Meeting with Governor John Corzine See news reports below
Background Statement by Dr. Aref Assaf
President American Arab Forum
Meeting with Governor John Corzine
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Statehouse, Trenton, NJ Your Excellency, Governor Jon Corzine: It is indeed our honor to meet with you and your staff this afternoon. We are also especially delighted to have representatives from the New Jersey Arab Democratic Caucus, The Council on Islamic Relations, and the American Arab Institute. We are gathered today to first wish you great luck and much success as you assume the awesome reasonability of leading our great state. We humbly offer to our collective talents, expertise and good wishes to make New Jersey the pride of the nation where all of its citizens enjoy not only economic prosperity but also full and unfettered access to political empowerment, physical safety and above all human dignity. Your Excellency, it ain’t easy being Arab or Muslim American these days. As a community of close to 9 million people, we have been besieged by a most unforgiving attack on our very core values, culture and beliefs. After the horrors of 9-11, American citizens, Arabs and Muslims alike were subjugated to an unrelenting racial lynching called the Patriot Act in addition to other practices. The Dubai port debacle gave way to a new attack on everything Arab. It was now economic profiling where Arab business could not be trusted. Most sane and reasonable people would argue that security would not have been adversely affected by having some of our port operations run by a well-known international company. We were compared to the Devil; we were told that Arabs need not apply to the modern world. Our sense of dignity and self-respect were severely hurt by these remarks. We demanded an apology from Senator Lautenberg and we asked you and other public officials to distance themselves from these offensive slurs but to no avail. As if to add insult to injury, the recent character assassination of an Arab American seeking to serve his community and country cannot be described anything less political lynching. I am afraid you and others passed a judgment on a fellow American citizen without due process, without a fair hearing. By so doing, All Arab Americans have been tainted with the charge you levied against him: Arab Americans are terrorists or at best terrorist- sympathizers. Add this slur to other offensive synonyms of the world Arab in the American dictionary which until recently equated Arab to being vulgar, such as 'bum', ‘derelict’, 'ragamuffin', and 'tramp'. Our community is deeply hurt and feels terribly disenfranchised. The hurt is especially more painful in the hearts of Arab Democrats who have sough a home in this great party of inclusiveness and diversity. A place where they invested their dreams of a better future for their children. Yet it seems the party of the American melting pot is excluding Arabs from the American experience, of being able to serve their country, of being able to be complete citizens. We are fully cognizant that citizenship is not merely about rights earned but it is also about obligations fulfilled. This is why we have come to you, Governor Corzine. Help us restore faith in this country where each citizen is not only entitled to but actually receives the full protection of the law and is given unhindered opportunity to be a productive member of society. We fondly recall the many resolutions, which you either sponsored or endorsed to ensure the protection of the civil liberties of all American citizens. It is this zeal for racial equality, which prodded many in our community e to actively work for your victory in the recent elections. Foremost is you direct involvement in restoring the human dignity to Sami Merhi. Nothing can begin the healing process unless Sami's integrity and humanity is rightfully restored to him. We are all Sami Merhi. As the Governor of our great State and the titular leader of the Democratic party you have the dual reasonability to deliver Sami as the man he truly is, a kind, giving, loyal and peaceful man. We are seeking your direct help in the following issues; I will only highlight them because, under a separate cover, we have provided a more extensive detail of the mentioned topics. 1- We have presented to you the reasonable request to sanction into law the Arab Heritage Commission. More than ever, the existence of such an entity is sorely needed to disseminate accurate and timely information about Arab Americans, about their rich cultural heritage. Did you fore example know that it was an Arab American who first coined the phrase made immortal by the late President J.F Kennedy:” Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country?” That Arab American citizen was none other than Kahlil Gibran who we hope to encourage the US Post General to issue a commemorative stamp at his 125th Birthday Anniversary in 2008.
2- Visit Arab and Muslim leaders in the State on a regular basis, attend cultural and religious events, issue proclamations and send representatives to community events.
Visit with community at mosques churches or large gatherings.
3- Seek apologies from Senator Lautenberg and Senator Menendez
4- Appointments to Civil Rights Commission and Ethnic Advisory Commission in addition to other volunteer commissions and boards. We do have a well-qualified cadre of candidates ready to serve.
5- Reestablish the New Jersey trade mission in the Arab world
6- Maintain a direct contact with and seek input from our community leaders on issues affecting them. Finally, Governor Corzine, again thank for this opportunity to meet with you and we do hope all the citizens of New Jersey will benefit from your wisdom, compassion and dedication to public service. Respectfully, Dr. Aref Assaf, President American Arab Forum, Paterson, NJ Related stories:
Bergen Record: Arab American leaders meet with Corzine | 
