Washington Watch
My Message to the Democrats
By James Zogby August 4, 2008
On Friday, August 1st, I was invited
to testify before the committee writing the 2008 platform for the
Democratic Party. An excerpt from my testimony follows.
I am Arab American. My family came to this great country from Lebanon
almost a century ago. They, like hundreds of thousands of other Arab
immigrants, came because of the freedom America promised, and the
opportunity it provided.
Beginning in a little enclave in Brooklyn, where Kahlil Gibran wrote
his most famous work, Arab Americans fanned out across the country.
Like the rest of their generation, they survived two Great Wars and a
Depression. Yet, despite the hardships they endured and because of the
sacrifices they made, they were able to provide their children with the
better life they had hoped to find when they arrived on our shores.
In
the past sixty years, the descendants of that first wave have been
joined by new waves of immigrants from across the Arab world. Today,
there are almost four million Arab Americans. Though a diverse
community, we share two core beliefs: a love and appreciation of the
greatness of America, and a respect for and an attachment to the
heritage of our ancestors.
We
approach this election, profoundly aware of its importance. Like most
Americans, we know that the past eight years have been devastating for
our nation. The recklessness and neglect demonstrated by the Bush
Administration have taken a toll.
At
home, we face a shrinking economy, and a loss of confidence in our
institutions and our future. As a result, for many, the American dream
that inspired millions is in danger of becoming out of reach. And many
Americans in the middle class are no longer confident that their
children will be able to match their standard of living.
In
the face of these great challenges, the Bush Administration has
displayed the characteristics that have become their hallmarks: neglect
when action might have made a difference; ignoring reality and,
instead, imposing ideologically-based policy when they do act; and,
when they inevitable fail, either working to change the subject or
dumbing down the definition of victory.
Nowhere has misguided Bush Administration policy been more evident than
their behavior in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September
11th, when, in response to this crisis, the Administration undertook
domestic and foreign policies that have shredded our Constitution and
squandered international goodwill, while engaging in an ill-conceived
unilateral war that has left us at greater risk in a world that has
rejected our leadership.
As
Arab Americans, we feel the effect of these misguided policies acutely.
As a community that maintains close ties to the Middle East, where the
United States was once revered, we are stung by anti-American anger,
and the disgrace brought to our nation by Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and
torture. At the same time, recent Arab immigrants have been profiled,
detained and deported without due process. The values that we once
projected to the world and protected at home, we now see degraded. And
because of family ties and history, we have felt, personally, the
traumas visited on Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.
This
election provides more than a choice between two candidates. What we
will decide is whether or not we profoundly change direction, reclaim
our values and restore our image. From the incredible excitement he
generated during the primaries to the enthusiastic reception he
received during his recent nine nation overseas tour, we believe that
the election of Barack Obama will send the much needed message that
America is back.
The
Platform you are writing will also send a message, both to the American
people and the world. More than just a political document, it will
describe the policies we will pursue and the values on which we will
stand. It can, we believe, reinforce the hopes of so many that change
is on the way.
For
my part, I want to focus on some of the critical issues I noted above
that uniquely affect my community.
Because we have become so deeply concerned by the erosion of basic
civil liberties and the loss of civility in our national discourse, we
urge you to:
1) Make clear that we will work to
restore the balance between protecting civil liberties and national
security at home, and that abroad we will honor American values and our
treaty obligations. We should specifically call for an end to all
racial, ethnic and religious profiling. We must also make clear our
commitment to the rule of law including an end to torture, the closure
of Guantanamo Bay, and an end to warrantless surveillance.
2) Make clear we will reject the
demagogues who seek to divide us, and who specifically target Arab
Americans and American Muslims; that hate crimes should be punished;
and that efforts must be made to strengthen our sense of national
community by promoting respect for all faiths and ethnicities.
Because we are deeply troubled by the neglectful and reckless policies
pursued by the Bush Administration that have left the Middle East in
shambles and America less secure, we support and call for:
1) A responsible end to the war in Iraq,
working with the Iraqi people to achieve political reform and national
reconciliation. More must be done by all parties to support refugees
and internally displaced persons. In addition, particular attention
must be paid to the tens of thousands who worked with the United States
and now as a result find themselves at risk.
2) An active and determined diplomatic
engagement that strengthens to the commitment of all parties to achieve
a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, working toward a two-state solution while being attentive to
impediments on the ground that make such an outcome more difficult.
This diplomacy should ensure the creation of two democratic states,
Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security - a
Palestine that is viable, contiguous, sovereign and independent
alongside an Israel that has secure and recognized borders - and
recognize that the final status of Jerusalem, along with other
outstanding issues, should be negotiated between Israel and Palestine
with the constructive support of the United States.
3) Support for the continued efforts of
the Lebanese people to achieve reform, reconciliation and national
unity; work to strengthen the Lebanese army and develop other national
institutions; and encourage the implementation of all U.N. reforms.
For generations, millions have been inspired by our great nation and
its values. As we acknowledge the damage that has been done, we must
remain cognizant of the responsibility that has fallen on our shoulders
to restore that hope.
Read my full testimony
here.
Washington Watch is a weekly column written by AAI President James
Zogby. The views expressed within this column do not necessarily
reflect those of the Arab American Institute. We invite you to share
your views on the topics addressed within Dr. Zogby's weekly Washington
Watch by emailing jzogby@aaiusa.org.
Arab American Institute
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Washington, DC 20006
www.aaiusa.org