"The only good Arab is a dead Arab"

[CatWoman]

Last night we brought you the news of Patrick Syring, the 20-year career Foreign Service officer, who has been indicted for harassing the staff of the Arab Institute with a string of phone messages and emails saying among other things that the "only good Arab is a dead Arab", that various members of the staff were "wicked evil Hezbollah-supporting Arabs should burn in the fires of hell for eternity and beyond" and lauding the Israelis for "bombing Lebanon back to the Stone Age where it belongs."

Turns out the AP story left a fair amount of Syring's tirades out of their story.

Here's the indictment with all the details.

Late Update: For the record, the folks at the Arab American Institute, the ones on the receiving end of Syring's abuse, released this statement ...

Yesterday afternoon we were notified that the grand jury has returned two indictments charging a long-time State Department employee with Threatening Communication in Interstate Commerce and violating the civil rights of the employees of the Arab American Institute.
James Zogby, the president of AAI, said, “We are pleased with word that the grand jury has returned two indictments. This has been a matter of concern to me and my entire office. The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice has been responsive, and we feel protected. The threats were both intimidating and frightening – and the fact that the defendant was a 20-year career officer at the Department of State made it of even greater concern.”


http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/016742.php

[maddezmom]

1. glad he was indicted, wonder how many other similar cretins are still working

as diplomats. :puke:

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. How did he ever manage a 20 year career?

Has he always been insane, or is it a recent development?

[aquart]

3. Good.

I am not fond of people who advocate genocide.

[tularetom]

4. This dildo was a diplomat?

No wonder the whole friggin world hates us.

Bet if you dig a bit deeper you'll uncover the ugly stench of rabid christian fundamentalism.

[Clark2008]

5. I wonder how it feels to be that full of hate.

That's a question for Syring and for all those fundies who always foam at the mouth about Muslims, gays, strong women and sex.

[CatWoman]

6. Clark

have I ever told you that both your kids are completely adorable?

[auburngrad82]

7. My neighbor has a bumper sticker that says

Happiness is a dead terrorist. He is an asshole.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. He would have said

"Happiness is a dead Indian" if he were alive in 1890. The racist genocidal tendancies are still, sadly, alive and well here.

[krispos42]

14. "Happiness is a dead terrorist" is okay, I guess

All in all, I'd rather the terrorist was tried and jailed. Or, in fact, was prosperous enough and happy enough to not take up arms in the first place.

I'd have more of a problem if it said "Happiness is a dead Arab" or something like that.




However, with all the people that BushCo wants to label terrorists (like PETA) I'm worried.

[EstimatedProphet]

18. You should get one that says "Happiness is a dead neighbor."

See how he likes that.

[auburngrad82]

19. I have one that says My Dog is Smarter Than Your President

I'm pretty sure that pisses him off to no end.

[EstimatedProphet]

21. That's pretty good.

[wicket]

42. LOL

:rofl:

[Dark]

44. Uh, no offense, but I don't mind actual terrorists being dead.

Prefer trial and everything, but I'm not going to lose sleep over someone who would be willing to massacre innocent people dying.

[devilgrrl]

8. Interesting... didn't the Germans feel the same about Jews at one point in time?

Is it still the 1930's? Are we still in Berlin?

[Behind the Aegis]

26. Some still say it.

[devilgrrl]

28. I'm sure they'll continue to say the same things about Arabs too.

Some just don't learn.

[Behind the Aegis]

30. Both statements, sadly, are very true.

[Midlodemocrat]

9. Sad to say, but I actually had someone say that to me

about a year ago. We were discussing the war. It was right about the time people were starting to wake up to the fact that war was a disaster and we shouldn't have invaded Iraq.

I was completely speechless. This man considers himself Christian and he was actually advocating for the death of innocents.

I myself am a Christian and it was beyond painful to hear. I don't speak with him anymore. He disgusts me.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

23. "This man considers himself Christian and he was actually advocating for the death of innocents."

One word: Canaan.

Genocide with a thumbs-up from God. Look it up in any Bible site.

[zippy890]

10. glad about the indictment

disgusting

[karlrschneider]

11. Well, as disgusting and repulsive as this guy is, I'm not sure I like where it's going:

I read the indictment...and looked at several other links and stories. I think someone ought to smack the fucker with a 2x4 but honestly I don't find any actual "threats" in what he wrote and said. Obviously I vehemently disagree with him but I'm not so sure we should be cheering criminal indictments for hate speech. A lot of DUers have expressed their wishes for 'certain persons' to 'burn in hell'...

Here's the law cited in the indictment...have a look and flame away...:shrug:

edit: Sec. (c) is the one referenced


§ 875. Interstate communications

(a) Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any demand or request for a ransom or reward for the release of any kidnapped person, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(b) Whoever, with intent to extort from any person, firm, association, or corporation, any money or other thing of value, transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(c) Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
(d) Whoever, with intent to extort from any person, firm, association, or corporation, any money or other thing of value, transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to injure the property or reputation of the addressee or of another or the reputation of a deceased person or any threat to accuse the addressee or any other person of a crime, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

[CatWoman]

15. ok

:)

[Parche]

16. True

But I dont think any DU'rs 'call' on the phone and harass, there is the difference. :hi:

[karlrschneider]

17. Hopefully not, but harassment isn't the same thing as threatening.

Maybe I'm nit picking but IMO "I think you should burn in hell" doesn't really quite rise to the level of "I'm going to kill you, asshole"...I'm not a lawyer but that's how I'd look at it if I were on the jury.
:shrug:
:hi:

[Parche]

20. Phone Message

As I was reading it, didnt he yell "The only good Arab is a dead Arab" isnt that the same
as saying I want to kill you? :shrug: :shrug: :hi:

[karlrschneider]

22. Sorry, not to me. The first is really an opinion. A hateful disgusting one but still

an opinion or a belief (essentially the same thing.) And actually I would draw a distinction between "I -want- to kill you" and "I am -going- to kill you."

I hope nobody thinks I'm trying to defend -what- the guy did, just that I question the propriety of criminal charges to further degrade the First Amendment. I mean, if they're willing to indict a guy who basically toes the far-rightwing line, how much -more- willing would they be to do it to progressives when we say something they don't like?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

25. OK. You know what? The only good Schneider is a dead Schneider.

By your logic, this is not a threat. Suck it up.

[karlrschneider]

27. I am desiccated with mortification in the face of such impeccable logic.

There wasn't any login in my post.


:eyes:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

24. Telling "any good Arab is a dead Arab" to an Arab is NOT A THREAT?

Whatever you're smoking, I DON'T want any.

[karlrschneider]

29. You can't have any. But exactly how IS it a threat? Be specific.

You can even use your first language if you wish.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Stranger]

34. Your refusal to accept that these are undeniably racist threats is curious.

[karlrschneider]

36. I guess I think the Bill of Rights is more important than some asshole making ignorant comments.

So far, nobody has explained what the actual 'threat' was. I'm certainly willing to look at evidence for the claim, if and when someone produces it. The guy 'hopes' certain people 'burn in hell'. Hundreds of DUers have said precisely the same thing about people WE don't like. I'm sorry, I don't see how it's any different.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

37. Not when you've heard his views on arab muslims.

[BlooInBloo]

35. Ask the Native Americans. The ones that are still alive.

[karlrschneider]

38. I can easily do that, living in Oklahoma I have dozens of Native American friends.

Will you take their word for it if they don't consider the man's words actual threats?

[BlooInBloo]

40. The bigger question is: Will I take *your* word.

[karlrschneider]

41. I say a lot of things some hereabouts don't like but I don't lie.

You should know that.

[BlooInBloo]

43. Sigh. My point was *methodological*, not *personal*. Trusting internet-people is asinine.

[karlrschneider]

45. Well, if it's any mitigation, I use my real actual name here. Several DUers know me

personally...I frequently post my real email [e-mail]

but I understand that -you- don't know me personally so that brings us back to square one, I suppose.

[BlooInBloo]

46. Your personal information would be relevant if my point had been personal.

[karlrschneider]

47. Uh, "The bigger question is: Will I take *your* word." isn't -personal-?

1-800-ABCDEFG

[roguevalley]

33. this type of remark has a long history in American history for advocating

death: Fremont: "The only good Indian is a dead Indian."

[karlrschneider]

39. You're absolutely right, the mindset and public expression of it influences

the behavior of others. How then do we approach the problem when (as happens frequently) a DUer or other liberal/progressive says the exact same thing about a group -we- don't like? This is not a hypothetical question, it's a serious inquiry based on actuality.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

48. Have you ever seen a liberal say something even remotely like

"The only good Republican is a dead Republican?"

or

"The only good Mormon is a dead Mormon?"

Eh? Have you?

Worse -- have you ever seen such a liberal question PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY IT TO ONE PERSON OF THE GROUPS ABOVE?

Were one to find a moron that did that, he should be treated EXACTLY as harshly as the person described in the OP should be. I think THAT should be obvious.

[The Stranger]

13. K&R

[DU GrovelBot]

32. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

==================
GROVELBOT.EXE v4.0
==================



This week is our third quarter 2007 fund drive. Democratic
Underground is a completely independent website. We depend on donations
from our members to cover our costs. Thank you so much for your support.