Arabs in America Today

I attended a fascinating lecture at the Middle East Institute today by Jean Abinader of the Arab American Institute. In the course of an hour, Mr. Abinader discussed many of the stereotypes and preconceptions that color both popular discourse and national policymaking in the United States. For example, contrary to popular perceptions, most Arab Americans are Christian not Muslim (a reflection in part of declining Christian communities in Arab countries). Moreover, only 20 percent of Muslims in America are Arabs; Arabs are far outnumbered by South Asians and African Americans. Arab Americans have made a point of distancing themselves from the despotic regimes of the Middle East, and have not traditionally thought of themselves as a minority. In fact, most Arabs in America do not think of themselves as Arabs at all, but as Egyptians, Lebanese, Moroccans, Syrians, etc. (Many associate the label "Arab" with Nasser's discredited pan-Arabism.) Increasingly since 9/11, however, Arabs have found themselves consigned to minority status and facing many of the same problems that other minorities have faced in this country. At the same time, the community is coming to grips with the fact that if they want to have a political impact in the United States, they need to come together, and that the label Arab-American is one under which they can unite to pursue their common interests and influence U.S. policy. On a local level, AAI is pursuing legislation to preserve civil liberties in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.