Aladdin – Finding cultural bias  Time to think like a SNEETCH! Look for stereotypes and bias today…

Arabs are…. Look at the list of terms and think about the ones Americans might feel would describe Arabs. ReligiousExciting SeriousSimple Rich Civilized Funny Mysterious PoorDull StrongBrave GoodEducated NomadicFarmers ModernDesert dwellers HappyMuslim Traditionalpowerful

Aladdin and cultural biases Think about what might offend Arab Americans in this film Make note of visual and verbal references, characters, etc… that show bias (stereotypes) or incorrect information about Arab culture. Find at least10 items

Lyrics for Aladdin’s theme song  Original lyrics… Oh, I come from a land From a faraway place Where the camels roam. Where they cut off your ear If they don’t like your face It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.  Video/DVD Edited lyrics… Oh, I come from a land From a faraway place Where the caravan camels roam. Where it’s black and immense And the heat is intense It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.

Kasey Kasem, a DJ wrote some lyrics to explain his point…  ANTI-NATIVE AMERICAN:  Oh, I come from the wide-open  Spaces out West  Where the Indian ponies roam,  Where they scalp you dead if they  Don’t like your head.  It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.  ANTI-MEXICAN/LATINO  Oh, I come from a land where they  sleep in the sun  And the gangs of banditos roam.  Where they hang you in jail, if you don’t have the bail.  It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.  ANTI-JEWISH/ISRAELI LYRICS  Oh, I come from a land where  Religion is law  And the prophets and rabbis roam.  Where they stone you to death if  You question your faith.  It’ barbaric, but hey, it’s home.

Aladdin stereotypes/errors  Shady looking bad guys: storyteller, soldiers, merchants…  Poverty vs the Palace  Punishment for theft is severe  Harem girls  Dishonest vendors  Sultan is dimwitted  Monkey/Tiger – NOT from Arabia  Mispronounced Arabic names  Arabic letters are sloppy or not real words  Aladdin and Jasmine look/sound different from the others ADDITIONAL DISNEY ODDITIES…  Bad guy always has a British accent!  Hero/Heroine has no or 1 parent, even today > ‘Enchanted’…

Aladdin and cultural biases  2. Look for 10 or more modern cultural references, (esp. in the Genie’s songs…)  3. Now you are ready to write your own lyrics!

Aladdin lyrics Arab groups were offended by the original lyrics for the Disney movie “Aladdin”. Oh, I come from a land From a faraway place Where the camels roam. Where they cut off your ear If they don’t like your face It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home. Can you remember the lyrics from the video/DVD release??

Writing your own lyrics… Write lyrics for a group that show a positive OR negative bias about that group. Some ideas…  Teenagers  Band, choir, orchestra…  Athletes  Lawyers  Democrats  Republicans  McDonalds  Government  School  etc….  Follow the format from the Aladdin lyrics. Oh, I come from a land From a faraway place Where the caravan camels roam. Where it’s black and immense And the heat is intense It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.

Aladdin Pop Culture references  List any modern cultural references you notice!  Try to find 10 modern cultural references, (esp. in the Genie’s songs…)