Violence Against American Arabs

Violence Against American Arabs

"In spite of all this violence, the Arab Americans have found support from fellow American friends. In Los Angeles, California, amid reports of hate crimes, assaults and even killings of innocent people with Arab Names, fellow Americans of Japanese ancestry have shown their support. These Japanese Americans recall the sentiments during World War II, when their fellow Americans condemned them for Japan's actions, and can empathize with the Arab Americans."

In the aftermath of the September 11th attack, there has been a great deal of violence against the Arab Americans. Here are some examples of the violent incidents that have taken place in the United States, due to religion, hatred, and racism:

In Anchorage, Alaska, vandals broke into a printing company owned by an Arab American and smashed computers, presses and other equipment during the weekend of September 21 and 22.
In Tacoma, Washington on September 25, fires were set at a local synagogue, Temple Beth El, which caused several hundred dollars worth of damage. This temple was also targeted by vandalism and a bomb threat. There were also reports of mosques that received telephone threats. Local crisis hotlines received a number of callers who threatened violence against Muslim residents.
In Seattle, Washington, there was an attempted arson and shooting at a mosque. A Somali woman was threatened with a knife at a local market in south Seattle.
In Los Angeles, California, a $2,500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a man responsible for the assault of a Saudi student at a City College in Santa Barbara on September 17. As of September 22, there have been more than 40 hate-related incidents targeting Arab Americans in Los Angeles County. These incidents include assaults, bomb threats and anti-Arab graffiti.
In San Francisco, California, two men wearing dark hooded hats and black clothes threw rocks through the windows of an Islamic Center. No one was hurt, but there were parishioners worshipping at the time. Also in the Bay area, restaurants were damaged when bottles and rocks were thrown through the windows.
In Dallas, Texas, there were three firebombings or firebombing attempts of Islamic mosques within a two-day period. Fire officials offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the attackers.
In Houston, Texas, an Islamic school closed down because of fear. A Pakistani-owned Goodyear Tire store was set on fire in southwest Houston.
In Chicago, Illinois, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at an Arab Educational School, and many threatening phone calls were directed against Muslim and Arab American institutions. During a demonstration near one of the local high schools, 500 to 700 demonstrators gathered. Some of them chanted "Kill the Arabs."
In Bridgeview, Illinois (just outside Chicago), there were 300 angry Americans who marched on a mosque, waving American Flags and shouting "USA! USA!" before being turned back by police.
In Gary, Indiana, a man in a ski mask fired an assault rifle at a gas station worker because she was of Yemeni descent. Then when the police questioned him he said "he was doing it for his country". Even people in Canada and Australia are doing this for America.
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a group of people threw bricks into the window of a convenience store. The attackers left a note saying "Paul Revere Society." The following night, another group of men left a note saying "Paul Revere Society," after they detonated a small explosive device in another convenience store owned by a Syrian immigrant. On September 13, a man was arrested and charged because he started a fight on a city bus with a man that he believed to be Arab. The following day, two men were arrested and charged with terrorist threats, ethnic intimidation, disorderly conduct and harassment against three Indian-born Sikhs at a gas station.
In Allentown, Pennsylvania, a mosque closed services on September 14 after receiving harassing voice-mail and threatening e-mail messages, including one, which said that the mosque was going to be blown up. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission was investigating another incident involving a man who was seen distributing anti-Arab leaflets.
In New Jersey, Muslims in communities said they were harassed, and several groups received phone threats.
In Washington D.C., bricks were thrown through the window of an Islamic bookstore. One of the bricks had a note attached to it that said, "Death to Arab Murderers."
In Alexandria, Virginia, an Islamic owner of a bookstore came to work and found two bricks thrown through his store windows.
In Suffolk Country, New York, there was a man who screamed "he was doing it for his country" after he tried to run down a Pakistani woman with his car.
Since September 11, there have been more than 100 attacks against the workers who work at 7-Eleven because of all the Arab American employees.
There were two violent acts, which resulted in the death of two innocent American immigrants. Here are their stories:
An Arab-American shopkeeper, Abdo Ali Ahmed, was shot to death on October 6. He was a naturalized American citizen who moved to Fresno, California 35 years ago. He was a father of eight, and all who knew him thought he was "a good guy." Not long after September 11th he found a note on his car saying, "We're going to kill all you (expletive) Arabs." Ahmed tore up the note, believing he had nothing to do with the attack and did not need to worry. After all, everyone knew he was a decent American. Hundreds of family and friends mourned his senseless death.

Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh gas station and mini mart manager in Mesa, Arizona, liked to give bottled water to children on hot days. Following the September 11 attacks, he called his home in India to reassure his parents that he was far from New York, and therefore safe. He had planned to fly home to India the following month, as a surprise to his wife for their 25th wedding anniversary. On September 15th, "someone who did not like people who wore turbans" shot him to death at his store.

In spite of all this violence, the Arab Americans have found support from fellow American friends. In Los Angeles, California, amid reports of hate crimes, assaults and even killings of innocent people with Arab Names, fellow Americans of Japanese ancestry have shown their support. These Japanese Americans recall the sentiments during World War II, when their fellow Americans condemned them for Japan's actions, and can empathize with the Arab Americans. A Japanese Congressman took action to get NFL officials to read a statement at games to disapprove violence against Arab-Americans. In a gesture of unity, Japanese American Veterans in Washington this week hosted Arab-Americans at their war memorial at the Capitol. Other online sites have been flooded with posts calling for peace and understanding between the Americans and the Arab-Americans. Some racist responses are being compared to the anti-Japanese sentiment that erupted in the wake of Pearl Harbor leading to the internment of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II

The violence against Arab Americans is what I call "Doing the Terror back". If this kind of violence continues to divide Americans, what kind of country will we have? Our lives have already been changed since the September 11 attacks. We need to show unity instead of hatred against our fellow Americans. Before doing this project I had no clue that the Americans were being so mean and the Japanese Americans being so nice. I am glad I chose this subject.

Resources

Muslim, Asian Women Target of Insults, Harassment:
http://chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0109230444sep23.story

ADL Responds to Violence and Harassment against Arab Americans and Muslim Americans:
http://www.adl.org/terrorism_america/adl_responds.asp