State reps. introduce resolution condemning WSJ op-ed as ‘racist and Islamophobic’

Lawmakers in both the Michigan House and Senate on Tuesday denounced a column published in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend calling Dearborn “America’s Jihad Capital.” 

Since its publication on Friday, President Joe Biden, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and multiple state and federal lawmakers have spoken out against the piece, which accuses muslim leaders in Dearborn, where the majority of residents are Arab American, of delivering “antisemitic sermons” and alleged thousands of residents had sided with “Hamas against Israel and Iran against the U.S.” 

On Saturday, Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of Dearborn, said the city would be ramping up its police presence at all places of worship and major infrastructure points. 

Biden, Whitmer join in condemnation of Wall Street Journal column on Dearborn

“This is a direct result of the inflammatory @WSJ opinion piece that has led to an alarming increase in bigoted and Islamophobic rhetoric online targeting the city of Dearborn,” Hammoud said in a post on X. 

State Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn), alongside House Majority Leader Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) introduced a resolution earlier today condemning the column as “racist and Islamophobic,” and calling on the Wall Street Journal to retract the article and issue a public apology to the city of Dearborn. 

“The City of Dearborn is a thriving community and a beacon for those seeking to realize the American Dream. Thousands of immigrants have flocked to this area over the years, in part to take advantage of the numerous jobs created by the Ford Motor Company,” the resolution reads. 

“A true cultural melting pot, Dearborn has become the fastest-growing city in the state of Michigan. Dearborn is a city that stands against hatred in all its forms, whether it is anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim, or anti-Jewish,” it reads. 

Farhat told reporters that the resolution is a message for the Wall Street Journal. 

“People saw this for what it was as a bigoted, hateful piece,” Farhat said. 

“This was the opinion of one individual with one title from an organization and institution that I’ve never heard of before this, right, deciding to cast judgment on over 100,000 Michiganders who proudly live in this state and love this state,” he said. 

The op-ed’s author, Steven Stalinsky, is the executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute, which has been criticized as promoting negative perceptions of Arabs and Muslims. 

In an emailed statement responding to the Advance’s previous reporting, Stalinsky defended his column.

“Sadly, we have seen the tweet of President Biden and statements from politicians, including Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and a few members of Congress — Sen. Gary Peters, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, and Rep. Debbie Dingell also denouncing the article,” Stalinsky said. “But I must point out – it is highly unlikely any of them bothered to read the article or watch the videos.  The article is not political – it is about national security.”

Farhat told reporters that he would encourage Stalinsky to come visit the city, and see the impacts of his column. 

Earlier on Tuesday, state Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) defended Dearborn in a speech on the Senate floor, noting that he was born in the city and that many of his friends and family members live there. 

“Over the weekend, a Wall Street Journal opinion piece labeled the city of Dearborn with words that can only be described as purely Islamophobic, anti-Arab and anti-American. It was wrong, inflammatory and only furthers the pain of a community that is already hurting,” Camilleri said.

“The targeting of Arab Americans and Muslims in this country has been a theme on the national stage for decades,” Camilleri said, noting that the Wall Street Journal’s column was not the only Islamophobic column published over the weekend.

As hate crimes against Jewish, Arab and Muslim Americans increase, Camilleri said the rise in rhetoric and violence was aimed at silencing those speaking out against Israel’s military action in its war against Hamas in Gaza following the group’s terrorist attack on Oct. 7. He noted that 100,000 people were reported dead, injured or missing, equal to almost the entire population of Dearborn. 

“The best way to defend Dearborn and stop Islamophobia right now is to support a ceasefire. And I hope that our president and other national leaders are listening,” Camilleri said.

While Farhat said his resolution had broad support from the Democratic Caucus, the resolution was referred to the House Committee on Government Operations, where policies are often sent to die. 

When Farhat asked House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) if he would vote “yea” on his resolution condemning the column, Hall said he would need to read it.