In their own words

• On major issues facing Arab Americans and British Arabs…
• On the aims of community activism…
• On identity…
• On citizenship…
• On locating 'home'…

On major issues facing Arab Americans and British Arabs…

When describing the major issues facing the communities they serve, study participants often link the status and integration of Arab immigrants to on-going crises taking place in Arab world.  Interviewees express concern that Western foreign policy in the Arab world perpetuates negative stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims and discourages people of Arab origin from developing meaningful attachments with their host societies.   Arab American respondents, in particular, fear that US foreign policy, along with growing infringements on civil rights, has contributed to a sense of alienation in Arab immigrant communities.   In addition to issues arising from foreign policy, several of our interviewees - especially those affiliated with social service organizations - identify a variety of social problems, including poor educational attainment and high levels of unemployment, that affect some segments of the community.  Overall, our respondents suggest that the ability to address various problems hinges on boosting their communities’ sense of pride and deepening their political and social engagement with the ‘mainstream’. 

There’s the international politics aspect to it.  We see that there’s a point of view that’s not being heard in the US in relation to the Middle East conflict, and we want to try our best to make that viewpoint heard.  Especially after September 11 and all that, there is a lot of misunderstanding about who Arabs are, who Muslims are, who Arab Americans are. ..We have a lot to contribute to America and to our society here, and we don’t want to be cast aside or overlooked, or victimized.  We have resources we can contribute, and we want to be out there and not cowering or seeking refuge in our homes.  We want to be involved in our communities.  [Lebanese-born founder of cultural/professional organization for young Arab Americans]

Personally, the biggest issues are Britain’s foreign policy towards our countries of origin. I speak for myself. I don’t personally feel threatened by terror laws. I don’t know if that’s being complacent. But my biggest concern is their policy towards Iraq and Palestine. I don’t see it to be fair, and that’s my main concern, to bring about more balance in their foreign policy.  Living in London, especially central London, I don’t really see our community as endangered or threatened. London is quite cosmopolitan...I think the alienation comes from the feeling that Britain causes a lot of the mess in the Middle East.  [British-born founder of Arab news service]

There is a huge concern for families abroad that I think overshadows people’s daily lives.  It’s addictive watching al-Jazeera, and so they are very well informed about what is happening abroad, but they are not well informed about what’s happening locally.  Unfortunately, the decisions being made for actions abroad are being made locally, so they’re missing the ball.  Domestically, there are all kinds of new issues…that are affecting the Arab American community that these communities are clueless about.  They are not looking at what is front of their face; they are looking at what’s happening five or six thousand miles away…[Palestinian-origin political party activist and local human rights commissioner]

The main [issue] is that [British Arabs] are not recognized as a community. Even after September 11 and July 7, you find the authorities here treating the Arabs either as part of the Asian community or of the Muslim community in general.  They are not talking to the Arabs as a separate identity… Recently, the Home Office had this committee dealing with extremism.  They established seven or eight working groups to deal with different issues.  I noticed that they didn't really have a British Arab in each of these groups. There were two or three of them, but not leaders, not those who could speak on behalf of the British Arab community .The danger is that the Arabs will not listen to this initiative; will not treat it as a proper thing to cooperate with.  [Yemeni-born journalist and community activist]The biggest challenge is to able to be different and similar at the same time - similar to the rest of the population in terms of our pride in being American, similar in terms of our service to this country… I mean being similar in the sense that you are as good in what you do as any other American of nay background who strives to be his best.  Politically, I think we need to understand that you cannot be part of the American dream without being part of America.  You cannot live here as a permanent tourist.  [Palestinian-born political party activist]

Top