In This Together

Keep your last name JS.
Time marches on and one hopes that the people responsible for this mass murder are dealt with.
Nobody can say that it is going to be easy. But it has to be done.
America gets the best minds from all over the world (I might be the exception). The ``brown``
people will continue to come here as long as American does not change. And let us just hope that it does not. At least for the sake of our children.

Ras

In my city on the left coast, some folks have made it a point to patronize middle eastern businesses. The great thing about the US is the rah-rah-ness doesn`t pervade the whole culture. There are pockets where dissent is tolerated and even encouraged. There is militarism in the larger culture but, mercifully, there`s also room for anti-militarism. We know, due to our own experiences from back home, better than to be discrete and not be in-the-face aggressive about our views if they happen to be at variant with what the majority thinks.

As for your name, you must know of course that many many immigrants to the US changed their last names for a variety of reasons - from trying to hide their jewishness to making their names easy on the tongue to simply shortening it for convenience. Even now many immigrants adopt a nickname (no, not soysauce) as a way of blending in. Turning your last name into a middle name could be one option - you keep the connection that way and the name would not be normally used.

As Bill Maher of `Politically incorrect` says the other day, if the next terrorist attack is made on USA, 95% chance is that they would be muslims. Coming this from a secular person, it should be reflective of how Americans feel about that. And u can not blame them for that. How all kashmiri muslims r treated in India? How Bengalis r treated in Karachi, Pakistan? Not all of them r terrorists or theives, but this is what we all ppl do as a form of defensive mechanism----Generalization. Don`t tell me u never indulge in it. We do generalization because wee can not afford to know every person personally. When it comes to personal relationships, yes, we do away with generalization, and come to know the Bengali, jew, chinese, hindu, sikh, etc in very neutral way. But this attitude is not possible at al the times.

This is one sorry refelection on the human psychology. but it is true.

If Sep 11 attack has happened in India, Pakistan or any other Arab country, I would see what would they do to the `usual suspects`. Compared with that, what is happening in USA is nothing. Atleast u have the legal recourse to sue the person/airline for racism. In the above-mentioned countries, u can not even do that.

I think it`s commendable how civilized the american nation has been in general. And the media deserves a standing ovation for the remarkable role that it has played. There have been some incidents but personally i have been truly touched by the thoughtfulness of neighbors, co-workers and friends.

changing the name wouldn`t help one bit. and why should we change our identity coz a couple of morons decided to fly into a building. i am proud of being a brown muslim and like you yourself said ``they shall not own my life while I am still alive``.

Excellent article as usual!!!

I agree with Ras

Keep your last name JS and continue to be proud of it since this is what makes you unique!!!

POLITICALLY INCORRECT,

Jawahara,

That is a great idea, your first name is great, at least is similar to that of a great indian leader. Your last name is the problem, change it to Coco Cola, it also gives you a middle name a requirement in the US. Or may be you can be a an Indonesian muslim, have only one name jawahara, drop the last name altogether, which is a more religiously sound option.

Following the terror strike people have been investigated in india, saudi, germany, england, france, belgium, behrain, US, canada, tunisia....there is only one thing common across all of them. If your name is identified with that commonality, change to Coco Cola, at least that is the real thing.

regards and best wishes to Ms J.C.Cola

jay

Here is an interesting article. Please read.

http://www.timesofindia.com/articlelist.asp?catkey=-21289bullsht=enormous

Grateful India celebrates Powell`s statement

NILANJANA BHADURI JHA

NEW DELHI: Celebrations broke out and sweets were distributed in the streets of the capital after US Secretary of State Colin Powell denounced the ``terrible terrorist act that killed innocent civilians`` in Kashmir.

Foreign Secratary Chaptila Iyer told reporters that India was ``pleased`` and ``indebted`` for Powell`s kind words. ``We have been trying to draw the world`s attention towards Pakistan sponsored aatank-waad in different parts of India but we have been ignored so far``, she said.

Foreign Minister Bhadwant Singh sounded even more positive. ``Our coming generations will be grateful to Colin Powell``, he said. He also said that India has asked all of its states to provide 5000 kunwari kannhya (virgins) each for the American soldiers, if they ever decide to use the Indian bases and facilities. He said that we would have done ``more`` but for the precarious male/female ratio in the country`s population. In response to a question he said that we can always ``provide`` Shammi Kapoor and Prem Chopra if there is a battallion from San Francisco`s Castro district.

He contemptously dismissed a reported statement by Maulana Manhoos Azhar in which the Maulana had accused the Indians of being a nation of castrated eunuchs which was not willing to fight its own wars. ``He has been in our custody for 3 years and we have repeatedly checked his shalwar. He is a casarated eunuch himself``, Bhadwant Singh said. ``In fact both of us played eunuch-eunuch on our flight to Kandahar``, he recalled.

Jawahara:

Yes, being in minority can bring its own sense of insecurity, both real and imagined. When the ``imagined`` is based on reality, it can get worse.

But can a person also have nice experiences because he/she is in a minority? Ofcourse, exclude affections born out of sympathy.

It`s a nice article. We are in this together but we were huddled into it.That`s why the subsumption hurts.

Pullu

Dont get me wrong i mourn death of 9-11 teagedy ,just as mine

BUT I DO THE BURNT ALIVE VIETNAMESE,KOREAN,NAPALM OVER PALESTENIANS HOUSE,STARVING IRAQI WOMEN & CHILDREN TOO

Those who were also father,sister,mother,sons & daughters but not repeatedly flashed every 5 mins for 3 weeks.Do our mind need repititons to FEEL?

Ever since the United States Army massacred 300 Lakotas in 1890, American

forces have intervened elsewhere around the globe 100 times. Indeed the

United States has sent troops abroad or militarily struck other countries`

territory 216 times since independence from Britain. Since 1945 the United

States has intervened in more than 20 countries throughout the world.

Since World War II, the United States actually dropped bombs on 23

countries. These include: China 1945-46, Korea 1950-53, China 1950-53,

Guatemala 1954, Indonesia 1958, Cuba 1959-60, Guatemala 1960, Congo 1964,

Peru 1965, Laos 1964-73, Vietnam 1961-73, Cambodia 1969-70, Guatemala

1967-69, Grenada 1983, Lebanon 1984, Libya 1986, El Salvador 1980s,

Nicaragua 1980s, Panama 1989, Iraq 1991-1999, Sudan 1998, Afghanistan 1998,

and Yugoslavia 1999.

Post World War II, the United States has also assisted in over 20 different

coups throughout the world, and the CIA was responsible for half a dozen

assassinations of political heads of state.

The following is a comprehensive summary of the imperialist strategy of the

United States over the span of the past century:

Argentina - 1890 - Troops sent to Buenos Aires to

protect business interests.

Chile - 1891 - Marines sent to Chile and clashed with

nationalist rebels.

Haiti - 1891 - American troops suppress a revolt by

Black workers on United States-claimed Navassa Island.

Hawaii - 1893 - Navy sent to Hawaii to overthrow the

independent kingdom - Hawaii annexed by the United

States.

Nicaragua - 1894 - Troops occupied Bluefields, a city

on the Caribbean Sea, for a month.

China - 1894-95 - Navy, Army, and Marines landed

during the Sino-Japanese War.

Korea - 1894-96 - Troops kept in Seoul during the war.

Panama - 1895 - Army, Navy, and Marines landed in the

port city of Corinto.

China - 1894-1900 - Troops occupied China during the

Boxer Rebellion.

Philippines - 1898-1910 - Navy and Army troops landed

after the Philippines fell during the Spanish-American

War; 600,000 Filipinos were killed.

Cuba - 1898-1902 - Troops seized Cuba in the

Spanish-American War; the United States still

maintains troops at Guantanamo Bay today.

Puerto Rico - 1898 - present - Troops seized Puerto

Rico in the Spanish-American War and still occupy

Puerto Rico today.

Nicaragua - 1898 - Marines landed at the port of San

Juan del Sur.

Samoa - 1899 - Troops landed as a result over the

battle for succession to the throne.

Panama - 1901-14 - Navy supported the revolution when

Panama claimed independence from Colombia. American

troops have occupied the Canal Zone since 1901 when

construction for the canal began.

Honduras - 1903 - Marines landed to intervene during a

revolution.

Dominican Rep 1903-04 - Troops landed to protect

American interests during a revolution.

Korea - 1904-05 - Marines landed during the

Russo-Japanese War.

Cuba - 1906-09 - Troops landed during an election.

Nicaragua - 1907 - Troops landed and a protectorate

was set up.

Honduras - 1907 - Marines landed during Honduras` war

with Nicaragua.

Panama - 1908 - Marines sent in during Panama`s

election.

Nicaragua - 1910 - Marines landed for a second time in

Bluefields and Corinto.

Honduras - 1911 - Troops sent in to protect American

interests during Honduras` civil war.

China - 1911-41 - Navy and troops sent to China during

continuous flare-ups.

Cuba - 1912 - Troops sent in to protect American

interests in Havana.

Panama - 1912 - Marines landed during Panama`s

election.

Honduras - 1912 - Troops sent in to protect American

interests.

Nicaragua - 1912-33 - Troops occupied Nicaragua and

fought guerrillas during its 20-year civil war.

Mexico - 1913 - Navy evacuated Americans during

revolution.

Dominican Rep 1914 - Navy fought with rebels over

Santo Domingo.

Mexico - 1914-18 - Navy and troops sent in to

intervene against nationalists.

Haiti - 1914-34 - Troops occupied Haiti after a

revolution and occupied Haiti for 19 years.

Dominican Rep 1916-24 - Marines occupied the Dominican

Republic for eight years.

Cuba - 1917-33 - Troops landed and occupied Cuba for

16 years; Cuba became an economic protectorate.

World War I - 1917-18 - Navy and Army sent to Europe

to fight the Axis powers.

Russia - 1918-22 - Navy and troops sent to eastern

Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution; Army made five

landings.

Honduras - 1919 - Marines sent during Honduras`

national elections.

Guatemala - 1920 - Troops occupied Guatemala for two

weeks during a union strike.

Turkey - 1922 - Troops fought nationalists in Smyrna.

China - 1922-27 - Navy and Army troops deployed during

a nationalist revolt.

Honduras - 1924-25 - Troops landed twice during a

national election.

Panama - 1925 - Troops sent in to put down a general

strike.

China - 1927-34 - Marines sent in and stationed for

seven years throughout China.

El Salvador - 1932 - Naval warships deployed during

the FMLN revolt under Marti.

World War II - 1941-45 - Military fought the Axis

powers: Japan, Germany, and Italy.

Yugoslavia - 1946 - Navy deployed off the coast of

Yugoslavia in response to the downing of an American

plane.

Uruguay - 1947 - Bombers deployed as a show of

military force.

Greece - 1947-49 - United States operations insured a

victory for the far right in national ``elections.``

Germany - 1948 - Military deployed in response to the

Berlin blockade; the Berlin airlift lasts 444 days.

Philippines - 1948-54 - The CIA directed a civil war

against the Filipino Huk revolt.

Puerto Rico - 1950 - Military helped crush an

independence rebellion in Ponce.

Korean War - 1951-53 - Military sent in during the

war.

Iran - 1953 - The CIA orchestrated the overthrow of

democratically elected Mossadegh and restored the Shah

to power.

Vietnam - 1954 - The United States offered weapons to

the French in the battle against Ho Chi Minh and the

Viet Minh.

Guatemala - 1954 - The CIA overthrew the

democratically elected Arbenz and placed Colonel Armas

in power.

Egypt - 1956 - Marines deployed to evacuate foreigners

after Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal.

Lebanon - 1958 - Navy supported an Army occupation of

Lebanon during its civil war.

Panama - 1958 - Troops landed after Panamanians

demonstrations threatened the Canal Zone.

Vietnam - 1950s-75 - Vietnam War.

Cuba - 1961 - The CIA-directed Bay of Pigs invasions

failed to overthrow the Castro government.

Cuba - 1962 - The Navy quarantines Cuba during the

Cuban Missile Crisis.

Laos - 1962 - Military occupied Laos during its civil

war against the Pathet Lao guerrillas.

Panama - 1964 - Troops sent in and Panamanians shot

while protesting the United States presence in the

Canal Zone.

Indonesia - 1965 - The CIA orchestrated a military

coup.

Dominican Rep- 1965-66 - Troops deployed during a

national election.

Guatemala - 1966-67 - Green Berets sent in.

Cambodia - 1969-75 - Military sent in after the

Vietnam War expanded into Cambodia.

Oman - 1970 - Marines landed to direct a possible

invasion into Iran.

Laos - 1971-75 - Americans carpet-bomb the countryside

during Laos` civil war.

Chile - 1973 - The CIA orchestrated a coup, killing

President Allende who had been popularly elected. The

CIA helped to establish a military regime under

General Pinochet.

Cambodia - 1975 - Twenty-eight Americans killed in an

effort to retrieve the crew of the Mayaquez, which had

been seized.

Angola - 1976-92 - The CIA backed South African rebels

fighting against Marxist Angola.

Iran - 1980 - Americans aborted a rescue attempt to

liberate 52 hostages seized in the Teheran embassy.

Libya - 1981 - American fighters shoot down two Libyan

fighters.

El Salvador - 1981-92 - The CIA, troops, and advisers

aid in El Salvador`s war against the FMLN.

Nicaragua - 1981-90 - The CIA and NSC directed the

Contra War against the Sandinistas.

Lebanon - 1982-84 - Marines occupied Beirut during

Lebanon`s civil war; 241 were killed in the American

barracks and Reagan ``redeployed`` the troops to the

Mediterranean.

Honduras - 1983-89 - Troops sent in to build bases

near the Honduran border.

Grenada - 1983-84 - American invasion overthrew the

Maurice Bishop government.

Iran - 1984 - American fighters shot down two Iranian

planes over the Persian Gulf.

Libya - 1986 - American fighters hit targets in and

around the capital city of Tripoli.

Bolivia - 1986 - The Army assisted government troops

on raids of cocaine areas.

Iran - 1987-88 - The United States intervened on the

side of Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War.

Libya - 1989 - Navy shot down two more Libyan jets.

Virgin Islands - 1989 - Troops landed during unrest

among Virgin Island peoples.

Philippines - 1989 - Air Force provided air cover for

government during coup.

Panama - 1989-90 - 27,000 Americans landed in

overthrow of President Noriega; over 2,000 Panama

civilians were killed.

Liberia - 1990 - Troops entered Liberia to evacuate

foreigners during civil war.

Saudi Arabia - 1990-91 - American troops sent to Saudi

Arabia, which was a staging area in the war against

Iraq.

Kuwait - 1991 - Troops sent into Kuwait to turn back

Saddam Hussein.

Somalia - 1992-94 - Troops occupied Somalia during

civil war.

Bosnia - 1993-95 - Air Force jets bombed ``no-fly zone``

during civil war in Yugoslavia.

Haiti - 1994-96 - American troops and Navy provided a

blockade against Haiti`s military government. The CIA

restored Aristide to power.

Zaire - 1996-97 - Marines sent into Rwanda Hutus`

refugee camps in the area where the Congo revolution

began.

Albania - 1997 - Troops deployed during evacuation of

foreigners.

Sudan - 1998 - American missiles destroyed a

pharmaceutical complex where alleged nerve gas

components were manufactured.

Afghanistan - 1998 - Missiles launched towards alleged

Afghan terrorist training camps.

Yugoslavia - 1999 - Bombings and missile attacks

carried out by the United States in conjunction with

NATO in the 11 week war against Milosevic.

Iraq - 1998-2001 - Missiles launched into Baghdad and

other large Iraq cities for four days. American jets

enforced ``no-fly zone`` and continued to hit Iraqi

targets since December 1998.

These * *100 * * instances of American military

intervention did not include times when the United

States:

(1) deployed military police overseas;

(2) mobilized the National Guard;

(3) sent Navy ships off the coast of numerous

countries as a show of strength;

(4) sent additional troops to areas where Americans

were already stationed;

(5) carried out covert actions where American forces

were not under the direct rule of an American command;

(6) used small hostage rescue units;

(7) used American pilots to fly foreign planes;

(8) carried out military training and advisory

programs which did not involve direct combat.

U. S. Government Assassination Plots



Following is a list of prominent foreign leaders whose assassination

(or planning for same) the United States has been involved in since

the end of Second World War. The list does not include several

assassinations in various parts of the world carried out by anti-Castro

Cubans employed by CIA and headquartered in the United States:

LIST A: NON MUSLIMS

1949 - KIm Koo, Korean opposition leader

1950`s - CIA/Neo-Nazi hit list of numerous political figures in

West Germany

1955 - Jose` Antonio Remon, President of Panama

1950`s Chou En-lai, Prime Minister of China, several attempts

on his life

1951 - Kim Il Sung, Premiere of North Korea

1950s (mid) - Claro M. Recto, Philippines opposition leader

1955 - Jawar Lal Nehru, Prime Minister of India

1959 and 1963 - Norodom Sihanouk, leader of Cambodia

1950s-70s - Jose Figueres, President of Costa Rica,

two attempts on his life

1961 - Francois ``Papa Doc``Duvalier, leader of Haiti

1961 - Patrice Lumumba , Prime Minister of Congo (Zaire)

1961 - Gen. Rafael Trujillo, leader of Dominican Republic

1963 - Ngo Dinh Diem, President of South Vietnam

1960s - Fidel Castro, President of Cuba, more than

15 attempts on his life

1960s - Raul Castro, high official in government of Cuba

1965 - Francisco Caamanao, Dominican Republic opposition leader

1965 - Pierre Ngendandumwe, Prime Minister of Burundi

1965-6 - Charles de Gaulle, President of France

1967 - Che Guevara, Cuban leader

1970 - Salvadore Allende, President of Chile

1970 - General Rene Schneider, Commander-in-Chief of Army, Chile

1970s and 1981 - Gen. Omar Torrijos, leader of Panama

1972 - General Manuel Noriega, Chief of Panama Intelligence

1975 - Mobutu Sese Seko, President of Zaire

1976 - Michael Manley, Prime Minister of Jamaica

1983 - Miguel d`Escoto, Foreign Minister of Nicaragua

1984 - The nine commandantes of the Sandanista

National Directorate

1980`s - Dr. Gerald Bull, Canadian Ballistics Scientist

assassinated by Mossad in Belgium.

Partial List of Muslim Leaders Assassinated or

Attempted Assassinations

1950`s Sukarno, President of Indonesia

1957 Gamal Abdul Nasser, President of Egypt

1960 Brigadier General, Abdul Karim Kassem, Leader of Iraq

1980-86 Muammar Qaddafi, Leader of Libya, several plots and

attempts upon his life

1982 Ayatullah Khomeini, Leader of Iran

1983 General Ahmed Dlimi, Moroccan army Commander

1985 Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadllallah, Lebanese Shiite Leader

(80 people killed in that attempt)

1991 Saddam Hussein, Leader of Iraq

Reference: Blum, William, ``KILLING HOPE - U.S. Military and

CIA Interventions Since World War II,`` Appendix III

U.S. Government Assassination Plots, page 453,

Common Courage Press, Monroe, Maine 1995. ISBN 1-56751-052-3

Very likely Victims :

April 4, 1979 - Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Leader of Pakistan, for pursuing making

of

Nuclear Bomb.

August, 1988. General Ziaul Haq, Military Leader of Pakistan.

1995 - Murtaza Bhutto, Son of ZUlfiqar Ali Bhutto, Anti-American

would-be Leader - Pakistan.

March 25, 1975 - King Faisal of Saudi Arabia through his Nephew, Saudi

Arabia

for imposing 1973 Oil Embargo.

August 24, 1999. Mullah Mohammad Omar, in Kandhar, Afghanistan.

|

``À``List of Known Assassination Plots

1950`s Sukarno, President of Indonesia

1957 Gamal Abdul Nasser, President

2001 Since early this year more than 40 Palestinian leaders assassinated

through surrogate Israel.

Re: Jawahara

``Indian, Arab, Middle-Eastern, Asian…shades of brown that made up part of the much touted and often faulted American melting pot. No, things have never been perfect here. Yes, racism exists. But for the most part, most of us felt comfortable, traveling, talking, working and living here…never digging too deep. For this is the country with which we have cast our lot and this is home, where we live, love and work.``

I`m getting used to being pulled aside for an extra check at airport security, casual stares from other passengers, ...

That`s the price for being a shade of brown...but no point over-reacting to it...the response we are getting is a natural human response. Heck, if it saves us from another attack, I don`t mind being stopped and searched 50 times along with every other brownie, one of whom might be a real jehadi terrorist.

This country is still very kind to us; far be it from me to overlook the 98% that is good and complain about the 2% that is not.

although there is a sense of tangible racism in the air, there are also heartening things going on in the US: colleges offering public safety walks for Muslim students, esp. girls., local radio stations, tv stations broadcasting Muslim viewpoints.

people are generally understanding that out of the billions of Muslims worldwide, only a fraction follow a perverted and violent version of Islam.

a very religious Christian friend of mine told me that he read the Quran and didn`t find anything in it that calls for violence or hate towards innocents.

he compared it to the Bible, and told me that some people misinterpret the Bible to mean something it doesn`t.

every religion in this world is open to misinterpretations and abuses. unfortunately, some men who call themselves Muslims have taken this abuse to the extreme. they will be punished.

Ms. Saidullah

It was sad to read your article, especially as a sensitive, talented and courageous soul such as you is made to feel agrieved.

You be you. It will be OK, this will pass. Yes, there are angry and racist moods in effect, but also there a great many absolutely lovely persons on all sides. A day after the tragic events, i got a call from a friend in New York. He called to check if I was Ok? Incredibile.

i can empathise with you and your thoughts echo the fears in the mind of so many people across America . May Allah give patience and tolerance to all humanity .

fatima,

``Dont get me wrong i mourn death of 9-11 teagedy ,just as mine``

Fatima is such a beautiful name, sad to see you posting the crap with the above introduction. We are not getting you wrong, we understand you fully, especially since you had been repeating that post every where for so long.

regards and best wishes to write something of your own, even to say that terrorism is fully justified per the book, is ok, if you have a mind of your own. You are just a parrot.

jay

A well written piece with genuine concerns. I have faith that America will come out of this crisis victorious. In the present predicament it doubles the responsibility on the shoulders of those who can express themselves and can talk on behalf of those who can not to spread the awareness. The stereotypes must be exposed and challenged at this time.

Jawahara,

Nicely done.

While I know that all of us South Asian-Americans have received support from our friends, its important that we discuss the issues of race and the greater manifestations of the current anti terrorism policy domestically and internationally. As I had pointed out before, a rational interrogation of this country`s national agenda should be an integral and necessary part of the democratic process. To be told that doing that is disloyal to the ideals of this country is a perversion and manipulation of our civil rights. I was talking to a union organizing South Asian friend for whom I have a great deal of respect; she has spent most of her 26 year old life working in progressive spheres. As a progressive, she feels that the communities that ask the questions no-one wants to really acknowledge,to consider less militarily punitive measures, are under attack.

Similarly, we are seeing a profoundly disturbing absence of anti-war organizing venues available to the general American public. Last night I was listening to the amazing Asian-Pacific Forum radio broadcast and they had a South Asian high schooler who had organized a group called SAYA (South Asian Youth Association). This young person reported that the Muslim students in her high school, in Queens, a well known South Asian immigrant borough of NYC, hear comments that blame Muslims for the attack on the WTC. In addition, there is an overwhelming silence on the part of the faculty in presenting or facillitating spaces in which those high school students can research the full picture. Not suprisingly, there aren`t any anti-war vehicles for the students of that high school to build communal relationships and discourses available. It would be quite reasonable to assume that a similar dearth exist across this country.

While our children (all of our children in this country)are taught these very alienating and dehumanizing messages, there are the public sector workers who experience the full brunt of the domestic/international anti-terrorism policy and current hysteria. I think our class privillege protects us to some extent, what the immigrant communities are really facing. For example, the immigrant taxi/cab drivers are suffering assaults (in NYC, 2 cabs set on fire, vandalism) verbal abuse and the economic consequences of a drop in demand for service. A significant number of drivers are afraid to drive and must continue to pay exorbitant car rental fees nonetheless. 80% of the cab driving sector is South Asian or Muslim. While some of us experience some form of racial profiling, others are really on the front lines.

I had posted a message a week about the cues that the intellectual and mass media were receiving from multinationals and certain governmental officials in dissenting against the current national agenda being foisted on us. (Susan Sontag, Bill Maher)Its not enough to be complacent or gratified when the mass media throws us a couple of bones and shows a few of the many sides of this story. We must be (accountable for and) responsible citizens in holding our media, our schools and our communities to a standard that reinforces a global humanity.

regards