Well, Murray, it starts out on an entirely different tone, and then turns 180 degrees. Here's the first part of the editorial, just before the part you cited. Makes it hard to figure out exactly what the writer's position is. To my mind, the first part is quite inflammatory and shows a strong ethnic prejudice.
-Joe Offer-Terrorist-enabling neighborsNew York may be Ground Zero for the World Trade Center (WTC) victims, but I live at Ground Zero for those who aid and abet the perpetrators.
Southeastern Michigan is home to the largest concentration of Arabs outside the Middle East. It's insulting for peaceful, tolerant Americans to hear every news anchor and even President Bush call for them not to physically attack Arab-Americans. While we've heard trumped up complaints that they've been harassed over the past few days, it's the exact opposite. As an attorney who has successfully represented Arab-Americans in civil rights cases, it's my view we've been far too tolerant.
Arab-American and Muslim leaders have done everything possible to stand up for known terrorists and hamper law enforcement efforts to keep us safe. They defend the vilification of the West by terrorist groups, even though they live here and benefit greatly from it. And, without question, the terrorists who succeeded last week could not have done so without the help of some of my Arab neighbors. They could not have done so without brazenly exacting our safety from politicians all the way to the White House.