In response to the President's speech on the Middle East, May 19, the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services released the following statement:
The following statement is from Hassan Jaber, executive director of ACCESS:
Get involved, ACCESS urges Arab Americans after President’s speech
President Obama’s speech today is an important example of why Arab Americans must be fully engaged in the democratic and political processes in this country. As the United States considers its responses to and support for certain democratic movements in the Middle East and North Africa, it is crucial for the Administration to hear the voices of Americans whose backgrounds and perspectives reflect the full spectrum of opinion.
At ACCESS, we work to support Arab American civic engagement from the grassroots through 22 community organizations in 10 states and the District of Columbia. We support and encourage the emergence of Arab American voices through volunteerism, voting, activism and representation.
We cannot sit back as spectators and expect to see a meaningful shift in U.S. foreign policy. Only as active participants in this American democracy are we able to voice meaningful support for emerging democracies of the region and to urge our leaders on Capitol Hill to have the courage to take real, transformative steps toward achieving peace and stability.
