Philosophy and Religion 9 Essay by Orli R. 23

Assignment:
After watching the attached video (https://vimeo.com/28739405), please write a letter (one page) to the producers stating your opinion about their decision not to move forward with the project. Use reasoning and specific citations from the talk.

Dear producers,

I am writing this letter to you about your decision to not showcase the 99 Comic to America. Your reasoning for not wanting to move forward was because of the subliminal messaging in the show. As Naif Al-Mutawa explained in his second Ted talk about the 99, the only place he, the writer and creator of the show could find anything that could support your argument was in a clip from a show played backwards. Not only is this not a valid argument, it antagonizes the idea that even is people are promoting love and undertsanding in the name of Islam, they are going to be crucified for it. Islamophobia, non tolerance, and outright hatred towards Muslims in America is something that they have had to do for a long time because of people that this comic is trying to teach to do better. The purpose of this comic was to try to help kids not fulfill the stereotype that is forced upon them from the day they are born because of their faith in the country they live in. Because of both, the reasoning for cancelling the broadcast of the show and the show not being able to reach children everywhere, children won't know that they can learn to love each other.

 

This show was not only for Muslim children. This show was for everyone, people from all ages and faiths because everyone has something to learn from it. Although this is a topic that is not customary to mainstream media doesn't mean it shouldn't be. The fact that thinking love and understanding is “radical” is an unfortunate example of the sad world we live in. It is 2020, the world is evolving left and right but unfortunately you are part of the people making changes for the worse when this show would have been for the better. Muslim people experince terrible discrimination and it is not talked about, this would have been one of the attempts to get people to talking. Your decision is going to affect Muslims children all around the world because they wont know they have options to challenge the xenophobia they will face in their lives. Dora is someone you compared the characters to and that character alone has brought the world multiple steps closer to being more tolerant of Latinx people because it has influenced children from a young age. This influence was positive because the messages between Dora and the 99 are similar, everyone should be accepted to matter who they are. The younger we teach our children this the less hate there will be in our world and brings hope for the future generations. Although I know I can't change your minds, I am begging you to reconsider your decision to not broadcast the 99 Comic because it WILL change the worldview of Muslims for the better.

Thank you,

Orli