umm hussain
Junior Member
Arab-Americans have been fighting in Iraq since the very beginning of the conflict there. Many simply see it as their duty to serve their homeland, America.
Others who have ended up on the frontlines in the so-called "war on terror" have suffered a crisis of conscience, having had to fight fellow Arabs and Muslims as the "enemy".
Three Arab-American marines tell their stories.
JAMAL BAADANI
Jamal Baadani is a gunnery sergeant currently stationed at Quantico Marine Corp Base in Washington DC. He served in Yemen for Operation Enduring Freedom, and won three awards for his services. He is also the founder of Apaam, the Association of Patriotic Arab-Americans in the Military - prompted by the backlash of racism he and his family were subjected to after the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington in 2001.
Jamal Baadani
Jamal Baadani founded Apaam in response to racist abuse
I was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt - my parents were from Yemen - and I came to the United States when I was 10.
I didn't know any English, but I was always interested in the military - as I grew up during the Yom Kippur war of 1973. That environment made Egyptians feel patriotic, nationalistic.
It was about caring for your nation, serving your nation. When I was in Egypt, that was Egypt. But when I came to the US, I realised this is my country now.
My father didn't want me to join the military - not because he thought the military was bad, but because he thought I was going to be a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer.
After 9/11, my uncle, who had worked for a large car manufacturer for over 30 years, called me crying - saying 'please send me a picture of you in uniform; I need to prove my patriotism to my fellow workers.'
I was out with a couple of my marines, and a woman came up to say 'I want to thank you for serving our country, especially at this time.'
Then she asked me where I was from. When I said, 'Egypt', she had this look on her face and she said, 'you're a terrorist.' And that was in a Marine Corp uniform.
I cussed her out - I called her every name under the sun. I'm an American too - how dare she tell me I was something different.
But our community sometimes does that to our own. They say, 'you're not worthy, because you're serving the military.' But they don't understand that we're serving and helping the community.
When it comes to self-determination, who has the right to tell someone what they are and what they are not - just because it does not fit with their image?
Others who have ended up on the frontlines in the so-called "war on terror" have suffered a crisis of conscience, having had to fight fellow Arabs and Muslims as the "enemy".
Three Arab-American marines tell their stories.
JAMAL BAADANI
Jamal Baadani is a gunnery sergeant currently stationed at Quantico Marine Corp Base in Washington DC. He served in Yemen for Operation Enduring Freedom, and won three awards for his services. He is also the founder of Apaam, the Association of Patriotic Arab-Americans in the Military - prompted by the backlash of racism he and his family were subjected to after the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington in 2001.
Jamal Baadani
Jamal Baadani founded Apaam in response to racist abuse
I was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt - my parents were from Yemen - and I came to the United States when I was 10.
I didn't know any English, but I was always interested in the military - as I grew up during the Yom Kippur war of 1973. That environment made Egyptians feel patriotic, nationalistic.
It was about caring for your nation, serving your nation. When I was in Egypt, that was Egypt. But when I came to the US, I realised this is my country now.
My father didn't want me to join the military - not because he thought the military was bad, but because he thought I was going to be a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer.
After 9/11, my uncle, who had worked for a large car manufacturer for over 30 years, called me crying - saying 'please send me a picture of you in uniform; I need to prove my patriotism to my fellow workers.'
I was out with a couple of my marines, and a woman came up to say 'I want to thank you for serving our country, especially at this time.'
Then she asked me where I was from. When I said, 'Egypt', she had this look on her face and she said, 'you're a terrorist.' And that was in a Marine Corp uniform.
I cussed her out - I called her every name under the sun. I'm an American too - how dare she tell me I was something different.
But our community sometimes does that to our own. They say, 'you're not worthy, because you're serving the military.' But they don't understand that we're serving and helping the community.
When it comes to self-determination, who has the right to tell someone what they are and what they are not - just because it does not fit with their image?