Mayor announces ramp-up in police presence after 'Islamophobic' op-ed is published in the Wall Street Journal

DEARBORN, MI - On Saturday, February 3, the mayor of Dearborn announced that the police department would be "ramping up its patrols" after the Wall Street Journal published an "Islamophobic rhetoric" article in its op-ed section. 

According to FOX 2, in a post on X, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud wrote, "Effective immediately - Dearborn police will ramp up its presence across all places of worship and major infrastructure points. This is a direct result of the inflammatory @ WSJ opinion piece that has led to an alarming increase in bigoted and Islamophobic rhetoric online targeting the city of Dearborn."

The day prior, Friday, February 2, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) posted an op-ed that referred to Dearborn as "America's Jihad Capital" and that politicians and Imams side iwth Hamas. The exact title read, "Welcome to Dearborn, America's Jihad Capital," with its subtitle saying, "Imams and politicians in the Michigan city side with Hamas against Israel and Iran against the U.S."   



According to CBS News, Hammoud said in a statement, "In response to an Islamophobic, Anti-Arab, and blatantly racist opinion piece published by the Wall Street Journal today, we have increased the presence of law enforcement throughout Dearborn. Dearborn Police continue to monitor social media for threats. This is more than irresponsible journalism. Publishing such inflammatory writing puts our residents at increased risk for harm."

Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi also took to social media, notifying others that the neighboring community is also staying vigilant. In a Facebook post, he wrote, "...I am both perplexed and appalled by the Wall Street Journal's false derogatory term used to describe the City of Dearborn as the 'Jihad Capital.' The people of the City of Dearborn, along with the City of Dearborn Heights, and all its neighboring cities are placed in peril when hateful misinformation is disseminated in mainstream media."

In his post, he added, "I stand firmly against fear mongering which only serves to vilify a people and sends a chilling effect that causes chaos and disruption in our respective community, cities, and American society. This divisive and dangerous language is contrary to our American principles and tramples the freedom, justice, and safety of all."

According to the Detroit Free Press, Michigan Senate Majority Whip Mallory McMorrow posted to X, saying, "I won't uplift or amplify the horrendous headline published on today's @WSJ because it's not only irresponsible, it's downright dangerous. Michigan is a diverse, beautiful place where hate, bigotry, racism and demonization have no place." 

The op-ed was written by Steven Stalinsky, Ph.D., an American commenter on Middle Eastern terrorism who has served as the executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit dedicated to international media analysis, since 1999.

He wrote, in part, "Support for terrorism in southern Michigan has long been a concern for U.S. counterterrorism officials. What's happening in Dearborn isn't simply a political problem for Democrats. It's potentially a national security issue affecting all Americans. Counterterrorism agencies at all levels should pay close attention."

The op-ed was published one day after Dearborn residents hosted a protest of President Joe Biden's visit to the area on Friday, February 2. The crowd urged people not to vote for the Democrat President because of his support for Israel's attacks in Gaza.

Amer Zhar, a Dearborn attorney and a Palestinian American who helped organize the protest, said, "We are not interested in conversations with this campaign and this administration. They have to call for a ceasefire. He could make a phone call tomorrow and put an end to all this. He has chosen not to ... President Biden, we say quite clearly: you are not welcome in our community."
 
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Comments

Karen

I think it's wrong and I do stand with Israel. They attacked and killed women, children and the elderly without prova cation and what in the world did they expect the Israeli's to do? Turn tail and run and not defend the honor of those people? That's crazy. They made their bed.

Karen

I think it's wrong and I do stand with Israel. They attacked and killed women, children and the elderly without prova cation and what in the world did they expect the Israeli's to do? Turn tail and run and not defend the honor of those people? That's crazy. They made their bed.

Kent

The left owns this crap. Riots, wars, unrest, open borders, increased crime Constitutional violations. They own it.

Chris

"This divisive and dangerous language is contrary to our American principles and tramples the freedom, justice, and safety of all." Islam does not recognize or honor American principles, our freedom, justice, and certainly not our safety. So this is not "Islamophobic", it is just the truth.

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