If a well-loved children’s cartoon were to ever epitomize the Islamic State’s boundless appetite for violence, it would be Tom and Jerry. In nearly every episode, the cat-and-mouse duo find new ways to butcher each other, using weapons ranging from guns and explosives to household objects like lawn mowers and waffle irons.
This week, Salah Abdel Sadek, chairman of the Egyptian State Information Service, said the show … has desensitized youth to violent acts and is partially to blame for rising extremism in the Middle East…..
Tom and Jerry is popular across the Middle East and is regularly broadcast via satellite channels into both active and smoldering crisis zones, including Iraq.
—Tom and Jerry, Terrorists of the Cartoon World.
Until I read this article I hadn’t seen a Tom and Jerry cartoon in years, and I was surprised that it’s so popular in the Middle East.
Who would have guessed?
May 7, 2016
Tom and Jerry “has desensitized youth to violent acts and is partially to blame for rising extremism in the Middle East.” Funny, I watched Tom and Jerry for years when I was a kid, and I’m a remarkably non-violent person. For that matter I always loved cartoons where things got smashed up. But I knew very well it was a fantasy and not reality.
I used to love cartoons like that too. Bugs Bunny and the roadrunner were two of my other favorites.
Tom and Jerry is popular here too and I can’t think of any household with children without comic books and videos of them.
Thanks for that information. Clearly not all American culture is bad. 🙂
I loved the road runner cartoons.
actually…
I didn’t scroll and read the script before I watched the video.
and when I finished watching it… I was thinking
I feel the same way about loud music that jerry does!
and then it turned out it wasn’t even about the music. LOL!
I have felt for a long time now that the constant torturous type of violence in the movies and videos that our kids watch to the saturation point is helping to desensitize many of them. there’s nothing ‘cute’ or cartoonish about those videos and movies. they’re horrible.
I agree. Cartoons are so ridiculous and funny it’s hard to believe they’re a problem.
that is crazy…of course, so many of our earlier entertainment is now totally un-PC which makes you wonder what children/teens of today are reading/watching – will they too find themselves as adults being informed “you can’t do that!”
Noddy and Big Ears – the Edin Blyton (famous 5) books – possibly even our Caravan children…
I agree!