The final 2 episodes of 24 Monday night left viewers with questions about the show's hero Jack Bauer (portrayed by Kiefer Sutherland) asking to speak to a Muslim imam on his supposed deathbed. I checked on http://www.fox.com/24, the official 24 site, and there are some discussions on the forum about Jack Bauer seeing a Muslim imam on his deathbed.
Click these links to view current discussions:
Ironic twist- Jack coverts to Islam
Jack turns Muslim? Ha!
It is interesting that 24 initially gained extreme popularity after 9/11, especially with conservatives (I have been a huge fan of 24 since Day 1), due to its focus on terrorism, specifically fanatical Muslim, or Jihadist, terrorists. (Even popular conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, for example, stated that he is a huge fan of this show, at least he used to be. Rush Limbaugh has mentioned that he had flown in to Los Angeles to be a special backstage guest at the 24 studio a few years ago.)
Somewhere down the road, 24 was criticized for being politically incorrect, and eventually an official and very politically correct apology was made (I believe by Kiefer Sutherland), regarding the Muslim issue, during one of the commercial breaks. Was an apology really necessary?
Now the final episode depicts Jack Bauer as looking up to the Muslim imam as, evidently, the only religious person he could think of to talk to during his last few breaths on earth. I guess the producers (and Kiefer Sutherland, the actor who portrays Jack Bauer, is one of the producers of 24) have now decided to carry their political correctness to the extreme. Why did the producers of 24 ever feel the need to please and pacify the Muslim community in the first place? Do they honestly think that the viewers don't know what they're trying to do? Why not have Jack Bauer call in his family Christian pastor, for example? Maybe Jack Bauer has always been an atheist.
Don't get me wrong. I'm glad that Jack Bauer chose to talk to someone with some kind of spiritual authority, and I would like to mention that the actor who portrays the Muslim imam does so with just the right spiritual touch. It's just disturbing that while the praise of the virtues of a Muslim imam are portrayed, the possibility of a Christian pastor's ability to give counsel are completely ignored, especially in light of the fact that 24 has many conservative viewers who might also happen to be Christians. 24 fans are wondering if Jack Bauer has now converted to Islam.
I think the producers of 24 should, in the future, focus their attention on two things: their original purpose for this show, and excellent writing, rather than being so overly concerned about being politically correct. After all, it wasn't political correctness that made this show popular in the first place. It was the show's strong stance against Islamic terrorism, particularly the Jihad branch adhered to by Jihadist terrorists, that made 24, and the American hero Jack Bauer, one of the most popular series in the history of television.
My Related Links
Annie Wersching, Alias 24's Renee Walker, Deserves Best Actress Emmy Carlos Bernard, Alias 24's Tony Almeida, Deserves Best Actor Emmy
24: Will Jack Bauer Be Dead Or Alive In Season 8?
See Jack Bauer In Season 7 On Blu-Ray Now! - Purchase Season 7 On My Site!
Subscribe to my site.
Conservative Wordsmith Susan Baldwin, author of CONSERVATIVE WORDSMITH.COM, appreciates your thoughts and comments.
Posts
Hi. I'm a Muslim and I just watched the season finale online. I first thought the same thing - Jack Bauer a Muslim? But after some thought, I don't think that is the case. I think that Jack (who we can now assume is a man that believes in God) was looking for solace in his final moments and he sought a man with whom he had previously fostered a bond of understanding. I find it unlikely that Jack Bauer, who had previously shown no interest in Islam theologically speaking, would suddenly become a Muslim.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I don't think Jack Bauer or 24 owes anything to conservative Christians. 24 is not a Christian show and was not meant to be tailored for Christians, so the idea that Bauer should have attempted to seek Christian council before Muslim council when no disclosure of his faith (if he has one; he could be a deist) is probably a bit dramatic.
But I do thank you for not using this particular post (I haven't read your others) as an opportunity to bash Muslims, as some might have done.
As a real devoted FORMER FAN of 24 - I am saddened. I told one of the marketing people that I was not going to watch the finale - but, to give it a fair shake (sheik?) I did.
ReplyDeleteNow I am not only sorry that I watched it - I am Mad As Hell. The stinking POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, rampant MULTICULTURALISM and ISLAMIC IMAM ASS-KISSING that has crept into this - formerly great - series along with Jannet Garofoolo (a bad comedian and crap ANTI-AMERICAN actress) - is flatly RANK and betrays the true Far Left spirit that is motivating the producers and driving this show - hopefully into BANKRUPTCY.
The Imam bit was the last straw for me and - as I read the internet - hundreds of thousands of other former "fans." Do these producers and writers forget that it was Radical Islam that powered the terrorists who murdered 3000+ of our American Brothers and Sisters on September 11, 2001?
I believe that Americans are SICK AND TIRED of being PUT UPON with the political PROPAGANDA that tries to pass as "entertainment." As a Behavioral Scientist and former student of Propaganda I can tell you that the "formula" goes like this: "Tell them 90 percent of what they want to hear and they will BUY the 10 percent that YOU want them to believe."
Sorry 24 America is onto you. Let's hope that your sponsors junk you and your sleazy attempt to propoagandize Americans dies along with the Imam loving Jack Bower and.
I - for one - will be contacting them and voicing my extreme displeasure toward your program. I can only hope that everyone else who is as DISGUSTED WITH YOU as I am will DO THE SAME.
One very FUNNY thing is that the Leftists don't like you and we Conservatives are tuning you out. Guess you know what that means - or do you even CARE?
Aidios you scuzball Leftists.
I think the episode with the imam was a way for the show to demonstrate its "sensitivity" to Muslims and to apologize to Muslims. I don't agree with this new politically correct attitude. It was difficult enough to endure troll-ugly, Lefty Jeanine Gerafalo all season, so the imam deathbed episode was a downer. If 24 continues on its pc track next season, I'll tune out.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't bother me one bit - it is just entertainment. I do think it was a way to apologize to those Muslim's that complained (or more precisely the political correctness movement) - that part I didn't agree with, but I personally did get two things from this part of the show -
ReplyDelete1. That we can find God in the most unsuspecting places.
2. That everyone must pray for and reconcile with our enemies in some form or another.
Jack didn't recite the Shahaada (I think that is what you call it - the equivalent of the apostles creed) and Jack wasn't around Pastors.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog through Twitter.
I'm very conservative and very protective on national security matters. Radical Islam poses a most dangerous threat to us, and I don't think we should let down our guard on that.
However, that said, after watching the show, in which I was disappointed in for several reasons (the whole season), I find that I agree with Funmi S. and Greg. I was not offended by Jack asking for the man he had formerly wrongly (understandably) accused, who had then been willing to help him find the other young man.
The Imam had shown understanding previously, and I took Jack's asking for him as wanting someone whom he felt he could speak to, and perhaps make amends to that particular man, not to all of Islam. Their small interaction was a nice touch, I thought.
I don't think he converted; we didn't see anything like that. Just one man, scared and believing that he is going to die very soon, asking to speak with another man who had shown him reason, forgiveness, and had helped in a small way to prevent the attack.
I do believe it was most likely meant to be an apology to the Muslim community. Not sure one was needed; the members of our entertainment community should not be afraid to portray radical Islamists as bad guys, as this is a truth. But also showing that not all Muslims are radical terrorists is OK with me. I do think the Muslim community should not be so quick to criticize.
Extreme fundamentalist sects that claim to be Christian have been portrayed as bad guys in the past, and as a Christian, I don't take offense at that.
I don't think Bauer has become Muslim. I doubt Bauer has a family pastor. That just seems idiotic, considering his job and the fact that he practically has no family. After all Kim was in LA and Jack was all over the world before being caught in Africa. He simply asked for the Imam because he was the only spiritual person that Bauer bonded with and because he realized that the man understood him. Remember Bauer believes he is going to die, and he sent away his daughter and Agent Walker. Everyone else he knows is dead or in custody.
ReplyDeleteI do have an issue with this blog though. If the only reason conservatives watch it is because it addresses "Jihadist issues" then they should stop. As a matter of fact if people take the show too seriously they should stop. 24 is its own little universe and people should watch it for its story telling abilities, and its action, not for their political ideology. If someone wants that then they should go read Marx or Jefferson or Lincoln or Aristotle or whoever else they want. Please don't take your views from a tv show, its too stupid.
I am left of middle on economics and libertarian on social issues and I love 24. I find most conservatives are exact opposites of me, right and authoritarian.