Arab-Americans-Making a Difference, by Casey Kasem

There are about 3 million Arab-Americans. As a community, we’ve been making a difference by demonstration our loyalty, inventiveness, and courage on behalf of the United State for over 100 years.

Among America’s activists who are making a great difference are the founder of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), Candy Lightner, and America’s --- and probably the world’s – foremost consumer advocate, Ralph Nader. Back in 1960, Ralph Johns, a key participant in the civil rights movement, encouraged the famous Woolworth ‘sit-in’ at a lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Among business leaders is the founder of an international, billion dollar engineering firm, Jacobs Engineering Group, Dr. Joseph Jacobs. A former chemist with dozens of patents became Armand Hammer’s successor as Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Occidental Petroleum – Dr. Ray Irani. The former head of the Federal Aeronautics Authority, Najeeb Halaby, was CEO of Pan-American Airlines. An internationally respected financial expert and economic forecaster is Dr. Ray Jallow. Paul Orfalea founded the world’s biggest international chain of copying service stores, Kinko’s, and Waleed and Malik Ali founded MPI, the world’s largest home-video distributor of documentaries.

Entrepreneur Tony Ismail founded the Alamo Flag Company in Dallas and Built it into the largest retailer of flags and related items in the US today. Wood-working furniture maker Sam Malouf, whose quality pieces are in demand, has had many of his creations exhibited in museums.

The Texas lawyer who won the biggest settlement in US history, on behalf of Pennzoil ($10 billion dollars!), is one of this country’s most successful attorneys, Joseph Jamail.

Some of the famous people you may know in the entertainment world are singer-songwriter Paul Anka who was one of America’s first pop teen idols. Ukelele-plucking, falsetto-singing Herbert Khaury became famous as "Tiny Tim." In the world of rock, there was the late, legendary Frank Zappa. On the West Coast, Dick Dale was the ‘King of the Surf Guitar.’ One of today’s superstars is singer-dancer Paula Abdul. The first teenage singer to have her first two singles hit Number One is Tiffany. Speaking of music, two of American’s landmark shows on radio were created by two Arab-Americans, Don Bustany and yours truly - - "American Top 40" and "American Country Countdown." Recently, I added "Casey’s Top 40" and "Casey’s Countdown."

On Broadway, playwright Fred Saidy wrote two classics, Finian’s Rainbow and Bloomer Girls. Opera prima donna Rosalind Elias hit the high notes at the Met. For avant-garde "Dancer of the Year" in 1992, The New York Times picked Elie Chaib, a 20 year male Broadway veteran with the Paul Taylor Company.

Turning to television, Lucie Salhany, chair of Fox Broadcasting Co., was the first woman to direct a television network. She now heads the United Paramount (TV) Network.

Among TV directors, two Arab-Americans have each helmed over 300 episodes for the network. Assad Kelada has done numerous pilots for series Like "Family Ties" and episodes of "The Fact of Life," "Who’s the Boss?" "WKRP in Cincinnati," etc. After directing Broadway hits like "Sweet Charity," "Mame," and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," John Bowab switched to TV and has directed "Soap," "Benson," "Bosom Buddies," "The Facts of Life," and the last season and a half of the "The Cosby Show."

Did you know that the highest-rated episode in television history was the last episode of "M*A*S*H"? The actor who played the role of not-so-crazy Corporal Klinger for its entire 11-year run was the talented Jamie Farr.

On NBC-TV, "Saturday Night Live’s" bandleader for many years was G.E. Smith. His family’s Lebanese name, Haddad, means ‘blacksmith.’

The best known Arab-American was also the founder of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital - - the late, great comedian and actor Danny Thomas. His daughter is Emmy Award-winning actress Marlo Thomas, and his son is a television and film producer and multi-Emmy winner for the "The Golden Girls" – Tony Thomas.

The leading man who starred in the movie Flashdance was Michael Nouri, more recently seen in TV’s "Love and War" sitcom. Actress Amy Yasbeck and actor Tony Shalhoub who currently plays Antonio are both featured in the TV series "Wings." Crusty but soft-hearted Mel in TV’s "Alice" was portrayed by the late Vic Tayback. One of the co-stars of the series "Empty Nest" was Kristy McNichol. Khrystyne Haje, who was picked by People magazine as one of the "50 most beautiful people in the US", was the star of TV’s "Head of the Class."

Two other fine movie and television actors who also starred in popular TV dramas are James Stacy, who played the title role in "Laramie" and M Michael Ansara, who played Cochise in "Broken Arrow."

Among the many other performers, and award-winning comic actress from San Diego recently scored a hit as a fun-loving nun in the Sister Act films, Kathy Najimy. The head of Carolco Pictures, handling the Rocky, Rambo, and Terminator films, among other, is "billion-dollar producer," Mario Kassar.

The producer who presented the epics the Message: The Story of Islam (a biography of Mohammed) and Lion of the Desert, not to mention all the blockbuster Halloween chillers, is Moustapha Akkad. The co-writer-director of the loony comedy hit Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is Tom Shadyac, who recently directed Eddie Murphy in the remake of the Nutty professor.

Fouad Said was the cinematographer who designed Cinemobile - - the first customized van for filming on locations while working on the TV series "I Spy." One of show business’s legendary talent managers was George "Bullets" Durgom. Who through the years, managed Jackie Gleason, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Marilyn Monroe, to mention a few. Mike Toney played ‘Fat Sally’ in Martin Scorsese’s film Casino.

Among Oscar winners: Best Actor for the movie Amadeus- F. Murray Abraham. Winner for Best Screenplay Adopted From Another Medium - - his novel, The Exorcist - - William Peter Blatty. The first woman to receive an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Thelma and Louise - - Callie Khouri.

For Best Song – "Last Dance" from Thank God, It’s Friday- composer Paul Jabara. Also, set decorator Emil Kuri, nominated for films like Mary Poppins, won the Oscar twice for The Heiress and Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

In the military world, US Air Force Col. James Jabara became the world’s first jet ace during the Korean War. West Point graduate and 4-star General George Joulwan commands both the US and NATO forces in Europe.

In World War II, Army officers like Maj Gen. Fred Safay fought alongside Gen. Patton, and Brig. Gen. Elias Stevens served on Gen. Eisenhower’s staff. In 1994, one of our Navy’s ships, the destroyer escort USS Naifeh, was named in honor of an Arab-American Navy Lt. Alfred Naifeh of Oklahoma.

In politics, US Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME) has retired. A new Arab-American Senator is Michigan’s Spencer Abraham. New Congressman, Nick Joe Rahall II, and Congresswoman Pat Danner from Missouri. Today, the first Arab American ever appointed to a US Cabinet position is the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala.

One of CNN’s political commentators is the former White House Chief of Staff and Governor of New Hampshire, John Sununu. Then there’s American’s longest-serving White House chief of protocol, Ambassador Selwa Roosevelt. Her assistant, Thomas A. Nassif, also served as US Ambassador to Morocco. A special Presidential envoy was the late Ambassador Philip Habib. A 50-year veteran with United Press International is the dean of the White House press corps – feisty Helen Thomas, who’s covered eight Presidents since 1961.

Others who have served in high elective office include former US Senators James Abourezk and James Abdnor, both of South Dakota; former Congressional members Mary Rose Oakar of Ohio, George Kasem of California, Abraham Kazen, Jr. of Texas, and Toby Moffett of Connecticut. Victor Atiyeh was the popular governor of Oregon.

In sports, the Heisman Trophy-winner who threw the "miracle touchdown" pass for Boston College some years back was Doug Flutie, more recently the Canadian Football League’s Most Valuable Player. Also quarterback Jeff George of the Atlanta Falcons, and Philadelphia Eagles coach Rich Katite who now coaches the NFL’s New York Jets. Don’t forget former linebacker for the Chicago Bears and an NFL Hall of Famer, Bill George, or former Cleveland Brown Abe Gibran.

The former owner of the Miami Dolphins has a football stadium named after him – Joe Robbie. One of the owners of Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals was Fred Saigh. In auto racing, Bobby Rahal won the Indy 500 in 1986 and is the all-time earnings champ among Indy car racers. Major League baseball player Joe Lehoud played with the Boston Red Sox. The founder of the Professional Bowlers Association is Eddie Elias. In the ring, Petey Sarron won the world feather-weight championship in 1936-1937; Zuhair "Steve" Mansour was weightlifting’s Gran 3-time U.S. National Chess Champion is Seattle’s Yasser Seirawan.

In the world of fashion, the prestigious CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year Award for 1990 and 1991 went to Arab-American Joseph Abboud. He’s the only designer to win the award tow years in a row. J.M. Haggar of Haggar Slacks manufactures more men’s slacks than anyone in the world. In addition, Farah Brothers manufactures men’s and women’s slacks; and Maloof Brothers manufactured Mod-O-Day women’s dresses.

Another inspiring success story was that of writer-lecturer on business and success, Nido Qubein. When he came to the United States as a teenager, he could barely speak English. He went on to become president of the National Speakers’ Association and the youngest member inducted into the International Speakers’ Hall of Fame.

In education, Jack Shaheen, Emeritus Professor of Mass Communications at Southern Illinois University, is also a film critic, consultant on the Middle East for CBS, and author of books like the TV Arab. Columbia University professor Edward Said is a will-known literary and social critic, as well as a respected music reviewer whose column appears in The Nation. David Adamany is President of Wayne State University in Detroit. The 1990 Pulitzer Prize for biography (Jackson Pollock: An American Saga) went to the author of three other national bestsellers as well – writer-publisher Steven Naifeh of South Carolina.

In science and medicine, one of America’s most famous pioneers is Houston heart surgeon, Dr. Michael DeBakey, who invented the heart pump. Today he’s Chancellor of Baylor University’s College of Medicine. The winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize for Chemistry is Harvard’s Dr. Elias Corey. Geologist George A. Doumani’s explorations helped prove the theory of continental drift; he has a mountain peak named after him in Antarctica. Another American geologist, Farouk El-Baz, helped plan all the Apollo moon landings and later pioneered the use of space photography to study the Earth. Finally, the courageous astronauts who lost their lives aboard the space shuttle Challenger included several racial and ethnic groups: African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, Anglo-American, Jewish-American – and an Arab-American: a school teacher, Christa McAuliffe.

We’ve all heard this quote before, "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," a famous quote by an Irish American President, John F. Kennedy. These words, that inspired an entire generation, were first written by, among others, the Arab-American author of the Prophet, Kahlil Gibran, more than 60 years ago.

With all due regards, I suspect the correct answer is 1932. Casey Kasem has no official Web site, but here's the beginning of an interview with Radio Business Report:

Q. What is your radio history before AT40 (American Top 40) launched in 1970?

Kasem: I started radio in 1950 on the "Lone Ranger" radio program, a dramatic show that emanated from Detroit when I was 18 years old and just beginning college.

FYI, the Kasem article was published in booklet form by the Arab American Institute and was posted on its Web site, but if your computer's like mine you won't get it except through Google's cache. As for the dated references: it's copyrighted 1999.

Those two alone have done more than probably everybody in this little thread that wants to try and pull the leftist wool over our eyes by somehow saying that these Americans are different than you and I because of the color of their skin. I'm sure your fans of affirmitive action as well, because you know black Americans need a step up, because they are not as good as white Americans.

People can make all the little leftist/racist comments they want, but when you go trashing American heroes, you went a little bit too far.

First of all, suggesting that I’m a lefty and support “affirmitive”(sp) action is so ridiculous that you’ve really cost yourself all credibility. The screen name is Right of Buchannan because I am. (although the stuff after "because" I have to ponder a bit...);-)

Hey, great, there were Arab Americans who fought in WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, etc. No one is saying that you’re worthless, but when Casey Kasem puts out this endless drivel trying to list all the “great” things that Arabs have done and he includes stuff like the guy who wrote “Bloomer Girls” (huh?) or did the pilot for “Family Ties” (are you kidding me?) that’s really weak right there. But fact is, you came to his defense. I’ve got to think you agree with him.

Do you know how boring and pitiful it would be to list all the accomplishments of, say, Americans of Norweigan decent?

Get over yourself!

Here's an interesting excerpt from an article I found Here. I can't vouch for the rest of the website, but this is a pretty good short history of Arab immigration to the U.S. and the current population. The author counts permanent resident aliens as "Arab-Americans", which I disagree with, but I'm familiar with the history of Arab immigration from other sources and this looks more or less accurate. Here is the excerpt:

For many in the United States, Arab-Americans are an invisible segment of the population. Though Arab-Americans as a community have made significant contributions to American society in fields ranging from literature to politics to medicine, many Americans know very little about Americans of Arab descent.

History

Arab history in the United States goes back to the late 1800’s when large numbers of Arab immigrants first began making their journey to a land know simply as “Amreeka.” Historians generally describe Arab immigration to America in two waves. The first wave took place between 1860 and 1924. The first wave consisted of Lebanese and Syrian, and some Egyptian immigrants. These new immigrants, who were predominantly Christian, came to America in pursuit of better opportunities. Even the doomed Titanic, which set sail for America in 1912, had close to a hundred Arab passengers aboard. The majority of Arab Americans today are descendents of the first wave of immigrants; they are third or more generation Americans.

The second wave of immigrants followed after WWII, sparked by political unrest in the Middle East. This second wave of immigrants consists of mainly Arab Muslims and continues to this day. These new immigrants include Palestinian, Lebanese, Egyptian and other Arabs from several of the 22 Arab countries in the world.

Arab-Americans today

Arab-Americans make up 3 million of the population in the United States, according to demographers. And contrary to popular belief, 64 percent of them are American-born. Eighty-two percent of Arab-Americans are US citizens.

The largest numbers of Arab-Americans trace their roots to the countries of Lebanon and Syria, followed by Palestine and Egypt with smaller numbers from Iraq, Jordan and other Arab countries. Most of the Arab-American population is concentrated in states like Michigan, California, and New York, according to cultural and demographic reports compiled by the Arab American Institute Foundation (AAIF), an educational organization established by the founders of the Arab American Institute.

A common misconception about Arab-Americans is the assumption that all Arabs are Muslim, when in fact Arab-Americans belong to many religions. Worldwide, only about 12 percent of Muslims are Arab. In the United States, only 23 percent of Arab-Americans are Muslim (Sunni, Shia, Druze). The majority of Arab-Americans are Christian: 42 percent Catholic (Roman Catholic, Maronite, Melkite rites), 23 percent Orthodox (Antiochian, Syrian, Greek, Coptic rites), and 12 percent Protestant, according to the AAIF.

Arab-Americans surpass the national average in both education and income. Education is important among Arab-Americans; 82 percent have high school diplomas, 36 percent have bachelor’s degrees or higher, and 15 percent have graduate degrees. The median average income among Arab-Americans is $39,580, which is higher than the US average, according to AAIF.

First of all, suggesting that I’m a lefty and support “affirmitive”(sp) action is so ridiculous that you’ve really cost yourself all credibility.

Actually, it was partly to make a joke and partially take a jab at you because I didn't think it was right for you to try and say that one group of Americans haven't contributed as much as others when you are as right as you appear to be. We are Americans. People don't say "European-American Alexander Graham Bell did this or European-Americans Orville & Wilbur Wright did that". They always say American(s).

To be serious though, you cannot say that any one group of Americans is any better than any other. My family is what could be called mostly German with a chunk of Cherokee thrown in, but I would feel silly saying that that those with Costa Ricans in their family haven't done as much as those with Germans in their family.

We are Americans. It wasn't necessarily you, but others here that think we can be divided up. United We Stand, Divided We Fall, kinda thing.

And contrary to popular belief, 64 percent of them are American-born. Eighty-two percent of Arab-Americans are US citizens.

Shhhh! Don't let that get out :-P

I got irritated about some comments people were making in other threads that basically sounded as though, irregardless of whether your American-born or not, if you have some Arab in you, you better turn in your neighbors or act a certain way or you'll be lined up against the wall.

This bothered me for a few reasons. I have an 85 year old friend that lives around the corner. She made it through the holocaust, but you can still make out the numbers on her arm. I also had two members of my family who went through the holocaust as well (they married into my family). When I was in college, I did a minor in German history (thought it would be a neat thing to do, we were researching our family tree at the time) and I remember things from those courses that are eerily reminiscent of what is going on right now, and it bothers me. I believe that I'm as conservative as I am, because I saw when I did a lot of reading about what a government, with a population angry, and looking for somebody to blame, can do to a people and to a nation. You get a government that starts to make little power grabs here and there (and Hitler's power grabs started out quite small and at first weren't even fronted by him but by others) and then manage to use a few incidents to get people angry, and things started rolling. Now I certainly don't think we could go that far, nor do I think WTC compared to Reichstag (it was more of a Pearl Harbor) but I am just troubled to see FRers that normally are just Americans who don't judge others based on religion/race/etc. all of the sudden trying to divide everybody up.

Re post #62:

Now I'm sorry I got into this because the AAI version is different from wimpycat's post; obviously Casey's been running with it for years. For one thing he corrected the name of the hit Broadway show Fred Saidy wrote the book for: it's Bloomer Girl. And among the Arab-Amercians listed in the newer version:

Reps. Ray LaHood, John Baldacci, Christopher John, and John E. Sununu (no surprise there); the former NBA star Rony Seikaly; Dr. Elias Ghanem, one of Elvis's physicians (THAT'S dubious); and Jacques Nasser, the former Ford Motor boss.

We all have our ethnic allegiances, and should be proud of them. But somehow I'm thinking of ol' Ben Franklin's line, "We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we will all hang separately." Face it, at a time like today, we're ALL Americans.

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