Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Ohio’s 1st Arab American Town Hall Meeting
Tuesday October 5th 2004

Coordinated through the Al Jazeera Network
and the Al-Sahafa Newspaper Corporation

By; Fatina Salaheddine

On Tuesday October 5th 2004, as the whole world watched the Vice Presidential Debates take place in our own backyard – Cleveland Ohio, the Al-Sahafa Newspaper Corporation and the Al Jazeera Network, were teaming up to bring to the people of the Middle East, their own Forum on what they believed in the upcoming U.S. Presidential Elections, the Candidates, and their issues, (or should we say, our issues…).

In their one and only vice-presidential debate, the running mates for President George Bush and Senator John Kerry for the November presidential elections argued over Iraq and US security policy.

They also expanded the terse exchange to key domestic issues such as taxes and gay marriage.

Edwards - Kerry's running mate - said Cheney and Bush were ignoring the growing chaos in Iraq and diverting crucial attention from international threats such as the nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea.

"Mr Vice-President, you are still not being straight with the American people," Edwards told Cheney, adding later: "I don't think the country can take four more years of this kind of experience." The senator pledged that a Kerry-Edwards administration would be "truthful" to the American people.

But Cheney strongly defended the Bush administration's record in Iraq, rejecting claims the war was going badly or that the US was bearing too much of the burden.

"You are not credible on Iraq because of the enormous inconsistencies that John Kerry and you have voiced on Iraq," Cheney said. "We have not seen the kind of consistency that a commander-in-chief needs to have."

Cheney repeated his arguments that Iraq harboured the al-Qaida linked Abu Musab al-Zarqawi before the war - even though a CIA report has found no conclusive evidence of that - and that there were links between Iraq and al-Qaida.

"Mr Vice-President, there is no connection between the attacks of September 11 and Saddam Hussein," Edwards said, picking up from where Kerry had left off in last week's debate with Bush.

Cheney said Kerry and Edwards shifted their views on Iraq in accordance with the political climate.

"It's a consistent pattern over time of always being on the wrong side of defense issues," Cheney said of Kerry. "A little tough talk in the midst of a campaign or as part of a presidential debate cannot obscure a record of 30 years of being on the wrong side of defense issues."

Edwards portrayed Bush and Cheney as captives to special interests and highlighted the vice-president's ties to the oil industry and Texas energy giant Halliburton, which he headed from 1995 to 2000 and which now is the leading US military contractor in Iraq.

Edwards also hit out at Cheney's long track record, saying "a long resume did not automatically mean better judgment".

In the same breath, he pointed out that the vice-president had in the past voted against senate resolutions that called for the release of former South African political prisoner turned president Nelson Mandela.

He also accused Bush and Cheney of passing huge tax breaks for the rich and leaving the working class out of the equation. "We don't just value wealth, which they do," Edwards said. "We value work."

The Arab American Town Hall Meeting

As Arab Americans watched the debate in the Classics Studio, (in Broadview Heights Ohio),one could hear agreeable comments coming from the audience to moments of complete shock and anger to what Mr. Cheney or Mr. Edwards were discussing. Knowing that the world’s eyes are all focused on America’s International foreign policies with the Middle East, both candidates really didn’t emphasize or show concern towards the Arab world. The overall feeling, in the studio about the debate was that the Middle East, (the most hotly contested subject concerning our U.S. foreign policies), was not focused upon and discussed enough.

One would think that in the past 4 years – and all the turmoil such as; with the current Iraqi war, Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Syria’s sanctions, Iran’s nuclear plans, Saudi Arabia, and the most wanted man on earth- Bin Ladden – all stemming from the Middle East, America’s main debate affairs would be to talk about these dealings!

Instead of answering their concerns, the debate actually stirred more questions in the minds of the Town hall attendees. Neither candidate during the debate, stood up for the Arab world! This is what most of the Town Hall attendees were waiting for – a true sentimental testament for the Middle East and its people.

There was a big discussion amongst the attendees, during the live Al Jazeera show, broadcast to the entire Arab world, about which candidate would be best to vote for! Which candidate best represents America’s melting pot of voters? There were both Bush supporters as well as Kerry believers in the audience. Comments ranged from Bush’s promise for a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel, to Kerry’s stance on the unconstitutional Patriot Act.

The premiere Arab Town Hall meeting, showcased Ohio’s true feelings as Americans of Arab descent. A very promising evening of discussion took place, definitely leaving room for future Al Jazeera broadcasts live from Ohio’s Middle Eastern population, in coordination with the Al-Sahafa Newspaper. Stay tuned folks!

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting

Arab Town Hall Meeting