American Arab Forum
42 East Main Street
Denville, NJ 07834

March 21, 2006

Governor John Corzine
Statehouse
Trenton, NJ

 Subject: Meeting with leaders of the NJ Arab Community

 Dear Governor Corzine:

In light of the recent events engulfing our Arab American Community in New Jersey, we respectfully request an urgent meeting with you to apprise you of our concerns and the recommended solutions.  

Coming off at the heels of the Dubai port fiasco, where our community strongly felt that a campaign of economic profiling is being waged against Arabs, we now have a potentially explosive incident revolving around the candidacy of Mr. Sami Merhi who is seeking a seat on the Democratic ticket for Freeholder in Passaic County. The uproar took unprecedented angle when it was reported that both you and Senator Menendez Have expressed your opposition to Mr. Merhi political aspirations.

The Arab American community in NJ has invested its soul and faithfully placed its future in the Democratic Party. Sadly, it appears the party is disinviting us from participating in making  America a better place. We are now being lynched politically and collectively.

As the most important Democratic leader in New Jersey, we appeal to you to meet with our community leaders at your earliest.

We believe there is ample room for reconciliation if true intentions are met with concrete deeds.

 I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Respectfully,

Aref Assaf, PhD

President, American Arab Forum
 

P.S. I am a member of the Governor’s Ethnic Advisory Commission and I served on your "Task Force on Civil Rights and Social Justices issues."