The Arab American News
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Flint police chief revokes gag rule in response to ACLU lawsuit
September 12th, 20080 DETROIT � Flint Police Chief David Dicks will rescind his controversial gag rule on police officer speech to the press in response to a free speech lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan on behalf of three police union leaders. "We hope that Chief Dicks' announcement signals a change of heart and...
Group vows to continue vigils for peace
September 12th, 20080 Growing up in what he described as a "conservative Jewish home," Henry Herskovitz was oblivious to the happenings in Palestine. But a conversation with a stranger in 1985 on the holiday of Yom Kippur wound up as a life-changer for the current social activist. "I remember him telling me that Israel had the fourth-largest...
Arab Americans attend state convention
September 12th, 20080 It's become a yearly trip for local Arab American Democrats, but with one of the most important elections in recent memory looming, this year's Michigan Democratic Convention seemed a little more important. The September 6 event in Lansing was deemed successful by Taleb Salhab, who is a member of the executive committee of the...
New water meters put an end to estimated bills
September 12th, 20080 DETROIT�Estimated water bills for Detroit residents are becoming a thing of the past, a concept that east side resident Nicola Singal finds reassuring. Singal recently had new, high tech water meter equipment installed in her home as part of the Detroit Water Automated Meter Reading (AMR) program, an initiative of the Detroit...
Gregg Brighton named Dearborn deputy police chief
September 12th, 20080 DEARBORN � Dearborn Mayor John B. O'Reilly, Jr., has selected Commander Gregg A. Brighton as deputy chief of the police department. In his new post, Brighton will oversee police department operations while the selection process continues to fill the post of Chief of Police, left vacant by Chief Michael Celeski's sudden passing on...Lebanese politician Sheik Saleh Aridi killed in car bombing
A Lebanese politician died when his booby-trapped car exploded in hills east of the capital, Beirut, yesterday. Sheik Saleh Aridi, a senior member of the Lebanese Democratic party, had been trying to reconcile rival factions within the Druze community, a minority Muslim sect split along pro- and anti-Syrian lines. Police said...
Remembering 9/11 and moving forward
September 12th, 20080 America must move from the errant, retributive justice of 9/11 to a healing, restorative process of truth and reconciliation. Before the Congress adjourns, I will bring forth a new proposal for the establishment of a National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, which will have the power to compel testimony and gather...Shame on The Oakland Press
In an editorial this week, The Oakland Press attacked The Arab American News for running an opinion piece by Michelle Kinnucan on the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's celebration at the Michigan State Fairgrounds of Israel's 60th anniversary. ("Detroit Jewish Federation: Celebrating racism and making money at it," The Arab...The Oakland Press tortures the truth
One of the gratifying things about the Fair of Shame protest on August 21st was the response of so many of the Israeli youth. As we stood outside the Jewish Federation's celebration of Israel's creation, dozens of big, yellow school buses passed by. Because traffic was backed up the teens inside had a chance to read our anti-Zionist,...The Afghan tragedy
John W. Warnock. Creating a Failed State. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Fernwood Publishing, 2008. If you want just one book that gives you the story of the Afghan tragedy, this is it. Warnock, a retired professor of economics and sociology, covers all the essentials�a capsule history of the country up to the present,...Catering to Israel
James Petras. The Power of Israel in the United States. Atlanta: Clarity Press, 2006. This book is something of a mixed bag. There are many interesting, provocative observations and analyses, but there are also some occasions where Petras fails to make the case. Let's start with some of the more generally...
W. Deen Mohammed, 74, dies
September 12th, 20080 Imam W. Deen Mohammed, a son of the Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad, who renounced the black nationalism of his father's movement to lead a more traditional and racially tolerant form of Islam for black Muslims, died on Tuesday in Chicago. He was 74. The death was confirmed on the blog of Dawud Walid, executive director of...Israel asks U.S. for arms, air corridor to attack Iran
The security aid package the United States has refused to give Israel for the past few months out of concern that Israel would use it to attack nuclear facilities in Iran included a large number of "bunker-buster" bombs, permission to use an air corridor to Iran, an advanced technological system and refueling planes. Officials...It’s the oil, stupid
American policy toward the Middle East has always been determined by the politics of oil and the politics of oil are determined by the oil companies. It would be difficult to find many who would argue that the invasion of Iraq was premised, not on seizing Iraq's oil, but rather to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons held by...
Nader pleads for change in two party system
September 12th, 20080 Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader during a Detroit campaign rally at First Unitarian-Universalist Church. PHOTO: Khalil AlHajal Presidential politics is a theater of the absurd, according to independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who said he recently had to participate in a debate with Triumph the Insult Comic......
Israel deliberately forgets its history
Every Israeli knows that he or she is the direct and exclusive descendant of a Jewish people which has existed since it received the Torah in Sinai. According to this myth, the Jews escaped from Egypt and settled in the Promised Land, where they built the glorious kingdom of David and Solomon, which subsequently split into the...‘Towelhead’ doesn’t deliver
When rapper Nas wanted to use the N-word as the title to his last album, it was clear that it was intended as a bold attempt to own the term in a context of militantly antiracist art that lets the listener know how it feels to be on the receiving end of the slur. Even then, the record company didn't let him do it. The album was......
Palestinian group considers end of two-state strategy
WASHINGTON � An informal group of prominent Palestinian academics, politicians, entrepreneurs and activists has published a report that raises questions and offers solutions regarding Palestinian national strategy. It follows a growing sense of doubt that two decades of negotiations will culminate in an outcome fair to...Lose your house, lose your vote
The chairman of the Republican Party in Macomb County, Michigan, a key swing county in a key swing state, is planning to use a list of foreclosed homes to block people from voting in the upcoming election as part of the state GOP's effort to challenge some voters on Election Day. "We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will...
Ramadan Mubarak
September 6th, 20080 Muslims around the world began observing the holy month of Ramadan this past week. Many will fast from dawn to dusk for the entire month, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims believe the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed during this month. The streets of east Dearborn, as in many places around the...
ADC to recognize judicial excellence
September 6th, 20080 DEARBORN � The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) Michigan will recognize excellence in the judicial community during its 7th annual Judges Night reception, on September 23, 2008, at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center in Dearborn. This annual event is organized and hosted by ADC Michigan's Advisory Board, chaired......
Officials recognize Ramadan, offer warm wishes to American Muslims
September 6th, 20080 Marking the beginning of Ramadan, a number of elected officials at various levels circulated statements recognizing the Islamic holy month. "The holy month of Ramadan is a special time of prayer, fasting and service," read a statement from President George W. Bush. "I thank the men and women of the Muslim community for their...
Ghamloush brothers corner the market
September 6th, 20080 DEARBORN � Many people dream of getting a chance to travel across Europe. But it took a nightmare for Joe Ghamloush to get that chance. Ghamloush, owner of three businesses on the corner of Warren and Chase roads in East Dearborn including Arabica Bistro and Coiffure D'Elegance Salon, was forced to leave his home and salon......
Community gets involved
September 6th, 20080 Amirah Kaid, 26, a supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, holds up a bobblehead doll in the likeness of the Illinois senator during a watch party at a Dearborn restaurant for his speech at the Democratic National Convention on August 28. Obama campaign leaders in Michigan are scheduled to meet with Arab Americans...Peace team members arrested at Republican National Convention
Minneapolis, MN � Late Wednesday, September 3, while working to keep people out of harm's way outside a concert at the Republican National Convention, Rev. Peter Dougherty of Michigan Peace Team and three members of the Minnesota Peace Team were arrested, handcuffed, detained for almost five hours, and presented with citations......
