By Munir K. Nasser
Washington, DC
Speaking to an Arab American gathering in Washington, President Bill Clinton expressed his wish to resume US relationship with Syria and work together for peace. He extended his deepest condolences to the family of the late President Hafez Assad and to the people of Syria.
Clinton was addressing Arab Americans at the 2nd annual Khalil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Awards sponsored by the Arab American Institute Foundation last Tuesday. The awards honor corporations, organizations and communities that promote co-existence among people and foster democratic and humanitarian values across racial, ethnic and religious lines.
Clinton’s participation in this Arab American event marks the second time that he has addressed a national Arab American gathering. "I also came here primarily because I thought it might be, perhaps, the last great chance I would have to thank the Arab American community for the contributions that you have made to the progress of America and the strength and diversity of our Administration," he said.
Clinton remarked that when he came to the gathering, he felt for a moment that he was “terribly insecure because I'm so underdressed. Then I said to myself, 'what the heck, I'm not running for anything.'”
Clinton told his audience that he was going to quote Khalil Gibran “for the first time since I was in college, and I am very glad you named this award after him. Another way off smashing stereotypes.”
In the spirit of the evening, Clinton referenced his favorite quote of Gibran: “All work is empty save when there is love. When you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God." He continued: "That's what this whole effort to build One America is to me and the effort to build a world where peace and reconciliation and freedom and prosperity overcome the forces of fear and hatred and poverty and disease and war. So I thank you for your contributions to building that kind of America...So many of you have contributed to our efforts to build a lasting and just peace in the Middle East."
Clinton thanked members of the Arab American community who were involved in giving him the chance “to be the first President to celebrate the end of Ramadan at the White House, and to discuss with Arab American leaders the challenges facing your community” he said.
He also thanked those who participated with him and with President Mubarak of Egypt in the meeting they had with Arab American leaders at the White House. “It was fascinating to me, to hear those of you who were there having the conversation you had with him. And not only the friendly and suggestive ones, but the challenging ones,” he remarked. “I felt quite comforted that I was not the only President you had challenged over the years, and I thank you for that.”
Praising the achievement of Arab Americans, Clinton thanked them for the contributions so many of them have made to the “astonishing prosperity” of the United States. “I look out here and I see many of you whom I know who started with nothing and rose to the leadership of great corporations, built your own businesses, gave people of different backgrounds and different faiths a chance to make a living because of your own industry and enterprise,” he said
In concluding his remarks, Clinton said that if he were given only one wish for me it would be easy. “I would not wish for America's prosperity,” he said. “I would not wish for the vanquishing of all America's enemies. I would wish that we could build One America in our hearts. Because I believe when people learn to cherish their own traditions, to enjoy their differences they have with other people but to be absolutely convicted about the fact that the most important fact of life on this earth is our common humanity, all the rest, more or less, falls into place.”
The event was attended by Senators Spencer Abraham (R-MI) and Chuck Robb (D-VA), Congressmen Nick Rahall (D-WV) Ray Lahood (R-IL) and John Sununu (R-NH). Former Gibran recipient Jacques Nasser, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company was on hand to present the Gibran award for community service to Focus: Hope of Detroit.
Award recipients included: the Aga Khan Foundation, ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Fannie Mae, Focus: Hope, and the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights. The event is named for the famed Arab American poet and author of "The Prophet," Khalil Gibran – Albawaba.com.
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
