Arabic-language media credentials could damage Arab-American careers

Evidence

Nine months ago everything was different. It was spring, and Omar felt he had it all locked up. He had just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He’d been popular at school and had earned a decent GPA. And, most important, he had interned with one of the most recognizable media organizations in the world, the Arabic news network Al Jazeera. After this experience he thought landing a job would be a cakewalk. But nothing has happened, and since then a question has been increasingly gnawing at him. Could it be that American media organizations won’t hire him because they find an Arab-American with Al Jazeera credentials too problematical? Rather than launching him toward the major media, Al Jazeera’s reputation might be holding him down. Omar’s spring of hope has turned into a winter of discontent. — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 700 (#expands, via linked claim)

Then I asked him if he thinks the problem is one of discrimination. … “I think so. I definitely think so,” he said, but then he backed up. “I mean, to be honest, I have friends who have graduated who have jobs. So I’m not going to just go ahead and say that it is something targeted ethnically against us. I think it’s just the fact that I worked for a company that is looked down heavily upon by the wealthier class, the people who hire, the hirers, you know. — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 806 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Arab-language education was smeared as terrorist by guilt-by-association campaigns — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 670; Arab-Americans erased legitimate credentials to pass job screening; Al Jazeera experience may disqualify Arab-Americans from US media jobs — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 700 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Al Jazeera experience may disqualify Arab-Americans from US media jobs #expands (0.95) — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 700
• Job discrimination against Arab applicants is entangled with stigma over Al Jazeera employment #expands (0.93) — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 806