Why do people automatically associate the Arab world with hateful, violent crimes?

Question

There are plenty of caucasian and african american terrorists, and plenty of caucasian and african american murderers. Statistics, in fact, say that there are more murders carried out each year by african americans than by arabs. I'm not suggesting you transfer your hatred onto the arabic world. I'm simply saying that the arab world doesnt deserve such stereotyping. You should look at yourselves before you judge me and my brothers.

Peace upon you all. Allah be with you.

Answer 1

Because ,my friend,people are stupid.Also they have learned to believe whatever television says.People in the modern world are brought up without values or good education.The non educated believe the few who try to conveince them that "the Arabs are bad" ,so they can sell weapons to their friends ,the Israelis.
I am Greek.

Answer 2

That anyone should look at themselves before judging others is sage advice regardless of your background or identity. Your question however implies that all people automatically make that assumption.

There is a reason (though not a good one) for that bias in the West which boils down unfortunately to the Cold War and perhaps earlier.

As the world's ideological left and right struggled for dominance (capitalist democracy versus communism, respectively) a number of those struggles were not fought directly but through proxies in other countries. 30 years ago, arabic countries were seen as the not-quite-neutral-but-deciding third ideological option. If either the West or the East could control those countries, they would take a physical advantage. Proxy wars occured mostly in African states where Russia and the US amongst others fueled rebellions, wars, coups d'etats and the like by countried struggling for independence. With unstable infrastructures and economies, many leaders were willing to take arms aid and money to help gain power in their own country. It was like a global chess game the results of which left only the arabis countries as the losers.

Both the East and West were left free of the blame and in the end, when it became politically unsavoury to be attached to such proxy wars, the arabic nations and their warring leaders wore the brunt of the world's disdain. Those notions have persisted through the media and other propaganda machines as a means to further ideological and hegemonic goals.

For more info on the Cold War and Proxy Wars, I suggest looking to the Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_war

Also look up wars in:
Angola
Afghanistan (once held by Russia until ousted by US created Taliban, currently held by US backed allies)
Uganda
Sierra Leone
Sudan
Iran
Lebanon
And dozens of other countries with significant Arabic demographics who have warred internally or with others in the last 50 years. You will likely find that it was strategically funded or armed by either the East or the West. Since this type of bigotry hgas a 50 year history, it is hard to imagine that the notions of evil races haven't perpetuated or even been drawn into the genetic fibre of those who live on either side of of the Cold War Coinflict. Though the Cold War was pronounced over, the ideological effects persist.

Answer 3

Name the biggest event in the past 6 years. Identify the perpetrators of that act. Identify their age and background. I am being totally serious about this. You are correct that per year, in the United States, more murders are committed by blacks, Hispanics and whites (in that order). What you must understand is that in one instant, the Muslim world was instantly hated by all peoples.

It happens when the Ayatollah demands the death of all Israelis and the wiping off of the map for their country...when the Taliban beat and kill their own citizens for minor infractions to their interpretations of God's Laws...when the dictator of Iraq uses chemical weapons on his own people in the Name of Allah...and when an insane megalomaniac who operates Al'Qaida will tell young men and women to commit suicide. It must become clear that these are the reasons. It is no longer the 14th century and martyrdom is no longer glorious. Every act of terrorism (an act that Allah deems cowardly in the first place) only strengthens those affected their resolve.

I know it's unfair. I've read the Koran and I understand it's peaceful teachings. The main concern is that to an American, all people in and from the Muslim nations are a potential threat. To stem that perception, it is up to the Muslim nations to police themselves and bring these false teachers of Allah's words to their ultimate justice.

inshaa Allah, and God be with you.

Answer 4

its all ignorance, but you could have left out the statistics cuz it did seem like you were tyring to pass the blame to other races and really, that is why there is so much hatred in the world. but point well taken and i dont associate Arabs with violent criems, i associate ignorant people with that...

Answer 5

I believe since 9/11 and the terrorist attacks, people automatically think, oh, they look like the people who hurt our country, so they must be bad too. People shouldn't judge people so harshly. There are millions of Americans, some of them murder, and rape and lots of other bad things, and for all we know the other countrys of the world see American's like all the other bad Americans, when we know not all of us are like that. So, America, don't judge people unless you really know them.

Answer 6

arabs have programs on their mainstream tv,urging jihad and martyrdom against israel and america.you're not just terrorist's you have institutionalized terrorism.you have established that at your core you are cowards and vile swine.i look forward to the day we stop mincing around and either develope another source of energy or just take the oil that rightfuly belongs to the ones who make the most productive use of it.and arab's slink back to your tents and camels

Answer 7

It would probably help your argument if Arabs stop blowing themselves up in the name of Allah.

Answer 8

Because islamic terrorists from the mid-east commit hateful and violent crimes.

Answer 9

ur absolultly right i mean i hate it i get it all the time like u damn arab and stuff like that well u shud get over it ur an arab yess but cmon no one cares thats the truth
wel i see this is ur first day on yahoo answers
have fun!!

Answer 10

because that is what is shown by mass media in the u.s. everytime there is a story about the middle east you see men wearing rags on their heads shooting people. thats all that is shown. mass media shapes peoples perception much more than they would care to accept.