Lynette Ormentson outlines the differences between current anti-Arab American sentiment and the treatment of Japanese Americans following World War II. Then, she says, the U-S government officially sanctioned discrimination against Americans of Japanese descent. Now, however, American political leaders are encouraging tolerance, respect, and understanding with regard to Americans of Arab descent. Guests and callers criticized the media for its representation of the terrorist attacks, emphasizing the lack of coverage of anti-Arab Americans violence. The entertainment industry was also criticized for misrepresenting Arab-Americans as either terrorists or wealthy people. All guests expressed the conviction that the media will play a crucial role in preventing future race-motivated attacks.
Guests:
Sher Singh,one of the three men handcuffed and escorted by gunpoint, detained and questioned at the Providence, RI train station
Hussein Ibish, Communications Director for the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Lynette Clemetson, A reporter for NewsWeek Magazine
Representative Mike Honda, California
and Mohamed Nimer, Research Director of The Council on American-Islamic Relations.