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Arab-Americans in Patterson, NJ

Ronald Thomas Clontle

19:19 / 12.09.01

Word is, there were in-the-streets celebrations by Arab-Americans in Patterson, NJ today, and there's a high chance many of those people may have been arrested...

19:24 / 12.09.01

There were reports of arrests in New Jersey earlier in the day, which don't seem to have been mentioned since.

Ronald Thomas Clontle

19:26 / 12.09.01

quote:Originally posted by E. Randy Dupre:
There were reports of arrests in New Jersey earlier in the day, which don't seem to have been mentioned since.

See, I haven't heard for certain that arrests have been made, that's just been the rumor going around... it's been talked about more on the talk radio shows than the news...

Patterson has a huge Arab-American community.
I support their arrests and probable deportation. (those who are celebrating, that is - not just any old Arab-American person)

[ 12-09-2001: Message edited by: Flux = R to the Izz-ad ]

Higher than the sun :)

19:32 / 12.09.01

Now this is someting I've been wondering about.
Having never been to NY my preception is shaped by the media, but to me I understand NY to be a ethnic melting pot.
I'm pretty sure not eveone on the WTC was a WASP American Male. A high precentage probaly were. But among the Cops, Firefighters and the rest of the fucking innocent civillains. There were in all likelyhood people of Moslem/Afganistan/Iraqi/Whoever ethnic makeup
What will the "Terrorists" term these people. Collateral damage? Freindly fire? Martys to the cause?

When Harrods was bombed in 80/81? a great deal of damge was dont to ther money making machine "for the cause" because American Tourists were killed.

[ 12-09-2001: Message edited by: Monica ]

09:40 / 13.09.01

Flux: The u.S. commits these acts almost every other month. Just because we've got hit and others are celebrating doesn't mean we are supposed to punish them for pointing out that what goes around comes around.

It's a horrible thing that happened but to use it as an excuse to become a racist who hates all foreign people who don't support his/her views is probably the worst reaction one can have.

09:53 / 13.09.01

It may be true that "what goes around comes around" - but if they (these Arabs in Patterson) have such issue with the US then why are they living here and receiving benefits from the US gov.? I think that holding public celebrations at this time should be just cause for incarceration or deportation.

autopilot disengaged

09:53 / 13.09.01

it does seem heartless & insensitive to the point of - urrgh - i'm not going near superlatives today, the way they've been bandied about by the media.

but before people get too irate, isn't it worth hearing whether there's actually any substance to these stories? and spare a thought for the arab-americans who've today been advised by their community leaders not to go about the streets in traditional dress.

09:53 / 13.09.01

I feel very concerned for anyone in the US of Arab dissent-because it is undoubtable that they will be subject to threats and attacks. The US media is trying not to report these celebrations to avoid any violence that would ensure. People are hearing about these celebrations by word of mouth. Part of the reason that I feel that those in patternson should be dealt with so severly and swiftly is because the more people hear about these kind of celebrations the more dangeruous the situation will be for other arabs in the US.

autopilot disengaged

09:53 / 13.09.01

i worry that this arab celebration thing is becoming an evil viral meme. from what i know, the extent of it on the world stage was limited to a few hotheads in palestine - and iraq, who openly celebrated it on state TV (but they've waited a while for this).

it's worth restating that Arafat condemed the attack, and even went so far as to appeal to his people NOT to show any signs of jubilation. from what i hear, the crowd that did were out in some fucking impoverished refugee camp.

even worse, when i was cruising the US news-based boards this afternoon, people were asking if any of the arab countries had expressed condolences. most of them were under the impression that not only had they not, but that there was almost unanimous partying in the streets. in fact (again aside from iraq who have obvious issues with the US), as far as i know every arab nation has made a statement of sorrow - and that includes afghanistan also.

it worries me that facts can become so easily swallowed up by this understandable, but dangerous emotional tide.

09:53 / 13.09.01

This is why I tried to start a thread about the US media response. The UK press - the televised press, at least - have, occasionally, pointed out that the celebrations in Palestine were extremely few and far between. I'm not saying that they've gone out of their way to make this point, but it has been mentioned a few times.

Likewise, Blair seemed to put special emphasis in his press conference today on the fact that muslim community leaders in the UK - and, indeed, in a great number of other countries - have condemned the attacks unconditionally. I haven't seem similar comments emerging from US commentators or politicians yet...

I can understand some of the anger expressed here and elsewhere, but a lot of it does seem severely blinkered. These arrests are, I presume, still unsubstantiated rumour. Even if they're not I'll remain doubtful of there being any truth in accusations of 'partying in the streets'.

wembley can change in 28 days

09:53 / 13.09.01

I've been extremely worried for a while now about violent racist behaviour as fall-out from yesterday's news, but I am actually surprised to find that I haven't heard anything on the news yet. The only thing I heard was a radio talk show, where the producers were keen enough to host an Arab speaker to answer questions about the middle east, and they opened the phone lines. Not a single intelligent question; there was simply "we hate all your people and you'd better know that you're gonna die soon" sort of bullshit. What did the radio producers expect, I'm wondering? Did they think that would calm people down?

Anyway. I wish someone would just remind people, the American people especially, that such terrorist groups are to 99.9% of muslims what the KKK is to 99.9% of christians. And I hope no-one is sitting at home, in their new country, fearing for their lives.

deletia

09:53 / 13.09.01

quote:Originally posted by Flux = R to the Izz-ad:

I support their arrests and probable deportation. (those who are celebrating, that is - not just any old Arab-American person)

Deportation where, exactly? And for what, exactly?

11:05 / 13.09.01

Having never been to NY my preception is shaped by the media, but to me I understand NY to be a ethnic melting pot.
I'm pretty sure not everyone on the WTC was a WASP American Male. A high precentage probaly were. But among the Cops, Firefighters and the rest of the fucking innocent civillains. There were in all likelyhood people of Moslem/Afganistan/Iraqi/Whoever ethnic makeup – Monica

I feel very concerned for anyone in the US of Arab descent-because it is undoubtable that they will be subject to threats and attacks. – JWM

And I hope no-one is sitting at home, in their new country, fearing for their lives. – wembley

I just heard from a co-worker that Staten Island is completely closed off because either a car bomb or a car with ingredients for making a bomb was found and the borough is crawling with cops and FBI.

My boss lives in SI, I just called him and insisted he stay home with his kids. He said he was thinking of actually staying home because someone had come to do repairs in his house yesterday (while he was stuck in Jersey – only his wife, mom and 2 kids were home), and when the repairman found out they were Pakistani he wouldn't do the work and was menacing to the women.

People are forgetting that Islam is an international religion and Muslims come in every color. Also, that not every person of Arab descent is Muslim.

I'm shaking right now, and very worried about my boss & his kids. I don't support ANYONE being arrested without PROOF of ill-intent, because I know what the NYPD can do to people in their custody.

[ 13-09-2001: Message edited by: Ierne ]