Fear is the mind killer

Our Leader hasn't caught Osama bin Laden, but he's doing a bang up job rounding up brown people.

From the documentary, Persons of Interest:

SYED ALI

"Syed Ali was a partner in a successful securities firm prior to September 11th. Following an unrelated business dispute, one of his partners told the FBI Syed was a terrorist. The authorities stormed his house and found, among other things, a visitor's pass to the World Trade Center and his son's flight simulator video game. Syed was held on Rikers Island for 100 days. He lost his business; family and friends became scared off by the terror allegations. The government dropped all terrorist charges against Syed Ali. He now operates a limousine franchise. Previously a homemaker, his wife, Deliliah, found work as a legal secretary and hospital clerk."

NABIL AYESH

"Nabil is originally from Palestine. He was arrested on September 11 2001 while stopped at a traffic light in Philadelphia. "Where are you from?" Nabil remembers the officer asking him. "Israel," Nabil answered. The officer asked Nabil if he was Israeli or Arabic. "I said I'm Arabic, and they said you're under arrest." Nabil was detained for one year and seventeen days. He was never charged with anything. His wife and children were all deported back to Palestine. After he was released Nabil got a working permit and a job as a contractor. "I am trying to get my life back together," he said, "But it's hard. It was hard for me in jail. Now my main concern is my family." Nabil was re-arrested in April 2003 when police in Syracuse, NY pulled over a speeding car in which he was a passenger. He was held in a Batavia, NY jail and then deported to the West Bank, where he was reunited with his wife and four children."

MATEEN BUTT

"Mateen Butt, 26, came to the United States from Pakistan when he was nine years old. He lives in Valley Stream, New York and was working as a telecommunications analyst on Sept. 11. On Sept. 18 2002, ten officers surrounded Mateen's house at 6 a.m. and took him away in shackles. He was told he was being detained because of an application for a work visa he filed when he wad 16 years old. Mateen was interrogated and asked whether he was a Muslim and attended a Mosque, but he refused to answer. He was detained in both Middlesex and Bergen County. Mateen's experience in prison affected him dramatically. He has become much more religious and no longer feels safe here in the United States. "I don't feel free any more," he said, "I don't have the same feeling." Mateen's mother, Naz, has sold her Subway sandwich shop and the family plans to return to Karachi, Pakistan, a land Mateen has not known since he was a child."

MOHAMMED IRSHAID

"Mohammed, a civil engineer, was arrested at his job site on the 59th Street Bridge shortly after the terrorist attacks. He was handcuffed in front of his co-workers on the basis of an anonymous tip that he had threatened someone with a gun. He was held for three weeks and his story appeared on the cover of Newsweek magazine. Mohammed lives in Patterson, New Jersey with his wife, Afaf, and their three children. Mohammed is still waiting for his green card to come through. Afaf is looking for work as a medical technician or teacher. Because of Mohammed's unsettling ordeal, the family plans to move to Jordan next year."

SALEM JAFFER

"Salem was arrested just outside of Buffalo, NY in a Burger King parking lot. A Burger King employee called the police describing Salem as suspicious. When the cops arrived they claimed he was driving a stolen rental car, even though Salem was able to produce a rental contract. He was held in solitary confinement for more than one month and waged numerous hunger strikes to find out the charges against him. It took a New York jury seven minutes to clear Salem of all charges of "unauthorized use of a rental car." The case cost him $25,000 in legal fees. Salem plans to return home to California soon."

AMANDA SERRANO

"Amanda Serrano's husband Karim Tebbakh, 39, came to the United States from Algeria. Karim was arrested on Sept. 18, 2001 at the supermarket where he worked. While Karim was at work FBI agents searched his home terrorizing his wife and family. For three months following Karim's
arrest, Amanda could not find her husband. While in prison, Karim went on numerous hunger strikes. When Amanda finally visited her husband he was unrecognizable. "I've been abused. I've been hit. I didn't see the daylight for almost 4 months," he said. Following 18 months in detention, Karim was deported to Algeria. He was held for ten days in a military jail upon arrival. Amanda was able to visit her husband once since he was deported to Algeria. Tebbakh is forbidden to re-enter the United Stated and the two remain separated. They hope to move to Spain where they can be together."

FAIQ MEDRAJ

"Faiq came to the United States from Palestine in 1995 to find work to support his three children. He was arrested at the Myrtle Deli and Grocery, where he worked behind the deli counter. The police found postcards of the World Trade Center displayed in his deli case. Faiq was detained for more than three months. Faiq now works at a gourmet deli in Manhattan's East Village. He sends nearly all his earnings to his children in the Middle East. He is awaiting a court hearing for political asylum."

SHOKRIEA YAGHI

"Shokreia's husband, Ali Yaghi, was deported to Jordan after an extensive period in detention. Shokreia came from Afghanistan more than 20 years ago and settled in Albany, NY. Ali and Shokriea have three sons together. Ali, who owned a pizza shop and was active in his mosque, was arrested after neighbors told the FBI he made 'un-American' comments. He was held in a special housing unit at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn for nine months. He was then secretly deported to Jordan. When it became clear that Ali would be unable to re-enter the United States, Shokriea took her sons to be with their father in Jordan. She returned to the United States alone to fight Ali's case. Shokriea plans to file suit against the federal government for violating Ali's constitutional rights. She wants to write a book with her husband about his detention."

Well, I certainly feel a lot safer knowing that the State Security Apparatus is recruiting Burger King employees to spy on us and dissappearing people who make 'un-American' comments. How about you?

Let's take a moment now to reflect on what Our Leader has given us.

I'm Proud to be an American
By Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife,
I'd thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can't take that away.

I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.