Not Our Homeland

Ever heard of the American TV series “Homeland”? I hadn’t either, until it popped up all over my facebook.

Portraying Beirut as a terrorist filled, turban clad ghetto city of gangster Arabs, the episode is called “Beirut is Back” an ironic twist to the popular phrase referring to Beirut’s once again used nickname, the “Paris of the Middle East.”

The problem with the show is it’s an award winning television series that is broadcasted to millions of easily persuaded Americans, who already think we’re all terrorists to begin with. So, as if there wasn’t enough Israeli propaganda to begin with, the entire episode is a portrayal of the American definition of terrorism – the bearded Arab man who will kidnap you in broad daylight.

Adding insult to injury, the entire episode was filmed in Israel using Israeli actors in place of Arabs. Absolutely infuriating. The Lebanese government is reportedly seeking legal action against the series, and I sorely hope they win. I utterly loathe the ignorant mindset that the Arab world is a camel-driving desert of Bedouins, oil lords, and AK-47 wielders, forcing their women to wear hijabs while cursing westerners.

Seriously, screw that. I can’t believe this show got funded, while something like All American Muslim, a TV show set on portraying American Muslims as they truly are – peaceful ordinary people who go about their lives – is cancelled because it was dubbed “controversial.”

When will the western world perceive us properly? Yes, we might be more inclined to violence and conservatism, but what do you expect after decades upon decades of war and poverty? What we need as a region more than anything is understanding and progress, not bigotry and backwards thinking.

That is not our homeland.