Thursday November 29, 2012
The United Nations General Assembly is currently deliberating the upgrade of Palestine’s status at the UN from “observer” to “non-member state.” Though the vote will not directly affect the situation on the ground – the occupation will still be present, violence will likely continue, and negotiations will remain stalled – it does have important ramifications for all players involved. Read More »
Wednesday November 28, 2012
In 2003, the 9/11 Commission recommended that a system be established to safeguard civil liberties in response to the flurry of national security and counter-terrorism legislation. A decade later, the PCLOB held its first public meeting, which mostly served to show how far the board still is from being capable of carrying out its intended functions. Read More »
Tuesday November 27, 2012
By Jennine Vari
On Saturday December 1st, the Philadelphia-based nonprofit Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture will present Moroccan singer Karima Skalli at the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery Read More »
Monday November 26, 2012
By Vieshnavi Rattehalli
The final numbers on voter turnout are still being calculated, but it is crystal clear that the youth vote is here to stay. Turning out in record numbers, voters aged 18 to 28 comprised 19% of national voters, an increase from 2008. Read More »
Wednesday November 21, 2012
Some right-wing Jewish organizations in the U.S. continue to pretend that, in defending all of Israel’s policies (no matter how misguided), they are somehow speaking for the entire American Jewish community. That narrative has been seriously undermined over the past decade, with the emergence of large Jewish groups in the United States and leading figures from within the Jewish community who oppose Israel’s occupation of Palestine and violations of Palestinian rights. And public reaction to this latest Israeli assault on Gaza may very well have conclusively shattered this myth. Read More »
Wednesday November 21, 2012
As we continue to monitor the crisis in Gaza, we’re asking for your help to raise awareness of the underlying conditions that have perpetuated decades of bloodshed. Read More »
Tuesday November 20, 2012
As was the case in 2009’s Operation Cast Lead, the new Israeli offensive into Gaza has been met with unequivocal support from senior US policymakers. Though President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and UN Ambassador Susan Rice have all expressed “regret” for the loss of Palestinian lives, and called on Israel to “minimize civilian casualties,” all levels of government continue to support the Gaza offensive. Read More »
Monday November 19, 2012
Thus far, the American media has given Israeli officials and spokespersons a free pass to shape the narrative of this conflict with falsehoods. Here are the top 5 lies the media doesn’t challenge about the crisis in Gaza: Read More »
Monday November 19, 2012
Last Friday, Lara Friedman, the Director of Policy and Government Relations for Americans for Peace Now, published an article about how the Senate’s resolutions on Gaza have changed in the past 3 years. I’ve created a mash-up of the two senate resolutions so you can judge for yourselves. Read More »
Thursday November 15, 2012
Once again the world is focused on a tragic and devastating cycle in the renewed conflict between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza. It is as pointless as it is heartbreaking, and it must be stopped before it escalates further. Read More »
Thursday November 15, 2012
Former City Council Member Amir Omar is racking up endorsements in his bid for Mayor of Richardson, Texas. In a recent vote, the city’s electorate moved to change the previous system of selecting a Mayor by way of the City Council. The city will now directly elect its leader by popular vote. Although he was aware that the move would eliminate his seat on the City Council, Omar was a strong proponent for the switch, saying in an email to supporters that “this is a positive change for our City. Read More »
Thursday November 15, 2012
As was perfectly predictable from the start, Israel’s bombings and assassinations in Gaza aren't an effective means of ending Palestinian rocket fire, but a guarantee of violent escalation. Read More »
Wednesday November 14, 2012
This week, AAI president Jim Zogby and Hussein Ibish, a senior fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine, each wrote articles that appeared on “Open Zion,” a blog edited by Peter Beinart on The Daily Beast. They expressed very different views on the status quo of the Arab American community and the challenges of “normalizing” Arab American political perspectives. Jim’s article was posted in response to Mr. Ibish’s. An excerpt of both appears below. Take a look and let us know your thoughts. Read More »
Wednesday November 14, 2012
By Jennine Vari
Last week, prominent Arab American scientist Dr. Charles Elachi received the Crystal Helmet Award from the Association of Space Explorers (ASE) for his work on the Mars Curiosity Mission. Read More »
Wednesday November 14, 2012
By Vieshnavi Rattehalli
Saturday, December 1st at the historic Lincoln Theatre on U St. NW in Washington DC, the American-Arab Anti- Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the ADC Women’s Initiative present the second annual Turaath. Read More »
Friday November 09, 2012
Today the United States Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) convened a briefing on Federal Civil Rights Engagement with the Arab and Muslim American Communities Post 9/11. The commission hosted three panels to address “the success and failure of the federal government in engaging the Arab and Muslim American community post 9/11.” Read More »
Thursday November 08, 2012
Even though Obama’s re-election is a small victory for advocates of civil liberties and global peace, these ideals are far from assured. What we won yesterday is little more than the possibility of future success, the hope that cool heads in the second Obama administration will be able and willing to see past the mistakes of the first. Read More »
Thursday November 08, 2012
In California, Johnny Khamis narrowly won a seat on the San Jose City Council over Robert Braunstein. The Michigan State University Board of Trustees election was another close race, but on Wednesday afternoon the final results showed Arab American Brian Mosallam in second place, claiming a seat on the board. Read More »
Thursday November 08, 2012
By Jennine Vari
As the remaining ballots are counted, we examine the numbers from one of the most contested swing states, which also has one of the largest Arab American populations in the country. Read More »
Wednesday November 07, 2012
Ahead of yesterday’s election, conventional wisdom and historical precedent dictated that whoever won Loudoun County in Virginia, would almost certainly win the rest of the state. Before the results came in, Loudoun County was the biggest swing county in Virginia, and both campaigns fought it out for a win there. Read More »
#NC lawmaker equates Islamic prayer w/ terror http://t.co/G9sp1NeLC1 @mostrolenk @aaiusa h/t @ozzyformayor
about 7 hours, 20 minutes ago.
Latest poll to be released Friday finds Americans are divided on continuing aid to #Egypt: http://t.co/1spZM1m9d2
about 10 hours, 1 minute 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 10 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
