I’ve fallen behind! I published two essays in recent months, one on white supremacy and hate violence in Portland, and the other on protecting whistleblowers.
I argue in The Washington Post that “we must acknowledge, condemn & combat white supremacy.” In The Guardian, I contend that “Trump’s war on transparency and the crack down under way in the White House means that whistleblowing, lawful disclosures intended to serve the public interest, are being chilled.”
Media reports suggest that the Trump administration is considering designating the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. This could spark a witch-hunt and lead to the targeting of Muslim American civil society through false “six degrees of separation” accusations. This could destroy reputations and chill lawful activity, including freedom of worship, association, expression, and charitable giving. I wrote about what many are calling Muslim Ban 2.0 in The Washington Post.
Many diverse Americans feel neglected, marginalized & stigmatized. Hate violence, too, is intensifying, but the government is unable to track its insidious reach. In this CNN essay, I explore how to document and curb hate violence.
Trump’s proposed Muslim Registry is just racial & religious profiling. You know where I stand. More at CNN opinion.
I shared some reflections in The Guardian on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Profiling, hate violence, and bigotry now braid through the daily lives of Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian Americans. Read more here.
I wrote an essay for USA Today on the recent hate violence in Tulsa, Oklahoma & Queens, New York. Bigotry and bias against Muslims, Arabs, Sikhs, and transgender Americans continues unabated. This piece reflects the latest developments in both cases, including the addition of a hate crime charge in Tulsa. Pictured above are Deah Shaddy Barakat, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha. They were murdered in Chapel, North Carolina in February 2015.
I wrote an essay for Politico Magazine on a new counterterrorism program, Shared Responsibility Committees, that unfairly targets Muslim Americans. My article is in direct response to last week’s cover story for the magazine, which quoted an unnamed, senior law enforcement official, who reported that the committees are being beta tested in undisclosed pilot cities. I was invited by the FBI to review the program and believe it’s overreaching, ineffective and stigmatizes Muslim Americans.
I published a column in USA Today on Friday with my friend & colleague, Vijay Das. March 18 marked the 8 year anniversary of the collapse of Bear Stearns, and to date, only one corporate executive has been successfully prosecuted for crimes relating to the 2008 Great Recession. Wall Street got a legal and financial bailout; Main Street never did.
There have always been institutions and individuals who look to profit from the suffering of others. Today is no different. In a new essay for Politico, I warn about the Treatment Industrial Complex, a growing network of facilities and companies who are capitalizing on the movement away from incarceration and towards treatment and rehabilitation. Their success depends not on being effective, but in keeping as many people as possible under supervision for as long as possible. The lengthier, deeper and more expansive the treatment, the greater the profit. I co-authored this essay with Cate Graziani from Grassroots Leadership.
Arjun Singh Sethi, Esq. 