In July, 2010 the US Department of Homeland Security launched a program called "If You See Something, Say Something". The purpose of the program, according to DHS, is "to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and violent crime, and to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the proper state and local law enforcement authorities."
New developments, below the fold.
You are probably wondering why I'm bringing this up now, a year after the start of the program. Well, it is because DHS just expanded this program. It has asked the Jewish Federations of North America to participate by distributing print and social media materials, hopefully raising awareness of the threat to Jewish institutions in the USA. This is a good thing. As Michael Gelman, chair of the Executive Committee of the Board of The Jewish Federations of North America, said:
“The American Jewish community and the places we gather are, unfortunately, often targets for terrorists. This new partnership with the Department of Homeland Security will empower us to counter this threat as we become more actively involved in our own protection."
As a Muslim American, I fully support the inclusion of the Jewish Federation in this program. Jewish people and institutions are far too often the target of terror, whether it be from anti-semitic white supremacists or from those claiming to act in the name of Islam.
I do wonder, however, why DHS has not approached the Muslim Community as a possible partner in this program. With Islamophobia sweeping the nation, and attacks against Muslims (and those mistaken for Muslims) growing ever more common, it seems to me that the Muslim Community also needs the chance to "counter this threat as we become more actively involved in our own protection."
I urge Secretary Napolitano to immediately begin work to include the American Muslim Community in this program.