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shatnerpossum
Reviews
American Jihadist (2010)
Propaganda 101
Now, it's hard to limit myself with concise reasons why this film is, how shall we say? Bad? But suffice to say, they revolve around a fundamental bias against what I must assume is Islam.
To begin with, I want to address the nomenclature. Jihad, itself, has nothing to do with war. Its meaning is much more broad, any struggle for the sake of faith. But, the real propaganda is what should be addressed.
The first instance of propaganda is the music. While discussions of Christianity in the subject's past are merited with a happy gospel soundtrack, his Islamic life is met with sinister music. Simple technique to set 'good' and 'bad.'
Arguably the most infuriating incidents are the whitewashing of the Lebanese Civil War (which is told from a very American perspective the hides the realities), and the comments of a man and woman who state that these struggles are not about God, and that they are merely done by men insecure in themselves thanks to being victimized in the past, and now trying to prove they are 'real men.'
As a childhood victim of domestic violence, I know they are both wrong and insulting. I promised I would stand up for those who couldn't stand, and make sure no one suffered the way I did. It has nothing to do with what they say.
But the worst is the ending. The subject's son is coaxed into saying typical little boy things, like wanting to shoot the bad guys, and then they do a long fade and bring in the adhan (call to prayers).
Propaganda worthy of Goebbels.