Eddie 'The Sheik' Farhat died last month. He was a professional wrestler who invented the evil persona of a Bedouin sheik who would stop at nothing to win a match.

Born in Detroit, the son of Lebanese parents, Eddie couldn't speak any Arabic but loved muttering guttural nonsense at his opponents as he pulled various objects out of his costume to torment them.

Although I'm sure it wasn't his intention, 'The Sheik' probably aided and abetted mistrust and hatred for Arabs as much as the many Hollywood movies of his time.

Along with Eddie, there were other 'ethnic' bad guys in the wrestling world, among them Professor Tanaka, the nefarious Japanese villain, who also elicited the boos and catcalls of wrestling fans.

The reason I mention these showmen, and the emotions they aroused, is that people in America have a love affair with hate and, given the opportunity, demonstrate inherently racist attitudes.

Easily identifiable groups in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-racial America have always been the targets of bias and prejudice.

There is no shortage of 'good' Americans awaiting the opportunity to exercise hatred against their 'inferiors'.

White supremacist

If you don't believe there is a racism problem in America, surf the web to see the many sites with white supremacist mantras. You don't have to be non-white to be included; often times Jewish or Catholic will do just fine.

You will be simultaneously amazed and repelled by the proliferation of these beliefs and the doctrines they espouse.

As many commentators have noted, it would be good in today's climate to remember our not so glorious past when America sanctioned the shabby treatment of Japanese immigrants and citizens during WWII.

They were deemed security risks and their loyalty couldn't be counted o­n during a war with the country of their ancestry.

Contrast their treatment against the benign treatment of German Americans who, at the time, were the largest ethnic group in the country (with many German American Bunds supporting what today would be called terrorist activities), and you cannot escape the conclusion that race was the mitigating factor.

Some sixty years later, we have similar conditions at work. Calls for incarceration of Muslims and Arabs are not o­nly espoused by hate groups but also are being implemented by the Justice Department with the approval of a complicit Congress that will soon be asked to approve an even more draconian Patriot Act II.

Radio talk show hosts proudly proclaim that they "have no problem with locking these people up," and their 'white-neck' audiences agree.

The thinking is that when we go to war with Iraq and whoever is next, the loyalty of Muslims and Arabs will be to their religion and country of ancestry, not the US.

Easily manipulated

Americans are easily manipulated into the racist trap by an arrogant and egocentric government. Bombarded daily with the notion that the US is a superpower that will have its way in world affairs no matter what, much of the population begins to mimic this behavior and also becomes arrogant and egocentric.

This is accompanied by lots of flag waving with patriotic proclamations and jingoistic slogans about "the greatest country in the history of the world."

Once you adopt the belief that America is superior to all other countries, it is a short step to the notion that these people, including all recent non-Nordic immigrants, are inferior and covet your way of life.

"They all want to come here, don't they?" is an often-heard phrase.

As you skip across the pond of suspicion, you step o­n stones labelled, 'they're not like us', 'don't subscribe to American values', 'aren't good for the country', and 'are taking jobs away from real Americans', until you land o­n the other shore labelled 'racist American'.

Exacerbated fears ultimately result in the spewing of epithets such as 'ragheads', and 'sand niggers', all of which ultimately results in wanting to 'bomb them back into the Stone Age' and the commission of hate crimes.

Racist paranoia is exhibited in many ways, some small and others not so small: Lauren Bush, a fashion model and the President's niece, refused to don clothes that were too "Arab" looking.

An Arab American Secret Service member of Bush's security detail was denied air transportation because he looked suspicious, an Arab Canadian citizen was threatened with deportation to his country of origin while in transit at a New York City airport o­n his way back to Montreal, three Muslim medical students were chased by police for over 800 miles because of an overheard "suspicious" conversation in a restaurant.

Many Arab and Muslim residents are being detained or deported for overstaying their visas while awaiting action o­n residency applications, an offense that heretofore was considered minor and is not being enforced across the board.

There are literally thousands of examples that have occurred since Sept 11 that amply demonstrate the implementation of an awakening racism in America.

Many are wont to exclaim that the above actions are not racist but are quite justified in the name of security. These are perilous times and we have to give up some freedoms for our safety, or so they say.

I have a hard time believing that this diet of abuse would be so easily swallowed if it were fed to normal 'white' Americans.

All racism needs is a 'good' excuse to reveal its gruesome grin and our government is supplying that excuse by feeding the public's paranoia with a frenzy of security alerts and a rogue's gallery of "evildoers."

Scare tactics

Our erstwhile guardians of truth, the mainstream media, don't seem to be able to sift through all of this to provide the general public with the information needed to prevent what is happening to them.

In fact, they aid and abet hatred with the reportage of rumors and innuendo, complete with scare tactics punctuated by pictures of the bad guys. They have given our administration a pass by reporting nearly everything they do in a favorable light.

Not since the red baiting of the 1950s have we seen such an assault o­n individual freedom with the name calling of enemies and panic campaigns being used to advance a clearly political agenda.

Demagoguery is rapidly replacing democracy and not o­nly do a surprising few seem to care, most are eager to enlist in this army of racism and hatred. Woe to those who dare voice dissent of America's policies for the full weight of our settling of scores will befall you.

The current barrage of pejoratives being hurled at France and Germany for obstructing America's march to war is an example of just such retribution.

So, the next time you see President Bush, cheerleader cum gladiator, ironically imitating 'The Sheik', preening around his podium, muttering often unintelligible diatribes, cruise missiles peeking out of his Superman's cape, proclaiming that he will kill for the security of America in a "war for peace," ask yourself:

"What is all this venom doing to us, to our character as a people, to our standing in the world community?"

One can o­nly ask: Is all this hatred really necessary? - YellowTimes.org

Raff Ellis lives in the United States and is a retired former strategic planner and computer industry executive. He has had an abiding and active interest in the Middle East since early adulthood and has traveled to the region many times over the last 30 years.