How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America

Moustafa Bayoumi's profile of seven Brooklyn-based Arab-Americans and their diverse experiences living in a post-9-11 America is not only interesting and insightful, but refreshing too. At a time when it seems like everyone but Arab-Americans is being given the opportunity to speak on behalf of the community, Bayoumi goes straight to the source and allows Arab-American youth to explain who they are and what they're experiencing for themselves.The book's only shortcoming is that it doesn't fully represent the Arab-American community. Though the majority of Arab-Americans are Christian, Bayoumi only shares the story of one. In the preface of his book, Bayoumi states his reasoning: "...Arab-American Muslims are at the eye of today's storms. They are forced to reconcile particular American foreign policies that affect their countries of origin with the idea that their faith poses an existential threat to Western civilization."Bayoumi's assertion may be correct, but doesn't adequately explain his decision to focus more on Arab-American Muslims than Arab-American Christians.Arab-American Christians must also reconcile certain American policies (both foreign and domestic) with their love and dedication to both their ancestral homelands and new homeland. They also face the same social and political backlash associated with being an Arab or Muslim in a post-9-11 America.Arab-American Christians find themselves in an even more precarious position in that they're often forced to serve as a bridge between their Arab-American Muslim brethren and non-Arab/Muslim Americans. In many cases, Arab-American Christians have even taken a leading role in educating non-Arab/Muslim Americans about Islam. While those that do may feel a sense of duty to serve as their brother's keeper, most also recognize that popular misconceptions about Muslims also affect them. After all, few - if any - Arab-American Christians haven't been touched by the racial profiling, discrimination and violence directed towards Muslim-looking people since 9-11. In this sense, Arab-American Christians are direct stakeholders in how non-Arab/Muslim Americans treat Muslims in America.Bayoumi makes an attempt to address these issues in his story of Sami - an Arab-American Christian who "must navigate the minefield of associations the public has of Arabs as well as the expectations that Muslim Arab Americans have of him as an Arab-American soldier." Sadly, Sami's account is less relatable to Arab-American Christians as are the six other stories of Arab-American Muslims - as he doesn't even self-identify as being an Arab-American.In Bayoumi's defense, he never asserts that the stories he shares in this book represent all, or even most, Arab-Americans. In fact, he states: "...I make no claims that these seven narratives touch on every detail of Arab-American life." However, his decision to present a more rounded picture of the post 9-11 experience of Arab-American Muslims over that of Arab-American Christians renders his book more useful to readers wanting to understand what it feels like to be young and an Arab-Muslim in America - not what it's like "Being Young and Arab in America."

I came across this book in an article in the local Sunday paper as the author will be appearing at Millersville University. First off, kudos to MU for making this book required reading for all its incoming freshman. They want to spotlight the Middle East and the experiences of Arabs in the US post 9/11. Second of all, as the American-born mother of three Arab American teens, who have been confronted with their Arab identity, I was very interested to know what else might they face and how others have dealt with it.First of the writing is superb. It's intelligent but easily accessible. There's no dumbing down or superficial smarting up. It's a book that can be used in a university course as well as read but the average person who wants to educate themselves. There's no political agenda. The goal of the book is simply to inform.The book contains the stories of 7 Arab American young people who live in Brooklyn. Some were born there. Others came at a young age. All are American citizens. Some are not easily recognized on the street as Arabs. Some wear traditional Muslim dress. Some are Christian. Some are Muslim. All have dealt with their Arab and American identities but in different ways. For someone, like me, who is well aware of the problems Arab Americans have faced, I can't say anything shocked me or surprised me. What impressed me was the profiles in courage that are presented. I really love that strong Arab women are presented fighting for their rights and not pictured as oppressed. I really respect and admire Yasmin for not giving up in her struggle and her father who supported her even when he wasn't always sure that what she wanted was in her best interest.This book would be a great high school, college or book group selection to start a conversation about racism and profiling. The study questions at the end really help put yourself in the Arab shoes and make you consider how you would react in these situations.

seven twenty-somethings: all arab american, all brooklynites, each one struggling it out in a post 9-11 world. there is so much heart to these stories...so much gumption and grace. how to live from a place of dignity, trust, when you are under constant surveillance? under suspicion? subjected to discrimination at work, school, while riding the bus up brooklyn's fifth avenue, to get taco bell for your three sisters?stories connect us to each other, writes dr. bayoumi. "in the ways that polemics and polls cannot, they reveal our conflicts within ourselves and our vulnerabilities to each other."in these stories we learn of a young arab american marine who enlists, and is deployed to iraq where he eventually begins questioning the war & his involvement in it. "am i out here for somebody's personal gain?" he asks. "none of these people making decisions have anybody there. they're playing with house money. they're playing with the youth of this country."then there's rasha, a young woman who is detained post 9-11, with her entire family and without reason...there's yasmin a force, a firebrand, who takes on the administration of her school, calling them out on their discrimination...there are stories of hurt and betrayal and love here. of humanity."how does it feel to be a problem?" w.e.b. dubois asked over a century ago. and now, dr. bayoumi asks anew, asks at a time when muslim communities around the nation continue to "feel under the blunt hammer of suspicion."i loved this book, an essential, powerful read. five stars are not enough.

I was expecting the stories of these young people to be told in their own words from the book description. Instead of fresh young voices, this is a work crafted by an academic with a strong agenda. Thus the book does not live up to its promise.Despite this misrepresentation, this book is still worth reading. It provides insight into the perception of discrimination that middle class Muslims face in the U.S. it would be stronger if the afterword spent more effort on comparing this with the perceptions of blacks, Irish Catholics, Jews and other minorities who have emigrated to the states in blocks.

An interesting book to read!

Love the book and read in one day. So important to read and educate yourselves. I was disappointed that when my book arrived the first 2 pages were ripped.

Libro perfettamente integro, qualche sbavatura di inchiostro ma è colpa della casa editrice

Das Buch kam sehr schnell an und ich fand es einfach nur super!!!Ich habe es regelrecht verschlungen, da es soo spannend war, die einzelnen Lebensgeschichten zu lesen.