NEWS
DisFUNKtional Family:
A Racist Film and the Sikh Response
April 4, 2003
USA
Miramax's
film "DysFUNKtional Family" opened today with the ignorant jokes
made by the star, Eddie Griffin, referring to a Sikh man as "bin
Laden" intact.
Miramax had been running previews of the movie, DysFUNKtional Family, in theaters, on websites and on television channels across the United States. In the trailer, Griffin rants, "I can't understand why they can't find Osama bin Laden, 6-foot-6 with a nappy beard and a towel on his head. But they can find my cousin, 4-foot-11 in Compton! . . . Who the [bleep] they got hunting this mother [bleeper]? Gomer Pyle?" At the end of the trailer, Griffin is shown outside yelling at an elderly Sikh man walking by, "Bin Laden! I knew you was around here! Gonna getcha! Told you I'd find him myself."
A studio spokesman told the publication pagesix.com that Griffin is an equal-opportunity offender. "He laughs at everyone's expense," the spokesman said. In one bit, Griffin vows he could find bin Laden with "five Bloods, five Crips, four Mexicans and three rednecks. But no one is finding this funny. And coming from an African-American, himself a minority, is surprising. "(Incidentally, the pagesix.com article posted incorrect information, without consultation, when it wrongly stated that "Sikhs are a Hindu sect.")
According to Preet Mohan Singh of SMART, when the film was discovered in February, attempts were made to have a pre-release screening to assess the impact of the remarks in full context. But after weeks of being given the run-around, Miramax declined. SMART and the Sikh Coalition had also written to Miramax, but the company did not respond in any meaningful way to provide evidence that it is concerned about the defamation of the Sikh people.
SMART has now retained the law firm
of Krovatin & Associates, LLC. On March 27, a letter from the firm
to Miramax stated that "if Miramax does not take prompt and appropriate
action prior to the release of the film, Miramax, together with other
responsible entities, will be held accountable."
The release of this film is especially disturbing considering the heightened potential for hate crimes against Sikhs due to current world events. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently expressed concerns about "vigilante attacks and other hate crimes" against Sikhs and others as backlash to the War in Iraq. (FBI National Press Office, February 28, 2003.)
Sikh advocacy groups feel that an email campaign combined
with protests must be initiated to force Miramax to come to the table
to discuss this issue. SikhNet
has started a letter-writing campaign. The Sikh Coalition has posted a
petition
addressed to Harvey Weinstein, President of Miramax Films (NY), asks that:
"While we advocate freedom of expression, we also recognize a corporate
and moral responsibility to ethical business practices that should guide
your decision-making process. Your movie is a vehicle towards defamation
of the Sikhs worldwide. In addition to immediately editing or removing
the preview trailer on your corporate website and on websites of your
affiliates we request Miramax to:
1. Issue an apology to Sikhs worldwide.
2. Remove all objectionable portions of the film from the full-length
version of Dysfunktional Family immediately.
3. Remove all objectionable material on Sikhs from the aforementioned
preview trailer.
4. Design and implement a program to educate Miramax employees and others
about the Sikh religion and its articles of faith.
5. Contribute towards the image building of the Sikhs.
If a satisfactory response is not received, these organizations will seek
further action against Miramax and its corporate partners immediately."
The trailer to "DysFUNKtional Family" is available on www.miramax.com. Scroll down to the bottom and click on "The Miramax FeedRoom." The film is the second one on the left.