A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, September 17, 2012

Newsweek, "Muslim Rage," and the Best Response: Muslim Humor

Newsweek, which was once something you younger folk may have heard about, a weekly newsmagazine, has changed hands recently and is trying to figure out what role a weekly magazine may have in reporting news in a round the clock online world, and now has provoked controversy over a seemingly provocative if not incendiary cover called "Muslim Rage." It has also provoked something else, which is both reassuring and encouraging: widespread ridicule (of the funny, not the angry, kind),  in the Muslim world. Newsweek actually tweeted asking for responses to its cover, so it deserves everything it's gotten:
Gawker put up 13 images of "Muslim rage" showing Egyptians having fun, Iranians building snowmen, and other such, though I can't reproduce their photos here. But Twitter, which can create a massive humor wave instantly, produced a wave of commentary. Some was serious, like veteran journalist Larry Pintak:

And there was sharp criticism as well, including some requiring a crude language warning, but still worth noting:
But most was tongue in cheek, with Muslims describing various day-to-day annoyances as #MuslimRage. There are news accounts here and here, but it may make more sense just to let the contributors speak:




1 comment:

David Mack said...

Thanks. This was medicine I needed after reading the morning's news.