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Action Alert: Would You Like to See Positve Portrayals of Arab Americans in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)? Then Take Action Today to Stop the Negative Storyline of Muhammad Hassan and Khosrow Daivari

BACKGROUND

On Jan. 5, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) wrote to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) regarding concerns about the depiction of Muhammad Hassan and Khosrow Daivari, two WWE characters depicted as Arab Americans. In a follow-up phone call, ADC Communications Director Laila Al-Qatami discussed the development of these characters with WWE and ADC appreciates that WWE has taken the time to consider the issues raised. However, this issue is far from being resolved and we are asking you to take positive action to stop what is planned.

During the course of the phone call, it became clear that WWE plans for these characters, neither of whom is actually Arab American, to become increasingly more “evil” over the next six months. In previously aired episodes, the characters lament increasing infringements on the civil rights of Arab and Muslim Americans. Their angry outbursts are met with boos from the audience. Over the coming six months, Hassan and Daivari will garner even further negative attention when they “turn their back on” America in response to the discrimination they feel is being directed at them. As such, ADC worries that this plot will fuel mistrust from the average American who may view these characters as representatives of all Arab Americans.

However, it was clear to ADC that WWE does listen to viewer feedback and will consider a different course for the characters, if they hear from the audience.

ACTION REQUESTED

ADC urges you to contact WWE creators Vince and Stephanie McMahon to voice your concern on this matter. We feel that original letters will carry more weight. We have drafted the following talking points to use a reference. We recommend that you use your own wording.

Talking point should includes:

1. WWE depicts wrestler Muhammad Hassan and his manager Khosrow Daivari as Arab Americans. In fact, neither is Arab American. A turban and Arabic inscriptions are used as representations of Arab American markers. When Daivari launches into tirades, viewers are led to believe he is speaking Arabic, but he is actually speaking Farsi

2. As evident by the audience’s loud boos and chants of “USA,” the wrestlers have already had an adverse effect on the image of Arab-American. Average viewers will equate the characters disloyalty to America as representative of all Arab Americans.

3. WWE has a responsibility to its younger, and more impressionable audiences, not to undermine the seriousness of public concern about the worsening problem of racism and prejudice towards Arabs, Muslims, South Asians, and those perceived to be. The ramification of this is tantamount to conditioning young people to resent and be frightened of Arab Americans, Arabs and Muslims.

4. Wrestling matches may be form of a theater with self-conscious displays of caricature and parody, but when audiences enter into the match, real emotions are unleashed. Mock racism can awaken real racism, and there is a danger that mock violence can result in real violence.

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