AAI'S Zogby Claims "Arab" Electoral Victories in America
ALPAC: "Stop Highjacking Our Lebanese Heritage and Achievements"

Washington, D.C., staff, Lebanon Bulletin, December 4, 1997

In a press-release issued in Washington, and published in the Beirut Times (Los Angeles, November 13), Dr James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute claimed victory for the election of number of "Arab-Americans" to various offices.
Under the title of "Tuesday Elections Produce Arab American Victories, three Arab Americans re-elected Mayors," Zogby stated that all named are of Arab descent. Responding to the AAI's president, a spokesperson from the American Lebanese Public Affairs Committee (ALPAC) said it is "stunned to see Mr Zogby claiming victories by mostly Lebanese Christians and other non-Arab Middle East ethnicities in American elections."
ALPAC said that numerous, elected officials are Lebanese Christians opposed to the takeover of Lebanon by Syria who imposed its will its non-Muslim populations. Names of Lebanese Christians and non-Muslims who have achieved office are:

Connecticut-Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ghanim, reelected by an 80% plurality
Joan Saliba, reelected for the fifth time in Hartwell Georgia
Representative Ruth Joseph, reelected for a second term as mayor of Waterville, Maine
Court Justice Antony Shaheen, reelected for the New York State Supreme Court
Jeanie Pirro, won a landslide victory for thesecond term in New York (Westchester County) as DA In city council races, we find:

Suzanne Sareini of the Dearborn City Council
Council man Timothy Bryan of Massillon (OH)
Michael Kannan, aseat on the Lawrence (KS) City council The ALPAC spokesperson said: "Zogby wrote in his release that "from local city councils to state supreme courts, we continue to see the civic involvement of Arab Americans pay off with election victories across the country." And we tell Zogby, stop highjacking the heritage of the Lebanese and other Middle Eastern Americans, and claim Arab victories. Most of the elected officials you mentioned are not even Arab. They are either the descendants of Lebanese Christians or Middle Eastern Christians. We have a great respect for our cousins of the Arab American community and their leaders, as well as to their achievements in this country, and we deeply resent you claiming political victories on the behalf of our community.
The achievements of individual Lebanese Americans and other Middle East ethnicities should not be used by Arab American spokesmen to enhance their political power. We are sure that the Arab American authentic leaders also resent a non-Arab claim to represent them."

ALPAC can be contacted in Washington DC or nationwide at ALPAC@wlo-usa.org, Attention Mr Ed Brice

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