Report: Homeland Security Gets Data on Arab-Americans

[Solly Mack]

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=5826788


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Census Bureau has provided population data on Arab-Americans to the Department of Homeland Security, including their ancestry and the cities and postal areas in which they live, The New York Times reported on Friday.

While the information sharing is legal, so long as the data do not identify individuals, civil liberties and Arab-American groups called it a breach of public trust and likened it to steps taken against Japanese-Americans in World War II, the newspaper said.

One set of data listed cities with more than 1,000 Arab-Americans. The other, more detailed set, provided ZIP code breakdowns and sorted Arab-Americans by country of origin. The categories were Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Lebanese, Moroccan, Palestinian, Syrian, "Arab/Arabic" and "Other Arab."

[saigon68]

1. After the next attack

I wouldn't want to be them.

[Solly Mack]

3. I know. I'm so afraid America can't help herself from continually

indulging in outrages. Do we really want to add another abuse to our long list of abuses throughout the years? Don't we as a nation carry enough shame already for the very low points in our history?

Do we really want to take this road again? So what? We apologise 50 years from now and beg understanding because "we were afraid"? As if that somehow excuses anything.

I love America so much it hurts. ...and it's things like this that hurt the most. Slaves to fear...what kind of freedom is that?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Another example of anti-Arab

and anti Muslim bias in this country. The persecution of Muslim military personnel at Gitmo is the most obvious example, but the prolonged detention of many Muslims after 911 is another. And just the other day we found that a Muslim-American is being held in Saudi Arabia without charge, apparently at the behest of the US, despite the fact that there is no evidence he is part of a terrorist organization-in fact, that is why the US asked the Saudis to do their dirty work-our courts would have this young man free by now.

And folks wonder why many Muslims think Bush was talking literally when he said he was on a crusade.

[54anickel]

4. Fundies are after this as well. Was channel surfing the other night

and came across that Prophecy in the news show. They were re-interpreting what has been preached for years. Used to be China that was being discussed in Revelation, now these guys are pushing that it is Islam. See more of that on that station all the time now.

So, was it Bush's crusade remarks that got the fundies fired up, or the fundies that got to Shrub? Chicken or the egg? Might be one of those great historic questions someday.

[jukes]

6. spin dr.

sucking up to the fundies; also establishing basis for "internment camps" installation. wonder which unpatriotic target group is next...

[jukes]

5. i think we shd legally change our names

mine will be: "yasuq madik" (recognition to r. deniro/SNL)

[AirAmFan]

7. Did anyone else hear Rep. Mike Honda, Japanese-American internment camp

survivor, speak at the Convention the other day?

I just happened to hear him talk about his experiences, growing up inside US barbed wire far from home. Many loyal Japanese-Americane lost their homes, their businesses, their belongings, and their freedom, and NO ONE (Mike's emphasis) spoke up for them. I fear that 10 years from now thousands of Arab-Americans will tell stories much like Mike's.

I wonder whether the Census supplied similar data 62 years ago, on Japanese-Americans.

There's a placeholder video interview with Mike Honda at http://www.dems2004.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=luI2LaPYG&b=130840&ct=159823 . Eventually, maybe there'll be a text transcript and video there of his moving speech to the Convention, like there is for most of the rest of the speeches archived at http://www.dems2004.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter3.asp?c=luI2LaPYG&b=130840

[Gyre]

8. Belief in the morality of your government can lead to

the end of your genetic line, if your belief is misplaced. We're on our way to totalitarianism and the signs get more naked every day.

We can do better.

Gyre

[Jack Rabbit]

9. This isn't racism. This isn't fear mongering.

Want to buy a bridge?

[atreides1]

10. But

The shadow administration supporters here at DU will once again come out and accuse people of putting on their tin foil hats.

They will say things like "they are following the law" or "this will make us safer" or any number of statements that basically support bigotry and racism.

And let's not forget their favorite "Bush won't do anything, it would be political suicide", since when has this administration cared about what they do based on how bad it looks?

Wait for it folks, I hear the tin hat accusers just outside the door.

:D

[The Stranger]

11. First they came for the ______.

First they came for the Arabs,
and I did not speak out
because I was not an Arab . . .

[BOHICA06]

12. WIth the Census data

avaiable on-line, you can do this for yourself! All it takes is time.