APRIL 2024

GUEST COLUMN
My Friendship with Chaldeans
My relationship of friendship, admiration,
and deep mutual understanding
with the Chaldean-Iraqi American
community goes back to 1984, when I first
arrived in the state of Michigan as an immigrant,
or more accurately, an exile.
I began my professional life with a
weekly newspaper that I called TODAY.
Then, after four weeks, I discovered that
the readership of the Arabic language press
was less than what was necessary for an
excellent newspaper to withstand time and
enjoy a long life.
I closed it without regret. Subsequently,
I went on to establish an Arab television channel
called TV Orient, which gained the support of the
Iraqi community who rallied around it, provided
support, and made it a great success.
This channel was a new bridge that deepened
my relationship with the community members and
a wonderful bridge to introduce and connect me to
the “Forum/Al Muntada” group and its founder, Mr.
Fouad Manna; we quickly became good friends. As
a media man, I found joy in being amidst an atmosphere
and weekly gatherings surrounded by a distinguished
journalist, community activists, intellectuals,
and visitors from all walks of life.
My presence in Michigan since 1984 allowed me
to make many new friends and distinguished scholars.
With my consistent outlook, declared views, and
well-known rejection of sectarianism, racism, and regionalism,
I was fortunate to have dozens of sincere
Iraqi Chaldean friends which were far more than the
three friends from other Arab and Iraqi communities.
I should also mention that successive Iraqi governments
have proven to be the stupidest and most
ignorant governments when it comes to understanding
the value of the Iraqi communities outside Iraq.
Its officials and representatives do not understand,
know, and want to know the great value of Iraq’s immigrant
or displaced countrymen in the diaspora.
It is sad to know that they do not recognize the
impact, strength, experience, traditions, knowledge,
economic strength, and political weight of the community
in the United States. If the Iraqi government
was interested in embracing their worldly experience,
broad knowledge, and diverse competencies, or
sought to establish bridges of cooperation and hope
to enable them to assist with important development
experience gained in the countries they live in.
My friend Dr. Adhid Miri, who is a contributing
writer and member of the editorial staff at the Chaldean
News magazine, was kind to share with me
articles about the story of the immigration of Iraqi
Christians to the United States, the reasons behind
their long presence in the state of Michigan, and an
analysis of the main motives that were behind their
IBRAHIM
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migration from their homeland, Iraq.
Dr. Miri stated that “Between the years
1910 and 1947, a small number of Chaldeans
(mostly from Iraq) immigrated to the United
States, and they were part of the era of mass
immigration that brought millions from
all over the world to America, which was
then in dire need of workers to support its
growing economy. Detroit was very popular
among immigrant groups due to its growing
automobile industry and the presence
of a Middle Eastern community consisting
mainly of Christian immigrants who came
from Lebanon and Syria.”
“In 1943, community statistics documented the
presence of 908 Chaldeans in the Detroit area, and in
1947, 80 Chaldean families lived within the city limits
of Detroit. By 1963, this number had tripled to 3,000.
A larger number of Iraqi citizens then immigrated to
the United States due to Iraq’s political conditions
and changes in US immigration laws during the mid-
1960s, and the growth of the Chaldean-American
community in Detroit became more dramatic, and
this number gradually rose to 45,000 in 1986 - 75,000
in 1992 - and 160,000 in 2017, reaching about 200,000
currently in the state of Michigan.”
I found the Chaldean community very patriotic and
keen to maintain strong ties with their motherland Iraq
and to preserve their Christian identity, culture, language,
traditions, and heritage. When you delve into
the details of the lives of Iraqi Chaldeans in their workplaces,
homes, cultural, economic, and service institutions,
social organizations, marketplaces, restaurants,
and shops, you will feel that you have not left Iraq. One
will quickly discover that they are more patriotic than
other Iraqis who have not managed to preserve their
roots, and national identity, unfortunately.
Journalism in America was an interesting challenge.
As the number of Iraqi immigrants increased,
their first publications appeared in Arabic, while
the second generation of journalists adopted Arabic
and English in their journalism. The new generation
of journalists who were born in the United States
did not master the Arabic language and adopted
English as a language but with a pure Iraqi spirit.
The content of the Iraqi press in the United States
remained a living part of the news of the national
press, even if it was written in languages other than
Arabic (English, Chaldean, Syriac).
What Dr. Miri did not say in his article about the
Iraqi Chaldean community, is that the community
in Michigan and other American states is considered
among the most important, most successful,
most effective, most vibrant, and influential Middle
Eastern communities in American political life, followed
by the successes and impact of the Lebanese
Muslim community in Dearborn, and the Palestinian
Christian community, most of whose members
come from the city of Ramallah.
Worth noting that over time the Iraqi Chaldean
community and families became most concerned with
educating their sons and daughters. This enabled them
to advance, possess experience, and competence, and
establish a momentum that made many of them distinguished,
and influential in the surrounding American
society. They excelled in the economic field as well
as politics, education, services, and investments. It is,
without a doubt the richest Middle Eastern community
with its prominent, successful scientists, doctors,
engineers, politicians, and businessmen.
The successes and size of the community attracted
the attention of many politicians and statesmen.
It has become a ritual for many American presidents,
vice presidents, and state politicians to visit the community
and seek to win its support.
The community also became a destination for
major officials, ministers, politicians, and visitors
from Iraq, however, little was accomplished to help
establish strategic relationships, organized communication,
and continuity.
Among the most prominent visitors to the Chaldean-Iraqi
American community, were the late King
Faisal II, Saeed Qazzaz, the last Minister of the Interior
during the pre-1958 monarchy era, and Talib
Shabib, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq during
the era of the first Baath in 1963.
President Bush Sr. visited the Chaldean community
in Michigan 40 years ago, and former President
Donald Trump told a group of community members
when he visited them that he loved them. It is noteworthy
to note that their votes were the decisive factor
in his victory in the 2016 elections.
The businessman, Mr. Adil Bacall, says “Iraqi
Christians have not forgotten their Iraq, but Iraq has
forgotten them.” The Iraqi Chaldeans blame the Americans
for the troubles in their motherland. Iraqis, in
Michigan and regardless of the nature of the regimes
in Baghdad feel disappointed by the lack of representation
and reversals in Iraq since 2003. This is strange
when you consider how the participation of citizens
in other Arab countries, where specialized ministries
were established to communicate with the expatriate
citizens, maintain a strong relationship with them and
benefit from their experiences, capabilities, strength,
and influence on American policy that can help to advocate
for Issues in their home country.
In addition to articles by my colleague Dr. Adhid
Miri, the community historian and businessman Ayoub
(Jacob) Bacall has published important books in English
documenting the history of the Iraqi American Chaldean
Christian community, supported by valuable facts,
and pictures. They are an important source for anyone
who wants to learn more about this distinguished Iraqi
community in the United States of America.
It gives me great pleasure to affirm without hesitation
and confess my admiration of this kind and generous
community that has given me the most beautiful,
pure, sincere, and precious memories.
10 CHALDEAN NEWS APRIL 2024