Acceptance Isn’t Answer
Character actor Terrence Beasor’s defense of the use of stereotypes (“Stereotypes: A Time-Honored Tradition,” Counterpunch, Jan. 8) is a great example of the complacent rationalizing that perpetuates this practice.
Laila Lalami pointed to “Father of the Bride, Part II” and other film examples of current anti-Arab stereotyping. In replying to her, Beasor asks us to accept stereotyping as “an old and honored form of shorthand on the part of writers . . . not based on racial, ethnic or gender bias.” Historically, that’s exactly what such slurs are based on.
It’s the thoughtless dismissal of the consequences that allows the practice of slurring to continue doing its harm.
CASEY KASEM
Los Angeles
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
