Ray Hanania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ray Hanania (b. Chicago, Illinois, 1953) is an Arab-American journalist also known for his stand-up comedy. Hanania writes a syndicated column with a particular focus on the Middle East, and after the September 11 attacks, created a comedy act with the hope of defusing mutual suspicion.
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[edit] Life and career
Hanania's parents are Palestinian immigrants. His mother is from Bethlehem; his father, George John Hanania, from a prominent Christian family in Jerusalem, served with the U.S. Army during World War II and with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the predecessor of the CIA. He himself served with the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and in the Illinois Air National Guard. Hanania's wife, Alison, is Jewish; they live in Orland Park, Illinois.
Hanania long covered Chicago City Hall politics for various Chicago media. From 1977-1985 he reported for the Daily Southtown, and from 1985-1991 for the Chicago Sun-Times. From 1993-1996 he was publisher of the suburban Villager Newspapers group. He has also hosted a radio program on WLS (AM), published the Middle Eastern Voice newspaper, and launched the Arab American View, an English-language newspaper.
His internationally syndicated column, carried by Creators Syndicate, is from what Hanania terms "the moderate Palestinian voice", weighing the moral implications of different policy choices for actors in the various Middle East conflicts. He continues to write a Chicago political column carried locally, and has a humor column for the website of Yedioth Ahronoth, the largest newspaper in Israel.
[edit] Professional awards
- Society of Professional Journalists Lisagor Award for column writing, 1985, 2003
- Chicago Newspaper Guild Column Award (2)
[edit] Books
- Arabs of Chicagoland, 2005 (Arcadia Publishing) ISBN 0-7385-3417-X
- I'm Glad I Look Like a Terrorist: Growing Up Arab in America, 2001 (USG Publishing) ISBN 0-9654761-0-3
- Strike Back: Lentil Soup for the Arab American Soul, 1999 (USG Publishing) ISBN 0-9654761-1-1
[edit] Politics
- President of the Palestinian American Congress, 1995-1996
- Board member of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam
- Co-founder of Yalla, Salam! ("Palestinians for Peace Now")
- Co-founder of Comedy for Peace
- Advisor with Free Muslim Coalition Against Terrorism
- Various roles with American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
[edit] Quotes
- If we can laugh together, we can live together.