Civil rights groups ask Bush to remove appointee after comments on Arab-Americans

Associated Press ^ | 7-22-02 | WILL LESTER

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (AP) --

[Paul Atreides]

It sounds like a bunch of people trying to pick up where Mary Frances Blackberry left off.

[chachacha]

"Under no circumstances did I ever say, nor do I believe in, detention camps or that the government should consider such detention camps

Then you need to be replaced with someone who does.

[TomGuy]

Their reaction was expected. I figure Peter Kirsanow may be in for an involuntary career change.

Earlier, related FR post: Arabs in U.S. could be held, official warns

[Clara Lou]

Regardless of opinion about the content of Kirsanow's comments, he really didn't need to say it aloud. It is interesting to hear a member of a minority suggest internment camps for another minority.

[gunnedah]

I think we should disband civil rights for everyone other than American citizens.They take our country over while we sit back depending on those we elect to protect us.Then those we elect laugh in our face,open the flood gates and figure ways to get the illegals to vote for them and to hell with the citizens who were born,raised sweated and died for this country.
Now the illegals and the terrorist are using "The Rule Of Law" to bring this country down.It is damn well laughable how stupid America has become.
Apparently our schools and universities have been producing idiots for well over fifty years.
TO HELL WITH CONGRESS!Between them,Corporate America and Lawyers we have had it!

[11B3]

Should there be another major attack on US soil, those internment camps would only be for those Arabs that we would leave alive. Damn few, if it were up to me.

At that point, it would appear to be us or them - THEY LOSE.

[Steve Eisenberg]

Regardless of opinion about the content of Kirsanow's comments, he really didn't need to say it aloud.

Well, you are right, he said something that they could pounce on.

It sounds to me that Kirsanow's real point was that if we do the rights things, there won't be a need for detentions etc. My guess is that Kirsanow's enemies on the Civil Rights Commission have been scrutinizing every word out of his mouth trying to find something he would say that they could publicize to embarrass the President. Under those circumstances, where you constantly have to consider how what you say will sound if taken totally out of context, it is hard not to eventually make a mistake. Life is unfair.

[piasa]

He didn't suggest 'doing it.' He just pointed out a truth- people would demand it, and so, it is better to deal with terrorism forcefully and immediately so as to prevent this attitude from ever taking hold. And he's right, people will demand it if there's another attack. People have already demanded it after the first attack. And there might even be people who have demanded it for years after other incidents. And if there are more attacks people will demand stupid things that we would prefer to avoid. That people demand it or will demand it has nothing to do with his opinion and does not imply he would be for it. If they are too stupid to understand what he said, they shouldn't be spokesmen for their civil rights groups. They need to shop for people who know how to listen.

Maybe if the Arab civil rights groups would shut their mouths once in a while and listen instead of interrupting everyone else, enough English might get through their thick skulls for them to actually comprehend what others say. Of course, if they learned to listen, people wouldn't dislike their spokespersons so much, and some dialogue could take place. And if they would quit apologizing for terrorists, people wouldn't be so hostile towards them.

But their real motive is probably to try to force Bush into nominating a muslim in the guy's place. And behind them is Carville and Begala trying to get the guy replaced with a liberal.

[Travis McGee]

PC Uber Alles!

Radical Islam is an insane murder cult, and "moderate" Islam is its Trojan Horse in the West.

(And Bush is still dragging the damn horse inside the gate.)

[JSloth]

We try to be nice to everyone. We're told to be tolerant of other peoples beliefs, help support them in their time of need, turn the other cheek.....well the cheeks on old Uncle Sam are getting red and sore. Enough turning the other cheek!

/End Rant/ Sorry, not to coherent on that one!

[dennisw]

[Sabertooth]

The civil rights' groups said in their letter to Bush, "You have reminded people on a number of occasions that we are engaged in a war against terrorism, not a war against Arabs or Islam, and certainly not against Arab Americans."

Lotta chickens crowding that roost.

[goldstategop]

I approve of detention camps for Islamist terrorists. The Jesse Jacksons and Julian Bonds have made a big nothing out of Peter Kirsanow's comments. Besides, what civil right is more important to the American people than to be free from terrorism? 'Nuff said.

[blam]

"It sounds like a bunch of people trying to pick up where Mary Frances Blackberry left off."

Yup. Predictable. This commission should be abolished. Period!

[piasa]

Oh boy, the wacky AAADC again... brings to mind the DNC, and a guy named Khaled Elgindy, brother of another Elgindy, Anthony Elgindy, of stock trading fame- the guy who was arrested out west along with a couple of FBI agents who had insider info, so to speak, on companies.

Khaled Elgindy as far as I know didn't have to do with the stock deals, but he does have deep ties to the DNC. He worked for Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, I believe, and a relative of his was a Congressman Bonior aid - remember the guy who got tossed out of the White House when a muslim group visited and who threw a tissy fit over being singled out by the secret service?

I don't blame the sercret service- the Elgindy's are real fond of Iraq. Too fond of it.

Washington ADC Joins Worldwide Campaign to End Sanctions Against Iraqi People

On June 30, members of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee-Washington, DC. Chapter (ADC-DC) held a teach-in to end the international blockade against Iraq. The teach-in was part of a campaign by the International Action Center and other humanitarian organizations conducted in over 16 countries worldwide.

Khaled Elgindy, ADC-DC president and Jamal Abou-Ali, ADC-DC legal officer, stated that "although the U.S. media portrayed pinpoint accuracy bombing, over a billion dollars worth of damage was caused by the war. Ever since, civilians have faced disease, malnutrition and, in places, outright starvation." Although humanitarian imports are allowed by U.N. Security Resolutions 661 and 667, the resolutions are narrowly interpreted, they said, meaning that hospital beds, medical books, and even pencils are considered "non-essential" and not allowed to enter the country.

According to Abou-Ali, international law proscribes blockades such as the one against Iraq. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, U.N. General Assembly Resolution 44/215, and the Geneva Conventions (1977) specifically prohibit starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, he said.

Both speakers cited U.N. reports documenting over one million Iraqi civilian deaths since the Gulf war, half of which were children under the age of five. In 1996 UNICEF reported that 4,500 children die each month. The film, "The Children are Dying," narrated by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, graphically depicted the daily fight for survival by Iraqis when basic medicine, sufficient food, and clean drinking water are almost unavailable.

(Good ol' Clark, the notorious scumbag)

Elgindy closed by urging all of the more than 30 attendees to contact their congresspersons to help end the blockade. "The field is open for a grassroots effort to end the sanctions," said Elgindy. "This policy is being led by think tanks, not constituencies."

[Ronin]

If Bush caves in and fires that guy because of this pressure, then he is finished as far as I am concerned.

[piasa]

See 18.