Immigration relief “DACA” is good for everybody
The third anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is bittersweet. On the one hand, DACA improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of undocumented people brought into the U.S. by their parents by protecting them from deportation. On the other hand, it is only a temporary measure that is deeply resented by a...On voting … And not
The campaigning for next year’s elections is starting to draw more attention and with it comes a focus on voters and their mood. Which is all well and good, but it leaves out of the equation one large bloc of citizens: people who are eligible to vote, but don’t. Over the years, a fair number of people I’ve encountered have...We should be better neighbors
Children playing at night in a Dearborn street.Dearborn has a rich, diverse culture— a hybrid of the Middle East and the Midwest that can manifest itself in tasty food, welcoming faces and exuberant atmospheres. But not all is great. Our enthusiasm and liveliness are turning into chaos. Our tendency to be loud and stay up late...Rise and fall of Arab revolutionary discourse
A protest at Tahrir Square during the Jan. 25 Egyptian Revolution in 2011.Strange how intellectual discussion concerning the so-called “Arab Spring” has almost entirely shifted in recent years - from one concerning freedom, justice, democracy and rights in general, into a political wrangle between various antagonist camps. The...Crestwood superintendent owes Arabs explanation on discrimination findings
More than two years have passed since the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission made findings that the Crestwood School District (CSD) discriminated against Arab Americans in hiring and recruitment. Last year, the CSD reached a settlement agreement with the civil rights division of the Department of Justice to improve...Politics sometimes shred the facts of immigration
Political rhetoric implies that unauthorized immigration, especially across the U.S. border with Mexico, is wildly out of control.Is that true?According to a July 24 immigration report by the Pew Research Center, the number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States is not up. It’s down.The peak, 12.2 million, was eight...The GOP: Reaping what it sowed
The 2016 Republican presidential contest has barely begun and it has already grown alternately tiresome and old or just downright scary. As a Democrat, I might be pleased, but as an American, I am deeply troubled. I just want it to end. A part of the GOP problem is the plague of too many candidates, 17 at last count, with many of them...
There is nothing to surveil in Dearborn
August 7th, 20150 Reports about an FBI-owned plane that was surveilling Dearborn over the weekend are alarming. The bureau has denied that it was targeting the Arab community and added that it is not aware of any threats in Metro Detroit. However, there is a growing irrational and unfounded fear of Dearborn being a hub for extremism. The city of 95,000...Wealth and income gaps in America continue to grow
In October of last year, a 30-year-old Wells Fargo employee in Portland, Oregon made national headlines after sending a provocative email to Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf. In his email, which was also copied to approximately 200,000 of the company's employees, Tyrel Oates addresses the increasing income inequality in America...Local Arab Americans failed Palestinians, again
Thousands of Israelis took to the streets to protest the frightening racism that is turning deadly in the occupied Palestinian territories. The demonstrations came after militant Zionists burned down a Palestinian home in the West Bank, killing 18-month-old Ali Dawabsha and injuring his parents and 4-year-old brother. Israelis,...Greater cooperation needed between police and businesses in Detroit
Excessive ticketing of gas stations and liquor stores owners continues to be a problem in Detroit. Once again, business owners are receiving multiple tickets for not having the proper licenses, missing invoices and other suspected violations. Sometimes the owners get several tickets for the same offense while in the processes of...Anti-Gulf bigotry is inexcusable
Intra-Arab bigotry is a known matter. The Lebanese don't like Iraqis. The Iraqis think they are better than Yemenis. Yemenis think all Lebanese are condescending bigots. The clash of national identities is a tragedy in our community, especially since anti-Arab xenophobia does not differentiate in its hatred for us. Moreover, because...
I was barred from entering my homeland
July 29th, 20150 I waited more than seven hours and endured six different interrogations; and this is the conversation (from memory) that barred me from entering my homeland on the grounds that I was uncooperative. It was with an extremely unpleasant woman in uniform, red hair and massive amounts of makeup (for some reason, that's relevant). Keep...Where the presidency is headed
Before the ins and outs of the 2016 presidential contest become a preoccupation for many of us, it seems a good time to step back and look at the office of the presidency for which so many candidates are vying. The presidency inherited by whoever wins next November will be substantially changed from the position his or her predecessors...Camps for Arabs and Muslims?
Bigotry in America is reaching dangerous levels. There has always been a fear in our community that the growing xenophobia would lead to World War II-style interment camps for Arab and Muslim Americans. While the idea seemed far-fetched, a national figure recently suggested putting people who are "likely to be radicalized" in......
The economic upshot of the Iran deal
For all the hot air in Washington this week from Republicans denouncing the historic deal the United States and five world powers reached with Iran, keep in mind that gasoline may soon fall back to $2 a gallon. That is just one of many economic benefits to America, Europe and the Middle East we can anticipate because the smart use of...Mass surveillance is all about money and power
“We are under pressure from the Treasury to justify our budget; and commercial espionage is one way of making a direct contribution to the nation’s balance of payments” -Sir Colin McColl, former MI6 Chief. For years, public figures have condemned cyber espionage committed against the United States by intruders launching their......
Thank you, Aimee
Schoelles.This week, the Dearborn Board of Education bid farewell to its president, Aimee Schoelles (formerly Aimee Blackburn). She resigned her position after nearly 15 years of service on the Board of Education and local community organizations, especially as an active member of the Arab American Political Action Committee...The Iran deal is a good one
A historic deal has been reached with Iran over its nuclear program. The Obama administration has succeeded in convincing the Islamic Republic to considerably reduce its nuclear activities to a point that makes it impossible to produce a nuclear weapon. The agreement, which lifts economic sanctions on Iran, is sensible. It...Arabs and baseball; an interesting relationship
Justin Verlander, Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays. Most of these names that belong to baseball legends are unfamiliar to many Arab Americans— because many Arabs just don’t like baseball. The reasons why many Arabs have no connection to the game once called “America’s pastime” are often due to their upbringing...Trump: A joker in the GOP presidential deck
"Some people," as Barry Switzer famously declared (rather oddly for a football coach), "are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple." And then there's Donald Trump.Inheriting a $250 million fortune built by his father on government loans and housing contracts, Trump fell close to the family's corporate......
The Dearborn Heights hijab settlement: Positive change is possible
July 10th, 20150 The Dearborn Heights Police Department will no longer require women who wear the hijab to remove their headscarves during the booking process when they are arrested. Although this policy change is overdue— given the growing Muslim population in the city— it is a positive step that ensures that the police do not violate...If you don’t like it, call your representative
After the Dearborn City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to ban smoking at parks, hundreds of social media users expressed outrage at the decision, saying that it targets Arab Americans hookah smokers. But how many of those Facebook activists have called a council member to convey their feelings? Not many.Lack of......
Is Dearborn shunning its Arabs?
Who is hurt by some Arabs sitting in their garages, passing the time? Some White residents of Dearborn might not understand that our mothers and wives turn our houses into museums, prohibiting us from bring our friends inside. It doesn’t matter whether or not we men own the house. See, you don’t have to believe Fox...
Ramadan an opportunity to unite and celebrate
June 29th, 20150 Ramadan arrives this year at a critical time for Arabs and Muslims, both around the world and in the United States. Muslims are suffering from divisions and violence in the Middle East, while Muslim Americans are facing a frightening wave of hatred and bigotry. The holy month is a festive occasion. We can use Ramadan to rise above our......