Tag: politics
Federal incentives fuel closer ICE partnerships with police agencies
Local law enforcement agreements with ICE not yet impacting operations in Michigan By Douglas P. Marsh Originally published at MichiganAdvance.com /2026/01/08/federal-incentives-fuel-closer-ice-partnerships-with-michigan-police-agencies/ The fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Wednesday—after the agent fired through the window of her car—has renewed national scrutiny of ICE’s expanding role and the growing ...
Hands Off Venezuela: Law, Oil, and a Dangerous Precedent
In the early hours of January 3, the U.S. launched strikes in and around Caracas and said Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were captured and flown out of the country. President Trump then claimed the U.S. would “run” Venezuela “for now,” igniting worldwide condemnation, a constitutional firestorm in Washington, and urgent ...
Beyond the Duopoly: Why Professor Butch Ware is the Radical Voice Dearborn Needs
By The Dearborn Greens / Dearborn Blog Staff For decades, the people of Dearborn have been told that our political safety lies in playing the "lesser of two evils" game. We’ve been told that if we just knock on enough doors for the "Fox" (the smiling liberal), we might avoid the teeth of the "Wolf" ...
STATEMENT: BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and population in the civilian and military areas of the city of Caracas, the capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, ...
Firewalls, Wi-Fi, and Watchlists: How Campus Tech Is Targeting Student Dissent
Across the U.S. and beyond, universities are quietly turning campus Wi-Fi, facial recognition, and immigration databases into tools of political control. A recent Amnesty International webinar pulled back the curtain on how students — especially those defending Palestinian rights — are being tracked, doxxed, detained, and even deported. This is a guide to what’s happening, ...
Coleen Rowley: When Wars Come Home
How a former FBI whistleblower connects U.S. “forever wars” to rising violence at home — and why Dearborn should be part of this conversation. For many Americans, Coleen Rowley is a name from a different political era: the post-9/11 years, when a quiet FBI lawyer from Minneapolis broke ranks to expose how the Bureau mishandled ...
Make the Greens Unignorable
Emanuel Pastreich’s three-part essay, A Green Party That Will Win, argues that Greens should stop chasing legitimacy from a corrupted duopoly and instead practice truth-first politics, radical democracy inside the party, and tangible community service that builds power from the ground up. Below, we present his full argument reformatted into three chapters—followed by Dearborn Blog’s ...
Here we go
By Dr.Ibrahim AtallahThe recent elections in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Hamtramck, and New York have drawn unusual attention, largely because the mayors elected in these communities are all Muslim. For some, this development has stirred unease, as if it signals that one group is “taking over.” Yet such reactions overlook the deeper and more inspiring truth ...
The Green Party Declares a Global Environmental and Peace Emergency!
(The Declaration was adopted by the Green Party of the United States National Committee by a majority vote of 38 States/Caucuses. It was introduced by the Green Party Peace Action Committee (GPAX) and endorsed by five state parties, the Green Party of Hawaii, the Green Party of New Jersey, the Green Party of Michigan, Green Party of ...
Introducing a Journey Through the Foundations of Universal Human Values: Article 5: Sexual Freedom — A Conservative Case for Liberty With Guardrails
Everyone has the right of freedom of choice and expression in their sexual orientation, and the only limitation of law should be related to securing the consent of adults within the sexual relationship and preventing rationally considerable harm related to it. Let me start where many of my friends in Livonia start: with a healthy ...
Blueprint or Band-Aid? Why the “Levant Peace” Pitch Misses the Mark
A newly advanced U.S. vision for Syria and Lebanon frames them as “next pieces” in a regional peace architecture. But from a pro-Green-Party, pro-Palestine vantage, the plan falls short on sovereignty, justice and lasting remedy. We unpack the fault lines in Tom Barrack’s article and relate them to the values we champion at Dearborn Blog. The ...
Introducing a Journey Through the Foundations of Universal Human Values: Article 4 Freedom of Religion: Defending not only the dignity of the believer—but the humanity of the doubter
.FridayMusings is pleased to provide our readers with Article 4 – Freedom of Religion from the Universal Declaration of Human Values by Wissam Charafeddine, a Livonia author and lecturer. This article is particularly important with its discussion of defending the dignity of the believer–but the humanity of the doubter.Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Michigan Senate Race: Leaked Audio Suggests McMorrow Has “Outstanding” AIPAC Position Paper — But Voters Deserve Clarity
Excerpt:A recent donor call has revealed that Mallory McMorrow, a Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, allegedly drafted a private “AIPAC position paper” described by a supporter as “outstanding.” The document has not been shared publicly; for many voters—especially Palestinian supporters and those concerned about foreign policy transparency—this raises critical questions. What is McMorrow’s true stance ...
The Divided Politics at the Ann Arbor Michigan Art Fair, July 20th 2024 by Clyde Shabazz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPur_g4EE8s The annual Ann Arbor Art Fair, held on July 20th, 2024, served as more than just a showcase for artistic expression; it became a microcosm of America's current political landscape. Amidst the vibrant displays and creative works, several interviews conducted by In The Green TV revealed a public grappling with a deeply divided political ...
Dems Using Palestine for Votes—But Do They Truly Support Liberation?
September 8, 2025 | by Anam Raja, Arab Muslim American Caucus of the Green Party of NJ Summary: The Democratic Party has increasingly invoked Palestinian suffering to draw in progressive support—but its actions fall far short of meaningful solidarity. From rejecting arms embargos to silencing Palestinian voices, the evidence shows that the party remains beholden ...
“Made in America”—Dropped on Gaza: The U.S. Supply Chain Behind Israel’s Bombing, and What Our Communities Can Do
Excerpt:U.S.-made bombs and components—assembled in plants from St. Charles, Missouri, to Tucson, Arizona, to Camden, Arkansas—are a backbone of Israel’s air war on Gaza. This WordPress-ready investigation maps the companies, towns, and tax breaks behind those weapons; summarizes the evidence of unlawful strikes; and lays out concrete, non-violent steps communities can take to halt complicity ...
Israel, Gaza, Genocide: Scholars Confirm the Crime
By Professor Ron Stockton, University of Michigan–Dearborn Excerpt:The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS)—the world’s foremost body of experts on genocide—has declared that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. With 86% of its voting members in agreement, this resolution is a historic milestone. For Arab ...
Can Michigan have Ranked Choice Vote … Here Is Where We Are Now
Excerpt: Michigan is on the cusp of a historic decision: should voters be able to rank candidates instead of picking just one? Grassroots organizers are now collecting signatures for a 2026 constitutional amendment while Lansing politicians move to ban the reform. Here’s the lay of the land—what ranked-choice voting (RCV) is, where it’s already in ...
PRO-PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT SHOULD NOT IGNORE MAGA SUPPORTIVE VOICES
Across the U.S., a small but growing chorus on the political right—including MAGA-aligned populists, libertarians, and non-interventionist conservatives—has broken with the bipartisan consensus to oppose more weapons for Israel, criticize AIPAC’s outsized role in our elections, and call for a ceasefire or an end to foreign aid. If we’re serious about saving lives in Gaza and ending U.S. complicity, the pro-Palestine movement should not ignore these voices. We can collaborate on concrete, issue-specific goals while holding firm to anti-racist, anti-sectarian principles—because coalitions win policy, not purity tests.
Settlers Seize 50 Acres from Palestinian-American Family in Masafer Yatta
Excerpt:Israeli settlers have seized 50 acres of farmland in Masafer Yatta, belonging to a Palestinian-American family connected to the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land. For Arab Americans in Dearborn—where land, heritage, and identity are intertwined—this isn’t just another news story. It’s personal. Photo credit: Community activists / via Middle East Eye At least 50 acres ...
GREEN PARTY ARAB & MUSLIM CAUCUS PUSHES UN RES. 377(V) TO END THE GENOCIDE
Excerpt: The Green Party’s Arab & Muslim Caucus is teaming with the civil-society initiative Lifeline for Palestine to press governments to invoke the “Uniting for Peace” procedure — UN General Assembly Resolution 377(V) — so the General Assembly can act where the Security Council has been paralyzed. Organizers say the GA can recommend concrete steps, ...
GREATER ISRAEL IS NO LONGER A CONSPIRACY THEORY
Excerpt: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just said out loud what many long suspected: he feels “very” attached to a vision of “Greater Israel.” When you line that up with years of annexations, settlement expansion, open talk of “voluntary migration” from Gaza, and near-daily strikes across the region, the pattern is no longer deniable. This isn’t ...
Parents need to take their kids to Townhalls not McDonalds
Tonight’s special: democracy. Take your kids to a town hall—teach them to ask questions, not just place orders. #TownhallsNotMcDonalds #CivicParenting #RaiseCitizens #DearbornBlog
How U.S. and Israeli Interests Are Elevating a Faux Iranian Regent
By Dearborn Blog Staff An eye-opening essay in the Boston Review sheds light on a disturbing and ongoing campaign: the U.S. and Israeli-backed push to position Reza Pahlavi—the exiled son of Iran’s deposed shah—as the face of regime change in Iran. The article, “Our Man for Tehran” by Alex Shams, unpacks how this nostalgia-fueled political ...
Michigan Ballot Initiative Pushes for Ranked Choice Voting: A Path Toward a More Representative Democracy
Dearborn, MI — A new grassroots initiative is underway across Michigan to transform the way we vote — and it might be the most important election reform effort in a generation. The Rank MI Vote campaign is leading a ballot initiative to enact Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for Michigan’s major elections, including presidential primaries, statewide ...
Introducing a Journey Through the Foundations of Universal Human Values: Article 1: Freedom
Written and shared with Musings readers by Livonia resident and author Wissam CharafeddineAs an Arab American activist, author, and educator dedicated to the values of human dignity, justice, and enlightenment, I have long been fascinated by the evolution of human rights across civilizations. Our modern understanding of freedom, equality, and human dignity did not arise ...
When the Lesser Evil Becomes the Greatest Betrayal: Why I Cannot Vote for a “Less Bloody” Killer— By Wissam Charafeddine
“If someone must be killed, let it be the one whose death causes the least harm.”This is how the logic of the “lesser evil” simplifies moral dilemmas in times of crisis.But what if all options are evil?What if this logic becomes a tool to normalize genocide and political corruption? One of the most famous philosophical ...
Arab and Muslim American Green Party Caucus Condemns the Arrest of Dr. Jill Stein and Demands All Charges Be Dropped
https://www.instagram.com/p/DHdxHQhuHc7/?img_index=1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 20, 2025 Arab and Muslim American Green Party Caucus Condemns the Arrest of Dr. Jill Stein and Demands All Charges Be Dropped The Arab and Muslim American Green Party Caucus unequivocally condemns the unjust arrest and politically motivated charges against Green Party Presidential Candidate, Dr. Jill Stein. We demand the immediate ...
Dearborn Greens Post Election Gathering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUKm2fFhiEg https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/Dearborn-Greens-Post-Election-Gathering-e2uoa88
No Votes For Genocide Rally
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o11E_lURxhU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah9APwjmyfY https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/Dearborn-Blog-Films-Present-Dearborn-Voting-Jill-Stein-2024-e2uo81o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwP4jd03ipo https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/No-Votes-For-Genocide-Rally-Part-1-e2uo8db https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/No-Votes-For-Genocide-Rally-Part-2-e2uo8lg
Hands Off the Middle east Rally August 5, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqqg6WRuR8Q https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/Hands-Off-the-Middle-east-Rally-August-5--2024-e2uo7mf
A Group of Arab American Organizations Request Dr. West to Withdraw from Presidential Race and Endorse Dr. Jill Stein for Unity and Solidarity
Dear Dr. Cornel West, I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. On behalf of Arab American organizations across the nation, I am reaching out to you with a heartfelt appeal regarding your candidacy for the upcoming presidential race. First and foremost, allow me to express our sincere appreciation for the tremendous ...
The Ever Dependable Bully on Embassy Row; Venezuela and Iraq Are No Longer Worlds Apart. May 26/19 by B Nimri Aziz
The Ever Dependable Bully on Embassy Row; Venezuela and Iraq Are No Longer Worlds Apart. May 26/19 by B Nimri Aziz Embassy raided; citizens starved by sanctions; coveted oil resources targeted--again. The United States is still punishing Iran for the 1979 takeover of its ‘sacred’ premises, its embassy in Tehran. By contrast, when American authorities ...
I Really Can’t Cast Your Ballot for You, Ma’am by BN Aziz
“The fight of my life…”; ”Republicans take a sledgehammer to Medicare…”; “Triple your impact to STOP…”; “Lowering our chance…”; “What’s at stake? Everything…”; “Last chance…”; “Numbers don't lie…”; “They’re scared we’ll win...”, warns yet another slogan, and on and on. As if to say: “We (the Democratic Party) are scared, and we want you to ...
Dearborn’s Civil Society Has Storm Clouds
Panic, fear, anxiety - relief? The reactions from everyday persons in Dearborn to the last few weeks are rumblings from the storm clouds above American civil society. Our little slice of solace is turning into the focal point for this nation's troubles. Two years ago, a third of Dearborn residents voted for Donald Trump. The ...
Gamal Abdel Nasser: A Dream That Couldn’t Come True by Ambassador Dr. Ali Ajami
Only 52 years between his birth and death. And despite this short life, Gamal Abdel Nasser’s achievements were more, by far, to be counted. The officer that emerged from a poor family, managed to rise high in the political life, not only in his home country, Egypt but also in the Arab world, as well ...
“Swing Status, Be Gone” by Barbara Nimri Aziz
During the last nationwide election, the one before that, and the preceding one as well, I was led to believe my vote really doesn't count. Why? Because I don't live in what our political parties define as a “swing state”, or a swing district, or a swing county. Our media focuses on races and ...
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