[Anamensis]

To the "Arab racist" accusation, I would say, "If your fears are based entirely on race, perhaps. If you are afraid to fly with old Arab men and women, Arab families with small children, Arab teenaged couples who are holding hands and giggling off in a corner, and so forth, that's racist because you are suspecting them solely on the basis of race. But if you are only afraid of certain types, you are also factoring in sex, age, apparent occupation, and apparent family status. Thus you are not racist."

I would also add that, as they would extend their sympathy to any African-American whose family had been killed by the Klan, and would understand if they simply feared white men after that, they should extend the same sympathy to fellow Americans. If they CANNOT, that means they are holding Americans to higher standards than they are holding other groups to, and that is the soft bigotry of lowered expectations. That is, they secretly expect better of Americans because they secretly think we are more sophisticated than the "ethnic" types for whom they would make excuses.

[Yaelle]

...and that is the soft bigotry of lowered expectations. That is, they secretly expect better of Americans because they secretly think we are more sophisticated than the "ethnic" types for whom they would make excuses.

Bless you! Where were you when I was on the phone with him earlier? I needed that! "The soft bigotry of lowered expectations" indeed! I used similar arguments during the biligual ed debates. I had to learn 2 different languages as an adult, and lo and behold I did it, and was able to work. WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE if we don't believe others as capable?!

Thanks; this is a GREAT point, using their own point against them.