Handbook for journalists covering the Middle East developed by the AAJA p. 17

By: Debra Gersh Hernandez

THE DETROIT CHAPTER of the Asian American Journalists Association has developed a handbook for journalists covering Middle Easterners, both those who live in the U.S. and abroad.
The project was started four years ago by Joe Grimm of the Detroit Free Press and was written by Grimm and Free Press staffers Emilia Askari, Christopher Cook, Jeffrey Ghannam, along with Tarek Hamada of the Detroit News, and other Free Press employees.
"The Detroit area has the country's largest Middle Eastern- American population, including about 250,000 people of Arabic ancestry," the introduction states.
"During the patriotic fervor inspired by the Persian Gulf War, many of these Arab Americans felt the brunt of cultural misunderstandings and discrimination."
The booklet is designed to help "dispel the foreign aura that is often attached to Middle Eastern Americans, for they, too are integral members of American society."
The guide focuses on the Arab culture, because it is less familiar to Americans than Jewish or Christian cultures.
Included in the Journalist's Guide to Middle Eastern Americans are explanations for current topics of misconception, such as terrorism and lifestyles; a history of Middle Easterners in the United States; an essay by radio personality Casey Kasem and a list of famous Arab Americans; cultural tips; a glossary; a map; an explanation of various Middle Eastern religions; a list of sources; and a chronology of the Persian Gulf War.
Copies of the 30-page booklet are available on paper or on disk from Joe Grimm at the Detroit Free Press, 321 W. Lafayette, Detroit, Mich., 48226; telephone (313) 222-6490. Cost is based on the number of copies ordered.