By now, most people have probably heard about Farfur, the fundamentalist Islamic Mickey Mouse-like character who promotes violence and hatred on the Hamas-affiliated Al Aqsa TV network. But have you seen him? In any case, this is both a complicated story and a simple one. It's simple because it's wrong. Indoctrinating children is hard to justify, particularly when that indoctrination involves, say, violence and hatred. But it's a complicated story, partly because Farfur was pulled off the air for review, and partly because he's just part of a long tradition of this kind of thing. There are also, just for the purposes of argument, plenty of examples of pro-American propaganda through the years that use children's entertainment as a vehicle. There are racist Bugs Bunny cartoons that reinforced negative stereotypes about African-Americans, Japanese, and Germans, and there's even a famous Disney propaganda cartoon in which Donald Duck plays a Nazi munitions worker (and says "Heil Hitler" all over the place). Is it always reprehensible? Is it effective? Might this kind of thing backfire? Are there any gray areas when it comes to teaching children to hate--or, at least, hatefully express their national/religious identity?
[Ben Greenman's acclaimed new book of fiction, A Circle is a Balloon And Compass Both: Stories About Human Love, is now available at bookstores.]
Reader Comments ( Page 6 of 14)
76. One wants to treat the Palistinians as any repressed, backward people and help them become more civilized. But to do so would be a mistake because, with their leadership, it is unlikely that they will ever become satisfied or civilized. What other nationality puts their own children in harm's way. You can't deal with such people. Many people blame Israel for the Palistinian problem but that's way too simplistic. Israel gave into every concession with Yassar Arafat, if he would only recognize Israel's right to exist. Even though this would have produced dividends beyond one's imagination for the Palistinian people, he said "NO" and his followers continue down this path. These people may not be animals, but they act like animals and they are anathema to Western civilization. If they insist to be the core of terrorism from the middle east, then they should be dealth with accordingly and harshly. These folks mean business. Kill them or be killed. Doc
doc at 3:41PM on May 9th 2007
77. Chris, if you look & listen closely you will see that Islamic extremist have no intention of "regaining their Homeland". Their intention is exactly the same as was Hitlers', and that is to create a world under Islamic rule and eliminat anyone that is not of like mind....as you said, take a good look at history and listen closely to what they say. Don't be fooled!
Tony at 3:37PM on May 9th 2007
78. For all those people that say this video makes them SAD you can continue being SAD. Meanwhile I will teach my children NEVER to be tolerant of this LUDICROUSY!!!!!!!!!! I am a MOTHER!!!!!!!! and I don't teach my children to be intolerant of race or color or sex or religion because I AM a Christian but I do teach them to be intolerant of MURDERERS!!!!!!!!!!!! NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM!! AND THESE ARE SELF PROFESSED!!!!!!!!!!
Yrene at 3:38PM on May 9th 2007
79. It is sad to see something like that, but hate and injustice develop hate. Israel does the same kind of indoctrination with their children. Follow this link and see watch Israeli kids signing missiles and shells before launching them on villages on Lebanon.
http://wakeupfromyourslumber.blogspot.com/2006/07/israeli-children-sign-their-missiles_18.html
X U.S.Army at 3:38PM on May 9th 2007
80. The brainwashings of a death cult. Extreme speech and behavior hide an insecure position. Filling minds with destruction leaves no room for constructive things--this kind of speech and behavior will not solve the Palestinian Arabs' problem.
louise at 3:40PM on May 9th 2007
81. while we are keeping our children safe by not letting them play "unsupervised chasing games" such as tag,our enemies are teaching their children to hate us and kill us. our children are going to be decapitated if we don't do something to stop this madness. Americans citizens need to be vigilant because or government is leaving our nation and culture vulnerable for a slow,painful death.
tony at 3:43PM on May 9th 2007
82. i dount bealive in this balonie!!!!!!!!!!!and tell your boss that mickey mouse is NOT BADDDDDDDD!!!!!!!
brigid at 3:42PM on May 9th 2007
83. Whatever happened to just saying someone was wrong in their motives and actions without trying to give them an excuse? (Oh, everyone is so mean to them. No wonder they act out this way.) We can't justify all the bad things people do by giving them cause.
Lisa at 3:44PM on May 9th 2007
84. I think all the hatred in the world is horrific and using children to promote hatred is horrible. BUT we need also to look at some of the violence in our cartoon that are shown on Saturday morning to our children here in the USA. ITs time to stop hating and try to get along BUT I know some
people will not give hatred until they are forced to. When will it all end?
I believe some of the societies in this world are full of darkness and evil
Someone needs to show some light as it is said, "Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."Can we over come hatred with love?,
I hope so.
Dremer at 3:45PM on May 9th 2007
85. I think all the hatred in the world is horrific and using children to promote hatred is horrible. BUT we need also to look at some of the violence in our cartoon that are shown on Saturday morning to our children here in the USA. ITs time to stop hating and try to get along BUT I know some
people will not give hatred until they are forced to. When will it all end?
I believe some of the societies in this world are full of darkness and evil
Someone needs to show some light as it is said, "Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."Can we over come hatred with love?,
I hope so.
Dremer at 4:06PM on May 9th 2007
86. Built a fence around the middle east. Then one cabbage, one barrel of oil. Look at the history of these people, in the past if you didn't, convert you died. They still haven't changed.
C. Otwell at 3:47PM on May 9th 2007
87. dude, why can't bootleg mickey put his arms down?
But, in all seriousness, I'm a little confused. I agree that fighting violence with more violence is not the answer, but I have no idea what can be done to combat these people way of thinking. I'm sure of one thing though, and that is that all these kids are being brought up to hate anyone that's not like them.
eve at 3:46PM on May 9th 2007
88. First of all I would like to thank Ben Greenman for having all of the racists come out of the woodwork.
To Comment No. 50: Zionism = Nazi-ism and it is hate-filled Zionist Jews like yourself who have made up these blatent lies regarding the Prophet Mohammed, Muslims and Christians (yes Christians too- wake up!) throught the ages. You and your people are perverse. You said take it up with God? Look in your Bible how many towns God has destroyed because of the doings of your people... it will happen again if you don't stop the trouble you are making in this world!
j.garcia at 3:48PM on May 9th 2007
89. Dear Lord!
Even though I haven't seen the video, just the description make me sick. Although I do agree with the comment that we did the same thing in the first two world wars.
I also truly agree with the statement that you would probably feel the same way if someone nearly leveled your town, leaving only a few to survive.
I truly don't know if they're trying to lure us in, and make us attack with even less moral confliction, or if they really are brainwashing kids for their own demented gain. You never truly know what people are thinking in this day and age.
Diversity has, unfortunately, never been truly revered by any country, even our own! Such as in California, where calling people degrading racist names is commonplace.
The largest problem is that we may be going into a trap, turning our soldiers into rage-inhibite monsters that don't just kill the evil.
Another problem is that people in other countries have been fighting for years, and that's probably never going to end.
I don't know what they're thinking. I don't know why they're doing it. I feel like this war is like a jigsaw puzzle that whenever you put a piece in placem, another pops out. Things never seem to fit together. I don't know what to believe anymore...
pwnerboi210 at 3:50PM on May 9th 2007
90. If i watched this show when i was younger, i would grow up to be a 2nd hitler no doubt. i disagree entirely with the message! right now we are fighting iraq and most people hate. i dont. i hate their government. imagine small children with there houses being bombed asking themselves, "what did i do?" we are wrong to hate other countries and go to war with them. it is a lose-lose situation. can you even think about all of the people being killed? if your house was attacked right now and your family was killed, how would you feel? speak up if your with me to x out hatred.
xouthatred at 3:53PM on May 9th 2007