Thursday, September 14, 2006
Managing global images
This is one of zillions of wire service pictures taken this week in connection with various services in memory of the people al Qaeda slaughtered on September 11, 2001. Most are inspiring, some are depressing, and a few are contemptible. The picture at right, however, is all of these, depending on who you are. George and Laura Bush are standing on a carpet that includes a depiction of an American flag. There is either nothing wrong with that or it is a sign of contempt, depending on who you are.
In the United States, we have come to distinguish between the flag itself -- which must be handled with great respect -- and flag imagery, and we put flag imagery on all sorts of things. We also don't -- as a general rule -- view feet as particularly unclean or inherently offensive (although in specific cases they certainly can be). Most Americans would not automatically think there was anything offensive about a carpet with an American flag image, or walking on such a carpet. (True, the Flag Code, which is so old that it refers to 48 stars, does say that "[t]he flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever [or] embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard," but even patriotic conservatives rejoice in all these things today. I especially approve of flag bikinis, by the way.)
Other people -- Arabs, for instance -- feel quite differently. When news stories depict or describe Arabs throwing their shoes or walking on the thing for which they hold contempt, the helpful reporter explains what it all means to the clueless Westerner. This is to the good, because it furthers our understanding of other cultures. "Don't sit with your feet facing your Arab guest. Check."
Unfortunately, nobody seems to be doing the reverse -- explaining American traditions to the Arabs. The anti-American wing of the Arab blogosphere is very much enjoying the picture of the President above, and already imagining that the White House will claim that it was Photoshopped. Er, no. It is unlikely that any American reporter will demand that the President explain himself.
The reaction does suggest, though, that our officials have not yet perfectly adapted their public relations practices to a global audience.
1 Comments:
By 
Georg Felis, at
Thu Sep 14, 04:22:00 PM:
There’s a flag in that picture to the left? Nope, don’t see it
