Sami Bishara Mashney, Anaheim-based Editor-in-Chief of ‘The Independent Monitor’ recently wrote a great opinion piece ripping Costa Migra Mayor and candidate for the 68th Assembly District Allan Mansoor for the sell-out that he is. Regular readers of Orange Juice know that Mansoor has long publicly downplayed his Egyptian-Arabic heritage. The article titled, “Allan Mansoor, Self-Hating Man” cites the blog comments made by the politician stating, “My father, though born in Egypt and with an Arabic name, was greatly influenced by European culture.” “I am taking exception to being classified as ‘one of three Arab-American candidates in city elections.’”
With such a pathetic disassociation with his Arabic heritage, why would Arab-Americans want to support a guy like this? They don’t! Sami Bishara Mashney, who founded the Network of Arab-American Professionals of Orange County, concludes his piece by declaring support for one of Mansoor’s rivals in the race, writing, “I am giving my vote to Phu Nguyen, a candidate who is not afraid to refer to himself as a “Vietnamese” American. As we say in Arabic, he who forgets his origin has no origin. That is the case of Allan Mansoor, who, in pursuit of success and influence, made the conscious decision to deny his origin.” When the story was re-posted on ‘The Happy Arab News Service’ (As’ad AbuKhalil’s smiley faced cousin in the blogopshere?) it was linked under the text, “I’m voting Phu, you should too!”
Unlike Mansoor, Phu Nguyen has already been supportive of the drive to have a section of the city of Anaheim designated as “Little Arabia.” Unlike Nguyen, the Costa Migra Mayor has angered many Latinos over the years with his stupid anti-immigrant policies in the city and is increasingly drawing the ire of Arab-Americans for the white-washing of his own background. Could Mansoor be a great flash point for the coming of a political alliance between OC Latinos and Arab-Americans that I so desire? Let’s hope so and discuss possibilities over hummus y guacamole!
There’s a new group that calls itself “Arab Latin Advisory Committee.” I got this email regarding an “Open House” in Pomona and another one in Garden Grove..
– Open House – St. Joseph Arab American Catholic Church, Pomona – August 7, 2010 (an open house for all Arab and Latin Americans to learn about each other’s religions and cultures)
RSVP for the meeting:
Ray Cordova, Mike Abdeen, Benny and Nellie Diaz, Rima Nashashibi, Nabil Attala, and Omar Khalifa.
Mansoor has also said that he is Swedish, which is his mother’s heritage, totally disregarding his father’s heritage.
Mansoor is so full of hate he can’t get out of his own way…
Vote for Phu!
The more I observe Mansoor, I wouldn’t call him so much “hateful” (a la Arpaio or Brewer or Coe) but a confused and clueless tool.
Still just the same, we don’t want THAT representing us in Sacramento either! So go Phu!!!
Rashad – Let us know about the GG open house.
Art, internalized hatred of oneself more than often is then expressed outwardly towards others. Mansoor, Loopy Lupe Moreno, and the list goes on and on…
– Open House – St. Anselm Church of Canterbury Episcopal Church, Garden Grove – August 15, 2010 (an open house for all Arab and Latin Americans to learn about each other’s religions and cultures)
He’s a Muslim….I want to see his Birth certificate……..oh yeah, those are Van Trans supporters.
Whats the difference again?
Is Mansoor really a secret Manchurian Muslim candidate? Hmmm… This could have legs.
“Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible NOT to.” – dame Peggy Noonan during the Clinton years
HA! If Mansoor is Muslim it would just take his self-hatred to epic proportions as he pals around with notorious anti-Islam nutcase Barbara Coe. (yet another figure whom Arabs and Latinos could come together against in common cause)
But of course, he’s not.
how refreshing a stance Mr. Mansoor takes! I love it. Enough with the hyphenated Americans already. Enough about your race. He obviously takes pride in being an American. To call it self hating just shows how hung up you are on race, that you have to frame everything by race. Cool stance Mr. Mansoor! All American, YES!!!!
The words of Mansoor read:
“My father, though born in Egypt and with an Arabic name, was greatly influenced by European culture.”
It’s about race. It’s about Mansoor reducing his heritage and making it Eurocentric. That’s a sickness instilled by colonialism. And that wasn’t instilled by Arab-Americans or Latinos…
Back to the idea of Mansoor as Manchurian (Mansoorian?) Muslim candidate. I’m not saying there would be anything wrong with the 68th Assembly District having a Muslim assemblyman, and far be it from me to suggest that 99.9% of American Muslims are anything other than good peaceful patriotic Americans. And I sure don’t want to tap into anti-Islamic prejudice to hurt Allan’s chances at higher office.
But you have to remember the premise of the movie – the Mansoorian Candidate didn’t know that’s what he was – he was brainwashed, and obviously by a hostile, dangerous force that couldn’t come to power in a legitimate way.
What disturbs and frightens me is that Allan is so unaware of the fact that he is the Mansoorian Candidate, and obviously his denial of his Middle Eastern roots are a sort of subconscious reaction to the painful, buried memories of his long-ago kidnapping and brainwashing by the extremist Egyptian Brotherhood.
I call on all peace-and-freedom-loving Muslims, and all other patriotic Americans, to – gently, and lovingly – just say NO to this dangerous Mansoorian candidate, before we end up with him up in Sacramento bringing Sharia law and institutionalized jihad to the Golden State.
I’m pretty sure about all this. I will be sending some video evidence soon.
gabriel san roman: of course it is about race to you guys. it always is. geez, grow up and join the world. It’s always racist, hater, and now self hater. of course being called a wetback will send you all in a frenzy and unleash all the forces from hell but you wimps just keep dishing it out with the name calling and crazy labels but can’t take it. face it: you are the haters
Mansoor denies his heritage. If a Chicano candidate said something along the lines of, “My father, although born in Mexico with a Spanish surname, was greatly influenced by European culture,” first of all, he wouldn’t call himself a Chicano. He’d probably call himself an American of European influenced Hispanic descent! Sounds like the Mayor is uncomfortable with his background. Why?
Ask yourself, why the distancing by Mansoor? Why the need to reassure everyone with Eurocentric gesturing? It’s as if he has undergone some sort of internal ethnic cleansing.
I doubt I’ll get honest answers. Try all you want to hijack the discourse on race and re-brand who is a hater and what constitutes racism. You won’t get very far…
“t’s about race. It’s about Mansoor reducing his heritage and making it Eurocentric. That’s a sickness instilled by colonialism. And that wasn’t instilled by Arab-Americans or Latinos…”
MQ says:
I swear you have a bone in your nose…. Really I don’t know if it is an inherent stupid, but from the state of Mexico, I would conclude a big maybe!
2010 people could not care less about the color of one’s skin; it is a non-issue!
” Brown is not a crime, but stupid is”.
“And before you equate bones in the noses with brown people, Vern is wearing one too!”
“Really I don’t know if it is an inherent stupid, but from the state of Mexico, I would conclude a big maybe!”
MQ: for my own amusement, please explain your comments here. They contradict your assertions of a post-racial 2010 (*chuckles*)
And FYI not all Arabs are muslims!
Michelle,
Apparently at least one of them thinks he is Swedish!
WHAT?!? Oh.. never mind. I though I heard somebody say “Swedish Meatball.”
MMMM…. Swedish meatballs!
“What disturbs and frightens me is that Allan is so unaware of the fact that he is the Mansoorian Candidate, and obviously his denial of his Middle Eastern roots are a sort of subconscious reaction to the painful, buried memories of his long-ago kidnapping and brainwashing by the extremist Egyptian Brotherhood.”
MQ says: you are disturbed because you have a “bone in your nose”. Mr. Mansoor is an American Citizen and really that is all that matters, unless youre having a party then like myself the irish songs come belting out!
We are all from somewhere, want binds us is are love for this country!
Sorter, lovey your race has nothing to do with it, it’s how the Mexican community has allowed themselves to go down the tubes. In Mexico the people get the government they deserve and in the us they get the community they have fostered. Drop outs and gangs do a community make!
hahahaha! you really don’t know how terribly ignorant your comments come out, do you?
Quinn, please go back to the Celtic era and play a harp.
That “Mexican” community you refer to is the Mexican American community in the US, who have proudly contributed many achievements and milestones to the development of this country, whose men and women have shed their blood dying and defending the very soil called the USA. Your comments are denigrating and insulting to educated Mexican Americans like me. You should be ashamed of yourself because your comments posted here in no way represents American values; you’re simply anti-American and hateful toward a particular group of Americans.
Sorry, I wrote the last comment using my phone and the lettering was very small!
Sorter = Sorry!
us = USA
Sorter = Sorry?
My, what big fat fingers you must have, Ms. Quinn.
My finger’s are not the problem, its my bloody eyes!
“hahahaha! you really don’t know how terribly ignorant your comments come out, do you?”
MQ says:
“TERRIBLY IGNORANT” you say… tell that to the heads without the bodies!
“Roll,roll, roll those head’s down the disco floor, merry o merry we wil make you carry the drugs across the shore!”
Your drug lords are but a small number and your army is large, yet who is winning the drug war? Why? The people elected a corrupt government over and over again because the whole system in Mexico is corrupt, so whether it is a drug cartel or a politician running the country it makes not a ounce of difference. So the Mexican people will continue to come here and yell and shout for rights that American Citizens are being stripped of!
YOU as a SO CALLED LEADER or ADVOCATE are a mouth piece for a ignorant country with arrogant leaders!
Mexican immigrants are F%^&$R in this country because you and your like sold them on rights they NEVER had and as a result YOU have diminished their relevance in this country!
What I see is a bunch of foreign nationalist’s telling the American people “whether you like it or not, we will take and take”
Your ignorance is not uncommon in your culture~
“A Little harsh I know” Since I am the fragile white woman and you are the STRONG brown people…. I am sure it water off a ducks back!
I thought it was the English who civilized the tribal like Irish in the customs of sophistication and intelligence. Am I right? Or am I right?
American,
Indeed. The Celts were subjugated by the English. The Romans however attacked the lot of them first.
FYI… Since I do not want to generalize, I will state for the record that I do not think all Mexicans are stupid, just silent!
Like most other phobias, xenophobia is based on irrationality. MQ: I wish you well in the hopes that some day you might begin to expunge the fear and the misguided ways of your perspectives…
Gabriel thank god you’re not the angel I doubt Gods messenger would be quite so full of shite! (Irish for shit)…
Fear is not something that comes easy to me, common sense does! I wish you well too! I also hope you will some day stop lying to yourself, its not a very good character building tool!
I understand it though, it’s tribal and common to man to lean toward the collective instead of individualism!
I prefer the individual approach, I don’t lie or cheat for anyone… Every man for himself!
Damn Arab Americans, it’s about time you spoke up, you live in the OC. If this man is half Arab through lineage of his father’s side, and he’s running Costa Mesa (a city known for many domestic terrorists White Supremacists gangs), allowing the murderous Minuteman (anti-democratic, anti-American, terrorist-proned) to have a stage, I was beginning to wonder if you Arabs (Christian or Muslim) were indifferent to the treatment of your fellow Arab toward the Hispanic American community.
So “American” thinks the minutemen are anti american terrrorits proned and murderous? And he points this out to Arabs? LOL, bass ackwards wuss
“educated Mexican Americans”
It’s funny you use the “American” to introduce your post and then you call yourself Mexican American…. I think the term Irish/American Mexican/American to be offensive to this country… What is wrong with just stating that you are AMERICAN. Your parents might have been Mexican, but YOU are not!
“You should be ashamed of yourself because your comments posted here in no way represents American values; you’re simply anti-American and hateful toward a particular group of Americans.”
MQ says:
No love, I am anti-bullshit and of course you being MEXICANAMERICAN other words Mexican first are full of it!
And get off the hate box the African Americans got that one first!
Bunch of victims!
And yes American’s have died for this country and on the battle field, I bet they where not calling themselves anything but American…
So look in the mirror and ask yourself the question “do I have a problem with this country”
Oh please, everyone here is a hyphenated American. Including European-Americans. This is a nation of immigrants to a certain extent, but also is one founded upon settler colonialism. These are the facts. This hemisphere has been refashioned as the Americas. The United States is just one parcel of it. Chileans are Americans, Canadians are Americans, Hondurans are Americans, Mexicans are Americans, etc…
And you have the gall to call people uneducated!
BTW – Matt Coker of the OC Weekly has picked up on this story!
http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/immigration/allan-mansoor-arab-american-bac/
This is a truly pathetic post, and all of you criticizing Mayor Mansoor are truly pathetic and illustrate better than I ever could just how pervasive racism is in California.
From the Random House Dictionary, 2010:
rac-ism [rey-siz-uhm]
-noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
Mayor Mansoor’s parents were of Egyptian and Swedish descent, and his father was influenced by European culture. Mayor Mansoor states that he shouldn’t be identified as an Arab-American candidate – which is 100% accurate in that his heritage is ostensibly half-Egyptian and half Swedish. Nobody here knows anything about his parents backgrounds, and really – even that is entirely irrelevant. We are all Americans, and race/ethnicity/background should NOT be what defines any of us.
It really is sad how far off the reservation the Orange Juice has gone. Vern is a shell of himself – he cannot decide if he is an upstanding intellectual who fights the good fight or a opportunistic cheap-shot artist with an agenda that even he is unclear on.
Art is running for the SAUSD School Board and participates in this kind of racism? Clear, irrefutable evidence that Art Pedroza has NO business whatsoever being elected to any public body. Government should be trying to eliminate racism, not perpetuate it.
Mayor Mansoor refuses to pigeon-hole his identity as either Swedish-American or Arab-American, and instead labels himself plain old “American.” Despite this and the fact that he comes from a diverse immigrant background, a bunch of opportunistic racists label him “self-hating?”
The Orange Juice is quick to pounce on perceived racism, which is hilariously ironic considering the fact that Orange Juice administrators see almost everything and define almost every issue through the prism of race. Sadly, the Orange Juice has become the chief proponent of racism in the California political blogosphere.
Pathetic – you should all be absolutely ashamed of yourselves.
Vern is a shell of himself – he cannot decide if he is an upstanding intellectual who fights the good fight or a opportunistic cheap-shot artist with an agenda that even he is unclear on.
Hey Rob, it’s cool if you really think that, except I’m worried that you’re just not getting satire. Of course I’m not serious about Allan being secretly Muslim – it was a joke, a mischievous joke! See – Mansoorian Candidate – a pun! I thought it was kind of funny.
I had been hoping not to have to explain that.
Rob —
This attempt to redirect the discourse on race is what is really pathetic. Mansoor’s statements on his background de-emphasize his Arabic heritage. Why? His statement about his father wants to reassure voters that though born in Egypt and with an Arabic last name, he was greatly influenced by European culture. Why? How about noting the influence of Arabic culture?
Mansoor is creating a narrative about himself that is highly Eurocentric. Again, I ask why? I don’t expect any answers. All hell, I’ll give you the obvious. He is doing this precisely because of the TRUE racist narrative that exists and definitely plays a role in the politics of Orange County and the greater United States. As a sellout, he has bought into the notions instead of a fuller affirmation of himself.
That I and other bloggers will continually highlight this means we act to create a corrective dialogue.
Gabriel,
Are you serious? Your position is completely indefensible and your premise entirely specious. I have a question for you – why are you going so far out of your way to turn a non-issue – Mayor Mansoor’s REFUSAL TO EMPHASIZE his Arabic heritage over his Swedish heritage, into an issue?
You don’t have a clue what transpired in Mayor Mansoor’s upbringing – where his parents met, where they lived, what languages were spoken, what traditions were followed, what holidays observed, etc. Perhaps his father fled the poverty, chaos and strife that have plagued Egypt in the past 50 years for the peace and prosperity of Europe or the United States. You don’t have a clue, and neither do I. Your assertion that the culture and heritage of his father’s birthplace should define him is racist by definition.
Why not call him out for refusing to emphasize his Swedish heritage? I’ll tell you why – because that does not adhere to your, and seemingly the Orange Juice’s, playbook. This playbook, which has become clearly evident in recent months, seeks to aggressively denounce anyone who refuses to define themselves and various issues by race.
Why are you being so deliberately divisive? The only thing you are highlighting is that you are incapable of any race-neutral discourse. And you call that a corrective dialogue? You obviously need a crash course in the history, application and statutory background of civil rights in the United States.
If you notice, my post references OC’s Arab-American community’s position on the matter. I’m a Chicano. They are, of course, better fit to criticize from such a vantage point. I let that fully be known.
I’m not calling out Mansoor on the Swedish thing because quite simply he doesn’t refuse to emphasize that part of his heritage. He has gone great lengths to be Eurocentric in presenting himself to the public. I can’t call out something that doesn’t exist. Why do you ask me something divorced from the facts?
Your failure to comprehend such is quite telling. This is why this is a corrective dialogue. And I certainly won’t take advice from someone like you in terms of “needing a crash course” in civil rights history. I am fairly well read in the subject matter and unlike you, continue on with it lessons as opposed to perverting them. There’s no way to approach such in a “race-neutral” manner and the civil rights movement continues to this very day.
You and others like you will not hijack discourse on racism. No way, no how…
http://www.ocweekly.com./2006-08-17/news/real-gene-ius/
http://www.laprensa-sandiego.org/archieve/2006/august25-06/tinderbox.htm
A corrective dialog??? the thought police (human relations commission) could not spin it any better. Hey Gabe, here’s an idea: leave others alone, quit acting like you know what is in their minds better than they do. If Mansoor is a self hater please do an interview with him where he admits it or let it go. YOU are angry because you would LOVE to have a great guy like Mansoor by an Egyptian who ran as an Egyption and only for Egyptians. Instead he is an American, way too Eurocentric for your tastes I guess.
deadwhitemale: HAHAHAHA!
you write: “leave others alone, quit acting like you know what is in their minds better than they do.”
and then you do as you accuse here: “YOU are angry because you would LOVE to have a great guy like Mansoor by an Egyptian who ran as an Egyption and only for Egyptians. Instead he is an American, way too Eurocentric for your tastes I guess.”
Too funny!
Ok, now, I’ll go back to what I was doing before writing this…listening to the labor songs penned by Swedish-American musician Joe Hill!
Gabriel,
Again – are you serious? “You and others like you will not hijack discourse on racism. No way, no how…” This is your discourse – YOU stated that the opinion piece in The Independent Monitor was “great.” This is a manufactured issue by those with a racist agenda – and the fact that you don’t comprehend that is what is telling.
I realize that you are far too self-righteous to actually comprehend that your entire premise is racist. Why wouldn’t emphasis of a “Arabcentric” identity over a “Eurocentric” identity be equally troubling to you? You still haven’t answered that question, and in fact – you dodged it completely.
Again, and we can keep this up all week – you know NOTHING about Mayor Mansoor’s background except the birthplace of his parents, yet you are making assumptions and passing judgment on him based solely on racial and ethnic factors.
What is truly sad is that you don’t even realize that your own posts here on this comment thread have not demonstrated a “corrective dialogue” but serious racial bias. I think you do need that crash-course in United States civil rights.
I’m not trying to be combative – I’m sincerely trying to get you to undertsand why you are so wrong. This isn’t about Mayor Mansoor – this IS about the dialogue. I get that you are trying to combat your perception of racism, but unfortunately, you have it backwards. How dare you state that another human being, who you know nothing whatsoever about, must identify with any one component of his or his background in order to have “a fuller affirmation of himself.” Do you define yourself by your life experiences or where you or your parents were born, or perhaps a combination of factors? I have good friends who were born and raised in the Phillipines, still speak Tagalog, and proudly call themselves Americans – no hyphen, no hesitation. Same goes for friends who came from Armenia and Vietnam. Another was born in Southern California but has lived in South Africa his whole life. He consideres himself South African. Is he self-hating?
You state that you are “Chicano,” and somehow that perspective grants you some sort of authority to pass judgment on others for not defining themselves as one race/ethnicity/background or another? Is that what you are saying? Hopefully not, because that sounds ridiculous.
The point is – each individual defines themself based on their background, upbringing and life experiences. Whether they define themselves as American, hyphenated-American, Armenian, Vietnamese, Chicano, Peruvian, Egyptian, European, etc. is THEIR call, and anyone who judges them based on their racials/ethnic/heritage self-definition alone is racist by definition.
Please think about what I am saying before responding.
I never called for “arabcentricity,’ merely a proper acknowledging instead of a skewered eurocentric one. Please stop assigning things to me that are not of me. Mansoor is the one who has made public overtures to racists that, though he may have an Arabic last name and a father from Egypt, there is nothing to “worry” about.
As for a civil rights lesson…the main protagonists of the movement were “African-Americans!” *gasp* hyphenation!!!!
Vern,
I appreciated the Mansoorian Candidate satire, but I was disappointed that you didn’t say anything about the racism in this post. You gave it a pass completely, and that leaves the impression that you agree with the premise.
I’m trying and failing, if Gabriel’s responses are any indication, to shine a light on the inherent racism of those who cannot have a race-neutral discussion of any issue – and the really troubling trend of implying racist motives in every action. Often the ones yelling about racism on the OJ are the ONLY ones who have raised the issue of race in the first place.
I respect your opinion, Vern, so tell me if you think I’m wrong.
Well… let’s see… now that you make me think about it, it’s complicated, nuanced, not all black and white.
First, I’m not really part of a minority, an oppressed minority. Not yet anyway! So to a degree I can’t judge, and to a degree I CAN understand, how Arab-Americans might feel, when a politician – a pretty successful one so far – who is half Arab, talks about that fact sort of apologetically and dismissively as though he were ashamed of it. That’s totally Mansoor’s prerogative to do that, but I can see how they would want to point it out, criticize it, and maybe not vote for him because of it.
If he were just a private citizen it would be much less interesting, and totally nobody’s business.
There’s also the fact that Allan’s hardline immigration policies – which many of us consider objectively anti-Latino – are really the hallmark of his political career thus far. And so the fact that he is (at least technically, and a privileged light-skinned) member of another minority who is often discriminated against these days… well, it makes us expect that he SHOULD have more empathy with other oppressed minorities. Therefore it gives us malicious pleasure in forcibly reminding him (and everyone else) that he IS half Arab. Mainly because he seems to be embarrassed of it. Does that make sense?
I should also point out – and you’ll probably disagree – that I consider the racism of a majority or powerful minority group to be much more offensive than the (mainly defensive) racism of an oppressed minority. Like if I’m walking along and some black guy yells “Honky” or “cracker” at me, I just laugh and think “what a dick.” But if I yelled “nigger” at him, he and I both know I’m rubbing his face in centuries of slavery, lynching, etc. So it’s not even the same level. Some of you seem to believe it is.
I’m guessing you wouldn’t approve of the new idea of a friend of mine, to blast “Walk Like an Egyptian” from a boom box at Allan’s appearances. Okay, never mind.
I say we make Santa Ana into a town for victims… Yes we will have to feed them clean them and look after their off spring (We are doing that anyway) The catch is that they must not speak or come out of Santa Ana…Gab I will make YOU the supreme leader!
What do you say
🙂
Vern, you can be the court jester.
Tights would look good on you!
Michelle, you are getting way too prolific again. (that means TOO MANY silly little comments.) Remember what happened last time. The two-week exile? Did you like that? You want that again? Well DO YA PUNK???
“and a privileged light-skinned) member of another minority who is often discriminated against these days… well, it makes us expect that he SHOULD have more empathy with other oppressed minorities. Therefore it gives us malicious pleasure in forcibly reminding him (and everyone else) that he IS half Arab. Mainly because he seems to be embarrassed of it. Does that make sense?”
MQ says:
It makes sense that you could possibly believe the BS above because you are a guilt ridden whack job. I am as LIGHT SKINED as you get ….NO ONE has given me anything that i did not work for… I have cleaned dog cages, wiped the ass of many a person (BROWN< BLACK AND WHITE… The only people that are being abused in this country is the tax payer. People want laws enforced because it keeps people safe in this country, it stops abuse and it keeps a equal playing field.
Illegal immigration is not a color it is a crime!
If Santa Ana were full of white loser's it would be no better than having a bunch of brown losers in it… Santa Ana is a mess because it is full of single mothers, drop outs, gangs, illegal immigrants who have no legal right to work in this country and therefore are poor as dirt!
BROWN has nothing to do with it and that is why Mr. Mansoors color is a non-issue. He is protecting his citizens and they come in all colors!
People all over this world even today are being abused and mistreated. In this country everyone has the same opportunity no matter the skin color or class in life… It's only a matter of passion and drive!
I know you missed me more than I missed u… YOU want me to stop writing? Well DO YA PUNK????
Just what California needs, a homophobic bigot in the 68th!!!
Vern,
Thank you for your response – it is the first one I’ve seen that was truly honest, and not obviously shaded by an agenda!
I understand your point about Arab-Americans pointing out, criticizing, and maybe not voting for Mayor Mansoor because he doesn’t emphasize his father’s Egyptian heritage, and that is why I am so emphatic in my posts – THEY ARE WRONG to do so, and it is particulary troubling that Arab-Americans, who have been unfairly and prejudicially judged by some based solely on their race/background/heritage turn around and do the same damn thing to Mayor Mansoor! He is half-Egyptian, so therefore he must behave and act a certain way! It is outrageous, iinexcusable and racist.
As for his “hardline” immigration policies, which you consider anti-Latino, despite not one shred of proof to the contrary, fully 70%, and some polls put it as high as 86% of Americans agree with those policies. A recent CNN poll revealed that 60% of Americans favored deporting illegal immigrants! So I guess 86% of Americans are anti-Latino? Seriously, Vern, that ship has sailed. The face of illegal immigration in CA is Latino, by virtue of geography alone, so the tired, stale and totally inaccurate claim that those who are against illegal immigration are also racists who hate Latinos is alive only in the warped minds of pro-illegal immigration activists. Instead of bleating “racists!” or denigrating politicians, those who support reform should work with those who oppose the status quo to help illegal immigrants comply with the law until the law is changed, if that ever happens.
You said – “…it gives us malicious pleasure in forcibly reminding him (and everyone else) that he IS half Arab. Mainly because he seems to be embarrassed of it. Does that make sense?”
Yes, it does make sense. I’m not seeking to rob you of your fun, I just want you (and Gabriel) to be honest about it. Labeling outright, naked racism as “corrective dialogue” is pure, unadulterated BS.
Remember – expecting someone to have an opinion or act a certain way based on their race/ethnicity/heritage is (drumroll please) RACIST.
As for your point about the mainly defensive racism – I understand that very well, and do disagree with it, absolutely. Two wrongs never make a right, it really is just that simple.
I’m not going to lie, I’d laugh out loud if I heard “Walk Like an Egyptian” from a boom box at any political appearance, even if I did think the person doing it was making a fool of themselves. The joke would be on them, not Mayor Mansoor.
As for your point about the mainly defensive racism – I understand that very well, and do disagree with it, absolutely. Two wrongs never make a right, it really is just that simple.
See, I don’t think you and I, as white people, can say that, can prescribe how minorities should behave. You can’t just expect everyone else to suddenly be Gandhi or Martin Luther King. Who knows what you’d be like if you were born a black guy in Compton or an Arab-American immigrant who got beat up after 9-11, you can’t say you wouldn’t have a big chip on your shoulder.
I do think all our tolerance and respect for each other is gradually, SLOWLY improving, decade by decade. Mostly thanks to our young people!
See, I don’t think you and I, as white people, can say that, can prescribe how minorities should behave. You can’t just expect everyone else to suddenly be Gandhi or Martin Luther King. Who knows what you’d be like if you were born a black guy in Compton or an Arab-American immigrant who got beat up after 9-11, you can’t say you wouldn’t have a big chip on your shoulder.
(I tried to italicize your comment – hopefully it worked…)
I think your point reinforces mine – we shouldn’t be able to behave differently based on our race, etc. Those who have suffered shouldn’t get a retributive free pass to be racists or discriminatory towards others! That results in a self-perpetuating endless cycle of racism and discrimination. We ALL – regardless of race/background/heritage have to totally repudiate racism for it to end. That isn’t idealism, but fact.
As for the whole we as white people thing? Trust me, it works both ways. I have been physically attacked because I am white. Did that make me hostile towards members of his race? No, because that would be racist and stupid.
“See, I don’t think you and I, as white people, can say that, can prescribe how minorities should behave. You can’t just expect everyone else to suddenly be Gandhi or Martin Luther King. Who knows what you’d be like if you were born a black guy in Compton or an Arab-American immigrant who got beat up after 9-11, you can’t say you wouldn’t have a big chip on your shoulder.”
MQ says:
Yes I can say YOU NEED TO BEHAVE… I don’t care what color you are.. if your bad behavior effects the quality of MY life, then you are going to know about it… Unlike YOU Vern I don’t see the difference in myself or someone who happens to have a better tan… Yeah, Yeah we had slavery etc… but we also had the Irish famine and the jewish holocaust… Man has aways picked on the weak and if your weak no matter your color you are going to get picked on!
And as far as the middle east muslim nut cases go… They are very glad that its was America they attacked on 9/11 and not Russia because they would have all been nuked!
Americans are very tolerate people and God love them for it!
You haven’t been following me & Rob’s conversation, so pipe down.
It’s “Rob and I” and no I don’t think I will pipe down!