I’m having such a good hair day. No one even knows. #MuslimRage
— Hend (@LibyaLiberty) September 17, 2012
Muslims found an unlikely opening to voice their opposition to mainstream stereotypes, exploiting a social media misstep by Newsweek‘s inflammatory cover on Muslim violence. In response to Newsweek‘s call to discuss the problem of violent muslim intolerance through the Twitter hashtag, #muslimrage, clever users flooded the discussion with (hilarious) parodies, like this gem: “Lost your kid Jihad at the airport. Can’t yell for him. #MuslimRage.” The now viral parody has punctured the mainstream wall of negative press to give an otherwise silent majority a (seriously) funny voice.
After widespread violent protests throughout the Arab world sparked by an offensive YouTube video of the prophet Muhammad, op-eds began pouring out of the nation’s pre-eminent media outlets questioning whether Islam was compatible with democratic tolerance. Op-eds ranged from the transparently hawkish Fox News (“It’s Time To Wake Up And Smell The Global Jihad“) to the historically nuanced Washington Post (“Why Is The Arab World So Easily Offended?”).
Newsweek attempted to capitalize on the discussion with an over-the-top all-caps cover, “MUSLIM RAGE”, but the overwhelming hilarity of the tweets broke Newsweek‘s grip on their own conversation.
Welcome to the new digital age @newsweek. Your attempts to use #MuslimRage to discuss your foul cover has become funniest joke on twitter. — Reza Aslan (@rezaaslan) September 17, 2012
The unmistakably 21st century coup reveals that every-so-often social media can be far more representative than the traditional media outlets historically charged with reflecting a nation’s voice. For kicks, we’ve included a few more priceless #muslimrage tweets below:
Orders pancakes at IHOP, came with a side of bacon. #MuslimRage — Hamza Giron (@HamzaGiron) September 17, 2012
When there’s no prayer room in a mall #MuslimRage — S.Amirah (@MirCaius) September 17, 2012
Finding out marshmallows aren’t halal then questioning every rice krispy treat you ever ate. #MuslimRage — Meg Hixson (@MegHixson) September 17, 2012
Television ‘experts’ saying Iran is an “Arab” country.#MuslimRage — Juan Cole (@jricole) September 17, 2012
The Dark Knight Rises came out in Ramadan #muslimrage — Fatima(@oh_my_golly) September 17, 2012
When a “female assist” is called before I even walk through the metal detector. #muslimrage
— Dalia Mogahed (@DMogahed) September 17, 2012