The Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee issued a press release today commending passengers who “restrained a Nigerian man” trying to blow up a plane in Detroit.
The press release serves absolutely no function except to notify people that the suspect is not Arab.
ADC should know that if it is trying to fight racial profiling, pointing out a terror suspect is not Arab is just as bad as pointing out that s/he is–unless the goal is to replace one racist idea of Arabs as the “bad” minority with another racist idea of them as the “good” minority.
More importantly, it’s embarrassingly hypocritical and shameful that an Arab-American organization dedicated to fighting racism and racial profiling (something Arab-Americans and other people of color are quite familiar with) seizes upon this opportunity to dodge the terror lime light rather than to stand in solidarity with other innocent groups of people that suspicion now shines upon.
It is important for Arab-Americans to connect their struggles with similar struggles of other communities in the United States, and Arabs more generally with other struggles around the world. The kind of negligence exhibited by ADC’s press release undermines that solidarity and embarrassingly drops the ball by failing to recognize that it is engaging in the same negative practice that it expends considerable resources to fight when it comes to Arabs.
To be sure, ADC’s expression pales in comparison to others now circulating — but as an “anti-discrimination” committee, ADC has the burden of fighting and rejecting these kinds of stereotypes regardless of whom they fall upon. The press release does not explicitly express animus towards Nigerians, but if the statement is only meant to convey ADC’s opposition to terrorism, what value does the word “Nigerian” add to that expression? ADC especially should be more sensitive to subtle expressions of racism and the development of stereotypes in the media, all the more because that happens to be its specialty.
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If I may point out, I think you meant to write "commend" instead of "condemn", at the beginning. I'm reading the press release and it says the ADC "commended" the passengers who thwarted the attack.
Posted by C.H. | December 26, 2009, 8:08 pmThanks, it was a mistake. I meant commend not condemn.
Posted by yaman | December 26, 2009, 11:15 pmI agree. But I don't think any malice was intended, mainstream media is reporting this in exactly the same way.
Posted by Sasa | December 26, 2009, 8:19 pmIt's no excuse that everybody else is doing it. Especially when it comes to Arab-Americans, "mainstream media" is often the problem.
Posted by yaman | December 26, 2009, 11:16 pmYes, I agree. But there wasn't any 'racism' here. It's normal practise to say where someone came from in alleged terrorist attacks. If you're going to call out racism, then blame the entire media landscape: mainstream and internet. Don't single out the ADC, that's not fair.
Posted by Sasa | December 27, 2009, 2:11 pmIn fact it would be racism for them to omit the perp's nationality. That would be unequal treatment, since a foreign suspect's nationality is always mentioned in criminal cases.
Posted by programmer craig | December 27, 2009, 3:05 pmgood luck trying to convince the average Joe that Nigeria is not an Arab country….all it matters, it sounds like Algeria….thus making them Arabs….we cannot run away from each other….honest go along way
Posted by Hanitizer | December 26, 2009, 9:52 pmMore importantly, it’s embarrassingly hypocritical and shameful that an Arab-American organization dedicated to fighting racism and racial profiling…
According to your link, the mission statement of this organization is to protect the civil rights of Arab Americans and to promote Arab culture in the United States. Which is quite different from what you just said.
It is important for Arab-Americans to connect their struggles with similar struggles of other communities in the United States, and Arabs more generally with other struggles around the world.
Then you should found an organization to do that, because that isn't the self-proclaimed goal of this organization you are discussing.
Posted by programmer craig | December 26, 2009, 10:19 pmCraig, ADC is a member of an umbrella group of more than 200 civil rights organizations…the groups work together and do include pretty much about all ethnicities, religions, sexual orientation…etc. If one defects from this group, others might as well just do the same. Cannot throw your allies under the bus and I think that's what the post is trying to communicate.
Posted by Hanitizer | December 27, 2009, 2:34 amCouldn't have said it better myself. Not to mention that the whole reason Arab American civil rights are endangered is because of racism.
Posted by yaman | December 27, 2009, 5:18 amHmmm….
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,19…
They say he is a Nigerian citizen and he has reportedly said he was on a mission for al-Qaeda and that he had received instructions from Yemen.
There's the "Arab connection", right there. Looks like they were out in front of the story and you weren't, Yaman.
Posted by programmer craig | December 26, 2009, 10:35 pmI see nothing racist about this. They said "Nigerian" because the guy allegedly is, in fact, Nigerian. Are they supposed to hide his national origin? Given that Nigeria has a sizable Muslim population, calling him a Nigerian hardly lets Muslims, and by extension, Arabs off the hook. Never attribute to malice what can be attributed to error, or in this case, factual reporting. I see no reason to presume a hidden agenda in reporting the facts.
Posted by Sean2009 | December 27, 2009, 1:17 amSean, it seems obvious to me that the press release serves little purpose except to emphasize the individual's non-Arab origins. I didn't say anything about Muslims or Islam. ADC does not comment publicly about every single incident of public import so when it does decide to intervene, we can presume that that intervention is meant to play some role in its agenda. That's the nature of public work. I'm not saying it's an egregious or sinister conspiracy. That would be ridiculous. I'm just saying it's cheap and undermines the principles it claims to work for.
The question is not about whether it reported the facts. It's about what facts it decides to report and when. I didn't see an ADC release about Balloon Boy.
Posted by yaman | December 27, 2009, 5:16 amThe question is not about whether it reported the facts. It's about what facts it decides to report and when. I didn't see an ADC release about Balloon Boy.
So, your objection is to ADC releasing statements opposing terrorism. You think it's racist for them to assume that the "Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee" should praise Americans for stopping a would be Nigerian terrorist who seems to have been trained in an Arab country and was a member of an Arab terror group. They should have just not said anything. And that would be helping Arab Americans.
This is a common refrain on KABOBfest. You guys were complaining about all the coverage of the Fort Hood shooter's Arab and Islamic roots as well. I think your refusal to take ownership of people who share your ideology speaks volumes. The ADC *did* take ownership of this man – despite the routine mention of his country of origin – and that's what really pisses you off, isn't it? You'd rather they play the same "it has nothing to do with me!" game that you and so many of your "resistance" set play, wouldn't you? Plausible deniability and all that…. talking out of both sides of your mouth, the whole time.
Posted by programmer craig | December 27, 2009, 3:40 pmblah blah blah.
Posted by yaman | December 27, 2009, 5:32 pmThe question is not about whether it reported the facts. It's about what facts it decides to report and when. I didn't see an ADC release about Balloon Boy.
True, but if Balloon Boy's parents had been Muslim Arabs, what do you think the media's response to that incident would have been? I know many disagree with me on this, but I think the ADC has little choice but to be proactive on this, and their goal was not to shift blame onto Nigerians, but to condemn the incident before anybody jumped the gun and accused them of not doing so. I would maybe have a bit more issue with them failing to mention the accused by his Arabic name, as that omission opens them up to accusations of trying to hide the fact that the accused is apparently a Muslim. But they may not have known his name at the time.
Posted by Sean2009 | December 27, 2009, 5:30 pmHis country of origin is irrelevant. Why not mention that he studied engineering at one of the most prestigious universities in Britain?
Posted by Shafiq | December 27, 2009, 12:27 pmLike they mentioned Mohammed Atta studied engineering at one of the most prestigious schools in Germany?
Posted by programmer craig | December 27, 2009, 3:03 pmBoth are as irrelevant as each other.
Posted by Shafiq | December 27, 2009, 3:23 pmFor what reason do you think it's irrelevant to know the country of origin or the background of a suspected terrorist? Was it irrelevant for India to point out that the Mumbai perpetrators were from Pakistan? Or that they were Muslims? I wonder what exactly you WOULD consider to be relevant? Can you please let me know?
Posted by programmer craig | December 27, 2009, 3:28 pmTheir religion may be relevant but their country of origin isn't. What if the terrorist was a Pakistani national but had spent the vast proportion of his life in say, the UAE?
Posted by Shafiq | December 27, 2009, 4:08 pmWhat if the terrorist was a Pakistani national but had spent the vast proportion of his life in say, the UAE?
And if he was a militant Pakistani nationalist who was motivated by Kashmir, would the fact he's a Pakistani national be irrelevant?
What would happen if he was a Palestinian who was born and raised in the United States like the Fort Hood shooter? You feel the fact that he's Palestinian is irrelevant? Even if he's a militant Palestinian nationalist? Is it equally irrelevant that some of the bloggers here on KABOBfest are Palestinian-Americans – and Palestinian nationalists? Why is Palestinian-ness only irrelevant when people do something terrible?
I'm really not seeing the sense in your arguments. People don't leave their history behind them when they travel to another country. And sometimes they are even indoctrinated with historical grievances of a country they weren't even born in, and never lived in. That's reality. It's very relevant.
Posted by programmer craig | December 27, 2009, 4:24 pmWhat if he was motivated by something other than Kashmir, yet people jumped to conclusions based on which country he was born in.
My Mum's Zimbabwean. If she was to blow herself up (God forbid), would her nationality be relevant?
Posted by Shafiq | December 27, 2009, 4:30 pmWhat if he was motivated by something other than Kashmir, yet people jumped to conclusions based on which country he was born in.
Then that would be relevant too. The main difference between the Taliban and Al Qaida these days is in their motivations. Understanding motivations is important because it helps predict behavior.
My Mum's Zimbabwean. If she was to blow herself up (God forbid), would her nationality be relevant?
It might be relevant for excluding her from having certain motivations, yes. Let me put it this way… if there was a bombing in Spain, would it be relevant whether the perps were of Arab origin or of basque origin? Or it's same-same, no matter?
Posted by programmer craig | December 27, 2009, 4:39 pmIn that case, it would be relevant, but it isn't in this case.
Posted by Shafiq | December 27, 2009, 4:51 pmRidiculous. He was from Nigeria.. who the f cares if people know. It's part of reporting. What do you want them to do, speak in vague generalities? This political correct bullshit is just that. bullshit.
Posted by greg | December 27, 2009, 10:45 pmYou seem to be missing the point. I am not suggesting that information should be concealed. But you are pretending like the press release serves no purpose except to convey "the facts." Well why not include his age, his educational background, the names of his parents, neighbors, his favorite color, novels, verses of the Qur'an, and snack? Why not mention his height ,weight, the color of his eyes, the kind of clothes he was wearing, etc?
I'm not saying ADC should have done that. I'm just trying to illustrate that this is all pretty useless — to all of us. About as useless as knowing that he's Nigerian.
Of course the press release should be considered in its context. You have the ADC, out to protect Arab Americans and their image. You have an attempted terrorist attack on a plane. You have a suspect.
Why does ADC issue a press release?
(1) To emphasize that the victim was not Arab
(2) To reiterate its opposition to terrorism and its support for law enforcement anti-terrorism efforts
If you think the goals differed, feel free to offer a rational explanation. I don't think it was simply trying to spread information.
Posted by yaman | December 28, 2009, 6:02 amProgrammer Griag wrote:
<Text quote >
." if there was a bombing in Spain, would it be relevant whether the perps were of Arab origin or of basque origin? Or it's same-same, no matter?"
Programmer you make a good point.
There is a saying that goes," if a dog makes a drop in the backyard, it does not matter what color the dog is."
Yes, every ethnic group in America wanted to be portrayed positively and not in a negative light. It is demoralizing when your ethnicity get unfairly attacked or become a suspect. as a result.
I read ADC report too , even before it was published. There was no ill intent regarding Nigerians.
I would have been offended if ADC statement referred to the alleged attempted bomber as a Muslim.
That is my two cents on the subject.
Posted by Mahmoud El-Yousseph | December 28, 2009, 3:23 amI am not claiming that ADC had ill intent. In fact, I very much doubt that it did.
However, intent does not matter here — you admit yourself that if the release had said "Muslim" you would be offended. Here, it's not problematic for the mere fact that they mention he's Nigerian — it's the fact that his nationality is basically the ONLY information they offer about him. That's what makes it all the more suspect.
Posted by yaman | December 28, 2009, 6:04 amI think a lot of people are missing the point. Arabs and Muslims in general do have a tendency to POINT out race if it wasn't them JUST to show hey, it's not us this time …which is understandable… Besides, must we really argue that Arabs are inherintly racist people, especially towards Africans? one of the many tragic ironies is minorities being racist against other minorities, even in the organizational level. I've heard a lot of discussion among Arabs about this incident, and it has the same flavor the article is suggesting.
You guys are being so nitpicky. Understand the issue, dont' be like craig.
Posted by Lena | December 29, 2009, 12:14 amHi Lena, I don't think I made the claim that Arabs are inherently racist…
Posted by yaman | December 31, 2009, 5:16 amShame on Nigerians trying to blow up airplanes over Detroit.
Posted by hello | December 30, 2009, 11:16 pmYou forget that the core of anti Israel/Jewish "conflict" is based on BIGOTRY = Arab racism & Islamic bigotry upon the non-Arab non-Muslim Zionist "entity", that's the real "conflict" that keeps shedding blood of both sides (including Arab parents terrible use of Arab kids) all the other "issues" are baloons, zero.
Posted by Laura | January 7, 2010, 6:44 pm