It Will Take More Than a ‘Muslim Cosby Show’

Last week on her Web-based show, Katie Couric highlighted the rise of Islamophobia as one of the more disturbing news stories of 2010. In a discussion that included The Root‘s Sheryl Huggins Salomon, Couric suggested that America needs a Muslim version of The Cosby Show to fight the fear and ignorance that exists about Islam and Muslims, very much the same way The Cosby Show challenged racial stereotypes about African Americans.

Couric’s instincts are right when she draws parallels between Islamophobia and racism. And she is correct in focusing on the role of media and cultural production in that fight. But her Cosby Show proposal is misplaced, both historically and socially. Perhaps what is needed more than another Cosby Show are the lessons learned from the first one.

Article By: Zaheer Ali | Posted: January 6, 2011 at 11:52 AM

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