Letters to the Home News Tribune for 08.17.04 in response to a nasty letter by Abe Krieger.

Published in the Home News Tribune 08/17/04

Writer unfair in stigmatizing all Arabs, Muslims for 9/11

What is always overlooked when relating to the 9/11 disaster is, first, the terrorists who committed the heinous act were not American citizens; they were specifically imported into the United States to attack our symbols of freedom and economic supremacy. Second, close to 300 of the victims who vanished in the rubble of the World Trade Center were Arabs and Muslims who were also American citizens. Third, of the thousands of FBI interviews, searches and arrests, not a single Muslim cleric has been found guilty of any ties to a terrorist activity or terrorist cells.

All we hear about is a time-released and politically motivated witch hunt of alleged charges about Muslim this and Muslim that, who are being charged, or in some cases, indefinitely held in detention for secret evidence or some other nonsensical charge. The case of Muslim Army Capt. John Yee is but one example.

Mr. Krieger, like many bigots who lack the decency to know the facts, has not only denied our community the right to mourn its victims but also held our entire community hostage to a regime of unconstitutional laws that affect all Americans. As a result, we have become suspect, our patriotism questioned, our loyalty doubted.

Mr. Krieger, the almost 10 million Arabs and Muslims in the United States are American citizens who deserve to be accorded the same right to innocence until proven guilty and not to be found guilty by association, ethnic or religious affiliations. Where were you, Mr. Krieger, when Timothy McVeigh blew up the Oklahoma Federal Building in 1994? Did you demand that all Catholics reassert their patriotism? Did you demand that all Catholics be questioned for possible links to terrorism?

As we attempt to counter the scourge of terrorism, we must remain vigilant not to compromise the precious liberty of our citizens, the jewel that the terrorists want us denied.
Aref Assaf
WEST CALDWELL
The writer is president of the state chapter of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee

RE: Letters from real Patriots
letters@thnt.com

Dear Editor,

For the past 56 years Zionism has methodically targeted the native non-Jewish population of the Holy Land, the Palestinians, with horrifically racist laws and policies and endless violence, pushing the despised Palestinians down deeper and deeper into poverty and despair.  Misguided fools like Krieger might think such ideological insanity is a good idea and that hate mongering helps the cause. But such toxic thought only poisons our society and  destroys every ideal humankind is supposed to uphold.

Aref Assaf,  Soulafa Amer, Ehsan Poonawalla, Nazim Haqqani, Robert L. Stone,  Riel Bilto, Mirah Riben... this list of names, what does it conjure up to an America immersed in mindless hate mongering: 
To angry fools immersed in Zionist propaganda this list so dominated by what might be Arab and Muslim names is a list of enemies, people to be hated not for who they are or what they say but because of their perceived race or religion.

But read these people's words and you will see who the real Patriots are, the real real heroes, and the real peace makers whose minds and hearts are filled with compassion, character, dignity, and integrity-  and a strong sense of justice, real justice.  These are the people with the power to stop terrorism.

No one should be collectively or individually punished because of their perceived race or religion. In accordance with every ideal that America is supposed to be so valiantly protecting we really should stop arming and empowering Israel's cruel racist war on us all by firmly and clearly insisting that Israel fully focus on dismantling all Zionist walls of hate worldwide with the full and immediate implementation of U.N Resolution 194 from 1948, the Palestinian refugees inalienable right of return... to at last live in peace.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

Publication of hate-filled letter could incite hateful behavior

As an American Muslim who has experienced such hateful remarks in the past from individuals, I find it very disturbing that The Home News Tribune accepts the publishing of such hate speech.

Hate incites hate, and I think this letter does a great disservice to Muslims and all minorities in the United States. I am angered and saddened reading this piece, but not surprised, because I know such feelings are out there.

Why would you consider publishing this, but consider it totally unacceptable to publish hate speech toward blacks, for instance?

I urge you to keep the dignity of the Home News Tribune high by publishing only those letters that reflect a higher level of understanding toward people, and not those that contain blanket remarks that might themselves incite actions of hatred.
Soulafa Amer
NORTH BRUNSWICK

If we follow writer's logic who would be left to love?

He says Muslims deserve to be hated because it was they who flew planes into the buildings on 9/11. Then, according to his logic, we must also hate Jews, for it is Jews who use American F-16s to drop two-ton bombs on innocent Palestinian civilians, wiping out entire apartment buildings; it is Jews who use American bulldozers to destroy farmland, raze buildings, and kill Americans such as Rachel Corrie and Tom Hurndal.

Following his logic, we must all hate Christians as well, because it was a Christian, Timothy McVeigh, who blew up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma -- which, until 9/11, was the single largest terror attack on U.S. soil, killing 200-plus people. It's Christians who blow up and terrorize women and doctors at abortion clinics.

Thank God that Americans don't follow Krieger's logic of hate, for if we did, we wouldn't have anyone left to love in America any more.
Ehsan Poonawalla
NORTH BRUNSWICK

Anti-Islam diatribe insults all Muslims

As a Muslim American, I have been living in New Jersey for more than 11 years and reading the Tribune for 10, and never have I read such anti-Muslim hate as I did when I read Mr. Krieger's deceitful trash. It's time for the Home News Tribune to devote its editorial page to some informational commentary and not a means for sensational, misleading, and hateful personal diatribes.
Nazim Haqqani
FRANKLIN PARK
 

http://www.thnt.com/thnt/story/0,21282,1029636,00.html
 

Letters to the Home News Tribune for 08/18/04

Published in the Home News Tribune 08/18/04

Hateful letter undermines bridge-building

Mr. Krieger wrote that his people, Jews, should be similarly punished if they fly planes into American buildings. Well, as a people, we, and that includes me, have suffered similarly based upon unfounded blood libels and being labeled enemies of the state in Inquisition Spain and Nazi Germany.

Our country is, happily, a nation that lives under the rule of law, and every individual is entitled to equal treatment under the law; that is each person, not an entire ethnic or religious group being treated with guilt by association.

To propagate the bigotry expressed in the letter undermines the very excellent bridge-building that Moslem-Americans and Arab-Americans (and while they overlap, they are not identical) have in effect with Christians, Jews, African Americans, Asians and other ethnically and religiously identifiable groups.

I write this knowingly as a participant in the Jewish Community Relations Council of Middlesex County, the Human Relations Commission, and the New Jersey Human Relations Council.

Understanding among diverse groups is a key to a better and much happier America. We do not need law enforcement to use Gestapo tactics to root out minorities.
Robert L. Stone
EAST BRUNSWICK

U.S. Muslims not harborers of terrorists

First, the article suggests terrorists find support and funding in local mosques. I resent the assumption that every mosque or every Muslim harbors terrorists. This is undoubtedly untrue. This statement fuels the misconceptions between Islam and terrorism. It also creates unwarranted distrust in the non-Muslim communities.

Further, he says that the Muslim community insists that clerics who have been arrested are innocent. If your priest or rabbi was arrested wouldn't your community feel the same? Besides, I believe that an arrest does not prove one to be guilty.

Finally, the Muslim community has been helping and remains helpful to law-enforcement officials in the fight against terrorism. Not only do Muslims cooperate when asked to answer questions, but various Muslim groups volunteer their aid as well.

My 2-year-old daughter and I are of European descent, and we are Muslims. We are not terrorists; in fact, we have been taught the opposite by our religion. We have been taught to respect, be kind, to give aid, and to give charity to our neighbors.

We are struggling in our homeland both against the fear of a terrorist attack on the United States but also an attack from a fellow citizen.

Please help us by printing articles that represent us truthfully and foster understanding.
Riel Bilto
WAYNE

One who broadcasts bigotry becomes the enemy he hates

It is sad and ignorant for anyone to paint all of any ethnicity with such broad brush stroke of hate. When one does as Krieger has done, that person has become the enemy he so hates.

It is especially shameful for a Jew, who knows all too well where such generalized persecution can end.

I am beyond shock at the statement: "Every imam (Islamic clergy) should be wiretapped; suspicious characters should be taken into custody and questioned."

Is Krieger really suggesting that we set up the ghettos and the barbed wire now? Because he seems to have a short memory, I suggest that Krieger look in a dictionary at the word pogrom: organized persecution of an ethnic group, especially Jews.

No one wants another 9/11, but expressions of hate such as this are what create and perpetuate wars, slavery, cruelty, killing, rape and all acts of inhumanity. Organizations such as Israel Policy Forum, Americans for Peace Now, Jewish Peace Fellowship, Support Sanity (Pro-Jew/Pro-Peace), Jewish Voice for Peace, Coalition of Women (Jewish and Palestinian) for Peace, Peace Now, The Jewish Peace Lobby and many other groups here and in Israel are working hard to break down walls -- both real and imagined.

Hate simply begets more hate. The only cure is tolerance through knowledge and understanding, and the recognition that both half-brothers, Isaac and Ishmael, had promises from God. We are all one people wanting to live in peace, shalom, salaam.

Bless the whole world. No exceptions.
Mirah Riben
MONMOUTH JUNCTION