Arabs seeking a say in '08 race
Gathering aims to increase influence
October 26, 2007
BY NIRAJ WARIKOO
Arab Americans and political leaders from across the country will gather in Detroit starting today for a conference aimed at increasing Arab Americans' influence in the presidential race.
Sponsored by the Arab American Institute, the three-day gathering will include talks by Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, along with seminars on foreign policy, civil liberties and immigration.
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"Arab Americans have a special role to play," said James Zogby, founder and president of the institute, based in Washington, D.C. "We want to make America better, stronger, safer, freer, more secure, and we feel that our candidates ought to be hearing from us to improve the standing of our country."
In 2000 and 2004, the presidential candidates competed for Arabs' vote, especially in Michigan. Southeastern Michigan has the country's most visible and influential Arab-American community.
In October 2000, Republican candidate George W. Bush expressed concern that Arab Americans were being racially profiled and unfairly targeted by prosecutors.
But in this election, some candidates are warning about what they see as the growing threat of Islamic extremism abroad and in the United States. Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani has drawn criticism from some Arab Americans for having advisers they say are anti-Arab.
Kenwah Dabaja of Dearborn Heights plans to attend the conference. She's concerned about health care issues and said Arab Americans are concerned about more than just the Middle East, civil rights and immigration.
"Arab Americans have made tremendous progress in terms of voter registration," said Dabaja, who has helped mobilize Arab Americans in metro Detroit.
Zogby said the voices of Arab Americans are needed now more than ever. "We're like the canary in the coal mine," he said. "You want to know how we're doing in the Middle East? Ask Arab Americans."
If the U.S. government had listened to Iraqi Americans, the situation there might be better today, Zogby said.
Arabs seeking a say in '08 race
