On April 9, 2024, the What's Up Media YouTube channel posted a video in which Dearborn-based journalist Hussein Hachem spoke about the April 5 International Quds Day rally in Dearborn in which protestors shouted "Death to America" (see MEMRI TV Clip No. 11004, which has gone viral). Hachem criticized the protest and those who organized it for allowing such slogans to be shouted, explaining: "We live in the United States. This country is our country." He said that even though the Arab community does not at all agree with America's foreign policy, this does not give anybody the right to shout "Death to America," calling for the death of their fellow citizens and brothers. He also said that "security threats" faced by Dearborn in light of the video constitute a threat to the entire Muslim community in America, and he elaborated that nobody should give others a pretext to silence Dearborn, particularly due to how influential its electorate might be in the next presidential elections. He elaborated that if people do not like America's policy or officials, they should vote or donate money, adding: "Enough with all those empty slogans. We had enough of them in our Arab countries."
To view the clip of Dearborn, Michigan-Based Journalist Hussein Hachem, click here or below:
This Country Is Our Country, Our Children Have No Other Homeland; Disagreeing With The Current Administration Does Not Give Anyone The Right To Call For Death To Your Country And Fellow Citizens
Hussein Hachem: "There was a demonstration in Dearborn on Friday, April 5. During the demonstration, someone who was present there said in English: 'Death to America.' What happened was that someone took that video, and it went viral on social media, and even in the American media.
[...]
'We live in the United States. This country is our country. We are citizens in this country. Many of our children have been born here, and they do not have another homeland. True, we do not agree with the current administration about their foreign policy. We absolutely do not agree with this.
SUPPORT OUR WORK
[...]
"But does that give anyone the right to shout 'death to America'? Of course not. Death to your own country? Death to your fellow citizens? To your brothers?
[...]
"Because of what happened, there have been security threats to Dearborn. My brothers, Dearborn does not represent only itself. Dearborn has become a symbol for the Arabs throughout America. When there is a threat to Dearborn, it means that the Arab and Muslim community all over America is under threat.
[...]
"When The Organizers [Of The Al-Quds Day Rally] Heard Those People Shouting ['Death To America'] They Should Have Immediately Put Them In Their Place"
"The organizers of that demonstration said: 'What does this have to do with us? One person to two shouted. We, the organizers, did not shout.' Fine, but when the organizers heard those people shouting, they should have immediately put them in place. If they did, that would have been the end of it.
[...]
"Not everyone should grab a microphone and speak. Not everyone should speak on behalf of the community. Not everyone should speak publicly. Some people were created by God to speak in public, while others were created to sit at home and shut up. Dearborn is the focus of attention of the whole world, not just America. I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said that Dearborn would elect the next U.S. president. We should not give those people an excuse to silence us in Dearborn. We will not be silenced, but nobody should give them pretexts. The White is making statements denouncing us in Dearborn? American officials are denouncing us?
[...]
We Fled Our Arab Countries Because We Were Fed Up With These Empty Slogans; If You Don't Like Certain U.S. Officials, Go And Vote
"Don't tell our community that there should be a ceasefire [in Gaza], but we must not vote in the elections, that it is haram. How do you want to change the policies of this country and its officials if you do not vote? You want to change the officials? You don't like Joe Biden? You don't like the President, the governor, or any other official? Go and vote. Or donate money.
[...]
"This is how you change things. Enough with all those empty slogans. We had enough of them in our Arab countries. We fled our Arab countries because we were fed up with the slogans."
