Arabs and Blacks in Detroit

[Dennis Perrin]

Ann Arbor, which is 40-some miles west of Detroit, has a large Arab
population as well, mostly Palestinian, but Iraqi too. The guys who own the
package store where I buy my brew are Iraqi Catholics (a real minority in
their home country) and naturally we've talked about the war. They really
hate Saddam and the Ba'athists and want to see the regime overthrown. But
not like this.

"You just want our oil," one said to me tonight. "Get rid of Saddam, fine.
Then leave."

I said that ain't gonna happen, esp with Cheney and Halliburton waiting in
the wings.

He shook his head. "Republican Guards are tougher than you think. They're
very bad but they can fight." He looked up to the TV (which was on Fox News,
of all nets) and saw US planes leaving aircraft carriers for bombing runs.
"I don't know," he finally said, shrugging his shoulders. He seemed
dejected.

"What about the Shi'as and the Kurds?" I asked.

"Shi'as are very bad," he replied instantly. "Kurds are better. They just
want to be left alone."

I wanted to apologize for Americans being so fucking stupid about this, but
it seemed pointless. What could I tell this guy who fled Saddam's tyranny
and is watching the US working to take over his country?

I paid for my beer. He smiled. "Thanks for asking, buddy." I smiled back,
then left.

DP