Biden condemns anti-Arab hate after WSJ opinion piece calls Dearborn ‘jihad capital’
President Joe Biden criticized anti-Arab prejudice following a controversial Wall Street Journal opinion article that labelled Dearborn, Michigan, the ‘jihad capital’ of America.
The piece, which was branded as bigoted and Islamophobic by Dearborn’s Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, implied local support for Hamas and extremist views.
The led to increased security in Dearborn due to a surge in online Islamophobic rhetoric as reported by Mayor Hammoud. Despite tensions, no disturbances were reported in Dearborn, home to a large Arab American community.
Biden, without directly naming the WSJ or the author, took to social media to denounce the unfair collective blame on communities that fuels Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiment, affirming it has no place in Dearborn or elsewhere in the U.S.
The WSJ opinion piece, by Steven Stalinsky of the Middle East Media Research Institute, was also slammed by U.S. lawmakers and rights organizations for promoting division. Critics included Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Ro Khanna, and Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, with calls for an apology from the Journal.
As violence escalates in the Middle East, there's been a noticeable increase in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian sentiment, and antisemitism in the U.S. Recent violent incidents involving Palestinian Americans are alarming examples of this trend.
The recent outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, which began with attacks on Oct. 7, led to substantial loss of life and displacement in Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Biden himself has faced dissent from Dearborn and nationwide anti-war activists for his administration's stance on Israel's military actions in Gaza.
The led to increased security in Dearborn due to a surge in online Islamophobic rhetoric as reported by Mayor Hammoud. Despite tensions, no disturbances were reported in Dearborn, home to a large Arab American community.
Biden, without directly naming the WSJ or the author, took to social media to denounce the unfair collective blame on communities that fuels Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiment, affirming it has no place in Dearborn or elsewhere in the U.S.
The WSJ opinion piece, by Steven Stalinsky of the Middle East Media Research Institute, was also slammed by U.S. lawmakers and rights organizations for promoting division. Critics included Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Ro Khanna, and Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, with calls for an apology from the Journal.
As violence escalates in the Middle East, there's been a noticeable increase in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian sentiment, and antisemitism in the U.S. Recent violent incidents involving Palestinian Americans are alarming examples of this trend.
The recent outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, which began with attacks on Oct. 7, led to substantial loss of life and displacement in Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Biden himself has faced dissent from Dearborn and nationwide anti-war activists for his administration's stance on Israel's military actions in Gaza.
