My LTTE to the NY Times re: the UAE ports deal

[brooklynite]

I would like to join David Brook's plea for an end to the xenophobic anti-Arab reactions to the Dubai ports deal being made by our politicians and pundits ("Kicking Arabs in the Teeth", Feb 23). But, in doing so, I have to wonder where his concern has been for the past four years. Ever since 9/11, the Administration and its supporters, who pride themselves on "controlling the message", have apparently been happy to let firebrands like Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and Rev. Pat Robertson stir up the conservative base in support of the Administration's war and security policies with anti-muslim and anti-Arab rhetoric that garners at most an occasional "tut, tut" when the oratory goes too far. Now that a business deal with the Arab world is pending, its not surprising that the angry emotional responses can't be curtailed. Perhaps a call for less teeth kicking would have been more productive at the start of our "War on Terror", rather than at this late date.

[slor]

1. Beautiful !

Oh, and "Go fuck yourself" brooks.

[Jane Austin]

2. Just a minor correction . . . .

I think his name is spelled Brooks, not Brook.

[wtmusic]

3. As usual Brooks misses the entire point

and assumes that racism is the source of opposition, when it's plain old common sense.