Away from politics: Arab women sing
On the 60th anniversary of al Nakba, it has become clear more than ever before that there are two worlds, two concepts and two future prospects for the Middle East, especially as far as the Arab-Israeli conflict is concerned. The international media was busy highlighting the 60th anniversary of the birth of Israel to the total...The fight for freedom at Fordson
When word got out last week that Fordson High School Principal Imad Fadlallah was accused of slapping a student, parents and students got angry. Fadlallah has raised the morale, the standards of behavior and the academic performance at Fordson over the past few years and no one believed he would have hit a student. Sure enough, it...Memorial Day a time to reflect on troops
It is time for our annual day of reflection, commemorating U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. This holiday began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. Arab Americans have...Gaza cannot be compared to Holocaust
The 60th anniversary of Israel's "independence" was met with all the usual fanfare celebrating the "achievements" of the "only democracy" in the Middle East and as a refuge for Jews – Bush fed into that, saying Masada won't fall again. What was missing, of course, was the real meaning of that anniversary. It's imperative, then, to...Strategic move for a perpetual conflict
I sat down to watch the news on Tuesday and I was shocked beyond belief to see that the Lebanese leaders in Doha have reached an agreement. The government and opposition now appear to have agreed on the allocation of cabinet seats to form a new unity government that will give crucial veto power to the opposition, something that has...Arab opinion of the U.S. declined in 2008
In 2008, Arab attitudes toward the U.S. remain at alarmingly low levels. Concern with U.S. policy is the reason. And because the U.S. role in the region is so critical, interest in the American elections is high across the Arab world. These are some of the findings of polling that Zogby International conducted separately for the...Israel at 60: Why we’re not celebrating
Between December 1947 and December 1950, over 530 Palestinian villages and towns were destroyed. Half of the Palestinians were ethnically cleansed by underground Zionist forces even before Israel was unilaterally declared a state. Palestinians call these events of the late 1940s the Nakba (catastrophe). The...Small victories to celebrate
Those advocating for issues of importance to Arab Americans rarely have anything to celebrate. In an era defined by the growth of anti-Arabism and Islamophobia in the West, activists' work is necessary, although uphill. Last week, activists fighting for related causes won rare, but small, victories. Groups...What the Iraq war is all about
The Bush regime has quagmired America into a sixth year of war in Afghanistan and Iraq with no end in sight. The cost of these wars of aggression is horrendous. Official U.S. combat casualties stand at 4,538 dead. Officially, 29,780 U.S. troops have been wounded in Iraq. On April 17, 2008, AP News reported that a new study...Let our people go!
Arab American political activist Muthanna al-Hanooti was arrested and jailed this week by federal officials upon arrival at Detroit Metropolitan Airport returning from a trip to the Middle East. The following day he was charged with two counts of conspiracy and three counts of lying to the FBI about working for agents with the Iraqi...State Department got it all wrong with report on “new anti-Semitism”
The U.S. State Department released a report on March 13 from the Office of the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism. It follows up on a 2005 document and was dedicated to the memory of U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos of California, the only Holocaust survivor to have served in Congress. The Hungarian-born Lantos died last month...Kudos to ABC and Primetime
Show alerts audience to Islamophobia live This past week, the ABC newsmagazine Primetime ran a limited series entitled "What Would You Do?" The hidden camera show set up everyday scenarios that happen in America and then captured people's reactions to them. The leading scenario pitted a Waco, Texas bakery clerk (played by a male...Lobbying our way to the Promised Land
As Arab Americans across the country eulogize Senator Barak Obama's enlightened foreign policy positions and vociferously campaign for his nomination, we should understand that a president can only do so much. This is largely due to the fact that a monarchy-wary nation imposed formidable checks on the presidential powers of the executive...Kilpatrick must resign
There's simply no question that Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick should resign his post as mayor of the city of Detroit. Kilpatrick's public philandering, as bad as it is, is no surprise. But public officials are expected, are elected, to uphold the law and to set high moral standards. We expect our public officials to be...Vote this week in Michigan’s Primary
Vote this week in Michigan's Primary Kucinich for Democrats, Paul for Republicans There's a lot of confusion about Michigan's primary election to be held this week on Tuesday, January 15, instead of the usual early February race. It's pretty much agreed that moving the state primary forward was a mistake. The Democratic National......
Happy holidays to all
This issue of The Arab American News brings us to the close of 23 years of publishing. As we have for the past few years, we have combined the final two issues of the year to give our staff a much-needed break and to facilitate the observance of all the year-end holidays of 2007. We very much look forward to the coming year, to...Stop the murder in Gaza
Everyone must act now to stop this collective punishment. It is the only ethical, just and humane thing to do. The siege must stop. Now. People are dying in Gaza. Patients die in their hospital beds because they are denied permits to access life-saving treatments abroad. Patients with such permits die at the Erez crossing because the......
Our choices for November 6, 2007
The Arab American News urges its readers to vote for Hussein Berry for the Dearborn Board of Education on Tuesday, November 6, 2007. With the loss of incumbent Mary Lane, who was a good friend to this community, it is more important than ever that we electe another friend to the Board. On the sale of the Dearborn Towers in...Celebrating our 23rd anniversary
As we put this issue of The Arab American News to bed, on Friday, September 7, 2007, we solemnly remember that it is our 23rd anniversary. When we began The Arab American News 23 years ago, we had no idea a global information revolution was about to begin. Neither, of course, could we forsee the first and second Palestinian intifadas,...Fear grows as Ramadan approaches
As Ramadan fast approaches, there is a nervous anticipation among charities on whether the U.S. Treasury will shut down or raid or make some announcement about another charity. Since 9/11, six charity groups have been shut down by the government after being accused of providing financial aid to groups and individuals included on the...Bush’s policies of fear and intimidation
We've been saying it for years. Instead of effectively addressing the terrorist threat to the United States that was clearly demonstrated by the 9/11 attacks, this administration chose to use those frightening and serious attacks as an excuse to invade the oil-rich country of Iraq, purely in the interests of advancing an economic and/or......
Bush making a mockery of democracy
Two weeks ago President George W. Bush banned Lebanese and Syrian officials — whom Washington accuses of undermining the Lebanese government — from entering the United States. The list of Syrian officials the United States considers to have meddled in Lebanon includes Assaf Shawkat, director of Syrian military intelligence and...Support The Parade Company
Anyone who had the pleasure this week of joining the crowd in downtown Detroit for the annual fireworks display in honor of America’s Independence Day knows it’s true that the Motor City is making a real comeback. International River Days kicked off the week-long celebration and grand opening of the Detroit International Riverfront, a......
