This was originally posted on AAI's newsblog on July 19, 2013 under the title, "Why Commissioner Kelly is the Wrong Choice to Lead Homeland Security." Recent press reports have suggested that President Obama may be considering Ray Kelly, Commissioner of the New York Police Department (NYPD), for the recently vacated position of Secretary of the Department … Continue reading Ray Kelly to DHS? Here’s Why Not
Category: Arab American Institute
This post was originally published on July 25, 2013 on AAI's newsblog. Full video of the event can also be found at that link. On Wednesday, July 24 the Arab American Institute hosted a Congressional briefing in Rayburn House Office Building titled, “Egypt: U.S. Policy Options Going Forward.” The briefing coincided with AAI President Jim … Continue reading Hill Briefing Demonstrates Complexity of US-Egypt Relationship
Yalla Vote 3-State Initiative A summary of August GOTV efforts via the Arab American Institute
"Every act of violence is a betrayal of language." -Naomi Shihab Nye "I detest any form of violence." -Andrew Pochter Pochter wrote that in an e-mail to a group of Kenyon students which included myself following violence in Gaza and Israel last November. A month and a half after losing him, I still don't have … Continue reading Remembering Andrew Pochter, مصلح
I had the honor and pleasure of tag-teaming an interview of Jad Abumrad with Matt Haugen for AAI. The published interview appears below, and was originally posted on July 26, 2013 on AAI's newsblog. Jad Abumrad is a musician, producer, and host and creator of WNYC’s wildly popular radio show and podcast, Radiolab.The show won the … Continue reading Interview With Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad
This post was originally published on AAI's newsblog. Inhumane treatment continues at Guantanamo Bay, where over 100 of the 166 prisoners detained there are in the midst of a hunger strike. Some have been fasting for over 100 days. The number of those currently being force-fed has reached at least a quarter of the total population of the prison, over 40 … Continue reading Mos Def YouTube Video Sheds Light on Inhumanity of Force-Feeding at Gitmo
This post was originally published on the Arab American Institute newsblog on July 10, 2012, and on the Yalla Change blog on July 11, 2012. A group of Arab American women in Dearborn, Michigan are mobilizing get out the vote efforts in preparation for November’s presidential election. Founded by Jumana Judeh, Arab American Women for Obama (AAWO) has … Continue reading Arab American Women Mobilize in Michigan
The New York Times has reported that two-time Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Anthony Shadid, 43, died on Thursday of an asthma attack while on assignment in Syria. Shadid's writing advanced the causes dearest to my heart by deepening the public understanding of the people, languages, politics, cultures, and religions of the Middle East. His knowledge of Arabic, … Continue reading Mourning Anthony Shadid
My latest published post at the Arab American Institute, written in response to the first GOP Presidential debate in NH: The GOP 2012 Presidential field is beginning to take shape, and as it does a common theme is echoing among the candidates: Islam is presented as a doctrine incompatible with American values. This discourse is … Continue reading Is Ignorance Politically Convenient?
tess m. waggoner 