European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Arab american population in the contiguous . Greater than 200 100-200 we s3 population in thousands Pride in heritage achievement by John Barbour associated press with anxious eyes on the Middle East americans Are suddenly aware that there Are arabs in their midst just As american As they Are Rich bold colourful tiles in the american mosaic. For years they were an invisible minority self clothed in ethnic and National anonymity. No one seemed to know or care whither they came. When the Tokyo olympics were televised in 1972 and the athletes of the world paraded under their National banners one to commentator looked Down on one sparse Middle East contingent and concluded it was Quot one of those new countries in today Arab americans constitute 1 percent of the . Population some 2.5 million in All. Most Are clearly surprised even proud to discover so Many of their kind have risen to prominence. If they were Given an ethnic quiz few would know a that Christa Mcauliffe the inspirational schoolteacher who died aboard the shuttle challenger was one of their own. A that George Mitchell democratic majority Leader in the Senate and John Sununu chief of staff in the Bush White House and former governor of new Hampshire have lebanese blood. A Arab americans include Urcla basketball coach Jim Harrick heart surgeon Michael Debakey Heisman trophy Winner and pro quarterback Doug flute Oscar Winner for amadeus f. For Vahrid Murray Abraham actor Jamie Farr of Mash Fame White House correspondent Helen Thomas founder of mothers against drunk driving Candy Lightner consumer advocate Ralph Nader author and movie producer William Peter Blatty the exorcist Indianapolis 500 Winner Bobby Rahal Miami heat basketball Star Ron Seikaly radio disc jockey Casey Kasem chess Champion Yasser Sirawan Singer songwriter Paul Anka. They demolish the stereotypical image of the Arab As a shadowy arms dealer or a Swarthy bedouin charlatan waving a scimitar As he charges across the desert on an arabian Steed or the irresistible Lover a la Rudolph Valentino in the old silent movies. Or the obedient shrouded Arab women suppressed by male masters keening Over the dead in eerie wails. The greatest contradictions to these stereotypes Are the Arab americans themselves. Can anyone imagine Mario Thomas one of the nation s most ardent feminists in purdah or walking three paces to the rear of husband Phil Donohue and How can anyone compare her father actor philanthropist Danny Thomas raising Money for St. Jude s children s Hospital with some cinematic scimitar wielding terrorist Quot we have the most assimilated ethnic group in the country Quot says William Baroody jr., former chief of the Reagan White House office of communication. Quot a lot of them just weren t known As quote unquote Arab Quot we be always been a kind of private people a says Baroody whose grandparents came to the United states around the turn of the Century. A i think you Are seeing a much greater awareness on the part of Young people now a greater involvement. I think that they Are a Little More if previous generations tended to lose their identity in the melting pot present generations tend to be culturally distinct parts of the mosaic. Quot i think that a True of All ethnic groups Quot Baroody says Quot but it is definitely True of Arab there is a growing Pride in their arabic background in their culture their history. Every Arab american knows that the Arab world larger than the roman Empire at its Peak preserved the arts and sciences As Europe fell into intellectual darkness and waited for the Renaissance. The Arab american knows that his fellow americans use the arabic alphabet and numbers. The influx of arabs to the United states began about 1880, recruited As cheap labor. Most very simply sought the Gold that paved the streets. Quot the real Gold they found was Opportunity Quot says Alisa Naff who has specialized in Arab american history and works at the smithsonian institution. She says it is fiction that they were in flight from the turks who controlled much of the Arab world until world War i although some Young men did flee compulsory conscription into the turkish army beginning in 1908. They were natural entrepreneurs. Many of them did what they knew Best growing and marketing produce fruits and vegetables. But they were also merchants and most began peddling notions and bibles out of a suitcase from the mountains of West Virginia to the Plains of the Midwest. They built the Quot Mother mosque in Cedar rapids Iowa in 1934, and syrian orthodox churches throughout California. Donna Shalala Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin came from Cleveland where there was a Large lebanese maronite Catholic Community. Her father owned grocery stores and eventually went into real estate. Quot my father was a very unusual Man Quot he says. Quot he believed in women a education. My Mother was a College graduate my father was not. He encouraged her to go to Law Page 14 a a a the stars and stripes monday of
