Category: LOCAL NEWS
Introducing a Journey Through the Foundations of Universal Human Values: Article 3 – Freedom of Expression and Assembly
“Every human being has the right for freedom of expression without transgression on the rights of others. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.”From the Universal Declaration of Human Values by Wissam Charafeddine These freedoms have deep historical roots. From Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Voltaire to the American ...
On this day in U.S. history
The Immigration Act of 1918, also known as the Alien Anarchists Exclusion Act of 1918, was signed into U.S. law by President Woodrow Wilson on October 16, 1918. It expanded upon the Anarchist Exclusion Act of 1903 to further target anarchists, anti-war protesters and members of radical labor unions. The 1903 law had come in ...
Hostages vs. “Prisoners”: The Language War
Major outlets consistently call Israelis “hostages” while labeling Palestinians “prisoners” or “detainees”—even when thousands of Palestinians are held without charge. Words aren’t neutral; they shape empathy, blame, and policy. Here’s a close read of headlines, data on administrative detention and conviction rates, and how framing flips moral intuition—plus what a fairer, human-rights-centered vocabulary might look ...
From Silence to Spin: How Big Media Fell Down on Gaza
As Gaza’s civilian death toll mounted, America’s flagship newsrooms tripped over their own rules—soft-pedaling language, delaying recognition of mass casualties, and narrowing Palestinian voices—while independent outlets and “third wave” platforms filled the gap. The latest press-freedom clash with the Pentagon shows where this road leads—and why Dearborn’s readers, anchored in community and conscience, must insist ...
Article 2 – The Principle of Equality
From the Universal Declaration of Human Values by Wissam CharafeddineThroughout history, humanity’s understanding of equality has been shaped by both struggle and revelation. While ancient societies often accepted hierarchy as natural, the idea that all human beings are equal began to take root during the Axial Age, around 800–200 BCE, when spiritual and philosophical traditions ...
AI Goes to War: Why This GPAX Webinar Matters—And Why Dearborn Should Tune In
Artificial intelligence is moving from our phones into the barracks, the skies, the seas—and our streets. As governments sprint to weaponize algorithms and drones, the Green Party Peace Action Committee (GPAX) is hosting “AI Goes to War,” a public webinar on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at 7:30 PM ET. The event brings together a journalist ...
Thunderbirds Take Flight: Edsel Ford No. 13 in D1
Edsel Ford High School’s boys soccer team has cracked Michigan’s Division I top 15, landing at No. 13 with a sparkling 14-1-2 record. From a defense that smothers, to a midfield that treats possession like a family heirloom, the Thunderbirds are proof that Dearborn soccer is deeper than a single season—it’s a culture. This piece ...
NO THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP
The Gaza ceasefire is a necessary relief for a starving, shattered people. It is not a favor from Washington—certainly not from President Trump, a possible war criminal whose prosecution needs to be submitted to the ICC. The United States helped arm the devastation, moved unconscionably late, and tried to kneecap the very court tasked with ...
Reopening “Hass Cash”: Politics, Justice & Community Tensions
In October 2025, authorities reopened a 2019 cocaine and weapons case against “Hass Cash” (Hassan Aoun), sparking fierce reactions across Dearborn and beyond. Was this a legitimate legal revival or a politically motivated effort to silence a vocal critic? We examine all sides, dig into court records and social media, and place this case in the ...
Young Dearborners Moving to Livonia
As Dearborn swells with new generations, many younger Arab Americans are redefining what “home” means — staying in the city, moving outward, or building communities differently. This shift reflects growth, tension, and hope in metro Detroit’s evolving Arab American identity. The skyline of influence in metro Detroit is changing. No longer is the Arab American ...
Michiganders, share your health insurance rate increase letter with me.
The Trump Administration has created a health care crisis, with every single Michigander either losing their health care or paying more than they already have. Starting this month, individuals will start receiving letters from their insurance providers about how much their 2026 plans will cost. So, I'm asking Michiganders to share your health insurance rate ...
Leaving, Because They Left Us: Lebanon’s Flight from a Failed State
Lebanon’s youth are not leaving because they want to; they are leaving because a cartelized, sectarian state has made staying feel impossible. Drawing on the latest migration analysis and child-impact data, this piece distills the core findings of a 2025 Lebanon emigration study and related UNICEF evidence, names the drivers—hyperinflation, political paralysis, and rights backsliding—and ...
Naming Too Late: Silence in 2023–24 Was a Crime
Some now confess genocide in 2025—but those who did not speak or act in 2023 or 2024 share in the responsibility. Redemption demands more than regret: structural rupture, accountability, reparations, and sustained justice. When a crime of mass scale is underway, hesitation is not just cowardice—it partakes in the violence itself. In the Gaza war ...
Waves, Warnings, and a World Gone Quiet
In the Mediterranean this week, Israeli naval forces boarded and seized dozens of civilian boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla as they sailed in international waters toward Gaza. European leaders had promised “protection” and “safety,” yet activists were detained and towed to Ashdod. Meanwhile, despite fiery speeches, Colombia has not formally tabled a “Uniting for ...
Beyond the Ban: Why “The Problem with Comic Sans” Holds a Mirror to Dearborn’s Communication and Community
Dearborn, MI – In our bustling city, where diverse voices are constantly shaping our narrative, the power of clear, intentional, and respectful communication is paramount. From city council meetings to local school flyers, from passionate advocacy for Palestine to Green Party initiatives, how we convey our messages matters. This week, we're taking an unconventional look ...
A Brighter Start in Dearborn Heights: Daystar Children’s Center Opens Its Doors
Daystar Children’s Center celebrated its grand opening in Dearborn Heights, offering personalized, one-on-one, evidence-based support for children—focused on ABA-centered programs, social connection, and family partnership. The center’s mission is simple and profound: create a safe, nurturing place where every child can grow, learn, and shine. Spots are already at capacity, underscoring how urgently Southeast Michigan ...
From Visas to Vente: Securing Your Sustainable Life Abroad While Upholding Justice at Home
Excerpt: For many in Dearborn, the aspiration of a move to France represents a blend of cultural enrichment and life-long stability. This article provides a comprehensive, objective roadmap—from complex visa requirements and favorable tax treaties to real estate purchasing and money transfers—to realize that dream, all while reaffirming the global perspective and commitment to justice ...
Republic of Violence, Borders of Death
Excerpt:Political violence isn’t an aberration in U.S. history—it’s a through-line from the colonies to Reconstruction to January 6. A 2025 lecture by political scientist Desmond King argues that America’s constitutional order has long accommodated violence outside the state, exposing the limits of the classic “Weberian” monopoly on legitimate force. Meanwhile, on Europe’s edge, a new ...
Mirror Media: What We Miss on Ukraine
Excerpt:A new peer-reviewed study comparing U.S. and Russian public knowledge about the war in Ukraine finds something deeply paradoxical: each public is better at spotting misinformation in the other side’s narrative than in its own. That’s not a bug of modern media—it’s the feature authoritarian propagandists and commercial news incentives both exploit. Here’s what that ...
Detroit Amnesty: Monthly Vigil for Guantanamo
Dear members and supporters of Detroit Amnesty, As we do every month, we'll meet in front of the Detroit Federal Building on Wednesday in solidarity with groups in other parts of the world. We do this vigil so that we don't forget the people illegally detained in Guantanamo; we continue to hope for their fair ...
“Six-Seven”: What a Viral Number Reveals About Generation Alpha
Excerpt:A nonsense number—6-7—has jumped from TikTok edits to school hallways and youth sports, baffling parents and teachers while delighting kids. Where did it come from, why did it spread, and what does it say about Generation Alpha’s humor, media diet, attention, and power to remix culture? We traced the origins, talked to experts, crunched the ...
Watch This: Bodyguard of Lies Shatters the Myth of America’s “Good War” in Afghanistan
Excerpt: For two decades, four administrations told us Afghanistan was winnable, manageable, even righteous. Bodyguard of Lies—the new documentary by Dan Krauss and produced by Alex Gibney—proves, with receipts, how those claims were a carefully maintained illusion. It’s not just a film; it’s a civic x-ray. Dearborn, take note: this is required viewing for anyone ...
TODAY: ZACHARY FOSTER: ZIONISM—Myths, Histories & Realities During Times of Horror, 9/26; Protest at Eastern M arket Sat.
RSVP for addresses and more info: zacharyonzionism.eventbrite.com JVP Detroit invites you to two presentation with Dr. Zachary Foster 1 pm: Ann Arbor at a location near central campus at the Friends Meeting House at 1420 Hill St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, and 8 pm: Ferndale at Congregation T’Chiyah with accessible, safe, free parking VERY LIMITED ...
Global Conscience Rises: The Grassroots Push to End Genocide
Excerpt: As the world watches the unfolding catastrophe in Gaza, the silence from mainstream Western powers is being shattered by a powerful, multi-pronged effort led by the Global South and principled political movements. The Green Party, in partnership with Palestinian-led advocacy groups, is spearheading a concrete, veto-proof plan at the United Nations to deploy a ...
Spain & Italy Sail in Defense of Gaza Aid
Excerpt:In a bold shift, Spain and Italy have dispatched naval vessels to escort the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to break the sea blockade of Gaza. This intervention is more than symbolic—it signals that major European states are now putting muscle behind humanitarian law. But will it change the calculus in the region? Spain and Italy ...
A Marriage of Conscience: Imam Talib Sanjari’s Bold Ruling
In Dearborn’s living rooms and lecture halls, a quiet revolution is underway: Imam Talib Sanjari—a classically trained Iraqi cleric who settled among us—has argued that a Muslim woman may marry a non-Muslim man when justice, dignity, and today’s plural civic realities are honored. His stance challenges a centuries-long consensus, ignites serious debate, and calls us back to a Qur’anic ethic rooted in reason and public good. This essay maps the terrain—what Sanjari actually says, what mainstream institutions still hold, how law and lived life have shifted, and why Dearborn’s conversation matters for human rights and Green values. [1]
A New Era of Leadership: A Muslim Woman Rises in Farmington Hills
Excerpt: Farah Khan's historic run for Farmington Hills City Council heralds a new wave of political engagement, as she brings the fresh perspective of a first-generation Muslim-American woman to the heart of Michigan politics. Rooted in her deep commitment to community and guided by the principles of the Green Party, Khan's campaign is a powerful ...
Dearborn Rising: Hammoud’s Leadership, Resistance & Vision
Excerpt:Abdullah Hammoud has made Dearborn a model of resistance — against crime, environmental injustice, fascism, and genocide. Under his leadership, crime is down, businesses are thriving, and community events unite people in celebration. Dearborn is becoming a city of resistance and resilience. Dearborn, MI — In a political climate roiled by division, Mayor Abdullah H. ...
Divided Voices or United Future? Wards Debate in Dearborn
Excerpt:Dearborn stands at a crossroads as voters consider whether to adopt a ward (district-based) system for city council elections. Proponents say it’s a matter of fair representation for east and south residents; opponents warn it may tear at the sense of “one city.” Here are the arguments — historical, social, and political — for creating ...
Stopping Genocide … Briefing by Dr. Jill Stein
Join GPAX and the Arab & Muslim American Green Party Caucus with Dr. Jill Stein, Mark Elbourno, Wissam Charafeddine, Haig Hovaness, and Madelyn Hoffman to turn outrage into organized aid and political pressure. Watch on Youtube.com/@dearbornblog 9.23.2025 • 7 PM ET gpax.gpus.org • lifelineforpalestine.com #StopGenocide #CeasefireNow #GPAX #GreenParty #Palestine #HumanRights #EndTheBlockade https://www.youtube.com/live/RLWkwI93P70?si=J4o5dlPD5-I3cEMW
Genocide Bad at UM-Dearborn
Excerpt: UM-Dearborn hosts Genocide Bad: Notes on Palestine, Jewish History, and Collective Liberation with bestselling author and journalist Sim Kern—a conversation shaped by the city of Dearborn’s Arab American majority, the University’s long-standing scholarship in Arab American studies, and the moral urgency of Palestinian human rights. The evening is organized as part of The Lecture ...
A Sign of Respect, A Moment of Controversy: Dearborn Honors Osama Siblani; But Civic Courtesy Matters Too
By Dearborn Blog In early September 2025, Wayne County officials unveiled two honorary street signs in Dearborn bearing the name Osama Siblani — at the intersections of Warren Avenue and Chase Road, and Warren the Schaefer Road. ArabAmericanNews+2ArabAmericanNews+2 The stretch of Warren Avenue between Chase and Schaefer is now recognized in his name in a ...
The Collapse of Democratic Voting in America
Excerpt:America’s electoral system is under siege—not by invasion or revolution—but by erosion from within. With gerrymandering, voter suppression, and legislative experiments in restricting ballot access, democracy in many states is becoming a facade. For Greens concerned with true participatory power, the collapse of democratic voting could mean more than broken promises—it could mean disappearing hope. ...
Austria’s School Hijab Ban, Explained
Excerpt:Austria’s government has advanced a bill to ban headscarves for students under 14 in both public and private schools, with fines for parents in cases of non-compliance. Supporters say the measure protects girls from coercion; critics call it unconstitutional “symbolic politics” that stigmatizes Muslim children and repeats mistakes struck down by Austria’s Constitutional Court in ...
The Israeli Threat to America
The Israeli Threat to Americahttps://mearsheimer.substack.com/p/the-israeli-threat-to-america John J. Mearsheimer Sep 19 On 18 September 2025, I talked with Judge Napolitano on his show — “Judging Freedom” — about the impact Israel and its supporters are having on the United States, not just on the foreign policy front, but on the home front as well. We agreed ...
Michigan’s New ICE Hub Faces Big Questions
Excerpt: Michigan’s 1,800-bed North Lake Processing Center reopened this summer amid promises of jobs and “strict compliance” with detention standards—yet data and watchdogs point to secrecy, overcrowding risks, and a rising share of non-criminal arrests. As Dearborn neighbors to many immigrant families, we examine the facts, the economics, and the human stakes—then outline what real ...
ZACHARY FOSTER: ZIONISM—Myths, Histories & Realities During Times of Horror, 9/26
ZACHARY FOSTER: ZIONISM Myths, Histories & Realities During Times of Horror RSVP for addresses and more info: zacharyonzionism.eventbrite.com JVP Detroit invites you to two presentation with Dr. Zachary Foster 1 pm: Ann Arbor at a location near central campus and 8 pm: Ferndale with accessible, safe, free parking Both events include refreshments and are free ...
Youth vs. Trump: Climate Rights on Trial
Excerpt: A two-day hearing in Missoula, Montana, pits 22 young Americans against a slate of federal executive orders that turbo-charge fossil fuels. Fresh off a landmark win in Held v. Montana, these plaintiffs and their legal team say the White House’s new energy directives endanger their lives and liberties. The federal stage is steeper than ...
أسامة السبلاني: أربعون عاماً من العطاء
أمسية حوارية للمركز العربي الأميركي للثقافة والفنون في المشهد العربي-الأميركي، أسماء قليلة صارت جزءاً من ذاكرة مدينة ديربورن وميشيغن الأوسع. أحد هذه الأسماء هو الإعلامي أسامة السبلاني؛ صوتٌ صاغ على مدى عقودٍ سرديةً مهنيةً صلبة عن قضايا الجالية وحقوقها وتمثيلها وكرامتها في الفضاء العام. تكريمه ليس مجرّد التفاتة احتفالية، بل وقفة مراجعة مع مسيرة صحفية ...
Albania’s AI ‘Minister’: Reform, Theater, or Real Change?
Excerpt:Albania just introduced “Diella,” an AI-generated cabinet figure for public procurement—promised as a corruption killer and process accelerator. The stunt is full of symbolism, but if it evolves into transparent rules, open data, and accountable oversight, it could become a credible model for clean government. Here’s what’s real, what’s risky, and what to watch next—plus ...
Qatar, Campus Claims, and the Politics of Research
By Dearborn Blog Staff ExcerptA U.S. research outfit, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), has put Qatar at the center of a campaign tying foreign funding to campus antisemitism. Policymakers have repeated ISGAP’s numbers; critics say the evidence is thin and the messaging serves geopolitical aims. This article unpacks the ...
From Washington to the Arab Capital: A Tale of Two Cities
The recent, tragic death of a prominent conservative voice has sent shockwaves through the American political landscape. While authorities are quick to present a simplified narrative, a closer look reveals a complex web of shifting allegiances and a resistance to foreign influence that resonates deeply with the Green Party platform and the principled stance of ...
Cairo–Ankara–Riyadh–Islamabad: Sketching a New Security Spine
Excerpt:A flurry of high-level calls between Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia is reviving an old conversation with new urgency: can four pivotal states in the Arab-Islamic world assemble something NATO-like—a durable security architecture with shared planning, procurement, and political leverage—without importing the downsides of bloc politics? This piece maps the real building blocks already ...
Worlds of Conflict in the Middle East
Worlds of Conflict in the Middle EastSaturday — 13 September 2025Zaid Al-Fadil Deep discussions on the world of conflict in the Middle East are kicking off this week in the Jordanian capital, Amman, organized by the Private University of Applied Sciences and the Ilaf Center for Studies and Research. They come against the backdrop of ...
Leaked Cable: Israeli Mob Reaches America
Excerpt:A U.S. embassy cable released by WikiLeaks details how Israeli organized crime evolved from neighborhood rackets into a transnational enterprise with “direct impact inside the United States.” This piece unpacks what the cable says, how law-enforcement responded, and what communities like Dearborn can demand—firm action against criminal syndicates without stereotyping, collective punishment, or political spin. ...
THE GHOST OF BANKSY’S WORK HAUNTS ROYAL COURT OF UK
Excerpt:A fresh stencil by Banksy briefly haunted the Royal Courts of Justice before officials scrubbed it away, leaving a spectral silhouette on stone. The disappearance says the quiet part out loud: when public institutions prioritize tidiness over truth, erasure becomes policy. What remains—faint as chalk after rain—is a warning about censorship, Palestine, and the brittle ...
Muslim Women in Politics Esp 2: Micho Assi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aJgY9mjN14 The Arab American Center for Culture and Arts is honored to invite you to a powerful and timely virtual discussion titled: What is the state of Muslim Americans in public service today? What are the challenges, and how do we overcome them? Join us as we explore the current landscape of Muslim American engagement ...
Bazzi’s CTE Blueprint: Detroit Lessons for America
Excerpt:Arab American educator Dr. Ali Y. Bazzi is helping move U.S. education forward from right here in Metro Detroit. Fresh off an extended discussion with U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon during her Michigan visit—and a follow-up consultation invitation to Washington, D.C.—Bazzi’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) focus offers a practical, inclusive path to student ...
From Doha to the UN: Turning Israel’s Terror Into Global Action
Funeral in Doha for 5 people killed in September 10 Israeli strike. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ...
Democrats at All-Time Low; Greens Poised to Rise
Excerpt:Despite regaining a slim edge in party affiliation, the Democratic Party is suffering record low favorability ratings. As both major parties falter in trust and appeal, the Green Party is increasingly seen as a credible alternative by voters disillusioned with the status quo. America’s two-party duopoly is straining. Recent polling reveals that while Democrats have ...
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