http://nigeriaworld.com/letters/2002/aug/141ltr.html
Witch hunt in America
ine11, this is the number that you call when there is a need for emergency type, medical attention. Then something never seen and never heard of before happened in the United States of America on September 11, 2001. On this day the twin towers, World Trade Center, were completely obliterated from the surface of the earth and the Pentagon, the symbol of American Might and Defense was partially sent crumbling down and engulfed in fire.
Nineteen young males, most of who were citizens of Saudi Arabia, hijacked four commercial aeroplanes, flew two into the Word Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and a fourth which was rumored to be heading for the White House was brought down on a Pennsylvania farm. Thanks to the courageous act of the passengers, who have accepted their collective fates and refused to let the cowardly hijackers have their ways. Some mixed victory, even if it is a fatal one, is a victory for the just nonetheless.
This nineteen suicide and hell bound hijackers exposed to the whole world the vulnerability of the United states in a first strike massively distributed unexpected attack on the US homeland. Like one Egyptian University student who was interviewed by Dan Rather for the 60 Minutes put it, "that America can not be attacked or even defeated is a myth".
These nineteen determined though misguided young Arab males have for ever shattered the myth USA's invincibility to an outside attack. They proved that a determined enemy if well coordinated was capable of causing heavy damage to America. The terrorist have in my mind won the psychological war. Now all of us living in the United states are a little fearful but a whole lot wiser and careful all because of 911.
What I am really interested in shedding light on, is the effect and the impact of 911 on the African community, particularly Nigerian community living in the United states. The effect of 911 on many African families have been devastating to say the very least. United States, a nation which sees and prides itself as the greatest democracy on earth and a bacon of opportunity, is now silently at war with Nigerians. The US justice Department is now operating what seems more like what the Nazis would have done.
The Justice Department is now being driven by fear rather than sound policies. This department is now pursuing a race based immigration policy which will see to it that most Africans who were favored by the Immigration Acts of 1986 will be quietly rounded up on flimsy charges and deported.
Even a traffic offence can throw your life upside down if you are an African, especially a Nigerian living in the United States. Honest and hard working people who have lived here for many years and are green card holders are been denied citizenship even when they have been interviewed and completed all the process required. The Justice Department is employing all sorts of delay tactics not to make good on many of the amnesty provisions of 1986/1987. American Justice Department is been run based on fear and not on a sound immigration policy. This is exactly what you will expect from a third world nation.
There is no where in all the reports on the events of September 9, 2001, that there was a Nigeria involvement in the dastardly act. There was absolutely no Nigerian among those who flew planes into buildings and there by took innocent lives. Infact some Nigerian actually died in the mayhem that as now become known as 911.
Why is this Justice Department targeting Nigerians? Can some one tell us.
In God's own country, fear and I mean raw fear, that element in mankind which sometimes brings out the worst in human beings is now the order of the day. This is not a country with just a few or handful Universities. This is the United States, a country with over three thousand well established Universities. This is the home of Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia (NYC), Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, University of Chicago just to mention a few. Re-writing laws to fit a perceived offence based on racial prejudice by this Justice Department is a real concern to many Africans.
No comments:
Post a Comment