Arab Women's Group Unfairly Subjected to Media Witch Hunt

Posted by Marti1704 at 1:00 PM on October 12, 2007.

This post, written by Marti1704, originally appeared on Brave New Films

Somewhere in Brooklyn, NY there is an organization dedicated to teaching leadership skills and educating young women in community organizing, art and media skills. The goal of this incredible organization is to empower these young, and let's face it, most likely over looked young women to become leaders in their own communities. Somewhere in this organization there is a young Majora Carter on the verge of being a community activist; the next Maya Lin is learning her craft; more than a few young women are discovering their power. Sounds like an incredible group, right? How could anyone want to bring them down? In a show of what can only be considered racism at it's worst, this organization became the center of a controversy that began in August of this year. You see the previously mentioned group is Arab Women Active in the Arts and Media (AWAAM). This summer the group, made t-shirts that said Intifada NYC.

Intifada: Arabic translation - shaking off.

Close minded, post 9/11, typical reactionary racist translation: OMG, they're going to kill us all!

And so the witch hunt began.

Reporters began showing up at the organization's building, Debbie Almontaser, who is in no way connected to the group was forced to resign from her post as Principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy as a result of explaining how the shirt should most likely be interpreted: "it's pretty much an opportunity for girls to express that they are part of New York City society . . . and shaking off oppression." Almontaser was smeared in the press because of this statement.

AWAAM is an anti-oppression group. This is a grassroots organization - not sleeper cell, where Arab and Muslim young women - not terrorists, are taught to empower themselves, respect themselves and as a result become contributing members to their communities. It's always reassuring to know that in 2007, when we're supposed to have reached a point of sophistication and tolerance, people can be duped into hysteria of Orwellian proportions.

This video is a response to the controversy from the voices of the young women it affected.

Tagged as: media, racism, women, muslims, arabs, media bias

Marti1704 is a blogger for Brave New Films