The Economist, a renowned British journal wrote a piece titled Muhammad Bin Salman, “The millennial autocrat who controls our oil,” with a racist feature image. The article focused on how in-demand MBS has never been and how he “took on American and won.”
Ghada AlMuhanna, a Saudi Arabian writer, criticised the renowned British journal for disrespecting Arab visual identity. She wrote, “What an abhorrently nasty and racist cover,” pointing out the picture of an Arabic shemagh lining a fuse bomb (also known as the keffiyeh or Arab scarf).
An attack on Arab visual identity.
What an abhorrently disgusting and racist cover from @TheEconomist. It’s disturbing to think that there are people that have agreed on putting this on the cover.
Shame on every single one of you. pic.twitter.com/EMfxwJKhpX
— غادة المهنا اباالخيل Ghada AlMuhanna (@GAbalkhail) July 31, 2022
Ghada further wrote, “Instead of being proud of your cover, own up to the horrendous prejudice against Arabs that you and your colleagues exhibited, @RosieBlau With this design you reinforced the image of Arabs (almost 500 mil.) being terrorists. This is truly inexcusable and unacceptable.”
Instead of being proud of your cover, own up to the horrendous prejudice against Arabs that you and your colleagues exhibited, @RosieBlau.
With this design you reinforced the image of Arabs (almost 500 mil.) being terrorists. This is truly inexcusable and unacceptable. https://t.co/sPqpVeyQ17
— غادة المهنا اباالخيل Ghada AlMuhanna (@GAbalkhail) July 31, 2022
The Saudi Journalist further adds that “I can imagine if this were any other cultural background, the editors would take so many precautions as not to offend anyone. I mean, what if this were a man wearing a kippah? How would this be perceived? Or a man in a turban? Would they think twice? Personally, I believe so.”
I can imagine if this were any other cultural background, the editors would take so many precautions as not to offend anyone.
I mean, what if this were a man wearing a kippah? How would this be perceived?
Or a man in a turban? Would they think twice?
Personally, I believe so.
— غادة المهنا اباالخيل Ghada AlMuhanna (@GAbalkhail) July 31, 2022
Activist Usama Khilji stated, “This is outrageously racist – can’t believe none of the editors see it and think this would be acceptable. There’s nothing brilliant about bigotry and racism. Takes another level of tone-deaf to do this in 2022. Retract this cover and apologise now.”
This is outrageously racist – can’t believe none of the editors see it and think this would be acceptable. There’s nothing brilliant about bigotry and racism. Takes another level of tone-deaf to do this in 2022.
Retract this cover and apologise now.
— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) August 1, 2022
“The article is false, fictitious and contradictory.The article is clearly politically oriented…Very funny,” another twitter user said.
The article is false, fictitious and contradictory.The article is clearly politically oriented…Very funny
— نايف العسكر (@76_naif) July 31, 2022
Besides the cover, the Internet community called out The Economist for saying ‘our oil.’ “Our oil? No wonder the Iraq invasion was justified,”