By IHSAN ALKHATIB, Ph.D, ESQ.
Staff Writer

In responding to a 2006 survey of 1,000 American Muslim registered voters, a plurality of American Muslim respondents chose to identify themselves as “just a Muslim”. Of the survey respondents, 12% identified themselves as Shia while 36% self-identified as Sunni, and 40% called themselves “just a Muslim.” These responses were read to mean that American Muslims want to emphasize their common Muslim identity over their narrower sectarian belonging.
It is greatly misleading to think of Muslim “division” as a Sunni-Shia phenomenon. Within the Sunni Islamic tradition there are four schools of jurisprudence. In addition, the Sunnis are often classified into Sufis, Salafis or Ikhwan/Muslim Brotherhood. There are lesser known sects and schools of thoughts in Islam. One way to think of this complex phenomenon is as a healthy diversity of a vibrant great faith/civilization. Another way to think of it is as a division- thus implying conflict and irreconcilable and clashing differences. If there is a problem in the Muslim community it goes beyond the Sunni-Shia split- it’s an issue of accepting “the other” and co -existence. In some communities members of the same mosque have come to blows- inside the mosque. In one mosque in Chicago congregants fought, in the mosque, and the police were called to separate the “leaders” of the mosque. It is a tragic reality given the fact that Islamic doctrine and tradition calls for peaceful and respectful dialogue even with non- Muslims, let alone among Muslims. These conflicts and disagreements sometimes arise out of simple issues. USA Today once quoted well-known Imam and activist Mohamed Majid stating: “I’ve seen people fight over how close their toes can be when they kneel in prayer. It’s got to stop.”
American Muslims face daunting challenges. These challenges are mainly imposed by international developments beyond their control. The criminals who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks and the others who attempted terror attacks have put the American Muslim community in a very precarious condition. Since 9/11, American Muslims are not only the American group whom it is acceptable to demonize but also the group whose demonization and victimization is thought by the perpetrators of hate as an expression of American patriotism.
Unity and co-existence are good in and of themselves. But when a community is threatened and outnumbered, unity and cooperation become basic necessities of survival. A hated and demonized community like the American Muslim community does not have the luxury of dwelling/(emphasizing) on real and imagined differences and grievances. Benjamin Franklin said: “We must hang together, gentlemen…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.” This is so true today of American Muslims.

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By MIKE NALLY
Staff Writer
Anaheim, CA

“How much more American can we get? “ asked City of Bell mayor, Ali Saleh, at the Meet the Professionals Dinner of NAAPOC held Saturday, October 22 at the Sheraton Park Hotel in Anaheim.
NAAPOC, is of course, one of the fastest growing Arab-American organizations in California and the U.S., and some 200 business professionals packed the ballroom this evening to network, dine, and listen to the success stories like Saleh.

Saleh, a handsome, tall, ambitious Lebanese-American — who carries himself proudly, with shoulders squared, like the descendent of Phoenician Vikings he is — swept into the ballroom with his retinue, including his Mexican-American assistant, Christina Garcia.  (Bell, if I have my facts correct, is close to 90% Mexican-American.  The city  had a big corruption scandal, until Saleh was voted in to reform the city council,  Garcia mentioned Saleh is considering running for the 63rd State Assembly seat, and is putting feelers out.)

Saleh, at the NAAPOC podium, told his attentive audience that “Arab-Americans must have the courage and exercise moral leadership that will break down barriers.”

Saleh was born, raised, and makes his home in Bell.  He is a business owner, husband, father to four great kids.  When the salary scandal (city council members there were paying themselves enormous salaries) rocked the community, Saleh helped to found a community group that called for open government.  Christina Garcia suggested the name BASTA — “enough!”

“Christina can tell you that I am more Mexican than her,” said Saleh.  “We are all partners.  I am proof that the American dream does exist.”

Saleh, who is not afraid to practice and honor his Muslim faith, said that he will continue to do so, despite some vicious attacks against him when he first ran for office back in 2009, and his opponents sent out flyers of the 9-11 twin towers on fire to smear him.  He lost as a result.

“But,” added Saleh with passion, “it is easy to give up, to be discouraged.  That is not my style.  Even some of his relatives, friends weren’t sure there was a place for an Arab-American in politics, post 9-11.
Saleh proved them wrong.  He is a strong, resilient man.  He has character, he has the fire in the belly to succeed.  He is a man that does the Lebanese and wider Arab-American community proud.  Clearly, a charismatic leader to rally around, a true servant of the community.  The audience gave him a thunderous ovation when he finished, and he was handed a community recognition award for his outstanding work by the NAAPOC board.

Next up to the podium — and demonstrating that there is a growing bond being forged between Latinos and Arabs — was the Honorable Sate Assemblyman, Jose Solario, who represents Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove.

Solario’s story is equally inspiring as Saleh’s.  The son of Mexican migrant farm workers, as a teen he labored in the hot fields — rising at 4 am — to work alongside his parents.  The astute young man soon realized he wanted out — and boy, did he — obtaining a Master’s in public policy from prestigious Harvard University.

“Welcome to the new California!” said Solario, who with his dapper black mustache, hair, and dark, flashing eyes looks very Arabic, “where the majorities are changing!  He saluted the accomplishments and named several prominent Arab Americans like DJ Casey Kasem and Donna Shalala, public servant and spokesperson.  (He left out Steve Jobs, Syrian-American).  He praised the beauty of Selma Hayek (Mexican-Arab descent).

“Selma is a good example,” Solorio added, “of the beauty of Mexican-Arab relationship.”  And by proxy, for Arab-American and Mexican-Americans to work together to advance a shared agenda that includes job growth, education, public safety. Solorio is a big champion of the power of a college education.

“I got my taste for politics at UCI – zot, zot (Anteaters) — when I was elected to the student body there, and I learned how to work together to get things done. It’s important for Arab-Americans and Mexican-Americans to see they can achieve their goals by volunteering or working on political campaigns.  Schools are great places for community involvement, and making a difference.  Get on a school board …”
Like Cesar Chavez, a hero to so many, Solorio, pushes dedication to the community, and the goal of education should be service to others.  Solorio was also given a long round of applause as he received a community service awards from the NAAPOC board.

Other awardees at the dinner included Ahmad Azie Awwad (Abu Dahoud), Nahla Kayali, Dr. Musa Nasir, and Dr. Nabil Azzam and MESTO.

Awwad, who was born in Saffourieh (North of Nazareth), was a teacher who became a fighter against the Occupation, and ended up in Lebanon where he worked for UNRWA and managed the affairs of 300,000 Palestinian refugees living there.  Kayali is Executive Director of ACCESS California Services.  She remarked, due to the Arab Spring, the number of refugees seeking aid and needing help has increased dramatically here.  Dr. Nasir has been a leading force in child care, and is Chair of the National Board of PCRF.  MESTO’s famed conductor and founder, Nabil Azzam is perhaps the most accomplished orchestra leader in the Arab world.  The audience was treated to his wonderful music later in the evening  “Music — this is my only way,” he remarked.

During the delicious dinner that included salads, buttered rolls, chicken with fettuccini, cheesecake with mouthwatering strawberries, and black coffee (but where was the tea, habibee??), two microphones were circulated among the guests so they could introduce themselves, and their professions.

Zuhair Tawil, a NAAPOC board member, always smartly dressed  in dark pin-stripes like a Lebanese banker, passed around one of the mikes at the various tables and remarked: “We could start a country with all the talent in this room.”  He wasn’t kidding.  A sample of the professions:  Lawyers, man a lot of Arab Americans love the law!  IP Lawyers, corporate, litigation lawyers.  There was a divorce lawyer seated next to a dentist ( we haven’t got time for the pain).  Right after lawyers in the Arab job structure come engineers — civil, mechanical, etc — I mean, the Arabs practically invented science and measurements.  Then contractors — from the pyramids 3000 years ago to building condos in L.A.. Then printers, telecommunications, psychologists, plastic surgeons, financial planners and managers and marketers,, insurance brokers and realtors, musicians and dance instructors, photographers, filmmakers to name just a few…On the low end of the totem pole, after the students, come the writers like me.
One woman stood up at her table and confessed to being an “executive housewife.”   One said retired “senior citizen” and Tawil challenged him, “Do you have ID please?”  An 11 year old school girl stood up beside her parents and said she was “gainfully unemployed” which drew some laughs.

It took a half hour to get around to every one in the room, but it did demonstrate the amazing and broad spectrum of Arab Americans in our work. NAAOP proudly salutes them all.
NAAPOC was started six years ago by founder, Sami Mashney, attorney, publisher of the Independent Monitor, who has also started a new public relations firm, Assura PR (www.AssuraPR.com) or Info@AssuraPR.com. to help companies market a new product or who need PR guidance.

Mashney underscored that “trust is the most important ingredient in a successful personal or business relationship” and this is what will make NAAPOC a big success.  “We need to speak with a united, cogent voice on issues, and not let division get in the way of our goals.  The more united we are, the higher are aspirations.  Doesn’t matter if we are Syrian, Libyan, Coptic Egyptian or Muslim or agnostic or Christian.  Society still looks at us as Arabs.”

“Yes, NAAPOC has had growing pains (some members have left since it started) but we are here to stay,” added Mashney to loud supportive applause from the audience.  Arab-American voice will be heard and will be effective in the community if we work together as a disciplined, organized, and unified team.”

Mashney then introduced the board: Mike Abdeen (President), Abir El-Borno (1st VP), Zuhair Tawil (2nd VP, Nader Tawil (Secretary), Roula Fodda (Treasurer).  Also: Saber Ahamed, Manar Fakhoury, Dr. Ghazi Idris, Basil Istitieh, Vicki Tamoush, Rola Ziade.

This reporter got a chance to circulate and it was good to see Marwan Ahmed of the Arabic Yellow Pages and his new business Hala America TV (www.HalaAmericaTV.com) there.  He is also online in both Arabic and English, he can track the number of visits or hits and what state or country they come from he told me.  I ran into Lofti Azzam, of Anaheim Hills, Lebanese (former banker, Partners Bank in Mission Viejo) now building condos every 2-3 years in L.A.  Saw Hamid Saba, from Iraq, a science teacher (we had a mutual friend Salwa).  And the young man who has a bright future in politics, 17 year old Ahmed Sharif, of Chaprrel High in Temecula, who hopes to attend Berkeley (Go Bears!) or Georgetown, study law or international relations.  He had a chance to meet Condi Rice at a forum at Morongo resort of all places.  He was very impressed by her.

I forgot to ask Ahmed if he was a Dem or Republican.

But go Obama!!  Right?

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More than six years ago, I called for a meeting in my office with five Arab-American friends to explore the founding the Network of Arab-American Professionals of Orange County (NAAPOC). Fatefully, none of these five other founding members are still active with NAAPOC which was founded and has a life of its own today.

We experienced growing pains during these six years, but we formed new friendships and established quality meaningful and trustworthy relationships. We learned how to like and trust each other, and intelligently work together as a unified growing Arab-American community. I am elated that many of my social and business relationships today are NAAPOC originated. Some NAAPOCers even found their significant others at NAAPOC.

I am ecstatic that we created something from nothing and that we together built a unified group of Arab-Americans functioning professionally and systematically.

It was said before that we “the Arabs agreed not to agree,” and that we are allegedly predestined to continue existing divided, disempowered and wallowing in the quicksand swamp of oppression and despair.
I beg to differ and believe that we Arab-Americans will and are uniting around a common agenda wanted by all or most Arab-Americans.

Regardless of which Arab country you originated from, or faith undemocratically and accidentally born into, we are nevertheless collectively and stereotypically perceived as “Arabs” in the Western world. So, if you are a Copt, Shiite, Maronite, Sunni, Assyrian, Durzi, Catholic, Alawite, Orthodox, Sophie,  Armenian, etc., Western society sometimes perceives you as a suspect Arab and will treat you unfriendly (if not with hostility) irrespective of your country of origin, ethnicity or faith.

I once represented a Lebanese Christian Maronite client criminally accused of membership of Hezbollah. When I told the FBI agent that my Maronite Christian client is highly unlikely to be a member of the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah, the agent replied: “Maronite, Shiite, Christian, Muslim, it doesn’t matter. All Arabs are the same!”

The agent is absolutely correct and we are perceived as “Arabs” in the Western World. So, to self-empower as “Arabs,” we must function in a unified, disciplined, organized, and systematic manner.
Because we Arab-Americans sharply disagree on Arab World events, as in Syria, Libya, Lebanon, etc., we can unite if we limit our agenda—for now—to only our Western World affairs.

For example, we all agree we must have a stronger voice in determining the curriculum our children are indoctrinated into in Western World schools concerning the Arab World, Palestine, etc. We have kids nowadays afraid to profess they’re Arab for fear of hazing, or debate Occupied Palestine issues fearing being falsely and viciously smeared as alleged so-called “anti-Semites,” (an oxymoron for majority of Arabs, who superior numerically as Semites).

Many of us are targeted and profiled at airports and other points of entry solely based on our Arabic looks, names or countries of origin.

All or most of us agree we must work together to be officially recognized as an Arab-American minority eligible for state and federal programs.

These are but only a few examples of domestic agenda items we can all agree on. We will unite around our affairs as Americans of Arab descent.

Let’s defer now on what we differ. When we achieve unified operational unity, we will be qualified to deal with and speak coherently—in one voice—on the agenda dividing us today. Once we perfect our work on the American arena, we can then aspire to tackling divisive Arab World problems.

Our aspiration as a group is a function of our unity, the more unified, the higher our aspirations can become.

NAAPOC is for all Arab Americans and friends irrespective of Arabic national origin, faith, societal or political differences. So, you if you originated from Morocco to Iraq, Syria to Sudan, going through Palestine, as a Muslim, Christian, atheist, agonistic, republican, democrat, independent, rich, poor or middle class, you’re welcome!

At NAAPOC, all of a sudden, you will find yourself connected to a vast network of quality new warm diverse and united Arab-American friends.

Trust is the solitary pillar upon which all trustworthy relationships perch. Trust is presumed in all proven relationships. Those who keep it, earn it. Those who betray it, lose it from others and are banished to a self-inflicted community exile.

NAAPOC is continuously engaged in board development. If you’re interested in board opportunity, please contact us. No experience is necessary as long as you are willing to learn and do your best to empower and uplift our community, and that you will keep and earn the trust of others.

Let us work together to advance our community. We cannot do it alone. Every one of us—including you, of course—can make a real difference and create change.

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Further serving the Arab-American Community in social, cultural and educational initiatives, the Network of Arab-American Professionals of Orange County (NAAPOC) will hold its Sixth Annual Meet the Professionals Dinner Banquet on October 22, 2011, at the Sheraton Park Hotel, 1855 South Harbor Boulevard, Anaheim, CA 92802.

More than 300 of who’s who in the Southern California Arab-American Community and friends will join NAAPOC for this delightfully-memorable event, coveted to be one of the largest Arab-American sit-downs in Southern California. Maestro Dr. Nabil Azzam along with select members of the Multi-Ethnic Star Orchestra (MESTO) will mesmerize the crowd.

MESTO’s founder and conductor, Dr. Nabil S. Azzam, Ph.D., is highly acclaimed and accomplished in both Classical European and Middle Eastern musical styles. He is a Nazareth son who graduated with a B.A. and B.Mus. from the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv and with an M.A. in Musicology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine. He earned his doctorate in music from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA).

The guests’ list includes corporate sponsors including Comerica Bank and Husami and Associates, government officials such as City of Bell Mayor Ali Saleh, Keynote Speaker Assembly Member Jose Solorio, and members of the Southern California Arab-American Community. Attendees will be treated to a three-course dinner along with hilarious entertainment from Arab-American stand-up comedians Jimmie Goson, Eman Morgan, and Reed Hamzah and Sami Mashney.

NAAPOC will bestow prestigious Community Recognition Awards upon Dr. Musa Yousif Nasir, M.D. (Humanitarian), MESTO & Dr. Nabil Azzam (Artistic Excellence), City of Bell Mayor Ali Saleh (Political Activism), Assembly Member Jose Solorio (Friend of the Arab-American Community), and Nahla Kayali, Founder of Access California Services (Community Services), in recognition for their invaluable services to the community.

The goal of this year’s banquet is themed to bring together, in a cooperative atmosphere, members the diverse Arab-American Community and raise charitable funds for NAAPOC programs; and most importantly, to benefit Arab-Americans from networking opportunities, especially at such challenging  economic climate and job market.

NAAPOC is an independent, non-partisan, non-sectarian, Arab-American Community-based, tax-exempt, non-profit organization organized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). All contributions to NAAPOC are tax-deductible as charitable contributions as provided in IRC section 170.

Among other objectives, NAAPOC aims to advance the Arab-American heritage, culture and business in all sectors of society.

TICKETS:
$65 if paid before 10/12/2011 at http://www.NAAPOC.org or from NAAPOC person.

$75 from 10/13/11 till event. There is no guarantee that tickets may be available at the door. For more information about the event, or to purchase tickets; please visit http://www.NAAPOC.org or call any of our board members below:

Mike Abdeen -   (949) 939-7880
Abir El-Borno -  (626) 215-1736
Zuhair Tawil -    (714) 675-0001
Sami Mashney – (714) 612-0157
Nader Tawil -     (714) 209-8255
Roula Fodda -     (323) 578-9833

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The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa sponsored Common Ground, an interfaith commemoration service on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, at Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium in Des Moines on September 11.

Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Executive Director Connie Ryan Terrell told The Independent Monitor that the interfaith commemoration service was intended to address a number of issues and concerns.

Terrell said she began talking with the leaders of local faith communities about a commemorative service in July.

“Every single person I contacted said, ‘Yes, I want to help, I want to be a part of it,’ and no one said, ‘No.’ Everyone wanted to be a part of it,” said Terrell.

“We wanted to honor the people who died on 9/11 and pay respect to their families,” said Terrell, “and we wanted to bring together as many faith communities as we could get in a room and hold an interfaith service.”

Terrell said the planning committee knew there would be animosity toward the Muslim community around the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and decided to address that concern by focusing, “on the commonalities that we find across the spectrum of faith communities, not the differences.”

“There is enough that gets played out in media about differences in faith beliefs and traditions.  We felt the service should be about what we have in common.  That really became the theme,” said Terrell.

“We went through a very intentional process of building consensus,” said Terrell, “and every major decision was made by committee, which is a difficult thing to do, but we did it.

“Interfaith work can be difficult,” said Terrell, “and we had disagreement on a couple of different issues, but everybody stayed at the table and we came to consensus on everything that was discussed.”

“From the first meeting, Hindu, Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, Greek Orthodox, Unitarian Universalist, Sikh, Protestant, and Muslim, they were all there.  I won’t say that they were all at every meeting, because schedules didn’t allow for that, but they were all part of the conversation in a very detailed and important way,” said Terrell.

The event included music, poetry, and song.  Along with Terrell, the service participants included Ben Allaway, Music Director/Composer, First Christian Church; David Maxwell, President of Drake University; Pramod Mahajan, Hindu Community; Rabbi David Kaufman, Temple B’nai Jeshurun; Kyle Lechtenberg, Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines; Rev. Eido Bruce Espe, Des Moines Zen Center; Fr. Basil Hickman, Greek Orthodox Church of St. George; Rev. Mark Stringer, First Unitarian Church; Jasbir Singh and Baljit Singh Virdi, Iowa Sihk Association; Rev. Carmen Lampe Zeitler, American Baptist Church and Children and Family Urban Ministry of the United Methodist Church; Mohamad Kahn, Muslim Community Organization; Bishop Alan Scarfe, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa;  and Rev. Sarai Rice, Des Moines Area Religious Council.

A drum circle, Tina Manbeck, Jon Stafford, Eric Hedberg, Ben Alloway, Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, and Thayne Henderson, offered the call to service and a reflection during the service.

Collaborative partners included Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, Des Moines Area Religious Council, Ecumenical Committee for Peace, American Friends Service Committee, and faith leaders from Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist, Sikh, Buddhist, and other faith communities.  More than 50 religious and community organizations lent their names in support of the event.

A representative of one group walked out in protest just minutes before the event began.

According to a September 13 article in the Des Moines Register, ”The Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines withdrew its support for a multifaith prayer service Sunday that marked the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks after event organizers declined to display a U.S. flag, said Mark Finkelstein, federation spokesman.”

Terrell declined The Independent Monitor’s request for comment regarding the protest.

Rabbi Kaufman, who was part of the planning process, told the Des Moines Register in part that, “there was no anti-American sentiment by not having the flag.”

A community leader who asked that his name be withheld characterized the last-minute protest as a potentially divisive publicity stunt that succeeded only in bringing Finkelstein’s motives into question.

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By DAN WHITE

UCSC, Santa Cruz, CA

It takes a lot to make Nader Oweis mad. Part of it is his natural temperament. Part of it is his 20 years with the UC Davis Police Department – both as a student employee and a sworn police officer. Part of it is his ability to see police work from a dual perspective.

Oweis, a native of Daly City, may be a cop, but he also understands what it means to be stereotyped and profiled. A Palestinian-American, he has been detained at an Israeli airport when trying to enter the country to visit relatives.

“In my life, I’ve learned a lot about earning respect, and what values and principles are important to me,” said Oweis, 41. (His first name rhymes with “madder,” while his last name is pronounced “oh-wayce.”) He was sworn in Tuesday as UC Santa Cruz’s newest police chief. He replaces Mickey Aluffi, who retired in the spring.

Oweis will be part of a department that includes 40 employees, including 17 sworn officers.

More than 30 former colleagues, many of them wearing police badges, made the 111-mile trip from Davis to attend the ceremony.

Dozens of relatives also attended, including his father, Sami, and his mother, Nawal, who pinned the badge on her son, and showed up at the ceremony with two huge platters of baklava she made for the occasion, with help from a neighbor.

When Chancellor George Blumenthal asked Oweis to hold up his right hand to take his oath of office, two nephews joined in, each holding up a hand as they stood beside him.

At one point during the ceremony, Oweis looked straight at his parents and said, “Yes, I did … I got a real job.”

Oweis, a lifelong California resident, is unmarried but maintains strong ties with his wider family in the East Bay. He may seem young to have two decades of police experience behind him. But when Oweis was still a sophomore at UC Davis, he did something that might sound like a one-way ticket to terminal uncoolness for any undergraduate: he started helping out the campus police any way he could.

He joined the Police Department’s Aggie Host Security Program, which helped with security at community events. Oweis learned how to handle public safety at on-campus football games. He had to deal with public intoxication, shoving matches, rowdiness, and all the other issues that can arise when 100,000 people congregate.

He graduated from UC Davis with a dual degree in agriculture and management economics in 1992, and returned to campus two years later, this time as a sworn police officer. He stayed for 17 years.

One could argue that his history with the police goes back even further than his college days. He was a little boy, helping out his parents at their grocery store, Westlake Avenue Market in Daly City, when he first became enamored with law enforcement work.

“He’s wanted this since he was this big,” his mother said on Tuesday, holding her hand close to the ground.

Police officers frequented his parents’ store, and sometimes they put the three-year-old Oweis in their patrol cars, just to let him turn on the lights and even turn on the siren.

“I always thought it was fascinating,” he said.

Perhaps his interest in law enforcement was something innate, he muses now. He also wonders if his calmness on the job is another inherited trait.

“I have always had a lot of patience,” Oweis said. “I don’t know if that is my genes or something that I learned. Everyone says I am even-keeled, but I spent a lot of time growing up in a mom-and-pop grocery store. Customer service is important.”

“To win people over, you have to be calm,” he continued. “If you come across as a jerk, or in a manner that is too strong, you may not earn their respect. For a while, I was a hostage negotiator for the department. I learned that people don’t work well when they are hot and yelling at each other.”

He learned the importance of diplomacy while serving as the lieutenant and commanding officer of the UC Davis substation that oversees public safety for the university’s Health Systems Campus in Sacramento, including a trauma center.

Oweis cites another factor when describing his value of equanimity. He values his heritage and maintains strong ties with the Arab-American community of Northern California.

Like many Palestinian-Americans, he is Christian, and maintains a connection to his community through the American Federation of Ramallah Palestine, the National Association of Arab Professionals, and other cultural groups.

“I am involved culturally and professionally with both groups and made a lot of great friends from that, but, at the same time, I have to be fair with everybody and have to make sure that those stereotypes that I hear, and that I see, don’t affect the way I do my job.”

“In some sense, it makes me even more fair because I have another perspective. Culture is important to me because I learned a lot about earning respect, and what values and principles are important to me.”

When pressed to elaborate, Oweis cited a few recent and more distant memories. “After 9/11, I was taken out of line at airports many times,” he said. He believes that his Arabic name and his appearance may be a reason. In some cases, he was even carrying his police badge while being searched, though he made a point of not taking it out and showing it to security staff.

“I fully understood they were trying to do their job and trying to keep the country safe, looking out for the best interests of everybody,” he said. “They did this because they had to, or at least they thought they had to. I went with it. I couldn’t control it. It was going to happen anyway. There was nothing more that I could do except at least be patient.”

He also described another incident that took place when he was trying to get into Israel and got pulled aside at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, where he was questioned and held for 12 hours. “It happened again when I was crossing over the border two years ago, but what can I do? I had to follow the rules. I have family in Ramallah and Jerusalem. You have to go in the West Bank and into Israel proper – Palestine and Israel. I was not going to let it ruin my vacation. I figured I would, eventually, be able to get through and move on.”

Oweis often talks about his cultural community—but he also uses community outreach to describe his approach to police work. Oweis plans to spend part of his time making sure that the campus-wide and city-wide communities can help be the “eyes and ears” of public safety.

“We can only keep the community safe with the help of this community, and the only way to get their help is to reach out and engage with them,” he said.

Part of that is his hands-on working style. Oweis sometimes writes up and sends out public safety press releases himself.

Oweis is excited about getting started here. Like UCSC, UC Davis is much like a city in its own right, with its own fire and police departments.

“I’ve learned a lot in my career that I can apply to my new job,” he said. “I believe I have something valuable to offer Santa Cruz.” But he won’t deny the other perks. “Being up in the hills in a beautiful campus will be nice. Getting a look at the beach won’t be a bad thing either. This could be a very good fit for me.”

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August 6th
“I Care” Community Dinner Zaman International Hope for Humanity. Zaman International would be grateful to have your support which will undoubtedly ensure continued success and assist in maintaining Zaman’s commitment to providing financial assistance, medical relief, and basic necessities to those less fortunate in the global community. Islamic Center of America, 313-581-1652, www.zamaninternational.org.

August 7th
Saint Rafka Maronite Mission is holding its Annual Church Picnic on Sunday, August 7. A fun day that will start spiritual and end social and fun. Come join us and let us pray and have fun together as one family. (734) 674-9991

August 13th-20th
Simon Shaheen’s Annual Arabic Music Retreat. Arab musician and composer Simon Shaheen invites students, performers, and scholars of Arabic music to the Fifteenth Annual Arabic Music Retreat at Mount Holyoke College. www.simonshaheen.com/arabic-music-retreat. (617) 512-8122

August 18th
It’s back, by popular demand! The AANM’s Iftar Dinner & Movie takes place on the first night of Ramadan, Thursday, August 18. It begins at 7 p.m. www.arabamericanmuseum.org/iftar.dinner.movie.2011

August 21st
Ramallah Club of Detroit Annual Picnic by Ramallah Club of Metro Detroit. nmashni@sbcglobal.net

August 25th
Join NAAPOC at our monthly business mixer at Caspian Restaurant in Irvine, CA. Meet new people and grow your business. Visit www.NAAPOC.org or call 714-612-0157 for more info.

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When I immigrated in 1979 from Israeli-occupied-Palestine to the United States, I quickly realized that Zionists have the upper hand in the determinative American foreign policy on Palestine, as a direct result of their dominance in American media, from print; to broadcast; electronic; seeming-innocent entertainment; music, American academic system, pop culture, etc.

It quickly became abundantly clear to me that this manifestly unfair advantage Zionists have over Arab Americans and other victims of Zionism, will continue indefinitely until and unless we, comatose Arab Americans, wake up from our deep sleep, stop annoyingly complaining and childishly crying foul about how “the Jews control everything,” and instead roll up our sleeves and start building our own self-owned and controlled media. While this may seem like un-reachable goal for those who are minimalistic and un-visionary, it’s nevertheless a human endeavor that has already been achieved by others before us, and that we too, can accomplish it if we work hard and smart enough for it.

So four years ago, with these lofty notions in mind, I thought the time was ripe to establish The Independent Monitor newspaper (“TIM”) as a newspaper of record for Arab Americans. When TIM was launched, I had ambitious boyish dreams that our esteemed ‘Community” would enthusiastically and materially support such a small media seed planted to grow tomorrow an influential and respectable Arab American media presence in the United States. Boy was I naive!

I thought then within three years or so, the paper will become economically self-sufficient because enough intelligent and generous Arab Americans will see in it a much-needed Arab American institution that is a must have if our community wants to be on the arduous road to our yet-to-be-achieved empowerment.

The response that I received from the community varied, but was largely soberingly apathetic. Of course, there was an enriching overabundance of wealth of lip service and generous pats on the back telling me to continue to do the “fantastic” job I’m doing, but predictably offering me no material support to help me defray the costs of printing, distributing, mailing, shipping, writing, etc.

There was also that small number of Arab American angles who supported and occasionally support the paper by subscribing and advertising, etc.

What was inexplicably disturbing to me is that there are those people in our community who work very hard for the cause, spending their time and sometimes their money on their cause, but they never lend any helping hand whatsoever to the newspaper. I keep asking myself if these rather well-meaning enthused activists comprehend the imperative importance of publishing as a necessary tool to fuel the empowerment of our second class citizens’ community.

I also wonder if such activists ever looked around them and noticed that empowered communities, such as Jewish, Latino, Korean, etc., all have a robust ethnic media and that there are no empowered communities that do not have their own ethnic media. We, Arabs, don’t! So we must create our own if we are to be treated as full-fledged first class citizens.

I chose English as the medium for TIM so as not to redundantly preach in Arabic to choir, and instead reach fellow non-Arab Americans and assimilated Arab Americans who are unable to read Arabic.

For the last four years, I have been mailing the paper on a complementary basis to close to four thousand individual addresses throughout Southern California and the United States. Over the years, a disproportionally small number of people subscribed but the overwhelming majority scandalously did not.

I have now reached the journalistic pivoting point in that I’m no longer willing to continue to print the child of our labor of love and mail it to those who do not put their money where their mouth is by subscribing to the newspaper.

So, against my best wishes and with a heavy heart, I find myself obliged to say that this issue in your hand now, will be the last one you’ll receive on a complimentary basis if you have not already subscribed or is not subscribing now.

So now you may to ask yourself a series of questions, the first being is if you really think that you effectively and productively care about our community, and if so, whether you think having a respectable Arab American media understood by other Americans is an indispensable ingredient for our empowerment, and whether $50 of your wealth is better spent at the local hookah joint or on filling your gas tank to go to Vegas and see this or that performer, or, on an annual subscription to TIM.

I rest my case.

You be the judge!

Click Here to Subscribe >

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Chances are good that if your last name listed in an O.C. phone directory is Hanna or Hannalla, you are a member of the Coptic Christian Egyptian community here.

You are highly educated, well-off, and professions of choice are doctor, lawyer, accountant, car repair specialist, and business entrepreneur.  Your faith is very important and you devoutly attend every Sunday morning a liturgy (6:30 am in Arabic, 11:30 am in English) at Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Santa Ana.  The women, always smartly dressed, jeweled, with the latest hand bags, place a veil on their heads (provided by a church bin) and sit to the right.  The men, well-groomed, wearing expensive watches, sit to the left.
After church, some of you will head downstairs to have mediocre coffee and chat with other church members; but many of you will prefer to head to Starbucks at Talbert and Newhope for better coffee and richer, relaxed conversations about family, business, but increasingly, concern and worry over what’s befallen the Egyptian Copt community and your relatives there and the news is not good.

A fringe group of Islamic extremists have been attacking and torching Coptic houses of worship in Alexandria and towns near Cairo.

On a recent breezy Sunday morning, as a stiff wind blew through the palm fronds of trees on the perimeter of Archangel Michael church parking lot — filled with Lexus cars, BMWs, Mercedes, and Hondas — I catch up with worshippers about to enter the stately, stylish Copt Orthodox church, whose altar was consecrated by H.H. Pope Shenouda III of the See of St. Mark (117) on a Sunday (Sept. 20th) nearly 20 years ago.

Virtually all offer the same refrain:  “We are fearful of what’s happening to the Copts and our relatives there in Egypt.”

“It is a very difficult situation,” commented Dr. Nashed Hany, a pediatrician from Long Beach.  “In Embaba, two Copt churches — St. Mary and St. Mina — were set on fire.  It’s disturbing.”

Amir, an engineer who left Cairo to work in Dubai for three years, and came to California with his family just 11 months ago, said: “We are discriminated against by the police, the army, and the government.  When we apply for jobs or attend university, we are dealt with in a different way.”

Chimed in Mary, from Huntington Beach, who was attending the liturgy with her ten-year-old son, Abanoub, and has been here 3 years: “Egypt now is difficult.  All Christians there are afraid.  Some of their daughters have been kidnapped, so we worry….  The Copts all want to come to the United States.”

What did you think of Egypt? I asked her young, feisty son.

“I hated it,” he replied.  “The roads are dirty and there are chickens all over the place.”

Farouk Estafanous, 71, of Anaheim, a retired gas station worker, also echoed her thoughts: “It’s not good in Egypt.  But we have the power of God, the power of Jesus to watch over us…”

But Jesus, I challenge him, does not seem to be protecting your Copt churches right now.

Farouk shrugs.

“Jesus has given freedom to everyone — even the devil.  But I tell you this, at the end of the age, the Lord will come — to judge those who do right, and those who do wrong.  The world is in His hands.  The Muslims hate us because they say we believe in three separate Gods — father, son, spirit.  Many centuries ago, they wanted us to pay tax, convert to their religion, or be killed.”

Farouk then hands me warm Coptic bread from a basket on the church steps.

“Eat, and rejoice in our Lord, our Redeemer.”

I took the bread offered by this humble Copt, and then was introduced to Nabil Hanna (58), an accountant who works in Garden Grove and lives in Huntington Beach.

Hanna, whose intense eyes are framed by large glasses, is a man who resembles a university professor.  He also heads up the Coptic Assembly of California, and tells me today, after the liturgy, he will take a busload of church-goers to the Federal Building in Westwood.  There they will protest with banners and signs what they believe is persecution of Copts by radical Islam.

What will the signs say?

“End the Islamic jihad against us,” interjects Hanna’s thirteen-year old son, Michael, who stands now by his father’s side.

“Yes,” adds Hanna, “The Muslims think we are infidels because we do not believe in the Koran, so we must be killed. The Koran instructs them to kill the unbelievers.”

I reply that some of these verses — especially “the sword verses” are often taken out of context, just as right wing Christian groups play Scripture roulette with biblical passages to suit their purpose in an argument.

But Hanna remains vigorous in his stance against radical Muslims:  “They want to dominate our country, Egypt.  So they instill fear by burning our churches.  They claimed a Christian girl wanted to become a Muslim, so she was held captive inside one of our churches, and that’s why the Muslims became angry, and invaded Copt property.”

Does that not make you want to fight back, Michael?  I ask Hanna’s son.

Michael shakes his head solemnly.

“Let God hurt them, not us,” he says.  “The Muslims vandalized the Coptic Church, took the holy oils from the altar, but the ones who did it, ended up punished.  They fought and argued over what they stole, and some were killed.  Another Muslim’s house near the church also caught fire and burned down.”

“You see — divine retribution,” exclaims Hanna.  “We will protest but not do personal violence against Copt attackers.”

The feud between Muslim and Christian is long-standing; Hanna points out and goes back centuries to when 6,000-7000 Saudi Muslims invaded Egypt in 720 AD.

“We should have taken a firm stance against them back then, and Copts wouldn’t have such a problem” says Hanna.  “There are some 80 million Arabs in Egypt now.  “Close to 15 million are Copts.  The rest are Muslim.  And 75% of those Muslims are below the poverty line in Egypt, and the young people have high unemployment, so they are forced to steal and make other troubles.  There is trouble, even though the (Sunni) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pays the Muslim Brotherhood $2 billion a year — to keep them out of the Iranian (Shiite) orbit and influence.”

Hanna shakes his head woefully.

“I tell you plainly — Egyptian Copts right now are caught in the teeth of the lion!”

Hanna signals a friend to check on the status of the bus that will take his Coptic protesters to Westwood and the Federal Building. (The bus has not arrived yet).  We continue the discussion.

“Thanks, God, for Father Zacharias of California,” says Hanna.  “Do you know him?”

I have not heard his name.

“He teaches every night about our religion by satellite cable, and Muslims in Egypt are listening, paying attention to the truths he teaches.  From our sources we estimate over 600,000 Muslims are interested in the Christian gospel.  But when they attend a Coptic church there, we tell them not to shave their beard, or change their Muslim dress.  Just come as they are to the church.”

Interesting I tell him.  Have any influential Muslim leaders converted to Christianity?

“Yes! Yes! Exclaims Hanna.  “But the government hides it or covers it up!”

Example?

“Imam Faham is one.”

When was this?

“I believe back in the 80s or 90s,” says Hanna.  “Imam Faham moved to California and is a Christian now.  But the government back in Egypt faked his funeral procession — put sand in his coffin — and paraded it through the streets of Cairo.”

I gesture to the front of Michael Archangel church and tell him I admire the tall, graceful arches, and also the detailed inlaid mosaics.  Does it not show the Islamic influence on the Coptic architecture?

“No, no — the other way around,” replies Hanna.  “Our Copt churches were among the first in the Roman Empire.  The Muslims took all their ideas and style from the Copts.  Like their minarets (prayer towers) resemble church steeples.  The Muslim women who wear the veil?  They stole it from the Catholic nuns and their sacred habit.”

In the interest of fairness, why not invite a leading Islamic scholar or imam to debate you or a Coptic leader?

“Oh, I already have done that, my friend!” replies Hanna passionately.  “A few years back in Fullerton I debated with a Muslim cleric.”

And?

“I asked him why God (or Allah) would send down two religions on earth to divide and disturb the people.  One of us is a liar.  One of us has the true religion.  And the Muslim replied: You tell me.”

Hanna answered him:  “We, along with the Jews, are the first people of the book.  We have been here since the beginning of creation.  Your God (Allah) teaches Muslims to kill with the sword.  Our God, Jesus, tells us to love our enemies.  So your God is the fake one.”

I let Hanna have the last word, and joined other believers headed to the church basement after the liturgy to have coffee and share some more fellowship.

I was chatting just outside the Coptic bookstore located downstairs with the owner who wanted to sell me a book on the ten Coptic virtues.  I already know them I smiled and surprised him.  They include: Love, faith, hope, purity, patience, humility, and long-suffering …  I was then engaged in conversation by an attractive mother of five children, Halwadie, but was interrupted when a dispute broke out between two men in Arabic, but I recognized the word shouted loudly “Al-Quds!”  (To Jerusalem!)

I informed her I have been to this holy city but she told me, “We Copts cannot go there from Egypt.  It makes me sad.”

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