Global Hope and Jewish Voice for Peace will present a timely and important film, “Valentino’s Ghost: Why We Hate Arabs,” at 7 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 23) at the University of Hawaii at Hilo in UCB Room 100.
Global Hope and Jewish Voice for Peace will present a timely and important film, “Valentino’s Ghost: Why We Hate Arabs,” at 7 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 23) at the University of Hawaii at Hilo in UCB Room 100.
The screening is free and open to the public.
Using scenes from Hollywood movies and historic news clips, “Valentino’s Ghost” shows the way mainstream media and Hollywood created and conditioned the American public’s fear of Muslims. The film reveals what has enabled current policies targeting Muslims and refugees, stereotyping Arabs, Palestinians and American wars in the Middle East.
When frames of ethnic hatred created by U.S. treatment of Arabs (who are Christians and Muslims) saddens the viewer, director Michael Singh brings in comics to make us laugh at the tragic absurdity of what we are seeing.
Journalist Nathan Lean, in his book “The Islamophobia Industry,” writes about the media’s “public scaremongering about Islam, and … the slew of right-wing activists who regularly inhabit the airwaves to distort the truth to push stereotypes about Muslims.” He also notes that “the role of the Internet in fomenting hatred and prejudice cannot be overstated.”
This fear-mongering is behind President Donald Trump’s recent attempt to institute a travel ban on people coming from seven predominantly Muslim countries, now widely challenged as being unconstitutional.
“Valentino’s Ghost” received standing ovations at the Venice Biennale and other film festivals. The film has been updated by director Singh.
For more information, call Jewish Voice for Peace member Bunny Smith at 935-0622.