By Steven Rosenfeld

As the bloody and shocking images of the Boston Marathon bombing on Monday spread, so too did the fear of Islamic terrorism as media rumors and news leaks, from the NY Post and CBS-TV, alleged that a Saudi national was under guard at a Boston hospital

Almost immediately predictable hysterical right-wing voices jumped into the debate -- and surprisingly were featured on liberal Salon.com -- including the anti-Muslim media hound Pam Geller, who immediately blamed a Jihadi for the bombing. Right wing blogger Jennifer Rubin sarcastically called it a "local crime story" in reference to the totally inaccurate right wing trope that the liberal media didn't cover Kermit Gosnell, the abortionist on trial in Philadelphia for murder and malpractice. Salon also featured conspiracist Alex Jones, who went totally in the other direction called the Boston explosion a government conspiracy.

Even if it is confirmed that the horrendous attack on the people of Boston and their heralded Marathon, was committed by a person or persons of Muslim descent, it should not cast aspersions and drum up fear and hatred on the millions of peaceful and law abiding muslims living in America. After the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the same Islamophobic accusations were made. The bomber was a white American, a man who hated the federal government and took up an armed struggle on his own: Timothy McVeigh.
 
But as the LA Times reported then, such media finger pointing leads to real violence against innocent people who are racially profiled—judged guilty by the color of their skin or clothes that they wear. Americans are supposed to better than this in the 21st century, but some of the media organizations with big megaphones are not.

In Washington, D.C., cooler heads were prevailing, because as President Obama said a few hours later, whoever was behind the Boston attacks is still unknown.

“Earlier today, I was briefed by my homeland security team on the events in Boston. We’re continuing to monitor and respond to the situation as it unfolds,” he said. “We don’t yet have all the answers. But we do know that multiple people have been wounded, some gravely, in explosions at the Boston Marathon.”

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman, said that the attack had all the hallmarks of a terrorist operation, but she did not know by who. “It could be foreign, it could be homegrown,” ABC New’s live blog reported.

In the meantime, the federal and local governments did what they always does in unfolding moments of crisis—it pulls out the stops to be cautious. Boston cellphone service was temporarily shut down to prevent remote detonations. The Federal Aviation Administration shut down airspace in Boston. New York City deployed 1,000 cops to possible targets. Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House was closed. Nuclear plants upped their security.

The bombings will doubtlessly have an impact in Congress, when border security comes up in the immigration reform debate. But whether or not the Boston bombings will lead to a lingering but disproportionate reaction by government security agencies remains to be seen. We know how Islamophobic media will respond, but let's hope the public and government knows better.

Let us not fool ourselves here. What people of Arab origin will be blamed?  Those Arabs can blend in with the white people.  Have you ever heard of Al Gore, John Sununu and George Mitchell.  All Arabs.  It is us brown East Indians that will face the vengence and wrath of Euro-West.

It could even be a Guyanese who is unhappy about the US stopping so many PPP drugs shipments. 

Nuff

oh poke!!! Freaky you propa wicked.

What an ass you are! You do not start a thread with this title on this day when people will be searching the net for the same subject matter! I think amral should delete this thread just because it will lead to a false search result on the internet. On top of that he should suspend your ass for posting misleading information.

Because I know there are so many Nazis in the USA government always looking for excuses to obliterate non-white countries. The USA is a racist country. They and the British and the Australians consider themselves racially and morally superior to other human races. that's why they invade.

funny how you come live in such a "racist" country

For security and for money...Because it is safer to be on the side of those who have the drones and drop the bombs....on top of that you get part of the booty.

In other words, it's better to be a gang rapist than a rape victim...

 Dude, you are talking straight up through your behind. The USA is presently no more racist than say our own country where we have groups on account of race in adversarial positions I know of no Nazis in the US Senate or Congress or anyone who evenly are remotely offensive based on race. One can see with instances as in the Trent lot fiasco how easily the most powerful is brought to his/her knees on account of an inappropriate statement. 

People like you are the ones most seething with racial rage. I have hardly ever seen you write a post on a subject matter that does not relate to slamming the US Or Britain on some race baiting scheme or some conspiracy theory.  One can look at everyone of your posts and it is an endless morass of the USA this or that. And worse you are always in praise of the Communist Chinese!

didn't know you were into gang rape

in other words, you're just another snivelling coward who don't have the courage to stand by his convictions

Yep, I decided to join the Anglo-saxon gangsters who rape the earth....good money,  I have to admit, something I couldn't get in Guyana because Guyana is a poor and a defenseless rape victim.

I see...just another loser who blames others for your incompetence and laziness

Yep, when one is born in Guyana, incompetence and mediocrity is fact of life...

then stop blaming others

I am actually blaming myself.... mediocrity is in my genes..in my culture...in my life...everywhere I go.

Then do us all a favour. Don't make the same mistake like your parents. Practise birth control.

Even the republican party's right wing  could be behind this attacks.

In which case they will try to cover it up as the work of some mentally disturbed man.

Banna you ever tried to start a cult?

You should do this and while at it, pick up a few thousand cans of koolaid tarass.

Anyone who thinks the US is prejudiced needs to vist places outside of North America. Go to the Middle East, Asia, South Asia, South East Asia, Australia, Russia, Europe, Africa and then you will see what prejudice is.

In fact, US, Canada and the Americas, in general, are the least prejudiced places in the world.

We in South America have learnt to leave in harmony with other races. Perhaps because one way or another we all descend from victims of colonialism and discrimination.

They are muslims, the umma strikes back.

The Chechnyans terrorists the US and UK financed against Putin...

How ironic, the terrorist turning against its creators, much in the same way as Bin Laden