Muslims, Arabs, and Arab-Americans

Nawar Shora has spent his two-decade plus career at the intersection of civil rights/DEIA and national security/counterterrorism with expertise and accolades across the spectrum. The positive impact of his groundbreaking outreach efforts in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks remain through today. He is a nationally recognized authority and subject matter expert on community outreach and stakeholder engagement as well as cultural demystification and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA) efforts.Nawar has delivered in-person trainings to more than 100,000 professionals, including intelligence analysts, law enforcement officers, university professors and students, houses of worship, and corporate security and executive groups. He approaches intimidating and difficult topics with humor, diplomacy and charm.  He has been called the “Arab Robin Williams” by members of the NYPD and is often compared to the late comedian for his high energy, wit, and occasional Freudian joke. Nawar’s experience ranges between intimate one-on-one advisory sessions with the upper echelon of the US government to public keynotes before 14,000 individuals. In 2018, he testified as a witness to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. That year, he was also invited back to his Alma Matter, Marshall University, to keynote the commencement ceremony with a theme of “Conquer your reality”.  He has served as a guest lecturer at varied academic institutions, UPS’s Security Information Group, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), the FBI Academy, National Counterterrorism Center, Terrorist Screening Center, and countless other private and public institutions. He has provided insights to the most inner depths of the US Government and has worked with most of the three letter agencies except the NSA, but figured they must be listening in anyway!Nawar’s efforts have been recognized by the FBI with the Director’s Community Leadership Award, the DHS Outstanding American by Choice Award, the FBI Exceptional Service in the Public Interest Award, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Leadership Award, the Washington, DC Metro Police Department’s Outstanding and Dedicated Service Award, FBI Community Outreach Training Award, among many more. Nawar is a highly sought-after public speaker, connector, and bridge-builder. He discusses the history, norms, mores, culture, and current events of the Arab and Muslim worlds with an eye towards amplifying our humanity and the fabric of our American values. His stories on failure, grace, and inspiration make him a unique motivational presence. Ali Ferzat was born in 1951 in the central Syriancity of Hama. He is a Syrian political cartoonist and has published more than15,000 caricatures in Syrian, Arab and international newspapers. He serves asthe head of the Arab Cartoonists Association. In 2011, he received SakharovPrize for peace and was named one of the 100 most influential people in theworld by Time magazine in 2012. Ferzat has a collection of his politicalcartoons, A Pen of Damascus Steel: The Political Cartoons of an Arab Master,also published by Cune Press.

"By far the best short guide to Arab, Arab-American, and Muslim cultures . . . an invaluable resource." —Jack Shaheen, Reel Bad Arabs

• SECTION 1A Note to the Reader   15Introductory Quiz   16Chapter One...................................................................................................191. How much do you know?   202. Are all Arabs Muslim, and all Muslims Arab?   243. Who are Arabs and what makes an Arab country?   244. Immigrant Arabs and Arab-Americans   285. Who are Muslims and in what do they believe?   286. Women in Islam   327. Global Muslim population   378. What is the world’s most populous Muslim country?   40Chapter Two....................................................................................................411. What comes to mind when you hear the term Muslim or Arab?   422. What does an Arab look like?   423. Nicknames and transliteration of names   434. Muslims or Arabs: Broad neutral answers   445. Muslims or Arabs: Extreme negative answers   456. Epithets   467. Terrorism   478. A Bit of History  489. Muslims or Arabs: Extreme positive answers   49Chapter Three.................................................................................................561. Were Muslims or Arab-Americans responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing?   572. Suspicious behavior, non-suspicious appearance   57Chapter Four..................................................................................................601. Name positive Arab characters in television history   612. Name positive Arab characters in movie history   65Chapter Five......................................................................................701. Were Arab-Americans responsible for the 9/11 attacks on our country?   712. Arabs or Arab-Americans?   713. Do you believe a negative stereotype about Muslims or Arab-Americans exists in the United States?   724. Do you face stereotypes?   72Chapter Six........................................................................................741. Who’s Who in Arab America   742. Circle Arab-American public figures   753. Muslim and Arab-American contributions   78Chapter Seven....................................................................................811. General Arab and Muslim cultural norms and mores   822. Traditional and current Muslim or Arab dress   863. Images of Arab sexuality   884. A statistical breakdown of Muslims and Arab-Americans   89Chapter Eight....................................................................................911. Early Arab and Muslim Americans   922. Arab and Muslim influence on the United States   943. Geography and the World   954. Arabic in your English, French and Spanish   96Conclusion   99Quotes & Notes   101Resources   103Notes   104SECTION 2Glossary  Countries At a Glance Arab Countries The Larger Muslim World Acknowledgements  Calligraphy by Mamoun Sakkal  Political Cartoons by Ali Farzat  Bios of “Informed Views” Writers  Index The Author