You may not have noticed it if you’re white, but darker-skinned individuals have had a rough go of it since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. And some youth in the Detroit area want to do something about it. Kate Fayette, a University of Michigan graduate who’s been accepted by Wayne State’s law school, is initiating a movement called the Blue Triangle Network. The group is calling on youth around the nation to travel to southeast Michigan from Aug. 1 to 8 “to mobilize against the repression of Muslims, Arabs and South Asians.” Fayette says reports of arrests and interrogations of Arab-Americans in Dearborn — in addition to general news of repression in America — led her and her associates to form the group. She says the surveillance of international students through the INS Student Exchange Visitor Information System — which records what classes students take, grades they receive, the jobs they hold, etc. — is of particular concern.
“Shouldn’t we sound the alarm and let everyone know what’s happening?” she asks. Fayette says she’s heard from students as far away as Hawaii, California and Texas who plan to attend. So if you notice groups of agitated college students browsing the streets handing out fliers, don’t call the cops. If you’re interested in participating, call 888-856-6056.
Lisa M. Collins is a Metro Times staff writer. E-mail [email protected]
