Al-Hewar/The Arab-American Dialoguewinter 2007

Arab-Americans:SuspectsorPartners?

PhilipA.Salem,M.D.

Al-Hewar/The Arab-American DialogueWinter 2007

Dr.PhilipA.SalemistheDirectoroftheCancerResearchProgramatSt.Luke’sEpiscopalHospitalinHouston,Texas.HedeliveredthefollowingspeechonFebruary9,2007atTexasA&MUniversityinCollegeStation,duringArabCultureCelebrationDay:

Ibelievethatyouarecontributorstothisnewcivilization...Andwhatisittobeagoodcitizen?...ItistostandbeforethetowersofNewYorkandWashington,ChicagoandSanFranciscosayinginyourheart, “IamthedescendantofapeoplethatbuildedDamascusandByblos,andTyreandSidonandAntioch,andnowIamheretobuildwithyou,andwithawill.”

GibranKhalilGibran

AddressinghisfellowLebaneseandSyrians

NewYork,1920

Firstly,Iwouldliketothanktheorganizingcommitteeof “CelebratingArabCultures” forinvitingmetospeaktoyouonthisoccasion.ItisindeedaprivilegeformetoaddressthechallengesArabAmericansnowfaceinAmerica,andhowAmericashouldrespondtothesechallenges.

IamanArabAmerican,andIamimmenselyproudofmyheritage,andwhatArabAmericanshavecontributedtoAmericaandtotheworld.Also,IamveryproudofbeingacitizenoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,andIamenormouslygratefultotheopportunitiesthatAmericahasprovidedforme.Arab-Americansareinacrisis;acrisisofdistrustandmisconceptions.WeArabAmericanshaveanobligationtoresolvethiscrisisassoonaspossible,andtocultivateahealthyrelationshipoftrustandfriendshipwithAmerica.Moreimportantly,weshouldbecomefullparticipantsintheprocessofmakingAmerica.Mypresentationtodayisahumbleattempttoexplorehowwecanachievetheseobjectives.

WhattheworldconsiderstodaytheArabMiddleEastwasthecradleofcivilizationsincethedawnofrecordedhistory.CivilizationflourishedinIraq,Syria,Lebanon,Palestine,andEgyptwhenEuropewasstillinitsdarkages,andthewesternhemispherehadnotyetbeendiscovered.Historically,Arabshavecontributedsignificantlytoworldcivilization,inculture,science,philosophy,andinthearts.

OnlyashortvisittoAndalusiainmodernSpain,offersaglimpseofthetoweringbeautyofIslamicarchitectureandArabculturewhenSpainwasunderArabrule.IntheAbbasidera,Christians,Moslems,andJewsworkedtogetherinBaghdad,anddebatedscience,poetry,andphilosophicalthought,andtheymademajorinnovationsinallofthem.Infact,thenumeralsthatwecurrentlyuseintheEnglishlanguageareArabic.

OneofthemajorcontributionsofArabsinthescienceswasintherealmofmedicine.Thetextbook “Al-Qanoun”,whichwaswrittenbyAvicenna,wasthemajormedicaltextbookusedinEuropeforsevencenturies,upuntilthecollapseoftheArabEmpireinSpaininthe13thcentury.Avicennawasnotonlyamasterofmedicine,butalsoamasterofphilosophy.Ispeakofhimtodaynotonlyfromahistoricalperspective,butalsotoreviewsomeofthemajorconceptsheintroduced,andhowimportanttheseconceptsshouldnowbeformodernmedicine.Avicennasawmedicineinthecontextofthephilosophicalperspectiveofman,andthemeaningofhisexistence.Hewasthefirsttointroducetheconceptthatman;mind,body,andsoul,isone,andthatitisimpossibletodissectmatterfromspirit.Theinteractionbetweenbodyandmindisbasictothedynamicsofmedicine,andtotheunderstandingofman.

Oneofthemajorproblemsofmodernmedicineisthatmedicineisviewedasthescienceoftreatingdisease.Thisconceptdoesnotcapturetheessenceofmedicinebecauseitdoesnotaddressthenon-physicaldimensionofdisease.Doctorsnevertreatdiseaseinavacuum.Infact,theynevertreatdiseaseassuch;theyalwaystreatpeopleafflictedwithdisease.

Avicennadiedsome1040yearsago.ThequestionnowiswhatArabs,andspecificallyArabAmericans,havecontributedtomodernAmericanmedicine?Toanswerthisquestion,IwillspeakaboutthefirstwavesofArabimmigrantstoAmerica,whichoccurredinthelate19thandearly20thcenturies.ThesewereArabswhofledtheMiddleEastbecauseofoppressionandpoverty.TheycametoAmerica,thelandofnewpromise,foranewfutureandanewlife.Althoughthesepeoplewerealmostilliterate,theyhadabigdream:toeducatetheirchildrenatthebestschoolsinAmerica.

AmongtheiroffspringisthenoblelaureateEliasJamesCorey,whowontheNobelPrizeinOctober,1990fordevelopingatechniqueinchemistrycalledretrosyntheticanalysis.Severalyearslater,anotherArabAmerican,AhmadZewailoftheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeley,wonaNobelPrizeinchemistry.

WhenIthinkofmodernAmericanmedicine,Icannotbutthinkofoneofthemostprominentfiguresinthisfield,MichaelDeBakey,thesonofLebaneseimmigrantsfromthesouthofLebanon.IhavelittledoubtthatDr.DeBakeywillgodowninhistoryasthe20thcenturyheartsurgeon.HeisamongaselectfewwhomademedicinethegreatestproductthatAmericancivilizationhaseverproduced.Inaddition,therearemanyArabAmericanswhonowoccupypositionsofresearchleadershipinAmerica.

Incancerresearch,IcanthinkofatleastadozenArabAmericanswhohavecontributedsignificantlytothewaragainstcancer,andtothediscoveryofnewanti-canceragents.

Whatistrueofthemedicalsciencesisalsotrueofotherdisciplines.Inliterature,GibranKhalilGibranstandsasamonumentalfigure.GibranfocusedonwhatAmericaneededmost:anunderstandingofthatpartofmanthatisneithervisiblenormeasurable.Hespokeoflove,compassion,friendship,innocence,goodness,andnobility.

AlthoughIamastudentofscience,Ihavenoproblemadmittingthatthemostimportantandmeaningfulaspectsofhumanexistencearebeyondtherealmofscience,andcannotbeenteredintoacomputer.Love,forexample,isnotacomputeritem,butitisprobablythegreatestpowerintheworld.Withoutlove,lifelosesmeaning.Gibranwasalsoaprophetofglobalismandhumanism.Heoncesaid, “Ihavecometobelievethatthewholeworldismycountryandthatallmankindismyfamily.”

OneoftheauthorsoftheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights,whichwasadoptedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheUnitedNationsinParisonDecember10,1948,wasoneofus.Presidingoverthecommitteethatsawtheevolutionofthedocumentthroughtothemomentofvictory,andwritingthebulkofthetextofthedeclaration,wasamanfromourland,Dr.CharlesMalik.Malikwasaphilosopherandadiplomat.Iknowofsomepeoplewhomaydisagreewithhispoliticalvision,butIknowofnoonewhodoesnotrespectandhonorthismanforhisindefatigablefightforthedignityofman,andtherightsoftheindividual.

AnotherAmericanofArabdescentwhocontributedgenerouslytoAmericaisDannyThomas(bornMuzyadYa’koob).Mr.Thomascamefromaveryhumblebackground,androsetotheheightsofsuccessintheworldofentertainment.However,hisrealsuccesswasnotinthat,butinhiscommitmenttoAmerica.HehonoredapledgehemadetoSt.JudetoestablishacancercenterforchildreninhisnameshouldSt.Judeanswerhisprayersandhelphimsucceed.Hesucceeded,andhehonoredhispledge.Today,St.Jude’sChildren’sHospitalinMemphis,Tennesseeisoneoftheleadingcancerresearchinstitutionsintheworld,andisprobablythebestcancercenterforchildren.Largelybecauseofitscontributions,leukemiainchildren,whichwasaninevitablyfatalillness,hassuccumbedtocurativetreatment,andapproximately80%ofchildrenwiththisdiseasearenowcurable.

Speakingofleukemia,Imustspeakofanintellectualgiant,anArabAmericanwhodiedrecentlyofthisdisease:EdwardSaid,professorofcomparativeliteratureatColumbiaUniversityinNewYork.SaidwasachampionofPalestinianandArabrights.Also,hewasoneofthepowerfulthinkerswhoformulatedthenewconceptsofOrientalism,andArabism.

Withthishistoricalbackgroundinperspective,Iwouldlikenowtoaddressthecentralissue.Inthiscurrentwaragainstterror,theissueisthatAmericalooksatallArabAmericansassuspects,andArabAmericansfeelthatAmericaisunjustifiablyhostiletothem.Eventhoughitistruethatallthosewhocommittedtheterroron9/11wereMoslems,andthatthebulkofthemwereArabs,doesthisfactmakeIslamguilty,andallArabsterrorists?Icertainlydonotbelieveso.Hereismyargument,andwhatIbelieveshouldbedone,notonlytoestablishthetruth,butalsotoinvestthetruthinbuildingbridgesofloveandunderstandingbetweenArabsandAmericans.IwillbeginwithwhatAmericaneedstounderstandaboutArabs,theirreligions,andtheirculture,andthereafter,IwilldiscusswhatArabAmericanshavetounderstandaboutAmerica,andwhatAmericastandsfor.

A.WhatAmericahastounderstandaboutArabsandIslam:

1.Althoughthe19terroristsof9/11wereallMoslems,Islam,asareligion,isnotguilty.WhatAmericadidnotunderstandwasthatthatspecificattackofterroronNewYorkandWashingtonwasalsoanattackofterroronthereligionofIslam.ThatactprobablydidmoreharmtoIslamthanitdidtoAmerica.Icannotthinkofanyotheractinthelast1000yearsthathasdamagedtheimageofIslammorethanthisact.Islamisareligionofpeace,compassionandmercy,andtheterroristshijackedittoadestinationnotofitschoice.WhenMoslemsmeet,theygreeteachotherwith “peacebeuponyou”.Also,theKoranstipulatesthat “ifyoukillonehuman,youkillallhumans”[1].Alltheterroriststhatcommittedthe9/11crimebelongedtoal-Qaeda,theobjectiveofwhichisnotonlythedestructionoftheWest,butalsothedestructionofotherMoslemArabs,andthedestructionofArabregimesinSaudiArabia,Egypt,andJordan.Al-QaedaisalsoagainsttheIslamicregimeinIran,andtheMoslemShiitesofIranhadhelpedAmericadefeattheTaliban,whoareMoslemSunni.

2.Theword “terrorist” isnotasynonymfor “Arab.” Infact,farmoreArabshavebeenvictimsofterrorthanAmericans.WemustrememberthatLebanonisanArabcountry,andithasbeenthevictimofterrorforthelast30years.ThetargetsofterrorarenotlimitedtotheWest;theyincludemanycountriesintheArabworldaswell:Jordan,Lebanon,SaudiArabia,Egypt,andtheGulfstates.ThemoderateArab(andmostArabsandArabAmericansaremoderate)ismoreatargetofterrorthantheAmerican.ThethousandsofpeoplewhowerekilledintheMiddleEast:Lebanon,Palestine,andIraqwerekilledbyterrorists.FarmoreMoslemsthanAmericanshavediedasaresultofterror.Terrorkilledsome3000peopleinAmerica,butithasalsokilledmorethanhalfamillionArabsintheMiddleEast.Accordingly,AmericahastounderstandthattheoverwhelmingmajorityofArabsarenotonlypeoplewhodonotcondoneterror,buttheythemselvesarealsovictimsofterror.ThisiswhyIbelievestereotypingArabsinAmericaismorallyandpoliticallywrong.

3.ArabsareanassettoAmerica,notaliability.ArabAmericans,asIhavementioned,havecontributedenormouslytoAmerica.TheybringwiththemtothiscountryaheritagethatAmericabadlyneeds.Itisaheritageoffamilyvalues,friendship,love,compassion,hospitality,andhumanwarmth.Americashouldinvitethemtobepartnersinthewaragainstterror,ratherthanalienatethemassuspectsofterror.Theyaretheoneethnicgroupthatbestunderstandsthemindoftheterrorist.Unlessweunderstandthatmind,itwouldbedifficulttodefeattheterrorist.

4.AmericamustunderstandthattheoverwhelmingmajorityofArabsandMoslemsloveAmerica,itscivilizationandculture.However,theymightdistrustanddislikeitsforeignpolicyintheMiddleEast.AmericahastorecognizethattheArab-IsraeliconflictintheMiddleEastisattherootofthephenomenonofterror,andisalsoattherootoftheconflictbetweenAmericaandtheArabs.SolvingtheArab-Israeliconflictshouldbeapriorityforthecurrentadministration,andtofutureones.UnlessweresolvetheArab-Israeliconflict,itwillbedifficulttosolvetheproblemofterror.

WhatAmericaalsoneedstounderstandisthatitcannotexercisepowerovertheIsraelisandArabstobringaboutpeaceunlessitbecomesanhonestbrokerofpeace,and,inordertobeanhonestbrokerofpeace,AmericamustmakesurethatitsforeignpolicyintheMiddleEastiseven-handedandjust.DecisionmakersinAmericamustlearnthatjusticeisfarmorepowerfulthanmilitarypower.Intheend,ifpeaceisnotjust,itwillnotlast.

5.Aswehaveallrealizedbynow,thewaronterrorisalongone,andalong-termtoolthatAmericashoulduseinthiswarisonethatAmericahasnotusedsofar.ItisAmericaneducation.AmericashouldinvestfarmoreineducationintheMiddleEastthaninitsmilitarypowerthere.Ultimately,educationisthegreatestforcethatwecanuseagainstterror.Oneoftherootsofterrorislackofeducation.

B.WhatArabAmericansneedtoknowaboutAmerica:

1.Americaisthewrongenemy.PoliticalmovementsandmostpoliticalrevolutionsintheArabworldinthelast60yearshaveportrayedAmericaastheenemy.Thiswasalethalmistake,andtherewasnothinginmyopinionthathasobstructedthedevelopmentandmaturityofpoliticalandcivilmovementsinourhomelandmorethanthisfalseperception.Thisperceptionisalsocontagious;ithasplaguedArabAmericansaswell.Americaisasuperpower,anditiscurrentlytheonlysuperpowerintheworld.IrrespectiveofwhetherweapproveordisapproveofitsforeignpolicyintheMiddleEast,ourresponseshouldbetoworkwithit,nottoattackit.TodosoweshouldnotalienateourselvesfromAmerica,butintegrateintoitandworkwithinitssystem.ArabsandArabAmericansmighthavefeltthatAmericanforeignpolicywithrespecttotheArab-IsraeliconflictisheavilybiasedinfavorofIsraelandthatAmericahasalwayssupportedIsraelunconditionally.Thisisprobablytrue,buttheonlywaytochangethatistoworkwithAmericathanagainstit.

2.America,unlikeArabnations,isademocracy.ThebulkofArabshereinAmerica,andintheMiddleEast,lookatAmericaasonesinglepoliticalentitywithregardtoforeignpolicy.Thisconceptiswrong.Inademocracythereisagovernmentandthereisanopposition.ThekeynotionthatArabsneedtounderstandisthatmanyAmericansandAmericanpoliticianssupportArabcausesandopposetheprevailingforeignpolicyofAmericaintheMiddleEast.TheseAmericansareourbestalliesbecausetheystronglybelieveinourcauses,andtheyalsohavethepowertochangetheforeignpolicyofAmerica.Inaddition,weshouldneverforgetthatitisourresponsibilitytoworkwithintheAmericansystemandtobringaboutchangeindecision-makingattwolevels:atthelevelofcongressandthatoftheexecutivebranch.ThiscanonlybeachievedbyestablishinganArablobbyinAmerica.Wehavenotbeenabletodosobecausewedonothaveaunifiedvisionandbecauseofourinabilitytoworktogetherasateam.ForustoachieveanythinginAmericaweneedtolearntoworktogetherandtorespecteachotherandrespectourdifferences.

3.Americaisanexperimentinthemaking.Itisahistoricalexperiment.Itisabouthowpeoplewithalltheirdifferencesincolor,religion,politicalideology,andgeographicalrootscanriseabovealloftheirdifferencesandworktogethertobuildanewnation.Itisabouthowmenandwomenshedtheirdifferencesandworktogethertobuildsomethinggreat.MyteaminHoustonworkaroundtheclock,24-hoursaday,7daysaweek,totreatpeoplewithcancerdiseases.ThisteamismadeofMoslems,Christians,Jews,Agnostics,andAtheists.Itismadeofpeopleofmanydifferentethnicbackgrounds.SomecomefromRussia,somefromChina,somefromIndia,somefromSouthAmerica,andsomefromhere.Weareallunitedforanoblecause;theconquestofcancer.ThisiswhatIcalltheroadtocivilization.Itiswhenweriseabovethepettydifferencesthathaveplaguedtheworldforthelastseveralthousandyears,tothelevelofhumanism.

ArabAmericansareinvitedtojoininthemakingofthisexperiment.Americaprovidesuswithauniqueopportunitytogobeyondourselves.IsaytomyfellowArabAmericans:sortoutyourheritage,andtakeonlythebest.Ialsosaytoyou;sortoutyourAmericanexperienceandacceptonlytheverybest.Itiswrongtobelievethateverythingyoubroughtwithyoufromthehomelandisbad,anditisalsowrongtoassumethateverythingyoufindinAmericaisgood.Here,inthisland,wehavetheoptionofsynthesis.ThisistheoptionofpreservingthebestwebroughtwithusfromtheEast,andcombiningitwiththebestwefindhereinAmerica.Thismixtureissuperiortoeitherculturealone.Onlyweimmigrantshavethisoptionofsynthesis.

Inaddition,Americaprovidesanopportunityforustodevelopatoleranceforopposingviews.WelearnfromAmericatheimportanceofcommitmenttohardworkanddiscipline,andtheimportanceofbeingobjectiveinourworkanddailylives.WelearnfromAmericathebeautyofdiversity,andthatpeoplearebyfarmoreimportantthantheirreligions,ideologies,orethnicbackgrounds.

4.Togainrespectabilityandcredibility,wemustcontributetoAmerica.Weareherenotonlytotake,butmoreimportantlytogive.WecanonlyshareinthemakingofAmericawhenwecontributetoit,andwedowhateverwedowithloveandexcellence.Thegreatnessofajobisnotinthekindofjobitis,butinhowwellitwasdoneandhowmuchloveandexcellencewereinvestedindoingit.Itisimmaterialwhetheryouareadoctor,engineer,mechanic,lawyer,technician,oranownerofagrocerystore;whatmattersishowmuchyouputofyourselfintoyourwork,andhowwellyoudoit.

MyfellowArabAmericans,Americahasprovidedusandourchildrenwithagreatopportunity.Ourresponseshouldbe,aboveall:gratefulness.MycalltoyouistocometogetherandworkwithAmericaratherthanagainstit.Americaneedsusasmuchasweneedit.ThemakingofAmericawillnotbecompletewithoutus.

Attheend,IwouldliketoremindyouthatIamamedicaldoctor,andIhavespentthelast40yearsofmylifechasingaviciousenemy:cancer.Beingadoctorandanexpertonthehumanbody,Ihaveneverseenthisbodydiffer,whetheryouareaMoslem,Christian,Jew,oranAtheist.Ihavenotseendiseasediscriminateagainstpeoplebecauseoftheirreligionsorpoliticalideologies.

OneofthemosteminentscientistsinAmerica,FrancisS.Collins,theheadoftheHumanGenomeProject,describesinhisnewlypublishedbook “TheLanguageofGod”,hisjourneyfromatheismtobeliefasaresultofhisacquisitionofknowledgeastothebiologicalnatureofman.InhisbookhealsospeaksofthelessonslearnedfromtheGenomeProject;aprojectthatsucceededinmappingthehumangenome.Hesays, “AttheDNAlevel,wehumansareall99.9%identical.Thatsimilarityappliesregardlessofwhichtwoindividualsaroundtheworldyouchoosetocompare.Thus,byDNAanalysis,wehumansaretrulypartofonefamily”.Inmyopinion,thislesson,thatmanisoneinhealthandindisease,mighthavebeenthegreatestonethatmanhaseverlearnedinthelast3000years.Weonlydifferashumansin0.01%ofourgenes.Wouldn’titbeashameifweallowedthe0.01%toconquerthe99.9%?

Mymessageistorisetoourhumanness,tobepreparednotonlytobegoodcitizensofanation,butgoodcitizensoftheworld.Thefutureisfortheglobalvillage.Ultimately,nationalismwillfadeaway,andtheearthwillbeone.

Lastly,IsaytoyoumyfellowArabAmericans:Letusshedourshells,andletusallcometoAmerica.LetusmakeAmericagreener.LetusmakeAmericagreater.

Al-Hewar/The Arab-American DialogueWinter 2007

[1]ForthatcauseWedecreedfortheChildrenofIsraelthatwhosoeverkillethahumanbeingforotherthanmanslaughterorcorruptionintheearth,itshallbeasifbehadkilledallmankind,andwhososaveththelifeofone,itshallbeasifhehadsavedthelifeofallmankind.Ourmessengerscameuntothemofoldwithclearproofs(ofAllah’ssovereignty),butafterwardslo!manyofthembecameprodigalsintheearth. [Verse32,Suratal-Ma’ida,Pickthall’stranslation]