ADC Convention 2006

ADC National Convention Washington, DC June 15-18, 2006

The ADC National Convention in Washington, DC June 15-18, 2006 was one of the highlights of my year. Admittedly, I am easily entertained, but the four days I spent at the convention were full of networking, learning and building bridges between myself and other Arab Americans.
The American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee has a national convention every year at the beginning of June in Washington,DC. Such events as embassy receptions, workshops on civil rights, Palestine and Iraq, women’s issues, youth empowerment, community involvement, political activism, and the presentation of films, fill the packed schedule. The nights are filled with banquets honoring the works of American Arabs as well as those in the Middle East who donate time, money and resources to furthering the American Arab cause. The parties that are held after the banquets and receptions in the hotel are great ways to socialize and meet others irregardless of religion, race, creed or political affiliation.
This year I was impressed by the effort that the National Office of ADC put forth to stress the need for a cohesive and non partisan American Arab community. The day of lobbying on Capital Hill brought politically minded individuals face to face with the congressmen and women from their districts. This empowering performance by the constituents of congressional districts helps to remind our elected representatives that we are an educated and active community with valid issues. I was surprised to learn at the Civil Rights Luncheon on Saturday that over 75% of all the complaints lodged to the Department of Justice on discrimination, are submitted by the ADC legal department which consists of only five lawyers. Five lawyers on staff at ADC work overtime, for a fraction of what they could make at a private firm, to help protect the rights of American Arabs. What an impressive group of young activists we have in this country.
Of course, with a line up of appearances by such people as the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States; Turki bin Faisal al Saud, Clovis Maksoud, PLO Ambassador to the United States Afif Safieh, Syrian Ambassador Imad Mustapha, Lebanese Ambassador Farid Abboud, Yemeni Ambassador AbdulWahhab al Hajjri, Director Hani Abu Assad, Mishal Kanoo, journalist Mike Wallace, Helen Thomas, poet Nathalie Handal and comedienne Maysoon Zayid, and of course the show stealing and amazing Omar Sharif…just to name a few… how could any conference go wrong? The highlight of the weekend, for me at least, was when Omar Sharif stole the show at both dinner banquets. His statements about loving the ADC, the American Arab community and his willingness to joke and give out personal information was heart warming and hilarious (and of course the women loved him). The fact that the ADC runs on an operating budget of only $1.8 US a year was astounding! When compared to the hundreds of millions that AIPAC, the ADL (both Jewish American counterparts of ADC), the NAACP and other such organizations use to keep their doors open and further the cause of their members, this is astounding. With such a small operating budget, severe monetary restrictions and a less than cohesive community which they are attempting to unite, the ADC still manages to send 75% of the complaints to the Department of Justice. This is surely and impressive feat.
If anything, the major theme of unification and cohesiveness was one that resonated throughout the convention. We, the American Arab community, need to unite and ignore such divisions as country of origin, political affiliation, religious belief and social status. If we are a Kuwaiti student studying in California or a Syrian immigrant in Ohio, we still need to unite under the basic belief that in America, we are all equal and need to be treated equal under the eyes of the legal and social systems.
Of course the ADC was not all about Civil Rights and community involvement, there was a huge social aspect to the conference. The nightly parties and daily fashion shows, where the affluent and educated community showed off the latest in Dior, Gucci and Armani Exchange only lent to the overall feeling of success our community has experienced. We are a handsome, family oriented and educated group of people who stem from great values and ethics and due to our overall intelligence and hard work are models of success amongst immigrant communities. This is something to be proud of. And as Maysoon Zayid pointed out, the ADC is still the largest Arab American dating service around. Why not? There is a need in our community for young people to meet and socialize. Parents fear that their sons and daughters will marry outside of the community, so why not allow such a forum to also include a place where Arab Americans can meet? Most came from the same background, grew up with similar experiences and have similar experiences dealing with mainstream America.
I look forward to attending the convention next year and in the interim to getting involved in the daily workings of such an organization. I am very proud of my heritage and happy to be an American Arab.

Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death

"Give me liberty or give me death," this was stated in a historic speach by Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775 when the colonists in the Americas were faced with war against the British. Western leaders seem to have forgotten this historic last paragraph of Patrick Henry's renowned speech: "It is in vain, sir, to extentuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
America's own freedom and liberty is an outcome of an "intifada," an uprising against an oppressive colonial force. How can they forget? How can they penalize the Palestinian people and the Iraqi people for rising up against occupying forces? The colonists were transplanted from Europe to the Americas where they enslaved the native population, and when the mother country, Britain, imposed colonial laws and unfair taxes, they rose up and fought against this inequality. How is this superior in any way to an uprising by a people who are native to a land against an oppressive occupying entity? How is it the Palestinian struggle for freedom is considered terrorism on their own land, yet the colonists' struggle was liberating and was justified?
The hypocrisy astounds me! We assume that our own warfare is justified, but the limited use of whatever means necessary by an oppressed people is terrorism! I ashamed at how soon the Americans can forget oppression and occupation!