Oregon Muslim and Arab-American Residents Fear Backlash

March 5, 2003

Source: The Register-Guard

http://www.registerguard.com/cgi-bin/printStory.py?name=d1.cr.nohate.0305&date=20030305

On March 5, 2003 The Register-Guard reported that "Lane County's [OR] Muslim and Arab-American residents are spooked by the march to war, by an anticipated backlash from lone individuals steeped in hate - and by the FBI's recent interest in them... Community leaders say fears are leading some to proclaim their patriotism loudly and often, to nudge their children toward blending with classmates and to halt charitable donations so federal authorities don't mistakenly link them with terrorism... Eugene police and a Eugene-based Federal Bureau of Investigation agent have met in the past month with small groups of Arab, Jewish, Sikh and Muslim leaders to reassure them that police will do their best to protect them and that hate crimes will be fully investigated, officials say. But these feelings of vulnerability are hard to quell."