"Hate Crimes" Cut Two Ways in L.A.

By Pat McDonnell Twair

With media personality Casey Kasem in the vanguard, Arab Americans have in the past five years succeeded in making the general public aware of bigotry and racism in this country that attacks and stereotypes Arabs as terrorists or lechers. The message has been effective.

No sooner was the story leaked Jan. 9 of FBI agents interrogating Arab Americans about potential terrorists than the media began contacting the Los Angeles office of the National Association of Arab Americans about such FBI "visitations. " Congressman William Dannemeyer's aide called NAAA to offer assistance if any Arab American in his district complained.

Cognizant of what happened to Japanese Americans in the same area at the onset of World War II, District Attorney Ira Reiner promised leaders of the Arab and Jewish communities even before war resumed on Jan. 16 to crack down on any hate crimes inspired by the Middle East crisis.

He soon had his chance to make good on this promise when, on Jan. 17, Kurt Haber, a 60-year-old Beverly Hills construction engineer, was arrested at his home for threatening the office of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. (A previous ADC Southern California director, Alex Odeh, was killed in the bombing of his office in 1983, allegedly by former Jewish Defense League members who are now living in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba under Israeli government protection.)

When Iraqi Scud missiles hit Tel Aviv on Jan. 17, Haber allegedly called the ADC office twice and threatened to bomb it. Owing to earlier nuisance calls, the ADC phone was connected to an electronic device that traced Haber's messages.

Haber, who claims to be a Holocaust survivor, was charged with a two-count felony complaint Jan. 29. The charges carry a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

On the other side of the coin, a 16-year-old Beverly Hills Iranian youth was charged Jan. 31 with five felony counts of assault for allegedly driving his father's Rolls-Royce toward a group of pro-war demonstrators in Westwood on Jan. 30.

On Jan. 22, Councilman Robert Farrell introduced two motions before the Los Angeles City Council to prevent "racebaiting" of Arab Americans and Muslims during the Gulf war. Farrell's first motion asks that state and federal constitutional rights be considered whenever the Los Angeles Police Department works on a Gulf war investigation with the FBI. The second motion asks the city and county human relations commissions to create an environment that will not allow harassment or ridicule of Arab Americans and Muslims.

Only in California

Southern California activists and the media bickered over whether or not the media is purposely undercounting the number of anti-war protesters and overreporting the small pro-Bush demonstrations. Photographs of the demonstrations revealed that regardless of numbers, the peace activists won the prize for creative slogans.

"Read my stripes. I'm tired of being Ambushed, Shamired and Saddamized, " read one placard. "Bring our people home."

Said another: "Testosterone kills. Give estrogen a chance."

NAAA Backs Hispanic Candidate

For the first time in 115 years, an Hispanic will have been elected Feb. 19 to the Los Angeles Country Board of Supervisors, and Middle East peace activists have chosen sides. NAAA is actively backing State Senator Art Torres. His opponent, Gloria Molina, is backed by the Westside coalition of Representatives Howard Berman and Henry Waxman, both strongly identified with the agenda of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAQ), Israel's ubiquitous Washington lobby. The winner will be one of the most powerful Hispanic politicians in the US.

A longtime friend of the Arab-American and Muslim communities, Senator Torres vowed that, if elected, he would make sure Arab Americans are visible role models. Noting that he visited the Middle East with State Senator Wadi Dehdeh in 1984, Senator Torres paid tribute to the contributions to world civilization of Arab culture, history and language.

On Jan. 31, Republican Sarah Flores, who finished third in the Jan. 22 primary, offered her support and critical conservative votes to Torres. Arab Americans are hoping that in this race they are backing a winner as well as a friend.

Pat McDonnell Twair is a free-lance writer based in Los Angeles.