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=> Arab American Institute Statement on Cen

Arab American Institute Statement on Cen

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Arab American Institute Statement on Census Categories and Ethnic Identity December 2003 We have received passionate and sincere criticism of how we approach the ethnic identification of the many sects that make up the Christian communities of the Middle East. We understand the deep pride in the rich cultural and religious traditions of the Assyrian faithful here and abroad. The strong bonds which have allowed the Assyrian and Chaldean communities to retain unique linguistic and liturgical ties to their ancestral roots is an admirable example of the resiliency of culture and beliefs. All of us who trace our heritage to the rich and diverse communities of the Middle East have much to be proud of. The fact that the majority of immigrants in America from Arabic-speaking countries happen to be Christian is an obvious demographic reality that has shaped both the identity and the politics of these immigrants and their descendents. We also know from historical experience that ethnic identity in pluralistic societies like America is a fluid and evolving phenomenon. Furthermore, identities that are carefully maintained within a group do not always correspond with how the group is perceived in the broader society. When the Arab American Institute was founded eighteen years ago, we recognized several intersecting political, social and cultural realities that motivated our mission. First, stereotypes, prejudice and ignorance about the Middle East in general, and Americans from the Arab world in particular, created certain obstacles for participation in civic and political arenas. Second, no organization serving our diverse ethnic community was directing its members’ energy to public service and political training, a logical next step in the maturity of any ethnic community. Third, the diversity of immigration from the Arab world, by country of origin and faith, was expanding and reinvigorating the network of ethnic institutions (businesses, media, cultural, religious) to demand those that crossed sub national and sectarian boundaries. Like for Hispanics and Asians in the U.S., the benefit of pan-ethnic coalitions and institutions provided visibility and strength without negating the unique concerns and contributions of the sub groups. Hence our vision for the Arab American Institute has been one that promotes our advancement through the collective effort and empowerment of our ethnic constituency. The sad reality of the backlash after September 11 was that so many groups were targeted in the first weeks of anger and rage: people from South Asian and Latin America as well as the Middle East, Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs. In this atmosphere of anxiety and fear, the external perceptions that those who “look or sound like the terrorists” will be viewed with suspicion, make us all vulnerable. It is precisely this mutual vulnerability, aside from our shared cultural and historical traditions, that provides all Americans of Middle Eastern background with unique opportunities for cooperation and support. We recall several times when business and community leaders in local Chaldean communities have contacted our Institute for help dealing with harassment or unfair treatment, and we responded by providing strong support. Racism aimed at Arabs, Assyrians, Muslims or Christians, because it is founded in fear or ignorance, is indiscriminate. In fact, several organizations with Chaldean and Assyrian members have agreed to join the recently formed congress of Arab American organizations in recognition of the many common issues we face, particularly in view of the current conflict in Iraq. This racism has certainly increased in recent years and civil rights have been threatened, not always by rational analysis, but often by subjective assumptions about appearance, country of birth, or foreign sounding name. These are times when we must work together, not pull apart. However well intentioned or carefully documented, public displays of "disassociation" can inadvertently serve to provoke further anti-Arab attitudes among the general public. It also minimizes the undeniable cultural legacies (literature, art, music, food, social customs) that connect residents of the modern Arabic-speaking world regardless of their religious or ethnic distinctions. As for our census profiles, we are careful to qualify our reports as aggregates of all categories of Americans with roots in the Arabic-speaking world. We lay no claim to presume ethnic identity and make a point to indicate which primary identity (Lebanese, Jordanian, Assyrian, etc.) is reported on the census. This is important to underscore the breadth and diversity of this population but also to undo the careless conflation in America about Arab national origin and Muslim faith. And our narratives about specific country of origin groups have been updated to reflect the very unique identities of the Assyrian and Chaldean communities: (excerpt from Groliers Multimedia Encyclopedia article on Arab Americans) Iraqis Immigrants from Iraq represent the fifth-largest group from the Arab world to settle in the United States, and they make up about 8% of the population from this area. About 60% of immigrants from Iraq are Chaldeans and Assyrians who identify separately from Arabs and maintain distinctive linguistic and religious traditions tied to ancient indigenous churches. Immigrants from Iraq, like Egyptians, tend to be educated and well represented in the professional and business sectors of the U.S. economy. Since the Persian Gulf War of 1991, thousands of refugees have been resettled in the United States, and thousands more immigrants have fled the deteriorating economic and health conditions in their homeland. We are always willing to make such qualifiers and plan to strengthen other texts that reference ethnic diversity in the Arab world an America. Finally, a personal note. I am the proud great-grand daughter of a Maronite priest and grand daughter of one of the most prominent Lebanese-American newspaper publishers, Salloum Mokarzel. This legacy has helped me understand some of the historical and contemporary motives of many Maronite leaders to distinguish their identity from other Arabs, both in Lebanon and abroad. My family's career in Arabic journalism, however, also taught me that language and literature transcend sectarian boundaries. And the fact that Mr. Mokarzel's grandchildren are part of a generation of Americans that readily identifies as being both of Lebanese and Arab heritage speaks to the powerful evolutionary character of ethnic self-view. I realize that we may disagree on many of the above assumptions, but please know that they are born neither of ignorance nor of malice. The Arab American Institute stands ready and willing to cooperate with the Assyrian and Chaldean communities on a variety of issues and concerns that we share as Americans and as descendants of the great civilizations of the Middle East. Respectfully yours, Helen Hatab Samhan Executive Director, Arab American Institute Foundation --------------------- - BACK TO INDEX - REPLY - QUOTE - EDIT - DELETE -

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