Like millions of their fellow citizens, Arab Americans and Muslims stood around the TV, watching in horror and disbelief as one attack after another took place against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Unlike other Americans, however, many quickly found themselves the object of suspicion, hostility and hate crimes.

Arab Americans and Muslims were also among the victims of the attacks. Many Arab Americans and Muslims worked in the World Trade Center and are among the missing. Several Arab Americans were passengers killed in the hijacked airliners. Arab Americans and Muslims were among the rescue workers in Washington and New York.

Arab American and Muslim organizations issued immediate condemnations of the attacks, but just as in the Gulf War, the Oklahoma City bombing, and other moments of crisis, the Arab and Muslim communities are being targeted by a wave of hostility and harassment. Numerous reports of harassment, assaults, shootings, and threats are coming in. There have been several deaths. Two Arab-American groceries in the Philadelphia area were looted. A store owner in Westchester, New York, was assaulted with pepper spray. Everywhere Muslim women wearing head coverings have been harassed, insulted or beaten. There are many reports of harassment of Arab-American children at school. People are staying home and keeping their children out of school. Arab-American organizations are receiving hate mail and hate calls. Asian Americans, especially South Asians, are also being targeted.

Similarly, during the Gulf war, in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing, and other moments of crisis, Arab Americans and Muslims experienced waves of hate crimes, physical assaults, bombings, death threats, and harassment.

At the same time, many non-Arab organizations, institutions and leaders have issued statements of support and called on others to avoid anti-Arab harassment. Individual citizens are reaching out in support of their Arab-American and Muslim neighbors. Strong condemnations of anti-Arab/anti-Muslim harassment and hate crimes have been made by President Bush, the Justice Department, the U.S. Congress, and numerous political, religious and community leaders.

Support for Arab-Americans and Muslims
Arab-Americans and Muslims, especially young people, may be experiencing anxiety and confusion over the attacks, fearful of the danger of personal harassment, and suffering from a sense of shame or stigma from being identified with the suspected perpetrators of the attacks. Many Arab- American students feel intimidated and silenced. Some feel that they have to keep their ethnicity a secret and let anti-Arab remarks go unchallenged. Non-Arab students may be feeling a sense of vulnerability, righteous indignation, anger or hostility which is seeking any available outlet. Educators and community leaders should take steps to address these potential problems. A great many are already doing so.

1. Public Statements: It will be very helpful for school officials, university presidents and deans, student government leaders, employers, religious leaders and others to issue public statements that innocent people should not be blamed for the acts of others. Let those who are upset and angry know that anti-Arab and anti-Muslim assaults, harassment, insults, and hate speech is the wrong way to respond to this tragedy. This could take the form of statements to the mass media, addresses to school or university assemblies, community forums, and op-ed articles in newspapers. Strong leadership is called for.

2. Educational Forums: Schools, universities, and businesses can set up forums and discussion groups to discuss the attacks, give people a chance to express their views, and make clear that blaming individual Arab Americans or Muslims is an inappropriate way to respond. It is right to be angry, but it is wrong to blame innocent people. The impulse to retaliate can be an instinctive demand for justice, but justice can never be served by blindly striking out in ways which victimize others. Reaffirm the inherent value of all human life.

   It is important to invite members of the Arab-American and Muslim communities to speak. The most effect way to counteract hostile stereotypes is through coming in personal contact with other communities. Invite speakers and show videos on the Arab world and Islam. Remind everyone that the Arab world is an entire civilization with a rich and sophisticated cultural heritage. It is not merely a place of political conflict and violence. (See the ADC website at www.adc.org for suggestions about print and video resources.)

3. Counseling: Schools and universities can make counseling available to those who may wish to discuss their more personal and private concerns. Businesses and religious groups could do the same.

4. Individuals: Many people are offering to help and reaching out to Arab Americans, Arab students and Muslims. Some are going shopping for people apprehensive about leaving their homes or accompanying them in public. Students in schools and on campus are calling their friends to let them know that they are in fact still friends and have support from others. Some share classroom lecture notes or offer to go to the library to take out books. Student organizations are inviting ArabAmericans and Muslims to speak to their groups, show videos, plan joint actions, or to discuss their mutual experience of the crisis.

   Students who observe harassment incidents or hurtful speech should speak out to counteract it, either immediately, or by reporting it to school authorities and asking them to take action.

For further information, please consult the ADC Web site www.adc.org or e-mail adc@adc.org

Marvin Wingfield is the education director at the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.