And it begins...

[Gilly Bean]

Dearborn Deals With Tension Over Attacks
Arab-American Leaders Denounce Terrorist Act
Posted: 8:24 p.m. EDT September 11, 2001
Updated: 12:50 a.m. EDT September 12, 2001

DEARBORN, Mich.-- Two men were arrested for allegedly assaulting an Arab-American man in Dearborn Tuesday, where the Middle East population is once again having to defend itself in the wake of a terrorist act.


Arab Leaders Address Increased Tensions


Tensions in the community are being monitored closely in light of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon Tuesday morning that left hundreds of people dead and an undetermined mass unaccounted for.

Speculation has connected suspected terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden to the attack, and officials are looking to the Middle East. Dearborn has a large concentration of Arabs and is the core of the region's Arab-American community of about 300,000.

the state of California's Arab-American population is larger, but metro Detroit has a denser concentration.

Mayor Michael Guido told Local First News that the city has doubled police patrols, and that residents have remained calm.

Arab-Americans paint a slightly different picture.

One man was reportedly assaulted Tuesday, after a confrontation with two men, Local First News reports. Racial tensions may have played a role in the attack.

Some Arab-American business owners also reported receiving telephone threat, Local First News reported.

Ford Motor Co., headquartered in Dearborn, let workers go home shortly after the attack. The automaker said that it will close all of its plants nationwide and in Canada after the second shift.

Dearborn City Hall was closed at 3 p.m.

The Arab-American Community Center, a Dearborn-based civic and political group released a statement that denouncing the attacks and pledging their community's support.

"We are in the midst of a national nightmare of unimaginable proportions. Arab Americans like all Americans are transfixed by this tragedy. We have family and friends who worked in the World Trade Center and for the federal government. We mourn for those who lost their lives and those who were injured," center officials said.

 

[plasticman33]

A sad commentary........

Ethnicity should not play a role. This was an act of fanatics, not Arab Americans!

 

[Gilly Bean]

Local Arab Community Fears Retaliation

From Gina Silva

Talk of U.S. retaliation against the Arab world is fueled by images of wild partying in the streets of East Jerusalem. Now Muslims around the country and here in Southern California fear a vicious back-lash.

They hit the streets celebrating the horrible attack against America. In East Jerusalem, Palestinians young and old showed their incredible joy to know that thousands of innocent Americans had been killed in these terrorist attacks.

"No haven for terrorists, no haven for terrorist," went the chants. It's no surprise many angry Americans are responding like this.

"They killed thousands of innocent people. Mourn our innocence. Let them suffer, kill them!" said Bob Zigulis.

But who, exactly, is that anger directed at? According to Omar Ricci of the Islamic Center, innocent Muslim-Americans are now facing the wrath without having done a thing.

"We've already received a number of phone calls this morning from people saying everything you can imagine and saying we're going to come and get you. We're going to bomb you so on and so forth," said Ricci. He's taking these threats seriously. Ricci says already he's received reports that a couple of innocent Arab cab drivers in New York were attacked today.

"We have contacted various law enforcement authorities to ask them for a measure of protection because we do feel there could be kooks out there who will want to do something."

Ricci says members of the Islamic community here in L.A. are praying for all the victims and they are appalled at these horrific acts of terrorism.

"American Muslims wholeheartedly condemn this and are not part of any such activity and that it's against the faith of Islam to engage in such activity."

And the Islamic Center will be holding prayer meetings at noon all week long.

 

[Gilly Bean]

http://www.aaan.org/


http://www.aaiusa.org/

 

[Gilly Bean]

Re: A sad commentary........

Ethnicity should not play a role. This was an act of fanatics, not Arab Americans!

That's exactly how I feel as well. Unfortuantly, many people out there are not willing to wait around to find out who did this. People did this, not races.

 

[Starfish]

Toledo Ohio has a huge Muslim American Population. We have a beautiful Mosk and everything here. It is amazing. I could never imagine attacking a neighbor. They are Americans!!!!










Here is the Mosque down the road from my house.
Isn't it beautiful? I love seeing it.

 

[Starfish]

Ooopsie!

 

[plasticman33]

Yes, I've seen that mosque, Starfish!

Just south of Toledo. It is quite beautiful.

I'm just a little east of Cleveland.

 

[RudeNastyAssBitch]

If Only

Everyone Could Have Our Tolerance And Not Jump To Such Conclusions.

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

Re: A sad commentary........

AAAcccckkk! Double post!

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

Re: A sad commentary........

Ethnicity should not play a role. This was an act of fanatics, not Arab Americans!

Agreed, but amended: Or Arabs in general, or muslims, or any other ethnicity/religion in general. It is a very small group of fanatcis as you said.

Unfortunately, the number of stupid and bigoted people outnumber those who are trying to keep calm, and any excuse to go out and bash somebody is readily jumped on.

STG

 

[plasticman33]

Re: Re: A sad commentary........

Agreed, but amended: Or Arabs in general, or muslims, or any other ethnicity/religion in general. It is a very small group of fanatcis as you said.

Unfortunately, the number of stupid and bigoted people outnumber those who are trying to keep calm, and any excuse to go out and bash somebody is readily jumped on.

STG

I think in some cases it just provides an excuse for the bigots to lash out at people they were prejudiced against, without any logical reason, in the first place. Which in turn makes them not much better than the fanatics who caused the whole mess.