Idiot "Feminism"

Here is a cartoon published in a French publication as of late:

On the left, the Spring Arab Collection headlined with "Degage", the oft-repeated Tunisian arm-waving cry for Ben 'Ali to "Get Out". And on the right, a beautiful black one-piece with a daring eye cut just in time for the Fall Democratic Collection this season evoking "Charia [Shari'a, or Islamic law]".

Does a silly and simplistic cartoon like this even warrant critique? Have the fall elections in Tunisia and Egypt ushered in the burka? The French media often have an eye on Tunisia, no less, and here the ruling government has been anything but theocratic - even ruling out Shari'a as a source of legislation in the new constitution.

I mean, really! What stupid nonsense (please let me vent!!!)!!! 

A Is For Arab At KEVO

For those who wanted to attend the 'A Is For Arab' exhibit at NYU Abu Dhabi by Dr. Jack G. Shaheen and couldn't because the RSVP list quickly filled-up or did not hear about it until this moment and are now intrigued, the Hagop Kevorkian Center will be display the exhibit in its reception room this morning.

Shaheen has generously donated his life's work - an unequaled collection of material from films, television shows, and children's alphabet books (above) - to NYU and the collection is in the midst of being cataloged. For NYU Mideast grad students interested in cultural representation, questions of identity and the intersection between mass media, narrative and foreign affairs the archive is invaluable.

So, anyway, come in check it out.

Also the 2nd Floor at Bobst will be running American films Friday from 10-3 and Saturday 12:30-5:15 on the Middle East - some good, some bad - with recorded introductions by Shaheen.

Shaheen will also be speaking at the 'Guilty Until Proven Innocent' event today at 19 University Place, Rom 102 (RSVP by Feb 23, but you can try your luck). The event concerns the use of the inflammatory film "The Third Jihad" - which effectively portrays all Muslims as suspect - as training material for numerous NYPD officers. Panelists, including NYU's Faiza Patel (resident at the Brennan Center), will discuss the propagation of stereotypes within the broader context of declining civil rights protections for Arabs and Muslims.

For those who haven't read Shaheen's book Reel Bad Arabs, Google Video has a gratuitous screening of the accompanying documentary.