Political engagement is crucial this election season
This election season, statewide candidates have given special attention to the Arab American community. Gov. Rick Snyder visited the Arab American National Museum and spoke at several apolitical events hosted by community organizations, including the Arab American and Chaldean Council and ACCESS. His opponent, Mark Schauer, has held...Bill Maher is a bigot
When HBO comedian Bill Maher brought professional anti-theist commentator Sam Harris to bash Islam on his show last weekend, there was no Muslim on the show to make the case for Islam. But actor and director Ben Affleck came to the defense of Muslims, not because of any connection he has to the religion, but because he saw the racism...Nolan Finley, Benjamin Netanyahu are of the same evil
On Sunday, the Detroit News published an article by Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley titled, "Hamas, ISIS are of the same evil."Finley, whose hatred for Palestinians is no secret, hits a new low with this article. He bases his column on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent speech at the UN General Assembly. In his column,...
Yemen should not slip into civil war
October 3rd, 20140 In 1985, the late publisher of the Lebanese daily Annahar wrote a book titled "A War of Others." The book’s premise was that the then-ongoing Lebanese civil war was a proxy conflict fought by regional and international powers through Lebanese factions and militias. Today, we are witnessing multiple wars of others unfolding...Local community should stand with Rasmea Odeh
Palestinian American activist Rasmea Odeh was tortured and sexually abused in Israeli prisons 45 years ago. Now, the U.S. government wants to punish her for what she has endured. The Department of Justice is replicating the State Department's policies of persecuting and prosecuting the Palestinian victims in favor of Israeli...The U.S. intervention in Syria is not credible
The United States and its allies started a military campaign against "Islamic State" (Daesh) in Syria this week. President Obama vowed to build a coalition to "eventually destroy" the terrorist group.However, the United States did not bother to seek the United Nations' approval for the military operation.On the first night of U.S....Detroit police should stop intimidating gas station owners
Last week, Detroit Police Chief James Craig was supposed to meet gas station owners in the city to listen to their grievances. More than 65 gas station entrepreneurs gathered at the DoubleTree Hotel to tell the chief about the shortcomings of his force— from repeated ticketing for the same offense to neglect and delayed response....
On the 13th anniversary of 9/11, we are less safe
September 12th, 20140 On Sept. 11, 2001, more than 3,000 innocent people lost their lives when terrorists struck the United States. On the eve of Sept. 11, 2014, 13 years and two wars later, the president addressed the nation about combating yet another growing terrorist threat, one already targeting our citizens abroad and planning to reach our...Voices of sectarianism should be silenced
The Arab World is facing serious threats of further fragmentation. Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, as we know them, might no longer exist as unified states. The "Islamic State" is gaining a greater foothold in the Levant and enforcing a criminal order of literally slaughtering its foes. Meanwhile, Israel continues to "appropriate" (read: steal)...The federal government should help flood victims
"Unusual", "phenomenal", "unprecedented" and "extraordinary"— Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly, Jr. used these words to describe the flood that devastated Metro Detroit on Aug. 11. However, thousands of flood-stricken Michiganders feel like they were left to face this stunning disaster on their own. The state and municipalities have...The Land of the Free is running out of freedom
Lesley McSpadden and Louis Head, the mother and stepfather of Michael Brown, on Aug. 9.Six bullets. Michael Brown, an unarmed young man, was shot six times by a police officer named Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo. Brown, 18, was Black. Wilson is White, as is the overwhelming majority of the police force in the town that is mostly African...Displacing Iraqi Christians benefit the enemies of the Arab World
Christians have lived in Mosul since the dawn of their faith. Over that more than 2,000-year period, armies conquered and left. Wars were waged. Governments fell. Civilizations collapsed. But the Christians remained in their cities and towns, with their church bells ringing tunes of diversity in the land between the two rivers, the...Dearborn is not a city of terrorists
According to a federal report released by the online publication The Intercept and cited by numerous media outlet, Dearborn has the second highest number of U.S. residents on the government's Terrorist Screening Database, a watch list of terrorists and suspected terrorists.About 96,500 people live in Dearborn, while 3,858,000 people...
Our endorsements for the August 5 primary
August 1st, 20140 For many of the races in the upcoming August 5 primary, it will be your last chance to choose in this election cycle. The county executive, the State Legislature and U.S. Congress seats in Wayne County will be decided next week, not in November. Wayne is an overwhelmingly “blue” county. Hence, democratic nominees who are...Israel is losing the war
On Sunday morning, Israeli forces shelled the neighborhood of Shuja’iya in northern Gaza to the point of obliteration. At least 67 civilians were killed. Civilians' bodies littered the streets as rescue workers struggled to aid the wounded amid continued bombing. The massacre did not happen because the neighborhood is a Hamas......
Detroit News editor’s call for Israel to “finish the job” is racism
July 18th, 20140 The body of a boy killed by a shell fired by an Israeli naval gunboat on a beach in Gaza City, July 16, 2014. REUTERS/Mohammed TalateneIn an opinion piece published on Monday, July 13, Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley called on world leaders, including those in Washington, to "let Israel finish the job."In his editorial,...Obama’s call for peace is insincere
On Tuesday, July 8, President Obama published an op-ed in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, with the misleading headline: "Peace is the only path to true security for Israel and the Palestinians."Obama urged all sides to act "with reasonableness and restraint, not vengeance and retribution."As I've said time and again, neither I nor......
Our phones should be protected from Customs and Border Protection agents, too
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously last week that police officers cannot search the cell phones of suspects they arrest, without a warrant.Prior to the ruling, the police could search everything carried by the arrested suspect. But as Chief Justice John Roberts noted, "modern cell phones, as a category,...
Stalling immigration reform is politically motivated racism
June 26th, 20140 Comprehensive immigration reform benefits the economy, strengthens our bond as a nation and — most importantly— eases the suffering of millions who live on U.S. soil and aspire to be Americans.A bipartisan immigration reform bill that would give the country's more than 11 million undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship passed...
Iraq’s crisis and Bush’s ‘accomplished mission’
June 19th, 20140 Eleven years ago, then-president George W. Bush stood atop the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to announce the end of major combat operations in Iraq. A banner behind him infamously proclaimed "Mission Accomplished." The United States had invaded Iraq against the advice of all voices of reason around the world.America has lost...
Crain’s “American Dreamers” highlights Arab immigrants’ contributions to our region
June 13th, 20140 Here’s something that immediately stood out to us in the “American Dreamers” list complied by Crain's Detroit Business: About one third of the successful immigrants on it are Arab Americans. The list features 38 immigrants, 11 of whom are Arabs. We take great pride in our community's visible presence. This is noteworthy......
We strongly urge the community to participate in ‘Flag Day’
June 11th, 20140 “Flag Day” has traditionally been a time to commemorate the adoption of the “Stars and Stripes” as the U.S. banner. Towns across the nation will raise the American flag on government buildings, residential properties and businesses. We feel that our community should partake in these traditions as well, but not because a...Anti-Muslim protesters’ visit to Dearborn an opportunity to show the positives
The Qur'an-burning "pastor" is coming back to Dearborn on June 14. He will be here to display the same old hatred, racism and xenophobia he has passionately upheld since he rose to infamy for burning the Qur'an in 2010.This time, the Florida-based pastor is bringing a gang of motorcyclists with him. They plan on protesting against......
The Arab American News exhibit at the Newseum in Washington an achievement for the entire community
Since its inception, The Arab American News has been telling the stories of the community. Now, the Newseum, a museum for media outlets in Washington D.C., is telling our story. For three decades, we have been trying to provide Arab Americans with their own platform to voice their opinions and raise their concerns. The...State environmental chief’s reckless decision puts the health of residents at greater risk
Residents in Dearborn’s South End and neighboring communities, including southwest Detroit, will suffer the consequences of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Air Quality Division (AQD) Chief Vinson Hellwig’s recent reckless decision to approve a revised emissions permit that allows one of the state’s largest......
