ANTI-ARAB RANT? Journalistic P. C.

We saw a reference to this editorial in the Bergen, New Jersey, Record. Our conclusion is that the writer of this editorial just might be in the running for having the most over-tuned liberal sensibilities, for March 2006. Well, judge for yourself. BTW, all emphases and comments in [] are ours.

EDITORIAL: ANTI-ARAB RANT - TOP
The Record, 3/2/06


SEN. Frank Lautenberg owes the Arab-American community an apology. At a time when public officials should exercise restraint over an Arab-government-owned company's plan to take over cargo operations in New York, New Jersey and four other American seaports, the New Jersey Democrat is fanning the flames of ethnic hatred. [Read on to find out just what evil the senator committed.]

"We wouldn't transfer the title to the devil, and we're not going to transfer it to Dubai," he told longshoremen demonstrating against the plan Monday at Port Newark. [That's it, folks!]

The remarks were crowd-pleasers, to be sure. But by demonizing the United Arab Emirate of Dubai, Mr. Lautenberg demagogued the situation and tacitly insulted Arabs everywhere. [Give me a break!]

Mr. Lautenberg said yesterday that "if I over-dramatized the situation, so be it," adding that to call his rhetoric anti-Arab is "a bum rap." . . . [I hate to agree with the senator, but he is right.]

Make no mistake, the ports deal raises questions -- beginning with how much of an ally the UAE is, and how much of a security risk any foreign-owned operation of an American port poses. But Dubai Ports World has already asked the United States for a more-exhaustive, 45-day review of the deal, and several government agencies and legislators are scrutinizing every aspect.

At this point, Mr. Lautenberg's overheated language is just plain destructive.

Does becoming a journalist require that one be a weenie first?