<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<item xmlns="http://omeka.org/schemas/omeka-xml/v5" itemId="1637" public="1" featured="0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://omeka.org/schemas/omeka-xml/v5 http://omeka.org/schemas/omeka-xml/v5/omeka-xml-5-0.xsd" uri="https://www.911digitalarchive.org/items/show/1637?output=omeka-xml" accessDate="2026-04-29T15:08:44-04:00">
  <collection collectionId="10">
    <elementSetContainer>
      <elementSet elementSetId="1">
        <name>Dublin Core</name>
        <description>The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.</description>
        <elementContainer>
          <element elementId="50">
            <name>Title</name>
            <description>A name given to the resource</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="17814">
                <text>"Voices That Must Be Heard" Articles</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="41">
            <name>Description</name>
            <description>An account of the resource</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="17815">
                <text>The Independent Press Association (IPA) translates articles from the ethnic press (when necessary) and distributes them via web and fax newsletter to mainstream and ethnic press, government offices, nonprofits, and interested individuals.  Voices That Must be Heard was designed by the Independent Press Association staff in New York City in response to the horrifying events of September 11.  After Sept. 11th, Voices focused on the South Asian, Arab and Middle Eastern communities in New York. Since February 2002, the project has expanded, selecting articles from the broad range of ethnic and community newspapers throughout the city. Here, the Archive has preserved the Voices collection from its inception until November 2002.</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
        </elementContainer>
      </elementSet>
    </elementSetContainer>
  </collection>
  <itemType itemTypeId="24">
    <name>VTMBH Article</name>
    <description/>
    <elementContainer>
      <element elementId="82">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Edition</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28237">
            <text>32</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="83">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Article Order</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28238">
            <text>3</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="84">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Title</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28239">
            <text>Indian motel owner in ratty dilemma</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="85">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Author</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28240">
            <text/>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="86">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Publication</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28241">
            <text>India Tribune</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="87">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Original Language</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28242">
            <text>English</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="88">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Translator</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28243">
            <text/>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="89">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Section</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28244">
            <text>briefs</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="90">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Blurb</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28245">
            <text/>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="91">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Keywords</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28246">
            <text/>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="92">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Body</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28247">
            <text>Call it a difference between spotting and smelling a rat. An Orthodox Jewish family accused an Indian American motel owner of Days Inn in the town of Catskill, near Albany, of forcing them out of his place because they reportedly complained about spotting a rat. 

But owner Mathai George, originally from Palakkad in Kerala, said that Rafael Streicher and Devorah Streicher created unpleasant scenes in front of other guests and hotel employees, refused to pay their bill and made religiously hurtful remarks, all of which led George to oust them. 

State troopers were called to escort the family out.

The Streichers plan to sue the franchise and hotel corporation for civil rights violation, according to the New York Post. George, who is a Christian, alleged that during an argument Rafael said Muslims from Pakistan and Indian owned the place and that was the reason why his family was being treated in a manner different from the other guests.

In the same weekend we had many guests in the motel who were like him (Jewish). They had no problem and they didnt complain that we treated them differently, said George, who has run the franchise with his family for 10 years.

He said their inflammatory comments forced him call the police before violence erupted. Muslim workers from Saudi Arabia at the motel reportedly took serious offence to the Jewish couples comments.

George also said the couple wanted their room upgraded but refused to pay for it. They paid a deal price of $150 a day and they refused to pay the $249 regular charge for an upgraded room. He (Rafael) came in to my office and threatened me. He said he was going to sue the place.

They claimed they saw a rat in the hallway but they actually wanted an upgraded room for a deal price. And I didnt agree to that, said George. He said that he smelt a rat in their complaint.

But the dailys report said George demanded that they pay the difference in cash immediately, although it was Friday, the Jewish Sabbath. During Sabbath, Orthodox Jews do not conduct any business transactions.

Police arrived at the motel upon Georges call and told the Streichers to leave immediately. The family members couldnt drive on the holy day and walked behind their car as a Days Inn employee drove it to another hotel 15 minutes away.</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="93">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Line Breaks</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28248">
            <text>1</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="94">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Date</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28249">
            <text>2002-08-17</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="95">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Thumb</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28250">
            <text/>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="96">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Article File</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28251">
            <text/>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
      <element elementId="97">
        <name>VTMBH Article: Hit Count</name>
        <description/>
        <elementTextContainer>
          <elementText elementTextId="28252">
            <text>172</text>
          </elementText>
        </elementTextContainer>
      </element>
    </elementContainer>
  </itemType>
  <elementSetContainer>
    <elementSet elementSetId="1">
      <name>Dublin Core</name>
      <description>The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.</description>
      <elementContainer>
        <element elementId="50">
          <name>Title</name>
          <description>A name given to the resource</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28253">
              <text>Indian motel owner in ratty dilemma</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
      </elementContainer>
    </elementSet>
    <elementSet elementSetId="4">
      <name>911DA Item</name>
      <description>Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item.</description>
      <elementContainer>
        <element elementId="52">
          <name>Status</name>
          <description>The process status of this item.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28254">
              <text>approved</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
        <element elementId="53">
          <name>Consent</name>
          <description>Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28255">
              <text>unknown</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
        <element elementId="54">
          <name>Posting</name>
          <description>Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28256">
              <text>yes</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
        <element elementId="55">
          <name>Copyright</name>
          <description>Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28257">
              <text>yes</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
        <element elementId="56">
          <name>Source</name>
          <description>The source of this item.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28258">
              <text>born-digital</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
        <element elementId="57">
          <name>Media Type</name>
          <description>The media type of this item.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28259">
              <text>article</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
        <element elementId="59">
          <name>Created by Author</name>
          <description>Whether the author created this item.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28260">
              <text>yes</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
        <element elementId="60">
          <name>Described by Author</name>
          <description>Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28261">
              <text>no</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
        <element elementId="61">
          <name>Date Entered</name>
          <description>The date this item was entered into the archive.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="28262">
              <text>2002-08-17</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
        </element>
      </elementContainer>
    </elementSet>
  </elementSetContainer>
</item>
