COMIC: Bias in Hollywood keeps great movie on Arabs from Americans, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Jan. 26, 2009
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Ray Hanania’s World Comic Strips
http://www.ProfessiveComicStrips.blogspot.com
American East, a great movie on the Arab American experience, never made it to theatrical release, but is now available on DVD. Buy it if you care about correcting the reality of Sept. 11, 2001 and the stereotypes of Arab Americans.
HANANIA: American East: Movie review — a powerful portrayal of Arab Americans after Sept. 11, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JAN. 26, 2009
American East: Movie review — a powerful portrayal of Arab Americans after Sept. 11
By Ray Hanania — All Mustafa an Egyptian American Muslim widower ever wanted to do was live the “American Dream.” And, maybe pay off some family debts, turn his small New Jersey falafel shop into a fancy restaurant, raise his two motherless children as good Muslims and Americans, insure his sister married in a proper and arranged Muslim marriage to his first cousin, and possibly, if there is time, even find a wife himself.But Mustafa’s American Dreams, like the American Dreams of many Arabs living in America after Sept. 11, 2001, don’t come easy, and his story, really the story of the Arab American experience today, makes for a compelling drama and one of the best movies about Arab American life I have seen. Read more »
ELAASAR: Arab & Muslim Americans are our best assets to win the War on Terror, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 9-11-08
Arab & Muslim Americans are our best assets to win the War on Terror
Let’s not let fear cripple us on Sept. 11 anniversary,
By Aladdin Elaasar – New York City, NY, 9/11/2008// The anniversary of Sept. 11 will be painful for Arab and Muslim-Americans – as it will be for all Americans. After the terrorist strikes, Arab and Muslim-Americans became targets for random hate and violence. They became the latest ethnic group to be singled out in an American time of crisis. Read more »
HANANIA: Profiling only helps when there is evidence, not before, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, July 18, 2008
Profiling only helps when there is evidence of a crime, not before
By Ray Hanania – Ever since America realized on Sept. 11, 2001 that we really didn’t know enough about the Middle East or the Islamic world, our response has been driven more by fear than reason. Americans are the most educated people in the world, yet many act, in the face of a terrorist threat by a small handful of groups that embrace a distorted spin on Islam, like they know nothing. As a result, innocent people who “looked” Middle Eastern were arrested. Hundreds were arrested and falsely charged facing years of imprisonment until the charges were dropped or overturned. Read more »
By Ray Hanania – Ever since America realized on Sept. 11, 2001 that we really didn’t know enough about the Middle East or the Islamic world, our response has been driven more by fear than reason. Americans are the most educated people in the world, yet many act, in the face of a terrorist threat by a small handful of groups that embrace a distorted spin on Islam, like they know nothing. As a result, innocent people who “looked” Middle Eastern were arrested. Hundreds were arrested and falsely charged facing years of imprisonment until the charges were dropped or overturned. Read more »
HANANIA: Free Speech in America and the Arab World, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, July 7, 2008
Free Speech in the Arab World and in America, restrictions on both
By Ray Hanania – There is really no such thing as “free speech” in either the Arab World where tyrants handpicked by the Western powers openly oppress their people and in America, where the mainstream media picks and chooses what is free and what is not free. Demands for free speech resonate in both, and still those clarion calls for freedom are also marked by censorship, too. For example, in the Arab World, writers and groups constantly challenge the restrictions on free speech in America, and yet they condone censorship on those in their own circles with whom they disagree. This hypocrisy is particularly troubling for Arab Americans but something worth exploring in the wake of the American holiday that marks its freedom, the 4th of July. Read more »
By Ray Hanania – There is really no such thing as “free speech” in either the Arab World where tyrants handpicked by the Western powers openly oppress their people and in America, where the mainstream media picks and chooses what is free and what is not free. Demands for free speech resonate in both, and still those clarion calls for freedom are also marked by censorship, too. For example, in the Arab World, writers and groups constantly challenge the restrictions on free speech in America, and yet they condone censorship on those in their own circles with whom they disagree. This hypocrisy is particularly troubling for Arab Americans but something worth exploring in the wake of the American holiday that marks its freedom, the 4th of July. Read more »
HANANIA: Chicago corruption trial exposes weakness in Arab American leadership, For Immediate Release, April 23, 2008
Chicago corruption trial exposes weakness in Arab American leadership
By Ray Hanania – These guys were the self-anointed “leaders” of Chicago’s Arab American community. They were regaled and celebrated by the community leaders as the ones who were helping to empower Arab Americans in the Chicago area. Those who questioned their leadership were chastised, isolated and boycotted from Arab American community activities. They buddied around with big shots at “community dinners” honoring Gov. Rod Blagojevich and former governors George Ryan and Jim Edgar, but also strengthened bounds with controversial elements of the Arab American community who embrace extremist views.They said their success meant the success of the Arab American community, which has been marginalized in Chicago since the day its first immigrants set foot in the city in the late 19th Century. Now we watch as each and every one of them has been indicted, charged, convicted or pleaded guilty in what is one of Chicago’s worst political corruption cases, and, more importantly, one of the Chicago Arab community’s most embarrassing moments. Read more »
By Ray Hanania – These guys were the self-anointed “leaders” of Chicago’s Arab American community. They were regaled and celebrated by the community leaders as the ones who were helping to empower Arab Americans in the Chicago area. Those who questioned their leadership were chastised, isolated and boycotted from Arab American community activities. They buddied around with big shots at “community dinners” honoring Gov. Rod Blagojevich and former governors George Ryan and Jim Edgar, but also strengthened bounds with controversial elements of the Arab American community who embrace extremist views.They said their success meant the success of the Arab American community, which has been marginalized in Chicago since the day its first immigrants set foot in the city in the late 19th Century. Now we watch as each and every one of them has been indicted, charged, convicted or pleaded guilty in what is one of Chicago’s worst political corruption cases, and, more importantly, one of the Chicago Arab community’s most embarrassing moments. Read more »
HANANIA: Doing something to tell the Arab American story, For Immediate Release, March 19, 2008
Networking to promote our many great Arab American authors
By Ray Hanania – While everyone argues about whether or not America is consumed with racism in the debate over comments made by Barack Obama’s pastor Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., few have paid attention to the discrimination that constantly challenges Arab Americans. Everyday on television, in the mainstream news media, on radio, in Hollywood movies and in the powerful publishing industry in New York — a network that represents the most formidable communications system in the world, Arab Americans are discriminated. Arab Americans and Muslim Americans have the ability to confront that racism on their own. Read more »
Our Syndicated Columnists
RAY HANANIA is a syndicated columnist. His columns appear in numerous publications including the Jerusalem Post, the Arab News, the Arab American News, the Southwest News Herald and more. Hanania is the publisher of the National Arab American Times Newspaper. Named Best Ethnic American Columnist for 2007 by the New America Media, and the 2009 Mehdi Courage in Journalism Awardee, Hanania hosts a morning Radio Show of Radio Chicagoland, in Chicago (Mon-Fri, 8-9:30 am) on WJJG 1530 AM Radio. He is an internationally acclaimed standup comedian, author of the humor book Ya Habibi, and pens the Comic Strip called Shades of Gray. View his complete Bio?
ALI YOUNES is an award winning, veteran journalist and columnist. He is an expert on the Arabic language. Managing Editor of The Arab Desk web site, Ali's columns appear in newspapers across the country. He is a 2002 recipient of the National Arab American Journalists Association Excellence in Writing Award.
ANISA MEHDI is an Emmy Award-winning journalist specializing in religion, the arts, and people. For over 20 years she has reported, written, directed and produced television news and documentary programs for major American media outlets, including National Geographic, PBS, ABC News, and CBS. Her commentaries have been heard on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Ms. Mehdi is founder and president of Whetstone Productions, a New Jersey-based production and consulting company. She is adjunct Professor of Communications at Seton Hall University. She writes a twice weekly for the Newark Star-Ledger Newspaper blog. View her complete Bio?
Click here to Read Anisa's Blog
SAFFIYA SHILLO is a peace activist, communications specialist and community editor for the National Arab American Times Newspaper. Ms. Shillo serves as a Board Member of the Palestinian American Women's Society. Her activism is extensive, having served as the former President of the Palestinian American Congress-Chicago Chapter, as a National Board member of the American Task Force on Palestine, and as Director of the Arab American Institute's Chicago office. Active in Jewish/Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, Ms. Shillo gives presentations to national organizations on strategies and methods to achieve peace through dialogue. Ms. Shillo also served as Director of Ethnic Affairs for the State of Illinois' Office of Lieutenant Governor, and worked as a domestic violence/sexual assault counselor serving Chicago's Arab community. She can be reached at smshillo@yahoo.com
MARIA KOUREMENOU KHOURY
Guest Columnist
is the author of Witness in the Holy Land, reflecting her personal experience living under the Israeli Occupation with husband, the honorable Mayor David C. Khoury, and their three children. Her articles bringing awareness of the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the plight of the Palestinians have been published worldwide in numerous newspapers and translated to various languages. Maria is a graduate of Hellenic College, Harvard University and Boston University with a doctor of education degree. Born in Tripoli, Greece, she was raised in Denver, Colorado. Contact Maria at: Khourymaria@hotmail.com. Her guest columns appear occasionally.
ALADDIN ELAASAR is an award winning Arab American journalist and author of several books including Silent Victims: The plight of Arabs and Muslims in Post 9/11 America. Elaasar is also a member of the National Arab American Journalists Association. Email him at omaraladin@aol.com. His latest book is The Last Pharoah: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the MidEast.
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Get Info? - Arab American News Resources: Top 5 topics missed by the mainstream American media. Click to go to the AAN Resource Page?
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HANANIA'S PODCAST INTERVIEWS ON MIDDLE EASTERN TOPICS>
Click to Go to Ray Hanania's Middle East Podcast Interviews?. Ray conducts interviews on Middle East and Arab topics that are podcast through iTunes and by the National Arab American Times Newspaper at www.AATimesNews.com.
Veteran Award winning reporter Ray Hanania shares the secrets he learned from 32-plus years of frontline journalism to you can create an internet network that will allow you to side step the biases, challenges and failings of the mainstream American News media. Set up an effective New Media Internet Network bringing together web sites, blogs, social media, and create a strategy that delivers your message, product and opinion to the largest possible public audience. $34.95. 238 Pages.
ANISA MEHDI'S DOCUMENTARY
More than 2.5 million Muslims from across the globe embark on a Hajj and converge on Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to ask pardon for their sins and renew their spiritual commitment though a elaborate series of ancient rites and rituals. And it's not optional - every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able to do so is expected to make the hajj at least once in his or her lifetime. Despite the enormity of this annual pilgrimage, it has seldom been witnessed by outsiders, as Mecca is strictly off-limits to non-Muslims. Now, with unprecedented access to Islam's holiest city, National Geographic takes the spiritual journey of a lifetime, following three Muslims from very different backgrounds - an executive from Malaysia, a radio evangelist from South Africa, and a blond-haired, blue-eyed professor from Texas - as they take part in an epic five-day quest for salvation.
ARABS OF CHICAGOLAND
Arabs first settled in Chicagoland in the mid-19th century, when immigrants from all parts of the world were flowing steadily into the U.S. As tensions in the Arab world flared, immigration increased—the first to arrive were Lebanese Christians, followed by Muslim Palestinians. Today, there are more than 250,000 Arabs in the Chicago area, with equal numbers of Christians and Muslims. A part of the fabric of Chicago, Arabs serve in many roles, from business leaders to elected officials to judges, doctors, engineers, journalists, and more. In the wake of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Arab Americans have come under great scrutiny and have suffered much misunderstanding. Now, this book, which explores their integral role in Chicagoland’s growth, is especially important.
RAY HANANIA'S HUMOR BOOK
A collection of essays on the experiences growing up Arab and Palestinian living in a Jewish community in America on Chicago's South Side. Includes humor and anecdotal stories along with serious topic discussion. The first book to detail Arab American life first published in the United States in 1996. This 2nd Edition is published in 2007.
ARAB AMERICAN MEDIA DIRECTORY
The ONLY directory of Arab American ethnic media -- newspapers, radio and TV. Plus organizations and religious institutions and more. Only $35 in PDF Format
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