Respect each other as Americans

Dear friends,

I have been asked to pass this on.  Usually my posts are not serious, but this I agree with, especially since we here in Detroit have a very large Middle Eastern population, many of whom I know through school and in doing business with them.

Jim Dixon
Detroit

From: Douglas R. Steen [mailto:dug@pobox.com]
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 2:02 PM
To: Douglas R. Steen
Subject: A Pledge


 I've been asking myself, as I'm sure you all have, what I can do in
the wake of the recent national tragedy, and one answer, something I
feel strongly about, is making sure we as Americans don't respond to
these events with violence against innocent Arab-American and Muslim
citizens of our own country.  This was brought to home for me when my
wife Sara reported that Colorado U has some students requesting leaves
because of the vicious and outrageous treatment they have already had
to endure.
 I'm guessing that all of you agree that trading hatred for hatred in
this way helps no one.  But I thought that maybe the Arab-American and
Muslim citizens of this country would be feeling as though the acts of a
few individuals were representative of the country as a whole, and
that's just not right.  So I've put together a Web site
(http://pledge.drsteen.com) for people to make the following pledge:

**** Stop-the-Hatred Pledge ****
 In the wake of the recent terrorist tragedy, and its possible
aftereffects, I pledge not to hold responsible innocent Arab-American
and Muslim U.S. citizens, who are just as grieved and horrified as I am.

 I pledge to speak out strongly and loudly against any acts perpetrated
against our Arab and Muslim brothers and sisters in misguided
retaliation. I know that such acts are destructive themselves, and
further damage our country.
 I pledge not to meet hatred with hatred in this difficult time,
because doing so only fuels the anger that instigated these events in
the first place.
****

 When I get enough signatures, I plan to send the pledge & list of
people signing it to mosques and Arab groups around the country to
hopefully counter some of the hatefulness they've had to endure.
 So, if you're willing, please go to the site & sign the pledge; and
then let others know about it.  If you have any questions or comments
I'd be glad to hear them -- I'm also taking suggestions for the site &
will be adding things (like a list of links to other sites) over the
next few days.
 Thanks.

 Douglas R. Steen
 Boulder, CO
 dug@pobox.com
(lifetime address)
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