America, the beautiful?

Tuesday September 11, 2001. This is a day that people will remember around the world. It was a day of hate, brutality, fear and pain. As a resident of Manhattan and as someone who used to work in 2 World Trade on the 68th floor, this has become a very personal pain.

The events of that Tuesday are something that I had to write about, but putting in the context of African American culture was going to be a difficult task - or so I thought. After reading about attacks on Arab and Muslim Americans, this incident made me think about race and how we deal with it in this country.

The volunteers and on-lookers and vigil attendees waving the American flag is a sight to see. All of these Americans bonding together after such a tragedy would bring a tear to the eye of the most hardened curmudgeon. Hearing and seeing Congress sing "God Bless America" on the steps of the Capitol Building, along with children pledging their allegiance to the flag reminded me of the duality of this nation.

While this past week has seen a boom in flag sales, mosques are being firebombed, Muslims are being attacked, shot at and spat on, and people who "look Arabic" are being harrassed in the street. Aren't these people Americans too? I don't understand how anyone can wave the American flag while stepping on the freedoms of others.

Like the law abiding, tax paying Japanese that were forced into government sanctioned concentration camps during World War I, I fear for the lives and rights of Muslim and Arabic Americans who only want to realize the American dream.

This tragedy has given us a great opportunity to talk about race in this country. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, all Japanese were seen as a threat. When people of Middle Eastern descent pervert the teachings of Islam and commit a terrorist act, all people that "could be" Muslim or from the Middle East are subject to persecution.

When David Berkowitz was found guilty of the Son of Sam killings, were Jewish males ostracized? When Tim McVeigh was found guilty of the Oklahama bombing (the largest terrost attack on American soil up until last Tuesday) were all white men suddenly subjected to scrutiny? No. In fact, the Oklahoma bombing was originally attributed to Arab terrorists.

When white males commit attrocious crimes, they are treated as an anomoly. Something must be wrong with that one white male -- all white males could not have those tendencies. But why can't we do the same when it comes to non-whites? Are non-white groups homogenous while whites are all individuals? I think not.

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