Arab Americans: Resist, Don't Enlist

I'm disturbed by the gratuitous National Guard solicitation targeted to Arab Americans that I have been seeing in places like The Arab American News and Dearborn's Arab International Festival. I am bombarded with these misleading, exploitative ads on TV, in the movie theater, and now in my Arab American media? Am I the only one who thinks it's abusive and unfair for Arabs to advocate service in the American military to other Arabs? Are our lives worth so little that we should sacrifice them in service of a government that has institutionalized discrimination against us, in order to perpetuate the same type of war and imperialism that brought many of our families here?

More importantly, are there so few rich Arab Americans setting up endowments and scholarship funds for low income Arab American youth that our youth feel they have no other choice but to enlist if they want to have any chance at the trifecta (doctor, lawyer, engineer) of Arab American success? With all the pressure put on young Arab Americans, regardless of economic status, to achieve high educational goals, enlisting in the military might seem incredibly appealing to those of us with few other financing options. Why not increase the options? I'm reminded of this quote, from Eduardo Bonilla-Silva's book Racism Without Racists (via UBUNTU):

We all must participate in the new movement and contribute in whatever way we can. Some will provide expertise, others money, others time, and others will craft and participate in the actions required to advance the new politics of change. We all need to regain the energy we seem to have lost, drop the pessimism that has filled our souls, and get over the individualism and materialism that has eaten so many of us from within. Our participation in this movement is a must. We cannot remain as spectators of the racial game being played before our own eyes in America.

We must do all we can to increase our options for survival beyond total assimilation and acceptance of American patriotic values that demand our subordinance. We are all different, with different values and lifestyle, but one thing I am certain of is that helping the US government tear our homelands and our people apart will not make any of us free.

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Added: August 11, 2007. 09:41 AM CST

Are all Problems of Palestinians due to Israel or US?

Have you ever protested the Palestinian Authority's State Television Stations encouraging children to blow themselves up and simultaneously murdering Jewish Children? Do you beleive that the leadership of the Palestinean Government bears any responsiblity for hatred preached towards the Jewish people? Would you as a women rather live under Israeli rule rather than that of an Islalmic state? Might it be possible that the problems in the refugee camp may be releived if leadership by Palestineans concentrated more on the welfare of their own people rather than hatred towards Jews? Just some thoughts as I read your self-characterization as Simultaneously pro-Palistiean liberation and also as a feminist. Maybe the Palestinian leadership can improve the lot of their people bye freeing themselves of anti-Jewish hatred.

Arabisto

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Added: August 09, 2007. 01:43 AM CST

Go Home

Disgusting muslims. We don't want you here.

Arabisto

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Added: August 08, 2007. 08:15 AM CST

Nadia, please leave my country

When Germany was a totalitarian state, German-Americans defended the US. When Italy was a totalitarian state, Italian-Americans defended the US. When Japan was a totalitarian state, Japanese-Americans defended the US (at a time when Japanese-Americans faced real institutionalized discrimination, not the imaginary pressures you're complaining about). They accepted American patriotic values. Clearly you don't. When you write 'our people', you're obviously not talking about Americans. Go back to Gaza, and live among 'your people.' Then you can be free of misleading ads and militarism, and live happily under Hamas, up until the moment you get shot in the Palestinian civil war.

Arabisto

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Added: August 08, 2007. 06:54 AM CST

Just wondering

I would be very interested to read your views on how Arab-Americans are targeted for discrimination in America. I would also be interested in learning why you bother comming to America if you have no interest in assimilating into our culture. Could it be perhaps that America is somehow superior to whatever God-forsaken desert you came from? Could it be that our culture might have something to do with why it's superior? Could it be that the part of our culture that allows the likes of you to criticize us as a whole is what you really like, but juist are too much a coward to defend, especially militarily? You don't like America? Enough already, go back to your Islamic paradise, eat sand and drink oil!

Arabisto

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Added: August 08, 2007. 05:04 AM CST

ridiculous

Nadia- Your post is ridiculous. first off, you wouldn't be 'sacrificing your lives for a government,' you would be participating in the protection of a society that you are a part of, whether i agree with your views or not. I haven't seen an organized christian effort to kill or maim muslims, unlike the organized efforts of al Quaeda, Hezbollah, hamas, islamic jihad, your own PLO and related offshoots. SEcond, if you want to see institutionalized racism, why not visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iran, Pakistan etc. not exactly hotbeds of dissenting opinion or tolerance. In fact your own posting here would probably land you in jail in Iran, Egypt, possibly shot in the head in Gaza by one of your fellow palestinians who are so tolerant. bottom line, you have tried to disguise your racism in the shroud of multiculturalism...its clear you are a bigot and do not respect American society. you prefer to define yourself as a palestinian, muslim, not an American, which is an amalgamation of different cultures and beliefs that have managed to assimilate, which you view as a negative. your attitude is part of what's wrong with muslims and palestinians in particular. you take advantage of freedoms never proffered in your country of origin to criticize the very democratic society you are a part of. face it lady, will of the people means none of us get 100% of what we truly want. what sets us apart from your dear Middle east is we dont' settle our differences with guns, bombs, by shooting our neighbors, ethnically cleansing our neighborhoods, unlike the palestinian territories, Iran, Iraq, etc....they are settled at teh ballot box and if Arabs want to join the military, then they should with pride.

Arabisto

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Added: August 08, 2007. 04:19 AM CST

We have never had this anti-American attitude from CHRISTIAN arabs....

Personally, I don't want muslim arabs in the military. They are not trustworthy. I would hate for our soliders to have to worry about getting shot in the back by some traitor. Araba americans have been part of America for well over 100 years. They have been loyal, patriotic, service minded, assimilated and just good Americans. Thing is, they have been Christians. One thing I do appreciate about muslim arabs: they are not shy about declaring their contempt for this country, its people and its traditions. Now it is for the rest of us to smarten up and exclude muslims from immigrating henceforth.

Arabisto

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Added: August 08, 2007. 04:18 AM CST

ironic

I find it ironic that CAIR, HAMAS, HEZbollah, Islamic Jihad, al Queda, Imans in Saudi, Pakistan etc. all spew hateful rhetoric towards anyone not Muslim. Someone posts a juvenile insult about Islam, and the place comes undone. Muslims, tend to your own garden of hatred first, then look outside the fence to address the rest

Arabisto

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Added: August 07, 2007. 05:22 PM CST

Read the whole thing? I've done it. It's just patently false that the US 'government has institutionalized discrimination against us.' However, that very statement encapsulates the author's own bigotry and discriminatoriness. This whole comment is just a lefty-manque retread. 'The military is going after the poor Arab youth who can't get jobs!' Yeah, that is it. It's your only opportunity---and look, the government is drafting Arab kids into the military by institutionalizing discrimination against Arabs so the kids can't get jobs, and putting pressure on Arab kids to achieve high educational goals (THAT IS SO CRUEL!), so they'll HAVE to join the military to get any shot at an education (which they won't be able to get, because of, you know, that systematic institutionalized discrimination). Oh, and the US government isn't tearing Arab homelands apart. Arabs in Arab homelands (isn't that kind of a Nazi concept?) are doing it pretty much by themselves, where it is being done.

Arabisto

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Added: August 06, 2007. 08:33 PM CST

ah, i didn't realize there was a second page of comments. again (i feel like i'm repeating myself) i am american. that is why i wrote about a specifically arab american issue. actually, i'll just quote myself (from here: http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/07/28/being-arab-american/): 'Middle Eastern people in the US experience discrimination that is directly connected to conquest and wars overseas. I don’t think that we should fight wars against our cousins to benefit a government that continues to oppress us, and I can’t put it any more simply than that.' And I can't stress this enough peopel: I am AMERICAN. Not only am I Arab AMERICAN, I have one white anglo saxon protestant parent descended from some of the earliest immigrants to America, who fought in every American war until WWII. Ya'll need to realize that this criticism is coming from deep within, and stop trying to obfuscate the issue with some 'love it or leave it' rhetoric.

Arabisto

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Added: August 06, 2007. 08:23 PM CST

i'm not sure if this posted, trying again...

LOL, i'm not an immigrant. i was born here, and i've clearly stated that multiple times. i actually think and write a lot about the contradictions inherent in being a palestinian american; i pay taxes that support israeli occupations while at the same time functioning as an occupier myself here in america. it's entirely possible to simultaneously experience and perpetrate injustices. as far as the rest of annie's comment, i'm lost.

Arabisto

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