Yesterday, everybody's favourite “88 Things Your Arab Mama Says” website decided to expand on its content offering, by publishing an article on the offensive, ugly and inciteful remarks of a individual almost no one has ever heard of.
The video of Jordanian TV presenter Mohammad Rakan Al-Gadah is so repulsive, that Stepfeed felt compelled to translate it into English just so that everyone could watch, share and talk about it. The website writes as follows:
“Jordanian TV presenter Mohammad Rakan Al-Gadah confidently and clearly brings to our timelines a collection of thoughts and opinions that undoubtedly would have been better off being written down on a piece of toilet paper and swallowed down whole.”
This disclaimer aside, the article then proceeds to outline the comments of Al-Gadah in detail, concluding with the following problematic statement:
StepFeed just joined the “Social Justice Warrior” dark side. Here are five reasons, why that’s not Okay.
1. Ugh, “punishable by law”?
Dear authorities: please arrest this man for saying something we don’t like.
Everyone else: please share and comment on our article. We translated it just for you. We’re trying to get the guy censored.
2. Get Him!!
Media organisations have to be able to discuss and strongly engage with ideas. That’s so different to actively tracking down individuals and calling for them to be “punished”. That’s not just wrong - it’s vindictive.
Moreover, its happening more often. Earlier today, CNN used its relationship with Time Warner to track down the IP address of a 15 year old Reddit user, who created a Trump Wrestling MEME criticising the network. CNN then requested the user, known as “HanAssholeSolo” apologise to the network, or they would reveal his identity.
3. The Art of the Virtue Signal.
Increasingly writers and journalists are taking it upon themselves not to investigate reality, ask difficult questions, or tell stories; but rather to bully, shame and exclude. In the United States, these writers are called “social justice warriors.”
Forget the growth of the surveillance state, the kids ripped apart by bombs in Yemen, or an entire generation not being able to get a job - what’s really important is cultural appropriation, gender neutral bathrooms and young men playing video games in their mom's basement.
Until recently, this kind of media has never existed in the Middle East. After all, people have real problems here. But maybe things are changing?
Online, virtue signalling is great for traction. It’s cheap, not requiring investigative journalism. It builds brand influence. In terms of metrics, it really works. That's why so many websites, from Salon to Buzzfeed, often adopt these publishing strategies.
4. SJWs Love Censorship.
Power resides in groups.
The danger with journalists, priests or politicians defining what is “hate speech,” is that over time, the definition will get smaller and smaller... and serve the interests of those who decide for the rest of us what is acceptable to say, and think.
Increasing censorship in the Middle East in the name of “progressive values”, would be the ultimate irony. Especially on the internet, where so much positive change is happening.
5. I know, why don’t we import another foreign ideology to the Middle East? Great idea.
From the imposition of the State, to nationalism, communism and corporatism, the Middle East has always been a laboratory for really bad ideas.
Here, communities are more divided by gender, race, religion and class than many other parts of the world. The last thing we need is a website highlighting those distinctions, in a way coordinated to receive hits, and create a demographic built on pointing out just how backward “all those other people” are.
