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LIC statement on the Arab-American
position on Homeland Security
Once again, some Arab-American and American-Islamic organizations allege
that Americans of Arab origin are outraged by the security measures taken
by the U.S. government in order to protect our homeland. Moreover, these
organizations claim that Arab-Americans are being targeted and
discriminated against by U.S. law enforcement agencies. While these
organizations have failed so far to substantiate their accusations with
any credible information, and while we are confident, based on reports
from our own Lebanese-American community, the largest among the
Arabic-speaking ones, as well as from contacts with other Middle-Eastern
groups in the U.S., that there is no widespread discrimination, not even
serious individual cases of abuse against persons of Arab or
Middle-Eastern descent in the U.S., it is notable how these same
organizations remain silent about the terrible inhumane crimes committed
in their native lands against hundreds, even thousands of Arabs and
Moslems, in addition to non-Arabs and other religious minorities, by
tyrannical regimes, terrorist groups and radical fanatics in Sudan,
Algeria, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, just to name a few.As Lebanese-Americans
we would like first to emphasize that these organizations do not represent
our views or for that matter, the opinions of the majority of the
Arab-American communities. While we are, and have always been, extremely
sensitive to issues pertaining to the fundamental rights and human dignity
of any citizen, we believe that protecting the United States is a
prevailing priority and we do approve of all the measures taken by our
Government in order to insure the safety of our Nation, particularly when
we have carefully observed that these measures have not, in any way,
infringed on basic freedoms and civil liberties. Thus, we support all
preemptive actions against any individual or group who is a potential
security threat. Our country has the right and the duty to investigate and
watch anyone who overtly or covertly adheres to any ideology, religious or
secular, which openly promotes animosity against our nation or the free
world and which preaches violence and intolerance towards other ideologies
and beliefs. All United States citizens should be aware of the distortions
of those who claim to be protecting our rights while providing, willingly
or unwillingly, the terrorists with the needed cover to utilize our free
and open society as a weapon against us. The Administration and Congress
can count on our full support and willingness to act whenever needed to
protect our great country.
Joseph Gebeily, MD
President
The Lebanese Information Center |
