Katy Perry Blasted for Burning Allah Symbol in "Dark Horse" Video

[SEWER RAT]

Online petitioners ask YouTube to ban the pop star's new video over a controversial scene in which the world "Allah" disintegrates

 

Katy Perry has a recent trend toward elaborate and cartoonish cultural appropriation that hasn't exactlyendeared her to members of those communities. She was called out after performing "Unconditionally" at the AMAs with a regressive representation of Japanese culture, and now finds herself even deeper in controversy over a scene in her new video for "Dark Horse."

 

A movement has built on Twitter—and spilled over to a Change.org petition with over 15,000 signatures—to have the video banned on YouTube because of a scene where a man wearing a chain with the Arabic spelling of "Allah" on it disintegrates into dust.

 

You can see it happening clearly in the video below if you know what you're looking for. At the 1:15 mark, Perry zaps a man with lightning. He is wearing two chains (let's assume that in itself is not symbolism), both of which are easily recognizable: One, over the center of his chest, is the logo of Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group. The second, to the viewer's left, is the Arabic word for Allah.

 

Western depictions of Islam have a long history of being viewed as disrespectful by Muslims, and though the sight of the word "Allah" burning may not escalate up to death threats against Perry—who may not even be aware that it occurs in her video—a la South Park, it's certainly an argument for the hazards of viewing other cultures as themes.

 

 

 

 

 

source

 

When Gaga released Alejandro.

 

 

[Lipton]

She's going far..

[sane]

eh

[Lexurite]

I have my doubts they even knew it meant Allah "oh look at this egyptian looking necklace. isnt it cute" 

[Hyun.]

This is going too far into things, this is dumb tbh.

[youchewflopagain]

[RainStormRaider]

That's the least of her issues, tbh.

[Lipton]

I have my doubts they even knew it meant Allah "oh look at this egyptian looking necklace. isnt it cute" 

hahaha this! xD

[aripod]

I have my doubts they even knew it meant Allah "oh look at this egyptian looking necklace. isnt it cute" 

 

I doubt anyone's that ignorant. That's a language people speak and read/write. Time and work goes into these music videos.

[ArseneLupin]

Fuck this Babylonian Illuminati Skank

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDkx_fLcuD4

[Grape Soda]

She should just leave other cultures she don't know shit about alone

[Lexurite]

I doubt anyone's that ignorant. That's a language people speak and read/write. Time and work goes into these music videos.

 

Well it's not like Arabic is a well-known language or something.. Even after seeing the necklace, I can't remember it right now... So yes, I'm THAT ignorant, sorry.

[Gloupsidou]

yet no one bashed Gaga for using the antichrist sign in her vids 

 

#doublestandards

 

#fuckyouall

[Lipton]

She should just leave other cultures she don't know shit about alone

Preach! As a muslim, I'm offended, even if it wasn't on purpose of the video (I hope so).

[aripod]

Well it's not like Arabic is a well-known language or something.. Even after seeing the necklace, I couldn't remember it right now... 

 

But what I'm trying to say is that research goes into or should go into these things so it's not a reason to excuse them for it. It's just ignorant.

[blanc_imc]

I doubt anyone's that ignorant. That's a language people speak and read/write. Time and work goes into these music videos.

[Dasomkimfan]

I was hoping for her to carry on the witch theme for the video

[aripod]

yet no one bashed Gaga for using the antichrist sign in her vids 

 

#doublestandards

 

#fuckyouall

 

Lady Gaga's a known shit-stirrer too and I know a lot of people don't agree with her stupidity either. I think OP just made this topic to call out Katy's hypocrisy.

[Athena]

People getting worked up over this?

She obviously didnt know what it meant because she isn't fluent in Arabic. It was probably a prop that no one took a second glance at.

[Hanah-]

I have my doubts they even knew it meant Allah "oh look at this egyptian looking necklace. isnt it cute" 

 

[Lexurite]

yet no one bashed Gaga for using the antichrist sign in her vids 

 

#doublestandards

 

#fuckyouall

 

Especially when Gaga really wanted to trash a religion. The title of the song "Judas" speaks for itself.. While I think, in this case, muslims are taking it a bit too far, besides it's not like that dude was the only one to burn.. She also burn a dog, what PETA is doing ?   Anyway, I think if something should be said about this MV is about how tacky it looks and how it reminds of Illuminati...

[ShawolSONEexo]

She should just leave other cultures she don't know shit about alone

[Gloupsidou]

Lady Gaga's a known shit-stirrer too and I know a lot of people don't agree with her stupidity either. I think OP just made this topic to call out Katy's hypocrisy.

 

no, the difference here is Katy is just dumb while Lady Gaga did it ON PURPOSE.

 

 

Especially when Gaga really wanted to trash a religion. The title of the song "Judas" speaks for itself.. While I think, in this case, muslims are taking it a bit too far, besides it's not like that dude was the only one to burn.. She also burn a dog, what PETA is doing ?    Anyway, I think if something should be said about this MV is about how tacky it looks and how it reminds of Illuminati...

 

 

mte

 

and Gaga didn't get much shit for it, it actually skyrocketed her career. I'm just really pissed off at the double standards.

[RiseBrah]

 As a muslim, I'm offended,

Surprise, surprise, a muslim is offended

[Lexurite]

But what I'm trying to say is that research goes into or should go into these things so it's not a reason to excuse them for it. It's just ignorant.

 

Yeah of course. They should've asked what this necklace meant but I don't think they meant to offense muslims or something. If they wanted to go on that road, they would've made it more obvious, like Gaga in Judas or Madonna in Like A Prayer. They just think it was another random necklace or even if they knew it meant Allah maybe they didn't know it was forbidden by Islam ? Like, I didn't even know it was forbidden to burn something with Allah's name on it since I'm not muslim. So I think they were just ignorants.