Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, August 2009, pages 49-50
Arab-American Activism
ADC Panel Discuss Civil Rights at Home
 |
|
THE AMERICAN-ARAB Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) held a June 13 panel discussion concerning “Civil Rights in the Era of Hope and Change” during its annual convention in Washington, DC.
Preetmohan Singh, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) national board of directors, opened the discussion by noting that people have a record of being “pretty silent” when racial discrimination and profiling are not directly affecting them, and often wait “until a family member or someone we know” has been subjected before openly recognizing the issue.
He went on to discuss the importance of the “broader community” and its influence in altering anti-Arab discrimination in the U.S., and the role our government plays in making this happen. When a question was raised about the FBI’s secrecy policy and the recent issue regarding the release of graphic images of detainees being tortured by American soldiers, Singh concluded that “we need to see what happened in the past to be able to move on.” The release of these photos was an essential step to doing so, he argued.
John Miller, assistant director of the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs, addressed the allegations of infiltrations of mosques and Muslim community centers and the coercing of American Muslims to act as informants (see the July 2009 Washington Report, p. 14). In light of recent events in Irvine, CA, and the resulting tension between American Muslims and the FBI, Miller stressed the importance of rules and guidelines in the FBI’s handling of surveillance and informants, who, he said, “have to work within the framework of the law.” Dismissing accusations that the FBI has not been doing that, Miller did admit that “walking the line between rules and information that shows a threat” is very hard. With regard to the infiltrations, however, Miller made it clear that “the FBI would never open an investigation based on First Amendment-protected rights,” nor does it “investigate buildings or institutions. It investigates people.” He went on to say that in organized crime as well as terrorism, “ethnic origin is a factor...Although it is not the only factor, it is a factor” in opening up an FBI investigation.
Mike German, a former FBI agent and currently policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Washington legislative office, responded by arguing that “racial profiling is an ineffective alternative. It cannot be used as a factor.” Charging that “anyone seen outside the mainstream is seen as dangerous by the government,” he asked that “the FBI not focus on people’s beliefs, but on behavior.” Because guidelines for inspection have been broadened in the last eight years, German explained, the government is no longer just chasing down suspects. “The FBI no longer needs facts to suspect you or to investigate you,” he warned, reminding the audience that “The government works for us! We deserve to know what they’re doing in our communities.”
—Helen Goelet
