POINT COUNTER POINT
POINT COUNTER POINT Chaldeans are a unique entity We’re all one people BY MARTIN MANNA The clock is ticking and it’s only a matter of time until the word “Chaldean” becomes listed as one of many extinct cultures. It is already happening — there is no mention of our community in Iraq, as we only hear of the Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites in the media. When The Passion of the Christ debuted, Aramaic was called a “dead” language. Our people have no nation to protect our culture or language. Some 1 million live in the diaspora, which makes us a community similar to the Jews prior to the creation of Israel. While we most likely will never have our own nation, we must individually pass along our uniqueness instead of allowing others to do it for us. The Middle East is full of diverse cultures including the Persians, Kurds and Turks. Why is it we are always identified as Arab or Kurdish Christians rather than Assyrian/Chaldean? This is most likely due to a belief of our religious and community leaders to never engage in the political process but rather live passively among the majority. The next time someone asks you what you are, don’t give the short answer. Be proud of your culture, heritage and religion. Let them know you are a Chaldean, that you have ancestry that dates back 10,000 years to Mesopotamia. Let them know that you speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Christ, and that you are Eastern Rite Catholic. It is something only a million people throughout the world can say, so proclaim it proudly! Martin Manna is the managing partner of Interlink Media in Farmington Hills. BY JUMANA JUDEH Perception is reality whether we like it or not. Let’s face it, when an individual in the United States sees us, he/she does not know the difference between a Chaldean, an Iraqi, a Moslem or Christian. They see someone different and no one likes different. No matter how hard we try to fit in, someone will always be there to remind us of who we are and more importantly, who we are not. After 9-11, things changed for us as Middle Easterners. We became the scapegoat for every politician and ignorant resident of the United States. When they looked at us, they saw evil. They did not say, “Oh, he is Chaldean or he is Christian, therefore he is OK.” While I have the utmost respect for the rich history of all people from the Middle East, including the Chaldeans, I have to say that as long as we continue to divide ourselves by our country or our religion, we all lose. The average American does not care whether I am Palestinian or Chaldean. In their eyes, there is no difference. In our eyes, we create a difference. We need to stop falling in the trap set by our European colonists of divide and conquer. Unless we as Middle Easterners unite, at least based on racial lines, the discrimination will continue. We don’t have to agree on every issue, but we can agree that racial discrimination is wrong and illegal. If an individual is racist, we kid ourselves if we ever think that just because we are Chaldeans they are going to like us. It is just a matter of time before the table will turn. A racist is a racist, pure and simple. Jamana Judeh is president and CEO of Judeh & Associates in Dearborn. S U B S C R I B E ! THE CHALDEAN NEWS SUBSCRIPTIONS 12-Month subscription Please mail the form, with a check made payable to: The Chaldean News, Attn: Subscriptions 30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 102, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 DUES (MICHIGAN) (OUT OF STATE) I wish to subscribe to the Chaldean News for 12 issues Please fill in your name and address below: Name ____________________________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________________ City ___________________________________ State _____ Zip _____________________ Phone ______________________________ E-mail _____________________________ www.chaldeannews.com Phone: 248-932-3100 FAX: 248-932-9161 38 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2006
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