[Antiracism] HATE CRIME IN GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA: PLEASE RESPOND

[Marty Nathan]

January 25, 2007

 

 

 

Dear Friends, 
  
I would like to alert you to a situation that occurred early Saturday morning in Greensboro. Your support may help prevent more violence and focus an institution on self-examination and protection of victims of anti-Arab hate crimes. 
  
On early Saturday morning, January 20, at least fifteen members of the Guilford College football team attacked three Palestinian students while calling them racist names: "Sand n____s", "Terrorist", and "f__ing Palestinians". Two of the Palestinians, Faris Khader and Osama Sabbah, were also Guilford College students and Omar Awartani was a student visiting from Raleigh's North Carolina State University. They were preparing to go out for the evening when the football players confronted them. Faris tried to prevent violence by shaking the hand of one of the football players, but the three were attacked anyway, and beaten with fists, BRASS KNUCKLES and loose bricks that were lying around the area, which was under construction. [All three were treated for concussions and Faris suffered a dislocated jaw. 
  
Three of the football players have been arrested for criminal assault and ethnic intimidation and are out on bail. 
  
As of the writing of this letter, none of the football players have faced any repercussions so far at the college and continue to go to classes, while the college undergoes its own judicial investigation. One of the players is an All-American. 
  
We write you because Guilford has so far treated this as an "altercation" not a hate crime. There have been no steps taken yet to protect those beaten or to speak to the ethnic abuse evident in the slurs that accompanied the brutality. 
  
All of us are aware of the anti-Arab, anti-Muslim sentiments generated, played on and acted upon by this country's "War on Terror". The Guilford violence is not an isolated event but is in part a reflection of the present national rhetoric and policy. Because of that, it is something that we as a country must face and react to. 
  
We ask you to take a minute today or tomorrow to write or call Guilford administrators: 
  
Kent Chabotar, President: chabotar at guilford.edu, 336-316-2146
Aaron Fetrow, Dean of Campus Life: afetrow at guilford.edu, 336-316-2133 
  
Ask them to use this opportunity to manifest Guilford's well-deserved historical reputation for peace-making and social justice: 
  
1. This must be cast internally and publicly as an investigation of a hate crime. Though all human interactions are complicated, this one very clearly had ethnically-motivated perpetrators acting on victims. 
  
2. The victims must be supported and protected from further abuse, both physical and emotional. Good medical care, counselling, advocacy, and a public apology must be provided to them. We suggest their parents should be flown in if possible to give them support and they should have advocates of their choice at all meetings with officials. 
  
3. The perpetrators must face consequences from the institution if there is to be any effective deterrence of such a crime on campus. 
  
4. A full investigation should be made not only of the incident itself, but of the institutional culture and attitudes that promoted it. These things don't happen in a social vacuum. Scapegoats are socially chosen and their abuse supported by those with power. 
  
5. There must be, even as the investigation proceeds, an institutional process of educating all on campus about respect vs. hate, especially in these times of nation-wide anti-Arab bigotry. 
  
Guilford College has been and can be a beacon to a troubled nation. Please help it assume that role again. 
  
For more information, go to http://www.yesweekly.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=2078 or http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070124/NEWSREC0101/70123018 
  
  
  
  
Sincerely, 
  
Marty Nathan MD, Executive Director Greensboro Justice Fund and Widow of Greensboro Massacre victim Michael Nathan MD

 

Jill Williams, Previous Director of the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission, now teaching truth and reconciliation at Guilford College
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