“Ahmed urged television producers to embrace diversity and have more Muslim representation, or young people will feel alienated and will be more vulnerable to joining extremist groups. ‘If we fail to represent, we are in danger of losing people to extremism.'”
Ahmed’s victimhood narrative is self-contradictory. He was born in Wembley; he grew up in England. So presumably while he was growing up, young Muslims didn’t have any significant presence on British television — yet he himself wasn’t lost to “extremism.” If he wasn’t, why does he think any other Muslim will be? Clearly representation on television is not what determines whether or not a Muslim will join the jihad. Ahmed is simply engaging in more of the familiar victimhood posturing to which Muslim spokesmen so frequently resort. It must be extremely effective in obtaining for them special favors and accommodation.
“Star Wars Actor: Put Muslims On TV Or They Will Join ISIS,” by Andrew Kugle, Washington Free Beacon, March 3, 2017:
Star Wars actor Riz Ahmed gave some advice on how to fight the terror group ISIS.
During a Thursday speech to Channel 4’s annual diversity lecture in Parliament, Ahmed urged television producers to embrace diversity and have more Muslim representation, or young people will feel alienated and will be more vulnerable to joining extremist groups.
“If we fail to represent, we are in danger of losing people to extremism,” Ahmed said.
“In the mind of the Isis recruit, he’s the next James Bond right? Have you seen some of those Isis propaganda videos, they are cut like action movies,” he continued. “Where is the counter narrative? Where are we telling these kids they can be heroes in our stories, that they valued?”
Ahmed recently starred in Rouge One: A Star Wars Story as the defected imperial pilot Bodhi Rook. He has appeared on HBO’s “The Night Of” and “Girls.”…
Ahmed suggested that the government should take action to help solve the problem of diversity in British television. He suggest that the government withhold funds until there is minority representation.