Posted on 09/18/2001 1:15:18 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
Just received the following plea via email:
Friends,Amid all the horror that the events of September 11 brought to our nation are news reports of attacks and threats against Arab Americans around the country. In Arizona, a Sikh Indian man (a Hindu, not a Moslem) was just murdered, most likely by someone who confused a darker skinned man in traditional dress with someone of Arab descent. The attack was only the worst example of an unfortunate vigilantism that seems to be popping up in a number of places. It is an ugly way to honor the memory of the people of many races, creeds and religions who died last Tuesday.
It is not only un-American to discriminate because of race, religion or national origin; those who do so risk creating divisions within the United States where none need exist, and cause the world to shake its head in wonder at how quickly the terrorists have succeeded in changing our country into something it wasn't before their hideous deeds.
For those whose hearts are now hardening out of an understandable feeling of fear and vulnerability, one should remember that the language skills and overseas contacts of Arab Americans will likely prove to be invaluable in defeating the terrorists. There is a historical precedent--after World War II, the mobilization of the Italian-American community here in defense of freedom was crucial in avoiding a communist takeover of Italy in the post-war period.
In the past few days our national political leadership has rightly pointed to the many contributions made by Arab Americans to our way of life, as professionals, taxpayers, friends and neighbors. In the days and weeks ahead, we should all be vocal in our condemnation of the voices of hate and unreason. If you know someone of Arab descent, now is the time to be a friend in deed; if you know of an Arab-American owned business in your area, you may want to patronize it now with even greater frequency, as a sign to those who would want us to live in terror--and those who would "defend" us through hate--that their tactics didn't work.
Please send this message to as many people as you can.
God Bless America!
Mick Andersen
Churchton, Maryland
Thanks,
Jim Robinson
I think the adrenaline from the attack has escalated the FR rhetoric in some places/threads.
Some of us, including me, are channeling our anger at a distant enemy,
which is frustratingly elusive,
inappropriately toward each other around TINY, mostly esoteric, doctrinal difficulties or minor semantic or philosophic differences.
In some cases, FReepers who generally agree with each other are engaged in mutual self-immolation
(or "reciprocal immolation":
I think I may have seen, and perhaps been, part of this phenomenon, too.)
Most inapproporate when we need to be "focused on & UNITED against" a REAL & Dangerous enemy.
AMEN.
& Sorry for being a part of it,
(even if I was generally unwisely REACTING to flame-throwers).
FReegards,
(I will also TRY to refrain from wishing some FReepers "Have a Nice Day", shich is my most violent
--- & desperate, last ditch, --
form of counter-attack.)
;^)
What the hell do SIKHS have to do with terrorism? Are you stupid?
Actually I don't discuss it too much with my kids but they see it at school and they have friends so they can't be completely isolated from reality. I'm not the kind of parent who believes in total isolation and telling fairy tales to my kids.
As far as being foreign looking I don't know exactly what you mean by that, I live in an area with mostly immigrants and they blend in pretty well as far as looks with the native born. But they aren't the kind of foreigners who are dressing in robes so maybe that's what you mean.
What makes me more sad is the Jewish woman I talked with who was telling me about all the security guards they have in the back of the synagogue this week and she got tears in her eyes describing how that looked and felt. Once there was a time where except for a rare exception, people in the USA had freedom of religion and could pray in a synagogue without fears of being targeted for a mass killing, because most people don't think this ended with those 19 dead hijackers. It's bad that they let in all these people who can't accept freedom and peace but are bringing terror to all Americans.
Frist of all, he's not a Hindu, he's a Sikh. They are different things. But your right. Attacking an innocent Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, or anyone for what happened is wrong.
However, I'm a little troubled by the phrase "the sins of Islam." It's not Islam that atacked us, it's a few cowardly terrorist animals who are distorting the name of Islam.
Every Islamic, non citizen should have been expelled September the 12th. They are the sea the Islamic terrorists swim in. There should be civil rights for citizens and human rights for those who are not.
Keep it simple. How many Islamic Terrorists sypathizers have been turned over by Islamic citizens?
How do we know what the motives of the murders were? Most Indian shopkeepers around here are not shot because of their dark skin, but in spite of it!
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