Arab Neighborhoods in Dearborn

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by malice40

Someone said that the Arabs he/she has met seem angry. I agree that they seem a bit brusque by upper class American standards of polite verbal exchange. Actually I think that they are afraid; afraid that they won't be liked or understood; afraid that their presence in the United States will be answered with violence because of a few of their misguided brethren who have done such awful things in the name of Allah. Many of them fly American flags every day to show that they are good American citizens who want the same things that members of any other group want: prosperity, good health, and a future for their children.

I am not an apologist for Arab culture. I am sure that East Dearborn has its share of reprobates and ne'er-do-wells, but in general it has people who have never made me feel uncomfortable or unwanted. And if you are on a diet or have a heart condition, their food is absolutely the best.

You are so right on, malice 40. Middle eastern people are some of the most hospitable people in the world. And, they are afraid - some paralyzing afraid. Some have experienced sadness, atrocities, and inhumanity that we cannot even imagine. They just want to live in peace and be able to watch their children grow and "live".

[kejasa]

I grew up in East Dearborn, so I will chime in here too. There were some definite differences between Arabic and American people twenty years ago, and I am sure there are still some now. My husband went to Fordson, and he can remember the Arabic/American fights in the school halls. We both remember that drugs were prevalent among men in the Arabic culture at that time. We also remember that Arabic men seemed to take much more of an interest in their children then American men did.

I can vividly remember the way Arabic women were treated so differently. I became good friends with an Arabic neighbor girl. She was 20 and already had three kids. One day a group of us (guys and girls) hung out at her place while her husband was out. Well, I guess this was a big no-no in her culture...after that her husband made a rule that she was not allowed to leave the house. She would talk to me through the door. I felt bad for her. She was always saying she wished she were American.

From my experience, Americans sometimes struggle with the Arabic culture and Arabics often struggle with the American culture. I mean, let's face it...American women are "sinful" in many an Arabic (muslim) person's (man's?) eyes just for wearing shorts or going out of the house without a head covering. Arabic women are exposed to a life they've always been told is sinful...and yet they see American women happy, prospering, and able to make their own decisions...how couldn't they feel conflicted?

A lot has changed in the last 20 years and I've seen more and more Arabic women become Americanized. Eventually the old culture will fade away and muslim Arabic people will become Americanized just as the Italians, polish people, etc. etc. did before them. Many christian Arabic people have already adopted American ways. It's inevitable.

Dearborn has changed a lot since the "Arabic invasion", but those of you who can remember it before Arabic people came will remember that the city was terribly racist. Perhaps the "Arabic invasion" was exactly what Dearborn needed. The city has grown in many ways since Arabic people moved in. Honestly, I feel privleged to have grown up around this "other" culture and learn that they have things in their culture that seemed better than the American culture and things that seemed worse. My son had a (christian) Arabic babysitter who was married to a black man. I am happy that I was able to give him the opportunity to experience other cultures/races and grow up without prejudice.

[gemkeeper]

What a great post, kejasa, through the eyes of someone who has experienced the change in Dearborn over many years. I also watched this change while living there at about the same time.

I couldn't agree more with the points you made. Let's hope that just like the Polish, Italians, Slavs, Vietnamese, et. al. have done, as these Middle Eastern families become more and more assimilated into the American culture they, too, will keep their own heritage alive and treasured.

All can coexist once the fear of someone different stops.

[Frankawitz]

I have a question, the other day (Saturday) I was working over on Manor and Warren and when I was going home I went to Mexican Fiesta over on Ford Road and when I was going down Warren to Telegraph there where about 8 to 10 Detriot Police cars all along Warren a car at every other intersection and the Arab folks were all on the corners and on the other side of Warren all the Black folks were out. Is there something going on in that area ?

[and the]

They were probably celebrating the end of the last flare up with the Israelis......That's been about a year hasn't it? Or maybe it was the "Liberation" of Lebanon where the Israelis and Syrians left and Lebanon told the world that they kicked them out.

[Frankawitz]

I was wondering if there was going to be a race roit the way people were acting, yelling at each other. If jobs keep getting hard to find in that area there could be one.

[and the]

I was wondering if there was going to be a race roit the way people were acting, yelling at each other. If jobs keep getting hard to find in that area there could be one.

I don't that had anything to do with it....Oh, I know what it must have been...It was probably when the Iraqi's won that soccer thingie in Malasia, or wherever they have it.

I don't think you'll be seeing any race riots over jobs in Dearborn. If anything, you may see some Sunni Vs. Shiite Iraqi violence as more of them move into the area from around the country. The big batch from Gulf War I is finally gravitated to the area. Thousands more will be coming from Gulf War II.

To have any kind of race riot, you'd probably have to throw in some Kurds. But that would be more of an ethno riot.

[trinkit]

Originally Posted by Tammy222

I also do not like the fact that we've changed so many state & local laws & social norms to fit their needs-which is not isolated just to the middle eastern culture, by the way!!!!!! OK so that's way off the subject.

My hometown is Dearborn (class of '65, Edsel Ford High) and it GREATLY distressed me when I went back for a visit a few years ago and found ARABIC signs all over! I'm sure you're too young to remember the Italians in East Dearborn demanding that they be taught in Italian and Mayor Hubbard's response was "you live in America and we speak ENGLISH, learn the language or return to wherever you came from".

[virgokid1]

My hometown is Dearborn (class of '65, Edsel Ford High) and it GREATLY distressed me when I went back for a visit a few years ago and found ARABIC signs all over!

Trinkit, I totally understand your xenophobic frustrations at seeing signs in a language that you yourself are illiterate of. It would be nice if that type of diversity never existed anywhere... I don't know if you've ever been to Europe, but if you ever get a passport someday, you should go and visit world-class places like Switzerland.. There you will sadly find signs in not one, not two, but sometimes 4 languages... Italian, French, German and English.. helpfully directing people to places like bathrooms, highways, food, etc.

This may also give you an even bigger cardiac arrest: It sure gave me one; In places like the American Southwest and California, you will find signs in yet another language, Spanish. Wow! I was totally flabbergasted at how much those brown people have really had such a negative influence on this good clean White Nation. What, with all their culture and traditions? I say they should leave those two things at the door when they come over here swimming across the Rio Grande..

If you're like me however, you probably get flustered at seeing a Greek Restaurant with Greek-lettering on its signage or even on a Frat T-shirt. Perhaps you and I both despise Katakana characters on a Sushi restaurant? Or what the hell is a "Shawarma"? Why don't those rag-headed bastards spell out the english-translation instead?? And what's with Hebrew lettering on signs on 9 mile road?

And I'll be perfectly honest, if I see any Native Indian heiroglyphics anywhere in this country, I will send those savages back into the filthy reservations where they belong!

You will find in all other blue-collar, middle-class, lily-white neighborhoods, people with our beliefs.. fed up with the frustrations of seeing different languages and not knowing if those signs are insulting our way of life. They probably are! I agree with you, if they don't learn english and learn it well, I say send them back to their miserable countries and let us enjoy our way of life without their input.

I say we ought to raise us that thar Confederate Flag and show them coloreds how civilized, Good Christian folk speak.

Mahatma Gandhi once said: you will find in this world that there is room for us all.

But what did HE know? Silly curry-munching hindoo.

[and the]

I'll never go to a "ristorante" again!!