Immigration Has Made America Great
June is National Immigration Month in the United States—an appropriate time to reflect on the special role immigrants have played and continue to play in enriching this country.
Democrats Are Learning “Demographics Aren’t Destiny”
After Barack Obama’s decisive victory in 2008, Democratic Party strategists fell under the sway of the notion that the future of their party’s dominance was insured because, as they put it, “demographics are destiny.”
Pete McCloskey: An American Hero
Former Congressman Pete McCloskey died last week at the age of 96. By any definition of the word, Pete was a hero. He was courageous and selfless on the battlefield, fearless and principled in elective office, an advocate for justice and equity, and, in all instances, a truth-teller even when he paid a price for speaking out.
When Displays of Strength Mask Weakness
The brilliant Palestinian Fayez Sayegh once wrote that when pro-Israel groups appeared to be at their strongest, they were only masking the fact that they were at their weakest. This is clear in the contrast of Israel’s sharp decline in standing among many demographic groups of American voters and the actions and statements by Congress and pro-Israel groups, particularly in evidence during the past week.
The Impact of the Student Protests on Biden’s Re-elect
University student protests against US support for Israel’s war in Gaza have spread like wildfire. At last count, there have been sustained demonstrations on over 200 campuses. More recently, students have taken to establishing protest encampments in the center of some campuses. This began last week at Columbia University in New York. Ten days later there were encampments at almost four dozen universities.
Do They Have Any Idea Where They’re Going?
One Sunday afternoon, my father-in-law was on the Long Island Expressway driving the family to an event. With surprisingly little traffic on what would ordinarily be a congested highway, they were cruising along at a good speed.
Protecting Our Arab American Identity
It took over a half century to strengthen the Arab American identity and build organizations to meet community needs. Today this work is under assault by those who seek to erase our gains, fracture the community along sectarian lines, or silence our voices in US politics.
Even When It Seems Hopeless, We Must Never Quit
Two seemingly unrelated events of the last week have caused me to reflect on the long journey we’ve taken to Arab American empowerment. The first was the March 27th death of former Senator Joseph Lieberman. This was followed by the 28th anniversary of the tragic death of former Secretary of Commerce, Ronald Brown on April 3rd.
Ukraine and Gaza Threaten US Leadership and Politics
This era’s wars in Ukraine and Gaza are having a more dramatic impact both on global alignments and US politics than the wars in Vietnam and Iraq had in their respective eras. And this is happening without any American troops directly engaged in either conflict.
Why Did Biden Open the SOTU With Ukraine & Close With Gaza?
President Joseph Biden faced heady tasks as he delivered this year’s State of the Union address to Congress.
The Message from Michigan
The message sent last Tuesday by more than one hundred thousand Michigan Democrats who cast their ballots for “uncommitted” was crystal clear.
Why the US Continues to Fail in the Arab World
The success or failure of a president’s term in office is rarely judged by whether or not they accomplish the agenda they set for themselves.
1982 Versus 2024: A Tale of Three Cities
This past weekend, I was supposed to travel to Chicago for the Arab American Democratic Club’s annual candidates’ brunch. Illness prevented my travel. Instead, I’m writing what I was going to say in my keynote remarks, hoping that it will help both younger and older Arab Americans better understand how much has changed for the community over the past four decades.
Things That Should But Can’t Be Said
Four months into Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza, one might have thought that American policymakers and commentators would have learned some lessons. Instead, their discussions about the conflict appear to remain trapped in the same tiresome and, at times, delusional framing that existed before the current fighting began.
A Different Kind of Armageddon Election
Twenty years ago, my brother John Zogby called that year’s presidential contest “the Armageddon Election.” He was referring to the way each side was characterizing the dangers to the country and the world should the other side win.
Working for a Ceasefire, From the Bottom Up
Despite the Biden administration’s refusal to back a ceasefire that would help end Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza, momentum is growing across the US calling on the administration to reverse course.