From: "mart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From: Jose G. Perez
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2001 6:22 PM
Subject: [CubaNews] At the Big Lots store: Iraq, Afghanistan and Cuba
I want to bring to people's attention especially the New York Times
article that NY Transfer posted, about the current state of the
investigation into the 9-11 attacks.
Basically, after a month and a half of the most intensive investigation
ever, the cops have, apparently, zip:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/message/6535
On the other hand, the extent of the mass repression against muslims in
the U.S. is staggering. More than 800 have been arrested and
jailed --although not one, not a single one, for the crimes allegedly being
investigated. Thousands more have been rousted and given the third degree.
They are being routinely accosted on the street, denied transportation
on airplanes, refused jobs or laid off on any pretext, denied housing,
harassed by the cops, the FBI, and the jack-booted army reserve thugs that
are policing many airports (it should be noted that the "National Guard" is
NOT the same as the regular army. It is a much more ideologically committed,
consciously pro-imperialist selection of people than the regular grunts.
Moreover, the units being sent to airports aren't even regular National
Guard units. They're often the ones specialized in police and intelligence
work, repression, not so much soldiers as cops.)
Many hispanics have also been hit, apparenly to the cops we look arab
and not only that, we speak funny, too.
I myself was questioned by what appeared to be a plain clothes security
guard as I was leaving Big Lots today with my 7-year-old son Lucas.
"Are you from Afghanistan," I was asked.
"Cuba," I answered.
"Is that near Iraq," the man asked, apparently exhausting his knowledge
of world geography.
"No it's near Florida," I answered, hoping against hope he would somehow
know at least the name of the state that neighbors Georgia to the south.
My son Lucas wanted to go on the police motorcycle ride in front of the
store so I gave him a quarter, and this man and I chit chatted. Who was my
president, the man wanted to know. This was a paunchy middle-aged black guy,
pretty big but not at all threatening in his demeanor. But I was still wary,
so I said, well, I live just down the street, so I assume it's the same as
yours. "No I mean Cuba."
"Fidel Castro," I answered. He gestured with his hands to indicate a
beard. "Uhu," I said.
"Good man," he said, and then repeated it, nodding his head for
emphasis: "Good man."
Lucas couldn't get the ride to work --no power, I think, but he wasn't
upset. I showed him how to work the coin return and his little fingers came
out clutching two quarters. "Look daddy, my quarter had a baby," and all
three of us laughed.
I assume he questioned me because he'd been given some sort of profile.
Look out for arab-looking people, darker skinned than most white people,
brown eyes, and get the ones from Iraq and Afghanistan. Or maybe that part
was just from listening to CNN. He was just doing his job, but his demeanor
suggested to me it hasn't changed his fundamental attitudes. He doesn't want
some crazy blowing up this strip mall, but then again, neither do I, and
that feeling hasn't changed my politics either.
But for the "war" to succeed, that is precisely what Bush must do, win
the hearts and minds, not of the Afghans, but of the American people. His
main offensive isn't over there, it's over here. It may seem like he's made
some progress, but I believe there's much less there than meets the eye.
Jos�
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