Biggest Lebanese Pro-Government demonstration in America! -- 60 people

Well, well, well. Last Tuesday a protest took place at Dearborn, MI City Hall. It was a group of Lebanese Pro-government supporters that preached "peace" and a cease fire in Lebanon. This group, which ranged to about 60-80 people (Basically the size of a couple of Bint Jebail families if it was an opposition protest) was lead by Walid Nassif, Coordinator of the Future Youth Association here in
Michigan. He was interviewed by the local Arab American News.

"Trust me, the majority of the people are not with the opposition," said Nassif in response.

It's really hard to trust a political party on this subject when they oppose a Lebanese census, oppose having early elections, and gerrymander parliamentary districts to neutralize the Christian votes. If you claim you have the majority, why do you support these tactics? Shouldn't you easily be able to show your "majority"? No, I won't trust you, Mr. Nassif.

"Where are the weapons from the U.S.? They have the weapons and we don't. Iran is helping to destroy Lebanon. If Iran really cares about Lebanon, they will support Lebanon," Nassif said. "We never want any other interference. We don't want no United States, we don't want Syria and we don't want Iran. It will not happen."

Mr. Nassif forgot to mention that Future Movement hired a security firm to train it's militias in Jordan. He also forgot to mention all of the $15,000 rifles that were seized from young Sunni teenagers in Beirut that are now in the hands of the Lebanese Army (I'll take the Lebanese Army's word for it since they can't afford those types of rifles). What about the young Sunni men captured by AMAL and the Lebanese Army that were coaxed into coming to Beirut (from their villages) for secretarial jobs in Future Movement offices, but instead were handed rifles to fight AMAL when they arrived? He claims that he wants an independent Lebanon, but his leader, Saad "the Saudi-Lebanese bastard hybrid" Hariri, takes his marching orders from Saudi Arabia.

Future Youth Association, the breeding ground for Al-Qaeda's Lebanese branch.


"We respect Hizbullah when they fight Israel, but when they kill people in Lebanon, you know this is wrong," he said. "That's not the goal of a resistance… Because they disagree with their [opponents'] opinion, they want to kill them off."

It's the "Sunni's are civilized" argument again. Remember Halba? The Sunni village that watched while 11 SSNP members were beaten to death in the streets? Very civilized, eh? None of these SSNP members were armed, took part in any fighting, they worked in an Opposition office and one of the men murdered wasn't even an SSNP sympathizer, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I guess the murderers "disagree with their [opponents'] opinion, they want to kill them off". Touché, Mr. Nassif. Well, I don't remember seeing the opposition doing anything like this - and I leave this as a challenge to any pro-government supporter, prove me wrong.

It's easy to sympathize with freedom of speech, and peace slogans until you start seeing the situation in color. You claim you want peace, yet you have nothing to say about the labor strike protesters that were attacked by your Sunni brothers in Tayyar al-Mustaqbal that helped sparked the recent violence in Lebanon. You claim that your political party's supporters have been bullied and attacked, yet you and your leader Saad Hariri made no mention of the Halba massacres.

Shame on you Mr. Nassif.

http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/index.php?mod=article&cat=Community&article=1062

How to lose an empire in just 3 years!

Here is a very interesting article written from the perspective of a Lebanese Christian. If you don't understand what is going on in Lebanon, it is a very accurate description of the events after Hariri's assassination leading up to now.

http://tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/128553954546154670.htm

Youtube provides an oppurtunity for alternative viewpoints - Reporting the overlooked "Nakba"

What is REALLY going on in Lebanon? Hezbollah's cakewalk

Although I disagree with some of the points made, the report is quite good nonetheless.

Unpleasant Rising

This morning, after waking up, I began my morning routine, wash up, prepare breakfast (or coffee), and read the news. I'll admit it, reading the news, especially about the Middle East isn’t the most revitalizing and refreshing morning habit, and what made this morning especially agonizing was an article I read in the New York Times by Robert F. Worth and Nada Bakri titled Hezbollah’s Actions Ignite Sectarian Fuse in Lebanon. After reading that, this is what the voice in my mind had to say about it "Rubbish."

You're probably asking yourself, is this just another rant about a biased news reporter in a renowned media establishment? My answer is it’s either that, or one of the two writers needs of heavy dose of reality and common sense. Ok, so where did they go wrong this time?

Sectarian Violence the Root of the Current Conflict - Truth or Myth?

The massacre at Halba is sufficient evidence that proves that the conflict in Lebanon is not deeply rooted in sectarian tension! The mutilated bodies of the Sunni SSNP fighters and the civilians that were with them are ample proof for any skeptic mind and to the misinformed. Their chopped bodies, smashed features, and charred flesh speak for themselves. Those were Sunni countrymen killed at the hands of FM militiamen loyal to the "moderate, secular Sunni leaders like Mr. Hariri."

Those whistling the tune that professes the existence of sectarianism have some people fooled into believing that that is true. In fact, their constant chant is the wellspring from which sectarian sentiment is fed. "Repeat something long enough and it will become true" - a proven statement about human cognition.

From a Lebanese Shia to a Lebanese Sunni

Eleven innocent, unarmed men were tortured, beaten, and murdered in Halba by Hariri's Mustaqbal militia. They were murdered not because their religious beliefs (they were Sunni SSNP loyalists), but because they held different political views then the "average" Sunni from Lebanon. The PSP militiamen did the same thing to 3 innocent, unarmed, Hezbollah supporters. They stabbed and shot them to death. But I actually have more respect for the PSP than Mustaqbal, wanna know why? At least Jumblatt admitted responsibility for what his militiamen did. Saad Hariri's speech a couple days ago didn't make one mention of this, because he is a coward and he doesn't want people to know about what happened. Well now you know, let's see how you react. You will either push it aside and ignore it because you are too weak to face the fact that your God sent, divine, classy, educated Sunni Mustaqbal brothers did such a horrible act - or you will face the facts, change your views, and realize that the opposition has legitimate concerns, holds itself in a much more civilized way (since you will never find an incident like this from the opposition, I already named 2 from the pro-goverment people), and the pro-government coalition is using its political power to destabilize the country, and create a monopoly over Lebanon's government (you can't fire the head of the airport because he's Shia, of course he's sympathetic to Hezbollah). What you don't realize is, and you will realize it soon because the Shia aren't going anywhere, is that Hezbollah IS Lebanon. The Shia aren't going anywhere my friend, they aren't going to Iran (they don't want to make or live in an Islamic republic like you talk about), and they aren't going to live under a government that continuously ignores them. This isn't the Shia being controlled by the Hezbollah, or Hezbollah being controlled by Iran and Syria. It's the Shia fighting for their cause. If Hezbollah let the government take away their arms and dismantle their communications network, the Shia would look for new leadership. Trust me. They aren’t sheep. Stop ignoring them, realize they are just as Lebanese as you are, and take compromising steps for dialogue, like Michelle Aoun's memorandum of understanding.

When I look at this conflict I don't see Sunni or Shia. I see two powers, one an oppressor and when that is oppressed. One fighting for a just cause, and one fighting for an unjust cause. I cried when I saw those young mustaqbal militiamen in tears when they were captured by Amal (the teenagers that Hariri took out of villages and promised secretary jobs in Beirut). The opposition had mercy on them, and cried WITH them.

"We are prepared to fight for a few hours but not more," said one of the Sunni fighters in the waning moments of the battle. "Where do we get ammunition and weapons from? We are blocked. The roads are blocked. Even Saad Hariri has left us to face our fate alone."

"You can't just spend millions of dollars to build an army in one year," he said. "They have to be motivated and believe in something. They have to be willing to die."

http://tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/128551436022946934.htm

You are my brother in Islam, you are my brother in Lebanon, and you are my brother in humanity.

Peace.

The Jewish State at 60 - Palestinian Suffering at 60

This week marks the 60th anniversary of the usurping of the land of Palestine, and the New York Times op-ed columnist William Kristol has something to say about it. In his article you will conveniently find the following: A scathing attack at the Islamic Republics’ President, the implied well-known comparison between the Western “lenience” towards to Iran and Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler’s Nazi Reich, and a tribute to some of the most depraved and murderous terrorists in modern history.

To me, the only discordant voice is that which emanates from William Kristol and his likes. These producers of white noise are but ignominious individuals that disgrace the very tenants of humanity.

Lets begin by defining a well known term, terrorist. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a terrorist refers to an individual “who attempts to further his views by a system of coercive intimidation.” This description more often than not is attributed to people of dark complexion, stubby beards, loud voices, and hairy noses. Additionally, constant genuflectors, mosque visitors, scholars, students, parents, children, and people with the name “Akhmed” should be added to the mix. Sadly, that term is often used to unjustly deprecate innocent humans, when it should be used to label those who procure it!

Kristol, is an insurgent that has decided to rebel against the standards of morality by promoting the likes of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, a prominent Russian terrorist. Jabotinsky, a founder and leader of the militant Zionist group, Irgun, is responsible for a countless number of terrorist attacks against the indigenous Arab population of Palestine. Moreover, Irgun has not solely claimed the lives of Arabs, but also the lives of innocent British civilians. Ze’ev is quoted in Howard Sachar’s A History of the State of Israel as saying “every Jew had the right to enter Palestine; only active retaliation would deter the Arabs and the British; only Jewish armed force would ensure the Jewish state."

This policy of “active retaliation” is the legacy of brutality that is necessary for Israel’s existence and that which is executed by so-called men of peace like Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert. It is this inhumane and reckless policy that cost the lives of 1,191 Lebanese civilians in Lebanon’s 2006 war, and the injury of about 4,409 others, according to UN estimates. Let us not forget the death of about 44 Israeli’s and the wounding of 1,489 reported by Israeli sources, yet another consequence of the belligerent attitudes of Israeli warmongering leaders, and their ill planned, ill calculated and illicitly motivated wars on the neighboring populations.

It’s about time to discuss a pragmatic solution to the ailments of the region, and William Kristol’s caustic writing and immoral support for known terrorists, along with the United States lavish support of Israel are not satiating anyone’s desire for a lasting, durable peace. Kristol is clearly not intone with the wave of new Israeli historians; those who recognize the grim reality of the past, and that wish to remedy its faults.

The miraculous redemption of the Jewish people is a myth fabricated by a Zionist political movement that attained and sustains power at the expense of very valuable blood and the lives of innocence, both Arabic and Jewish. It is justified by Europe’s and the West’s apparent need to atone for its past sins, and indeed, it has been a heavy cost that humanity has to bear.

Lebanon to boycott Arab Summit in Damascus

The American puppet governments in Egypt and Saudi Arabia threatened Syria if it didn't send the illegitimate Lebanese government an invitation to the Summit. So Syria did send an invitation. And what does the former accountant of Saudi investments in Lebanon, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora do? He declines the invitation and boycotts the summit! Usually when we have a problem, we talk to the other party in question and try to solve it - something we learn in grade school, right? Well thats not the way they do that in Lebanon. Sounds like they are taking lessons from George W. Bush's "your either with me or against me" foreign policy. This is especially disgusting when Lebanon is in the middle of a political crisis where there has been no President for four months. It's obvious at this point that the pro-government "March 14th" coalition is just trying to point fingers, as they would attend this summit if they had sincere intentions to solving the volatile political crisis.

"BEIRUT: After Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa urged the Lebanese to take part in an Arab summit this weekend in Damascus, the Lebanese government on Tuesday decided to boycott the summit without ruling out the possibility of sending a message that could be read at the summit. "Lebanon's absence from the summit does not imply any negative stands against Syria, but rather an occasion to assert Lebanon's democracy, sovereignty and independence," Information Minister Ghazi Aridi told reporters when reading the minutes of the Cabinet meeting."

http://dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=90258

What more to prove your independence and sovereignty than to send a delegation and to represent your country's specific opinions and concerns?
These acts are actually repressive to gaining the country's sovereignty and they show the true side of the March 14th pro-government coalition.

Hariri's Solidere demolishes Beirut's last Jewish buildings

Saad Hariri, the corrupt Saudi/Lebanese hybrid businessman leading the March 14th coalition in Lebanon has destroyed the last architectural beauties of pre-civil war Beirut. These buildings could have been preserved, renovated back into fully-functioning synagogues or even turned into museums to illustrate a piece of Lebanese history that many forget - the once thriving Jewish population. But they have been destroyed to build another skyscraper or nightclub that would hold more of Hariri's corrupt business partners and his company, Solidere.
These buildings in the Wadi Abu-Jmil district are protected historic landmarks. Like his father, he will continue his legacy of Saudi mercantilism - raping Lebanon to cope with his greed. All Lebanese - Sunni, Shia, Maronite, Druze, or Orthodox should be against these acts. Lebanon is a country with many different religions and sects, and protecting the rights of Jews are protecting the rights of all minorities in Lebanon and preserving our Lebanese heritage. Destroying one community is destroying all communities and the distinct beauty of what being Lebanese is really about - diversity. What community will be next? The Shia? The Maronites? The Druze? All Lebanese should stand together against Hariri and his business empire that destroys not only our culture and heritage - but destroys and splits our country politically as well.

Demagoguery & Propaganda, prelude to future wars.

It is apparent to any observer with a keen eye for truth and meaning that the Israeli media, Pro-Israeli lobby in America, and the zealous Israel supporters, are churning the soil for a series of fresh new wars. Their focus is aimed at two main audiences, the minds of the Israelis themselves and those of the international community.

In Israel, the rhetoric is same, raising feelings of insecurity about mounting threats, and as a result, serving to justify further militarization of their population and increasing armament.

On the international level, Jews and gentiles are made to feel similarly insecure as they are told that they due to the decision of the terrorists, and not as a result of Israel's muddled plans and illicit crimes, are now potential prey for a ruthless beast infused with hatred and bloodlust. Consequently, they immediately garner sympathy and support worldwide.

Equally important, the sense of insecurity begets a sense of urgency, coupled with a sense of responsibility, a feeling that something has to be done to protect and save Israel. When the pretext is created, and it will be, as it always has been created in the past, the war will proceed, and Israel's actions will seem natural and licit in the minds of all blind observers.

U.S. Attack on Iran: Mission Impossible?

The latest news on an attack on Iran by the U.S. is that there is no attack, according to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, who is currently in the midst of his 9-day Middle East cruise. Is this a surprise or is this not? Well, I think it is a little of both. The surprising part is that Mr. Cheney known as a warmonger, who thrives on war for his individual business purposes, denied an attack on Iran. At the same time, it should not be a surprise, since our U.S. economy has only deteriorated the past 5 to 7 years, and our army has been spread razor thin, which basically eliminates any effectiveness in any battle with Iran. Then the U.S. is faced with the sudden positions of major countries such as Russia who are suddenly confronting and criticizing U.S. foreign policy in the world, and could very possibly entail another cold war. Not to mention, Iran’s hard-hitting and vastly improving military capabilities where they supposedly introduced the fastest underwater missile in the world. Not to forget, that Iran also manufactures their own airplanes, long range missiles, etc. Plus, Iran has recently launched a satellite into space, which led to the U.S. shooting down one of their own satellites. Hmmm, I wonder why?

The U.S. proclaimed that the satellite was outdated and plain old “not working”. But, I personally doubt this is the case. There are two possible answers to why the U.S, would shoot down their own satellite in conjunction with Iran launching its own one. Either, the U.S. is trying to prove to Iran that they are capable of taking down any satellite they wish. Or, the fact that the Iranian military has reached new horizons, which evidently means that the U.S. now feels threatened from a highly capable Iranian satellite that the U.S. had to shoot down their own. Moreover that would be to prevent Iran’s highly capable satellite from drawing any transmitted data from the U.S. satellite.

Now at this instant, we are confronted with two answers which indicate two conflicting outcomes: Either, the U.S. is fully capable of launching a war and are trying to play the game of psychological warfare to begin with. Or, the second answer indicates that the U.S. is caught in a big pothole in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and are just worn-out in gauging another war. But my worry is that the U.S. launches a war even of they are incapable of launching one, stemming from the gaffes of some of our dim-witted government officials that is of course headed by Mr. Cheney himself…

"Experts" Still Beating Around the Bush

Last Friday, throngs of people gathered at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, some in solidarity with and others against, two political scientists, Professor John J. Mearsheimer and Professor Stephen Walt, who spoke on subject of the powerful American Pro-Israeli Lobby and its somewhat enchanting influence on both the public opinion and policy of the United States of America.

Honestly, I wasn't overly impressed with some of the opinions that the professors held at the close of the event; however, this does not make me neglectful and unappreciative of the admirable stance they took by speaking against the mighty Goliath that seems to have enslaved the will and minds of every influential mouthpiece in the public arena. In this meager contribution, I'll outline some of my opinions in regards to some of their thoughts.

First, let me begin with the 'infamous' question, that which concerns the existence of the state of Israel. The sacred unassailable paragon of democracy and justice that must never be questioned or subjected to anyones or any institutions analysis or oversight, because that is illicit, immoral and beyond the confines of decent and acceptable human behavior.

The professors affirmed their belief in the right of Israels existence, but also the existence of some form of Palestinian state, based on the UN partition plan, ignoring all the history and annexation that occurred before that ingenious plan was concocted. Hassan Nawash cleverly reminded the two professors that 35% of the Jews that lived at that time only owned 7% of the land before the partition, and that the problem lies in addressing why they deserve the lionshare of the land at the expense of the indigenous people, the Palestinians.

It seems that these professors, like many people who are somehow remotely detached from humanity and that are too engrossed with themselves, or a purely superficial reality, theoretical conjecture, or ink blotted papers, forget the nature of human beings, and the essence of the human spirit that simply doesn't submit its mind to simple promises or logical, flawed subjective plans, all that don't serve to remedy the ailments of peoples hearts, and serve to preserve their dignity, honor, and true justice, the true objective reality that exists on the scene of this conflict.

When will 'experts' learn that ideas such as 'land for peace', and other frail solutions will not and cannot ever solve the problem that exists. That a material promise cannot solve an immaterial problem, that gold cannot buy the collective consciousness of a people, or heal the countless wounds instilled through time.

Those few who spoke of challenging Israels right to exist, rightfully engaged in something that is permitted in any country or land in which a governing body governs the inhabitants of a land, and such an argument is not exclusive for Israel. If in America for instance, the government acts to oppress the people which it governs, then naturally, the people who gave the government its legitimacy, have a just right to demand that their rights be respected, and have the right to hold those that infringed on their rights accountable.

An apartheid state, must not exist in its apartheid nature - that doesn't entail the eradication of the Afrikaner population, and similarly, the dissolving of Israel in its current illegitimate form doesn't entail the eradication and destruction of the Jewish population. It does however include the elimination of a problem that has existed for six decades, the erasing of Palestine and the Palestinians off the map, minds, and hearts of humankind, a sentence, which the entire world doesn't feel or think is reprehensible.

I don't expect six hundred words to be sufficient enough to awaken the consciousness of the world, and that is why I implore every reader who takes a glance at my words, or anyones words, regardless of ones predisposition towards the issue being discussed, to investigate with an objective mind to seek the truth. It is not easy, it does appear to be gray, but believe me, even if you don't believe that causality is absolutely true, every effect has some reasonable cause, therefore, don't distract yourself with the effect, and shift your gaze and peer at the root cause, that which must be addressed.

Palestinian gunman took his marching orders from Hezbollah!

The media is reporting that (zionist) sources say that the Palestinian gunman who shot and killed 8 Israelis in Jerusalem took his marching orders from Hezbollah, the southern Lebanese Shi'ite resistance movement. Apparently, this is Hezbollah's revenge for Mughniyeh's assassination - the opinion of the Israeli government. We've seen these accusations before - the bombing of Jewish synagogues in Argentina in response to Israelis killing Abbas Al-Musawi (former leader of Hezbollah), his wife, son, and four others. They all have one thing in common, they are all used to reaffirm Hezbollah's label as a "terrorist" organization. Because when you can label organizations as "terrorists" or "militants", there are lots of perks - including the use of pre-emptive war and labeling atrocities and murder as "self-defense". Interestingly, there is never any proof to the claims that Hezbollah operates on an International level.

The gunman was not affiliated to any group in Palestine and Hamas (or any other group for that matter) have denied responsibility. Conveniently, an American was "severely" wounded along with the 8 dead Israelis.

People, I think Israel and America have found their next pretenses for the next war in Lebanon. This one will be a regional war, including Israel and America. And this time, I'm afraid Lebanon will be used to wipe the floor of the remaining "terrorist" organizations in the middleast. Just another chapter of the war on terror.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/07/mideast/index.html

Media portrayal of latest Palestinian conflicts

Oh how amusing it is to wake up today and check the usual news sites to see their infatuation with the 8 Israelis who were shot dead today by a Palestinian gunman. You would think that they would have also talked about the 200 innocent Palestinians that have been murdered in the past week or so, but no. Palestinians aren't people, so we don't write about them.

One of the most disgusting aspects of this whole affair is how the Israeli propagandists have claimed that most of the dead are "militants". This is probably untrue. And ignoring the distinction between combatant and non-combatant is the first step in the process of genocide - where they successfully depict the entire population itself as a threat. And so what if it is true? Hamas is a popularly elected mass movement and is the legitimate governing party of Palestine. It is a movement of resistance that stands against occupation and Zionism. Killing Hamas members and calling them "terrorists" or "militants" is not better than killing civilians, especially since these attacks are largely unprovoked. (Sderot? Give me a break). The people of Gaza have been placed in a cage and are now the subject of planned extermination. The streets of every major city in the world should be raging in protest.

Israelis on Obama

Here's an article about why Obama continues to score the lowest when it comes to the best interests of Israel from Live from Dearborn and I's favorite Israeli news site, Haaretz.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=960851

It seems that Israelis are worried about Obama when it comes to the war on terror. They seem to see that Obama doesn't handle it the way Clinton and McCain do since he isn't as hostile to Iran and wants to pull the troops out of Iraq much more quickly.

I have strong beliefs regarding the two party system we have in America, in that both the Republican and Democratic parties represent two facets of the same business party, which advocates for corporate interests. One thing I do believe, though, that an Obama presidency will bring a much needed substantial difference to our country in today's political climate. A difference where we eliminate the "need" for a neo-con foreign policy of pre-emptive war and throwing diplomacy out the window. This doesn't at all mean he is great person. All it means is that he doesn't need support of the the neo-conservatives, so he doesn't advocate for them. None of the presidents before Bush Jr. advocated for the small politically insignificant minority we call the neo-conservatives. However, he still does need the support of the corporate world, so he advocates for them, just like Clinton or McCain.

More importantly, he still needs the support of AIPAC, and he has stood by Israel and their policies very closely during his run for the democratic nomination. They (AIPAC) have been worried about Obama, despite the fact that he has conducted himself impeccably on their question (see: The Obama section of "Why Nader is Important"), surely by the stringent standards of AIPAC. Now however, even if Hillary doesn't win the democratic nomination, the Israeli government can breath a sigh of relief. Obama will behave.

La Shish and Right Wing Bigotry

La Shish closed up shop for good yesterday but the fine dining and cuisine La Shish provided will not be the restaurant’s legacy. The right wing blogs have been on fire for years attacking Talal Chahine but unfortunately, many of the attacks were the result of stereotyping, bigotry, and outright racism.

It is true that Talal Chahine apparently cheated the government of millions of dollars of tax revenue and this is reprehensible. But the hoopla and identification with terror groups is something the Arab-American community has grown used to whenever one of its member’s attempts to evade taxes. As many in the community know, Talal Chahine was certainly not known for his Islamic devotion but instead the excess and pomp with which he lived.

At some of his establishments he served alcohol. This is by no means the sign of someone with a strict Islamic ideology since selling alcohol is strictly forbidden in Islam. I could care less about whether or not this man was religious, but instead wish to underscore the blatant contradiction reality has with what is being reported.

What is particularly disquieting about this entire situation is the alarmism with which it was received on the internet and the knee-jerk finger pointing which ensued. Talal Chahine was well embedded within the white establishment and if he was supporting terrorism, then those closest to him in local government must have been complicit.

Whether it was the Dearborn city officials who demand kick backs from successful Arab-American businesses or other very high ranking non-Arabs who were close to this man, I hope to see many arrested for accepting bribes and kickbacks from him. Afterwards, I would like to see terrorism charges pinned on as icing. But do we ever see that happen? Of course not. Although this may seem absurd, this line of reasoning is precisely that which the feds follow when it comes to Arabs.

On the flipside, it is possible that Chahine is not the Islamic fundamentalist the government is making him out to seem. The government recklessly pins terrorism affiliations to EVERY single tax fraud case that involves Arab-Americans and in my opinion, this strategy is intentional. The point is to build a climate of fear as a back drop to all Arab-American business transactions. Compound this with the enormous financial resources being thrown at Detroit federal law enforcement agencies because of its large Arab population and what results is a trigger happy fed which will accuse you of terrorism for running a red light!

Once again, I could care less about Talal Chahine or anyone affiliated with him and I certainly do not wish to be an apologist for him. But what I would like to bring attention to is the countless other businessmen who are not being treated as full fledged Americans. Having only superficial ties to the homeland of their parents, the only remnants of their culture, country, and sometimes even religion is simply their name.

These individuals identify as Americans before any other form of identification but must suffer excessive scrutiny and punishment if they partake in what millions of other white Americans partake in on a daily basis, that is, white collar or blue collar crime. It is by no means acceptable, but a cause for concern in our country which prides itself for its fair and just judicial system.

I said it before and I’ll say it again.
A spade is a spade. A scam is a scam. But a crook is not necessarily a terrorist

Wal-Mart Comes to Arab-America

Wal-Mart has just come to town. The mega store will surely hurt local businesses and is even taking it a step further. They have stocked up on specialty items to attract business from the Arab and Muslim community. I know this is a free market and all but surely this will hurt small businesses in town. More to come soon!
[Thanks Jess for story].

The Language of War

An ongoing violence, and a relentless silence, the people of Gaza are crying, as we watch, our beloved people are dying.
The casualty ticker keeps clicking, and with it gravediggers keep digging,
The sound of bombs deafens the singing, and in children's ears is a ringing,
Not of school bells or pleasant humming, but of bomb shells and distant drumming,
Of war drums, and the whistling of mortar rounds and the clattering of bullets,
ripping through the clear sheet of the horizon, carrying a fateful message,
to the final abode, to the grieving chest, that bleak and inescapable prison.

Thousands March Against Injustice

Yesterday afternoon thousands of Muslims marched against injustice. The event was a great success and many members of the Dearborn community joined the march to support the cause of the great Muslim saint Imam Husayn.

In Iraq this year the amount of people who flocked to Karbalaa, the Holy Muslim city where Imam Husayn is buried, reached 9 million according to Iraqi authorities.

This event and others around the world prove to the non-Muslim community that Muslims are speaking out against crimes committed in the name of Islam and against injustice. I bet the Islamophobic pundits will stray away from this story!

How (NOT) to Promote "Regional Stablity"

I think I was either watching Comedy Central or CNN two days ago when I heard a funny joke. It went something like this:
The best way to promote regional stability is to send warships off it's coast.

Oh, it isn't a joke?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/world/middleeast/01lebanon.html?ref=middleeast

In Defense of Obama...

Obama is the best MAINSTREAM candidate. I personally hope he sweeps the MAINSTREAM race. And honestly, he does have grass roots support. People really believe in him and I have tremendous respect for that.


And there is something to be said for a candidate who can have Rosner go to town on him. Check it out and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/957954.html

Neighborhood Watch

This program being pushed by Mayor O'Reilly will be what the citizens make of it. If they opt to make their city a literal police state, so be it. If they use this constructively, this program can actually be helpful.

http://www.pressandguide.com/stories/022708/loc_20080227007.shtml

Why Nader is Important

Today Ralph Nader appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" and declared his candidacy for the presidency of the United States.











I must admit I'm a bit excited as it seems all the principled candidates seem to be all but off the radar for now. So some of you are thinking, "Hey isn't the media telling me that I should hate Ralph Nader since he was the spoiler in the 2000 election?"



Although Nader discussed that issue during his interview which I urge you all to watch, that question is exactly what the big parties want you to think. The truth is Al Gore, not Nader, lost himself the 2000 election for a variety of reasons. It seems the progressive and substantive Gore only came out after his advisers stopped choreographing when he would have a bowel movement. Anyway, Gore stands for a lot more now than he did in 2000 (remember his neo-con VP?)



Why Nader and not Barack?

Obama is also shunning any progressive approach to foreign policy concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For example, in his letter to the UN ambassador he endorsed the destruction and siege of Gaza. Even the Bush administration has privately raised some concern over the starvation of Gaza. But anyway, decide for yourself, here's the link to the actual letter (Nader alluded to this today in his interview with Russert)

http://jewishstandard.net//content_images/ObamaLetterbig.jpg




What about domestic issues? As many of you know Nader has spent his entire life as a consumer rights advocate and is best fit to fight the ferocious onslaught of corporate control over our daily lives. I'm not endorsing Nader at this point, but instead just telling you why he's the man. As the democrats begin to stifle debate and democracy, just keep in mind how important third parties have been throughout US history particularly in abolishing slavery, giving women the right to vote, and numerous other important advances in our country.


Also consider the fact that the Democrats have done NOTHING since taking control of both houses of congress. Remember all that fancy talk of ending that war they seem to have forgotten about...you know that one in Iraq? As the democratic congress busies itself with USELESS hearings on the usage of drugs in baseball, we must remember that there are real issues out there not being addressed by either party.


Decide yourself: http://www.nader08.com/

Nasrallah: Israel is Readying for Another War

He did it again, the often referred to ‘Leader’, ‘head’, ‘chief’, Hezbollah secretary-general made the headlines in news sources worldwide.

What interested me the most was an article that was published in Haaretz, a newspaper that was once named “Israel’s liberal beacon” by The Nation. Shortly after yesterdays charged speech, Haaretz Arab affairs correspondent Yoav Stern wrote an erroneous article headlined “Nasrallah: We’re readying for war with Israel within months,” attributing a false allegation against Israel’s popular, ardent and much feared foe.

Readers of that headline are falsely led to believe that it is Nasrallah that is preparing and threatening to wage war against Israel, only the opposite is true. It is clearly evident to anyone who listens to Nasrallah’s speech, that he says, and I quote Yediot Ahranot, “The Hajj Imad Mugniyah was killed in the framework of an open war and in an unprecedented step through which Israel is preparing a new war. I don’t wish to scare anyone. They are the ones making decisions on war and peace.”

Further, in the Jerusalem post, one of Israels right-wing conservative newspapers, Nasrallah is quoted as stating that “After their war in Tamuz [Second Lebanon War], Israel is getting ready for a new war. I don’t mean to scare, but warn.” This further reinforces what was actually said, which clearly contradicts Stern's fallacious and illegitimate reference.

Perhaps Stern accidently mistranslated the speech; maybe, Haaretz should find a replacement to cover Arab affairs, one preferably skilled and fluent in the Arabic language, because, after all, the last time I checked, Arabs did speak Arabic.

Americans Stupid? I think Not!

Contrary to the popular opinion held by many outside the United States of America, Americans are not ignorant! What greatly worries me are those people in America who have the audacity to assume that we can be stupefied! I challenge them to think again, because America, the young thriving nation that in its youth rapidly ascended to the heights of power, and whose phenomenal achievements in many intellectual fields overshadowed the Ancient World can definitely not be the byproduct of ignorant minds.

Today however, and for several decades now, there are those who have congregated and rallied around a clandestine aim, and that is to hinder the progression of Americas free conscious. People who have made their sole aim the clouding of Americas reason through a carefully calculated process of intellectual genocide, the systemic eradication of free speech and expression in the United States.

The United States of America, once the bastion of free speech has been fed the poisonousness serum of falsehood, of lies, and is now the victim of exactly the opposite, a victim of intellectual repression. Once the breeding ground of patriots who gave their blood against tyranny in all its forms, their legacy has been tarnished by the actions of a neglectful few.

Day in and day out we hear the same illicit rhetoric, they are anti-semites, terrorist sympathizers, self-haters, and traitors. Libel, false accusation, call it whatever you desire, to me it is a poisoned edge thrust into the heart of this nations principle value, freedom. Americans are not stupid, we can see through your flimsy facade!

Israel Declares "Open War" Against Hezbollah

AIPAC - America's pro-Israel lobby that has successfully managed to stifle real debate in the United States on all Middle Eastern issues announced in it's online briefing that "Hezbollah declares 'open war' against Israel," which I quite frankly find hard to believe, after considering what they quote Hezbollah's secretary general, who they prefer to call Hezbollah's "chief", as saying:

Zionists, if you want this kind of open war, let the whole world listen: Let this war be open.

The declaration of open war was in fact not something Hezbollah initiated. Instead, the Israeli's declared it in a more disdainful and disrespectful manner! How?

It started with the bloody assassination of Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus, Syria. The nature of the assassination, in the heart of a country, foreign to the battleground that once confined the war between the Israeli's and Hezbollah is the blatant declaration of "open war" by the Israeli's on Hezbollah.

Consequently, Nasrallah's declaration is a response to Israel's escalation of violence, it's disrespect for international boundaries and the sovereignties of it's neighbors, which ultimately feeds into the further destabilization of an already volatile region.

AIPAC, notorious for imparting the false idea of Israel's victim hood in the minds of both American Jews and the American people goes on to further to state that,

as a result of Nasrallah’s threat, Israel ordered its military and embassies overseas on high alert and recommended that Jewish institutions worldwide do the same.

Instilling fear in the hearts of Jews worldwide and playing on the emotions of the American people, who definitely don't want to see any attacks in their dear country. AIPAC seeks sympathy and justification for Israel's actions, as she with her ill calculated actions continuously feeds the whirlwind of violence that is consuming the region.

Israel's own sons and daughters are speaking out against their government's policies; they are not genetically predisposed to hate or kill, yet they are forced, coerced, and pressured to do so, much like the minds of Americans are deceptively manipulated to support the committing of atrocious actions worldwide. Once a peep of resistance or nonconformity is heard, a hailstorm of condemnation and unjust accusations are fired at these voices, diminishing if not exterminating them. But Nay, the voices of what one man called "legitimate discontent" will be heard, and this silencing of truth will cease! America, the surrogate mother, must not distinguish between her sons, she must listen to and love them equally!

Syria to name Mughniyeh killer

It's amusing to read all of these theories explaining who killed Imad Mughniyeh. Interestingly enough, we read crazy ideas like "it was an inside job! the Syrians did it!" or "it was the Lebanese pro-government coalition!".

Mughniyeh was assassinated by the Israeli Mossad, like all other political leaders in Lebanon. To whom do these assassinations most benefit? As they say, divide and conquer. It is so sad to see the Lebanese point fingers at each other and Syria while they ignore the men behind the curtain. Why would Syria assassinate politicians while under the microscope of the U.N. security council? Strategically speaking, creating an alarm of international criticism and hate and rage within Lebanon towards your country wouldn't be the best way to undermine a foreign Lebanese government.

It excited me to hear that Walid al-Moualem, the Syrian foreign minister, says that Syria will soon name the killer of Mughniyeh. But then I realized something - it doesn't matter. Israel has been doing things like this for decades but they continually go without consequence because we've been brainwashed into thinking being Anti-Israel means you are Anti-Semitic.


We can't criticize the fragile Jewish state because she must defend herself from her destruction!
We should exempt Israel from international laws and Geneva conventions for the sake of her protection!


I pray that people will come to realize that Israel isn't the sheep surrounded by wolves - but that Israel is the wolf, and the Arabs in the region are held hostage to their destructive policies.
As a man proud of his Jewish heritage, I have love for all of God's children - whether they are Jews or Arabs - and I hope to change the world one person at a time.

We're Live...from Dearborn

So I hear there has been a big Bridge Card heist in the Metro-Detroit area. What does this mean for Arab-Americans? Chances are the blogosphere will soon be on fire with a flaming repudiation of Arabs, their questionable allegiances, and what they have been doing with the money they make from these scams. Well, let me be the first to declare Arabs are some of the hardest working Americans. So what does it mean if some Arabs have their hands dirty in this scam? In my opinion, it simply indicates Arabs are like any other group in this country. They are neither monolithic in act or belief and should never be generalized when something silly like this takes place.

Law enforcement officials, as usual, are attempting to yet again pin terrorist charges to a run of the mill fraud scam.


Agents from the FBI, Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Treasury assisted state and local agencies with the raids, which occurred around 11 a.m. Federal investigators are looking into the possibility that the money defrauded from the state might be funneled through the store owners and assisting organizations in the Middle East with ties to terrorism.“We look at this as a first step to see where this money is going,” said Bugbee, who mentioned the terrorist organization Hezbollah as a possible recipient of the money.

Once again, the presumptuousness of attention-seeking law enforcement officials will draw negative attention to this case and Arab Americans. Yet again the terrorism charges will certainly be proven false. Shouldn't law enforcement be playing down such allegations though? Why do they always pin these stupid terrorist charges which always pan out to be false? Shouldn't law enforcement know by now that some people just scam the system to make money?

Really, it's pretty ridiculous and I'm calling their bluff. There is an entire community which gets heat when something like this takes place and their presumptuousness does NOT help. Let the judicial system work. A spade is a spade. A scam is a scam. But a crook is not necessarily a terrorist.

"Christian" Arsonists Burn Down Masjid

I put quotes in the title to make a point. If the event dealt with Muslims or Islam there would be no quotes, just your usual Islamophobic commentary or news.

The federal complaint filed against the men says Stone and Baker told officers they were members of the Christian Identity movement, an extreme doctrine that claims white Europeans are God's chosen people.

I received an update from the CAIR about the incident that happened a few days ago. Local churches are now starting to contribute.

Channel 4's news partners at the Columbia Daily Herald report that one church has already raised $10,000 to help rebuild the Islamic Center of Columbia.

Contribute Here

Cheap Ticket to Fame

"Khaalif Tu'ruf" - Oppose and you will be known, a famous ancient Arabic saying that holds much value even in this day. Simply put, if you desire fame, oppose the norm. Under the guise of defending freedom of speech, Danish quasi intellectuals decided to insult and poke their twigs at a phenomenal personality that is loved by about 1.6 billion human beings around the world. All of that they did simply to see their names and faces plastered on the tabloids.

Rather than approach a subject matter in an intellectual or ethical manner, appealing to the minds and hearts of people, these alleged defenders of intellectual freedom dig their spears even further into the heart of intellect. I ask, were these noble safeguards of freedom ignorant of the world’s reaction to the first allegedly ill-calculated assault, one that led to the death of many innocent people and the destruction of very valuable property. Apparently not. Obviously, they had and still have little regard for the sympathies, lives, and properties of others, as their selfish egoistic desire for self-recognition prompted them to supersede all human moral and ethical barriers by repeating the same dreadful episode.

A reference for the future generations to come, their names in history can be found under the following headings: "twits", "Islamophobes", "bigots", and "so-called intellectuals".

Imad Mughniyeh Assasinated!

This morning there is news that a top official in Hezballah, Imad Mughniyeh, was killed in the car bombing yesterday in Syria.

Let me guess what comes next; Right-Wing Zionist Debbie Schlussel is going to claim that he is related to half of Dearborn and one-quarter of Dearborn Heights.

Death of Mayor O'reilly Sr.

Here in Dearborn there was a service for the late mayor of Dearborn on Sunday. I had planned on attending but was caught up with some work. A number of Arab and Muslim leaders as well as a few of my friends attended the service. Within 14 months we have had 2 mayors pass away. Thats saying alot for a city that has had only 6 mayors since its consolidation with neighboring Fordson in 1929.

War Against Islam

One cannot overlook the War Against Islam by the Christian Right. I know. I know. You're gonna tell me don't speak like that or don't generalize. I'll give you that much but not an inch more. Also I am not specifying every last member but the leadership.

I was checking my email today and I found in my inbox the following article. Its about a few baboons claiming to be ex-Muslims. I'm sure you heard of them;

These men are frauds, but this is not the point. They are part of a dark and frightening war by the Christian right against tolerance that, in the moment of another catastrophic terrorist attack on American soil, would make it acceptable to target and persecute all Muslims, including the some 6 million Muslims who live in the United States.

This 'War on Error' is quickly targeting Islam and many innocent Muslims. That is not to say that people are not committing crimes in the name of Islam, but we must be sure not to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Why Dearborn?

Not many blogs accurately work to define Dearborn to the outside world. According to some it is just a cultural Arab capital working to live out the American dream. Others paint Dearborn as a terrorist haven plotting to overthrow the US government with the help of Hizballah. Furthermore others have victimized Arabs and Muslims in Dearborn to rile up Islamophobic feelings.

This blog will work to show Dearborn to the rest of the world and give in-depth commentary about this thriving city. No more right-wing punditry, scare tactics, liberal commentary, Zionist attacks, or media hoopla. All you need to know about Dearborn and its Muslim community. Right here.