Bush, others urge against scapegoating Arab-Americans

Deutsche Presse-Agentur

September 13, 2001

Washington--President George W. Bush and other U.S. officials, including the president's father, urged Americans Thursday not to scapegoat Arab-Americans for this week's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

The officials were reacting to concern from the Arab-American community and from Arab governments that angry citizens could blame all Moslems, especially those of Arab descent, for the hijackings that led to the destruction of the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon.

"Our nation must be mindful that there are thousands of Arab- Americans ... who love their flag just as much as (we) do," Bush said in a telephone conversation with New York Governor George Pataki and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, during which he called Tuesday's attacks "the first war of the 21st century." "And we must be mindful that as we seek to win the war (against terrorism), that we treat Arab-Americans and Moslems with the respect they deserve," he said, adding that the country "should not hold one who is a Moslem responsible for an act of terror".

In the two days since the attacks, which killed thousands, there have been reports of Arab-Americans being jeered or otherwise harassed. In one incident, bricks were tossed through the window of an Islamic bookstore in Alexandria, Virginia.

Arab-American advocacy groups have urged their fellow citizens not to blame their compatriots of Arab descent. They cite the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, when many Americans initially blamed Arabs only to find that the terror was home-grown.

Bush's call was echoed by his father, former president George H.W. Bush, in a statement issued from his office in Houston and in a speech delivered Thursday.

"We must guard against painting with such a broad brush that we cause innocent Arab-Americans or Islamic believers anywhere to come under unfair attack," the elder Bush said.

"There will be a tendency in some quarters to lump in with the terrorists all those who believe in Islam," he added. "This we must strongly condemn."

Attorney General John Ashcroft, whose Justice Department is mounting the largest investigation in U.S. history to find the culprits of Tuesday's attacks, also urged Americans not to leap to conclusions that their Arab neighbours were involved.

"Since Tuesday, the Justice Department has received reports of violence and threats of violence against Arab-Americans and other Americans of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent," Ashcroft said.

"We must not descend to the level of those who perpetrated Tuesday's violence by targeting individuals based on race, religion or national origin," he added.