Remove "Gettin' Arab Money" from Radio

Although it is understood that the First Amendment guarantees the right to freedom of speech, we believe that the lyrics of the song "Gettin' Arab Money" present the Middle East, Arab culture, and Islam in a negative and orientialist light. “I make ya bow down, make salaat like a Muslim” is an attack on a ritual that is considered divine and sacred in the Islamic tradition. Lyrics such as “women walking around while security on camelback” present the Middle East in a racist and backwards fashion, during an era when equal and unbiased understanding is necessary.

Such lyrics portray Arabs as being ancient and unmodernized, and provides those in the west with sentiments of superiority. Such sentiments lead to prejudice, intolerance, and bigotry.

If such a song were to be released by Arabs targeting Jews, by white Americans targeting African-Americans, or by Latinos targeting Asians, such widespread acceptance would not be present. The slanderous aspects of cinematic and musical history that has been essentially unchallenged must come to an end.

The persistence of these images over time will served to naturalize prejudicial attitudes towards Arabs and Arab culture, and in the process reinforce a narrow view of individual Arabs, indirectly effecting US domestic and international policies. “Gettin’ Arab Money” must be removed from station play-lists, as there is an urgent need for counter-narratives that do justice to the diversity and humanity of Arab people and the reality and richness of Arab culture.