Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 184 posts

Re: Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

#41

Post by drzaiusapelord »

hackuser wrote: post #26
drzaiusapelord wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the show depicts largely terrorists and criminals. Activists apparently want long diatribes about how wonderful Arab and Muslim families are to "balance" it out. Homeland isn't a documentary. Its a dramatic show about national security and as such it will probably not paint a realistic picture of the average Muslim, because average Muslims aren't really what its supposed to portray. The same way professional wr…

> Homeland isn't a documentary ... True, but I don't feel it's not enough for Homeland's producers, or anyone, to say 'it's not our problem'. We all live in a community and are responsible for taking care of it and for the consequences of what we do. "No man is an island." People absorb their views of the world from TV, in part. With widespread prejudice against people who believe in Islam, portraying stereotypes of…

>many people, seeing only stereotypes, come to believe them.

Seems like the local education system has failed if people can't think critically or rationally. Blaming the arts is wrong and only treats the symptom. Do you believe that all information needs to be carefully controlled so that people don't get the wrong ideas? If so, what are you doing on an open/liberal/libertarian forum like HN then? Anyone can post anything here, pretty much. Seems to me that you're going your own advice by being present here.

Re: Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

#42

Post by zhemao »

drzaiusapelord wrote: post #7
Archio wrote: post #2

I haven't seen Homeland past the first season - but can someone who has seen more shed light on the alleged "racism" of the show? Is the show actually racist in its depiction of Arab-speaking characters, or is this simply a manifestation of Hanlon's Razor - "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"?

Well, the show depicts largely terrorists and criminals. Activists apparently want long diatribes about how wonderful Arab and Muslim families are to "balance" it out. Homeland isn't a documentary. Its a dramatic show about national security and as such it will probably not paint a realistic picture of the average Muslim, because average Muslims aren't really what its supposed to portray. The same way professional wr…

Well, it apparently can't even depict terrorists correctly, because suggesting that Al Qaeda and Hezbollah would ever work together is just ludicrous.

And I can totally see why Lebanese would be pissed off at seeing Hamra street completely misrepresented in that way.

And even if the show isn't supposed to depict "average Muslims", do you really think all the viewers of the show will get that nuance? If all of the Arab/Iranian/Pakistani characters in the show (and the show doesn't seem to make much a distinction) are painted with a broad brush, that sends a certain kind of message to viewers.

Re: Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

#45

Post by [deleted] »

dalke wrote: post #39
hackuser wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Homeland isn't a documentary ... True, but I don't feel it's not enough for Homeland's producers, or anyone, to say 'it's not our problem'. We all live in a community and are responsible for taking care of it and for the consequences of what we do. "No man is an island." People absorb their views of the world from TV, in part. With widespread prejudice against people who believe in Islam, portraying stereotypes of…

For an example of how the fake TV world can be used to justify real world beliefs: http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/06/20/justice-scalia-hearts-ja... > The Globe and Mail reported that Scalia came to the defense of Jack Bauer and his torture tactics during an Ottawa conference of international jurists and national security officials last week. During a panel discussion about terrorism, torture and the law, a Canadian ju…

[deleted]

Re: Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

#46

Post by rndn »

Archio wrote: post #2

I haven't seen Homeland past the first season - but can someone who has seen more shed light on the alleged "racism" of the show? Is the show actually racist in its depiction of Arab-speaking characters, or is this simply a manifestation of Hanlon's Razor - "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"?

'The series dangerously feeds into the racism of the hysterical moment we find ourselves in today.'

Re: Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

#47

Post by curiousjorge »

unknownzero wrote: post #21

This is the best hack I've seen on Hacker News in months and it doesn't even involve a computer. Great job to everyone involved in pulling it off, even if the casual viewers didn't notice.

nah this was the best hack and it preceded Hacker News for decades

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWdgAMYjYSs

Re: Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

#48

Post by elif »

veeti wrote: post #27
mtgx wrote: post #19

I hope next they protest how much of a propaganda tool for the U.S. government this show is - a cake for drone striking someone? Really?

In the same episode, a drone strike kills tens of innocent people. If you think that is "propaganda", you obviously weren't paying any attention.

I won't attempt to address this show which I haven't seen, but in general, propaganda can function to normalize or justify the obscene.

Through presenting two sides of an issue, it gives the illusion of honesty or fairness. Even if that strike was represented as a complete mistake with no justification, it has normalized drone strikes simply by exposing them as a thing you witness in sympathy from the comfort of your sofa.

Re: Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

#49

Post by smt88 »

kelvin0 wrote: post #36

Curiously though I always thought the show portrayed the US protagonists in a less than flattering light. I can't speak of the biggottery the 'hackers' mention ... but clearly (to me at least) the decisions made by the agents are very nuanced and show some disturbing disregard for the impact of their actions and the short-sightedness of their attacks.

I think "nuanced" is the key there.

Also, when you're portraying a minority, the effect of your work will be different. If you live in the US, chances are excellent that you know a variety of white people well. Some are good, some are bad.

Chances are much worse that you know Muslims or Middle Eastern immigrants well. Muslims are one of the most discriminated against minorities in the US, and there's some shocking witch-hunt-esque rhetoric coming from the conservative right that makes it even more problematic.

I'm not saying that a TV show is responsible for righting society's wrongs (or even contradicting stereotypes), but they can certainly make small narrative tweaks to portray people as people, rather than flat stereotypes. It makes the show better, too.

Re: Graffiti on ‘Homeland,’ Unnoticed by Producers, Calls Show Racist

#50

Post by briandear »

smt88 wrote: post #49
kelvin0 wrote: post #36

Curiously though I always thought the show portrayed the US protagonists in a less than flattering light. I can't speak of the biggottery the 'hackers' mention ... but clearly (to me at least) the decisions made by the agents are very nuanced and show some disturbing disregard for the impact of their actions and the short-sightedness of their attacks.

I think "nuanced" is the key there. Also, when you're portraying a minority, the effect of your work will be different. If you live in the US, chances are excellent that you know a variety of white people well. Some are good, some are bad. Chances are much worse that you know Muslims or Middle Eastern immigrants well. Muslims are one of the most discriminated against minorities in the US, and there's some shocking wi…

Interesting because Christians are among the most discriminated against groups in the Middle East. Pot, meet kettle.
Post reply on HN