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Volume CXXXII, Number 16 |
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Are Arab Americans in danger?
BEN KREIDER
COLUMNIST
Republicans have long had the reputation of being racially insensitive, and their racism has been even more rampant during the war on terror. Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott's remarks about Strom Thurmond's segregationist campaign for president made headlines and rightly appalled the American public. His comments reinforced the Republicans' image as a party of intolerant, insensitive white members of the old boys' network.
Recently a prominent Republican member of Congress made matters even worse. During a call-in radio show, Representative Howard Coble from North Carolina endorsed the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. His remarks came in response to a caller who suggested that Arab-Americans be put into internment camps similar to those used during World War II.
Coble said that he did not agree with the caller, but that he did agree with President Roosevelt's decision to confine Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. "We were at war. They (Japanese Americans) were an endangered species," Coble said. "For many of these Japanese Americans, it wasn't safe for them to be on the street."
The congressman's comments were disturbing enough on their own, but his position makes his mistake even more egregious. Coble just happens to the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. While he allegedly does not want to confine Arab Americans, he is actually the individual who would be in the position to do so. All sensible Americans who support civil liberties should be outraged that such a powerful elected official would have such antiquated views.
While Coble's alleged desire to protect the Japanese Americans from harm is admirable, the language he used is reprehensible. Referring to Japanese Americans as "an endangered species" is a very racially loaded, insensitive remark. Such a comment would be terrible to make at any time, but it is especially dangerous amid the increased racial sensitivity during the war on terror.
A house divided cannot stand, and in these dire times, the U.S. must stand united against racial hate and terrorism. If we are to fight a truly effective war on terror, we must limit domestic racial tension. Americans must not judge each other by their ethnicities, religions, or genders; they must recognize their fellow Americans as allies, not enemies.
It is up to our nation's political leaders to set a good example for citizens to follow. Any politician, let alone the head of one of the most important and relevant congressional subcommittees at this time, should make it a point to avoid making racially or otherwise offensive remarks.
Representative Coble must act swiftly and appropriately to atone for his sins. The Japanese American Citizens League has called Coble and asked him to apologize. The American Arab Anti-Discrimination League has asked him to explain his remarks. Clearly, he must apologize to Japanese Americans for his hurtful words.
Secondly, he must resign as chairman to show his sense of leadership. An online petition to lobby for Coble to resign as chairman and apologize for his remarks is located at http://www.petitiononline.com/coble03/petition.html. It currently has over four thousand signatures.
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