Two weeks ago in my Race and Ethnicity class we discussed attitudes toward Arabs and Arab Americans, as well as Muslims, in the U.S., and particularly how the fact that people keep accusing Barack Obama of being Arab or Muslim shows how negatively these groups are currently perceived: all you have to do is convince people a person is Arab/Muslim, and that alone is presumably evidence that they are unworthy (or unsafe) to hold the office of President. I heard this argument when I was visiting relatives in Oklahoma back in June: the middle name Hussein = Muslim = Arab (or, as they say it, AYE-rab) = terrorist.
Here is a video of McCain’s response to a supporter who says Obama is “an Arab”:
The thing I found interesting about all the news coverage I’ve seen of this–and I’m a news junkie, so I’ve heard it reported on from a lot of different perspectives–is that while commentators (and McCain) are criticizing the woman for being wrong (that is, Obama is not Arab or Arab American), no one seems to be really addressing the underlying implication here, which is that being Arab is automatically bad. If she had stood up and said she didn’t trust him because he’s Black, I think news reports would have focused on that statement as racist, inappropriate, and so on, and would specifically discuss what it means about White attitudes toward Blacks. But I haven’t seen a similar type of analysis of it being racist to say that someone being Arab is a reason to distrust them or think they shouldn’t be President, or of what the statement says more broadly about current attitudes toward Arabs (and, by association, Muslims) in the U.S. I did see a few examples of it being referred to as “hate” speech, or “anger,” but it was generally lumped in with other examples, such as the woman yelling “bomb Obama” at a Georgia Senate candidates’ debate or “terrorist!” in response to McCain asking if we really know who Obama is. From what I’ve seen, the way the story is discussed is that the woman is using “hate speech” because she’s spreading false rumors about Obama–not because using “Arab” as a racial slur, or saying Arabs can’t be trusted, is, in and of itself, offensive and prejudiced.
I am so glad Oklahoma is not a battleground state, so I do not have to face the possibility of any family members getting the microphone at a campaign event.
NEW: Edva sent in this clip of Colin Powell defending Arab and Muslim Americans on “Meet the Press” (go here if the video doesn’t play correctly):
Thanks, Edva!
