In contested elections, your vote is decisive
November 4th, 20160 Michigan has long been a safe Democratic state in the presidential elections for the past 24 years, but the unpredictability of this cycle puts everything in doubt. A Fox 2 poll showed GOP candidate Donald Trump is less than 3.3 percentage points behind Democrat Hillary Clinton — within the margin of...
Denouncing Trump is not enough to challenge rising Islamophobia
October 21st, 20160 This week, an Arabic billboard with a deep message denouncing Trump appeared on I-94.Donald Trump, “can’t read this, but he is afraid of it,” the large ad says. It is a nice gesture that grabbed headlines around the world. However, anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiments run deeper than the Republican...
Remembering the words of our friends
October 14th, 20160 Religious and racial intolerance are reaching alarming levels. Populist politicians have taken advantage of the spread of violence across the world to scapegoat Arab and Muslim Americans. The bigotry is manifesting itself institutionally, through unfair government programs and policy proposals, but also in society as evidenced by...
The war in Yemen must end, as famine spreads
October 7th, 20160 Yemen is on the verge of famine, according to media reports and humanitarian organizations. The country's social, economic and political fabric is being disseminated by the ongoing, apparently endless war. For months, the warring parties met in Kuwait, agreeing and disagreeing every other day, until the negotiations collapsed...
Peres was a man of war
September 30th, 20160 Carnage after the Qana massacre.Shimon Peres has died. The butcher of Qana, who introduced nuclear weapons to the Middle East, is being bewilderingly hailed as a man of peace by U.S. media and politicians. Peres was a nationalistic war criminal, whose atrocities against the Palestinian people predate the state of Israel. Peres...
Funding Israel does not help the U.S.-desired two-state solution
September 23rd, 20160 At his final U.N. General Assembly appearance, President Obama warned Israel that it cannot permanently occupy Palestinian land. He also urged Palestinians to recognize the legitimacy of Israel. This would sound like a balanced statement if Obama had not signed a $38 billion military aid package to Israel, which would ensure the long...
Dearborn Police moving in the right direction
September 16th, 20160 Newly recruited ordinance officer Amal Chammout.Three Arab American cops and two ordinance officers, including a woman who wears the hijab, were sworn into the Dearborn Police Department last month. It is a step in the right direction for the embattled force, which has been facing a series of controversies for almost a year. In...
Fifteen years after 9/11, America fails to end terror
September 9th, 20160 Fifteen years have passed since the planes hit the towers in New York. Beyond the immediate tragedy, the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 gave birth to the disastrous "war on terror." A decade and a half and multiple wars later, the world is a far more dangerous place. On the second anniversary of 9/11, the United States had...
At 32, we remain young and strong
September 1st, 20160 The Arab American News was established 32 years ago. Osama Siblani founded the newspaper on Sept. 7, 1984, following the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and after he witnessed the American mainstream media's atrocious pro-Israeli bias. Over the past three decades plus, the newspaper has evolved, but its core mission and founding...
France’s ‘burkini’ ban: Hypocrisy and racism
August 26th, 20161 A protest against France's burkini ban, outside the French Embassy in London (Reuters)If you are a man in France, you can wear a wetsuit that covers your head and entire body. But a Muslim woman who chooses to wear a hijab at the beach will be ticketed and ordered to shed some clothing.The hysteria and hypocrisy surrounding French...
Sectarianism is a dangerous game
August 19th, 20160 A protest after the murder of an imam and his assistant in New York - Photo by ReutersArab American immigrants have crossed thousands of miles, leaving behind family histories that stretch back generations, in search of opportunities, peace and freedom here. The land that had supported them for thousands of years became infested by...
Clinton should not take your vote for granted
August 12th, 20160 In politics, as in life, when people take you for granted, they tend to mistreat you. Politicians must earn our votes and support. Hillary Clinton should not assume that she has the backing of Arab Americans, simply because her opponent is Donald Trump. Border and airport harassment, the bloated No Fly and Terrorist Watch lists, mass...
A victory with the taste of defeat
August 5th, 20160 Bazzi and Dabaja campaign volunteers at Dearborn High - Photo by The AANewsThe Aug. 2 primaries in Dearborn painted two opposing political pictures for the Arab American community. The first was bright and encouraging — Abdullah Hammoud, a 25-year-old Arab American Muslim, won the Democratic primary for state rep., defeating five...
Defeat recklessness and obscenity: VOTE ON AUG. 2
July 29th, 20160 This election season has been marred by vulgarity, insults and incivility. But the negativity should not discourage you from casting your vote on Aug. 2. It is important that Arab Americans vote in each and every election to demonstrate the community's political agenda and safeguard its interests. Additionally, county races, a...
Our endorsements
July 22nd, 20160 This election season has been marred by negative campaigning and "dark" turns. But that should not discourage you from participating in the Aug. 2 primaries. Voters will decide on several judicial, legislative and county races. Although it is only a primary, the election will likely determine who will represent Dearborn in the State......
Keep it civil
July 15th, 20160 In democratic societies, elections cause ideological divisions. Candidates and their supporters disagree on the issues. But the differences should remain within the realm of ideas without turning personal. Unfortunately, this election season at the level stage has been unlike any other. Presidential candidates have reverted to...
America’s Chilcot Report: Bush Administration should be investigated for Iraq invasion
July 8th, 20160 "Whether George W. Bush was the worst president in American history will be long debated, but his decision to invade Iraq is easily the worst foreign policy decision ever made by an American president," writes biographer Jean Edward Smith in a scathing verdict on the Bush presidency. Yet, Bush and his administration officials have not......
Leave Sayed Qazwini alone
July 1st, 20160 Bint Jebail Cultural Center after it was vandalized with anti-Qazwini graffiti last yearThe local Arab American community is suffering enough attacks and divisions on all levels. When the Islamic Center of America controversy started last year, it took the community by storm.Unfortunately, some members of the community want the storm to...
We should face terror with unity and solidarity
June 24th, 20160 “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. In the wake of the murderous Orlando shooting, Michiganders embodied the words of the civil rights icon by coming together in solidarity against terrorism and...
Beyond the selfies: Federal watch lists do not solve gun violence
June 24th, 20160 Democratic lawmakers in the House were hailed in liberal circles for their 25-hour sit-in to force a vote on gun regulation bills. Dramatic selfies of Congress members on the Capitol’s floor flooded social media. It was a successful media stunt that failed to adequately address the issue of gun violence. Democrats are pushing for...
Only Omar Mateen is responsible for his actions
June 17th, 20160 Omar Mateen claimed to support ISIS, Nusra Front and Hezbollah. He was a gay man who claimed to be disgusted by homosexuals displaying public affection. He was clearly a disturbed individual — confused, hateful and violent.Only Mateen is responsible for his despicable actions.Law enforcement officials rightly labeled his attack an......
Smile… It’s Ramadan
June 17th, 20160 A Muslim boy at prayers marking Eid al-Fitr in Jakarta, Indonesia, 2015.The Arab American News wishes you a Ramadan Mubarak.The Holy Month arrives at a time when Arab and Muslim nations are going through tumultuous times, as our local communities face an unprecedented wave of bigotry and hatred. Meanwhile, terrorist psychopaths and...
It’s Ramadan, we should celebrate considerately
June 10th, 20160 Customers eat in the early morning at Golden Bakery in Dearborn.Ramadan is a month of spirituality and forgiveness for Islamic communities around the world. It is also a time of joy and celebration. As local Muslim Americans celebrate the month, they should have compassion and consideration for those who do not observe......
Restricting hookah bar hours is bad for business
June 3rd, 20160 The nature of Southeast Michigan's economy has changed over the past decades. Dearborn's leaders do not seem interested in adjusting to the new realities. Despite the partial recovery of the auto industry, carmakers can no longer sustain the region's economy or operate as go-to employers. We live in a post-industrial,...
May 25: Liberation Day should be hailed and celebrated
May 27th, 20160 Woman celebrates the victory with Lebanese army soldiers.Six days. It took Israel six days to defeat the combined armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria in 1967. Demoralized Arabs had gotten used to catastrophes and setbacks as Israel colonized their land before the resistance in south Lebanon reclaimed their honor. It wasn't until......
