[Peace-discuss] Racism towards Muslims

[Alfred Kagan]

Yes, that is why we are working on a new pamphlet and have working to 
get the Univ. to do something to protest Muslims against the new 
"special registration."  There is a new legal aid fund.

At 1:12 AM -0600 1/22/03, John Fettig wrote:
>In the hopes of starting a discussion on the topic, I'd like to toss an
>idea into this circle.  It has come to my attention that anti-Muslim
>sentiment seems to be spreading in america like a black plague.  It
>seems we hear on the news all too often about a man who is under
>investigation, and they never forget to mention that he is Muslim.
>
>For instance, tonight I heard a brief story about a house that was
>raided by the FBI for the second time, and it sounded like the scoop was
>that the previous owner was Muslim!
>
>Another example is the anti-war ad in the Wall Street Journal.  While I
>was extremely happy to see this ad which supports our cause on ending
>war, after my excitement died down and I read it again, I was struck by
>the paragraph which reads something like (if you like, I can dig it up
>and quote it precisely) "There are 1 billion Muslims in this world, and
>there is a steady trickle of them into the Al Queda.  If we go to war in
>Iraq, we will turn this trickle into a torrent, and we don't want to
>create 1 billion enemies."
>
>The racism contained is subtle, but I think it is important that we
>recognize it and make sure it doesn't happen again (and speak out
>against it!)  Did anyone else notice that paragraph, and see the racism?
>I believe that comments like these are among the most dangerous, because
>they sneak into your thoughts without the warning signs and buzzers
>going off that these are racist ideas.
>
>I am fearful that if we don't stand up and speak out against racism
>directed towards Muslims, we could end up in a society that is poised to
>make some serious (read: WWII Germany-like) mistakes.
>
>Somebody please help me with the story, I am sure that there are
>hundreds of examples of racial profiling done by the FBI and many other
>stories which need to be told.
>
>John Fettig
>
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-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu