Protesters lined the street outside of The Henry Hotel in Dearborn to protest the American Arab Chamber of Commerce’s decision to invite Wayne State President Allan Gilmour as its keynote speaker. Gilmour removed Helen Thomas’ Spirit of Diversity Award earlier this year after she made comments critical of Zionism but has not taken suitable steps to rectify the situation according to community leaders. PHOTOS: Nafeh AbuNab/TAAN

DEARBORN – The Henry Hotel was the site of the 19th Annual American Arab Chamber of Commerce Building Economic Bridges Banquet, with a wide variety of CEOs, elected officials, community and business leaders and others in attendance. 

“The AACC has been working both domestically and internationally for over 19 years now,’ said AACC Chairman Ahmed Chebbani.

“Michigan is rich with diverse groups including the Arab American community which has remained affluent and strong in contributing to the economy.” 

Chebbani spoke about the chamber’s commitment to building economic bridges, a focus of the night’s program. 

The AACC also honored Jamal Daniel of Texas with the Bridge Builder of the Year Award. Daniel is the founder of the Levant Foundation, which as a non-profit organization is committed to furthering the relationships of adherents to Judaism, Islam and Christianity. 

Speaking via satellite, Daniel spoke about the importance of cooperation and highlighted a Turkey-Syria-Lebanon trade corridor that has been formed and creates $30 billion annually in commerce as well as the future of the world economy.

“We are focusing more on the Internet, social media, and alternative energy,” he said. “And at the same time, we know we must be better caretakers of the environment.” 

Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon was also honored for his more than three decades of service in law enforcement while serving Wayne County. “Whatever I’ve done in my career, the Arab American community has treated me like their own, wherever I go,” Napoleon said after thanking the chamber and the crowd. 

“The banquet was an overwhelming success. We thank our partners, Ford Motor Company, Comerica Bank and DTE Energy, corporate sponsors, members, volunteers and everyone who attended the banquet,” said Fay Beydoun, American Arab Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, in a statement about the banquet which also said the banquet was sold out for the evening.  

“The success is a strong indication of the business community’s support for the chamber, and the generous support of our sponsors contributed to the success of the banquet.”

Wayne State President Allan Gilmour served as keynote speaker for the event, highlighting diversity in his speech. Gilmour is a former vice chairman of Ford Motor Company. 

“Both Ford and Wayne State work hard to include all people and to be diverse, creating opportunities for us and our campus,” he said. 

“Wayne State greatly values its relationship with the Arab American community which includes many alumni, students and faculty.” 

This year, the chamber has co-founded the Council of Ethnic Chambers of Commerce to promote collaboration and help growth while embarking on a Small Business Development Center that will assist local businesses among many other projects. 

Strong winds of controversy also were present at this year’s dinner, however, as  the chamber generated evoked emotions of shock and dismay from many by inviting Wayne State University President Allan Gilmour to keynote the event.

Earlier this year, many members of the Arab American community took issue with Gilmour’s decision to pull the Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in Journalism Award, protesting outside of the school and demanding reinstatement. Gilmour made that decision after comments she made regarding Zionism at a diversity forum in Dearborn late last year. Earlier in the year, Thomas had said Israel “should get the hell out of Palestine” at a White House celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month. Thomas was eventually forced to retire over the controversy. The university’s decision to  remove her name from the award was strongly denounced by many as an attack on freedom of speech, made worse by coming from an academic setting.

Thomas graduated from WSU in 1942 and is among its most distinguished alumni. She’s covered every presidential administration in the United States from Dwight Eisenhower to John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama. She’s written five books and was the first female member of the National Press Club, White House Correspondents’ Association and the Gridiron Club.  Thomas, 90, is the daughter of Lebanese Americans. 

On Friday, October 21, another decision involving Gilmour had picketers back on the scene, this time at the American Arab Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet against its decision to invite Gilmour as the organization’s keynote speaker.

Dozens of people lined the street across from The Henry Hotel in the city holding up brightly colored signs demanding the reinstatement of Thomas’ award, supporting First Amendment rights and proclaiming that “Freedom to speak inoffensively is not worth having.” 

Chants of “Community first!” “Respect Helen Thomas” and “Shame on you!” rang up from the picketers as they relayed their message of discontent to guests attending the dinner. 

“The dignity of the Arab community is at stake today,” said longtime community activist Don Unis at the protest.

“They’re taking free speech away from your children. It’s a matter of whether you believe in money more than that.” 

Hannya Eljammali, another protester, said she admired Thomas’ conviction and bravery as a longtime White House correspondent who was known for her intense questioning of officials on matters involving Palestine, the Iraq war, and more.

Gilmour has admitted that he may have made the decision abruptly.  He was expected to officially announce the formation of an Arab advisory committee to the university at the banquet but did not do so. However, it is still expected to be formed. 

Congress of Arab American Organizations Spokesman Osama Siblani had said prior to the protest that the committee’s formation was not a worthy response to resolving the issue, especially considering that the congress was not given a say in selecting the members as it had originally requested or given a meeting with Gilmour. 

Inside the chamber’s dinner, Gilmour’s speech focused mainly on Wayne State and the economy but he did not address the Thomas issue other than to note how “heavy” the room seemed to be after he went up to the podium to speak. 

Nafeh AbuNab, The Arab American News’ photographer, said that he was escorted out of the event when he began taking pictures because of remarks he made on Facebook criticizing the decision to invite Gilmour as the keynote speaker. 

Several protesters outside the dinner said they felt that the chamber was going against the wishes of the Arab American community by inviting Gilmour after he disrespected them with his decision and lack of attention to the issue in the months following,  believing that the chamber did not take the importance of unity within the community seriously enough. 

“There is a feeling among the Arab American community that we are not being respected in this situation,” said attorney Tarek Baydoun, who helped lead the protest.

“The community has taken a firm stance that we cannot support this event after the actions that Wayne State University committed.” 

“When someone like Gimour humiliates us, we will fight,” Unis said. “The community must come together and make sure that we are respected.”