Letter to the Editor

Students Correct to Protest Malkin

The united protest on Wednesday, September 8, gave students an opportunity to speak out against the bigotry of Michelle Malkin.

Malkin currently enjoys unopposed airtime as a commentator for Fox News, with her unscholarly works and shortsighted views often left unquestioned. She is a syndicated columnist and has two books published. She has the ability to have her ideas heard widely.

On the other hand, the thousands of Arabs, Muslims,and South Asians who have been harassed, detained and deported have had no free speech-they have been silenced by the racist policies of the War on Terror. What about their speech, their ability to speak out and spread their ideas? Malkin advocates a further silencing of their voices. That's why we protested her-to defend and speak out for the freedoms of communities under attack.

Berkeley College Republicans bringing Malkin, who openly defends the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII, to campus disrespects those who suffered during internment, which the U.S. government condemned. Malkin's racist ideologies come at a time of backlash against Arab, Muslim, Sikhs, and South Asian Americans. We are appalled the issue of internment reappears favorably during a rise of xenophobia in this country.

In addition, the argument that racial profiling might be a worthwhile inconvenience has been thoroughly discredited. Experiences have shown racial profiling is ineffective-when used by the police to find criminals, when used by the U.S. government against the Japanese, and even in the case of terrorism. The Oklahoma City bombing was perpetrated by white men-the profile doesn't hold up. Let's not repeat a historical error by using a racist and ineffective method.

Malkin embodies the dangerous narrow-mindedness that threatens our communities. Internment and racial profiling should not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Sid Patel

UC Berkeley student

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