Talk:List of Arab Americans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents 1 Proposal for list inclusion 2 Paula Abdul 3 Ethnicity lists discussion 4 Source tag 5 Shakira 6 Salma Hayek 7 More descriptions 8 Classifying writers? 9 Pat Benatar don't belong in here

[edit] Proposal for list inclusion

I have made the following proposal regarding the criteria for inclusion for these lists. If this is something that you have comments or ideas about, please provide feedback. Thanks. Wikibofh 9 July 2005 19:14 (UTC)

Yes, this page acknowledges the race of these people, but I wish it had included ethnicity. Edward Said was Palestinian. I think Tony Shahloub is Lebanese. Etc.

Race of these people? Let's not forget that Arabs are not a race, they're an ethnicity. If we're going to refer to the race of Americans of Arab descent, they are racially White. You are reffering to nationality (not ethnicity) when you mention something like Palestinian and Lebanese. Anyway, I do agree that we should include the ancestries of the people listed, such as who is Syrian, who is Lebanese, Palestinian, Egyptian, etc. Perhaps we should start new articles such as List of Syrian Americans, List of Lebanese Americans, List of Palestinian Americans, etc.--Gramaic | Talk 08:40, 18 July 2005 (UTC)

Whether or not Arab is a race depends on ones categorization of races. How many 'races' are there? Some say 2, some say 200. I don't think there are any.

- signed by anon IP

True, you find a large minority of Arab Americans have a fair amount of melanin (skin color) and ethnological characteristics found in a majority of north or east Africans and south Asians. Arabs are of the so-called Semitic branch of the Afro-Asian linguistic family, but are racially labeled as the white race (Caucasians) of "Armenoid" and Mediteranean stock compared to the northern/western Europeans ("Nordic" and "Alpine" stocks) in numerous studies of 20th century anthropology books. But the term "Arab" was derived from the tribes from Arabian peninsula and a certain nationality's native tongue was Arabic, a relative to other Semitic languages like Hebrew and Aramaic. + 63.3.14.2 03:06, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Paula Abdul

        I feel that who write this page doesn't accept if these famous peoples are arab descendant. what's wrong with you ? how can you trace peoples ethnicity ? and what for ? there are many arabs have contributions to the world...they got the key of sciences gate.

Paula Abdul has been removed because she is not by indication of any Arab ancestry. Her article says that her father was born in Syria but her ethnicity is Sephardi. Ethnicity and nationality are two completely different things whenever there are any minorities within a country. Including Sephardim from an "Arab country" as "Arab" is as absurd as saying that just because an immigrant to the UK is rightfully British, it also makes them ethnically Anglo-Saxon. There are Arab Jews but they are the Mizrahim, a distinct group from the Sephardim; and according the Abdul's article her father is of the latter. - signed by anon IP

• I rather kept her nomination to the famous Arab American list, Abdul is a common surname for Arabs of all faithes and Middle Eastern peoples. She's of Brazilian or Latin American descent, then Abdul is considered Latina to many people, but not really Hispanic unless she had Spanish descent. I believe she had French-Canadian and Italian in her, but no doubt about Paula Abdul is of Separdi Jewish ancestry...although they could have Syrian Arab (Christian and Muslim) in them, since religion is a choice to convert or withdraw from. I'm aware of the customs of Jewishness is a special ethnic identity (halakhic law), like Abdul had any children, they would count as Jews. + 63.3.14.2 03:01, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Ethnicity lists discussion

Please see discussion at Wikipedia:Village pump (policy) for current discussion of a potential policy to apply to all ethnicity lists on Wikipedia, including this one. JackO'Lantern 20:45, 11 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Source tag

Although I wasn't the one who put it in, and I won't restore it for now, what the source tag meant was that every name on the list had to be sourced... something like List of Swiss Americans, List of Irish-Americans and a few other lists that are being done right now that way. But it's not urgent. Mad Jack O'Lantern 06:10, 10 May 2006 (UTC)

I see. I guess I will restore the source tag as I'm the one who removed it :).--Inahet 06:38, 10 May 2006 (UTC)

Well, there's no need to, really. A lot of lists out there are not sourced and don't have tags. I just wrote what I did above to let whoever know that eventually all the lists should be sourced. Mad Jack O'Lantern 06:39, 10 May 2006 (UTC)

Actually, now that you mentioned it, the tag should be there to inform other editors that the claims should be sourced. Otherwise, how would they know? But I think another tag should be placed, one that spefically mentions that each claim should be sourced. --Inahet 06:47, 10 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Shakira

Isn't she half-lebanese? Shouldn't she be in this list???

I just added her. According to IMDB she is half lebanese.--Ashmole 20:09, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

I think when you define American, you usually mean someone from the U.S., not anyone from the American continent. In this case, we have a person who is from Colombia, not the U.S. so her name should not be on the list. --Inahet 21:36, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

Well, actuality there *ISN'T* such a thing as an "American"(except Native Americans), as an Immigrant, she *IS* american, because we all originate from Europe, Africa(slaves), and other, newer immigrants... --82.101.143.34 21:00, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

Shakira would be in other categories: Latin American, Hispanic American, Colombian American and likely Arab American. Her mother's side is both French and Spanish born/raised there, but her father is absolutely Lebanese (some people claim they isn't "Arabs" or not like Saudi Arabs, North Africans or due to the fact nearly half of Lebanese are Maronite Christians). The facts are clear since the main language of Lebanon is Arabic and their ancestors originated from the Arabian peninsula, as much the other half are Muslim and descended from the "fertile crescent" region. Would the majority of Israelis and Jews of most backgrounds have the same family tree like Muslim Arabs or Lebanese of the Christian faith? It depends on how you look at it, but the christian bible, the Jewish torah and the Islamic koran all said Abraham was the common ancestors of all Semitic peoples in the holy land! + 63.3.14.2 03:12, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Salma Hayek

She is part Lebanese but I'm not sure if she has US citizenship.--Ashmole 20:07, 21 July 2006 (UTC)

Yeah she is, i added her. --82.101.143.23 21:27, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] More descriptions

Some of the people have a dash next to their name that gives a quick overview of who they are.I think that should be done for the rest of the people.--Ashmole 19:13, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Classifying writers?

I think writers and essayists are better fit with the "Academics" category than with "Media." Etel Adnan has a lot more in common with Edward Said than with Tony Shalhoub! Dybryd 05:51, 31 October 2006 (UTC)

No one has replied, so I'm going to create a separate "Writers" category

[edit] Pat Benatar don't belong in here

Note the surname "Benatar" is found in Sephardi Jews of the Middle East in Arabic speaking countries and in Europe. Be in mind Pat Benatar is not of Arab descent at all, so disregard her last name. She's a Polish American, but doubt she's Jewish or Christian (nor does it matter). Don't include her on the list since she has no Mid-eastern descent...if you read the wikipedia article, "Benatar" was her husband's name from marriage and she divorced him, but kept the last name for stardom career reasons. + 63.3.14.2 02:54, 4 January 2007 (UTC)