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 the aims of community activism…  

Many of our interviewees are driven to ‘make a difference’ in their communities and in society-at-large.  What difference are they trying to make?  What are their specific aims and aspirations?  In several cases, interviewees explain their activism both in terms of raising awareness about Arabs and the Arab world, and encouraging Arab immigrants to become more actively involved in public life.  Many see strengthening community solidarity and projecting a more positive image of Arabs as enhancing their communities’ ability to influence policies, both foreign and domestic, that concern them.   Some of our interviewees, to be sure, are more concerned with ‘local issues’ (such as civil rights and the provision of social services) while others are more focused on foreign policy and/or providing direct aid to the Arab world.  But overall, activism cannot be clearly classified as ‘local’, ‘national’ or ‘transnational’ in orientation, as activists tend to see their lives as socially and politically situated in different geographical arenas. 

We try to give pride to the Arab American youth.  A lot of immigrants, they’re affluent.  They’re worried about remodelling the kitchen.  They’re not really worried about reaching their neighbours.  Many of them after 9/11 became afraid to say they’re Arabs; they’re really afraid to say, ‘I’m Palestinian’ or ‘I’m Muslim’.  And we’re saying, on the contrary, ‘We’re going to come out and say who we are and what we stand for’’.  People have to see our culture.  If they don’t like it, at least let them listen.  We want the kids to be proud of who they are.  [Palestinian-born organizer of Arab arts organization]

Our main aim is to instill pride so we don't feel ashamed or guilty at being Arabs here…The media have never given us any role model because there hasn't been a media here for Arabs in Britain… It's all about promoting Arabs.  We need to feel that we can live here, be integrated, work here, and not have to fear our identity… It's just .giving a positive image.  A lot of people associate the words Muslim and Arab with terrorist or wife beater or something derogatory or negative always.  [UK-born creator of publication for British Arabs]

Political pressure comes from political identity.  Once people realize that this community is politicized, then they start to worry about us in the political sense - as in, where are we going to voice, how are we going to vote, what sort of pressure are we going to exert, and how much money can we raise for people running for public office.  Now, the raising of the money is more important than anything else, and more difficult because we have to re-teach our community that you have to spend money to get friends in Congress.  It does sound like we’re paying for votes, but that’s how the system is, and that’s how we have to play the system.  We have to play the game by its rules, not our rules. [Palestinian-origin political party activist]

We try to educate the general public. It’s not necessarily that your allegiance is somewhere else. What you are trying to do is educate the public that what their government is doing is against human rights. They are supporting an occupier. [Syrian-origin activist in multiple cultural, political, and humanitarian organizations]

[We are] a religious organization that serves the Muslim community, all the Muslim cultures, and also tries to relay and bridge the level of understanding between the other faith communities and the communities around us.  It’s like a bridge between the Islamic religion, culture and the community at large.  We try to advocate, teach, educate, and promote things that will present Islam in a tolerant, peaceful fashion.  We also try to educate Muslims about non-Muslims in the community and to see how we can all serve this country in a better fashion to be a true, diverse community.  [Lebanese-born leader of mosque-based association]

Palestinian issues, Arab issues have not faded completely for me - my heart is still there.   But I find that ethnic minorities, in general, we need to be together to be able to have our rights and representation.  Palestinians or Arabs alone would not be large enough - or Indians or Pakistanis or Afro-Caribbeans.  We have to be together, to be able to have a larger portion of the party membership, to be able to convince them that we have to have our rights…With an Asian MP, he knows what the needs of the Asian community are, and an Arab will know [Arab] needs.   [Palestinian-born political party activist]

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