Arab-Americans-Making a Difference, by Casey Kasem

Arabmedia.com ^ | Unknown | Casey Kasem

[wimpycat]

I did a Google search, looking for "famous Arab-Americans", and, among many pretty good sites, I came across this article written by Casey Kasem. I can't vouch for the credibility of the rest of the website, but this article seems pretty good and factually correct. It's non-political; he's simply highlighting the achievements of Arab-Americans.

Quite frankly, I was surprised at seeing Doug Flutie, Sen. George Mitchell, F. Murray Abraham, and the founder of Haggar slacks on this list. F. Murray Abraham (the "F" stands for Fahrid) is an Orthodox Christian, according to a 11/1/98 New York Times article about Arab American actors, and is the son of a Syrian father and Italian-American mother. He's one of my favorite actors.

[Mulder]

Blah...blah..blah....

All of us saw the 'difference' they made on September 11.

Either you're an American or your not an American. People need to drop this hyphenated crap.

[Khepera]

Casey Kasem ain't dead yet?

[JoeFromCA]

Arab-Americans may be OK, but after seeing the Arab world (Islam) reaction to the bin Laden tape, all I can say is that it reminds me of the African-American reaction to the OJ Simpson verdict. As a culture, the middle east culture seems to be unable to deal with reality. Before 9/11 I was neutral on these issues, before the release of the bin Laden tape I was skeptical, and now I'm downright suspicious.

Saudi Arabia, for example, had better shape up or they will find themselves akin to the Soviet Union during the cold war--America's #1 enemy.

[billorites]

Jeez.

More Arabs than people in this country!

[Shermy]

Of course one of Dick Dale's greatest surf instrumental hits was "Hava Nagila."

[wimpycat]

Well, I agree about the hyphenated-American thing. But, I was surprised to find out how many famous and successful Americans were of Arab descent (is that better?). Most of these people's families have been in the U.S. for over a 100 years and most of them are not Muslim.

But thanks for dumping your negative comments on the thread without reading beyond the first few lines, anyway!

[wimpycat]

Casey Kasem ain't dead yet?

I wonder who's older, Casey or Dick Clark?

[WriteOn]

So when do you stop being an Arab-American and just become a plain old American?

[Mulder]

But thanks for dumping your negative comments on the thread without reading beyond the first few lines, anyway!

You're welcome.

I just wanted to post here to "make a difference" so I could join the ranks of others who have "made a difference". :-)

[phillibuck]

This obviously wasn't written recently. Paul Abdul, one of today's superstars? Funny. Jeff George hasn't played for the Falcons in years. Rich Kotite, coach of the Eagles. That's been a while too.

[imperator2]

90% of the "great" Arab American mentioned by Kasem including himself are CHRISTIAN. What does it tell you???

[GeneD]

Dick Clark. (He was born November 30, 1929; Casey Kasem was born April 24, 1932. They both think they're 26.)

[kingh99]

Here's to dumping negative comments on the thread without reading beyond the first few lines.

You either know what you stand for or spend your life deciding.

[Octar]

If you can't lose the hyphenated silliness, please go back.

Being an American ought to matter more than where you or, even worse, your ancestors came from.

People who persist in the hyphenated, not entirely American pose, make me sick.

[Jhensy]

The voice of Shaggy is really stretching things here a bit. Frank Zappa? Italian! His Italian father (born in Sicily) apparently had some Greek and Arab blood in him, his mother was Italian/French. Paula Adbul? For goodness sakes, she's Jewish! Kristy McNichol? Huh? I also think the vast majority of those he cited were either Lebanese or Turkish, who often are more European than Arab. Someone correct me if I'm off-base here.

[wimpycat]

So when do you stop being an Arab-American and just become a plain old American?

Well, gee, I don't know why don't you ask those who refer to themselves as Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, African-Americans, German-Americans, Greek-Americans and Polish-Americans? I hope you aren't singling out any one group of hyphenated-Americans over another for doing the same thing.

I think one reason why this list is such a surprise to many people, like myself, is that the Americans of Arab descent, the ones who are 3rd, 4th and 5th generation Americans anyway, is that they don't identify themselves as "Arab-American". They don't all vote one way--they're all over the political spectrum.

I bet you didn't even know that "Haggar" in Haggar slacks was referring to the American of Arab descent who founded the company? I didn't before today. Most hyphenated-Americans want you to know right away where their roots are, even if their family hasn't set foot in their "mother" country in generations. My brother-in-law is Irish--meaning he's really Irish, from Dublin. He gets pissed off when some Bostonian or New Yorker whose family has been here 150 years refers to himself as "Irish", when he's never even seen Ireland.

[marshmallow]

Kasey Kasem Flips Out On The Air (Clip #11 from top)

Contains strong language.

[wimpycat]

People who persist in the hyphenated, not entirely American pose, make me sick.

So 4th generation Americans wearing those "Kiss Me, I'm Irish!" T-shirts make you sick, too?

[stevem]

Hyphenating some "nationality" with American is a disservice to this country. I hope these people don't look at themselves that way any more than I consider myself "Irish-American" or "European-American."

Never-the-less, I think F. Murray Abraham is a great actor. I don't think I ever saw him play a part that he didn't impress me.