Guantanamo’s child is America’s and Canada’s shame
"For me, Omar's age has always been the greatest factor." Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen, was 15 at the time of his capture in Afghanistan in 2002. That's the bottom line for Michelle Shephard, the Toronto Star reporter who has covered the Khadr story since his capture. And indeed his age is an issue on more than one...
A useful guide to racist Hollywood
April 4th, 20080 As any Muslim will tell you, one of our biggest enemies is the image makers of Hollywood, who for years have advanced bad policies and encouraged stereotypes and discrimination against a community already caught in the vise of foreign policy. Anti-Muslim, anti-Arab propaganda existed long before 9/11, but the images continue to...Canada tries to change immigration rules
Canada's minority Conservative government is trying to change the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The changes are in accord with the government's over-all style. When elected, the Conservatives pledged a more open government, but in fact everything is tightly controlled by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He...Two Muslim scouts attain Eagle status
DEARBORN — Two local Arab Americans have earned the rank of Eagle Scout after being part of the Muslim Scouts of Michigan for more than a decade. Adel Makki and Abraham Baydoun, both 18, are set to receive their badges at a code of honor ceremony to be held on March 28, 7 p.m. at Bint Jbeil Cultural Center. Makki, a student...SMART debuts bilingual bus service
DEARBORN — SMART, the Detroit-area's bus system, announced its first bilingual transportation program along with Dearborn city officials Wednesday. Two new Arabic-speaking employees, a bus driver and dispatcher, were hired to enhance services in the Arab American community, offering translation for residents who need help when...Interfaith effort launched at ICA
DEARBORN — People from various faiths and backgrounds joined together for a gathering held by the Interfaith Partners of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion (MRDI), on Tuesday, March 25, at the Islamic Center of America. Interfaith Partners is a grassroots network made up of over 30 board members representing...Speaker conflates Islamism, terrorism
ANN ARBOR — On March 10th, Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser spoke at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on the subject of "Understanding Islamism: The Ideology Fueling Terrorism." Jasser's lecture was sponsored by the pro-Israel campus group, StandWithUs and drew approximately 50 attendees. Throughout the lecture, Jasser described his...EFHS staff wear their support for sophomores
DEARBORN - Once again the staff at Edsel Ford rallied the school in a show of support for 11th grade students during the all-important MME testing days that took place during the week of March 10. The entire staff at Edsel Ford wore matching blue shirts with the slogan: "Get into Gear to Make a Great Year." "A few years back we...Free throat cancer screenings
ANN ARBOR — Can you live without your voice? What about your jaw? Would you miss it if you couldn't swallow food? Throat cancer can take all of those things away, along with your ability to eat, talk and breathe normally. These debilitating problems can be prevented, but you have to catch cancer early. The University of...Camp Invention returns to Dearborn
DEARBORN — Camp Invention, an exciting week-long, full-day experience for children entering grades one through six, will once again be back in Dearborn. This year, Miller Elementary School will host the camp during the week of August 4 through August 8. Children will have the opportunity to be inspired, express their...District presents educational series on young children
DEARBORN — April is the Month of The Young Child, and Dearborn Public Schools is pleased to announce a series of educational sessions designed to bring important information to parents and caregivers about the behavior and growth of their young children. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and all primary caregivers of...Dearborn libraries offer programs for children
DEARBORN — Dearborn's public libraries are offering upcoming programs for children. • Preschool Storytime – Children can join us for fingerplays, stories, songs and a simple craft. For ages three through five. Registration is required. Choose from these dates, times and locations: Tuesdays through May 6 at 2 p.m. or Wednesdays...“Trapped in Gaza” urged moral investing
DEARBORN — This week Students for Ethical Investments (SEI) employed their creativity and passion to promote awareness of the on-going crisis in Palestine by hosting an event called "Trapped in Gaza." SEI is a student-led humanitarian and environmental advocacy group at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Their aim is...Maples students featured in new book
DEARBORN — Maples Elementary School and the City of Dearborn have been chosen to be featured in the book "Children of the U.S.A." published by the Global Fund for Children. "Children of the U.S.A." visits fifty-one cities — one in each state, as well as the nation's capital, Washington D.C., celebrating the diversity of...USCRI offers bilingual health toolkit
In their new communities in America, USCRI empowers and educates refugees and immigrants to promote better healthcare systems. Washington — The United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is pleased to announce the availability of its health promotion toolkit in Arabic for use by Arabic-speaking refugees and immigrants......
Plastic surgery popular in community
Before her first chemical peel, Theresa Mansour, a 40 year-old orthopedic nurse from Dearborn, didn't like what she saw when she looked in the mirror. After being a nurse for eight years and raising two kids, she decided she wanted a smooth, wrinkle-free face and fuller breasts. "I'm getting older," she said in a waiting a room...Journey of an anti-Zionist Jew
This mishmash of a book contains a powerful denunciation of Zionism. The attack is both historical and logical. However, the argument is scattered through family history, personal reflections, and New York City politics. In his description of a Bronx teachers' strike, Marqusee sides with a black "community...Canada to double Iraqi refugee quota
VANCOUVER (IPS) — Canada's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Diane Finley, announced this week that Canada will more than double the number of refugees it receives this year from Iraq, accepting 1,800 to 2,000 refugees, up from 900 in 2007. The majority are currently displaced refugees in Syria and Jordan....Youth group honors author, artist at annual dinner
DEARBORN — At its third annual "Empowering the Youth" dinner held March 21, the Arab Student Union of the University of Michigan-Dearborn gathered hundreds in Dearborn to celebrate the group's efforts at raising awareness of Arab American identity and activism. The group honored scholars Dr. Hashim Al-Tawil and Dr. Jack Shaheen at......
Sadr’s influence lives in Dearborn
DEARBORN — The legacy of Imam Musa al-Sadr was clearly in evidence here the week following the University of Michigan conference as Sayyid Ibrahim Saleh, current representative of the Islamic Shi'a Supreme Council (ISSC) in the United States, addressed a couple hundred community members at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center. The...
History-making convention on Musa al-Sadr
March 28th, 20080 ANN ARBOR — An unprecedented conference on Imam Musa al-Sadr, who was termed "The Vanished Imam" by writer Fouad Ajami, took place here last week. Sadr rose to prominence in Lebanon ahead of the Lebanese civil war, and disappeared mysteriously during a visit to Libya in 1978, never to be heard from again. He was the first......
Kilpatrick pleads ‘not guilty’ to felonies
Chicago — For decades, Detroit has been the symbol of the dying Rust Belt, a once-great city that was left hollowed out by a shrinking auto industry and white flight. But in recent years, the Motor City has been enjoying a bit of a comeback. New development has gone up downtown. Businesses are moving back. Detroit hosted the Super...Arab American educators honored
Dearborn – On Thursday of last week, March the 13th, the Education Committee at Bint Jebail Cultural Center held its annual event in honor of Arab American educators. Traditionally in Middle Eastern countries, and specifically in Lebanon, schools are not in session on Educator's Day or "Eid al-Mu'alem" as it is referred to in......