The production is approximately one and a half-hour long documentary film depicting the lives of Arab Americans before and after September 11^th and the profound effect the war on terrorism has had in transforming their lives.  The film will be targeted for a movie theater audience using original cinematography footage to be shot on location in Dearborn , Michigan ; excerpts from newsreels outlining global and local events that changed their lives; and original interviews conducted with Arabs representing a cross section of their community.

 Idea Evolution:

  Dearborn has the largest concentration of Arabs outside of the Middle East .  It can be dubbed as the “Capital of Arab America”.  They came from every corner of the Middle East .  They are Yemenis, Lebanese, Iraqis, Palestinians, Syrians, Egyptians, etc…They all came to America running from political instability such as war or repression.  They came to Dearborn in search of a better life, a chance for a dignified livelihood, and to establish the Arab and American dream.  The dream of having their own culture, traditions, and religious practices preserved and protected by the American promise of civil liberties, tolerance and rule of law.  Most of all they dreamed of the America that celebrated the right to free speech and freedom of expression without fear of retribution from the government or persecution by society.

 They dreamed of having an Arab society in the midst of America and what that little Arab America would look like.  They dreamed and worked hard to build a life combining the best of both worlds; Arab culture coupled with the endless economic opportunities that America offers.  Prior to September 11^th, 2001 , they did not feel the heat of the government breathing down their necks and they felt a strong sense of security during the Clinton years.  They worked hard, earned money and invested their savings in building their homes, businesses and community centers.  They spoke out on their issues, held demonstrations, became active in politics, registered thousands of voters and started to flex their tender muscles in local elections.

 They were proud of their Arab identity and heritage.  The Clinton administration excelled in upholding diversity, encouraged and rewarded Arabs for their increased activism.  The story of the Arab Ghetto in Dearborn with its growing influence made national headlines in the 2000 election, when local Arab groups were courted by both presidential candidates.  Their meetings with Al Gore and George W. Bush were covered nationally and as a result candidate Bush promised to end racial profiling of Arabs in airports, in a televised debate with Al Gore.  Bush won their endorsement and they campaigned vigorously for his victory.  The story of Arab Dearborn’s endorsement and the effect it had in a swing state like Michigan was discussed on CNN and covered by media across the globe from Holland to Japan .  In 2000, Arab Americans enjoyed a brief moment in the sun where they basked in the warm rays of acceptance in mainstream America and whetted their appetites on the sweet taste of their dream.  They felt strong and emboldened in their American identity and proud to have a government and be part of a society that began to view them as an essential patch in its colorful tapestry.  They honestly began to believe the politicians that told them that “ America was enriched by your Arabic culture and heritage”.  They felt so confident and secure in their dream and assumed their privileges will be theirs forever.

  September 11^th, 2001 arrived and an Arab name was on the ballot in the elections held in Dearborn on that gloomy day, trying to unseat a formidable incumbent mayor.  His dream and the aspirations of his community were shattered by the explosions.  As the twin towers crumbled to the ground the stock of being an Arab crashed to ground zero.  President Bush moved swiftly to protect the citizenship rights of Arab Americans and to halt the trading in the public opinion market of the Arab stock that spiraled into free fall.  He established a bottoming out of the nation’s rage against them and made it very clear that they won’t be treated like Japanese Americans in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor .

 Focus on Arab Americans in Post 9/11 Era:

 In the short weeks following 9/11 Americans received the education of their life on their new potential enemy; Arabs and Muslims around the world.  They learned the differences between a Sunni and a Shia, a Kurd, a Wahhabi, a fundamentalist, etc… They found that the one billion plus population of Islam combined every race, color, ethnicity, and human contradiction that the world could possibly have.  The more they learned the more they appreciated the diversity of Arabs and Muslims and the varied cultural and religious practices and customs that existed among them.  The more they learned the more they appreciated that the war on terrorism can not be waged like a crusade against every Muslim on this earth.  Yet the anti-Arab sentiment was strong enough to pass the PATRIOT ACT in record time.

 In the following months the war on terrorism was waged in Afghanistan and domestically.  Thousands of Arabs on visas were rounded up, interrogated and jailed without charges.  Their names were withheld and their exact number was never released.  Local news broadcasts took special interest in criminal cases with Arabs involved in them.  Stories of FBI raids on Muslim charities were over-dramatized and images of Arabs hauled away in handcuffs became a regular staple in the nightly news diet.  Arab loyalty to America was under scrutiny as a cloud of suspicion hovered over their daily existence.  Arab Americans were under siege and some chose to move back to the Arab world.

 All of a sudden the baton of the fight for civil rights in America was thrust upon them but they could not carry the heavy cross.  They were too scared to fight back.  They suffered quietly and individually as they were abused by the justice system.  They were too scared and divided to speak out and campaign collectively.  The Arab identity became a liability and their belonging in America was questioned.  Their dream had turned into a nightmare as FBI informants infiltrated their mosques, community centers, and organizations like pesticide sprayed over precious crops to protect it from disease.

 The business of Arabism in mainstream America prospered and boomed as universities all across the nation added new entire curricula dealing with Middle Eastern studies.  Every branch of the Defense department was recruiting Arabic speaking people and studying their culture.  The ADC (American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee) reported that it was inundated with thousands of inquiries it received on a weekly basis.  Then the war in Iraq heightened the interest in Dearborn as Iraqi Americans demonstrated in support of the war while on the other side of the street Lebanese Americans demonstrated against the war.  The Iraqis danced in the streets of Dearborn when Saddam Hussein’s statue came tumbling down in Baghdad .  President Bush celebrated with these Iraqis in Dearborn a couple of weeks later and showcased to the world the Iraqi support for his war.

 Uniqueness of Film:

 National interest in Arab Dearborn has been cultivated and many attempts were made to tell the story but none could articulate it from an Arab American view faithfully.  The view that combines Arab values as they integrated into the American value system.  It is different from the American view of Arabs or the Arab view of Americans.  Most of the stories produced reinforce the painful stereotyping that plagued the Arab identity.  One of the hot issues of the 2004 election campaign is civil rights and the deterioration of civil liberties under the Ashcroft watch.  It is one of the main themes of the Democratic Party’s campaign yet no one has heard the story of the victims.  Arab Americans were traumatized twice by the attacks of 9/11.  Over a hundred of them died in those attacks and then they suffered a slow malicious torture campaign aimed at stripping them of any dignity or respect for their existence in America .

 Arab Americans are innocent of the attacks and the sentiments that caused these attacks.  Their innocence is a privilege that they have to regain.

 This story will allow them to make their case to the American people.  They will state their views clearly, unapologetically and defend themselves in the court of public opinion.  It will help others who are carrying the banner of civil rights become proud that their cause is just and that the people they’re fighting for are good people.  It will strive to aid in the healing of America and the promotion of belonging, reconciliation and mutual respect.

 The film has a tailored and focused message about the belonging of Arab Americans and their American identity.  It tells the story of their day to day life and what they are doing to build their nation and help America understand the positive values of their rich culture.  It has a strong message of hope and optimism and it strives to bridge the gulf of cultural stereotyping that divides people from their humanity.  It showcases the Arab American contributions to creating a better America for all Americans and thus plays an important role of safeguarding these accomplishments.  It will not address many issues that may take away from its main message such as partisan politics, foreign policy, Arab-Arab conflicts, Arab-Israeli conflict, the plight of illegal aliens, and Muslim related issues.  It is mostly a secular Arab American view that celebrates the accomplishments of all of their institutions and tells the story of the current challenges they face in cementing their belonging in America .

 The level of influence that any group of Americans can ever hope to exert depends to a large measure on the degree of integration of this group into every aspect of American life, including literature and arts.  This work of art, a cultural portrait, encapsulates another critical period in American history where Arab Americans, for the first time, play a role in it.