J-Source

Silent meaning: a cover photo of Muslim women

Diane Watt, posted by Regan Ray, J-Source |  Two years ago Maclean’s magazine published a book excerpt by Mark Steyn which warns that the future belongs to Islam. Steyn’s text provoked heated debates related to human rights and free speech. In October the B.C. Human Rights Commission rejected complaints against Maclean’s filed by two members…

Diane Watt, posted by Regan Ray, J-Source | 

Two years ago Maclean’s magazine published a book excerpt by Mark Steyn which warns that the future belongs to Islam. Steyn’s text provoked heated debates related to human rights and free speech. In October the B.C. Human Rights Commission rejected complaints against Maclean’s filed by two members of the Canadian Islamic Congress. However, as far as I know, nobody has commented on the images accompanying that article and the silent meanings about Muslims that they generate.

I am particularly troubled by an image of covered Muslim women on the front page of this edition, “Why the Future Belongs to Islam”, used to draw the consumer’s attention to the Steyn article. It provides an example of the anonymous covered woman yet again being called upon by the news media to stand in for all Muslims, with seemingly little consideration of possible effects.The caption reads: “The Muslim world has youth, numbers and global ambition. The West is old, barren and exhausted. Mark Steyn maps the new world order.” In the table of contents the cover story is highlighted with these captions: “Eurabia . . . In an excerpt from his new book, Mark Steyn rings the alarm on the Isamicization of Europe.”

Diane Watt, posted by Regan Ray, J-Source | 

Two years ago Maclean’s magazine published a book excerpt by Mark Steyn which warns that the future belongs to Islam. Steyn’s text provoked heated debates related to human rights and free speech. In October the B.C. Human Rights Commission rejected complaints against Maclean’s filed by two members of the Canadian Islamic Congress. However, as far as I know, nobody has commented on the images accompanying that article and the silent meanings about Muslims that they generate.

I am particularly troubled by an image of covered Muslim women on the front page of this edition, “Why the Future Belongs to Islam”, used to draw the consumer’s attention to the Steyn article. It provides an example of the anonymous covered woman yet again being called upon by the news media to stand in for all Muslims, with seemingly little consideration of possible effects.The caption reads: “The Muslim world has youth, numbers and global ambition. The West is old, barren and exhausted. Mark Steyn maps the new world order.” In the table of contents the cover story is highlighted with these captions: “Eurabia . . . In an excerpt from his new book, Mark Steyn rings the alarm on the Isamicization of Europe.”

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