Appearing on
Democracy Now! this morning,
Raed Jarrar reports that he was prevented from boarding a flight to Oakland at JFK because he was wearing a T-shirt reading "We Will Not Be Silent" in both English and Arabic.
He was told by the guards who stopped him that wearing a T-shirt with Arabic writing on it is like wearing a T-shirt to a bank saying "I am a robber." He was eventually allowed to fly if he would silence his shirt by covering it up.
The interview was interesting and is highly recommended. Raed has recently returned from travelling in the Middle East with Code Pink. He reports on the incredible increase both in hatred for the US and in adulation of Hezbullah. Raed is an architect; he has written about his travels on his excellent blog "Raed in the Middle".
The other thing you can't miss in Jordan and Syria is people's anger against the US. On more than occasion, I got shouted at because I live in the US. The most interesting incident was during a visit to a Lebanese refugee camp. I was called by two young Lebanese people, and they asked me whether me and the rest of the delegation visiting their shelter where coming from the US. I said yes. They said: "you better get the hell out of here unless you want us to make a scene". I tried to explain that we are the "good" Americans who are against the war, so they said go back home and change your government. "you can't come here visit us in a shelter that we were sent to because of your tax money and your bombs, and expect us to be nice to you". So me and the other Americans got the hell out of there.
What the Bushists are doing to my country and to the world both sickens and enrages me. They destroy, destroy, destroy. They sow the wind and will surely reap the whirlwind. They have destroyed any good reputation we had in the world. They are destroying our freedom at home. We can't let this happen! We will not be silent.
The transcript is up now at the Democracy Now! webswite. Raed reports that
...there was a similar story from San Francisco last week, with a Canadian doctor called Ahmed Farooq, who was prevented to complete his airplane, because he was praying in his seat. So, I think, you know, these incidents are increasing, because of the latest alleged terror attack.
Wow -- I always pray in my seat during take-off and landing!
Crossposted at My Left Wing.