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
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Arab Radio Podcast intro
    • Radio Baladi Detroit
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Toggle search form
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, unveils a series of multi language videos to help property tax owners recover overpayments. This one is in Arabic
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas releases video in Arabic to help recover property tax overpayments American Arabs
  • Amnesty International ... www.Amnesty.org
    Global: Amnesty International calls for universal social protection, as overlapping crises leave hundreds of millions facing disaster American Arabs
  • Anti-Arab anti-peace U.S. Senator Robert Menendez who has led the fight to censor American who criticize the brutality and human rights violations of Israel
    Menendez and Risch condemn Syria’s re-admission to Arab League American Arabs
  • property tax info event
    Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi hosts property Tax workshop for Arab community Activism
  • US Border Notice. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    AHRC Holds Another “Meet, Greet & Open Conversation” Forum Hosting the US Border Patrol (CBP): Human Rights
  • Ald. Raymond Lopez and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas receive the American Arab Chamber of Commerce 2021 Action Award from Hassan Nijem for their support of the Arab and Muslim American community,
    County Treasurer Maria Pappas celebrates Arab Heritage Month with business and community leaders Activism
  • Congresswoman Debbie Dingell Wikipedia
    Dingell, Tlaib Introduce Resolution Recognizing Eid al-Fitr Christian & Muslim
  • Ziyad Food item
    Essential recipes and ingredients during Ramadan  American Arabs
  • Vote Yes campaign button, Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Low Arab early voting turnout in important Orland Park elections American Arabs
  • Aziz Shihab, long time Arab American journalist and author.
    A memorial to a great Arab American Journalist, Aziz Shihab American Arabs
  • Piotr Hofmanski, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague
    International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin Civil Rights
  • Orand First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race American Arabs
  • Paul Vallas addressing the Arab American Democratic Club on Feb. 12, 2023
    AADC releases its endorsements for the April 4, 2023 non-partisan elections American Arabs
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC’s Humanitarian Mission to Lebanon American Arabs
Former Congressman Paul Findley, ousted by pro-Israel anti-Palestinian activists Dick Durbin in 1982. Findley died August 9, 2019.

Findley, champion of justice and Palestinian rights, dies

Posted on August 14, 2019August 14, 2019 By rayhanania No Comments on Findley, champion of justice and Palestinian rights, dies
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Loading

Findley, champion of justice and Palestinian rights, dies

A powerful champion of Palestinian rights, Paul Findley, was laid to rest on August 9, 2019 in his hometown of Jacksonville, Illinois where he launched his successful 11-term, 22 year congressional career in the U.S. Congress, until he was toppled by pro-Israel funded challenger Dick Durbin in 1982.

By Ray Hanania

Paul Findley was a champion of justice, civil rights and especially a strong voice for Palestinian rights. The 11-term former congressman who represented the downstate Illinois 20th District for 22 years died on August 9, 2019. He was 98 years old. Findley was buried in his Jacksonville community.

Findley was a Representative from Illinois born in Jacksonville, in Morgan County, Ill., on June 23, 1921. He attended the public schools of Jacksonville, Ill. and received his B.A., from Illinois College at Jacksonville, in 1943.

Unlike many of his peers in Congress and politics, Findley was an active duty military veteran who served in the United States Navy in the Pacific as a lieutenant (jg.) from 1943 to 1946. He was president of the Pike Press, Inc., Pittsfield, Ill. and he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for State senator in 1952; member, United States delegation, North Atlantic Assembly, 1965-1970.

Former Congressman Paul Findley, ousted by pro-Israel anti-Palestinian activists Dick Durbin in 1982. Findley died August 9, 2019.
Former Congressman Paul Findley, ousted by pro-Israel anti-Palestinian activists Dick Durbin in 1982. Findley died August 9, 2019.

Findley was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-seventh and to the ten succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1961-January 3, 1983); was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1982; appointed to the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development, 1983-1994; died on August 9, 2019, in Jacksonville, Ill.

Findley was a champion of Palestinian rights, an issue that made him a national target of the pro-Israel movement. Israeli PACs poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into candidates to try to defeat him, but was unsuccessful until they found Richard Durbin, who took political criticism to the extreme accusing Findley of being anti-Semitic because of his support for Palestinian rights. Dick Durbin, a Democrat, defeated Findley, a Republican, in the November 1982 General Election. Durbin was sworn into office in January 1983 and his first act was to denounce the Palestinians and the peace efforts that Findley championed. Durbin was later elected with pro-Israel PAC backing and funds as the U.S. Senator from Illinois in November 1996.

Tragically, many Muslim Americans and Arab Americans have closed their eyes to the role Durbin played in destroying one of the loudest, strongest and most courageous pro-Palestinian voices in the U.S. Congress blindly embracing Durbin for their own selfish reasons.

Findley was the author of a powerful book appropriately titled “They Dare to Speak Out” which documents the often racist and biased coverage by the mainstream American media that silenced critics of Israel and whitewashed the atrocities and war crimes committed by Israel’s government and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).

“They Dare to Speak Out” is the first book to speak out against the pervasive influence of the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on American politics, policy, and institutions resonates today as never before. With careful documentation and specific case histories, former congressman Paul Findley demonstrates how the Israel lobby helps to shape important aspects of U.S. foreign policy and influences congressional, senatorial, and even presidential elections.

Paul Findley's Book "They Dare to Speak Out" is must read for anyone who wants to understand the pernicious nature of Israel's lobby and it's influence on American politics, and the violence of Israel's rightwing governments
Paul Findley’s Book “They Dare to Speak Out” is must read for anyone who wants to understand the pernicious nature of Israel’s lobby and it’s influence on American politics, and the violence of Israel’s rightwing governments

Described in the book are the undue influence AIPAC exerts in the Senate and the House and the pressure AIPAC brings to bear on university professors and journalists who seem too sympathetic to Arab and Islamic states and too critical of Israel and its policies. Along with many longtime outspoken critics, new voices speaking out include former President Jimmy Carter, U.S. Representative Cynthia McKinney, Senator Robert Byrd, prominent Arab-American Dr. Ziad Asali, Rabbi Michael Lerner, and journalist Charles Reese. In addition, the lack of open debate among politicians with regard to the U.S. policy in the Middle East is lamented, and AIPAC is blamed in part for this censorship. Connections are drawn between America’s unconditional support of Israel and the raging anti-American passions around the world—and ultimately the tragic events of 9/11.

Findley laid the foundation for many champions of justice, the Rule of Law and civil rights, and advocates for Palestinian rights who followed in the U.S. Congress including Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.

Findley was an activist and a friend. It took real courage to stand up for Palestinian rights in the 1970s and early 1980s, a time when Palestinians and Arabs were the targets of FBI harassment, and demonization by the pro-Israel mainstream American news media. It was amazing that FIndley managed to remain in office for 22 years in the face of the anti-Arab campaign by AIPAC, the biased racist American maimnstream news media, and by pro-Israel candidates and politicians like Dick Durbin, who has since “moderated” his views in inactive support of the “Two-State Solution” recognizing Palestinian rights and statehood.

Findley’s legacy as a powerful voice against the violence by Israel’s increasingly rightwing governments against civilians deserves far more than it has received.

One of the few organizations to remember Findley is the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) which issued this important statement on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) remembers former congressman Paul Findley, who passed way August 9th, 2019 at the age of 98. During his 11-term tenure in the United States House of Representatives, Congressman Findley stood out from the pack as being a vocal critic of US policy towards Israel. Despite coming under constant fire from the Israel lobby for his principled stances, Congressman Findley was unflappable, and remained one of the few advocates for Palestinian rights in the federal government throughout his time in public life.
Representative Findley’s opposition to militarism and brutality went far beyond just the state of Israel. As a veteran of the Second World War, Congressman Findley knew first-hand the tremendous cost of military conflict. An author of the War Powers Act (1973), he continually fought to limit the power of the executive to unaccountably wage war across the globe. It is precisely this love of peace and diplomacy that gave Congressman Findley the strength to take on the role as a vocal advocate against the tragedy that was the Vietnam War— even when it was not necessarily politically expedient for him to do so.
In addition to his long list of legislative accomplishments, Congressman Findley was also a writer. His seminal work, They Dare to Speak Out: People and Institutions Confront Israel’s Lobby, helped to shed light on the vastly disproportionate influence the pro-Israel lobby— namely, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)— has on the crafting and shaping of US policy. In the over 400 page exposé, Congressman Findley included testimonials from many politically prominent individuals— such as the Reverend Jesse Jackson, George Ball, and Adlai Stevenson III— confirming the veracity of this problem.
Later in his life, Congressman Paul Findley continued to be a strong ally of the Arab and Muslim communities. Not only did he found the Council for the National Interest (CNI), a nonprofit advocacy group pushing for peace and the protection of human rights in the Middle East, but he was also an avid supporter of the ADC. We were granted the privilege to have him speak at a number of ADC’s annual conventions. At the ADC 2011 National Convention, Congressman Findley was honored and awarded for all of the great work he had done.
ADC would like to thank Congressman Findley for all of his invaluable contributions. His morals and dedication made him a true exemplar of dignified public service. We are deeply saddened by his loss. Congressman Paul Findley will be dearly missed.

  • 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)
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas releases video in Arabic to help recover property tax overpayments - May 18, 2023
  • Global: Amnesty International calls for universal social protection, as overlapping crises leave hundreds of millions facing disaster - May 10, 2023
  • Menendez and Risch condemn Syria’s re-admission to Arab League - May 10, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Civil Rights, Editors Picks, Israel, Media Bias, News, Obits, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, Ray Hanania, US Arab Politics Tags:author, champion for civil rights, champion for justice, champion for Palestinian rights, Congressman, Palestinians, Paul Findley, undermined by Dick Durbin

Post navigation

Previous Post: Racist Israel group tries to block Arabs from running for Knesset
Next Post: Representatives Omar and Tlaib Terrorize Trump and My Interview with Underground Fatah

Related Posts

  • What’s really behind protests against Sterling Heights mosque? American Arabs
  • Explosion at the Said Al-Mishael (Meshal) theater in Gaza. In a terrorist attack targeting civilians, Israel's military attacked and destroyed Gaza's al-Mishal (Meshal) Performing Arts Center. The violence is a part of Israel's on-going campaign to kill Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land
    Gaza, War Crimes, and Priests Arab World
  • Rally in Algiers, March 15. Courtesy L'EL-Biaroise Houra
    Algerian Islamists: From Political Reality to Dialectical Crisis Identity  Abdennour Toumi
  • Winter storm gathers over Occupied Palestine Arab World
  • Rachel Corrie, American murdered by Israeli soldiers
    PRESS RELEASE: Family of American killed by Israeli soldiers disappointed in court ruling Activism
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Arab Radio: Pollsters examine Jones-Tlaib election Activism

More Related Articles

US Arab Radio celebrates 11th Year American Arabs
New documentary "Jihadists" travels deep into Jihadi controlled territory to reveal the inner workings of extremist Islam, on DVD & Digital April 2, Directed by François Margolin & Lemine Ould Salem New documentary “Jihadists” explores extremist movement Arab World
Jewish Arab American’s horse American Pharoah wins Triple Crown American Arabs
Reopening US Consulate in East Jerusalem is essential to peace ArabNewsColumn
Threats against Bridgeview Mosque investigated (Updated) American Arabs
Rasoul Hires Campaigns Director for Impact Center PAC To Support Democratic House Races American Arabs

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Hezbollah billboards in Lebanon celebrate Sheikh Hasan Nasrallah and the righteous war against Israeli extremism and fanaticism. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Who will choose the next Lebanese President?
    May 12, 2023
  • The term Arab will be meaningless if we don’t stand behind it and choose “MENA” instead
    April 29, 2023
  • IDF soldiers and Israeli settlers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
    Ending Israel’s occupation might save its democracy
    April 26, 2023
  • راى حنانيا. Ray Hanania
    Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues
    March 18, 2023
  • 300x300-ZIYAD02.jpg
  • 300x300-ZIYAD01.jpg
  • NEWS
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, unveils a series of multi language videos to help property tax owners recover overpayments. This one is in Arabic
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas releases video in Arabic to help recover property tax overpayments
    May 18, 2023
  • Amnesty International ... www.Amnesty.org
    Global: Amnesty International calls for universal social protection, as overlapping crises leave hundreds of millions facing disaster
    May 10, 2023
  • Anti-Arab anti-peace U.S. Senator Robert Menendez who has led the fight to censor American who criticize the brutality and human rights violations of Israel
    Menendez and Risch condemn Syria’s re-admission to Arab League
    May 10, 2023
  • property tax info event
    Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi hosts property Tax workshop for Arab community
    May 5, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Anti-Arab anti-peace U.S. Senator Robert Menendez who has led the fight to censor American who criticize the brutality and human rights violations of Israel
    Menendez and Risch condemn Syria’s re-admission to Arab League
    May 10, 2023
  • US Border Notice. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    AHRC Holds Another “Meet, Greet & Open Conversation” Forum Hosting the US Border Patrol (CBP):
    May 2, 2023
  • Ald. Raymond Lopez and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas receive the American Arab Chamber of Commerce 2021 Action Award from Hassan Nijem for their support of the Arab and Muslim American community,
    County Treasurer Maria Pappas celebrates Arab Heritage Month with business and community leaders
    April 27, 2023
  • Ziyad Food item
    Essential recipes and ingredients during Ramadan 
    April 4, 2023

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.

POPULAR POSTS

  • Who will choose the next Lebanese President? Who will choose the next Lebanese President? By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz Since September of last year the Lebanese parliament has ... posted on May 12, 2023
  • Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi hosts property Tax workshop for Arab community Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi hosts property Tax workshop for Arab community Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi will host a ... posted on May 5, 2023
  • Arab-American influencers Furrha Family share secrets of their success Arab-American influencers Furrha Family share secrets of their success Salem Furrha and his eight children @theFurrhaFamily on TikTok and Instagram represent ... posted on February 6, 2021
  • Menendez and Risch condemn Syria’s re-admission to Arab League Menendez and Risch condemn Syria’s re-admission to Arab League U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and ... posted on May 10, 2023
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas releases video in Arabic to help recover property tax overpayments Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas releases video in Arabic to help recover property tax overpayments Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas ... posted on May 18, 2023
  • AHRC Holds Another “Meet, Greet & Open Conversation” Forum Hosting the US Border Patrol (CBP): AHRC Holds Another “Meet, Greet & Open Conversation” Forum Hosting the US Border Patrol (CBP): The American Human Rights Council ... posted on May 2, 2023

Recent Posts

  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas releases video in Arabic to help recover property tax overpayments
  • Who will choose the next Lebanese President?
  • Global: Amnesty International calls for universal social protection, as overlapping crises leave hundreds of millions facing disaster
  • Menendez and Risch condemn Syria’s re-admission to Arab League
  • Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi hosts property Tax workshop for Arab community
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Glory to God int he Lowest by Author Rev. Donald Wagner
    Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land
    February 18, 2023
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Ziyad Food item
    Essential recipes and ingredients during Ramadan 
    April 4, 2023
  • 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
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
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