Comments on KABOBfest: Desecrating Hala Maksoud's Memory

I was there, I witnessed the gay-bashing. I'm sor...

2008-03-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

I was there, I witnessed the gay-bashing. I'm sorry Maysoon, but this is not hearsay, I was actually there, you were not. If you think it's wrong to stand up against this sort've stuff, then that's a reflection of precisely what's wrong in our community.

Arghh more wasting time. Yes dear dirawi gay bashi...

2008-03-26T05:13:00.000-07:00

Arghh more wasting time. Yes dear dirawi gay bashing is foul and wrong but I WITNESSED NO GAY BASHING not in my presence, nor on the Today, show or on Colbert or in the papers, or anywhere but kabobfest.

This article has done far more desecrating than anything else. i'm done if you have any other comments you can email me at zeitoonah@yahoo.com or on facebook which i check more often.

Silly devisive hearsay. A woman I knew and adored is no longer with us and her dream is being spit on because people have a personal beef with each other. This is why we have no country

sad and disgusted

mz

ps grow up kids bleeeease we need you to do good rather than harm cause you all seem pretty passionate and the community needs that.

Maysoon, gay-bashing in Maksoud's name IS a desecr...

2008-03-23T13:10:00.001-07:00

Maysoon, gay-bashing in Maksoud's name IS a desecration of her memory. For you to suggest otherwise is sickening.

Maysoon, gay-bashing in Maksoud's name IS a desecr...

2008-03-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

Maysoon, gay-bashing in Maksoud's name IS a desecration of her memory. For you to suggest otherwise is sickening.

Here are the facts so far. Fadi got a report of Ib...

2008-03-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

Here are the facts so far. Fadi got a report of Ibish's unacceptable behavior in a session. Fadi, a smart guy, a respected activist and a lawyer who knows the libel laws, checked it out with a number of people who were there and they confirmed it. No one who was at the session has denied it, although many people have said they were at other sessions where Ibish did not trash and bash people. Fair enough. In any setting when people feel harassed, threatened, vilified because of their sexuality they are not forced to reveal their identity publicly. But we do not just dismiss their concerns as "hearsay." Is every person who is sexually harassed supposed to come out in public? And yes, if Ibish did what he is accused of doing, it is sexual harassment because it created a threatening and intimidating environment for the man or woman who reported it, and as an added bonus potentially harmed the reputation of whoever Ibish thought he was "outing." It's amazing to me that a small clique of Ibish loyalists are not willing to take this seriously and are instead joining the attack on the person who made the accusation. I mean since Hussein is the Executive Director of the Hala foundation, there is really is no possibility of due process within that organization, so its not like the person had an alternative route to seek redress. So they did the next best thing, which was go to a respected person like Fadi. That's good enough for me. Also, Hussein is a self-proclaimed public figure and as such he knows he can expect a certain level of public scrutiny of his behavior. Remember what is alleged was not private behavior, but something he is alleged to have done in a training. Hussein should be heard. Perhaps he should do the adult thing and apologize privately to those who were in the room, and we can move on. All the testimonials won't get him out of responding responsibly and taking responsibility.

Excuse me who put you in charge of Dr. Maksoud's m...

2008-03-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

Excuse me who put you in charge of Dr. Maksoud's memory? I personally am offended that you'd abuse her name to denegrate something she herself dreamt of and believed in. Allah yir 7am ha.

Blogs are considered stupid by many and not worth commenting on and although some are very stupid unfortunately people tend to believe what they read sooooo here's my 2 cents.

I learned invaluable information and techniques at the Hala training and made extremely useful connections w both speakers and trainees. There is not a single interview I've done that I have not called on something I learned there. Or called on my teacher/speakers for advice on. They have always been available to me.

Also no one puts me up to anything (such as wasting my lovely Sun easter morning commenting on this devisive, hyperbolic anonymous fools post). I am doing this because I believe in and sincerely love this project.

Hussein is a great teacher sincerely. Not necessarily the easiest personality but an encyclopedia of knowledge and experience. Hey I've read alot of things I've supposedly said twisted and taken out of context too. So don't believe everything you read...except this Falafel is not Israeli and the Hala training is extremely important project that deserves to thrive. It isn't perfect but I felt comfortable openly disagreeing with certain theories and that is whats beautiful about it. You get A-A's from all walks of life openly and rationally discussing huge idealogical differences without fear of having to edit ourselves. Its far more worth my time or anyone interested in leadership and pan arab unity on human rights issues than reading this slanderous devisive one sided drivvle typed by my pal anonymous and his court appt attorney fadi.

Salam,
Maysoon Zayid

PS And if you still don't believe I'm being sincere you will see i listed the training in my bio on our website for years.

PPS If you kabobfester want I'd be less silly write not based on hearsay but on actual attendence :)

"And then this anonymous attacker has the cojones ...

2008-03-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

"And then this anonymous attacker has the cojones to complain that Ibish is bashing people in the community!"

Ibish is the KING of bashing others in the community; he's themed entire op-eds to it! That's why people care less and less about him every day. And ok, sorry, next time we wont complain when Ibish outs others in the community as "flaming homosexuals." We'll just be complacent and let him continue doing so, because he was able to get a few of his friends to come on here and write irrelevant shit about how great they think he is. Since he cares so much about this, why doesn't he deny? We all know what he did, it's pathetic for you to suggest we ignore it because you think he's important.

What a pathetic excuse for a critique! As a very ...

2008-03-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

What a pathetic excuse for a critique! As a very satisfied graduate of the Hala Maksoud Foundation training (basic and advanced levels) who enjoyed the open debate in my seminars, I have to say I am just disgusted with this crap. In my experience, this kind of "let's take each other down" approach to "community self-critique" (?) is the biggest thing holding back the Arab-American community from making progress.

Hello? The person who writes is bashing an important leader in the Arab-American community. Hussein Ibish has his flaws like anyone else (yes, he's blunt but certainly not a homophobe), but he has done more to promote Arab rights and a reasonable U.S. approach to Israel-Palestine peacemaking and Iraq than practically anyone. And he has done so more effectively. And then this anonymous attacker has the cojones to complain that Ibish is bashing people in the community! Take a look in the mirror and do something constructive to advance the community. This was not it.

Katherine Metres
Former Executive Director
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee/New York

Sarah, it's nice to know that he didn't bash homos...

2008-03-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

Sarah, it's nice to know that he didn't bash homosexuals at your session. Unfortunately, we cannot say that about every session. It's nice to know that he sometimes carries himself like an adult. Unfortunately, many other times he is a gay-basher and a sexist.

I signed my name, it is Sarah Eltantawi. I am not...

2008-03-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

I signed my name, it is Sarah Eltantawi. I am not Hussein Ibish, and neither are the other people who signed their names.

that should have read "martyr" not "matter." Ibish...

2008-03-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

that should have read "martyr" not "matter." Ibish is no shaheed for the cause, that's for sure.

Nice one, Hussein. Good move to try to position yo...

2008-03-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

Nice one, Hussein. Good move to try to position yourself as a matter, as if selling out the Palestinian cause were in fact some great sacrifice for the greater good. Why don't you go off and make all that money then? You'd be doing yourself and everyone else a favor. Whoever wrote this latest testimonial (unless it is once again Hussein himself) was not in the room when he made his disgusting comments and character assassination against others in the community. And spin it any way you want, ATFP sold out the Palestinians a long time ago. Just hope it was worth it guys. People got fed up of all ATFP's dirty tricks, character assassination, impugning others and its not surprising they are getting a dose back.

Though I have never before visited this blog, I fe...

2008-03-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Though I have never before visited this blog, I feel the need to add my voice to this thread. I have no doubt that all of us are deeply, deeply pained by the continuing carnage and injustice taking place in Palestine, so I am not here to impugn anyone's motives. But I am very concerned by some of the attitudes on display in this discussion. I truly feel that as long as our community is incapable of basic fairness and the capacity to engage others with different viewpoints in a responsible manner with the very minimum level of respect that all of us deserve, than our community will always be in the pitiful position it is today. How can we advocate for the dignity of Palestinians if we can not respect the dignity of members of our own community?

Hussein Ibish has in no way put me up to this response, in fact, he does not want me to respond. But I am overriding his wishes out of my sheer disgust at the inaccuracy and unfairness of so many of these comments. Let me say just a few things about Hussein's character. First of all, this is a man of the highest integrity, a true public servant. Given his level of education and skills, he could frankly be making a lot more money than he is making, but has chosen instead to dedicate himself to non-profit work out of his deeply-held convictions about the Palestinian issue and issues of justice more broadly. I understand that many of us disagree with his (and many others') fundamentally-pragmatic outlook toward politics. But it must be known that his service, and that of many others he works with, is based in a burning desire to bring an end to this conflict. I happen to agree that his approach – engaging the system responsibly, tireless hard work and tenacity, political pragmatism, taking the long view of the issue, respecting the claims and desires of all parties -- is the best way to actually end this conflict. But this is another discussion. The point, here, is: try to be a little more deep and a little more fair and accurate before you thoroughly trash perfectly good people who are at the very least honest and consistent about their approach to politics.

Let me finally say that as someone who has known Hussein very well for seven years that he is one of the least likely people in the world to discriminate against or insult anyone based on their sexual orientation. Though he is not himself gay, this is a seriously gay-friendly individual. I know from many private conversations that one of the reasons he is so distrustful of Hamas is precisely because of their rank homophobia and sexism. It seems to me that all of us should take a closer look at that contradiction. I would also like to say that these disgusting references to his personal relationships and to his health represent the height – or I should say, low – of filthy, unfair character assassination which could only be slung by small-minded, petty and mean people. No system of adab, be it that in our Arabic heritage, or Islam, or Christianity, or secularism, or common human decency, would allow for that kind of language or sentiment to be in any way operative, relevant or acceptable in any serious discussion of any political issue. You should really be ashamed of yourself for being so immature, irresponsible and unfair.

Remember that we are all human, and we will disagree with each other on political issues. But we will never progress as long as this mud-slinging vitriol fit only for a sandbox characterizes the manner in which we disagree.

I would also like to post below just three pieces of feedback from the workshop in question. You can read the rest on the website:

http://www.halafoundation.org/testimonials.php

Sarah Eltantawi

Like its namesake, the Hala Salaam Maksoud Leadership Training Program is innovative, progressive, and inspiring. The major issues facing Arab-Americans are tackled in-depth in a comfortable and stimulating environment comprised of accomplished co-participants, impressive guest speakers, and Hussein Ibish, a remarkably powerful and distinguished voice in Arab-American advocacy. It's well worth shuffling your schedule around to get the week off. If you're serious about working for the Arab-American community, and joining a growing network of forward-thinking people committed to progress for Arabs, apply for this program.

Fareed Fareed, MD, Columbia University Medical Center
This was by far the most effective leadership training I have ever received. It was absolutely worth juggling my schedule and sacrificing my precious few days off because the skills and network I developed there will last a lifetime. This is a genius endeavor – it is groundbreaking, cutting edge, and brilliant, much like its namesake.

Maysoon Zayid, comedian and actress
It is by far the best training of its kind that I have ever received. I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that, if offered widely, this project could have a significant impact on the quality of Arab American activism in this country. The seminar's underlying rational and methodic approach is badly needed to rehabilitate the often emotional and loosely argued case of Arab Americans.

Ammar Askari, Ph.D., President, ADC Wisconsin; community education administrator, Marshall and Ilsley Bank

I disagree with this negative post about both Huss...

2008-03-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

I disagree with this negative post about both Hussein and the Hala Maksoud Foundation.
I attended the seminar a couple years ago and had such a positive experience. I learned so much from Hussein and the other participants. During our seminar we had many open discussions and the participants were from different careers, different parts of the country and had many different experiences.

thanks for sharing ibish

2008-03-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

thanks for sharing ibish

Hussein Ibish: U.S. Arabs' Firebrandby Daniel Pipe...

2008-03-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Hussein Ibish: U.S. Arabs' Firebrand

by Daniel Pipes
New York Post
March 25, 2002

He sports the modest title of communications director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, a lobby group, but Hussein Ibish is a fast-rising star who appears frequently on top-rated television talk shows, in leading newspapers, at think tanks and in the corridors of power.

Ibish has been appearing with increasing frequency in places like the Los Angeles Times and on The O'Reilly Factor, Nightline, BBC, The Early Show with Bryant Gumble, CNN, MSNBC, All Things Considered, The Evening News with Dan Rather and The Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. He's appeared at the Woodrow Wilson Center, and his group is often at the White House.

Indeed, few people with views as extremist as his have been given as much recognization.

Unlike most of today's prominent Muslim spokesmen, the 38-year-old Ibish does not advocate militant Islam. Instead, he pushes a set of far left-wing views. These start, not surprisingly, with a deep antagonism to the U.S. government. An immigrant from Lebanon, he believes Washington has imperial ambitions in the Middle East. To achieve these, he says, Washington relies extensively on terrorism.

First, it has stiched together a system of puppet rulers who "terrorize the region." Second, it "has the ability to murder and rampage at will" and sometimes does just that - as during its "terrorist" 1986 air strike against Libya.

It gets worse. Ibish has described former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as "vermin." He has compared comments by Colin Powell about Iraqi civilian deaths during the 1991 war to those by Timothy McVeigh about the children he murdered in Oklahoma City. He may be tough on American diplomats, but for the second-worst mass murderer of the 20th-century, China's Mao Zedong, Ibish shows a touching affection ("The achievements of Mao can hardly be overstated.")

Ibish apologizes for many groups the U.S. government deems terrorist, starting with Osama bin Laden. "I'm skeptical," was his reaction after a federal grand jury indicted bin Laden for bombing two U.S. embassies in East Africa. Ibish dismisses bin Laden as a blowhard who gives "blood-curdling interviews," a guy who "lives in a cave in Afghanistan" and someone seen by Arabs as "a crank and a dangerous fanatic."

The list of apologetics goes on. President Bush calls Hamas "one of the deadliest terrorist organizations in the world today" but our lobbyist friend touts its accomplishments "running hospitals and schools and orphanages."

Ibish's words prompt other comments, too:

* He plays with facts - at will doubling U.S. governmental aid to Israel or tripling the number of Iraqis killed by the sanctions regime. One exasperated columnist characterizes his writings as "systematic deceit."
* Anyone he dislikes is liable to be compared to Nazis. Officers of the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission are "stormtroopers." A mild newspaper article about Islam is "genocidal" and "reminiscent of the most bizarre passages of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf." U.S. sanctions on Iraq are "genocidal."
* He bandies about accusations of espionage for Israel. American journalists he disagrees with are "transparently operating in concert and at the direction of the Israeli government." The Anti-Defamation League is an arm of Israeli intelligence.
* As co-editor, Ibish turned the Graduate Voice at the University of Massachusetts into what one writer calls "such an anti-Semitic rag" that the university chancellor had to establish an anti-Semitism task force to respond to his activities.
* In a bizarre twist, Ibish takes pride in his own immoral lifestyle, advocating "redemption through intoxication." He contends that "Those of us who smoke, drink, speak freely and have unauthorized sex occupy both the intellectually sound position and the moral high ground" compared to the "neo-puritans" who frown on such activities.
* In 1997, while a teaching assistant at the University of Massachusetts, he railed against a university regulation prohibiting sex between employees (like himself) and students, calling this an "all-out assault on f-ing." He especially decried the impact this would have on homosexuals, furious at the exposure this could bring if "you are gay and don't feel comfortable in announcing that fact to a homophobic world."

Anti-American, anti-Semitic, inaccurate and immoral; Hussein Ibish makes for a peculiar choice to serve as the public face of Arab-Americans.

More broadly, the media, think tanks and politicians should consider Ibish's record and close their doors to someone so far removed from the mainstream of the American debate.

A few years ago, I was giving Ibish a ride to the ...

2008-03-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I was giving Ibish a ride to the airport, when he tells me that he just decided he wants to "fuck a hijabi" girl while she's wearing her hijab. I'd just met the guy. He can deny all he wants, anybody that's met him knows the truth. He's an embarrassment to Arabs.

First Will came out, and now Fadi?Who's next?(not ...

2008-03-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

First Will came out, and now Fadi?

Who's next?

(not that there's anything wrong with that....)

Ibish, get a life.

2008-03-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

Ibish, get a life.

Yeah... I don't think he'd fit under any bed or be...

2008-03-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Yeah... I don't think he'd fit under any bed or behind a tree so he's just not that hard to spot.

You kabob-brained fools think everyone is Ibish. ...

2008-03-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

You kabob-brained fools think everyone is Ibish. Last time, he was supposed to be pretending to be someone called Omar or something. Now, he’s baiting himself. You must see Ibish under your beds and behind every tree!

very smart, hussein. but posting these silly comme...

2008-03-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

very smart, hussein. but posting these silly comments about yourself does not get you out of your failure to acknowledge serious and credible allegations about your behavior or to apologize to the people you offended.

No way! This isn’t baiting, these are facts. I m...

2008-03-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

No way! This isn’t baiting, these are facts. I mean, there is nothing wrong with being gay like Hussein. And we don’t see Ibish denying this. If it isn’t true, then why doesn’t he deny it? Look, face the facts, Ibish is gay and that’s that.

I think Ibish is an incredibly hypocritical person...

2008-03-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

I think Ibish is an incredibly hypocritical person who works for a disgusting outfit, ATFP, that works against our community. I think the reports of his gay-bashing in the Hala sessions are totally credible. But I also find this baiting of Ibish totally offensive and wrong. Let's have one standard people. Ibish may make it his business to attack people in the community or speculate about their private business in a totally inappropriate public setting. Doesn't mean we have to follow his example.

That’s bullshit! Ibish is definitely gay. Your i...

2008-03-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

That’s bullshit! Ibish is definitely gay. Your information sucks. All ADC insiders are well aware of it. Don’t try to talk about things you know nothing about. Ibish is definitely, definitely gay.