“MUSLIM FREE ZONE, WHITE’S ONLY, NO JEWS WELCOME, IRISH NEED NOT APPLY” . . . symbols of our “free” and “democratic” society, past and present. The U.S. has a long history of ethnic, religious, and racial prejudice and hatred, identifying groups and assigning them outsider status.
When actions such as these, marginalizing, attacking, or even killing people who are deemed outsiders or threats to us “patriots,” our elected officials would inevitably state, “This is not who we are.” That comment is nothing more than a “snow job” or public relations gambit probably composed by Madison Avenue.
Then, who are we?
When Europeans landed on the shores of America, the new arrivals cleansed the area of indigenous Native Americans almost completely eliminating them as a people.
African-Americans were brought to this country to provide free labor. When slavery was abolished, Jim Crow laws went into effect resulting in the killing and abuse of thousands of black Americans.
When Jim Crow laws were abolished, the white majority found new, more subtle means to neutralize the black communities. The legal or injustice system together with police departments successfully incarcerated tens of thousands of black and brown people, took their right to vote from them, made public housing unavailable to them, so when they were released from prison they had no place to live, could find little opportunity for employment, etc. This left many of them with only one option . . . to return to prison where, at least they had shelter and food.
Today, the establishment has moved one step further. Laws have been passed in several states which allow people who feel threatened, whether or not the threat is real, to “stand your ground.” This law allows the George Zimmerman’s of this country to stalk the Trayvon Martins, a black teenager minding his business, confront him, shoot him, and then claim that this young man presented a threat to him. Zimmerman was armed, Trayvon was not.
Not wanting to be outdone, police departments have successfully murdered black men and women at a reported rate of one every 28 hours. It goes without saying that the injustice system protects these police officers from any accountability. “They were following procedure.” They probably were when confronting some person of color.
Let me move to our latest phenomenon. There are a growing number of businesses throughout the country that have declared themselves “Muslim free.”
The Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gear store in Oktaha, Oklahoma, has a sign in its window stating it is a “Muslim free establishment.” The sign also states, “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone,” which is the same language used by businesses that refused to serve African-American customers in the 1950s.
This action is not unique to Oklahoma, businesses in New York, Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas and New Hampshire have already been declared “Muslim-free zones.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called on the In-Justice Department to intervene and were told that the department is “monitoring” a shooting range in Hot Springs, Arkansas, that has declared itself a Muslim Free Zone by its owner.
Is that the best the department can do, monitor one business when this racist, Islamophobic movement is spreading across the country? Would there be a non-response if businesses refused to serve Jews? After all, Israel is our closest ally in the Middle East and Jews are currently “in.”
This is not who we are? Then explain the U.S.’s unwarranted invasion of Iraq in which tens of thousands of Iraqis were killed, hundreds of thousands physically and psychologically wounded, hundreds of thousands of people made homeless.
Explain the U.S. bombing of Libya, during a civil rebellion, where, once again, thousands of Libyans were killed and tens of thousands wounded.
Explain the use of drones to fire missiles on so called targets in Pakistan and Afghanistan, killing 28 innocent civilians for every targeted “terrorist.”
Explain Yemen where the U.S. is supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia that is engaged in the bombing of civilian cities and villages, causing a terrible humanitarian crisis.
The Saudis also made it impossible for a ship from Iran, carrying food stuff and medicines, to dock at a port in Yemen, forcing it to return to Iran.
Explain why the U.S. continues to support Israel’s genocide program and last summer, while the Israel’s were slaughtering Palestinians, agreed to send supplemental shipments of weapons to Israel. Evidently, Israel’s army was running short on bullets and rockets.
Explain why the U.S. is the only nation to have dropped nuclear bombs on another country . . . not once but twice at the end of WW2. Japan had already signaled its desire to negotiate a surrender. The true reason for dropping those two bombs was the U.S. sending a strong message to the Soviet Union . . . this is what we’ve got.
The reality, ladies and gentlemen, is this is who we really are. The U.S. has sponsored more international killings and destruction than any other force in human history. We are an imperialist, destructive, and, in many ways, a primitive empire that spends more than half its budget to arm itself while basic human needs are ignored.
GOD BLESS AMERIKA!!!
Dave Alpert has masters degrees in social work, educational administration, and psychology. He spent his career working with troubled inner city adolescents.
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‘This is not who we are’
Posted on August 18, 2015 by Dave Alpert
“MUSLIM FREE ZONE, WHITE’S ONLY, NO JEWS WELCOME, IRISH NEED NOT APPLY” . . . symbols of our “free” and “democratic” society, past and present. The U.S. has a long history of ethnic, religious, and racial prejudice and hatred, identifying groups and assigning them outsider status.
When actions such as these, marginalizing, attacking, or even killing people who are deemed outsiders or threats to us “patriots,” our elected officials would inevitably state, “This is not who we are.” That comment is nothing more than a “snow job” or public relations gambit probably composed by Madison Avenue.
Then, who are we?
When Europeans landed on the shores of America, the new arrivals cleansed the area of indigenous Native Americans almost completely eliminating them as a people.
African-Americans were brought to this country to provide free labor. When slavery was abolished, Jim Crow laws went into effect resulting in the killing and abuse of thousands of black Americans.
When Jim Crow laws were abolished, the white majority found new, more subtle means to neutralize the black communities. The legal or injustice system together with police departments successfully incarcerated tens of thousands of black and brown people, took their right to vote from them, made public housing unavailable to them, so when they were released from prison they had no place to live, could find little opportunity for employment, etc. This left many of them with only one option . . . to return to prison where, at least they had shelter and food.
Today, the establishment has moved one step further. Laws have been passed in several states which allow people who feel threatened, whether or not the threat is real, to “stand your ground.” This law allows the George Zimmerman’s of this country to stalk the Trayvon Martins, a black teenager minding his business, confront him, shoot him, and then claim that this young man presented a threat to him. Zimmerman was armed, Trayvon was not.
Not wanting to be outdone, police departments have successfully murdered black men and women at a reported rate of one every 28 hours. It goes without saying that the injustice system protects these police officers from any accountability. “They were following procedure.” They probably were when confronting some person of color.
Let me move to our latest phenomenon. There are a growing number of businesses throughout the country that have declared themselves “Muslim free.”
The Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gear store in Oktaha, Oklahoma, has a sign in its window stating it is a “Muslim free establishment.” The sign also states, “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone,” which is the same language used by businesses that refused to serve African-American customers in the 1950s.
This action is not unique to Oklahoma, businesses in New York, Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas and New Hampshire have already been declared “Muslim-free zones.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called on the In-Justice Department to intervene and were told that the department is “monitoring” a shooting range in Hot Springs, Arkansas, that has declared itself a Muslim Free Zone by its owner.
Is that the best the department can do, monitor one business when this racist, Islamophobic movement is spreading across the country? Would there be a non-response if businesses refused to serve Jews? After all, Israel is our closest ally in the Middle East and Jews are currently “in.”
This is not who we are? Then explain the U.S.’s unwarranted invasion of Iraq in which tens of thousands of Iraqis were killed, hundreds of thousands physically and psychologically wounded, hundreds of thousands of people made homeless.
Explain the U.S. bombing of Libya, during a civil rebellion, where, once again, thousands of Libyans were killed and tens of thousands wounded.
Explain the use of drones to fire missiles on so called targets in Pakistan and Afghanistan, killing 28 innocent civilians for every targeted “terrorist.”
Explain Yemen where the U.S. is supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia that is engaged in the bombing of civilian cities and villages, causing a terrible humanitarian crisis.
The Saudis also made it impossible for a ship from Iran, carrying food stuff and medicines, to dock at a port in Yemen, forcing it to return to Iran.
Explain why the U.S. continues to support Israel’s genocide program and last summer, while the Israel’s were slaughtering Palestinians, agreed to send supplemental shipments of weapons to Israel. Evidently, Israel’s army was running short on bullets and rockets.
Explain why the U.S. is the only nation to have dropped nuclear bombs on another country . . . not once but twice at the end of WW2. Japan had already signaled its desire to negotiate a surrender. The true reason for dropping those two bombs was the U.S. sending a strong message to the Soviet Union . . . this is what we’ve got.
The reality, ladies and gentlemen, is this is who we really are. The U.S. has sponsored more international killings and destruction than any other force in human history. We are an imperialist, destructive, and, in many ways, a primitive empire that spends more than half its budget to arm itself while basic human needs are ignored.
GOD BLESS AMERIKA!!!
Dave Alpert has masters degrees in social work, educational administration, and psychology. He spent his career working with troubled inner city adolescents.