WDIV anchor Carmen Harlan angered Muslims living in Michigan with her comments after a report about ISIS’ possible activities within that state.
Harlan told reporter Kimberly Gill “given the fact that we have the largest Arab population outside the middle east I guess this should not come as a real surprise.”
The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee called for an apology saying Harlan’s comments were a “shocking lapse of professional conduct.”
Thursday, Harlan apologized on air saying “In no way did I mean to imply that because of our community’s make up, there was a higher risk of ISIS threats.”
>UPDATE: WDIV gm Marla Drutz told TVSpy the ADC posted to its facebook page, “The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) Michigan Regional Office applauds Channel 4, ClickonDetroit New station’s apology for insensitive anti-Arab remarks made by Newscaster Carmen Harlan on May 6, 2015. This result came after the ADC-Michigan issued an Action Alert urging citizens to contact the station and Ms. Harlan to express their dissatisfaction with Harlan’s disturbing remarks.”
The ADC added, ” “For a news anchor with over 35 years experience to make such blanket generalizations about an entire group unfairly expose Muslim-Americans and Arab-Americans to contempt and ridicule while subjecting them to marginalization in their schools, places of employment, and other spheres of society. First, we would like to thank all those who responded to our call to action by contacting Channel 4 News to unequivocally condemn the comments and for demanding that their voices be heard. We appreciate Channel 4 News’ principled regard for our outrage and their promise to ADC-Michigan of apology that was met tonight”.