Stories of Racial Profiling and the Attack on Civil Liberties. Community Testimony presented Saturday, September 13, 2003.

On September 13, 2003, in Los Angeles, California, community members, interfaith leaders, labor leaders and public officials gathered to witness accounts of people’s experiences with post-September 11th national security policies and practices. This event, called the Public’s Truth, was a forum for communities to share real stories of the adverse effects of the “war on terrorism” on the lives of immigrants, refugees, and communities of color. Hosted by the Applied Research Center, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, Council on American Islamic Relations, Korean Immigrant Worker Advocates, South Asian Network, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the goal of the Public’s Truth was to raise awareness of the scope and scale of the attack upon civil liberties and human rights in communities nationwide since September 11, 2001.

Testimonies highlighted both growing racial intoler-ance and excessive security policies in the wake of the September 2001 attacks. Bangladeshi immigrant Mujibur Raman Badal was robbed at gunpoint in November 2001 at his store by assailants who called him a “bloody Arab Muslim.” Colombian immigrant Harold Lugo was one of hundreds of immigrant workers fired from their jobs at airports due to Operation Tarmac, a multi-agency sweep of airport personnel implemented in response to the September 11th attacks. Ban Al-Wardi and her family were visited by the FBI in March 2003 because they are Iraqi. Housing attorney Marlene Garza recalled stories of countless immigrant tenants who have experienced increased harassment and discrimination by landlords.

The Public’s Truth forum recognized that such examples of racial profiling, institutionalized discriminationand hate violence did not begin with the “war on terrorism.” Testimonies included 82-year old Reverend Arthur Takemoto, a Japanese American who experienced racial profiling and internment after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor. Recalling those events, Takemoto says that, “the same situation seems to have occurred since September 11th.” While new laws and law enforcement powers have emerged since September 11th, many of the policies and practices that constitute the domestic “war on terrorism” are merely elevations of pre-existing discriminatory practices. At the age of 11, Victor Flores was labeled a gangmember and placed on probation and the ‘gang database’ by the Los Angeles Police Department, simply because his family members were suspected of gang involvement. Adrian Sanchez, who immigrated from Mexico thirty years ago, was incarcerated and almost deported because of a clause in the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which allows for the deportation of non-citizens convicted of certain non-violent crimes.

The testimonies and reflections shared at the Public’s Truth remind us that awareness of the impact of the “war on terrorism” is spreading among communities and faith, labor and political leaders of all backgrounds. It is our responsibility — no matter our race, ethnicity, religion or country of birth — to fight against racial intolerance and discriminatory policies and practices that have affected communities in Los Angeles and elsewhere. Included in this publication are excerpts from four personal testimonies, reflections by three key witnesses, and an action list that gives ideas on how you can support Los Angeles area organizations working for justice.

This document highlights samples of community testimony from the September 13 hearing and offers suggestions of ways communities can take action.

Related Documents:

The Public's Truth: Los Angeles Full Report. To download this report in PDF format, complete the form on this page.

The Public's Truth:  Stories of Racial Profiling and the Attack on Civil Liberties

The Public's Truth: Santa Clara