The billboard reads: "Don't license terrorists, North Carolina."

[jsalcedo]

Planned billboard angers Arab Americans

By NATALIE GOTT
Associated Press Writer



RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- A group that is trying to tighten the standards for obtaining driver's licenses has come under fire for plans to post a billboard with a picture of an Arab clutching a grenade and a North Carolina license.

"The message of the ad says that Arabs are dangerous and violent people and that therefore they should not get driver's licenses, and I think that is bigoted. It's racist," said Christine Saah Nazer, spokeswoman for the Washington-based Arab American Institute.

Amanda Bowman, president of the New York-based Coalition for a Secure Driver's License, which is launching the billboard campaign in North Carolina and two other states, said: "We're not going after Arab-Americans. We're going after terrorists."

The billboard, scheduled to go up this month near the state Capitol in Raleigh, shows a man in traditional Arab head scarf. The billboard reads: "Don't license terrorists, North Carolina." Similar billboards are planned for New Mexico and Wisconsin, the coalition said.



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Bowman said North Carolina lags behind in efforts to tighten driver's license laws since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Fifteen of the terrorists involved in those attacks had multiple driver's licenses, she said, though none held North Carolina licenses.

Bowman complained that in North Carolina, drivers do not have to show proof that they are in this country legally.

An audit this summer of North Carolina's licensing process by the state found the state has much less strict licensing procedures than surrounding states. The report said that information provided by applicants is not double-checked and that easily forged documents are accepted as proof of residency in the state.

Ernie Seneca, spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, said the message behind the ad was "flat-out wrong, totally inaccurate and offensive." He said the department has addressed many of the issues raised in the audit.


Also, he said, a program implemented last year eliminated some forms of identification previously deemed acceptable, and all applicants now must show U.S.-issued or U.S.-validated documents to get a license

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...CANS?SITE=KYLOU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

 

[Standing Wolf]

The message of the ad says that Arabs are dangerous and violent people and that therefore they should not get driver's licenses, and I think that is bigoted. It's racist...

Yeah, especially since it was just coincidental that the attacks of September 11, 2001 were perpetrated by... Well, ah... Well, actually, it was a renegade troop of wild-eyed fundamentalist Christian Boy Scouts, wasn't it? Those meanies who discriminate against homosexuals, and so forth? Wasn't it Boy Scouts?

 

[jsalcedo]

Well, actually, it was a renegade troop of wild-eyed fundamentalist Christian Boy Scouts, wasn't it?

Obviously if you have been watching the news for the last 4 years


I would love to see a billboard as they describe.

The ACLU would have a caucasian granny in a wheelchair holding the hand grenade.

 

[RaggedClaws]

The ACLU would have a caucasian granny in a wheelchair holding the hand grenade.

Actually, the ACLU would most likely support Ms. Bowman's billboard as is, ya know, free speech and all. The ACLU has supported the KKK's right to march, I can't imagine they would not support this billboard.

 

[Tomcat1066]

What's funny to me is that the billboard just says terrorists, but the people who are complaining are the ones who said terrorist = muslim arab

Tom

 

[jsalcedo]

Actually, the ACLU would most likely support Ms. Bowman's billboard as is, ya know, free speech and all.

I thought it would be a toss up between offending illegal aliens and 1st Amendment.

It gets confusing nowadays

 

[cuchulainn]

I wonder what we would have said after the Long Island train shooting if the gun grabbers had put up a billboard that pictured a wild-eyed black man shooting white people and read "New York, don't arm loonies"?

You think we would have criticized them for playing the bigotry card even though the crime in question indeed had been committed by a black man and even though black men indeed account for a grossly disproportionate part of gun crime (similar to the way that 9/11 was done by Arabs and the way that Arabs account for a grossly disproportinate part of terrorism)?

You bet we would have.

But this is different, right? Gotta fear them bomb-throwing Sand Pickaninnies, don't we?

The most disgusting part about that billboard is that it's undermining a legitimate need. WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR DRIVERS LICENSE LAWS, and this filth gives aid and comfort to those who don't want change. Now people can just say "Hey, those who want to change the law are bigots."

 

[LawDog]

Yeah, especially since it was just coincidental that the attacks of September 11, 2001 were perpetrated by... Well, ah... Well, actually, it was a renegade troop of wild-eyed fundamentalist Christian Boy Scouts, wasn't it?

You're thinking of Timothy McVeigh. Or maybe Eric Rudolph, was Eric ever a Boy Scout? Of course, you might also be thinking of the people who blew up a black church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four teenage girls.

Is Frank Roque, who gunned down a Sikh in Arizona in retaliation for the 9/11 attack a Christian?

I know, you're actually thinking of the Aryan Nations, who are suspected of multiple bombings, robberies and murders, including the murder of Alan Berg by way of silenced full-auto Ingram.

LawDog

 

[jsalcedo]

What's funny to me is that the billboard just says terrorists, but the people who are complaining are the ones

From the article

The billboard, scheduled to go up this month near the state Capitol in Raleigh, shows a man in traditional Arab head scarf. The

 

[outofbattery]

I believe unlicensed and dubiously licensed Mexicans are a far bigger threat to the wellbeing of the NC public than Arabs with handgrenades.

 

[Biker]

I believe unlicensed and dubiously licensed Mexicans are a far bigger threat to the wellbeing of the NC public than Arabs with handgrenades.

You nailed it.
Biker

 

[jsalcedo]

I believe unlicensed and dubiously licensed Mexicans are a far bigger threat to the wellbeing of the NC public than Arabs with handgrenades.

Due to NAFTA we have poorly trained Mexican truckers in unsafe rattle trap
18 wheelers driving all over America's roadways.

That is more dangerous than 1000 arabs with RPGs

 

[mbs357]

Yes, because not giving a terrorist a liscense will prevent him from driving a car bomb into a building.

 

[cuchulainn]

Yes, because not giving a terrorist a liscense will prevent him from driving a car bomb into a building.

It's not about driving. It's about fake-IDs that can be used to fool security people into believing terrorists are law-abiding citizens. Right now, much of our airline security is based on trusting drivers licenses as legitimate IDs. But it's easy to get a drivers license under a fake name. With a fake ID, a terrorist can circumvent security checks that run passenger lists against databases of suspected/known terrorists.

Yes, they'll try to circumvent the process anyway. But why make it easy for them?

That's why this bigoted billboard ticks me off. It's not about being politically incorrect. It's about being politically stupid. This billboard gives ammunition to those who oppose making our drivers license laws stronger.

If I were more prone to tinfoil hat thinking, I'd wonder if that's why it's up.

 

[Keith Wheeler]

...
I know, you're actually thinking of the Aryan Nations, who are suspected of multiple bombings, robberies and murders, including the murder of Alan Berg by way of silenced full-auto Ingram.

...and hanging out on internet boards cheering when four musicians are gunned down, clutching AR15s just waiting for black folk to riot in California, and generally attacking anyone not associated with their ethnic identity.

I'm sure some moderator will get on my case for pointing this out, but there sure has been a lot of "all us real 'Merkans vs all them mud people" crap here lately. It's tiresome. I thought I'd found a goldmine here, "The High Road". More like the road to Harrison, AR.

 

[jsalcedo]

I'm sure some moderator will get on my case for pointing this out, but there sure has been a lot of "all us real 'Merkans vs all them mud people" crap here lately. It's tiresome. I thought I'd found a goldmine here, "The High Road". More like the road to Harrison, AR.

THR has around 15k members now?

You get all kinds. Keyboard commandos talk a lot of smack .... be sure to use lots of salt..rinse and repeat.

 

[fourays2]

so I guess it's not PC to point out the obvious.

 

[LawDog]

So what do you consider "the obvious"? That only Arabs commit acts of terror?

Enlighten me, do.

LawDog

 

[mbs357]

so I guess it's not PC to point out the obvious.

It never has been...

 

[fourays2]

So what do you consider "the obvious"? That only Arabs commit acts of terror?

Enlighten me, do.

LawDog

obvious that giving out drivers licenses to anyone helps out terrorists. why did you play the race card?

 

[LawDog]

obvious that giving out drivers licenses to anyone helps out terrorists.

Ah. Good point.

why did you play the race card?

Sorry about that. Intolerance mashes good and hard on my Hot Button, and I may be a bit quicker on the trigger than is necessary. Apologies.

LawDog

 

[Tomcat1066]

What's funny to me is that the billboard just says terrorists, but the people who are complaining are the ones

From the article

The billboard, scheduled to go up this month near the state Capitol in Raleigh, shows a man in traditional Arab head scarf. The

My mistake. I must have missed that part earlier.

I stand corrected.

Tom

 

[Hollowdweller]

I believe unlicensed and dubiously licensed Mexicans are a far bigger threat to the wellbeing of the NC public than Arabs with handgrenades.

Amen! I saw a show on PBS where they were talking about how the local schools and social service agencies were being overwhelmed by the need for services brought about by massive influxes of illegals. That it was about to bankrupt the county. Also since the illegals earn so little they contribute very little to the tax base there was no money coming in to the system.