We don’t get to choose our moms, so I consider myself pretty lucky. She has been unconditionally loving and supportive. Most moms are like that. She has been proud when I have done well. Most moms are like that too. And she has let me know when I have messed up. I think just about […]
Author: Amer Zahr
Amer Zahr is a Palestinian American comedian, writer, professor and speaker living in Dearborn, Michigan. He is also the editor of "The Civil Arab."
Cosby, MacGyver, & the News
I’ve always been prone to lose things. It’s probably because I enjoyed a fairly privileged upbringing. I grew up middle-class and fortunately never really wanted for anything. My siblings and I didn’t grow up spoiled, but we had all that we needed and more. Sure, it took a long time to get my dad to […]
Star Spangled Banter
About a month ago, I attended the annual banquet of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in Dearborn, Michigan. Over 1000 people from all faiths, ethnicities, and walks of life attended. Politicians came to stomp, and, as you can imagine, members of our community got dressed up for the occasion. There’s no need to go to […]
The Arab Year in Review
2011 was a busy year for Arabs. According to my calculations, we were on CNN at least once every day. On MSNBC, same thing. When it came to Fox News, we were on 75 times a day. They clearly love us the most. In fact, we made it onto the newscasts even when we had […]
Me, A Victim of Anti-Semitism…
This week, I experienced a kind of confusing racism I never could have imagined. Since I am proud of my heritage, I celebrate Christmas because it is the birthday of the most famous Palestinian of all time. In the spirit of the season, I bought each of my two sisters a Tommy Hilfiger bag from […]
Happy Birthday Jesus… You’re One of Us!
Well, another Christmas has come and gone. To Palestinians, this holiday is really special. Jesus was one of us. We’re pretty proud of that. I’ve been to Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem many times, and Palestinians are looking after Jesus’ stuff pretty well. Now, for me, Christmas is really cool. As I’ve mentioned before, both of […]
The Muslims Aren’t Evil Enough
The Muslims on TLC’s “All American Muslims aren’t evil enough. That’s why home-improvement giant Lowe’s pulled its ads from the show. The Florida Family Association (FFA) claims the show is “propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda’s clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values… the show profiles only Muslims that appear to […]
Now We’re Invented?
So I was watching the news on Friday (as I always do… remember, CNN is a social activity for Palestinians), and I heard Newt Gingrich say the following: Newt on CNN: “I believe that the Jewish people have the right to have a state.” Me at home: “OK…” Newt on CNN: “Remember, there was no […]
Shafeeq, the Hummus-Lover
Shafeeq Zahr was born in Nazareth around 1912. He was smart, funny, and dashingly good-looking. He was a Palestinian, and he loved hummus. His mother died of complications during his birth, and his father quickly remarried. After his teenage years, Shafeeq left Nazareth and eventually settled in the beautiful Palestinian seaside city of Yafa. At […]
A Letter to Barack
Dear Barack, We Arabs and Muslims in this country were so excited when you won in 2008. We all wanted to have you over for dinner. You like lamb, right? During your inauguration, when Chief Justice John Roberts said “Barack HUSSEIN Obama,” we loved it. We all started calling each other. “Did you hear him […]
The Republican Yellow Brick Road
Barack Obama must be wondering how, in the midst of a recession, high unemployment, and little hope, he got so damn lucky. The Republican party is parading out a band of brainless, heartless, and gutless candidates to be the next leader of the free world. Watching their debates reminds me of my childhood, when my […]
Former Presidents
What a crazy couple months. We Arabs just cannot get out of the news. Whether it’s Qaddafi, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, or Iran (OK, they’re not Arabs, but, seriously, how many FOX viewers know that?), we just can’t get a day off. Muammar Qaddafi is gone. He was killed in much the same way he […]
There is a Place Called Palestine
Sometime this week, Mahmoud Abbas will be asking the United Nations Security Council for full recognition for the State of Palestine. Such a move would give the Palestinians full rights at the UN, allowing them to vote, actively participate in the body’s proceedings, and pursue legal action against Israel in international courts. The United States, […]
Not All Muslims Are Terrorists!
On September 11, 2001, I was 24 years old. I was a graduate student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and I woke up on that Tuesday morning around 9:15. I did what I did every morning at that time in my life. I turned on ESPN and saw the Twin Towers billowing […]
Happy Eid to Everyone… and I Mean Everyone!
Ramadan can cause a lot of confusion throughout this country. For the past 30 days, Americans have been wondering why their Muslim counterparts have been running out of energy after 3 pm. Well, Ramadan is finally over. And now we have completed Eid Al-Fitr, the three day long festivity that marks the end of the […]
Arabs and the Circle of Life
For us Arabs, this month has definitely not been short of news. Libya is in the middle of a revolution. Syria is in flames. And the Palestinians, if you haven’t heard, are about to have their own state. Qaddafi has been in power since Nixon took office. He is now on the run, trying to […]
A Little Bit of Israel
“There’s a little bit of Israel in all of us… Come find the Israel in you.” That’s what I heard. I was up at 3 am. It was one of those nights when I couldn’t sleep, laying awake, working out varied scenarios and schemes to liberate my homeland. Then on came a commercial, showing stunning […]
Merry Ramadan
Muslims are entering the holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting, reflection, and sleeping in whenever possible. As I have told you all before, I come from an interreligious family. My father is a Christian and my mother is a Muslim. It is the type of marriage forbidden in both religions. And look what […]
BEWARE… Being Palestinian is Contagious
Last weekend, I was lucky enough to perform at the annual convention of the American Federation of Ramallah Palestine in Washington, DC. I saw many old friends and met many new ones. I performed in three comedy shows, and I can tell you this: Palestinians know how to laugh, especially at themselves. But I also […]
Islam is BAD… Or Is It?
On June 8, I wrote a column entitled “The Arab Spring & Big, Bad, Scary Muslims” about the depiction of Muslims in academia and media, citing the recent cover of “The Atlantic.” The truth is that I could write each and every day about the unfair depictions of Muslims and Arabs in the news, films, […]