Posted by Jeff from bgp01107368bgs.wbrmfd01.mi.comcast.net (68.42.59.180) on Tuesday, July 02, 2002 at 9:10AM :
...I was just going through my emails and I found something that Ghassan wrote to me a long time ago about the CFA (Chaldean Federation of America) and Fred Parhad:
The message speaks for itself.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Parhad
Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 01:12:17 -0700
From: Ghassan Hanna <ghanna@jps.net>
To: Jeff Atto <jeffatto@bhamwebdesign.com>
References: <200104290842.DAA04520@abas.host4u.net>
Jeff,
Since when did bad mouthing people (any position and any trade) produced a change???
Bad mouthing is the tool of the uncivilized low class.
CFA is bad, I know that, everyone know that including the same people who are inside it. What's the solution? Call them names?? or attempting to push the educated Chaldeans to develop interest in their nations affairs?
Shall I criticize the CFA that is made of mainly high school grocery store owners
in its majority or shall I criticize the Chaldeans Bar Association, Chaldeans engineers, intellectuals, MDs..etc who are more concerned with collecting money than volunteering their time to help their people's
interests?
At least the CFA individuals are trying to do something despite their poor educational preparations, and poor understanding of the American system as well as their terribly spoken English. Whom do you think I should
criticize, Sam Yono, a high school graduate, a grocery store owner, and later on a hotel owner who at best have read a book or two in his live but who was willing to serve the Chaldean community to the best of his poor
abilities. Shall I criticize him or Craig Yaldoo, a lawyer who knows shit all about his Chaldean community and its heritage and who is happily serving the Arabs along with a large number of educated Chaldeans.
For me Sam Yono will always reign much higher than the likes of Craig Yaldoo.
Don't misunderstand my letter to the Governor, I am only trying to gain a point or two for our Chaldean community without Craig's approval or may be against his wishes. Who knows what will be his reaction after reading my letter. Will he curse me for indirectly attacking his Arab Council buddies? Will it awaken his Chaldean feelings and make him think a little bit more seriously about the lot of his people first before serving other groups? Who knows?
Mike Sarafa was never interested in putting his skills and time to educate and improve the lot of the CFA grocery store membership. He only showed up recently and wanted the top post. Some did feel upset for such a show of
insult and disregard for them. You just don't do nothing and then say "OK you want me to help, make me your president!!". Mike should pull his resources and get involved in our community's affairs. I hope he will. Actually, I am bent on getting him involved in CFA affairs one way or another.
Do please, see the whole picture. If you, Martin, and CARE see a problem in CFA then correct it by doing the job yourself for the majority of CFA members don't have much skills to do it themselves. What they have is a
nationalist feelings which hardly is based on solid knowledge of history or political ideology. That's why I support them and do a lot of work for them regardless of my relations with Sam Yono or Saad Maroof, who after all do realize that I am helping the community regardless of my relation with
them.
I don't work for CFA. Actually, CFA members themselves don't work for CFA. I am a volunteer just as well as they're. Just as you are and CARE is. They're putting some of their time the best way they know how. It's poor and unacceptable. That's right, but then where are the educated, the intellectuals, and the skillful to help? Did they volunteer and were refused?
Parhad is a pathetic individual who's running for his own ego. Actually, his is so big that makes me throw up.
May be you will feel good after calling "leaders" names, I on the other hand prefer to deliver something of substance. Doing that will make me a leader myself whether current leaders accept it or not. Outdoing them
will make me, you, CARE..etc. the real leaders by default.
On the other hand, please, don't tell me that the Chaldeans of Detroit will turn Parhad statue into a shrine to be visited by them on daily bases. No one will give a damn about Parhad's statue till you tell them something
about their history, their heritage, the need for being involved in their community's affairs..etc.
CARE is on the right track. That's why I will support it in every way I can. What you and CARE are going through is a "training course" into understanding your community's needs, its history, its interests..etc. so when time comes you can lead it and serve it to the best of your abilities.
There are problems in CFA and deep ones indeed. I can not make high profile leaders out of current CFA people, but at least I am proud of them for trying to do something good, but simply don't know more than what they
have learned and grew up with.
Unfortunately, it's intellectuals, professionals, university students who
know about the problems of their community and do nothing about it. They're the ones whom I have to direct my anger at, but then may be that does not help either. I believe I should get them interested and find ways to get
them interested in their community's affairs.
Life is not full of roses, that sure does not mean that bad mouthing people whom hardly visit the Internet is the way to correct things. Parhad should concentrate on what he knows best, that is mold statues, other than that he has done nothing, doing nothing , and I belive will do nothing of activities for his people. Bad mouthing leaders is not a "community service". It's a "dis-service" for visitors to the site who will sure wonder about a people with such low moral standards, crude, and uncivil.
In contrast, Amer Fatuhi, the Chaldean, have shown a much higher level of sophistiction and self respect in my 2 email correspond with him than Parhad could ever dream of reaching.
Parhad is a foul mouthed individuals who is simply letting off some hot steam. It sure turns on people who are dis-satisfied with status quo and wants a fast way out of it, but don't know how, hence, sure enjoy adding their own hot steam.
Ghassan
-- Jeff
-- signature .
Follow Ups: