SEPTEMBER 7& 8
PRAISE page 131
SATURDAY lOAM - 6PM, SUNDAY 10AM - 5PM
THE U S A & CA N
SHAIN PARK, BIRMINGHAM
front-line combat units and 18
percent of whom serve as officers.
To be sure, the latter figure is low-
er than it used to be, but it is still
over twice as high as for the pop-
ulation as a whole.
The same willingness to serve
is also evident among modem Or-
thodox youth, or the "knit kippah"
crowd, who have suffered far
Arabs Claim
Disney Stereotypes
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL 810-456-8150
In the Aladdin controversy, the
Los Angeles (JTA)— Arab Amer-
icans have charged the Walt Dis- Anti-Defamation League publicly
ney company with alleged backed the Arab position, but not
Arab-bashing and defamatory this time.
"We did think that the lyrics in
stereotypes in two Disney films.
A spokesman for the American- Aladdin were problematic, and
Arab Anti-Discrimination Com- said so," said David Lehrer, re-
mittee, which organized a protest gional ADL director. "But the cur-
outside the Disney studio in Bur- rent protest looks like a
bank, Calif , said in an interview broad-scale attack on Disney and
he did not believe that there was the movie industry, and we will
a "Jewish cabal" in Hollywood or- not participate in it."
However, Sanford Weiner, a
chestrating negative portrayals of
veteran local federation and
Arabs.
But Don Bustany of the ADC American Jewish Congress lay
said he "presumed" that the three leader, said he fully agreed with
top Disney executives, Michael the protesters' dismay at the por-
Eisner, Michael Ovitz and Joe trayal of "Habib" in Father of the
Bride.
Roth, were Jewish.
"I saw the film in a sneak pre-
"I don't believe that the Disney
executive board sits down to fig- view and was outraged," said Mr.
ure out how to get the Arabs," Mr. Weiner. "It was a despicable por-
Bustany said. "However, there trayal. If the character had been
may be a tacit agreement among labeled as Jewish, there would
some supporters of Israel, who be- have been protests all over the
lieve that by vilifying Arabs they place."
John Dreyer, Disney's head of
help Israel."
Mr. Bustany did not call for a corporate relations, declined to
boycott of Disney films, as did con- comment on any aspect of the con-
servative Protestant groups, troversy.
Meanwhile, Salaam Al-Maray-
which recently objected to the stu-
dio granting health insurance ben- ati, director of the Muslim Public
efits to partners of gay employees. Affairs Council in Los Angeles, is
The protesters' ire was direct- trying to get the attention of the
ed against two recent Disney pro- film industry in another way.
He is organizing a Sept. 13 con-
ductions, Kazaam, starring
Shaquille O'Neal, which includes ference for Hollywood marketing
various Arab villains. Among executives to give them "a more
them is a black marketeer named sophisticated understanding of
Malik, which is Arabic for "own- Arab culture, which is a subset of
the Muslim world," he said.
er," Mr. Bustany said.
Mr. Al-Marayati will also dis-
Last year's Father of the Bride,
Part II, introduced a nasty, sharp- cuss how to market films and
dealing neighbor named Habib, a videos in Islamic countries. So far,
character not found in the book Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks
and Warner Bros. have accepted,
on which the film was based.
ADC officials also charged that but Mr. Al-Marayati said he had
Disney executives had broken an not heard from Disney and oth-
oral promise to consult with the er studios.
"Jews should be particularly
organization in the portrayal of
Arab and Muslim characters. The sensitive to ethnic stereotyping
alleged promise was given three because they have suffered from
years ago, after a flap over lyrics it for centuries," said Mr. Al-
in the animated feature Aladdin. Marayati.
"In a sense, Islam has replaced
The offending lyrics were
changed when the film was re- Judaism as the world's new vil-
lain."
leased in home videos.
.
Sponsored in part by Sinai Health Systems, Huntington Bank,
Paramed, G. J. Perelli Company, St. Joseph Mercy - Oakland,
The Shirley K. Schlafer Foundation, TBS Industrial Recycling, Inc.
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32
more than their share of casual-
ties in recent years.
It would be better, of course,
were there no causalities, were
there no need for compulsory mil-
itary service. But that day won't
come any time soon. And unless
Israeli youth stand ready to go on
shouldering arms, it won't come
at all. 0
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