Muslims, Arabs, and Arab-Americans

Nawar Shora has spent his two-decade plus career at the intersection of civil rights/DEIA and national security/counterterrorism with expertise and accolades across the spectrum.  The positive impact of his groundbreaking outreach efforts in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks remain through today. He is a nationally recognized authority and subject matter expert on community outreach and stakeholder engagement as well as cultural demystification and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA) efforts. Nawar has delivered in-person trainings to more than 100,000 professionals, including intelligence analysts, law enforcement officers, university professors and students, houses of worship, and corporate security and executive groups. He approaches intimidating and difficult topics with humor, diplomacy and charm.  He has been called the “Arab Robin Williams” by members of the NYPD and is often compared to the late comedian for his high energy, wit, and occasional Freudian joke.  Nawar’s experience ranges between intimate one-on-one advisory sessions with the upper echelon of the US government to public keynotes before 14,000 individuals. In 2018, he testified as a witness to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. That year, he was also invited back to his Alma Matter, Marshall University, to keynote the commencement ceremony with a theme of “Conquer your reality”.  He has served as a guest lecturer at varied academic institutions, UPS’s Security Information Group, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), the FBI Academy, National Counterterrorism Center, Terrorist Screening Center, and countless other private and public institutions. He has provided insights to the most inner depths of the US Government and has worked with most of the three letter agencies except the NSA, but figured they must be listening in anyway! Nawar’s efforts have been recognized by the FBI with the Director’s Community Leadership Award, the DHS Outstanding American by Choice Award, the FBI Exceptional Service in the Public Interest Award, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Leadership Award, the Washington, DC Metro Police Department’s Outstanding and Dedicated Service Award, FBI Community Outreach Training Award, among many more.  Nawar is a highly sought-after public speaker, connector, and bridge-builder. He discusses the history, norms, mores, culture, and current events of the Arab and Muslim worlds with an eye towards amplifying our humanity and the fabric of our American values. His stories on failure, grace, and inspiration make him a unique motivational presence.  Ali Ferzat was born in 1951 in the central Syrian city of Hama. He is a Syrian political cartoonist and has published more than 15,000 caricatures in Syrian, Arab and international newspapers. He serves as the head of the Arab Cartoonists Association. In 2011, he received Sakharov Prize for peace and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2012. Ferzat has a collection of his political cartoons, A Pen of Damascus Steel: The Political Cartoons of an Arab Master, also published by Cune Press.

SECTION 1




A Note to the Reader   15

Introductory Quiz   16




Chapter One...................................................................................................19

1. How much do you know?   20

2. Are all Arabs Muslim, and all Muslims Arab?   24

3. Who are Arabs and what makes an Arab country?   24

4. Immigrant Arabs and Arab-Americans   28

5. Who are Muslims and in what do they believe?   28

6. Women in Islam   32

7. Global Muslim population   37

8. What is the world’s most populous Muslim country?   40




Chapter Two....................................................................................................41

1. What comes to mind when you hear the term Muslim or Arab?   42

2. What does an Arab look like?   42

3. Nicknames and transliteration of names   43

4. Muslims or Arabs: Broad neutral answers   44

5. Muslims or Arabs: Extreme negative answers   45

6. Epithets   46

7. Terrorism   47

8. A Bit of History  48

9. Muslims or Arabs: Extreme positive answers   49




Chapter Three.................................................................................................56

1. Were Muslims or Arab-Americans responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing?   57

2. Suspicious behavior, non-suspicious appearance   57




Chapter Four..................................................................................................60

1. Name positive Arab characters in television history   61

2. Name positive Arab characters in movie history   65




Chapter Five......................................................................................70

1. Were Arab-Americans responsible for the 9/11 attacks on our country?   71

2. Arabs or Arab-Americans?   71

3. Do you believe a negative stereotype about Muslims or Arab-Americans exists in the United States?   72

4. Do you face stereotypes?   72




Chapter Six........................................................................................74

1. Who’s Who in Arab America   74

2. Circle Arab-American public figures   75

3. Muslim and Arab-American contributions   78




Chapter Seven....................................................................................81

1. General Arab and Muslim cultural norms and mores   82

2. Traditional and current Muslim or Arab dress   86

3. Images of Arab sexuality   88

4. A statistical breakdown of Muslims and Arab-Americans   89




Chapter Eight....................................................................................91

1. Early Arab and Muslim Americans   92

2. Arab and Muslim influence on the United States   94

3. Geography and the World   95

4. Arabic in your English, French and Spanish   96




Conclusion   99




Quotes & Notes   101

Resources   103

Notes   104




SECTION 2




Glossary  

Countries At a Glance 

Arab Countries 

The Larger Muslim World 




Acknowledgements  

Calligraphy by Mamoun Sakkal  

Political Cartoons by Ali Farzat  

Bios of “Informed Views” Writers  

Index 

The Author