Posted on 08/19/2006 6:07:18 AM PDT by CobaltBlue
Arab Americans are as diverse as the national origins and immigration experiences that have shaped their ethnic identity in the United States, with religious affiliation being one of the most defining factors. The majority of Arab Americans descend from the first wave of mostly Christian immigrants. Sharing the faith tradition of the majority of Americans facilitated their acculturation into American society, as did high intermarriage rates with other Christian ethnic groups. Even though many Arab Christians have kept their Orthodox and Eastern Rite church (Greek Catholic, Maronite, Coptic) affiliations, which have helped to strengthen ethnic identification and certain rituals, their religious practices have not greatly distinguished them from the Euro-centric American culture. Roughly two-thirds of the Arab population identifies with one or more Christian sect.
(Excerpt) Read more at aaiusa.org ...
As has often been pointed out, security screening for El Al focuses on profiling and security for El Al ranks amongst the most successful in the world.
The key is common sense.
Even though hundreds of thousands of Americans, such as the late Danny Thomas, have Arab ancestry, they are visibly and audibly Americans.
Our Political Correctness, however, prevents us from giving special attention even to groups of obviously Arab men with Arab Muslim names with foreign accents as thick as three day old couscous.
During the Battle of the Bulge, U.S. troops resorted to racial profiling when English-speaking Germans in American uniforms infiltrated American lines. G.I's grilled other G.I.'s about "who won the World Series in 1941" and "who was Andy Hardy's girlfriend".
Such grilling, however, was reserved for white G.I.'s and black G.I.'s delivering supplies in the Red Ball Express were not treated with such suspicion. It was common sense to suspect that a white guy in an American uniform might be a Nazi inflitrator. It was not common sense to suspect that a black guy in an American uniform might be a Nazi inflitrator.
When in doubt, resort to common sense.
Have you read the article? There are Arabs who are NOT Muslim.
It is not the Arabs that we need to get rid of, it is the Muslims.
Why even European (nobody is white)? Most Albanians and Bosnians are Muslims and European, while only some five percent of Filipinos are Muslim (there are more Roman Catholics, around 80%, and Protestants (including nonProtestant cultists Mormons, etc.), around 10%.
Some of the freepers posting so far do seem to be definitely racist.
It's time, then, for Arab Christian immigrants to the United States to stand up for Jesus Christ, and to tell openly what makes them a Christian and not a Muslim. If most Arab Americans are Christians, this "coming out" would have a great impact! It would likely set many Muslims in the USA back on their heels!
And just HOW are security personnel supposed to know they are Christians? Do they display some OTHER physical mark that would tell them so? Or do they look like arabs?
It is beyond stupid to NOT profile middle eastern men in the target age- and if they are Christians and good Americans, they will understand WHY.
What does it take to satisfy your demand that they "stand up for Jesus Christ"? Is going to church, reading the Bible, praying, and living according to the precepts of Christ sufficient?
AMEN and AMEN!
I'm Christian and a good American, and I don't understand why you're asking what you're asking.
If we target young men, they'll use older men.
If we target men, they'll use women.
If we target people with "funny names" they'll use people with names like Johnny.
But your posted article waxes enthusiastic about - for example - the "vibrant" predominantly Moslem community in Michigan, most specifically in Dearborn. That is the epicenter of anti-American jihadist sentiment where pro-Hezballah, anti-American sympathies have been very much in evidence in the streets, especially during the recent (or current?) Middle East War.
BTW, the article is from the web site of the Arab American Institute, which, it seems, makes no real effort to distance itself from the Islamic fascists (yes, President Bush used the correct term) that are a cancer on their community.
Like they say in the Mexican Marines, "el tougho sh!to!"
Like the remainder of us Christians, personal evangelism in obedience to the Great commission. And especially at this time, when they can see that they might be identified incorrectly as Muslims, let them publish openly and strongly why they are Christians, and not Muslims. I would be most interested in hearing their testimonies as to how they came to know Christ, and it would be a great witness for our nation to hear their testimonies.
I am not, by the way, seeking any satidfaction for my self or for my own purposes, as your post tends to imply.
Too often, people use the generic "Arab" to refer to our enemies in the WOT. We are not at war with Arabs. We are at war with Islamic fascists. The Taliban and Iranians are NOT Arabs.
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