POLICE CRACKDOWN ON SOMALI 'KHAT' SMACKS OF RACISM

Re: Police were just doing their jobs in Somali drug bust, Letter, July 24

David Xavier writes that he is "outraged that in a civilized country such
as Canada, anyone would treat officers of the law in such a manner."

Xavier seems to have a very selective sense of outrage and a distorted view
of what is considered "civilized." He doesn't find it outrageous that
police officers regularly walk into Somali restaurants and demand that
patrons open their mouths while they check for khat?

I would like Xavier to be treated to such indignities and experience racial
profiling before he issues sermons on civil society to otherwise
law-abiding citizens whose only fault is that they are at the bottom of the
economic ladder.

The issue that has caused so much anger in the Somali community is
two-fold. First, a racially motivated law is passed declaring khat as a
narcotic when it is no more harmful than an ordinary cigarette or, dare I
say, a bottle of scotch.

Then, armed with this law, police have regularly busted Somali businesses
and homes. To top it all off, the Somali community lacks the resources and
sophistication to speak out against this outrage while the rest of
anti-racism and equity industry looks the other way at more exotic disputes.

Khat is a mild, natural stimulant that does not even come close to the
whole range of tonics being served across bar counters these days.

Has Xavier ever experienced a spot-check at his favourite watering hole
where his fellow patrons would be individually searched and harassed? I
dare our police to venture into a mass spot-check at a rave. They wouldn't,
because the people at these drug-fests are their own.

Somali Canadians face a mountain of obstacles in Canada; they are black,
African, refugees, immigrants, poor and Muslim. Please don't criminalize
them as well.

Tarek Fatah
Ajax