State Of Connecticut Agency Vendor: Fill & Download for Free

I have seen a nation in the midst of EPIC failure. On all levels. Let me just give a little background to hopefully provide some credibility for this perspective.I have been an activist most of my adult life; working on issues of rape, abuse and human trafficking and at the grass roots level for Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy and the Nice Terror attacks. I have witnessed our broken system up close too many times.Last week I joined forces with a friend who had strong relationships in china from another business, to create a pipeline of LARGE quantities of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to support the United States. Since than I have been navigating my way through our US, State and local government systems to provide product and assistance. Here is what I see:We do not have a national plan. Our government agencies are still woefully under prepared. No matter how many natural disasters we have, we have not repaired and evaluated what needs to change. It’s still broken.Our stockpile is empty. I heard rumors that when President Obama left office he let President Trump know the stockpile was empty. I do not know if this is true. I do know that the stockpile is empty. It does not matter. It’s empty. This is part of why the FEDS are seizing PPE shipments and diverting them. We have had to get resourceful to provide different product to avoid FED seizures and provide hospitals what they need, paid for and are expecting. IT’s why states are creating secret flights to china to get their own goods. A national plan would not only help us here, but allow everyone to work together to solve any issues, like lack of proper protection.Our news media is completely broken and run by 3–6 conglomerates. News was never designed to be a profit center. News was established as part of the community responsibility companies agreed to when licensing a portion of the spectrum from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). News was never intended to be a profit center. The FCC did not keep up with the evolution of television and introduction of new platforms and failed to recognize how critical it was to integrate these groups into FCC oversight. Because of this failure at the national level, our news is currently disjointed and ineffective in communicating issues and their complexity to the public. Our news outlets have long been gutted from gathering and investigating issues and have been forced to focus solely on ratings. This behavior has fed our polarization. The internet has created a great deal of damage and blurred the lines between real and fake news.There have been zero repercussions for the companies creating this damage. This scenario leaves a county without adequate information, reliable sources and utter confusion on where to turn for information and help. This perfect storm has fueled the many conspiracy theories that abound on issues including how COVID started.As I reached out to get access at FEMA, within the US government and at the State level, a few things were obvious. So not only are we without a plan, but without a single central point of organization. There are silo’s everywhere that waste time and energy and don’t communicate with a joint vision of solving our current lack of of supply issues. These same states and communities end up competing for the scarce product that is coming into the United States.As of this morning, China is adding an additional fee for every product leaving the country. This is in addition to the shipping companies completely gouging purchasers. The price increase by kilograms is astronomical. I’d put the increase in this document, but it will be out of date within 5 minutes.In my outreach, reaching a real human being is almost impossible. Many states have switchboards that are not picking up, the lines ring forever. Other states have answering machines, to leave a message. I am uncertain how long it will take for a call back or whether to expect one at all. With a situation like this, I am certain they are overloaded, but if we can’t rely on our leaders, what do we have as a nation? Who do we turn to for assistance? Other states like Connecticut are not answering their own phones, they have hired out the work to United Way. One should be grateful, they have not hired an overseas answering service.If you work through the National Governors Association chief of staff list, some states, phone numbers are staff names are outdated. I am sorry American Somoa and North Carolina- there is no working phone number for you. If you need supplies, please email me. 😊 Most states have a COVID hotline. If you have product that is much needed like PPE, you will be referred to a website. The sites and the application process are designed by engineers and not pressure tested by the average human being. Once you do figure it out, and get to the supply application, most don’t work. When you are requested to attach key items, they are not attachable. So if you are like our small team wanting to help, you keep hitting red tape, ineffective applications and web site processes that don’t work. No real human beings and processes that only work for the designing engineer. Is this the legacy of technology?I get the reasons why States and municipalities are doing this, they are flooded with requests and frankly scam artists abound. However the procurement process itself is rem·i·nis·cent of the dark ages. (This was a long time ago!) Most states are demanding access and inspection to product before they pay. Our vendors are licensed, FDA approved and could care less about whether the Unites States gets PPE. So why the whole world is seeking personal protection product and the factories could care less if we get our orders filled-the product is going elsewhere, because our bureaucracy is not moving.This morning the state of Connecticut sent me a note with requisition requirements. Great, I can fill out the ineffective paperwork, and submit the paperwork over and over again, until it is finally accepted, only to know that the factory won’t ship to the sperm whale state. I would call someone if I had a real human being to connect with. I begged the response form to provide me with a real human contact. None yet, sigh.Every single factory is on overload right now. We are looking to help domestic manufacturers but AGAIN capitalism sent all our manufacturing out of our own county to cheaper labor-with the idea that shareholders are the single focus on any for profit corporation, right? Has anyone heard of a single point of failure? Look it up. Factories are demanding payment at shipment and there are no exceptions. So while the states have the right to set their payment requirements, the factories want their money. The rest of the world is shifting rapidly to take care of their citizenry and the United States is STILL without adequate PPE to save lives. Who do I call?The states I have had the most luck connecting with and working through the process have had real live human beings that can think on their feet. WOW. Alabama and Arkansas have been amazing and quick to respond. I spoke to the Governors office in Alabama and with financial and procurement offices at the Alabama Emergency Management Association. They were responsive and had an adequate supply on hand. Same with Arkansas. I was impressed. The States you think would have it together, oh the stories I could share…Lastly, the lack of protection for front line workers is going to continue to kill people and slow the country opening up again. We have completely ignored large groups of service providers that help the elderly, work at the local grocery stores and are part of the gig economy. I have fielded so many calls from sobbing care givers who feel helpless and ignored. This should be unacceptable anywhere in the world. For me, born and raised in the United States, this goes against everything I believed our country stood for. I am wrong.Truthfully this whole situation is unacceptable. We have allowed capitalism in all it’s good and bad, to destroy the very fabric of humanity. It’s time for each of us to take our humanity back. Buy local, support your communities and business’s that provide for their employees and do not hoard the profits. Gig employees (Amazon, Uber, Lyft, InstaCart), contact workers (Google!) do not have benefits or acces to 401k’s and such. Do you really want to enable companies to behave this poorly?Demand your leaders get their act together. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, political parties — and a desperate person could care. Humans can forgive those who have hurt us, or leaders who have not led but when they are gasping for breath, they just want someone to hold their hand as they pass.

8 facts about gun controlThe legal basis for firearm possession in the US is enshrined in the Second Amendment of the Constitution. But how are guns regulated? DW looks at who can buy and sell them — and how one loophole undermines gun control.Gun control is one of the most divisive issues in American politics. With each mass shooting — defined as four or more victims having been killed indiscriminately — antagonism grows between both sides of the gun control argument.Proponents of stricter gun regulations fear for their safety in a country where there is an average of 88 guns per 100 people, according to the 2011 Small Arms Survey. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence estimates that around 114,994 people are shot each year in the US. This includes murders, assaults, accidents, police intervention, suicide attempts and suicides.Opponents of regulatory arguments, however, also fear a loss of safety. They argue that restricting the right to bear arms would leave citizens unable to protect themselves in their daily lives or, in a worst-case scenario, from a government turned against the people.Though regulations vary from state to state, there are a few key conditions for obtaining guns in the US.1. Is there a minimum age?The Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), which regulates firearms at the federal level, requires that citizens and legal residents must be at least 18 years of age to purchase shotguns or rifles and ammunition. All other firearms — handguns, for example — can only be sold to people 21 and older.State or local officials may implement higher age restrictions but are not allowed to lower the federal minimum.Read more: US gun control: 'Conservatives must say enough is enough'2. Who's restricted from purchasing or possessing firearms?Fugitives, people deemed a danger to society and patients involuntarily committed to mental institutions are among those who may not purchase firearms. People with prior felony convictions that include a prison sentence exceeding one year, or misdemeanors carrying sentences of more than two years, are also prohibited from purchasing firearms.Federal law also blocks the sale of guns to people who have been found guilty of unlawfully possessing or using controlled substances within the past year. This includes marijuana, which, though legalized in many US states, remains illegal under federal law.Gun show employee points to gun on counterGun shop owners must obtain licenses from the ATF to operateOther restrictions apply to people who have been issued restraining orders by courts to prevent harassment, stalking or threatening; people who have renounced their citizenship; dishonorably discharged military personnel; unauthorized migrants; and people temporarily visiting the US on nonimmigrant visas, for example as tourists.3. Does the federal or state government regulate firearms?The Second Amendment serves as the legal basis for the "right of the people to keep and bear arms."Read more: German weapons firms find lucrative market in United StatesThough state and local governments regulate whether residents may, for example, carry guns in public, laws regulating who may receive or possess guns are set out at the federal level.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), a division of the Department of Justice, administers the GCA. The ATF also regulates the standards for issuing licenses to gun vendors.Shotguns, rifles, machine guns, firearm mufflers and silencers are regulated by the National Firearms Act of 1934. The purchase of semi-automatic weapons is legal in most states, as are automatic weapons made before 1986.Read more: NRA ad sparks uproar with call to 'fight' Trump opponents4. Who may sell firearms?Like handgun owners, dealers interested in obtaining a Federal Firearms License (FFL) must be at least 21 years of age. They must have premises for conducting business and must alert a local law enforcement official at the time of submitting their applications to the federal bureau that regulates firearms. Just like gun owners, they must fulfill the same criteria regarding their history of prior convictions and mental state. The license fee costs $200 (€170) for an initial three-year period and $90 for each subsequent three-year-long renewal.Selling firearms online also falls under these regulations. Although the purchase may be paid for online, the gun itself must be shipped to a registered FFL holder, who then conducts the necessary background check before handing the firearm over to its owner.Notice: Firearms welcome — please keep all weapons holstered unless need arisesSome states have loosened laws so that owners may conceal handguns in publicHowever, the law is unclear on what constitutes selling guns for profit. Any individual may sell firearms without a license if his or her motive isn't to make profit for livelihood through repeated and regular sales.5. Is a background check required to purchase a firearm?Yes. The amendment to the 1968 Gun Control Act — known as the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 — requires holders of FFLs to conduct a background check. Potential firearm purchasers fill out a federal form known as the ATF 4473, which checks for prior convictions and other red flags. FFL holders then use the information provided on the form in the background check.States may decide whether the background check is carried out solely by the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) or a combination of the NICS and state agency information. Roughly 30 states rely solely on the NICS.A man with a Texas holsterIn 2016, Texas introduced a law allowing concealed weapons on university campusesEstimated to take under 10 minutes by phone or online, the check gives the FFL holder an immediate answer: approve, delay or deny. A delay indicates the need for further research for three business days, after which point FFL holders can act at their own discretion if the research proves inconclusive.The Brady law, however, does not apply to someone who is obtaining a firearm from an individual without an FFL.6. Do states require permits to purchase firearms?Only a dozen of the US's 50 states require purchase permits for handguns. Of those states, only three — California, Connecticut and Hawaii — require permits for the purchase of rifles and shotguns.Read more:Las Vegas shooter converted guns to automatics with gadgetCalifornia, for example, requires applicants to pass a written test and enroll in a gun safety class to obtain purchase permits. States with this requirement do not recognize the "concealed carry reciprocity" policies of some states, which allow gun owners licensed in one state to bring their weapons to another.7. Do states require permits to carry firearms?Most states require permits to carry handguns. Concealed carry and open carry vary by state. Some states allow residents to carry handguns without permits.By contrast, virtually no state requires a permit to carry rifles and shotguns. Massachusetts and New Jersey require people carrying rifles and shotguns to bring along a form of ID or a firearms identification.Semiautomatic weaponsThe role of semiautomatic weapons in mass shootings has raised concerns about the types of arms sold to civilians8. What is the 'gunshow loophole'?The law on selling, receiving and possessing firearms is clear. Yet not every individual providing the gun in a transfer requires an FFL, which in turn means that not every buyer is legally subject to a background check. This potentially enables guns to fall into the hands of users who might otherwise not be allowed to own a firearm.According to the ATF, anyone can sell a gun without an FFL from their home, online, at a flea market or at a gun show as long as he or she is not conducting the sale as part of regular business activity. One example would be someone who sells a firearm from his or her personal collection. Others who are exempt include those giving guns as gifts. Only individuals whose "principal motive" is to make a profit via sale must obtain an FFL.Commonly referred to as the "gunshow loophole," this ambiguity also explains how a purchase can occur without a background check — and without breaking the law. A 2017 survey by Harvard and Northeastern universities estimates that roughly one in five transactions occur without a background check.

Arab Americans (Arabic: عَرَبٌ أَمْرِيكِيُّونَ‎ or أمريكيون عرب) are Americans of either Arab ethnic or cultural and linguistic heritage or identity, who identify themselves as Arab. Arab Americans trace ancestry to any of the various waves of immigrants of the countries comprising the Arab World.According to the Arab American Institute (AAI), countries of origin for Arab Americans include Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.[3]According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are 1,698,570 Arab Americans in the United States.[4] 290,893 persons defined themselves as simply Arab, and a further 224,241 as Other Arab. Other groups on the 2010 Census are listed by nation of origin, and some may or may not be Arabs, or regard themselves as Arabs. The largest subgroup is by far the Lebanese Americans, with 501,907,[1] followed by; Egyptian Americans with 190,078, Syrian Americans with 148,214, Iraqi Americans with 105,981, Moroccan Americans with 101,211, Palestinian Americans with 85,186, and Jordanian Americans with 61,664. Approximately 1/4 of all Arab Americans claimed two ancestries.A number of peoples that may have lived in Arab countries and are now resident in the United States are not classified as Arabs, including Assyrians (aka Chaldo-Assyrians), Jews, Kurds, Iraqi Turkmens, Azeris, Mandeans, Circassians, Shabaki, Armenians, Turks, Georgians, Yazidis, Balochs, Iranians and Kawliya/Romani.Contents1 Population1.1 Arab American´s ethnic groups1.2 Arab Population by State2 Religious background3 Arab-American identity4 Politics5 Non-Arab Americans from Arab countries6 Arab American Heritage Month7 Festivals8 Notable people9 See also10 Notes11 References12 Further reading13 External links13.1 Festivals13.2 Arab American organizationsPopulationSee also: Arab immigration to the United States and List of Arabic neighborhoodsCensus Bureau 2000, Arabs in the United States.pngArab ancestryThe majority of Arab Americans, around 62%, originate from the region of the Levant, which includes Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, although overwhelmingly from Lebanon. The remainder are made up of those from Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, Libya, the GCC and other Arab nations.There are nearly 3.5 million Arab Americans in the United States according to The Arab American Institute. Arab-Americans live in all 50 states and in Washington, D.C., and 94% reside in the metropolitan areas of major cities. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city with the largest percentage of Arab Americans is Dearborn, Michigan, a southwestern suburb of Detroit, at nearly 40%. The Detroit metropolitan area is home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans (403,445), followed by the New York City Combined Statistical Area (371,233), Los Angeles (308,295), San Francisco Bay Area (250,000), Chicago (176,208), and the Washington D.C area. (168,208).[5](Note: This information is reportedly based upon survey findings but is contradicted by information posted on the Arab American Institute website itself, which states that California as a whole only has 272,485, and Michigan as a whole only 191,607. The 2010 American Community Survey information, from the American Factfinder website, gives a figure of about 168,000 for Michigan.)Sorting by American states, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, 48% of the Arab-American population, 576,000, reside in California, Michigan, New York, Florida, and New Jersey, respectively; these 5 states collectively have 31% of the net U.S. population. Five other states - Illinois, Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania - report Arab-American populations of more than 40,000 each. Also, the counties which contained the greatest proportions of Arab-Americans were in California, Michigan, New York, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.The cities with 100,000 or more in population with the highest percentages of Arabs are Sterling Heights, Michigan 3.69%; Jersey City, New Jersey 2.81%; Warren, Michigan 2.51%; Allentown, Pennsylvania 2.45%; Burbank, California 2.39% and nearby Glendale, California 2.07%; Livonia, Michigan 1.94%; Arlington, Virginia 1.77%; Paterson, New Jersey 1.77%; and Daly City, California 1.69%.[6] Bayonne, New Jersey, a city of 63,000, reported an Arab-American population of 5.0% in the 2010 US Census.[7]Arab American´s ethnic groupsArab Americans in the 2000[8] - 2010 U.S. Census[9][note 1]Ancestry 2000 2000 (% of US population) 2010 2010 (% of US population)Lebanese 440,279 0.2% 501,988 %Syrian 142,897 0.1% 148,214 %Egyptian 142,832 0.1% 190,078 %Palestinian 72,096 0.04% 93,438 %Jordanian 39,734 0.03% 61,664 %Moroccan 38,923 0.03% 82,073 %Iraqi 37,714 0.01% 105,981 %Yemeni 11,654 0.005% 29,358[10] %Algerian 8,752 % 14,716 %Saudi 7,419 % %Tunisian 4,735 % %Kuwaiti 3,162 % %Libyan 2,979 % %Emirati 459 % %Omani 351 % %"North African" 3,217 % %"Arabs" 85,151 % 290,893 %"Arabic" 120,665 % %Other Arabs % 224,241 %Total 1,160,729 0.4% 1,697,570 0.6%Arab Population by StateArab population by state in the United States in 2010.State/territory 2010 American Census[11] Percentage Arab American Institute (AAI) PercentageAlabama 9,057 0.189 34,308[12] No dataAlaska 1,356 0.191 4,464[13] No dataArizona 29,474 0.461 95,427[14] No dataArkansas 5,019 0.172 14,472[15] No dataCalifornia 269,917 0.616 817,455[16] No dataColorado 27,526 0.074 51,149[17] No dataConnecticut 17,917 0.501 57,747[18] No dataDelaware 1,092 0.122 9,000[19] No dataDistrict of Columbia 4,810 0.799 10,821[20] No dataFlorida 114,791 0.610 301,881[21] No dataGeorgia 25,504 0.263 81,171[22] No dataHawaii 1,661 0.122 4,983[23] No dataIdaho 1,200 0.077 7,617[24] No dataIllinois 87,936 0.685 256,395[25] No dataIndiana 19,049 0.294 46,122[26] No dataIowa 6,426 0.211 17,436[27] No dataKansas 8,099 0.281 23,868[28] No dataKentucky 10,199 0.235 28,542[29] No dataLouisiana 11,996 0.265 50,031[30] No dataMaine 3,103 0.234 13,224[31] No dataMaryland 28,623 0.496 76,446[32] No dataMassachusetts 67,643 1.033 195,450[33] No dataMichigan 153,713 1.555 500,000[34] No dataMinnesota 22,478 0.424 60,663[35] No dataMississippi 6,823 0.230 20,469[36] No dataMissouri 18,198 0.304 51,869[37] No dataMontana 1,771 0.179 5,313[38] No dataNebraska 6,093 0.334 25,227[39] No dataNevada 10,920 0.404 37,554[40] No dataNew Hampshire 6,958 0.529 25,068[41] No dataNew Jersey 84,558 0.962 257,868[42] No dataNew Mexico 7,716 0.375 13,632[43] No dataNew York 160,848 0.830 449,187[44] No dataNorth Carolina 33,230 0.348 91,788[45] No dataNorth Dakota 1,470 0.186 4,410[46] No dataOhio 65,011 0.564 197,439[47] No dataOklahoma 9,342 0.249 No data No dataOregon 13,055 0.341 41,613[48] No dataPennsylvania 63,288 0.498 182,610[49] No dataRhode Island 7,566 0.719 26,541[50] No dataSouth Carolina 9,106 0.197 32,223[51] No dataSouth Dakota 2,034 0.250 6,102[52] No dataTennessee 24,447 0.385 71,025[53] No dataTexas 102,367 0.407 274,701[54] No dataUtah 5,539 0.200 17,556[55] No dataVermont 2,583 0.413 7,749[56] No dataVirginia 59,348 0.742 169,587[57] No dataWashington 26,666 0.397 8,850[58] No dataWest Virginia 6,329 0.342 16,581[59] No dataWisconsin 11,138 0.196 32,406[60] No dataWyoming 397 0.070 1,191[61] No dataUSA 1,646,371 0.533 3,700,000 [62] No dataReligious backgroundThe religious affiliations of Arab AmericansWhile the majority of the population of the Arab world is Muslim, most Arab Americans, in contrast, are Christian.[63]According to the Arab American Institute, the breakdown of religious affiliation among persons originating from Arab countries is as follows:63% Christian35% Catholic (Roman Rite Catholics and Eastern Catholics — Maronites and Melkites)18% Orthodox (Eastern Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox)10% Protestant24% Muslim13% Other; no affiliation[63]The percentage of Arab Americans who are Muslim has increased in recent years because most new Arab immigrants tend to be Muslim. In the past 10 years, most Arab immigrants were Muslim as composed to 15 to 30 years were they were mostly Christian This stands in contrast to the first wave of Arab immigration to the United States between the late 19th and early 20th centuries when almost all immigrants were Christians. Most Maronites tend to be of Lebanese or Syrian; those Palestinians often Eastern Orthodox, otherwise Roman Catholic and a few Episcopalians. A small number are Protestant adherents, either having joined a Protestant denomination after immigrating to the U.S. or being from a family that converted to Protestantism while still living in the Middle East (European and American Protestant missionaries were fairly commonplace in the Levant in the late 19th and early 20th centuries).Arab Christians, especially from Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt, continue to immigrate into the U.S. in the 2000s and continue to form new enclaves and communities across the country.[64]Arab-American identityThe Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan celebrates the history of Arab Americans.Paterson, New Jersey has been nicknamed Little Ramallah and contains a neighborhood with the same name, with an Arab American population estimated as high as 20,000 in 2015.[65]The United States Census Bureau is presently[when?] finalizing the ethnic classification of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) populations. This process does not pertain to Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and other religious adherents, whom the bureau tabulates as followers of a religion rather than members of an ethnic group.[66] In 2012, prompted in part by post-9/11 discrimination, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee petitioned the Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency to designate the MENA populations as a minority/disadvantaged community.[67] Following consultations with MENA organizations, the Census Bureau announced in 2014 that it would establish a new MENA ethnic category for populations from the Middle East, North Africa and the Arab world, separate from the "white" classification that these populations had previously sought in 1909. The expert groups, including some Jewish organizations, felt that the earlier "white" designation no longer accurately represents MENA identity, so they successfully lobbied for a distinct categorization.[68][69]As of December 2015, the sampling strata for the new MENA category includes the Census Bureau's working classification of 19 MENA groups, as well as Turkish, Sudanese, Djiboutian, Somali, Mauritanian, Armenian, Cypriot, Afghan, Iranian, Azerbaijani and Georgian groups.[70]The Arab American Institute and other groups have noted that there was a rise in hate crimes targeting the Arab American community as well as people perceived as Arab/Muslim after the September 11 attacks and the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq.[71]A new Zogby Poll International found that there are 3.5 million Americans who were identified as "Arab-Americans", or Americans of ancestry belonging to one of the 23 UN member countries of the Arab World (these are not necessarily therefore Arabs). Poll finds that, overall, a majority of those identifying as Arab Americans are Lebanese Americans (largely as a result of being the most numerous group). The Paterson, New Jersey-based Arab American Civic Association runs an Arabic language program in the Paterson school district.[72] Paterson, New Jersey has been nicknamed Little Ramallah and contains a neighborhood with the same name, with an Arab American population estimated as high as 20,000 in 2015.[65] Neighboring Clifton, New Jersey is following in Paterson's footsteps, with rapidly growing Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian American populations.[73]PoliticsIn a 2007 Zogby poll, 62% of Arab Americans vote Democratic, while only 25% vote Republican.[74] The percentage of Arabs voting Democratic increased sharply during the Iraq War. However, a number of prominent Arab American politicians are Republicans, including former Oregon Governor Victor Atiyeh, former New Hampshire Senator John E. Sununu, and California Congressman Darrell Issa, who was the driving force behind the state's 2003 recall election that removed Democratic Governor Gray Davis from office. The first woman Supreme Court Chief Justice in Florida, Rosemary Barkett, who is of Syrian descent, is known for her dedication to progressive values.Arab Americans gave George W. Bush a majority of their votes in 2000. However, they backed John Kerry in 2004 and Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012. They also backed Hillary Clinton in 2016.According to a 2000 Zogby poll, 52% of Arab Americans are pro-life, 74% support the death penalty, 76% are in favor of stricter gun control, and 86% want to see an independent Palestinian state.[75]In a study, Arab Americans living in Detroit were found to have values more similar to that of the Arab world than those of the general population living in Detroit, on average, being more closely aligned to the strong traditional values and survival values. This was less the case when participants were secular or belonged to second and subsequent generations.[76]Non-Arab Americans from Arab countriesThere are many U.S. immigrants from the Arab world who are not classified as Arabs. Among these are Armenian Americans, Kurdish Americans and Jewish Americans of Mizrahi origin. Some of these groups such as Assyrians and Chaldeans are Semites, while the vast majority of the rest are not Semites. It is very difficult to estimate the size of these communities. For example, some Armenians immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon, Syria, or Iraq. Estimates place these communities at least in the tens of thousands.[77][78][79] Other smaller communities include Assyrians (a.k.a. Chaldo-Assyrians), Berbers, Turkmen people, Mandeans, Circassians, Shabaki, Turks, Mhallami, Georgians, Yazidis, Balochs, Iranians, Azerbaijans and Kawliya/Roma.Most of these ethnic groups speak their own native languages (usually another Semitic language related to Arabic) and have their own customs, along with the Arabic dialect from the Arab country they originate from. Aviva Uri, in her study of Mizrahi Jews in America, writes that "activists and writers in the United States, both gentile Arab and Jewish, are legitimizing through their various activities and publications the identity of Mizrahim as Arab Jews."[80]Arab American Heritage MonthIn 2014, Montgomery County, Maryland designated April as Arab American Heritage Month in recognition of the contributions that Arab Americans have made to the nation.[81] The first documentary on Arab Americans premiered on PBS in August 2017, The Arab Americans features the Arab American immigrant story as told through the lens of American History and the stories of prominent Arab Americans such as actor Jamie Farr, Ralph Nader, Senator George Mitchell, White House Reporter Helen Thomas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anthony Shadid, Danny Thomas actor and Founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, pollster and author John Zogby, Congressman Nick Rahall, racing legend Bobby Rahal. The documentary is produced and directed by Abe Kasbo.FestivalsWhile the spectrum of Arab heritage includes 22 countries, their combined heritage is often celebrated in cultural festivals around the United States.New York CityThe Annual Arab-American & North African Street Festival was founded in 2002 by the Network of Arab-American Professionals of NY (NAAP-NY).[82] Located in downtown Manhattan, on Great Jones Street between Lafayette & Broadway, the Festival attracts an estimated 15,000 people, in addition to over 30 Arab and North African vendors along with an all-day live cultural performance program representing performers from across the Arab world.The New York Arab-American Comedy Festival was founded in 2003 by comedian Dean Obeidallah and comedian Maysoon Zayid. Held annually each fall, the festival showcases the talents of Arab-American actors, comics, playwrights and filmmakers, and challenges as well as inspires fellow Arab-Americans to create outstanding works of comedy. Participants include actors, directors, writers and comedians.[83]SeattleOf particular note is ArabFest in Seattle, begun in 1999. The festival includes all 22 of the Arab countries, with a souk marketplace, traditional and modern music, an authentic Arab coffeehouse, an Arabic spelling bee, and a fashion show. Lectures and workshops explore the rich culture and history of the Arab peoples, one of the world's oldest civilizations. Also of new interest is the Arabic rap concert, including the NW group Sons of Hagar, showcasing the political and creative struggle of Arabic youth.[84]Arab American Festival – ArizonaPhoenixIn 2008, the first annual Arab American Festival in Arizona was held on 1 and 2 November in Glendale, Arizona. There were more than 40,000 attendees over the two-day event; more than 35 international singers, dancers, and musicians from all over the Arab World performed 20 hours of live entertainment on stage. Activities included folklore shows, an international food court, hookah lounge, kids rides and booth vendors, open to the public, and admission was free.[85]CaliforniaThe Annual Arab American Day Festival is a three-day cultural and entertainment event held in Orange County. Activities include book and folk art exhibitions, speeches from community leaders in the county, as well as music and poetry, dancing singing, traditional food, hookah and much more.[86]WisconsinSince 1996, Milwaukee's Arab World Fest has been part of the summer festival season. It is held on the second weekend of August. This three-day event hosts music, culture, and food celebrating the 22 Arab countries. The festival features live entertainment, belly dancing, hookah rental, camel rides, cooking demonstrations, a children's area and great Arab cuisine. It is a family-friendly festival on Milwaukee's lakefront.[87]Notable peopleFor a more comprehensive list, see List of Arab Americans.Here are a few examples of famous Arab Americans and Americans with partial Arab ancestry in a variety of fields.See alsoflag United States portalAmerican-Arab Anti-Discrimination CommitteeList of Arabic neighborhoodsArab American InstituteArab American Political Action CommitteeArab Community Center for Economic and Social ServicesArab diasporaArab immigration to the United StatesArab lobby in the United StatesArabs in EuropeDiaspora politics in the United StatesHistory of the Middle Eastern people in Metro DetroitHyphenated AmericanIraqi diasporaIslam in EuropeList of American MuslimsRefugees of IraqNotesIn this list are not included Sudanese since, in 2000 and 2010, Sudan and South Sudan were yet one country and yet we only have quantitative data from these groups together. Only the people of Northern Sudan are Arabs, but most Sudanese Americans hailed from the South Sudan. The 2000 - 2010 US Census indicate not the number of Americans of Sudanese (excluding South Sudanese) origin or descent.References"B04003. Total Ancestry Reported". United States Census Bureau. 2013 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. Retrieved 17 July 2016."Demographics - Arab American Institute". Arab American Institute."Texas" (PDF). Arab American Institute. 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2012.Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS). "American FactFinder - Results". Retrieved 18 March 2015."Arab American Population Highlights" (PDF). Arab American Institute Foundation. Washington, DC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.de la Cruz, G. Patricia; Angela Brittingham (December 2003). "The Arab Population: 2000" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 17 October 2016."American FactFinder - Results". US Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 18 March 2015.[dead link]"Table 1. First, Second, and Total Responses to the Ancestry Question by Detailed Ancestry Code: 2000". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2 December 2010."Total ancestry categories tallied for people with one or more ancestry categories reported 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 30 November 2012."CITIZENSHIP STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES: Total population in the United States. 2006-2010 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 6 December 2013."2010 American Census"."Arab American Institute: Alabama" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Alaska" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Arizona" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Arkansas" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: California" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Colorado" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Connecticut" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Delaware" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: District of Columbia" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Florida" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Georgia" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Hawaii" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Idaho" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Illinois" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Indiana" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Iowa" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Kansas" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Kentucky" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Louisiana" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Maine" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Maryland" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Massachusetts" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Michigan" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Minnesota" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Mississippi" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Missouri" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Montana" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Nebraska" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Nevada" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: New Hampshire" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: New Jersey" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: New Mexico" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: New York" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: North Carolina" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: North Dakota" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Ohio" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Oregon" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Pennsylvania" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Rhode Island" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: South Carolina" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: South Dakota" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Tennessee" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Texas" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Utah" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Vermont" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Virginia" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Washington" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: West Virginia" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Wisconsin" (PDF)."Arab American Institute: Wyoming" (PDF)."Arab American Institute"."Arab Americans: Demographics". Arab American Institute. 2006. Archived from the original on 1 June 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2015."Arab Christians, minorities, reshaping US enclaves". Yahoo News. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2015.Deena Yellin (3 May 2015). "Palestinian flag-raising is highlight of heritage week in Paterson". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved 4 May 2015."2015 National Content Test" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. pp. 33–34. Retrieved 13 December 2015. The Census Bureau is undertaking related mid-decade research for coding and classifying detailed national origins and ethnic groups, and our consultations with external experts on the Asian community have also suggested Sikh receive a unique code classified under Asian. The Census Bureau does not currently tabulate on religious responses to the race or ethnic questions (e.g., Sikh, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Lutheran, etc.)."Lobbying for a 'MENA' category on U.S. Census" Wiltz, Teresea. USA Today. Published 7 October 2014. Accessed 14 December 2015."Public Comments to NCT Federal Register Notice" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau; Department of Commerce. Retrieved 13 December 2015.Cohen, Debra Nussbaum. "New U.S. Census Category to Include Israeli' Option". Haaretz. Retrieved 16 December 2015."2015 National Content Test" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 60. Retrieved 13 December 2015.Paulson, Amanda. "Rise in Hate Crimes Worries Arab-Americans" (Christian Science Monitor, 10 April 2003). [1]"Paterson school district restarts Arab language program for city youths". Paterson Press, North Jersey Media Group. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.Andrew Wyrich (17 April 2016). "Hundreds in Clifton cheer raising of Palestinian flag". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved 17 April 2016."US elections through Arab American eyes by Ghassan Rubeiz - Common Ground News Service". Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2015."Arab american Demographics". Retrieved 18 March 2015.Detroit Arab American Study Group (2 July 2009). Citizenship and Crisis: Arab Detroit After 9/11. Russell Sage Foundation. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-1-61044-613-6."Total ancestry categories tallied for people with one or more ancestry categories reported 2011 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 22 December 2012."2006–2010 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables". Government of the United States of America. Government of the United States of America. Retrieved 5 August 2013.Ben-Ur, Aviva (2009). Sephardic Jews in America: A Diasporic History. New York: NYU Press. p. 35. ISBN 9780814786321.Ben-Ur, Aviva (2009). Sephardic Jews in America: A Disasporic History. New York: NYU Press. p. 136. ISBN 9780814786321."April is Arab American Heritage Month". Montgomery College. Retrieved 26 December 2014.Network of Arab-American Professionals of NY (NAAP-NY)"Arab-American & North African Cultural Street Festival 2017 in New York, NY | Everfest". http://Everfest.com."Live At Seattle Center". Seattle Center."Arab American Festival - المهرجان العربي الأمريكي". Retrieved 18 March 2015.Arab American Festival"Welcome Welcome - Best Web Hosting 2020". Retrieved 18 March 2015.Further readingAbraham, Nabeel. "Arab Americans." in Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, ed. by Thomas Riggs, (3rd ed., vol. 1, Gale, 2014), pp. 125-140. onlineAbraham, Nabeel, and Andrew Shryock, eds. Arab Detroit: From Margin to Mainstream (Wayne State UP, 2000).Ameri, Anan, and Holly Arida. Daily Life of Arab Americans in the 21st Century (Greenwood, 2012).Alsultany, Evelyn. Arabs and Muslims in the Media: Race and Representation after 9/11 (New York University Press, 2012).Cainkar, Louis A. Homeland insecurity: the Arab American and Muslim American experience after 9/11 (Russell Sage Foundation, 2009).Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck. Becoming American?: The Forging of Arab Muslim Identity in Pluralist America (Baylor University Press, 2011).Köszegi, Michael A., and J. Gordon Melton, eds. Islam in North America: A Sourcebook (2 vol. 1992).McCarus, Ernest, ed. The Development of Arab-American Identity (U of Michigan Press, 1994).Naff, Alixa. Becoming American: The Early Arab Immigrant Experience (Southern Illinois University Press, 1985).Naber, Nadine. Arab America: Gender, Cultural Politics, and Activism (New York UP, 2012).Odeh, Rasmea. "Empowering Arab Immigrant Women in Chicago: The Arab Women’s Committee." Journal of Middle East Women's Studies 15.1 (2019): 117-124.Pennock, Pamela E. The Rise of the Arab American Left: Activists, Allies, and Their Fight against Imperialism and Racism, 1960s–1980s (U of North Carolina Press, 2017). xii, 316 ppShahin, Saif. "Unveiling the American-Muslim press: News agendas, frames, and functions." Journalism (2014) 16#7 884-903 Unveiling the American-Muslim press: News agendas, frames, and functions - Saif Shahin, 2015Waleed, F. Mahdi. Arab Americans In Film: From Hollywood And Egyptian Stereotypes To Self-Representation (Syracuse University Press, 2020).Wills, Emily Regan. Arab New York: Politics and Community in the Everyday Lives of Arab Americans (NYU Press, 2019).External links2000 U.S. Census Report on the Arab-American populationLearn more at the Arab American Museum located in Dearborn, MichiganA full definition of Arab Americans at the Arab American InstituteUs4Arabs - Arab American Social NetworkFestivalsArab American FestivalNew York Arab American Comedy FestivalSeattle ArabFestConcert of Colors: Metro Detroit's Diversity Festival (ACCESS/AANM)Arab-American and North African Cultural FestivalArab American organizationsArab Center of WashingtonArab American AssociationList of Arab American organizationsAmerican-Arab Anti-Discrimination CommitteeAssociation of Patriotic Arab Americans in MilitaryThe Arab American Council of TradeLevantine Cultural CenterNetwork of Arab-American Professionals (NAAP)Arab American Civic CouncilTunisian Community Center