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
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • 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
  • Submit Press Release
  • Toggle search form
  • Imad Hamad Director American Human Rights Council
    AHRC Calls for Moral Consistency on Human Rights, Urges President Biden to Pause His Trip to Israel: American Arabs
  • The U.S.S. Liberty photo courtesy of the USS Liberty Veterans.
    Survivors of Israel’s strike on USS Liberty commemorate 55th year June 6 – 8 American Arabs
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community Activism
  • Former City Hall reporter Ray Hanania, ShawnTe Raines-Welch and Nick Kantas, candidates for Judge in the 4th SubCircuit, and Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar.
    Nearly 100 candidates, officials address Arab Democratic Club forum Sunday 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
    Arabs and Muslim blast Mayor lightfoot for racist store closings 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
    Chicago aldermen to host “forum” to explore Mayor Lightfoot’s racist crackdown on Arab stores Activism
  • Imam Jamal Saad leads the more than 1,000 muslim attendees in payer at SeatGeek Stadium's open grounds at the Eid al-Fitr celebration May 2, 2022 in Bridgeview
    Local Illinois officials join Chicagoland Muslims for Eid Celebration at SeatGeek stadium American Arabs
  • DCEO Panel discussion on business support opportunities for all businesses including Arab American businesses, April 26, 2022
    DCEO Access to Capital: Arab American Heritage Month business workshop American Arabs
  • DCEO Celebrates Arab American Heritage Month (AAHM) American Arabs
  • Alderman Raymond Lopez addresses the gathering at an Iftar hosted by Radi Abuhashish Thursday April 21, 2022 joined by Dr. Willie Wilson and other candidates for Chicago Mayor.
    Political candidates join local Arab leaders for Iftar Activism
  • U.S. Congressional Candidate Rob Cruz in the 6th District GOP Primary election June 28, 2022
    Republican Candidate for U.S. Congress, Rob Cruz, Opens a Dialogue with the Palestinian Community American Arabs
  • Peak Rock Capital affiliate completes acquisition of Ziyad Brothers, a leading provider of brander Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods 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
    Chicago aldermen to host forum on Arab businesses closed by Mayor Lightfoot American Arabs
  • April 24, 2022 Illinois DCEO American ArabChamber event
    American Arab Chamber and DCEO host online panel to help Arab Businesses secure funding Activism
  • Oussama Jammal presents Congresswoman Marie Newman with the Courage Award during the USCMO Annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner. Photo courtesy of Marie Newman Facebook Page
    Newman endorsed by major Arab and Muslim leaders Activism
Imad Hamad, Executive Director of the American Human Rights Council

George Floyd Reaffirms our Humanity

Posted on June 9, 2020June 9, 2020 By Imad_Hamad No Comments on George Floyd Reaffirms our Humanity
SHARE ...
31         
 
  
31
Shares

  • Tweet

George Floyd Reaffirms our Humanity

Racism is a universal challenge. There is no society on earth that is free from racism. While the US and other countries have made progress to be less racist, racism still exists. The death of George Floyd has resulted in avalanche of condemnation and massive protests. This reaction to Mr. Floyd’s death is a clear indication that there is a critical mass in society that is against all forms of racism.

By Imad Hamad

Racism is a universal challenge. There is no society on earth that is free from racism. While the US and other countries have made progress to be less racist, racism still exists. The death of George Floyd has resulted in avalanche of condemnation and massive protests. This reaction to Mr. Floyd’s death is a clear indication that there is a critical mass in society that is against all forms of racism.

We should not accept racism in any form. We can do better. Racism goes against core American values- equality and freedom. One can’t be free if they are faced by racism. It is inhibiting. Racism is a lived reality for African Americans and people of color. It is a basic fact. Of course, this does not mean you live in a racist society in a racist. We don’t. We live in a country that has a racism problem.

Mr. George Floyd’s death shook society to its core. It was so brutal and so senseless. It was videotaped. There was no way denying it or explaining it away. While abuse of police power is a universal problem, it falls especially hard on African Americans. Overwhelmingly, the police people who do their job honorably. But as we all saw on TV, it takes only one officer and other officers standing by to tarnish the image of all police and sour the national attitude to police and policing.

Imad Hamad, Executive Director of the American Human Rights Council
Imad Hamad, Executive Director of the American Human Rights Council

Mr. Floyd’s death came as a painful reminder that racism can’t be ignored or used for political expediency. It is deadly. It is a life or death matter. People of conscience are rightfully angry.

The outpouring of anger was spontaneous. As an activist with decades of years of activism I can attest that this moment is exceptional and transformational. We see protests worldwide and in nations that don’t even have a race issue nearly as critical as the US does.

This means one thing: We all see ourselves in George Floyd. We see our humanity in him and we relate to him. His death is our death and we are all outraged by it. Just like with Covid 19, George Floyd reminded us of our common humanity. As humans, we are all vulnerable to the coronavirus. As humans, we are all vulnerable to the excess of state use of force. Being human being today is a salient part of the identity of every human being on planet earth.

This anger is real and sincere. It is a manifestation of the basic decency of average human beings. No one is getting paid, there is no free food. There is no celebrity entertaining the crowds. It is a genuine outpouring of human empathy and sympathy.

There are issues with policing. We have thousands of police departments in this country. We have hundreds of thousands of police departments. There are common problems. There is the issue of transparency and accountability for abusive police. It is a fact that abusive police are costly to society. Police who engage in serious abuse cause the city to pay millions in damages. And what do all the major abusers, a small fraction of all the police, have in common: a history of complaints that resulted in minor discipline, if any. This has to change. We are all paying for our abuse.

The first obligation of government is preservation of life. The most important human right is the right to life. If one of us has their life threatened, whom do we count on? The government represented by the police. It is truly tragic and a breach of the social contract when the police cause the death. Tragic and senseless.

There is nothing special about George Floyd. He was an ordinary man. But his brutal death has resulted in an extraordinary moment. Mr. Floyd never expected that his life will end the way it did. He never expected his name to be known worldwide.  He just wanted to be- to exist.

This time we have the momentum for real change. In a democracy, the relationship between the people and the police tasked with protecting them and serving them cannot be adversarial and confrontational. A dysfunctional police-community relationship is bad for policing and bad for democracy.

Time is due to move forward and change the reality of policing throughout the US. The whole world is looking at us. The solution is our shared responsibility. This is not a partisan or ideological issue. Racism is a pandemic, the cure is embracing our human race.  We owe it to George.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Imad_Hamad
Imad_Hamad
Director, Columnist at American Human Rights Council
Imad Hamad is the director of the American Human Rights Council based in Greater Detroit.

The American Human Rights Council (AHRC) is dedicated to defending and protecting human rights as outlined in the U.S. Constitution and the United Nations 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The AHRC was formed to protect these rights and advocate for anyone whose rights are being violated or denied. To that end, the AHRC will build a tenacious, objective, and carefully guided advocacy program that will serve to defend individual human rights, whenever and wherever they are being infringed upon.

Reach Imad at ihamadusa@gmail.com
Imad_Hamad
Latest posts by Imad_Hamad (see all)
  • AHRC Calls for Moral Consistency on Human Rights, Urges President Biden to Pause His Trip to Israel: - May 24, 2022
  • AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community - May 19, 2022
  • AHRC’s Annual “Spirit of Humanity” Awards and Dinner Gala Scheduled for October 27, 2022 - April 4, 2022

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
31         
 
  
31
Shares
 
31
Shares
31         
 
 Tweet 
Bloggers, Commentary, Culture, Events, Guest Columnist, Imad Hamad, mainstream, Opinion, racism Tags:AHRC, American Human Rights Council, Arab Americans, Black Lives Matter, George Floyd, Imad Hamad, Minneapolis, protests, racist

Post navigation

Previous Post: Annual Update for Vanunu Mordechai, Israel’s nuclear whistleblower and Captive
Next Post: Racist social media posts force one of Minneapolis’ largest Arab groceries to close

Related Posts

  • Anti-Muslim racism drives anti-EU push Abdennour Toumi
  • Israel’s Nuclear Weapons and the USS LIBERTY Arab World
  • Image of George Hanania in Chicago in 1926
    American Arabs need to better document their history American Arabs
  • Olympic politics and the Arab World Arab World
  • Israeli violence targets Palestinians in Gaza Strip Friday Oct. 23, 2015. Copyright (C) 2015 Mohammed Asad. All Rights Reserved
    Israel’s war on Palestinians is a war on facts Arab World
  • Steve Bannon’s Legal Battle and The Vatican #CitizenSleuth Arab World

More Related Articles

migrants, refugees, mother with child. Creative Commons license, free Migrants Asking for Protection, Aid not Five-Star lodging Abdennour Toumi
“A Thousand and One Journeys: The Arab Americans” Chicago premiere American Arabs
Arab American Heritage Month resolution for April adopted by the Metropolititan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Illinois. One of more than 100 resolutions, proclamations and one law in Illinois. Shalala and other Congress members introduce Arab Heritage Month bill American Arabs
Why Donald Trump won the Nov. 8 election Bloggers
Terrorism media coverage in Paris/West vs Beirut/Arabs American Arabs
Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society at UC Berkeley on Wednesday released a searchable, public database of anti-Muslim bills Berkeley university launches website that tracks anti-Muslim bills American Arabs

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Palestinian refugees forced to flee their homes at gunpoint by Jewish terrorist groups operating in Palestine in the 1930s, 1940s and after Israel was created on May 14, 1948. Photo courtesy of the United Nations
    Unresolved status of Palestinian rights makes UNRWA essential
    May 7, 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
  • Hollywood Sign
    Will Smith violence takes Oscar protests to dangerous level
    March 31, 2022
  • Chicago's racist Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered more than 150 Arab owned stores closed in 2021 in a racist effort o fight street gang crimes
    Arab Daily News launches Arab American Network to fight racism
    March 12, 2022
  • NEWS
  • Imad Hamad Director American Human Rights Council
    AHRC Calls for Moral Consistency on Human Rights, Urges President Biden to Pause His Trip to Israel:
    May 24, 2022
  • The U.S.S. Liberty photo courtesy of the USS Liberty Veterans.
    Survivors of Israel’s strike on USS Liberty commemorate 55th year June 6 – 8
    May 23, 2022
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community
    May 19, 2022
  • Former City Hall reporter Ray Hanania, ShawnTe Raines-Welch and Nick Kantas, candidates for Judge in the 4th SubCircuit, and Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar.
    Nearly 100 candidates, officials address Arab Democratic Club forum Sunday
    May 15, 2022
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Imad Hamad Director American Human Rights Council
    AHRC Calls for Moral Consistency on Human Rights, Urges President Biden to Pause His Trip to Israel:
    May 24, 2022
  • The U.S.S. Liberty photo courtesy of the USS Liberty Veterans.
    Survivors of Israel’s strike on USS Liberty commemorate 55th year June 6 – 8
    May 23, 2022
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community
    May 19, 2022
  • 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
    Chicago aldermen to host forum on Arab businesses closed by Mayor Lightfoot
    April 15, 2022

The Tabboun Column

The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
  • Tabboun
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    The Political Grapevine/The Tabboun, Friday Dec. 16, 2021
    December 16, 2021
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    Tabboun: Chicago remains strongest Palestine voice
    September 7, 2016
  • The Tabboun: Israeli human rights violations hit
    June 30, 2016
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    Tabboun: Himes questions troop deployment to Syria
    November 3, 2015
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    The Tabboun: Dearborn removes statue of racist former mayor
    September 29, 2015

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.

  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • HANANIA Arab News Op-Eds
  • Ukraine conflict gives Palestinians chance to redefine their conflict
    March 9, 2022
  • Mishmeshan PHC medical center destroyed in Syrian Government assaults. Photo courtesy of UOSSM Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations
    President Biden’s dyslexic policy in Syria is a mess
    October 20, 2021
  • Annissa Essaibi George and family
    Annissa Essaibi George faces “race hypocrisy” in campaign to be Boston Mayor
    October 20, 2021
  • Jerusalem image of Jews and Arabs walking together. Shutterstock. Courtesy of Arab News Newspaper
    Jewish Michigan lawmaker leads push for Two State Solution
    October 7, 2021
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • 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
  • Girl Fighters, new book on Yemen Book Cune Press
    New Book: Girl Fighters: Break Tradition in Yemen 
    October 25, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • 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
  • Hollywood Sign
    Will Smith violence takes Oscar protests to dangerous level
    March 31, 2022
  • 03-30-22 Arab Chamber Heritage Month Flyer
    Arab Chamber to host Arab Heritage Month dinner March 30
    March 14, 2022
  • “Rupture”, the psychological thriller produced by MBC STUDIOS, has won Best Saudi Film at the 2021 Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF).
    MBC GROUP’s Rupture wins Best Saudi Film at the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival
    December 15, 2021
  • 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
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • 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 © 2022 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme