Tuesday June 07, 2011
A White House press release yesterday announced President Obama's nomination of Dr. Azizah al-Hibri, founder of KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, to become a member of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. al-Hibri is also a professor of law at the T. C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond and Founding editor of Hypatia: a Journal of Feminist Philosophy. A White House official referenced al-Hibri's extensive experience and contributions to her field saying she is "a tireless human rights advocate who will be a great asset to the Commission in its work." Read More »
Tuesday June 07, 2011
In an article that examines the impact of President Obama's Mideast policy on Arab American voters, Salon's Justin Elliott takes on an often overlooked concern. Elliott states, "While the media focus has been on Jewish Americans, this community is less than pleased with Obama's Mideast policy." Read More »
Monday June 06, 2011
On Friday morning, the House of Representatives passed a resolution sponsored by House Speaker John Boehner, declaring that “the President shall not deploy, establish, or maintain the presence of units and members of the United States Armed Forces” in Libya and requesting that the President “transmit to the House of Representatives a report describing in detail United States security interests and objectives.” Read More »
Monday June 06, 2011
The US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, an international refugee advocacy organization and the recipients of a Special Recognition Award at this year’s Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Awards Gala, has launched a campaign to grant Temporary Protected Status to Syrians, Libyans, and Yemenis currently in the United States. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a procedure by which the Secretary of Homeland Security may provide temporary asylum to individuals who are in America and who cannot safely return to their home countries. Read More »
Friday June 03, 2011
U.S. Representative Paul C. Broun (R-GA), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, has repeatedly and publicly urged the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to profile "Arabian looking" people and individuals wearing "Arabian dress" at airport security checkpoints. Yes, the "Arabian" is not a typo. Read More »
Thursday June 02, 2011
In response to a question about whether he would be comfortable appointing Muslims to his cabinet or as federal judges were he elected President, Herman Cain said the following: You think that’s shocking coming from a presidential contender? Wait until you hear who took issue with his comments! Glenn Beck (yes, seriously, Glenn Beck) noted that even he would trust his Muslim friends with such positions, and asked Cain via telephone on his show to explain his perplexing statement. Read More »
Tuesday May 31, 2011
Both resolutions are one-sided, blame the failure of the peace process on the Palestinians’ refusal to negotiate; seek to suspend US assistance to the Palestinian national unity government; and call on the Obama Administration to veto efforts to have the United Nations recognize a Palestinian state. Read More »
Friday May 27, 2011
The GOP presidential field is filling in nicely. Seven contenders have either officially announced their candidacy or have established exploratory committees. Declared candidates include Herman Cain (CEO of Godfather’s Pizza), Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, and Tim Pawlenty. In June, Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romey, and Rick Santorum are expected to announce their candidacies (in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania, respectively). John Huntsman, Roy Moore, and Buddy Roemer have launched exploratory committees, and Huntsman is expected to announce his decision soon. Texas Governor Rick Perry has said that he will consider seeking the Presidential nomination, and NY Congressman Peter King, best known for convening the February hearings on homegrown radicalization of Islam, has said that he’ll run if there’s broad enough GOP support for his candidacy — and has recently been sending constituents e-mails with links to press speculation about his intention to run in 2012. Read More »
Thursday May 26, 2011
The Mossawa Center is the leading advocacy organization for Arab Citizens in Israel. In light of recent speeches commenting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the center has called upon leaders from both countries to recognize "the unique status of the Arab Palestinian minority in Israel."
"The Palestinian citizens of Israel do not enjoy the basic rights that people in democracies enjoy. The Mossawa Center invites American lawmakers and journalists to come to Israel and see for themselves the situation of the unrecognized villages, and to witness the dual realities that have pervaded here for 63 years." Read More »
Tuesday May 24, 2011
Whether Cantor believes his disgraceful comments or whether he was simply engaging in shameless pandering is not readily clear, but neither looks particularly good for him. While we cannot pretend that hate does not exist, we also shouldn’t pretend that it exists on one side, or that it is the “root” of the conflict rather than its inevitable consequence. Read More »
Monday May 23, 2011
In a manner reminiscent of a family “intervention” into a member’s destructive drug habit, all that “you know we’re here for you” talk is really the reassurance given as a prelude to the core point of “but you have a problem that you really need to deal with responsibly.” That moment came a little past the halfway mark in President Obama’s speech, when he said: “I also believe that real friends talk openly and honestly with each other… Here are the facts we all must confront.” Read More »
Friday May 20, 2011
Arab American Institute President Jim Zogby comments on today's meeting between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Read More »
Thursday May 19, 2011
AAI President, Jim Zogby reflects on President Obama's Middle East speech in an article written in the Guardian. Read More »
Thursday May 19, 2011
The President will deliver a speech today addressing the vast political changes that have taken place in the Middle East and North Africa over the past few months. The President's address is scheduled for 11:40am and will be live streamed. Join the conversation on Face Book, Twitter @AAIUSA and the AAI website before, during and after the speech. Read More »
Wednesday May 18, 2011
I received an email the other day from a community member who is no stranger to Washington politics. Her email reinforced frustration over an issue that has been a topic of discussion here in Washington for the past three months or so: the importance of an Arab American meeting with the President to discuss the Middle East. Now more than ever, Arab Americans are in a unique position to bridge the gap between the often flawed American policy toward Arab countries and U.S. interest in the region. Read More »
Tuesday May 17, 2011
The Global Diaspora Forum begins today. In collaboration with USAID and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Partnerships will hold the 3-day forum to discuss ways to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals through models of diplomacy and development. Read More »
Friday May 13, 2011
Even Mitchell’s patience couldn’t wear down Israeli intransigence. This is sad: for Israeli-Palestinian peace, for George Mitchell personally, and for the U.S. Either the President tries to recoup by making a tough and determined stand as to the steps that must be taken to achieve peace Read More »
Thursday May 12, 2011
Last night, the House Armed Service Committee finished marking up the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Buried deep within the Act is a provision, added by committee chairman Rep. Buch McKeon (R-CA), which seemingly offers a blank check for the executive branch to wage war without geographic, time, or justificatory constraints. According to a press release by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Read More »
Wednesday May 11, 2011
Yesterday, May 10th, President Barack Obama delivered a major address on immigration in El Paso, Texas. The framework of Obama’s speech was the agreement Republicans made to support comprehensive immigration reform if border security was first dealt with effectively. Noting that his administration has delivered on its end of the deal (through a “now basically complete” fence on the border, more boots on the ground for border patrol, and substantially better results in terms of seized illegal drugs, weapons and currency), the President argued that it was now time for the Republicans to live up to their end of the deal by supporting comprehensive immigration reform. Read More »
Tuesday May 10, 2011
Gingrich’s decision to re-enter politics by becoming a Republican presidential candidate for 2012 may not serve the Arab American and American Muslim community well. Read More »
#NC lawmaker equates Islamic prayer w/ terror http://t.co/G9sp1NeLC1 @mostrolenk @aaiusa h/t @ozzyformayor
about 8 hours, 21 minutes ago.
Latest poll to be released Friday finds Americans are divided on continuing aid to #Egypt: http://t.co/1spZM1m9d2
about 11 hours, 2 minutes ago.
RT @MaiE_89: In the 1990’s, #Egypt had a 60% favorable rating among Americans, while today only 36% of US views the country positively via @AAIUSA
about 11 hours, 5 minutes ago.
Looking at Iran by James Zogby
Kahlil Gibran Awards Gala - April 16, 2013President Obama got it just about perfect in his Jerusalem speech when he urged Israelis to see the world through the eyes of Palestinians. That portion of his remarks was so compelling it deserves to be quoted in full: Read More »
Air Date: 5/31/2012
Fellows from Syracuse University’s “Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program (LDF); Bill Press, Host of the “Bill Press Show” and author of the new book, The Obama Hate Machine: The Lies, Distortions, and Personal Attacks on the President---and Who Is Behind Them. Read More »
The story of Arab Americans coming of age as an organized community is a classic American tale of immigrants seeking opportunity, benefiting from America’s freedoms, but also experiencing, at times, the dark side of exclusion and discrimination that has so often been a part of our nation’s history. Read More »
Apr 16 2013
Apr 27 2013
Jul 19 2013
