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Reminder Arabs forgotten even in Obama era
By Ray Hanania
President Barack Obama and the U.S. Census released data recognizing the commemoration of Native American Heritage during the month of November, but have never acknowledged the achievements of American Arabs in this country.
It’s a true reflection of Obama’s hypocrisy in limiting the definition of “diversity” to include only certain minorities. Although Obama was nurtured in an Arab community environment in Chicago, with close associations with prominent American Arabs who helped him grow his political career, the president has been little more than a stranger to American Arabs.
That tragic truth was reinforced this week when the U.S. Census released its celebration of Native American Heritage Month this month in data through the U.S. Census.
November is also Arab American Heritage month in Illinois, and also celebrated in April in several east coast states including Washington D.C., New York and New Jersey. But, there is no consistency in the celebration ad no acknowledgement.
Here is the official list of U.S. Census celebrations for American “diversity” that are recognized:
Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:
- African-American History Month (February)
- Super Bowl (first Sunday in February)
- Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14)
- Women’s History Month (March)
- Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/
- St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
- Earth Day (April 22)
- Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
- Older Americans Month (May)
- Mother’s Day (2nd Sunday in May)
- Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)
- Father’s Day (third Sunday in June)
- The Fourth of July (July 4)
- Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)
- Back to School (August)
- Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
- Grandparents Day (1st Sunday after Labor Day)
- Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
- Unmarried and Single Americans Week (3rd week of September)
- Halloween (Oct. 31)
- American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
- Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
- Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
- The Holiday Season (December)
As you can see, Arab American heritage is not included.
What else is new in Obama’s America?
Here is the press release issued by the U.S. Census celebration the historical heritage of Native Americans, who definitely deserve to be recognized and saluted.
U.S. Census Bureau Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2016
The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode horseback from state to state to get endorsements from 24 state governments to have a day to honor American Indians. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994, and we now refer to this celebration as “American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.” This Facts for Features presents statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as this is one of the six major race categories classified by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
“My Tribal Area” App: Preview the U.S. Census Bureau’s new interactive web tool that provides easy access to tribal and reservation data. My Tribal Area gives demographic and economic statistics, including data on population, jobs, housing, economy and education, on our nation’s 618 tribal areas using statistics from the American Community Survey. The full launch of the application is tentatively scheduled for this winter.
You can use the feedback form that’s available in the app to provide comments and suggestions. An updated release scheduled this winter will make My Tribal Area even more comprehensive, with map images and descriptive legends for each tribal area, as well as estimates that include the years 2011 to 2015. The full launch of the application is tentatively scheduled for this winter.
Population
6.6 million
The nation’s population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race. They made up about 2.0 percent of the total population in 2015.
Source: Vintage 2015 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2015_PEPASR5H&prodType=table
10.2 million
The projected American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, on July 1, 2060. They would constitute 2.4 percent of the total population.
Source: 2014 National Population Projections, Tables 10 and 11
www.census.gov/population/projections/data/national/2014/summarytables.html
559,796
The American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, age 65 and over, on July 1, 2015.
Source: Vintage 2015 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2015_PEPASR5H&prodType=table
21
The number of states with 100,000 or more American Indian and Alaska Native residents, alone or in combination, in 2015. These states were California, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, New York, New Mexico, Washington, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Colorado, Alaska, Illinois, Oregon, Minnesota, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin and New Jersey.
Source: Vintage 2015 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2015_PEPASR5H&prodType=table
19.5%
The percentage of Alaska’s population identified as American Indian and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2015, the highest share for this race group of any state. Alaska was followed by Oklahoma (13.6 percent), New Mexico (11.8 percent), South Dakota (10.3 percent) and Montana (8.3 percent).
Source: Vintage 2015 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2015_PEPASR5H&prodType=table
30.2
The median age for those who were American Indian and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2015. This compares with a median age of 37.8 for the U.S. population as a whole.
Source: Vintage 2015 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2015_PEPASR5H&prodType=table
Reservations
326
The number of federally recognized American Indian reservations in 2016, including federal reservations and off-reservation trust land. Excluding Hawaiian Home Lands, the Census Bureau provides statistics for 631 American Indian and Alaska Native legal and statistical areas.
Source: Census Bureau Geography Division
www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer.html
Tribes
567
The number of federally recognized Indian tribes in 2016.
Source: Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2016
www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xraca/documents/text/idc1-033010.pdf
Families
1,792,840
The number of American Indian and Alaska Native households in 2015 (households with a householder who was American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with another race). Of these, 38.1 percent were married-couple families, including those with children.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~009
5.7%
The percentage of American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination with other races, age 30 and over, who were grandparents living with at least one of their grandchildren in 2015.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~009
Housing
53.1%
The percentage of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native householders who owned their own home in 2015. This is compared with 63.0 percent of the overall population.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~006
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201
Languages
27.1%
The percentage of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives age 5 and older who spoke a language other than English at home in 2015, compared with 21.5 percent for the nation as a whole.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~006
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201
Education
82.7%
The percentage of the American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, age 25 and older that had at least a high school diploma, GED certificate or alternative credential in 2014. In addition, 19.1 percent obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. In comparison, 87.1 percent of the overall population age 25 and older had a high school diploma or higher, and 30.6 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~009
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201
41.3%
The percentage of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher whose degree was in science and engineering, or science and engineering-related fields in 2015. This compares with 44.1 percent for all people age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in science and engineering, or science and engineering-related fields in 2015.
Sources: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/C15010C
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/C15010
14.1%
The percentage of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives age 25 and older who had a bachelor’s, graduate or professional degree in 2015.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~006
Businesses
26,757
The estimated number of American Indian and Alaska Native-owned employer firms in 2014.
Source: 2014 Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASE/2014/00CSA01
Jobs
26.4%
The percentage of civilian-employed, single-race American Indian and Alaska Native people, age 16 and older who worked in management, business, science and arts occupations in 2015. In addition, 23.9 percent worked in service occupations and 23.4 percent in sales and office occupations. There is no statistically significant difference between the percentage who worked in service occupations and the percentage who worked in office occupations.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~006
Veterans
130,802
The number of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native veterans of the U.S. armed forces in 2015.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B21001C
Income and Poverty
$38,530
The median household income of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native households in 2015. This compares with $55,775 for the nation as a whole.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~006
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201
26.6%
The percentage of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives who were in poverty in 2015, the highest rate of any race group. For the nation as a whole, the poverty rate was 14.7 percent.
Sources: 2015 American Community Survey
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~006
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201
Health Insurance
20.7%
The percentage of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives who lacked health insurance coverage in 2015. For the nation as a whole, the corresponding percentage was 9.4 percent.
Source: 2015 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201//popgroup~006
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S0201
Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:
- African-American History Month (February)
- Super Bowl (first Sunday in February)
- Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14)
- Women’s History Month (March)
- Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/
- St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
- Earth Day (April 22)
- Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
- Older Americans Month (May)
- Mother’s Day (2nd Sunday in May)
- Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)
- Father’s Day (third Sunday in June)
- The Fourth of July (July 4)
- Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)
- Back to School (August)
- Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
- Grandparents Day (1st Sunday after Labor Day)
- Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
- Unmarried and Single Americans Week (3rd week of September)
- Halloween (Oct. 31)
- American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
- Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
- Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
- The Holiday Season (December)
Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines.
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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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