Movies, television and music for and about Muslims

February 18, 2015

The entertainment industry could help the world by creating movies, television shows and music that:

-show positive Muslim role models

-accurately portray nonMuslim discrimination toward Muslims and subsequent abuses of Muslims caused by that discrimination

-address the tensions and difficulties within Muslim society, in Muslim and nonMuslim countries, that result from being part of a faith that is exploited by extremists and that is also misunderstood by much of the nonMuslim world

A television show that accurately portrayed a peaceful and productive Muslim family trying to deal with the pressures of being automatically and wrongly identified as sympathetic to terrorism, just because the family is Muslim, would tell a powerful story.  The efforts of moderate Muslims to influence less moderate Muslims constitute a powerful story, also.  The status, difficulties and successes of Muslim women have justified attention for much longer than they have gotten it.

There are many facets to the story of past and contemporary Islam; those that I have mentioned are just a few that would be conducive to the creation of intelligent drama.

There is also no reason that an American television show or movie with Muslim lead characters couldn't or shouldn't be funny.  It would be destructive, though, rather than helpful, to create shows and movies featuring stereotypes about Muslims or callously treating the tragic consequences of extremist Muslim atrocities.  Respectful humor is one of the most direct ways to humanize people to each other.

Copyright L. Kochman, February 18, 2015 @ 6:07 p.m.