Arab Americans

Arab Americans on the Move

Sam Rasoul: Young Arab American Democrat

Posted on Thursday June 19, 2008

One of the youngest candidates to run for Congress in the nation’s history and the first Democratic challenger to receive district-wide support since 1992, Sam Rasoul is a rising force. On May 24, 2008 he became the official Democratic nominee for the 6th District of Virginia.

Background

Sam Rasoul grew up in Southwest Virginia, the oldest of four children. His parents, originally from Palestine, moved to Roanoke from Ohio after falling in love with the Valley. He attended local schools and worked at Food Lion until he graduated high school and went on to obtain his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Roanoke College. He then earned his Masters Degree in International Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University. He returned to Virginia after Hawaii because of his roots and family there, as well as his love for the area.

Rasoul opened a series of small businesses ranging from a medical supply store to a video rental store to a tanning salon. He encountered a series of obstacles due in most part to his youth and his lack of capital. Banks didn’t want to give him loans, and business owners felt uneasy about taking a chance on him, but Sam ultimately proved himself through hard work, perseverance, and smart use of his limited finances.

Being a small business owner, especially a young one, has given Sam Rasoul an appreciation for the value of a dollar. “You learn how to cut costs, what’s necessary and what’s not”. It’s also given him an appreciation for what is happening to middle class families, and everyone right now in this difficult economy. He remembers being the only employee at his video store, working there every single day because he couldn’t afford to hire anyone. Anything he made he had to put right back into the store to increase his stock and improve the store. That’s also where his pledge to give half his salary as congressman comes from. “I know how to live off the dollar and I’m not in it to get rich.”

Rasoul credits his parents for instilling a strong work ethic in him. He says he learned that hard work is the only thing that stands between you and what you want from his father. “My parents worked every day to try to move up the socio economic ladder, like most immigrants.” He watched them work hard, and in turn followed in their footsteps, opening small businesses. On his website Rasoul states, “My parents, first generation immigrants, valued education and worked hard to provide good lives for their children, as did most American citizens and/or their ancestors, but they never dreamed their oldest child might some day run for Congress.”

Growing up in Southwest Virginia gave him an appreciation for both his parent’s culture and a love for America. “Even though we were Muslims, my open-minded parents sent me for many years to Sunday school at Peters Creek Church of the Brethren with our dear friend Mrs. Tyree. My attendance in Sunday school led me to joining the Cub Scout Troop at that same church.” Rasoul recounts.

Although he grew up in a Republican household, and is a small business owner, the more Rasoul learned about politics and life, he realized his ideals were much more in line with the Democratic Party. However, Rasoul is quick to emphasize that “the most important thing is to be a good person, a good civil servant, regardless of the political party to which you belong.”

Entering the Race

In the fall of 2006, Rasoul began entertaining the idea of becoming involved in politics on a local level. He had previously been involved locally with organizations such as Valley Character and the Hope Fund, which gave him a taste of local politics in the Roanoke Valley. Rasoul considered the local Board of Supervisors race, the Virginia House of Delegates race, and the Virginia State Senate race, but ultimately declined to run for those spots because “all of these races had good people running on the Democratic ticket that I was proud to support in the November 2007 races.” When he learned that no one had challenged the incumbent Congressman in the Sixth District of Virginia in a decade, Rasoul decided he would be the one to challenge him. “To me, an unchallenged seat does not reflect democracy.” Speaking of his decision.

Since he entered into the race and began campaigning over 16 months ago, Rasoul has discovered that his youth is his biggest asset, not liability. “People are looking for a change, and honesty. They see me and believe that I’m not corrupt, at least not yet.” he says laughingly.

Learning from Listening

Rasoul and his campaign are very active both on the web and in the community. He has been on a Listening Tour which began last year and makes trips a few days a week to local schools, colleges, community centers, meetings, and coffee shops to talk to people. The topics are not always about his campaign—Rasoul speaks at school events to try to get younger people involved in politics from an early age. He says:

“The biggest thing we need to realize is that it’s important for younger people to be mobilized, because it’s our future that’s on the line. The reality is that politics is not a hobby, it encompasses all aspects of our lives. No matter who we are or where we live, we need to be active in the greatest government in the world.”

Although Rasoul and his supporters are active on blogs, Facebook, MySpace, and his own website he notes that the most effective way to make a difference, is canvassing neighborhoods and speaking with people face to face. “It’s much more powerful, and it’s much better quality connections with people.” To that end, Rasoul embarked on a listening tour last year and has so far visited over 30 different schools and colleges in addition to numerous local communities. Whether giving a presentation in an academic setting or having an informal discussion with local residents in a coffee shop, the message is the same: “Get involved.” Rasoul places emphasis on being politically active no matter what a person’s party affiliation.

On Rasoul’s website he states that if elected, he will donate half his salary to start up two projects: FutureCare, which includes mobile clinics to provide better healthcare to the area, and FutureJobs, a task force to help small businesses. He says that he’s doing it to show people he plans to do something more than just talk. “This represents something more…I will make that sacrifice up front. I’m not in this to get rich, and that’s not why others should be running for office either.”

When asked about what advice he would give to other Arab Americans are thinking about getting into politics, Rasoul has one simple point: your intentions have to be good. “People know when you’re trying to sell them something, and people know when you’re in it for power and not for the greater good.”

Having been traveling throughout Virginia on his listening tour for well over a year, Rasoul has gained insight and experience into both the political process and the people involved. When asked about the biggest impact the listening tour has had on him, Rasoul imparts a lesson that everyone should take note of:

“We’re all much more alike than we would claim to be…even Republicans and Democrats, I can sit down with Republican and have very constructive conversations about how we need to move America forward. With major issues, we’re in major agreement (like corruption). What we’ve learned is that these partisan hacks, they do us absolutely no good, and we need to look at people first and foremost as human beings. Human nature is people just want to take care of their families, they want a good future, they want to know that their dreams can come true.”

If you’d like more information or would like to become involved in Sam Rasoul’s campaign, please visit www.SAM2008.com.