September 11 Digital Archive

Palestinian vendors boycott the New York Post

Title

Palestinian vendors boycott the New York Post

Source

born-digital

Media Type

article

Original Name

Arab vendors in Greenpoint admit to boycotting the Post, stating that New Yorks oldest daily publish

Created by Author

yes

Described by Author

no

Date Entered

2002-05-29

VTMBH Article: Edition

23

VTMBH Article: Article Order

3

VTMBH Article: Title

Palestinian vendors boycott the New York Post

VTMBH Article: Author

Karolina Kowalska

VTMBH Article: Publication

Nowy Dziennik / Polish Daily News

VTMBH Article: Original Language

Polish

VTMBH Article: Translator

Lukasz Bulka

VTMBH Article: Section

news

VTMBH Article: Blurb

Arab vendors in Greenpoint admit to boycotting the Post, stating that New Yorks oldest daily publishes false information about Muslims.

VTMBH Article: Keywords

VTMBH Article: Body

For the past few weeks, it has been difficult to buy the New York Post in the Polish neighborhood of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Arab newsstand vendors have been boycotting the newspaper. According to vendors, the daily paper publishes false information about Muslims, turning society against them.

Arab storeowners, even those who continue selling the Post, are considering severing all ties with the publication. They claim the paper curses them by supporting Israel in the war with Palestine and by placing anti-Islamic editorials.

When asked about why the Post is missing from their shelves, they answer suspiciously, The paper is sold out.

How come? I ask. You cant buy it even early in the morning.

Are you from the Post? Oh, I see. Youre with Nowy Dziennik, said Andy who works at the store on Nassau Avenue and Humboldt Street. We stopped selling this paper two months ago because they write bad things about Arabs.

Then people look at us as if we were terrorists, said a Saudi who has been in the United States for 10 years and considers this country his second home.

In one bag with the terrorists

Abdullah, a Yemeni man who works at the newsstand on Norman Street, cant see why he would have to sell a newspaper that, he says, publishes untrue opinions about his country. Think about it, Abdullah explains, a customer reads in the paper that the vendor is a murderer and illiterate. I dont think hell come back to me after reading something like that. If Poles had to distribute anti-Polish newspapers Im sure they wouldnt do it.

Abdul from the Garden Store at Nassau and Manhattan Avenues, gave up selling the Post after reading it for a few months. Each time he read the paper, he hoped the editors would become milder and report the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with less bias. Unfortunately, the stupid opinions continued so I said no, thank you to the distributor. You havent been able to buy this daily paper here for more than a month, said Abdul.

The newspaper is available in uptown Greenpoint, which is closer to Greenpoint Avenue. Every second newsstand, however, is planning on refusing to sell the paper very soon. Right now, the boss is on vacation, so we are waiting for him to come back. Hell make the final decision. I trust he will do what others have. No Arab can remain indifferent in this matter, confesses Ali from Yemen, a vendor on Greenpoint Avenue. His peers from across the street think the same. We have to support the Palestinians, they say.

Ismael who owns one of the stores on Manhattan Avenue carefully explained, We will give up the Post very soon because there is no big demand for it. He would only give me the real reason after I proved to him that I was not a spy from the Post. Actually, I only sell this paper because they deliver it to my store. The Post writes badly about us and our stores. They put us in the same bag with the extremists who destroyed the World Trade Center. It hurts because each nation has its black sheep and its wrong to generalize. The editors have a bias against Muslims. They are extremely pro-Jewish. Personally, I have nothing against Jews but they have a lot against me. Jews dont like anybodyus, Americans, Poles. Wasnt it the Jews who crucified Jesus? And he was the best man in the world, Ismael said.

They can write whatever they want

The Post will not disappear from Sujit Kumalas store on Manhattan Avenue. I am not Muslim and personally none of the opinions published in the paper offended me. However, I do have a problem with their distribution, which is often late. Sometimes we get the paper at 9 a.m. when customers are already on their way to work, but I think this can be solved. I dont intend to cancel the Post supply.

Ali from Super Deli Grocery at 627 Manhattan Avenue agrees. My only problem is with the Post is distribution. Sometimes I order 41 copies and I get one. Otherwise I have nothing against selling this paper. They can write whatever they want. Im Muslim but Im trying to rise above that. Its important that I make money.

The New York Post is one of the largest and is the oldest daily in the city. Published for the past 200 years, it attracts readers with its plain style of writing and low newsstand price (25 cents). Until recently, the newspaper could be purchased anywhere in the city. Currently, in Greenpoint, its only available in a few stores.

VTMBH Article: Line Breaks

1

VTMBH Article: Date

2002-05-29

VTMBH Article: Thumb

newsstandsmall.gif

VTMBH Article: Article File

VTMBH Article: Hit Count

599

Citation

“Palestinian vendors boycott the New York Post,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed November 8, 2024, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/1404.