Brian Trat
Sec A01
Blog #6

Response to "Monster, Terrorist, Fag: The War on Terrorism and the Production of Docile Patriots"

     In the wake of a terrorist attack, like those seen on the morning of September 11, 2001, the state will enter into a frenzy of creating an enemy monster. The state will attempt to align their actions along a moral compass. This monster will be a stark contrasts with whatever national values are to be promoted at the time. Jasbir K. Paur and Amit S. Rai argue that one of the ways in which the Orient is classified as an other, was the media machine's rabid attempt to make a caricature out of the Middle-Eastern terrorist. Osama bin Laden and his affiliates were emasculated to make them appear weaker and ridiculous. Paur and Rai also argue that the national media embraced heteronormativity as the epitome of righteousness and all other foreign modes of knowledge were to be shunned. Sexual deviancy were reserved to the monsters that were homosexual or transgender. By positioning terrorists as both un-American and sexual deviants, the first step was established in creating a national-consensus of who to attack. 

     This clear distinction between ally and enemy monster is advantageous to the state and their mission for unity and control in a period of national vulnerability. Given this context, "in the name of patriotism, a double-framed reality and a double movement of power tie together the production of docile patriots," ready to enact counter-terrorism for the lofty motives of "democracy, liberty, and freedom."

Question: Once the United States becomes more accepting to other sexualities and ethnicities, what qualities could be used to create an enemy?