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American Arab Security specialist and first responder Matthew H. Giaba has announced his candidacy for mayor of the nation’s second largest city, Los Angeles. Giaba, American Lebanese and Christian, said he is driven by the need for change and solving the city’s problems.
By Ray Hanania
covering Chicago
City Hall
(1976-1992)
American Arab Matthew H. Giaba, a Lebanese American Christian, has announced his candidacy for the office of Mayor of Los Angeles, the nation’s second largest city.
Giaba, a Republican, will challenge first term incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who was elected in 2013 following the mandatory two-term retirement of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Garcetti is the city’s first Jewish American mayor and son of former Los Angeles district attorney Gil Garcetti who is roundly criticized for the failed prosecution of accused wife-murderer O.J. Simpson. But Giaba said the focus of his campaign will be on the challenges and problems facing the city of Los Angeles and improving services to the city’s residents.
Voters will participate in two elections for mayor of Los Angeles. The first is the party political primary on March 7, 2017 when each of the major parties picks their candidate. The general election between the two party candidates, Republican and Democrat, will be held May 16, 2017.
Not a career politician, Giaba has defined his private business practice as a well-known criminal investigator and security specialist by leading the way “to living with all races and religion in peace and unity.”
He was working as a Firefighter and Paramedic in an Emergency Services Unit when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001. He immediately volunteered to help and was among many of the first responders who struggled to save and protect American lives.Giaba went on to fight on the frontlines against terrorism in Iraq, demonstrating his deepest love for America and her principles.
“Every race an religion has been attacked in one way or the other, the holocaust, the mass genocide of the Armenians, the recent attacks initiated by Azerbaijan aganist Artsakh,” his candidacy statement explains. “There is a great need for this evil cycle to be put to a stop, and this starts with the right leadership because everything rises and fall with the leader.”
Giaba said he was deeply moved by the way Americans came together as one people after Sept. 11th.
“I saw a great giant- love for people, triggered in me during the 9/11 attacks. My deepest love for the American people and dreams, was brought to live then and till now. Helping people as a public is still like fighting to save lives like I did in the 9/11 attacks, you have got to have an unfailing love for people,”Giaba said.
“For us all to have a great city, with a better future for our children, we need to put someone with a large heart filled with love in public offices, and this is why I am asking you to get me elected. As I talk about this and think about this, we all have our battles in life, but when we stand together and stay untied, we all can battle this together, as the people of this great country, state, city. The only ones we should be fighting against is our fake, corrupt government system who pretends to know what is best for us”
Having passed through living and struggling from paycheck to paycheck, being judged and bullied because of his ethnic background and profession, Mr Mathew has grown developed a strong mentality and can use this same spirit to lead the city of Los Angeles to a better and greater future.
Giaba’s resume showcases his experience in pursuing numerous successful investigations and apprehensions of violent career criminals and drug traffickers.
“I am running for mayor of Los Angeles because like you, I want change, because things recently have gone wrong. And if you look back at our history, we can see that politics has always been a critical part in making decisions and rules,”Giaba said in his candidacy announcement in June 2016.
“But, it’s not the same anymore. Politics is treated with disgust as politicians have given false promises and not given the people what they wanted. The world is still filled with major problems that politicians promised they will fix, but some issues still remain.”
Giaba said that politicians and government officials should be focused on solving the city’s current problems.
“We have to protect our future and our kids’ future. Someone once told me, ‘If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.’ Well guess what this system is indeed broken and I will fix it! It’s time for the people of this great city to take charge again and make the change for a better world.”
Giaba said Los Angeles is lacking real leadership, a feeling he said that many people in the city today share.
“I have spent a lot of time in this town, walking its streets and talking to its people,”Giaba said. “I know that many of you feel as I do — that beneath our feet lies a well of untapped potential. It’s potential that can be harnessed only with the rein of dedicated leadership and talent to make a change, to do something different. Many times I have found myself disappointed by our absentee leadership. I have waited for those who say they know what is best for Los Angeles to stand up and take the initiative. I want to make this city great again!”
Giaba said one of his priorities will be to bring back jobs to Los Angeles “because the quality of life also means health and safety, family life, and job satisfaction.”
He said a priority will be to repair the broken trust between Los Angeles government and the people of the city, making education and better and safer after school programming a priority.
“Los Angeles is a city united by hope and faith, and I believe it can be the shining Western beacon it once was. The immigrants whose stories and communities intertwine to make this city great are what gives me hope we can unite for something bigger and better than politics,” he said on his website www.GiabaforMayor.com.
What makes Matthew Giaba different from your typical mayoral candidate is that he has endured the common struggles of the everyday American. He created his own path with the help of this great country.
“Both of my parents were born to poor families in Lebanon and Syria. They were able to make a dream life for themselves in America. Wealth and power have never hindered individuals from rising up to achieve greatness in this country, and that is exactly what makes it so special.”
Many Los Angeles residents, like people around the country, have begun to doubt the legitimacy and benefits of the American Dream in 2016. Due to a multitude of reasons, Mr. Giaba attributes to the gap to the American industry and political leaders who vehemently oppose moving into the future.
“Our leaders are pushing back against the future, and the negative effects are taking a toll on the everyday working citizen. They choose to look backwards, instead of forwards to the job development and prosperity at our fingertips. I will work hard to undo the push-back, and ensure a future with resources, tools, and information that are available to everyone.”
“I promise that I intend to reform the outdated tax code, reduce regulations plaguing small businesses, control government spending, and work towards creating a 21st century system of higher education that provides working Angelinos with the chance to acquire the skills they need today. Additionally, I will seek to work through the mountains of debt so many students carry, as well as promote higher education attainment in desirable, high-paying fields of now and in the future.”
“This election is not just about what laws we will pass. It is a generational choice about what kind of city we will be. We can’t do that by going back to the leaders and ideas of the past. We must change the decisions we are making by changing the people who are making them.”
Matthew Giaba is seeking to be a true advocate for the people. His candidacy is built on the principles of transparency, accountability, and integrity. Matthew’s extensive experience and well-rounded business and activist background equips him with the tools and insight for transforming both the Los Angeles economy and neighborhoods that make up the city.
“A vote for me is a vote to ensure a sustainable future our children can prosper in,” said Giaba. “Enough with clinging to the past. I am ready to embrace the future, and distribute success and resources back to the everyday person. I humbly ask for your support in the 2017 Election for Mayor of Los Angeles.”
Video interview from June 1, 2016
Interview with Matthew Giaba and Ara manoogian, it is election time again we have candidates that promise us the world but how do we choose the best that will stand for our interest, career politicians have proven to be liars and have been working for special interest groups, it is time to vote for the best and our best… the best that will stand for the people and not do the will of democrats or Republicans, we need to think out of the box.
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2017
The Los Angeles we know and love is full of rich diversity and limitless opportunity, and it is not a thing of the past. The message of my campaign is about working together restoring trust and integrity, and to rebuild the City of Los Angeles we love by restoring a robust economy, creating jobs, fiscal responsibility and ending failed government policies, and this is the overwhelmingly positive message of our message to the people of Los Angeles.
I dream of a world where the truth is what shapes people’s politics, rather than politics shaping what people think is true.
YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2017
Give me a fair day’s work and I will give you a fair day’s wage!