AAI Bulletin
AAI Launches "Election Central"
Posted on Thursday October 19, 2006
AAI Launches “Election Central”
AAI recently launched Yalla Vote Election 2006, a special section of our website which will serve as Election Central for all things related to the upcoming election.
The special website section will feature and focus on:
- Races to watch throughout the country
- The candidates’ stances on issues of importance to Arab Americans and more.
- Ways you can get involved and join other Arab Americans in playing a pivotal role in Election 2006
New content is updated daily, so be sure to visit the site often!
Will You Be My Friend?
Last week AAI joined the social networking worlds of Facebook and MySpace, launching pages on the two popular websites. AAI’s Facebook group already has nearly 1,000 members, while the MySpace page has almost 200 members.
The two sites, among the most trafficked on the web, allow individuals and organizations to establish personal pages and to search for friends or groups of interest. AAI is hoping to attract the interest of young adults in the run-up to the Nov. 7 elections through its Facebook and MySpace groups. The pages offer background on AAI’s mission, forums for discussion of Arab American issues and updates for group members on AAI events.
You can view AAI’s MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/aaiusa. If you have a Facebook account, you can view the AAI group by logging in at http://www.facebook.com and then searching for “Arab American Institute.” You must have a Facebook or MySpace account in order to join the groups and be counted as a member. Membership is ballooning by the day, so come join the fun!
Arab Americans Host Candidates’ Nights in Virginia and Texas
This past weekend, AAI co-hosted two successful candidates nights in Northern Virginia and Houston, Texas.
In Virginia, hundreds of Arab Americans met with U.S. Senate candidate Jim Webb (D), Rep. Tom Davis (R), Rep. Jim Moran (D) and several other candidates at AAI’s 18th annual Virginia Candidates’ Night. The candidates spoke out about their positions on the Middle East and civil liberties, and took questions from the audience. The sold-out event was covered by a number of local, national and international media outlets, including Mother Jones, the Virginia-Pilot, the Toronto Star, Voice of America, Al-Arabiya and more. Other notable attendees included 8th Congressional District candidate Tom O’Donoghue (R), 10th Congressional District candidate Judy Feder (D) and 11th Congressional District candidate Andy Hurst (D).
Many thanks to the sponsors who supported and the Virginia Steering Committee who organized this event to make it a success!
In Houston, AAI co-sponsored a Townhall Meeting at the Arab American Cultural and Community Center that was organized by the Arab American Voters Coalition. Ziad Jazari, president of the Arab American Voters Coalition, opened the Townhall Meeting by welcoming the candidates, praising them for recognizing the growing importance and political clout of the estimated 210,000 Arab Americans in Texas, which represents the 7th largest such community in the nation.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D) pointed to her record in urging Arab Americans to vote for her re-election bid. Responding to voters’ questions about the Israel-Lebanon War, she said, “I proudly stood up against it and believed there should have been an immediate call for a ceasefire.” Jackson Lee also reiterated her support for a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and called for hearings on what she perceives as the Bush Administration’s violations of civil liberties.
Other Congressional candidates addressing the gathering included Ahmad Hassan (R), Jim Henley (D) and Michael Badnarik (L). Ella Tyler spoke on behalf of Texas Gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell (D).
Arab Americans in Maryland Host Gubernatorial Candidate
With many wearing blue ribbons reading “Arab American Democrat,” community activists in Maryland recently hosted Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley, the Democratic nominee for governor. More than 100 Arab Americans gathered at a local school to meet with O’Malley.
AAI National Policy Council Member George Gorayeb praised O’Malley for reaching out to Arab Americans. “The fact that you’re sitting here with us means a great deal to us,” said Gorayeb, who is a member of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee’s Board of Directors. “I would have voted for you even if you had not come, and now that you came, I will do all in my power to help you get elected.”
O’Malley made a commitment to work with the Arab American community to address issues of concern, including increasing cultural understanding and encouraging greater Arab American political participation.
Zogby Speaks at Two Prominent Events in Europe
AAI President Dr. James Zogby recently returned from several conferences in Europe where he took part in discussions on issues ranging from religious and cultural co-existence to the effectiveness of the War on Terror.
In Prague, Dr. Zogby was invited to participate as a panelist, along with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in the tenth annual Forum 2000 Conference in the Czech Republic. The conference was dedicated to understanding the current conflicts that prevent peaceful coexistence in the international community.
In Dublin, Ireland, Dr. Zogby took part in a debate at Trinity College on American foreign policy and its “War on Terror” at the Dublin Philosophical Society. Dr. Zogby, who argued that the U.S. and the international community is less safe as a result of the invasion of Iraq, was joined in the debate by other experts in the field, including Claudia Rosett of the Wall Street Journal, Nicolas de Boisgrollier of the Brookings Institution and Andrew Steele, the Washington Bureau Editor at the BBC.
