The *FREE ARAB VOICE*
February 21, 1998

The following is an action alert to defend Arab-American rights,
currently under attack in the U.S.

With legal sanction from new U.S. laws enacted in 1996, many of us are
languishing in jail WITHOUT A FORMAL CHARGE!!

Passenger-Profiling which became effective on New Year's eve unfairly
discriminates against Arab-Americans in the airports of the U.S.

MORE ANTI-ARAB AND ANTI-MUSLIM LAWS ARE ON THE WAY.

Read all about it below, and what *YOU* can do about it:


SENATE HEARING ON 'FOREIGN TERRORISTS IN AMERICA' By Nabila Martino
================================================

On 24 February, at 10.00 a.m., the Senate Subcommittee on Technology,
Terrorism and Government Information will hold a hearing on 'Foreign
Terrorists in America: Five Years After the World Trade Center Bombing.'

Subcommittee members are scheduled to hear from federal law enforcement
officials as well as from 'representatives of the private sector'.
Previous hearings have resulted in laws and policies such as the use of
secret evidence to deport aliens, exclusion of aliens based on mere
membership in disfavored groups, wiretapping without evidence of
criminal activity, and airline passenger 'profiling.'

The hearing will take place on 24 February, at 10 a.m., in the Dirksen
Senate Office Building Room 226. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona is the
subcommittee Chairman. Other members include:
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Sen.
Fred Thompson (R-TN), Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Sen.
Joseph Biden, Jr. (D-DE), and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL).

These officials, on the whole, are known for their pro-Zionist bias;
the list does not include any individual with a reputation for serving
the cause of justice impartially.

What is frightening about this as well is the fact that Steven Emerson,
a man who has demonstrated relentless prejudice against Muslims, Arabs
and Palestinians, will no doubt take the spotlight and the lead in this
hearing as he has done in the past. This is a man who was described by
the Jerusalem Post as having 'close ties to Israeli intelligence'; the
New York Times Book Review, with respect to his 1991 book 'Terrorist'
stated that Emerson's book was 'marred by factual errors that betray an
unfamiliarity with the Middle East and a pervasive Anti-Arab and
anti-Palestinian bias.' Emerson's contention is that: Islam equals
Terrorism and that there is a 'permanent floating (Islamic) militant
internationale', with organized groups in every major city in the U.S.
determined to commit acts of bombing and terror against ordinary citizens.

The hearing on 24 February will result in more anti-Arab, anti-Muslim
policies if people like Emerson are allowed to capture and keep the lead
in defining 'terrorism' as he has done in the past. It is vital that
people come forward to refute his propaganda with the same degree of
energy and dedication that he shows.

It has been suggested that faxes and emails be sent to the committee,
and to elected officials with respect to this hearing. And that may have
some, if any, practical effect. WHAT IS VITAL HERE THOUGH IS AN
ORGANIZED EFFORT TO EDUCATE AMERICANS, including the elected officials,
as to the reality behind the propaganda of people like Emerson.

We are not talking about philosophical or sociological discussions here.
This is a matter that can and DOES AFFECT ORDINARY PEOPLE LIVING IN OR
WISHING TO VISIT THE STATES. The laws that have been passed so far
under the influence of Emerson's propaganda, have resulted in
imprisonment without bail (and without any criminal offense ever being
charged) as well as deportation for a number of individuals.

It is naïve to expect that some one will appear out of nowhere to defend
the cause of justice and truth. WE HAVE TO ACT, both as individuals and
as an organized political force, to protect our
rights and the rights of our own people.

The Zionists are masters at the art of propaganda and public relations;
if we do not learn how to respond to their lies in an effective and
persuasive manner, we will have to EXPECT ANTI-MUSLIM AND ANTI-ARAB
DISCRIMINATION WILL ONLY INCREASE.

Tragically, this sort of discrimination does not solely affect people
living in the States: it affects the perception of Americans when a
military strike is called against an Arab and/or Islamic nation. When
Muslims and Arabs are perceived as terrorists or less than human, it is
very EASY FOR AMERICANS TO IGNORE the fact that economic sanctions
against Iraq have destroyed the lives of innocent children as well as
adults; it is easy enough to agree with a policy of military action
against a nation when Americans are made to believe that they are acting
against 'terrorism' .

In short, the results of this hearing could affect, not only all Arabs
and/or Muslims living in the States, but all those who might in future
be the victims of U.S. foreign policies.

SO IN PRACTICAL TERMS, WHAT CAN WE DO?

First, the usual suggestions:

1) Those who reside in the states of Subcommittee Members
should contact their elected Representatives directly by
phone (call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121), fax or
e-mail (http://www.senate.gov/~judiciary/terrtest.htm). Ask
for the person in the senator's office who is dealing with
this hearing.

2) Everyone should call, fax or e-mail the Subcommittee Chairman to
request a factual, balanced and objective hearing: Senator Jon Kyl,
Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on
Terrorism, Technology, and Government Information, Room SH-325, Hart
Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 TEL: (202) 224-6791
FAX (202) 228-0542 E-MAIL: info@kyl.senate.gov

Sen. Kyl's Arizona office: 2200 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120,
Phoenix, AZ, 85016. TEL: (602) 840-1891

3) Attend the hearing if you live in the Washington, D.C.,
area.

This is all well and good, because it's better than nothing, but it is
doubtful that AT THIS STAGE telephone calls, faxes or emails will make a
drastic difference in influencing people who are following their own
agendas on Capitol Hill unless we deluge them with tens of thousands
of calls, faxes or emails!!

Here are some other suggestions for action which are not mere reactions.
If they do not result in any changes in this particular instance, may
actually have some effect in the future:

Organize TWO ARAB GROUPS to deal with this situation, one TO PROTEST
the activities of this Zionist-oriented Committee and the other to go to
the committee to request an 'intervention' in the committee by having
some Arab legal experts BECOME INVOLVED WITH THE COMMITTEE ITSELF.
These legal experts must seek to make irrefutable points to influence
the committee in its findings, as well as closely monitoring the
hearing.

The effort is worth it even if we fail on this particular occasion.
What this will succeed in doing is creating an expert voice to protect
Arab and Muslim interests in the future, as well as demonstrating to the
government and the Zionist lobbies that WE NO LONGER INTEND TO SIT BY
IMPOTENTLY WHILE THEY ENACT LAWS THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECT US.

Here Arab-American organizations and prominent figures can seek to play
an effective role...

In short, we need to change our methods: Arabs must INTERVENE rather
than simply continuing to criticize. We have to INSIST ON participation
in these hearings, to change the definition of terrorism in this
country. After all, terrorism is in the eye of the beholder.
As long as we ignore the necessity of becoming part of the legal
process, we will continue to be victims of what is essentially Zionist
policy. By intervening in the process, we may achieve some power to
change the anti-Arab, anti-Islamic prejudice that is endemic in
this country. Participation in the law-making process would defeat the
Zionists as well, who COUNT ON OUR ALOOFNESS, and who have been certain
of their own absolute control over policies of this
sort.

The other effect of this would be to demonstrate to the U.S. government
an insistence to exercise OUR RIGHTS by taking part in the policy-making
of this country.

There must be criticism from the outside, in the form of protests and
education through the media; but there should be an attempt to become
part of the process as well, to try to change these policies from
within.

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