I watched “Tyrant” on FX the other night. I had to. Ever since I saw the preview, I knew I was Arab-ly required to take it in. Cable television dramas are usually 60 minutes in length, but the premiere episode of “Tyrant” lasted 80 minutes. One hour simply wasn’t enough to squeeze in all the […]
Month: June 2014
Abbas & Mustafa
How much do I really relate to the Palestinian living next door? As far as history claims, societies first formed when a group of people decided to gather in caves for protection. So, we are Palestinians because our ancestors happened to live in caves nearby! Ok, ok… it may mean a bit more than that, […]
Little sister’s big trip
A month from now, my little sister is embarking on a trip of a lifetime to Nazareth. She will be staying with my mother’s cousins. For 2 weeks, she will be living as they do and experiencing the best of what Arab culture has to offer. She is in her twenties and single, so the […]
Arabs “sheering” for the World Cup
An Arab should pick his or her favorite World Cup team carefully. But before I get into that, a quick word about Arabs and this year’s festivities. Soccer’s premiere tournament makes almost every global citizen disconnect from the real world for a month every four years. Arabs are no exception. Additionally, this year, the last […]
Why the Arab nations are not ready for democracy
Normally, I hate speaking or writing about Arab politics. The reason I hate it is because it normally ends with someone getting a shoe or table (depending on the person’s strength) thrown in his or her direction. Arabs are very prideful of their countries and want the best for them. The arguments start when opinions […]
Why am I cooking grape leaves?
Like all good Arab daughters, I too have dabbled in the realm of Arabic cooking. So what food did I decide to make that would be my signature dish? Warak Dawali (stuffed grape leaves) and Kusa Mihshi (stuffed squash), of course! Not only are these my favorite Arabic meals of all time, they looked super […]
American “Minerva Initiative” a danger to activist freedom
The place where many of us got our activist legs, learned how to stencil a protest sign, or contemplated the appropriate color paper for leafleting, was on a college campus. Academic institutions have often lead the way on issues of justice and social responsibility, particularly on matters of anti-discrimination and civil/human rights. And it hasn’t […]
On the ways up the mountain – Part 2
Following our spirituality, religion and politics discussion, we’d naturally ask: Why is spirituality important? Is it missing in the Arab world? And what is the alternative? We have always associated Europe’s success with its ability to break away from the Catholic Church, start the Renaissance and establish the importance of logic and science over superstition. […]
نسيم الريم
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The mystic, the cleric and the politician – Part 1
What is religion? What is spirituality? I don’t claim to know the answer to these questions. But, maybe creating a distinction between both could make this very complex and vague picture a bit clearer. One way to define the difference is to say, “Religion is the belief in someone else’s experience; spirituality is having your […]
More Arab than you?
I was recently at a friend’s party and I heard someone say, “Because I’m Lebanese.” That was her answer to another lady that asked her why she was so tan. I immediately gravitated towards her and started asking her a ton of questions! I was so happy when I found out that her dad was […]
Bill O’Reilly needs a Muslim hug
Someone needs to give Bill O’Reilly a hug. And that someone should be a Muslim. In 2010, Bill O’Reilly told us, “There’s no question that there is a Muslim problem in the world.” As a peaceful, loving person, I believe a tender embrace could change his mind. In all fairness, O’Reilly is not that unique […]
A tale of two teitas
“Nous u Nous”, half-breed, half-Arabic…that’s what I am. My mom is a Christian Palestinian and my father is from America. I always felt that I wasn’t enough Arabic for my mom’s family but too Arabic for my dad’s side. It’s a wonderful and weird combination of heritage and even more so as a child. The […]
كذبة بيضاء عن الموت الأسود
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Hey Arabs, you’re not white!
Every now and then, I come across Arab Americans who tell me, “Why are you hung up on this thing about getting Arabs a box on the census form? Let’s just stay white.” My disappointment is usually too visible for their liking. To those of my brethren, I simply say: This white thing is not […]
Farewell to the Quarter-Man
If you have been exposed to the songs of Fayrouz and the music of Ziad Rahbani of Lebanon, Qasabji of Egypt or Khammash of Iraq then you definitely have been introduced to the “quarters”. The Arabic music is characterized by several factors and is unique in its own way. It includes the use of sounds […]
My Happiness Key
I kept staring at the night sky Hoping that his ghost will pass by I drew a big bright smile on my face Feeling the place being filled with his grace It took me more than a year to wake up And now I’m fierce again, never giving up I heard his laughs from the […]
Unity must mean all of us, including women
The quintessential symbol of Palestinian culture and identity is—of course—the olive tree, with its roots that run deep (safe from the trampling feet of invading armies and occupying forces), a strong body capable of withstanding even the harshest environments, rich fruit to sustain generations, and its ability to come back—and flourish—even after suffering what ought […]
Arab Americans: Liberals or Conservatives?
In America, we have a completely different view of what would be considered a “problem” or “issue” in society. For example, some general problems that an average Arab American in Dearborn faces are whether to get his Knafeh from Shatila Bakery or Masri Sweets. Our generation that lives here is spoiled in that way and […]