You can’t know whether to laugh or cry at the BBC’s tricks and desperate attempts to make us love Islam.
The latest is a rather sinister attempt to brainwash our children with a new version of the Arabian Nights...Jamillah and Aladdin..starting tonight on CBBC.
I noted the programme in the Sunday Times TV review. I was going to ignore it though I suspected it was a programme with a message or two, not just a positive feminine role model with a ‘feisty girl’ in the lead, but perhaps the usual subtext about diversity, immigrants and of course Islam, it being set in the Middle East…love the characters, love Islam if just by default. Then I had a look at the Independent’s write up and that just confirmed I was probably right about the motivation behind producing such a programme….
Why children should watch CBBC’s Jamillah and Aladdin this weekend
A new series based on the classic Arabian Nights story will air on Cbeebies and CBBC this weekend. It’s just the sort of diverse, positive series children need
Since the terror attacks in Paris two weeks ago, much has been written about what we should let children watch on television, and how much exposure to the news is advisable for young kids.
As the name suggests, it’s based on the classic Arabian Nights’ tale.
It’s perfect timing, I think. When we want to show children that other countries and cultures can be celebrated and enjoyed – and are not just places of bombs and fear. The cast looks like the Britain we recognise – the three lead rolls are played by black actors – and the characters are inquisitive. Genie translates Jamillah’s request for “an adventure” into a trip to the Middle East. She is transfixed in the bazaar by the snake charmers the belly dancers and the street vendors. Maybe some of the children watching will recognise the name Baghdad from the news and come to think about this city and others like it in a different light. And in Jamillah and Aladdin’s friendship they might see that while not all children look, talk or have the same beliefs as us, we can still all be mates and equals not foes.
Of course, it’s just a TV programme and we shouldn’t over-blow its importance, But, if we continue with positive, diverse programming, then it can play a role in shaping the next generation’s belief systems, values and morals.In an interview, 11-year-old Blossom was asked what her three wishes would be, given the chance. Her first? “Equality in the world.” Nice.
Sweet. But propaganda all the same, showing us loveable Muslims from which we, the children, are supposed to pick up the unspoken message that if ‘muslims’ are loveable then Islam could be as well. What did the Jesuits, channelling Aristotle apparently, say? ‘Give Me the Child Until He is Seven, and I Will Show You the Man‘”
Shame the BBC is promoting another set of religious fanatics to young impressionable minds…..perhaps a better education about Islam would be more helpful to the children to make them understand what is going on in the world and what is the motivation behind terror attacks rather than a cosy little programme promoting love and harmony when unfortunately one side has no intention of ‘honouring’ such sentiments.
This cartoon in the Times illustrates the problem with the narrative which buries its head in the sand on one subject…..
The problem isn’t primarily the fact that Saudi is a harsh regime chopping off heads, the problem is the reasons why they do it…and, more importantly, why they are allowed to come into this country spreading highly inflammatory fundamentalist Islamic propaganda through Mosques, universities, Islamic ‘information’ centres, madrassas and of course not forgetting the close ties with the great and the good in our society, not to mention the Government itself.
The problem is the theology behind the sword not the fact of the sword itself. But who dares mention that?….except Rod Liddle in the Sunday Times who, jokingly, em, suggests we would be just as well to bomb Luton as the Islamic State because it is the ideology not IS itself that is the problem. Bomb IS and ‘radical’ Islam still exists….hoever bombing IS will stop a lot of killing on a grand and savage scale.
“The cast looks like the Britain we recognise – the three lead rolls are played by black actors ”
Yep, that looks about right for Britain today.
However, as there are always black or Asian characters given lots of positive roles in programmes set in medieval and historic times in Britain, will there be a host of white characters in positive roles in Baghdad? I would expect all, or nearly all, the white actors to provide the evil villains.
Same as Dr Who….when was the last time you saw a black “baddie” on it?…last one i can remember was Catherine Tate’s husband to be, and he wasn’t actually evil, just misguided.
But but the girl looks as if she is over 9, thus of marriagable age. Why is she not wearing a hijab at the least?
The BBC is defaming the RoP, as well as leading Muslim girls astray with a bad example of female behaviour, what with blowing hair in the wind, causing discomfort to men.
Tut tut.
“The cast looks like the Britain we recognise …”
Tonto nudges the sleeping Lone Ranger in the ribs, then whispers in his ear that they are surrounded by Apache braves. The Lone Ranger says, “It looks like we’ve had it”. Tonto replies, “What do you mean we white man?”
In the interests of of good journalism perhaps the BBC should put the Arabian Nights story into its original context.
My understanding was that the the original story was meant to have been told by an Arabian Princess called Scheherazade who was fortunate enough to have married a Persian King. This kings previous wife had committed adultery. As a result of this unfortunate experience, he quite reasonably decreed that from now on he would marry a fresh virgin each day and execute the previous wife, so he would never have to suffer this humilation again.
Scheherazade being as feisty and resourceful as our loveable Jamillah, decides to tell the King a story which takes over a thousand days to complete – so he is always wanting more and does not execute her, thus ensuring he can hear the next exiting installment.
After a thousand nights the story ends, and the King falls in love with her and they all live happily ever after – Aaaaaah !
I love a happy ending but if I were Jamillah I wouldnt hang around too long – Maybe the carpet can take her to Frankfurt along with most of her mates !
Oaknash, very true. They could spin it out to a few series if they did one story a day (missing out the adult ones obviously). I love the Arabian Nights and once read a great version translated by an Arab, borrowed from the library. I thought later to get my own copy but couldn’t find that version again.
I suppose this was what Scheherazade was trying to avoid.
Warning. It might ruin your day.
http://jewtube.tv/islam/woman-beheaded-in-a-moderate-muslim-nation-that-the-un-will-never-condemn/
Things have gone backwards in Arabia since then. But one cannot say anything against a nation whose most important sidekick has its capital in DC.
Is this the same CBBC that brought us “Osama bin Laden is very angry with America”
As with all classical stories the BBC can cast them in a modern setting. So the psycho king wants a fresh virgin every night, and like so many so called British girls, they are queuing up for him akin to Jihadi brides. But Keith Vaz invites them to his Parliamentary Committee along with the cops and they spin 1000 stories to keep them here. Hearing of this Theresa May, who has the hots for Arab shaggers, buggers off and marries the King.
Of course, it’s just a TV programme and we shouldn’t over-blow its importance, But, if we continue with positive, diverse programming, then it can play a role in shaping the next generation’s belief systems, values and morals.
Silly me, I thought that box had already been ticked, and which is why Europe is in the mess it is today.
It is not our chiuldren that need their values shaped but those who embrace the values of Isis and Islam in it’s pure form.
It is insulting to suggest otherwise and the Independent needs to account for it’s attitiude.
Tired lazy writing and as usual as off the beam as possible for a liberal .
So all the actors are black and that equals diversity does it?
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?
Indeed it does Wells and remember black actors are more equal than others -its the only diversity that matters – just ask our mutual friend and ex minstral Sir Lenworth Henry !
I’m tired of EO and positive affirmation wimin, and ethnic minority faces on the BBC.
One of them could be a fluffy . Another a vegetarian brahmanist guitar playing Honda Prius owner . The other a UKIP voter . He’s in for it .
I wonder does the genetic makeup of arabs require a religion like islam or does islam condition arabs to behave as they do? I tend toward the view that genetically, arabs and others are predisposed to violence, lies and deceit and had to invent something to justify their abominable behaviour. I also tend to think that the arab language is satanic.
I wonder does the genetic makeup of arabs require a religion like islam or does islam condition arabs to behave as they do?
An Isreali scholar suggests that Islam was invented to suit the Arab temperament. He goes on that Islam was actually an improvement, as it provided a degree of law to what was pure lawless behaviour prior to Islam.
It is therefore not surprisng that Muslim Arabs regard what went before as Jahaliyya (period of ignorance). This attitude has carried to Muslims who are not Arabs. Thus Muslims destroy all or any sign of civilisation prior to Islam, as it contradicts their understanding of Islam.
This attitude confirms the proposaition.
I have never seen the wives of the Muslims on Gogglebox, maybe they don’t watch TV.