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stop attacks on arab-americans!
As working people try to make sense of the recent tragedy that has taken place in New York and Washington D.C., a very dangerous mood towards Arabs and Arab Americans has emerged. This is in large part the result of irresponsible media coverage, as well as venomous and ignorant rants coming from some racist politicians, radio DJs and people in our communities.
An example of the type of irresponsible journalism that is fueling this is the repeated claims by certain syndicated radio DJ's that Arab Americans are celebrating the Sept. 11 attacks in cities across America, a claim that is completely false.
The results of this kind hate mongering, and outright fabrication, has been hundreds of attacks on Arabs, Arab-Americans, and Moslems across the country. These attacks range from physical attacks on Arab looking pedestrians, to the throwing of Molotov cocktails at Mosques.
Official Arab-American organizations are reporting that over 200 reported attacks have taken place since the Sept. 11 bombing. Undoubtedly, many more unreported attacks have occurred.
Racist vigilantes have fired live bullets at Mosques in various cities, as well as Arab owned businesses such as gas stations and restaurants. In Palo Heights a gas attendant was attacked with a machete by someone who thought he was Arabic. In Los Angeles, its been reported recently that an Egyptian shop owner was shot and killed.
Also, with the numerous patriotic rallies being held across the country, officially to unify the nation, have come a number of these anti-Arab attacks. For example, in Bridgeview, a mostly white Chicago area suburb, police had to stop several hundred white protesters who were marching on a nearby Mosque.
Many Arab-American families, fearing violence, are keeping their children from school. In many colleges across the country its been reported that a number of Arab students are afraid to attend classes. A number of Islamic worship services, and even Arab-American prayer vigils for the World Trade Center victims, have had to be protected by armed guards and police. Some Mosques have even been fired on with live bullets.
These attacks have to be stopped. Arab-Americans are among the dead in the World Trade Center, among the emergency crews trying desperately to rescue survivors in the rubble, and just like all working Americans, are mourning those who perished in the attacks. We in Youth for Socialist Action condemn the role that the media has played in creating this racist backlash, and the war frenzy in general.
