On Sept. 11 anniversary, let's not let fear cripple us (Barf Alert!!!)

The Athens Banner-Herald ^ | 9/11/04 | By Aladdin Elaasar

[SittinYonder]

The anniversary of Sept. 11 will be painful for Arab and Muslim-Americans - as it will be for all Americans.

After the terrorist strikes, Arab and Muslim-Americans became targets for random hate and violence. They became the latest ethnic group to be singled out in an American time of crisis.

In the 1850s, Irish immigrants were persecuted.

During World War I, German immigrants were suspect.

During World War II, Americans of Japanese backgrounds bore the brunt of that conflict.

America's legacy of nativism - the intense opposition to an internal minority because of its supposed foreign connections - reared its head again.

About 3 million Arab-Americans and 7 million Muslim-Americans live in the United States. Sept. 11 has had a negative effect on many of their lives. Some have paid a hefty price, dealing with discrimination at schools and at the workplace, and even facing senseless and brutal hate crimes that have led to injury and death.

According to government statistics, hate crimes and discriminatory acts against Arab-Americans, Muslim-Americans or those perceived to be of Middle Eastern origins in the United States rose dramatically after Sept. 11.

Some in position of influence in the media or in the religious sector fanned these acts of hatred. On Sept. 13, 2001, columnist Ann Coulter, on National Review Online, said: "We should invade Muslim countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."

Televangelist Pat Robertson called Muslims "worse than Nazis." The Rev. Jerry Falwell labeled the Prophet Muhammad a "terrorist." The Rev. Franklin Graham called Islam "a very evil and wicked religion."

Fear spread through the Arab-American and Muslim-American communities.

The USA Patriot Act diminished the rights of immigrants and allowed the government to round up people by the hundreds and keep them, in secret, from their families.

The special registration of Arab and Muslim males in America terrified communities and broke up families, as some fathers were deported on the most minor technicalities.

Fear still pervades the Muslim-American and Arab-American communities. The horrific acts of terrorism by the Sept. 11 fanatics should not impugn the patriotism of these communities.

In the wake of Sept. 11, thousands of Arab and Muslim-Americans volunteered to serve in the U.S. armed services or in law enforcement. They are protecting us. And they should be thanked, not feared or scapegoated.

Instead, some see swift militaristic action against those who may resemble our enemies as being the best solution. But attacking innocent civilians around the globe will only inflame Arabs and Muslims and create more enemies.

Three years later, we must not let fear cripple us.

CAPTION: * Elaasar is author of "Silent Victims: The Plight of Arab & Muslim Americans in Post 9/11 America." The writer wrote this for Progressive Media Project, a source of liberal commentary on domestic and international issues; it is affiliated with The Progressive magazine.

[SittinYonder]

Athens Banner-Herald has no taste. Muslim writes editorial on third anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks!

[buckeyesrule]

****Televangelist Pat Robertson called Muslims "worse than Nazis." The Rev. Jerry Falwell labeled the Prophet Muhammad a "terrorist." The Rev. Franklin Graham called Islam "a very evil and wicked religion."***

Yup!

[Ptarmigan]

Sounds like Chicken Little to me, always whining about lost liberties. The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Now, don't get me wrong, I don't want to lose my freedoms, but they are being alarmists.

[buckeyesrule]

****On Sept. 13, 2001, columnist Ann Coulter, on National Review Online, said: "We should invade Muslim countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."***

She was right.

[SittinYonder]

I was just shocked that on the third anniversary of the sept. 11 attacks a newspaper let a muslim warn us about how we're losing security measures the muslims forced us to adopt.

[SittinYonder]

But attacking innocent civilians around the globe will only inflame Arabs and Muslims and create more enemies.

This is enough to make me want to inflame Arabs and Muslims and create some more enemies!

[SittinYonder]

Okay, after reading this editorial, I'm with you. Liberalizing the Muslims is a stupid idea - let's go with the messy hollow points

[Prime Choice]

After the terrorist strikes, Arab and Muslim-Americans became targets for random hate and violence.

Yep. A whopping 47 in one year following the 9/11 attacks, and the number has dropped every year since.

Now mind you, one such attack is too much, but that number pales in comparison to the sheer volume of Jews and Christians targeted for random hate and violence in Islamic countries and in countries sympathetic to Islam.

So these Liberals can kiss my American butt. Until they show the same outrage for the persecution that Christians and Jews get at the hands of their oh-so-beloved Muslims, they can cram it up their tailpipe.

[Ptarmigan]

We should go after the left, like the Muslims too. The left is doing what their Communist and Nazis bretherns had with Muslims. By the way, both were very sympathetic to Muslims, especially the Nazis. The Nazis wanted to form a Muslim empire during World War II.

[Prime Choice]

On Sept. 13, 2001, columnist Ann Coulter, on National Review Online, said: "We should invade Muslim countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.

She was right.

What's even more telling, the Liberals got more upset about Ann Coulter's remarks than the stated agenda of the terrorists that they wanted to invade Christian nations, kill their leaders and forcibly convert us to Islam.

[SittinYonder]

Everything I ever needed to know about Islam I learned on Sept. 11 -

I like that very much.

[Wardawg]

There is much to be said for the FDR approach to handling this sort of thing--internment camps. Michelle Malkin was most gutsy to write the book and Chhrissy Matthews was such a louse to her....screw him and his PMSNBCLSDBS.

[Commie Basher]

Athens Banner-Herald has no taste. Muslim writes editorial on third anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks!

So what? Why shouldn't an American -- whether Muslim, Jew, atheist or Christian -- write an editorial any damn day he pleases?

[Pete98]

In 2001 there were about 450 anti-Muslims "hate crimes" reported in the US. There were over 900 anti-Jewish "hate crimes" reported. Muslims are such crybabies.

[Dreagon]

Amazing isn't it. After an event like 9-11, in a country of ever 260 million people, you could have justifiably expected revenge killings across the country. Instead there is practically nothing, but somehow that still amounts persecuted moslems.

[SittinYonder]

They can write anything any time they like. IMO it's in bad taste to print it on Sept. 11, particularly considering the content.

[toupsie]

[cyborg]

Fear cripple us??? What utter crap. The only time I ever feared a muslim was marching in the West Indian Day parade and there a man milling in the crowd wearing a Palestinian SUICIDE BOMBER HEADBAND. Probably the only time I wanted to kick someone's ass. Should have too because when I went to turn around to find a police officer he was gone. He, like a lot of other people, assume the worst about Americans but I DON'T.

[cyborg]

How about anti-war protestors at the WTC site today holding up signs? These libs have no CLASS.

[SittinYonder]

In the wake of Sept. 11, thousands of Arab and Muslim-Americans volunteered to serve in the U.S. armed services or in law enforcement.

I'd like to see some statistics on this other than just taking this guy's word for it. Then I want to see where they did background checks on these "thousands" of Arab and Muslims.