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Blog — Posted by Omar Tewfik
Friday October 19, 2012
Washington DC | October 19, 2012 - As of October 13, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received 2,614 applications for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from Syrian nationals in the U.S. On March 29, 2012 Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano approved the status for Syrian Nationals already residing within the U.S. In the registration period that lasted from March 29, 2012 to September 25, 2012, USCIS has so far granted 273, only denying five applicants. Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 10:25 am / / Leave a comment
Monday October 08, 2012
As we head into the 2012 elections, it is important for the community to know that our voice counts and that we can make a difference this election. In a number of ways, we already have. The Arab American community has worked tirelessly in many states throughout the nation to register new voters and become more integrated into the political process. Today, not only are Arab Americans voting in record numbers, they are helping to influence the outcome of races like never before. Read More »
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Thursday October 04, 2012
In mid-September, AAI President Jim Zogby traveled to the United Arab Emirates to present the findings of a poll conducted by JZ Analytics in five non-Arab Muslim countries, surveying attitudes toward the Arab world. Read More »
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Friday September 28, 2012
AAI President Jim Zogby joined CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Kate Bolduan in the Situation Room last night to discuss a wide range of Middle East foreign policy issues as well as AAI’s recent poll on the Arab American vote in 2012. Dr. Zogby was joined by Danielle Pletka, vice president of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. While AAI’s poll shows that jobs and the economy rate as the two most important issues concerning Arab Americans this election cycle, foreign policy is also among the top issues. Read More »
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Tuesday September 18, 2012
AAI president James Zogby appeared on Andrea Mitchell Reports today to discuss anti-U.S. protests unfolding in several Arab and Muslim countries throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Now in their second week, the inability and perceived unwillingness to deal with protestors and calm public sentiment in several countries have cast doubt about the future relationships of the U.S. and many of its key allies like Egypt. Read More »
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Tuesday September 18, 2012
The Arab American Institute (AAI) and the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) have adopted a logo for National Voter Registration Day on September 25. The Logo, designed by Nabil Ahmed Khatri, a high school student from Queens, New York with his own graphic design business, will be worn by thousands of Arab American volunteers across a number of states participating in efforts to register voters for the upcoming November elections. Read More »
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Monday September 10, 2012
It’s baffling that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other democratic officials doubled down on the DNC’s motion to push through a voice vote on a resolution recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at the Democratic National Convention. In an interview with the LA Times on Saturday, Mayor Villaraigosa played down the significance of the three-time response to the controversial measure on the floor of the DNC, saying the media blew the whole thing out of proportion and that it was the media, not the delegates, who were concerned about the measure. “Not one person objected. It’s more a media concern than a delegate concern,” the LA Times quoted him as saying... Read More »
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Monday August 13, 2012
AAI Board Member John Zogby’s polling and research firm JZ Analytics released the results of a new telephone poll today of likely voters’ support for President Obama and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. JZ Analytics puts Obama and Romney in “a dead heat,” with both candidates “receiving 46% of likely voters' support.” The poll is the first survey of public opinion conducted in the wake of Romney’s selection of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate and vice presidential pick. Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 11:49 am / / Leave a comment
Monday August 13, 2012
Last week, the Arab American Institute (AAI) released a statement co-endorsed by leaders of the American Muslim and Coptic Christian communities. The statement, organized by AAI, is supported by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), longest serving Arab American member of Congress and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first American Muslim member of Congress. Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 8:31 am / / Leave a comment
Friday August 10, 2012
The dust has settled after Tuesday’s primary elections in Michigan. Redistricting shook up the elections, pitting a number of incumbents against each other in tough races. Despite the tough challenges, Arab American candidates came out on top, winning each of their respective contests. Read More »
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Friday July 27, 2012
Islamophobes seem to thrive during the summer before important election years. It was almost precisely the same time two years ago that Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer sparked a national controversy over Park 51, the proposed Mosque and Islamic Center in lower Manhattan that they called the “Ground Zero Mosque.” Well, now it’s the “Mega Mosque” which has got people in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn riled up. Read More »
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Monday July 23, 2012
Nearly everyone agrees that these letters went too far and many have likened Bachmann to Senator Joe McCarthy, seeking out the communist threat in the 1950s. But we rarely discuss how we got here, and what conditions exist - mainly within the Republican Party as Rollins warned - which led us to this point. Read More »
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Wednesday July 11, 2012
According to AAI polling data, Arab Americans have become less and less able to relate to the Republican Party over the last ten years. In 2000 Arab American Republicans constituted 38% of the Arab vote. That number dwindled to 25% in 2010. The issue remains that alienating any group of potential voters is not smart for either political party. Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 8:48 am / / Leave a comment
Tuesday July 03, 2012
In New Jersey’s newly-drawn ninth congressional district, something interesting is happening. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Bill Pascrell’s Republican opponent for the district’s congressional seat, is trying to court the Arab American vote. Over the weekend, Boteach called up AAI Board of Governors member Sherine El-Abd, who also serves as Chairwoman of the New Jersey Arab American Republican Caucus, and asked her to accompany him during his weekend walk-through of South Paterson. Read More »
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Wednesday June 27, 2012
Linda Sarsour continues to make the community proud by broadening the scope of Arab American participation in public service. Sarsour was recently appointed to the Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Community Board 10, a local body of community leaders with a diverse membership. Read More »
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Monday June 25, 2012
The decision today is a tough loss in legal efforts to completely strike down SB 1070, but the questions the law poses about our society and the need for comprehensive immigration reform remain unanswered. The legal battle may have codified Arizona’s immigration system, but the deciding factor which will weigh on the nation’s conscience going forward as we consider what to do about immigration reform will not be the legality of current laws in place, but whether we as a nation believe that they are right. Read More »
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Sunday June 24, 2012
Earlier this month, we wrote about a democratic primary in North Jersey between Bill Pascrell and Steve Rothman, in which we noted a new standard for Arab American engagement in the political process. Jim Zogby said Pascrell’s victory was evidence of an Arab American political "coming of age," showing that the community could come out in support of a candidate, get out the vote and help get them elected. That is precisely what the community did in New Jersey's 9th district for Bill Pascrell, and it is exactly why efforts have been mounted to vilify Arab American voters in New Jersey and beyond. Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 2:17 pm / / Leave a comment
Thursday June 21, 2012
AAI President Jim Zogby participated in a four person debate panel today addressing the question of whether or not there is a double standard in the response to anti-Semitism against Arab Americans compared with the response to anti-Semitism directed against American Jews. Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 3:21 pm / / Leave a comment
Tuesday June 19, 2012
The President’s performance as of late, according to analysis by AAI Board Member and Pollster John Zogby, has been relatively dismal overall. However, despite the unimpressive performance, Zogby says the President is “pretty much where he needs to be” election-wise. Overall, at this point, Zogby has not made a prediction of who will win the race but says the contest is “pretty much the President’s to lose.” Romney, he says, “will have a very difficult time broadening the [Republican] base.” Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 3:32 pm / / Leave a comment
Wednesday June 13, 2012
A few weeks ago, we wrote about two legislative efforts to impose independent oversight on the NYPD. The New York City Police Department is currently the only New York City agency without an independent Inspector General. At the City level, two City Council Members are introducing legislation today to change that. If the measure passes (34 out of 51 votes plus the support of the City Council Speaker are needed to push the bill through without opposition), the NYPD will have to answer to an independent Inspector General who would in turn make regular reports to the public. Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 2:35 pm / / Leave a comment
Looking at Iran by James Zogby
Kahlil Gibran Awards Gala - April 16, 2013
