For centuries the Arab has played the role of villain, seducer, hustler and thief -- the barbarian lurking at the gates of civilization. In the late 20th Century new images emerged: the fanatical terrorist and the suicide bomber. Arabs have become the all-purpose villains or buffoons across all American media, including books, films, television, and computer games.

Arabface refers to the creation and propagation of racist Arab stereotypes and caricatures. The word Arab is primarily used to describe people from the Middle East. Despite the fact that the Middle East is comprised of different countries, with diverse cultures, beliefs and a variety of religions, the people are often characterized by one term, "Arabs." Many people think that all Arabs are Muslims and all Muslims are Arabs but the truth is that there are millions of Arabs who are not Muslims and millions of Muslims who are not Arabs. Iranians, for instance, are Persians, not Arabs. They do not speak Arabic, nor do they have Semitic origins. For many Americans the word Arab is convenient shorthand that references a relatively small number of stereotypical images.

The Terrorist is a mad dog who is happy to sacrifice his life to kill women and children, and because he'll get 79 virgins in heaven.

The Burka is a robe with only a mesh opening for the eyes. Arab women have to dress this way so they don't excite men who cannot control their sexual urges if they see a wrist or an ankle.

All sellers in the market are hagglers who ask outrageous prices for their goods, but they will cut their prices to the bone in the face of any resistance. In Appointment With Death (1988) Lauren Bacall says, Arabs "have a nose for bargaining."