Although our newspaper traditionally adopts AAPAC’s endorsements, this race was subjected to a vote by our editorial board, most of whom favored the Democratic challenger, Mark Schauer. 

We believe that both candidates have the interests of Michigan’s at heart, albeit their approach to policy differs drastically. 

Governor Rick Snyder has done a commendable job in balancing the state’s budget and focusing on Detroit’s revival. However, some of his tough choices have unfairly impacted some citizens, particularly seniors and students. 

Schauer promises to eliminate the pension tax and increase funding for education.

The Democratic challenger has a wealth of political experience and a long legislative career that includes 12 years in the state legislature and two years in the U.S. Congress. His connections in Washington can help secure federal grants to fix our roads and help our struggling working class.

Schauer has pledged to make education his number one priority. Adequately funding our schools is the only way to create a robust economy for the future. The Arab American community is a youthful population. We have a great stake in the schools, which witnessed cuts under Snyder’s leadership.

The former congressman promises equal rights for all of the state’s citizens, regardless of their ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.

Asked by our newspaper if he would speak about issues Arab Americans face with the federal government, such as bank accounts closure and finding themselves on the No-Fly list, Schauer said, “I will stand up for the people of Michigan against profiling of all types.”

While Gov. Snyder has a pro-immigration record and has spoken volumes about promoting diversity, his record on inclusiveness does not match his word. He has not appointed Arab Americans to high positions in his administration, although our community has qualified individuals whose expertise can contribute to the state in any field. In contrast, in an interview with The Arab American News in July, Schauer pledged to include Arab Americans in his administration.

“I’m going to make sure that my administration looks like the people of our state. I will have members of the Arab American and Muslim community that comprise the leadership within my administration,” Schauer said. He repeated this promise at the AAPAC dinner last week and at a reception at the Arab American National Museum on Monday.

The governor also showed utter disrespect to the Arab American community when he visited Israel last year. 

During the visit, Snyder celebrated, in his official capacity, the 90th birthday of former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. When Peres was PM in 1996, the Israeli army committed one of the most appalling war crimes in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. According to various human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, Israel deliberately shelled a United Nations compound that sheltered Lebanese civilians in Qana, Lebanon, on April 18, 1996. More than 100 civilians were murdered in the massacre, including two boys from Michigan who were visiting Lebanon for the first time, Hadi and Abdulmohsen Bitar. 

Snyder should have thought of the Bitar brothers’ relatives, who are his constituents, before celebrating a man known in our community as “the butcher of Qana.”

The governor renewed the insult to the community in September when he spoke at the 51st Annual Convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in Detroit. Snyder asserted Israel’s right to exist and defend itself at the event, which had nothing to do with the conflict in the Middle East. His remarks were so offensive that ISNA and other Muslim organizations urged their members to contact the governor and denounce his comments. While Snyder is focused on revitalizing Detroit, he offended the organizers of a four-day conference that brought 20,000 visitors from all over America to the struggling city.

While the governor’s views are known through the mainstream media, we would have liked to ask him questions specific to the Arab American community.

Our newspaper has been requesting an interview with Snyder since July. We emailed his media team several times and offered to meet the governor at any place or time of his convenience.

Although the governor had promised our publisher to grant us an interview, when he came to our offices to meet with AAPAC officials, his aides prevented one of our reporters to ask a single question on record.

In contrast, Schauer has sat down with our reporters twice and is much more receptive to questions from the media.

Gary Peters says he is running for U.S. Senate because he wants Michigan to continue being a place where, “if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to get a good job, raise a family, send your kids off to college and, at the end of the day, retire with dignity.” We believe he is the better candidate to represent our state in the U.S. Senate because of his Congressional experience and his availability to his constituents. 

It is worthy to note that Terri Lynn Land, the Republican candidate, has not bothered to reach out to the Arab American community or speak at any public events in Dearborn this campaign season. Most of her campaigning has been negative— attacking Peters, instead of talking her own credentials.

Debbie Dingell has beem president of D2 Strategies and chair of the Wayne State University-Board of Governors since 2006.

Dingell chairs the Democratic National Committee and the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, a statewide organization bringing together business, labor, and government.  Dingell is running to replace her retiring husband, the Dean of the House, John Dingell. We believe she will continue his legacy of defending his constituents and commitment to the wellbeing of the entire nation.