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Hello, Hollywood: Your Images Affect Muslims Everywhere

Akbar Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University, Washington, D.C., and author of Islam Today: A Short Introduction to the Muslim World. From 1998 to 2000, Ahmed was High Commissioner of Pakistan to Great Britain.

Washington - America has been present in the Islamic world for a long time already through the impact of Hollywood-both in its portrayal of Muslims and by its sometimes morally subversive message to traditional cultures.

Hollywood has been at war with Islam for the last two decades. Major Hollywood blockbusters such as "True Lies," "Executive Decision" and "The Siege," with top stars headlining their casts, have perpetuated an "Islam equals terrorism" image. Films such as these have conditioned the American public to expect the worst from a civilization depicted as "terrorist," "fundamentalist" and "fanatic." So powerful has this image been that popular culture makes the equation without thinking about it. In a recent episode of "The Simpsons," some furtive-looking Middle Eastern men approach Mr. Burns to buy uranium. Even a popular cartoon depicts Muslims as sinister psychopathic terrorists.

What can Hollywood do to not only make amends for contributing to this negative image, but to move the world toward dialogue and understanding, and away from the clash of civilizations that is in danger of forming?

Several steps are necessary:

First, there must be a conscious attempt to check the portrayal of Muslims as terrorists and psychopathic lunatics who want to blow up the Western world. As Hollywood did with the African-American community a few decades ago, a conscious attempt must be made to show Muslims in ordinary, everyday situations.

Second, films could be made with Muslim heroes or main characters. It is important to mention that Hollywood was not always negative, no matter what some Muslims may say in this regard. Its portrayal of Muslims earlier on may have been stereotypical, but it was also affectionate. Valentino played in "The Sheik" and Tony Curtis and Rock Hudson played swashbuckling characters from "The Arabian Nights." And who can forget Rex Harrison, made up with thick layers of black polish to play the legendary Muslim leader, Saladin, and the comical singsong accent he used for the role? It is only in the last two decades that the Muslim image has changed to one of a psychopathic terrorist.

It was precisely to battle Hollywood's images of terrorist Muslims that I launched the Jinnah Quartet a decade ago. This consisted of a major feature ?lm called "Jinnah," a documentary, "Mr. Jinnah-the Making of Pakistan," an academic book, "Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity," and a graphic novel.

M.A. Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was a moderate Muslim leader who believed in human rights, women's rights, minority rights and upholding the constitution. Re-creating the image of Jinnah, I hoped, would help Muslims to rediscover their democratic roots. While I worked on the quartet I also wrote scholarly articles, pointing out that if the Jinnah model failed, then the model of people like Osama bin Laden would dominate the hearts and minds of the young generation.

The film starred international actors such as Christopher Lee and James Fox. After overcoming immense hurdles, the film was completed. When shown at film festivals, such as those held at Houston and Zanzibar, "Jinnah" won top awards. It was also shown to studio executives and launched in Hollywood. The executives and the Hollywood press gave it first-class reviews, but no one would take it for distribution. We were told that popcorn-guzzling Midwest audiences, which determine the success or failure of a film, were not quite ready for a Muslim character in the role of a hero. "Jinnah" still awaits distribution.

Finally, Hollywood must appreciate its historic role in the creation of the image of Muslims through rigorous self-analysis. Its global impact ensures a reach around the world. Even the most traditional societies see Hollywood films and enjoy them. Some films are deeply disturbing to traditional societies, however. Many people in Africa and Asia view films glorifying sex and violence and equate these to American culture. These secular images are the cause for much of the anger and hatred that exists in the world against America. Crass, secular films are partly the answer to the question Bush asked, "Why do they hate us?"

The impact of Hollywood films hit home to me in a dramatic way earlier this year, when I was teaching at Princeton University. Nafees, my 10-year-old daughter, came home from school humming the latest pop song from the ?lm "Moulin Rouge." I had not seen the film, so I didn't hone in on the words at first. When I did, I was shocked by how such songs permeate even the minds of elementary-school-aged children. My little girl was wandering through the house singing, "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi," translated, "Will you sleep with me?"

I asked Nafees whether she knew what the words meant. She didn't. I calmly explained the translation to her, and she understood my concern. But I also thought of parents around the world who would have perhaps been not just concerned, but alarmed and even outraged. Some of them would have blamed Hollywood for reaching into their homes and corrupting the minds of their children.

Hollywood needs not only to entertain the world, but also to understand the impact it has on shaping ideas. It needs to heed Bush's plea to depict Islam in a more understanding manner.

Today, there are mobs throughout the world that understand America's war on terrorism as a war of civilizations, as a war against Islam, and they are in the mood to ?ght to maintain their ideals. Christians have been killed in churches in Pakistan; churches have been burned in Malaysia; Christians and Muslims have killed each other in Nigeria. All this has nothing to do with Hollywood, but Hollywood is an important piece of the jigsaw puzzle that makes up our turbulent, dangerous and interconnected world.