African Americans have a right to protest, too
Kevin Matthews' mother speaks at a protest in front of the Dearborn Police Department. Photo: Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press "Black Lives Matter" has hit home. The case of Kevin Matthews, the 36-year-old man shot to death by a Dearborn police officer on Dec. 23, has started a much-needed debate in our city. Police claim that Matthews...Law Enforcement is not the problem
In December, a group gathered outside Dearborn Police headquarters to protest and vilify law enforcement. Despite a lack of facts, protesters quickly called for strict disciplinary measures for the Dearborn Police officer who fatally shot a 35-year-old Black man on Dec.23. Is it me or does anyone else find this alarming?There are...When my Japanese American family was treated as less than human
In the aftermath of the Paris and San Bernardino, California, terrorist attacks, the dangerous and destructive discourse about Muslims and Muslim Americans has reached a tipping point. Some Republican presidential candidates are calling for a ban of Muslims entering the country, and a Democratic mayor in Virginia is demanding the...U.S. Attorney McQuade: Harassment of Muslim Americans harms our national security
McQuade.Following the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Americans are understandably concerned about public safety. But the backlash of threats, harassment and physical attacks that has been directed against Muslim Americans in recent weeks is not just misguided and contrary to our American values. It is harming our national...“Islam is not a race”, but Islamophobia is racism
Students at a rally against Islamophobia at San Diego State University, Nov. 23. Photo: ReutersAnti-Muslim bigots often try to escape accusations of racism by proclaiming that Islam is not a race.Vilifying, marginalizing or hating others because of their gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or skin color is not acceptable....Michael Moore to Trump: We are all Muslim
You may remember (you do, after all, have a "perfect memory!"), that we met back in November of 1998 in the green room of a talk show where we were both scheduled to appear one afternoon. But just before going on, I was pulled aside by a producer from the show who said that you were "nervous" about being on the set with me. She...Trump time: They laughed at Reagan, too
Whatever happens with Donald Trump’s candidacy- whether he rides his durable poll numbers to the Republican nomination, runs as an independent or withdraws from the race completely- the ideas he’s introduced to the mainstream political dialogue will have a long shelf life. In the wake of the Paris attacks in November, a lot of...Three cars broken into, one stolen in Corktown; police do nothing
Shattered glass from one of the vehicles that was broken-into - The Arab American NewsDETROIT — On Sunday night, my friend and I decided to celebrate her 25th birthday by grabbing something to eat at a favorite restaurant in Detroit's popular Corktown neighborhood, where locals and visitors alike frequent various bars, restaurants and...
When fighting bigotry, perceptions matter
December 18th, 20150 Right wing social media users are falsely claiming that there was a pro-ISIS rally in Dearborn. And they have a photo of a large group of people with black flags on Warren Avenue to support their fabrication. The crowd in the picture was actually demonstrating against ISIS. However, perceptions often trump reality. Local...Elephant in the room: Terrorism and the U.S.-Gulf States alliance
President Obama with King Salman of Saudi Arabia.When it comes to existing discourse on efforts to counter radicalization and the subsequent extremism that arises, it appears that Western policymakers and media outlets want to address everything but the actual long-term causes. The elephant in the room being Gulf States (namely...Reclaiming Palestine: How Israeli Media Misread the Intifada
A protester waves a Palestinian flag in front of tear gas fired by Israeli troops near the West Bank city of Nablus Nov. 28 - ReutersIsraeli commentators Yaron Friedman of Ynet News and Haviv Rettig Gur, of the Times of Israel are clueless about the driving force behind the Palestinian mobilization and collective struggle. In two recent...Turkey’s downing of a Russian jet was an act of madness
"Russia is acting legally in Syria, while nations backing rebel forces there are in all acting blatant violation of international law."In considering the terrifying but also sadly predictable news of a Russian fighter jet being downed by two Turkish fighters, let’s start with one almost certain assumption — an assumption that no...
On Syrian refugees: We cannot lose our values to fear
November 19th, 20150 "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door."In the wake of the recent attacks in France, Lebanon and other places around the world, our nation has understandably become more...Top 10 reasons governors are wrong to exclude Syrian refugees
A young man carries a child as refugees arrive on a boat on the Greek island of Lesbos, Nov. 7. Photo: ReutersMore than half of U.S. governors have announced their opposition to their states taking in Syrian refugees after the Paris attacks. Although they can bother refugees, they can’t actually dictate to people who are here legally...Washington’s latest deal: Little cause for celebration
You can understand why President Obama and congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle sought to cast their end-of-October budget deal in the best possible light. They avoided a potentially catastrophic national default. They reduced the possibility of a government shutdown. And they raised the debt ceiling until March, 2017,......
Pity the democracy: Media and the election
Sit back and enjoy the ride. U.S. media run our proud American democracy. It’s in their interests to keep Donald Trump in the forefront, then shift to Ben Carson, maybe move to Carly Fiorina—just for a day– with interludes into the cozy nest of Democratic contenders. We are being toyed with by our news outlets — print, radio...We’re all on the same team
"Our Olympic teams look like a little United Nations. Despite our differences, we are all one people."I cringed when Dr. Ben Carson said he wouldn't want a Muslim President. And again when Hillary Clinton claimed her biggest enemies are the Republicans. It doesn't get much more polarizing than that. The politicians......
“Collateral damage” victims deserve justice
On Oct. 4, Zareena Grewal published a disturbing account of a recent U.S.-led coalition bombing in Iraq in an op-ed for the New York Times. Although the target was aimed at an ISIS weapons storage facility, the strike hit two civilian homes, killing her husband's cousin, a university professor and his young son. Others...Confronting the obvious truth: Palestinian Authority vs. the People
"The PA has morphed to become a security arm that served as a first line of defense for the Israeli army."Saeb Erekat is an enigmatic character. Despite minimal popularity among Palestinians, he is omnipresent, appears regularly on television and speaks with the moral authority of an accomplished leader whose legacy is rife with...No property taxes? No problem
Did you know City Council hears cases allowing tax delinquent landlords to redeem properties lost to foreclosure? Like you, a faithful taxpayer of Dearborn, I don't want to see my neighborhood ruined. Here's the story. The city began buying up foreclosed homes from Wayne County in an effort to reduce the number of...A tale of two cities in one “Islamic capital”
Armed anti-Muslim protesters at Dearborn's Centennial LibraryI pass three stoplights on my way to work. The streets have crosswalks and people drive on the roads. There’s a McDonald’s, Burger King and a BP gas station in my city. You can buy groceries, get your car fixed or watch a movie at the theater. There’s a bowling......
A Dearborn Christian speaking out for Muslims
October 16th, 20150 Dearborn is home to me and has been for quite some time now. I’ve lived here since I was 5-years-old. I love everything about this city. The convenience stores are never far away. The restaurants are great. The people are lively. But the one thing that bothers me is how often this city’s unique diversity is overlooked. Drive down...Russia establishing new realities in Syria; U.S. sends weapons, but to whom?
"Syria cannot be another Afghanistan to Russia for the simple reason that America cannot call the rebels freedom fighters like it did in 1980." With Syrian jets bombing rebels and extremists and Syrian and Iranian groups attacking them on the ground, Moscow seems determined to end the international efforts to topple the Syrian......
A silver lining in the war on ISIS?
In the international war on ISIS, a hidden silver lining is emerging: serious self-criticism within Muslim society and growing convergence of opinion of world leaders on ISIS. Regrettably, these two recent developments are not serious enough to lead to the dismantling and degrading of ISIS. As radical Islamist terror spreads in...The third Intifada may be underway
"Palestinians eagerness for national liberation has reached a point where they are charging at occupation soldiers with knives and screwdrivers. This is not another round of unrest. The intifada may well be underway."Fifteen years after the Second Intifada, after right-wing Ariel Sharon, an Israeli politician whose hands were drenched......