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 7 of 14)
91. i wonder if he does birthday parties?
dude84 at 3:55PM on May 9th 2007
92. Is this a surprise to anyone? Muslim children are taught hate from the day they are born. After all they pray to a god that wants them to kill and kill. There is nothing good or holy in the muslim world...evil is their god
Jack at 4:14PM on May 9th 2007
93. i'm shocked most people don't realize this is what's on plo tv all the time. but i'm even more shocked by the ignorance of most westerners about palestine. palestine was a country CREATED by the british. palestinians actually lived in what is now jordan. palestinians are not a people who have ever been associated with a country, but are an ethnic group. arafat, was born and raised in egypt. any land a jew lives on in isreal was purchased by whomever owned it. sometimes arabs owned it before, but you cannot live on any land without a deed. many of the deeds are hundreds of years old. i really encourage people to travel to isreal and go through both palestinian and isreali towns and "settlements" to learn what is really happening. you will NOT see it on british or american news.
mf at 3:53PM on May 9th 2007
94.
Chris, "palestine" was "created" by the romans after 70 ad when they destroyed jerusalem, killed the jews and forced them to run from their lives, leaving isreal. then some arab outcasts settled there, then....well everyone else. untill the end of world war ONE when jews started returning, after the turks were driven out. then it became isreal again in 47, was it? i cant remember right now...
STEVEIE at 12:38PM on May 10th 2007
95. Lisa, we didnt really do much before 9/11 and they attacked us remember that before you blame us for their dementedness, But still we should not want to kill or maim them because it makes us just as bad as them. As a new yorker i am a little hesitant to do much and i had an uncle who survived 9/11 and i still dont hate them.
Kevin at 3:58PM on May 9th 2007
96. It is sad, but Israel indoctrinate their children the same way. Follow the link and watch Israeli kids signing missiles before being launched on Lebanon last summer. Israelis (not Jews) are just as guilty of planting hate.
XUSARMY at 4:07PM on May 9th 2007
97. I never thought nuclear bombing would ever be the answer,but it's us or them. We need to protect our grandchildren and children,get our tropps out and bomb the entire middle eastern trouble-makers like Iraq,Iran Afganistan and all else involved.Why waste ground troops lives for putred irrational fanatics.BOMB them and get it over with.U.S.A U.S.A.
J at 3:55PM on May 9th 2007
98. Isreal, the Jewish nation has always been under seige by these barbaric Arab nations, including Iran the decent of the once powerful Persian nation throughout history; until they one day lost their country completely and were force to spreadout throughout the world in search of safe havens.
Now, based on the Biblical prophecy that came to past, by the hand of God, the nations of the world came together and reestablished the Jewish nation after WW2. Again, these barbaric nations continue to try and completely anihilate the Jewish nation and bring a whole race to complete extinction. THIS is Islam's priority and number one agenda. Second, all people not of the Islam faith need to be converted or be executed. Third, all nations are to be dominated and under the leadership of the Islamic faith.
Again I stress, TOLERANCE is not a remedy for this insane religious belief; for they themselves are violently intolerant of everyone that is not of the Islamic faith. And appeasement is a grave mistake.
Stunlock at 3:56PM on May 9th 2007
99. Unimagitive bastards! Using an American symbol to teach hate!
Diana at 8:40AM on May 10th 2007
100. Obiviously # 84 has the intelligence comparable to that of a rock. What would you do if you live with our children in the middle of an area surrounded by murderers who teach their kids to kill, kill, and kill? You would be stupid not to teach your own kids to defend themselves. Think before you open your mouth and show the whole world the amount of stupidity pervading that pea brain of yours.
Stunlock at 4:05PM on May 9th 2007
101. YESSSSS! Free Palestine! Only way is to teach the youth to fight against Israel!!!
Shane at 4:08PM on May 9th 2007
102. These people need a lot of medication because they clearly have mental issues. How can they interpret the teachings of a religion in this way. Why teach children to hate and kill. These people were not loved as children and its because of them that this disgusting hate is being passed down to the children. They should be ashamed of themselves
laalaa115 at 4:25PM on May 9th 2007
103. So glad to finally see major US news sources addressing these issues. This isn't nearly the first hate indoctrination show for muslim children and won't be the last. Maybe some people are finally waking up to the fact that, while people can believe what they want, beliefs like what is written in the koran drive the senseless to destruction of themselves, their children and anyone who disagrees. Israel was Israel for thousands of years, not given by Europe to the Jews, but in a text more than 6000 years old, given by God to the Jews. Nation after nation have tried to take it away, successful for a time, never for always. And when this transfer of land took place, Jews were displaced from arab lands too. This is a cult of death out for world domination, in our neighborhoods now. Try talking to a majority of them, you will soon see that they truly believe they are superior to you and born to dominate you and your finances and your thoughts. This is not hate, this is reality. What to do about them, I don't know, but they are here, cyphoning money, building up artilery and making plans for your property. Iraq crucified a 14 year old Christian boy recently for his beliefs, and the US says it's investigating. Turkey has seen it's share of crimes against Christians and anyone else who refuses the false prophet mohammed, check it out for yourselves. Everywhere muslims go, destruction begins. They must be stopped.
Ann Kuhl at 4:10PM on May 9th 2007
104. ok, I want to be heard, so read this out loud o.k.?
plus, get over the grammar, just deal with it ok?
ready?
imagine being born and raised under bombs and automatic rifles, not just your own, but also those of someone WHO WANTS TO KILL YOU.
oh, they wanted to kill you for the last what, 200 YEARS?
No matter who America thinks is more righteous, these are basic human truths...
if somebody keeps shooting at your family, you're going to shoot back, ask the hatfields...
Is it the best way to be? maybe not, but guess what! (yes guess what is an exclamation, not a question so, tell my teacher on me, if I'm wrong, anyway)ITS NONE OF OUR BUSINESS! Did I miss it when they asked for help? it looks to me like two old guys got in a fight, and some dumb kid jumped in to pick up their wallets and run...
but we're not running, we're like, staying for all the spare change, and water... anyway
forgive my rant but isn't that what the nets for right? Rants (blogs) and unqualified opinions seem to sway the masses,
I'll try to wrap it up now, they wake and sleep to gunshots like we do with i-pods, it's going to be different, just be amazed from a distance, and praise JAH that you can sit on your comfy 1200 dollar jennifer convertible and scroll the madness with your i-book, casually passing judgement on people whose great-grandparents were born into a civil war/revolutionary war type violence that was generations old, at that time, and still exists. Except that by this time America the beautiful, decided to benefit, no we're not alone, War is big business all over the world,I only mention America BECAUSE IM AMERICAN, and who better to point out my faults than me?
SO, IN SUMMARY
if these toddlers want a mickey mouse, so what?
Disney didn't expand that far, I'm sure the lawsuits are being cooked up already.
and does it matter?
what if it was barney?
the ferocious beast?
elmo?
it could be a guy in a sheet with a pointy white hat...
it doesn't matter who is helping these innocent childre- (can we agree the kids are innocent?)
these kids need something to help them grow in that S#iT without going completely insane.
sorry if it stings but, some kid gets teased for a couple years, cracks, and wastes a half a campus, WE ARE THE CRAZY ONES, yall wanna nuke them? don't waste your time, just stay out of their way they'll nuke themselves, then ten years later we'll have timeshare vacation resorts (cue don pardo)"in the CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION". God Bless America,with grace and humility, please. We need it.
DREX at 4:15PM on May 9th 2007
105. It is ridiculous to enforce violence to children, along with racism. As Christians we are to not pass judgment on others, but pray for them if you continue to be negative it will grown inside you. We are not the ones who make the ultimate decision that decision will be made by God. I believe that instead of acting like the ones who speak of hate and voicing our dislikes we should say a silent prayer.
warrengsjewel at 4:16PM on May 9th 2007