America fears for its safety and acts to protect it. But at what costs?
We have all been sickened by the terrorist attacks in the United States and we all demand justice. We fear for our safety and the preservation of American ways of life. However, what I see lately are knee jerk reactions, intolerance, and the overwhelming willingness to give up those very freedoms we say we are fighting for.
A month ago today the World Trade Centers were destroyed and American changed. Over these last few weeks I have heard reports of "good Americans" chasing down a Hispanic male and beating him because they thought he was Iranian, an Arab woman and her children chased through a Wal-Mart by a mob. Shop owners shot and killed because they are of Middle Eastern descent. A National Public Radio journalist who is of mixed race was told by a white male in a pickup that she should "go home"--this woman's great grandparents were born in the United States and she is as much American as he is. She said that she was more afraid of him than of terrorists.
An anti-terrorist bill almost was passed without debate until one lone stateman demanded a discussion. The bill provides for sweeping police powers to search people's homes in secret as well as other acts that we as a nation should be repulsed at. I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said that anyone who gives up their freedoms for a moment of security deserves neither.
We need to sit back and take stock of what we are doing. Those great American whites (I am of that race by the way) who are attacking people of color, of religions which are not Judeo-Christian in nature, are perpetrating the same acts of terror and hate as our enemies. This has to stop.
We are turning America into a nation that I no longer recognize. If we lose our freedoms because of our own actions based on fear and intolerance we are no longer the America that the world has turned to in seeking justice and liberty.
This war is turning into a religious war of Judeo-Christians vs. Muslims. I had thought we had progressed beyond that--I had hoped we had. While we rightfully say that the people of Afghanistan are not our enemy, that the Islamic faith is not our enemy, our "patriotic" citizenry makes a mockery of it.
I have contributed to the Red Cross and the Fireman's Fund--I will now contribute to UNICEF to provide food and assistance to the poor people in Afghanistan.
Its funny that we have heard the horror stories of human rights abuses by the Taliban for years but didn't care until now. Its funny that many of the nations that support us have the same abuses institutionalized in their systems and we don't care about those either.
Certainly the terrorists must be brought to justice! But let's have a government of ethics for once.
Actually the news is much better than you offer here. I live in NYC and a NY Times reporter looking to do a series on such acts across the country couldn't find enough to do a series on! Apparently they are few and far between. /// The anti-terrorist bill was and is a bad bill, but the "war on terror" has NOT become a "war on Islam." That simply isn't true. The current conflict has a commerical perspective that some folks find abhorent - our multi-national industries want those 1 billion potential consumers and they can't allow for people to take any religion that eschews consumerism seriously. The US wants to replace radical Islam with a much more watered down "moderate Islam" that doesn't preclude people from having fun and buying Cokes, Big Macs and Porn. That's basically what this war is about when you think about it, it is a "just cause."
Reviewed by Sharon
Reviewed on October 13, 2001
Excellent, as always!!
Reviewed by Deanna Jones (Reader)
Reviewed on October 12, 2001
Excellent write!
Reviewed by Deanna Jones (Reader)
Reviewed on October 11, 2001
What you are talking about are typical reactions of people whose values have been attacked. It reminds me of my history lessons when we've been learning about the time when people had been living in caves. Nothing has changed since. Very good article.
