getting people talking. So kudos to the artist.
Also, my university never prohibited hijab, so it's not quite a worldwide thing there.
Last edited by SomeGuy at 1:46:05 PM CDT on August 6, 2010.
I get the gist of what the artist is saying, even if it gets a little heavy handed and distorted at times. Oddly enough, it makes no hesitations to present a caricature of "Western" culture to strengthen its own case (that 'Superman' and Palestinian example is exceptionally misleading, as is the newspaper and Quran one).
As an effort to make people think, it can be commended for that. As advancing an argument, it leaves something to be desired.
Silver Mech
Grand Otaku | Posted 08/11/10 | Reply
@The Mask:
I know a few muslims, and I've never seen this happen to them. Everyone in my community just accepts them. And this picture was confusing, because I thought it was a humorous slant on American beliefs before I saw the slide show and how it was actually serious with its message.
TimeChaser
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 08/06/10 | Reply
I'm in agreement with the other opinions already expressed.
While stereotyping an entire group based on certain examples is reprehensible, the reverse can be just as bad. Yes, there are fanatical Muslims, just as you can find fanatics in pretty much every religion. If someone simply wants to live their life of their own choice and without harm to others, then things like barring a Muslim woman from a university simply because she won't remove her head scarf is an overkill reaction. That's her business.
Some of these slides make valid points, but some lay it on thick and really skirt if not cross the line of the equal danger of reverse prejudice.
Bazinga!
SomeGuy
Canadian Liaison (Team) | Posted 08/06/10 | Reply
I'm gonna cut out my other views on this piece because I'm kind of in the same boat with most people here: the point is a little heavy-handed but valid, albeit with some oversimplifications here and there.
There's one particular point about this that makes me really nervous, however.
I'm very wary of the comparisons that compare Jews to Muslims. While some comparisons involve other faiths (like the above nun example), you get two rather violent examples in a row later on.
First you have the bit of "when a Jew kills someone...". Now obviously that could have been anyone - a westerner, an American a Macedonian, a Filipino, an Australian, a Christian, a Taoist - it would have made the same point. But the artist specifically chose to use a Jew as his/her example. Maybe that's just the best regional example? This in itself isn't damning, but when you couple it with the next slide . . .
"...But when a Palestinian does it..."
The artist doesn't spell it out, but the implication would be that the little chibi aggressor in the picture is an Israeli ready to kill a son, break a brother, and rape a mother. Really, what other combatant would a Palestinian be up against in an example like this?
For that section of slide, the argument shifts away from "the world puts Muslims unfairly in a bad light" to "Israel and the Jews can get away with this, why shouldn't we?" That underscoring makes me extremely nervous.
I've no doubt looking at all the comments that this piece is getting people talking. So kudos to the artist.
Also, my university never prohibited hijab, so it's not quite a worldwide thing there.
Last edited by SomeGuy at 1:46:05 PM CDT on August 6, 2010.
The Mask
Detective Mask (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 08/05/10 | Reply
@Silver Mech:
Did you mean the picture I posted here or the entire slide presentation in DeviantArt? Could you care to elaborate?
"Students, be ambitious!"
Silver Mech
Grand Otaku | Posted 08/05/10 | Reply
I don't get it.
Pleiades Rising
Otaku Idol (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 08/05/10 | Reply
I get the gist of what the artist is saying, even if it gets a little heavy handed and distorted at times. Oddly enough, it makes no hesitations to present a caricature of "Western" culture to strengthen its own case (that 'Superman' and Palestinian example is exceptionally misleading, as is the newspaper and Quran one).
As an effort to make people think, it can be commended for that. As advancing an argument, it leaves something to be desired.
KeenHavoc
Grand Otaku | Posted 08/05/10 | Reply
I haven't really thought about it, maybe I just don't watch enough Fox News....
Great slides even if its a little heavy with the message.
Last edited by KeenHavoc at 7:59:53 PM CDT on August 5, 2010.