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Harassment of Arab-Americans – October 9, 1990

The JCRC voted unanimously to adopt the following statement, adopted by the NJCRAC Executive Committee on September 10, 1990, with the phrase “recent nation-wide attacks” in line two changed to “recent attacks”:

The National Jewish Community Advisory Council decries recent nation-wide attacks, both verbal and physical, on Arab-Americans.  The democratic and cultural pluralism inherent in American society is central to the security and well being of all groups and individuals who comprise the American population.    We  must  not  allow  strong  feelings  engendered by the current crisis in the Persian Gulf to generate intimidation of those Americans who are of Arab descent.

The constitutional protections that guarantee the security of all minorities are best maintained and furthered in an atmosphere of open discussion and debate, free of expressions of bias and bigotry.  All manifestations of bigotry and bias are unacceptable and group stereotyping must be denounced and repudiated.

The NJCRAC calls upon the appropriate agencies of government to protect the rights and safety of Arab-Americans and to prosecute and punish those who have acted criminally against them.