Community Leaders, public servants honored at 13th annual banquet

Lead Democratic candidates speak at AAPAC dinner

DEARBORN — A packed house of more than 600 people attended the Arab American Political Action Committee’s (AAPAC) 13th Annual Dinner at Bint Jebail Banquet Hall in Dearborn on Friday, October 29.

With big-name candidates including Democratic gubernatorial nominee Virg Bernero, 15th District U.S. Congressman John Dingell of Michigan and others in attendance and/or giving speeches, AAPAC officials officially unveiled their 2010 voting slate and also handed out awards to deserving community members.

“With every year the success of AAPAC has grown more and more apparent, look around, the future is here in this room today,” said AAPAC President Mariam Bazzi.

“Our goal is to make sure the Arab American voice is heard. In return for our support our request (to the candidates endorsed) is simple, when you are voted into office you will serve the needs of this community.”

Award recipients Trisha Stein, at left, receiving award from AAPAC member Aimee Blackburn

AAPAC Spokesman and Publisher of The Arab American News, Osama Siblani, introduced  Bernero, the AAPAC’s endorsement for governor in 2010, after speaking about the current political climate in America.

“A campaign of hate has been waged during this election, we see the kind of campaign ads being aired in the past few weeks spreading divisions and lies, but people cannot elect candidates based on 30-second commercials or based on pre-election polls,” he said, highlighting the thorough interview process AAPAC conducts in order to choose the best candidates for each position.

Abe Munfakh, at right, receiving award from AAPAC Spokesman Osama Siblani. PHOTOS: Nafeh AbuNab

“We needed debates with substance which were completely absent from this campaign; you’ve got people running for Senate making accusations that Dearborn is being governed by sharia law vying to be 1 of 100 making policy. This shows incredible ignorance and a hate campaign blinding the American public and taking them to the voting booth immediately being scared.

“We need to act, and the best way to act is to go to the ballot box on November 2; our community more than any other community needs to take up this cause because we can’t have bigots running our country and we can’t afford to let people enact policies that are against the principles of the USA, this great nation of ours.”

Bernero, who would be the highest-ranking of the 47 candidates  AAPAC is endorsing if elected, thanked Siblani for the endorsement before speaking about his economic plans for the state which revolve around the creation of a land bank like North Dakota has, the re-invigoration of the manufacturing industry with cutting-edge technologies, and the creation of tax-free zones for companies to do business in Michigan in areas such as abandoned warehouses.

AAPAC External VP Nabih Ayad receiving award from AAPAC co-founder attorney Abed Hammoud and AAPAC President attorney Mariam Bazzi. PHOTOS: Nafeh AbuNab

“I stand with you today and on Election Day and forever,” Bernero said in reference to the Arab American community.

“I stand with you and my good friends in the community and I fully agree with the things we’ve talked about; this is one public official who will stand against bigotry and discrimination in all its forms.”

Dingell also spoke and thanked AAPAC for its endorsement while talking about the political climate.

“This is as nasty as I’ve seen it in all my years. I hope people will understand that this is not consistent with the principles of this nation.”

Dingell also thanked the Arab American community for its continued support.

“I thank you for your decency and your patriotism, I’m proud of what you do to make this a better country every day.”

Other races of interest discussed by AAPAC members included Secretary of State, Attorney General, Supreme Court Judges in the state, and 15th District State Rep.

Bernero addressing AAPAC banquet. PHOTO: Nafeh AbuNab

Secretary of State endorsement recipient Joceyln Benson also spoke after Wayne County Lead Prosecuting Attorney and AAPAC Co-Founder Abed Hammoud praised her for her courage in fighting for civil rights. Benson is currently a professor teaching election law at Wayne State University. She has written a book entitled “State Secretaries of State: Guardians of the Democratic Process,” holds a degree from Harvard Law and has fought for voting rights for all people as the Voting Rights Policy Coordinator of the Harvard Civil Rights Project.

“If you’re tired of the politics of fear and fabrication and the status quo of doing things, please give me your vote. I’ll work with you as Secretary of State and others to ensure that we reform government to make it work better for you.”

David Leyton

David Leyton, AAPAC’s Democratic attorney general endorsee, talked about his advantage over opponent Bill Schuette as a seasoned prosecutor compared with Schuette having never prosecuted a single case and re-iterated his strong anti-racial profiling stance.

AAPAC officials also highlighted the importance of voting for all the endorsed judges, especially incumbent Justice Alton Thomas Davis and Denise Langford Morris for crucial positions on the Michigan Supreme Court, and re-iterated their support for community member and Dearborn City Council President Pro Tem Suzanne Sareini for 15th District State Rep.

Dingell

The event wrapped up with the awards segment as campaign manager Trisha Stein, Arab and Chaldean Council Chairman Abe Munfakh, and AAPAC External VP and Michigan Civil Rights Commissioner Nabih Ayad were among those honored.

“It’s such a wonderful thrill to be recognized considering that our job is mostly behind the scenes,” Stein said. Stein has worked on the campaigns of Diane Hathaway for Supreme Court in 2008 and Jennifer Granholm for attorney general in 1998.  Hathaway scored a surprise win over conservative incumbent Cliff Taylor in 2008 with the help of Stein, who is currently working for the re-election campaign of Davis and election of Morris.

Munfakh also was delighted to receive the award.

“Thank you, I will keep this close to my heart and continue to work for the community because politics are very important, people come here and try not to get involved at first but ultimately you do that and you become very successful like the Irish and Italians for instance, now it’s our turn in the Arab American community to be active and political.”

Joceyln Benson

Ayad was honored for his generosity to AAPAC and continued commitment to advancing the organization.

He thanked his wife and fellow members among others in attendance.

“AAPAC is a force to be reckoned with now and it will be an even greater force in the future,” he said.

On Nov. 2, AAPAC will send volunteers to polling stations with large Arab American concentrations around the cities of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights to pass out its bi-lingual voting slates, which can be taken into the voting area at each station.

The organization has also made robo-calls for its candidates and mailed slates to Arab American voters in battleground areas. For more information on the organization, visit www.aapac.org.