Media Reaction

Modern technology and the advancement made in the communication department have a huge influence on the people in America. Over the past decade the effect media plays on the opinions of modern people has escalated. The invention of television and the Internet allowed news to travels around the globe at lightning speed. In most instances the sources of the information would report the facts the media believe people should hear. Wrong or bad information is often spread over the airways via radio, television, and the Internet.The media often plays a story many times, this replaying of the story reinforces in information in the minds of people, and helps shapes their opinion on many subjects.
In this paper I will discuss the media reaction regarding the Arab and Muslim Americans since the September 11 attacks. I will discuss the historic framework and the political context of the issue. I will give my opinion about what message the article was attempting to portray, was the media coverage biased or unbiased and was the issue sensationalized or portrayed objectively.How might the media use a story to affect the perception of the issue, and does the media encourage or discourage prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping? I will also discuss how might the media coverage of this issue might affect the U. S. economy and labor force. The article I selected for this assignment is from the Detroit news titled Always Suspect: Local Arabs & immigration.
September 11, 2001 is a turning point in the lives of many people. On that day many Americans lost their lives and many were injured.That day also had a huge effect on the lives of many Arab and Muslim people living in the United States. The actions of a few changed the lives of many. The media also has a huge impact on how people would view the events of 911. The months that followed the incidence every news station and radio station reported on stories about terrorism, Arab people, or Muslim people was the focus of their attention and if the average person watched television this became the focus of their attention. The constant media coverage and speculation by the news stations was in part the cause of panic among the American people.

Like so many others Arab and Muslim people came to America to seek a better life for their families. The Arab and Muslim people started migrating into the United States during the late 1800s and World War 1 and settled into the general population unnoticed by most of the American citizens. Arab and Muslim usually come to America to escape war or conflict in their native lands. The second large migration contained a large number of Muslims occurred at the close of World War II in the 1950s.The third wave of immigration into America was in the mid-1960 and the Arab and Muslim people continue to flee from their homelands to come to America up to this present day. Arab and Muslim people lived peacefully in the United States until the Arab-Israeli War in June 1967. This war caused the Arab oil embargo and the price of oil to quadruple.
The politicians, political commentators and the media portrayed Arabs and Muslims as bloodthirsty terrorist and called them greedy oil sheiks brought unwanted and unfair criticism to all Arab and Muslim people living in America.The attack on September 11 has made the American people further mistrust the Arab and Muslim people. The incident has caused federal officials to use immigration laws as a weapon against the Arab people. Intense media coverage has caused the American people to discriminate against the Arab American. After the attack on September 11 the U. S. government has placed strict restrictions on immigrants.
In an effort to prevent terrorist attacks many Arabs are under constant scrutiny. The police would place them under arrest and made to return to their native country.This article intended to shed some light on the unfair treatment of Arab and Muslim people living in America. This article was written with an objective outlook of the problem, and the reporter gave an unbiased report to the problem plaguing the Arab and Muslim people. The article discourages the practice of discrimination and prejudice against the Arab and Muslim people. The article also affects the public’s perception because most Americans do not think they discriminate or show prejudice against the Arab people. Many Americans did not realize that the Arab American was affected by stereotyping.
The restrictions placed on the immigrants affect the United States economy because companies who usually recruit skilled people from the Middle East has cut the recruitment process because of tough immigration laws. Many colleges and universities report a decline in enrollment of new students because of the immigration process. The new immigrants were literate and unskilled but they also had an impact on the economy and the labor force in America through their work in the industrial factories and textile mills that were the backbone of the American economy.In conclusion the media has the ability the shape the way American think. The media usually replay news stories many times constantly reinforcing the information into the minds of the American people, and sometimes the reports are not accurate. The media plays an important role in how each group of people view other groups who are different. They have the power to bring out positive or negative reactions to a race of people trying to survive in America.
The media contributes to the discrimination and prejudice shown toward Arab and Muslim people.The Arab and Muslim people have a long history in America from the late 1800s to the present- day they are a part of American history. They help to shape the economy of this country by their knowledge and work ethics. Like any other race of people living in America they want to live in peace without discrimination, prejudice, and fear.References Schaefer, Richard T. (2009). Racial and Ethnic Groups (12th ed).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall. Krupa, Gregg & Bebow, John (November 3, 2003). The Detroit News: Local Arabs & Immigration (Immigration Crackdown Snares Arabs)