Fearing a backlash against Arab Americans and Muslims after Sept. 11's terrorist attacks, social activists in Madison have organized services to protect potential victims of harassment on the UW-Madison campus and throughout the entire Madison community.
Virginia Ravenscroft-Scott, an organizer of the service, which includes personal escorts and protection around mosques, said she has more than 100 volunteers.
'Pretty much everybody that finds out about it signs up,' she said.
Rae Vogeler, a social activist and another organizer, said groups offering support include Solidarity: A Socialist/ Feminist Organization, U.S. Out Now and Students Helping Others Understand Tolerance.
Ravenscroft-Scott said there were three reasons why people decided to come together.
'We had a community meeting ... and three points had become clear to everybody: resistance to racist and bigoted attacks, defending our civil liberties and fighting for peace,' she said.
Surrounding a mosque and accompanying people for their everyday errands are 'two things we can do without too many resources,' she said. The best way to contact the organizers is to send an e-mail to askvirginia@excite.com.
'Some people are feeling intimidated because of [racial] profiling,' Vogeler said. 'The goal is to stand in solidarity with the Arab and Muslim communities in Madison [after the Sept. 11 attacks].'
She said the groups hope to establish escorts, protection groups surrounding mosques and homes, and rapid response teams for anyone who calls in need of assistance.
'I hope our services won't be needed,' Ravenscroft-Scott said. 'In a perfect world, all this would stop.'
Vogeler said volunteers would also hand out information 'in order to dispel myths about Arabs and Muslims.'
She said all of the plans will depend upon participation and resources.
'It's a total volunteer network,' she said. 'I think we're pretty close to [coming together].'
Ravenscroft-Scott said she hopes to form partnerships with other groups such as the Multicultural Student Coalition and the people she and others are trying to help.
'I'm not going to make more organizations without the input of the people who we're theoretically trying to help,' she said. 'When people come to me and say this is what we think might be needed ... [then] I'll just take whatever their guidance is.'
She said that while Muslim leaders have encouraged her to continue planning, they have not utilized the services as of yet.
'The response has been very warm,' she said. 'But more like 'For now, we can take care of it.''
