Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Your Views
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols interviewed on live Arab American radio in Detroit with host Ray Hanania Friday Dec. 9, 2022
    Nichols discusses need to improve Arab-Black relations in Chicagoland American Arabs
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions — no Arabs included American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Pritzker again ignores needs of Arab businesses in latest appointments Activism
  • Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) official candidate endorsements for the November 8, 2022 General elections.
    Arab American Democratic Club issues endorsements for Nov. 8, 2022 Cook County Illinois elections Activism
  • Arab Democrats urge NO VOTE on Gov. J.B. Pritzker re-election bid Activism
  • Assyrian American GOP issues endorsements in Nov, 8, 2022 elections
    Assyrian American GOP group endorses candidates in Illinois Activism
  • Abdullah Hammoud, elected Mayor of Dearborn Nov. 2, 2021. Photo courtesy of Abdullah Hammoud Facebook Page
    AHRC’s 2022 Spirit of Humanity Gala a Great Success American Arabs
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts Arab World
  • Rep. Cyril Nichols to be feted by supporters at fundraiser Saturday Oct. 22 Activism
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri Activism

Why the failure of the Census to include Arabs is important

Posted on September 22, 2015September 24, 2018 By rayhanania No Comments on Why the failure of the Census to include Arabs is important
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Trying to collect accurate information on Arabs and Muslims in America is very difficult. And there is a reason for it. When a government can suppress accurate information on the demographics of a community, the government can control and suppress that community. That’s why it is so important to get the U.S. Census to change its policies and either include all ethnic and racial groups, including Arabs, or include none.

By Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania covering Chicago City Hall (1976-1992)
Ray Hanania
covering Chicago
City Hall
(1976-1992)

A few years back when I criticized the U.S. Census for failing to include Arabs on their Census form, they turned to an American Arab in California who worked for them to attack me.

The point I was making is that the Census is critical to a minority community’s ability to qualify for full government benefits and to fully engage in the election process. For years, the U.S. Census has showcased certain national and ethnic groups while excluding others.

The critic’s job as to marginalize the complaints of American Arabs and push the false claim that the Census cares about all of the variety of Americans. Diversity is important, but unreality diversity is not practiced.

I had been a longtime supporter of the U.S. Census efforts to engage American Arabs in the process and get them to fill out the Census forms. But after three decades of trying to help, I recognized that the Census was using us — American Arabs — to deny us our full rights. By getting us involved for 30 years, they were able to pretend to help while actually doing nothing.

I was never paid by the U.S. Census to help them. I did it out of allegiance to bettering America. They did give me a certificate to thank me for my “service.” But that was it. What they wouldn’t give me was what they denied to American Arabs, respect.

English: The Ethnic composition of Muslims in ...
The Ethnic composition of Muslims in the United States, according to the United States Department of State based on the publication of Being Muslim in America as of March 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The concept of census and demographics is critical to American politics. When I was a student at the University of Illinois at Circle Campus (now the University of Illinois at Chicago), I studied under a brilliant professor and political scientist, Milton Rakove.

Rakove supervised a study that I did in 1976 that identified the settlement of Arabs in Chicagoland. I used the data in my book “Arabs of Chicagoland” which was finally published in 2005 — it took 30 years to get the information published in updated form.

This week, as I was writing an article for Al Jazeera on the hopes of American Christians for the visit of Pope Francis to the White House, New York and Philadelphia, I realized the extent of how difficult it is to convey the true needs and the importance of American Arabs and Muslims without a full census count, which we continue to lack.

How many Arabs are there in the United States? How many Muslims are in the United States? How many Muslims are Arabs? How many Arabs are Christian? How many non-Arab Christians are there in America from the United States?

There was no consistent data at all.

To compensate, we have been forced to use our abilities to make our best guess. I’ve always used the number that there are 4.5 million Arabs in America. It is based on an extrapolation of common sense using the limited statistics we have had.

The Census (long) forms officially ask Americans to identify themselves in 23 categories of national and ethnic people. Black. Hispanics. Asians. Native Americans. And many sub-groups. In the next Census, as a result of criticism from many American Arabs like me who believe that Arabs in America not only deserve but have earned the right to be treated equally.

English: Religious affiliations of Arab Americ...
Religious affiliations of Arab Americans, based on the Zogby International Institute Survey 2002 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

American Arabs are as patriotic and even more than many of those who criticize us. We served in the military in every war, and continue to serve in the pursuit of making this a greater country than it is.

The problem of course is that despite years of struggling to force the U.S. Census to do its job and represent everyone — not just the 23 privileged minorities listed on the Census Long Form — things have not changed much.

But here is some information about American Arabs, Muslims and non-Arab Christians from the Middle East that might help present a more accurate picture of who we really are:

Here is an overview of the sources that exist that offer some insight into how many there are, although even these numbers are far from complete:

  • America has a population of about 319 million (US Census)
  • There are between 1.8 million and 4.2 million Arabs in America. (PEW Research Center uses unofficial Census Data, says there are only 1.8 million. The US Census estimated 511,000 Arab “households” in 2010. US National Arab American Museum and Arab American Institute estimate 4.2 million.)
  • The number of non-Arab Middle East Christians in America varies widely. (Chaldean American Organizations estimate 150,000 Chaldeans just in Detroit alone, not including Phoenicians and Assyrians which could be as many as 750,000 more nationwide.)
  • There are 2.6 million (US Census) to 7 million Muslims in America (about 22 percent are estimated to be Arab).
  • There are between 51-million Roman Catholics in America (PEW Research Center, 2014)
  • More than 70 percent or about 223 million Americans are Christian. (PEW Research Center 2014)
  • Christian’s are 5 percent of the Middle East population (5 million of 141 million total in the Levant from Iraq to Egypt. PEW Research Center).
  • 2 billion Catholics in the World (The Vatican, 2012 Anuario Pontifico)
  • 40 percent of Iraqi Refugees are Christian, (US Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2014)

Christians of Middle Eastern origin hope the pope will raise awareness of the plight of their communities [Mandel Ngan/AFP-Getty Images]
Christians of Middle Eastern origin hope the pope will raise awareness of the plight of their communities [Mandel Ngan/AFP-Getty Images]
Here are some links that can help you explore this topic even further:

The U.S. Census published a paper in 2013 that expands the Arab population numbers to 1,866,851. So actually if you round out the number, you get 1.9 million American Arabs, not 1.8 million as is often cited. In 2010 the population estimate — and it is only still an estimate even if it was calculated by the U.S. Census — was 1.69 million. In 2000, the U.S. Census said the population of American Arabs was only 1.2 million.

Both the Arab American National Museum and the Arab American Institute have gone to great lengths to identify the census totals for American Arabs.

More interesting facts, or estimates of note:

More than 70.6 percent of America’s 319 million population is Christian. American Roman Catholics, who look to the Pope for religious leadership, comprise the largest Christian denomination.

The Christian population in the Middle East has dwindled to about 5 percent (in the Levant area of Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Egypt).

How many Chaldeans, Phoenicians and Assyrians are there in America. Amir Denha, the brilliant publisher of the popular Chaldean Detroit Times newspaper estimates that there are 150,000 Chaldeans mainly in the Greater Detroit region. Chaldeans are Christians from Iraq and the Iraq region who do not consider themselves Arab, culturally, but do speak Arabic.

How many Assyrians are there? I used to work closely with an Assyrian newspaper publisher back in the 1980s and 1990s, Klamis Ganji. What a great person he was. Based on Gangji’s estimates, we figured there were as many as 100,000 Christian Assyrians from he Middle East living in Chicagoland, mainly in the northside of the city and the north and northwest suburbs.

Is there an official census on Assyrians? No.

What about Phoenicians, Christians from Lebanon who like Chaldeans and Assyrians do not consider themselves to be culturally Arab, although they speak Arabic and live in Arab countries, today. (Remember he Arab World originated from the ancient cultures of the Chaldeans, Assyrians and Phoenicians.)

That’s another statistic I just don’t have.

One day, American Arabs who have given so much to this great country of America, will be respected fully by this country. We will be included fully in the U.S. Census. And when we know our numbers, we can use that data to demand more in government services, more in political representation and more in terms of respect.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States - January 19, 2023
  • Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 - January 18, 2023
  • CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd - January 12, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
American Arabs, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Editors Picks, Iraq, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, religion, Syria Tags:American Arabs, Arab Americans, Assyrians, Census, Chaldeans, Muslims, Phoenicians, Pope Francis, U.S. Census

Post navigation

Previous Post: Muslims welcome Pope Francis
Next Post: Middle Eastern conflicts spill onto Spanish soccer pitch

Related Posts

  • Ray Hanania column in the Arab News on Arab Unity confronting Israeli government racism Jan, 16, 2019
    Arab Israelis have the power to undermine Israel’s racism Arab News
  • Martyred Valentines and Evolutionary Love   Arab World
  • USS Liberty Ship's Patch
    Help Wanted: USS Liberty FOIA Attorney Bloggers
  • White House map of President Trump's Deal of the Century peace plan for Palestine and Israel
    Five issues threaten Israel’s future security April 18, 2021 Arab World
  • Children in Ghouta Syria use gas masks to protect themselves against Syrian chemical attacks, April 6, 2018. Photo courtesy of Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations-USA (UOSSM USA)
    Assad regime uses chemicals to kill civilians Arab World
  • The Christian community in Jerusalem celebrates the century old traditions in honor of the Holy Mother of God. Thousand crowded the entrance to the Church of her Empty Tomb lighting candles all the way down descending the stairs into the crypt. This magnificent church was built in the 5th century and destroyed in the 7th century by Chosroes the Persian. Only the crypt of the church was preserved and the Crusaders erected the existing building over the crypt. Photo Courtesy of Maria Khoury
    Media ignores Christian, Muslim rights in UNESCO assault Arab World

More Related Articles

Who is the killer of three Arab Muslims? American Arabs
Jerusalem image of Jews and Arabs walking together. Shutterstock. Courtesy of Arab News Newspaper Jewish Michigan lawmaker leads push for Two State Solution Arab News
Hamas Israel Ceasefire International Court and Palestinian Resistance Unity Arab World
Jewish settler terrorists murder 18 month old Palestinian child Arab World
Cover of Issue 21 of Fifth Wednesday Journal which focuses on writings from Middle East origin writers. Photo courtesy of Fifth Wednesday Journal Fifth Wednesday Journal publishes essays from Middle East writers American Arabs
Establishing USS LIBERTY Remembrance Day Despite Congress Arab World

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?
    January 17, 2023
  • Image from Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's "A Compendium of Chronicles. Image courtesy of Wikipedia
    Why allow religious extremists to re-define Islam in the West?
    January 10, 2023
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    This Thanksgiving, let’s use our Blessings for good
    November 23, 2022
  • NEWS
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022
    January 4, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri
    October 19, 2022

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib, book cover. Photo courtesy of Cune Press
    Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib
    November 1, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme