>I do think it would be
>extremely foolish at this point to run out
>there and start campaigning against chauvinism
>and retaliation. Right now
>people yearn for somebody to pin this on, and
>lacking that, most any demonstration that can
>be confused with potential culprits will be
>seized upon as an acceptable surrogate culprit.
Short of demos, there are many appropriate public responses that you may make. Yesterday (September 11), I was asked to participate in a community relations meeting involving clergy, ethnic org officers, etc., organized by Mayor Coleman's aids, who wished to have community inputs in the Mayor's public relations efforts. I believe such meetings must be being convened in many places nationwide. Join them & make your voice heard. Urge public officials & other community leaders to condemn anti-Arab & anti-Muslim harassment; to discourage people from jumping to conclusions that the attacks must have been the work of Arabs or Muslims; to speak in defense of civil rights and liberties; to argue against possible U.S. military attacks on nations that the U.S. government and media allege to be "hosts of terrorists"; and so on.
Your local public officials may be very right-wing and/or uninterested in organizing such community relations meetings. In that case, organize one yourself; you should organize some meetings anyway, in addition to ones held at the behest of local government public relations guys. Network with likely clergy, ethnic org leaders, assorted activists, etc. Issue a press release or hold a press conference, preferably together with others. Hold peace vigils at places of worship, community centers, etc.
Today (September 12), there will be a "liturgy of lament" at First Congregational Church, 444 E. Broad St. in Columbus, Ohio, from 9:00 a.m, supporting "all efforts with goals of peace and justice, and not those efforts that seek to foster racism, hate, and fear."
Yoshie