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19.3.17 0027
The 7 - Current Events & Politics - Arab Americans and Civil Liberties
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Stilton
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#1 Posted on 18.12.04 0020.17
Reposted on: 18.12.11 0021.15
RYDER FAKIN was vigilant enough to post this story on the wrestling board in the Hassan discussion thread, however I feel there is probably more to discuss than this story's potential on impact on a wrestling angle/character, and so I am posting it here for a more general discussion.

The link:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041218/ap_on_re_us/muslims_civil_liberties

* * *

In U.S., 44 Percent Say Restrict Muslims

By WILLIAM KATES, Associated Press Writer

ITHACA, N.Y. - Nearly half of all Americans believe the U.S. government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans, according to a nationwide poll.

The survey conducted by Cornell University also found that Republicans and people who described themselves as highly religious were more apt to support curtailing Muslims' civil liberties than Democrats or people who are less religious.

Researchers also found that respondents who paid more attention to television news were more likely to fear terrorist attacks and support limiting the rights of Muslim Americans.

* * *

Could anyone have guessed that the percentage would be so high? I'm actually shocked!

I can't help but the think of the internment of American, Canadian, and Australian citizens of Japanese descent during World War Two. All three countries, awash in a tide of ignorance and fear, were gripped by a kind of racially motivated hysteria after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and citizens of each country who happened to be of Japanese descent were rounded up and imprisoned in internment camps. It was perhaps the greatest mass injustice perpetrated in Western democratic history (obviously, I'm not including Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia as democracies).

A little background:
http://www.lib.utah.edu/spc/photo/9066/9066.htm
http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW2/japan_internment_camps.htm
http://www.teacheroz.com/Japanese_Internment.htm

Is it possible that this many people could not have learned from the mistakes of the past? Could something like this ever happen again? This pole regarding the civil liberties of American citizens of Arab descent seems to indicate that it could happen. This is highly disturbing on every level.

EDIT: I realise the AP story says "Muslim" and not "Arab", though I would also like to point out that white Muslims in the USA are not entirely numerous, and would probably not be subject to racial profiling.

Also, does this mean that 44% of Americans believe in "freedom of religion" as long as it's their own religion and not Islam? Does this mean that 44% percent of Americans believe that all men are created equal, as long as they're white men? Does anyone else get the feeling that western civilization is moving backwards at the speed of light?






(edited by Stilton on 18.12.04 0147)

(edited by Stilton on 18.12.04 0148)
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brick
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#2 Posted on 18.12.04 0555.08
Reposted on: 18.12.11 0557.29
The civil liberties of Arab's are already being taken:

http://the-w.com/thread.php/id=23023#268973

I may be a bit more sensitive than most here being a white muslim with a middle eastern wife. But I am not shocked by these numbers. For the most part I keep my religion to myself. Not that I hide it, but I don't broadcast it either. I think this is the first time i've mentioned it on this board in the 3+ years I've been here.

The majority of the people I work with don't even know I am Muslim. Those who are aware have found out at buisness lunches where I have sent back food with bacon in it or asked about pork being in dishes and then asked why I don't eat pork.

For the most part everyone lets it slide off their back and gets back to the buisness at hand. But I know a couple people who treat me quite differntly now than before they found out.

Being white I've also had a harder time being accepted in the mosque as many there are convinced that they are already being watched due to their religion.

Talking to muslim Arab friends here and in Boston, they all have stories of being "profiled" in one way or another. Its become a part of their lives since 9-11. Most have just been singled out for security checks, but two have lost jobs for no apparent reason.

So while I am disapointed so many feel this way, I am in no way shocked. When attacked people lash out at the most obvious target. Arabs are an easy target right now, for a country still hurting from 9-11 and at war in two Arab countries.
DrDirt
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#3 Posted on 21.12.04 1025.40
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1029.02
I'm not sure why this would surprise you. Popular culture, news reports, and members of the government have succeeded in overtly and covertly demonizing Arabs and Islam.
bash91
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#4 Posted on 21.12.04 1123.41
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1123.42
Of course, while I don't doubt that Arabs and Muslims are being discriminated against, both the original study and the reporting of it are seriously flawed. For example, if you look at the original questions and answers, found on page 6 of the original report (comm.cornell.edu), you'll note that the only question to which more than 44% of the respondents answered yes was the statement that they agreed with none of the above statements on restricting the civil liberties of Muslim or Arab Americans. How we move from that to a headline saying that 44% say restrict the civil liberties of Muslims with no caveats is nothing more than journalistic pandering and dishonest reporting. If you look at the actual questions, what we note is that they are poorly worded and have absolutely no nuance or depth whatsoever. As a comm teacher who knows a couple of the people associated with this report, I'm embarrassed by this report because it's nothing more than a poorly constructed gloss on a real problem.

Tim
Ozzysun
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#5 Posted on 21.12.04 1308.57
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1311.34
An opinion from a Mid Western Red Stater who has a brother fighting in Iraq.

I think the Bigotry and hate agianst Muslims/Arabs is wrong and has to stop.

That being said.

I do under some circumstances agree with Racial profiling.
For instance back in WW2 if a German or Japanese person got onto a plane im sure they questioned and asked to see some ID/Passport. We were at war with them and it would seem prudent as a security measure.
Back in WW2 Japanese were gathered and put in camps in the United States till the end of the war.

We are at war with an Arab country, I would think asking an Arab to see his ID/Passport when there is a possible security issue isn't wrong.

Bigotry and hatred for Muslims/Arabs is wrong and I hate to hear about an incident when someone lost their job over being a Muslim/Arab.
Gugs
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Y!:
#6 Posted on 21.12.04 1310.57
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1311.37
    Originally posted by Ozzysun
    Back in WW2 Japanese were gathered and put in camps in the United States till the end of the war.


And that was an absolutely horrible crime against the Japanese-Americans of the time. The way you said it makes it seem as though you are in favor of the practice, or that you would support using it today. Is that the case?
Ozzysun
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#7 Posted on 21.12.04 1323.33
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1324.56
Did you even read my entire post or did you just highlight the portions you were able to sound out.

I said the Hate and Bigotry was wrong.

I do not think it was right at all for that kind of thing to happen, I was simply pointing at that its certainly been alot worse then it is today.
Freeway
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#8 Posted on 21.12.04 1343.05
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1348.14
    Originally posted by Ozzysun
    Did you even read my entire post or did you just highlight the portions you were able to sound out.

    I said the Hate and Bigotry was wrong.

    I do not think it was right at all for that kind of thing to happen, I was simply pointing at that its certainly been alot worse then it is today.


During World War II, the United States (and it's allies) were at war with Germany & Japan, therefore it was logical to take precautionary measures like questioning German & Japanese people living abroad. The United States is at war with Iraq, therefore it's logical to take precautionary measures against Iraqi people living abroad. But extending those measures to include an entire ethnic group is not.
Reverend J Shaft
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#9 Posted on 21.12.04 1411.31
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1413.14
    Originally posted by Freeway420
    During World War II, the United States (and it's allies) were at war with Germany & Japan, therefore it was logical to take precautionary measures like questioning German & Japanese people living abroad. The United States is at war with Iraq, therefore it's logical to take precautionary measures against Iraqi people living abroad. But extending those measures to include an entire ethnic group is not.


Not quite sure I agree with that. Are you saying that taking measures against a country's citizens is more logical than taking the same against an ethnic group? I don't think a person's nationality is any more of a qualifying characteristic of a potentially dangerous threat than ethnicity. There are Iraqis who are sympathetic to the U.S.'s situation just as there are people of Arabic descent who feel the same. Hardly seems logical to me.



(edited by Reverend J Shaft on 21.12.04 1512)
Ozzysun
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#10 Posted on 21.12.04 1422.09
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1423.06
We're at war in Iraq, we're at war with Terrorism.
Brian P. Dermody
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Y!:
#11 Posted on 21.12.04 1513.46
Reposted on: 21.12.11 1514.18
    Originally posted by Ozzysun
    We're at war in Iraq, we're at war with Terrorism.


If you truly believe that, there's this bridge not too far from my apartment...
rockstar
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#12 Posted on 22.12.04 1613.03
Reposted on: 22.12.11 1614.01
    Originally posted by Reverend J Shaft
    Are you saying that taking measures against a country's citizens is more logical than taking the same against an ethnic group?


If we're at war with a country, then yes, the citizens of that country are a logical target of reasonable security measures when they're in our country. Seeing as how we're at war with their country.
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