Suehaila Amen

On March 3, 2008, our state resident Islamophobe, Debbie Schlussel wrote:
“And, to make matters worse, Wal-Mart hired Suehaila Amen, an openly anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, pro-Hezbollah Shi'ite Muslim to give ethnic sensitivity training to Wal-Mart employees. Yup, an anti-Semite supporter of Islamic terrorists giving sensitivity training. Sounds about right.”
Anti- Semitic? Please, she is a Lebanese Arab. As Semitic as you can get. And we all know she does not hate herself.
Anti-Israel? Yes- anti occupation, checkpoints, targeted killings, illegal flights over Lebanon, collective punishment, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee or be evicted from their homes, having the longest ongoing occupation in the world, that of the West Bank and Gaza- among other bad acts. What else is there to “love” about Israel!
Suehaila Amen! Again- a member of the community pays a price for political participation.
And she admires the success of Hizbullah in chasing Israel out of Lebanon. What a crime! If she does admire the group’s success, it’s not a crime.
Ms Amen is an amazing person.
I met her when I moved to Dearborn in 2000. She is involved in some many groups. Almost everyone in Dearborn knows her. With an open heart and open mind, she is willing to extend a hand and help. She volunteers her time to serve her community selflessly and for that she has been recognized and awarded.
She also wears a hijab or headscarf.
Anyone that entertains any ideas that Muslims dominate their women and make them wear a hijab, I invite you to meet Suehaila. Tread carefully. She is a confident, outgoing and likeable person, but don’t assume that because she wears that headscarf and has a wide smile fool you and make you think that you can cross her and get away with it. Cross her and you are in real trouble.
I am glad that she is going to be conducting sensitivity training. The fact that Wal- Mart chose her means that Wal-Mart knows the community well. I wish Wal- Mart and Suehaila much success.

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