Playing the terror card will backfire

Aref Assaf, November 10, 2007

(Update: Daniel Pipes letter to Cardinale reconstructed)

Politics and prostitution share more than the first letter in New Jersey. Our state’s national fame for breeding corrupt politicians, institutionalized nepotism, and allowing questionable double-office holders are shamefully well deserved. Attempts at instituting a code of ethics have overwhelmed successive state regimes primarily because those who are steeped in corruption, are the ones who want to write the ethics law.

While international affairs and national security matters are traditionally the mandate of the federal government, some politicians in New Jersey are championing the fear politics mantra to ensure their elections victory. The 2007 state-wide elections and especially in District 39 (Bergen County), the terrorism card is being played out by an incumbent candidate to the silence of his Republican party leadership and to the seeming indifference of the Democratic Party as well.

This stance may go unpunished because the scapegoat is the Arab and Muslim American community which has yet to demonstrate its political prowess. It is arguable if our community of close to a three quarters of a million (split evenly between the two major political parties and still lacks the political maturity and influence) can survive such attacks. Importantly, it remains to be seen how this strategy of vilifying the Arab Americans will be emulated in other state or national campaigns. We at the AAF,  working with other groups,  have engaged the media in responding to the onslaught. (Leaders from both parties have not seen fit to respond to our calls). But I expect the Democratic Party to respond soon.  last Monday,  I met with the editors of the Bergen Record and pleaded with them our case: Politicians must not be allowed to use fear mongering to win elections. We provided the Editorial Board with our perspective and urged them to cover the story.

• First, here is my letter tilted Fear -mongering will haunt us
• Second, here  is a long column, How to win on terror card  by the Record's Trenton Bureau Chief, Mr. Charles Stiles.
• And thirdly, here is the lead editorial, Nothing to fear but Cardinale by the Record written by Mr. Alfred Doblin.
• Update: See Cardinale's rebuttal, or should I say his confession speech. I will have a lot more to say on his source of 'facts' about ADC- a known Arab hater, Muslim basher extremist by the name Daniel Pipes.

If there is one thing that  should enrage all of us, it should be  politicians who continue to attack our leaders, organizations and heritage believing that we are either too weak to respond or worse that we deserve such punishment. Express your support by thanking the paper for exposing bigotry and race bating. Send letters to the Bergen Record today.

I would be remiss If I do not acknowledge the important view point expressed by Mr. George Ajjan on his blog. I urge you to read it. Mr. Ajjan has taken the principled stand to denounce Mr. Cardinal's hateful rhetoric and false accusations. You will read the background of the story which was first spewed on http://politickernj.com/