11-4-2007

To the Editor:

I question the Democratic Party and particularly Assemblyman Gary S. Schaer for failing to demand the resignation of Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, D-Englewood, who is again a candidate in the 37th District. By his own admission, Johnson has on several occasions contributed to the campaign of Lyndon LaRouche, a figure who has battled charges of anti-Semitism for decades.

I question the silence of Schaer. We painfully recall how in 2005, Schaer almost single-handedly raised hell to oust Sami Merhi, an Arab-American Democrat, from the Passaic County's freeholder ticket for comments falsely attributed to him about terrorism.

Is it political expediency that is precluding the demand for Johnson's ouster?

This is a question all Democrats must ask? What political calculations are being doled out? Why is it OK to so unabashedly disrespect Arab-Americans' pride and their many years of dedication to the Democratic Party? This is but one among many more troubling questions we demand answers for to avert a possible community-wide migration from the party.

The Arab-American community is growing disillusioned by the party that portends to be a party of inclusiveness. This is a time for the party leadership to rid itself of this suffocating hypocrisy and misguided morality. A good start would be to support the candidacy of an Arab-American to run for a major county or statewide office.

Aref Assaf, PhD, president, American Arab Forum