Lui rn Crii' nlike other ascribed and self-described "people of color" in the United States, Arabs are often hidden under the Caucasian label, if not forgotten altogether. But eleven months after September 11, 2001, the Arab-American is no longer invisible. Whether traveling, driving, working, walking through a neighborhood or sitting in their homes, Arabs in America-citizens and non-citizens-are now subject to special scrutiny in American society. The violence, discrimination, defamation and intolerance now faced by Ar-Louise Cpinkar worksfor the Illinois Coalition fr Immigrant and Refiugee Rights and is a research fellow at the University of Illinois-Chicago. abs in American society has reached a level unparalleled in their over 100-year history in the US. In the seven days following September 11, Arabs and South Asians reported 645 "bias incidents and hate crimes."' According to the Council on American Islamic Relations, the post-September 11 anti-Muslim backlash has been characterized by a higher degree of violence than in prior years, and includes a number of murders.2 In Chicago, more than 100 hate crimes against Arabs and Muslims, as well as persons mistaken for them, were reported to the Chicago Commission on Human Relations by the end of December 2001. On September 12, the largest 22MIDDLE EAST REPORT 224 * FALL 2002 22 MIDDLE EAST REPORT 224 * FALL 2002
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