My Friendship with Chaldeans

By Ibrahim Al-Zobedi

My relationship of friendship, admiration, and deep mutual understanding with the Chaldean-Iraqi American community goes back to 1984, when I first arrived in the state of Michigan as an immigrant, or more accurately, an exile.

I began my professional life with a weekly newspaper that I called Today. Then, after four weeks, I discovered that the readership of the Arabic language press was less than what was necessary for an excellent newspaper to withstand time and enjoy a long life.

I closed it without regret. Subsequently, I went on to establish an Arab television channel called TV Orient, which gained the support of the Iraqi community who rallied around it, provided support, and made it a great success.

This channel was a new bridge that deepened my relationship with the community members and a wonderful bridge to introduce and connect me to the “Forum/Al Muntada” group and its founder, Mr. Fouad Manna; we quickly became good friends. As a media man, I found joy in being amidst an atmosphere and weekly gatherings surrounded by a distinguished journalist, community activists, intellectuals, and visitors from all walks of life.

My presence in Michigan since 1984 allowed me to make many new friends and distinguished scholars. With my consistent outlook, declared views, and well-known rejection of sectarianism, racism, and regionalism, I was fortunate to have dozens of sincere Iraqi Chaldean friends which were far more than the three friends from other Arab and Iraqi communities.

I should also mention that successive Iraqi governments have proven to be the stupidest and most ignorant governments when it comes to understanding the value of the Iraqi communities outside Iraq. Its officials and representatives do not understand, know, and want to know the great value of Iraq’s immigrant or displaced countrymen in the diaspora.

It is sad to know that they do not recognize the impact, strength, experience, traditions, knowledge, economic strength, and political weight of the community in the United States. If the Iraqi government was interested in embracing their worldly experience, broad knowledge, and diverse competencies, or sought to establish bridges of cooperation and hope to enable them to assist with important development experience gained in the countries they live in.

My friend Dr. Adhid Miri, who is a contributing writer and member of the editorial staff at the Chaldean News magazine, was kind to share with me articles about the story of the immigration of Iraqi Christians to the United States, the reasons behind their long presence in the state of Michigan, and an analysis of the main motives that were behind their migration from their homeland, Iraq.

Dr. Miri stated that “Between the years 1910 and 1947, a small number of Chaldeans (mostly from Iraq) immigrated to the United States, and they were part of the era of mass immigration that brought millions from all over the world to America, which was then in dire need of workers to support its growing economy. Detroit was very popular among immigrant groups due to its growing automobile industry and the presence of a Middle Eastern community consisting mainly of Christian immigrants who came from Lebanon and Syria.”

“In 1943, community statistics documented the presence of 908 Chaldeans in the Detroit area, and in 1947, 80 Chaldean families lived within the city limits of Detroit. By 1963, this number had tripled to 3,000. A larger number of Iraqi citizens then immigrated to the United States due to Iraq’s political conditions and changes in US immigration laws during the mid-1960s, and the growth of the Chaldean-American community in Detroit became more dramatic, and this number gradually rose to 45,000 in 1986 - 75,000 in 1992 - and 160,000 in 2017, reaching about 200,000 currently in the state of Michigan.”

I found the Chaldean community very patriotic and keen to maintain strong ties with their motherland Iraq and to preserve their Christian identity, culture, language, traditions, and heritage. When you delve into the details of the lives of Iraqi Chaldeans in their workplaces, homes, cultural, economic, and service institutions, social organizations, marketplaces, restaurants, and shops, you will feel that you have not left Iraq. One will quickly discover that they are more patriotic than other Iraqis who have not managed to preserve their roots, and national identity, unfortunately.

Journalism in America was an interesting challenge. As the number of Iraqi immigrants increased, their first publications appeared in Arabic, while the second generation of journalists adopted Arabic and English in their journalism. The new generation of journalists who were born in the United States did not master the Arabic language and adopted English as a language but with a pure Iraqi spirit. The content of the Iraqi press in the United States remained a living part of the news of the national press, even if it was written in languages other than Arabic (English, Chaldean, Syriac).

What Dr. Miri did not say in his article about the Iraqi Chaldean community, is that the community in Michigan and other American states is considered among the most important, most successful, most effective, most vibrant, and influential Middle Eastern communities in American political life, followed by the successes and impact of the Lebanese Muslim community in Dearborn, and the Palestinian Christian community, most of whose members come from the city of Ramallah.

Worth noting that over time the Iraqi Chaldean community and families became most concerned with educating their sons and daughters. This enabled them to advance, possess experience, and competence, and establish a momentum that made many of them distinguished, and influential in the surrounding American society. They excelled in the economic field as well as politics, education, services, and investments. It is, without a doubt the richest Middle Eastern community with its prominent, successful scientists, doctors, engineers, politicians, and businessmen.

The successes and size of the community attracted the attention of many politicians and statesmen. It has become a ritual for many American presidents, vice presidents, and state politicians to visit the community and seek to win its support.

The community also became a destination for major officials, ministers, politicians, and visitors from Iraq, however, little was accomplished to help establish strategic relationships, organized communication, and continuity.

Among the most prominent visitors to the Chaldean-Iraqi American community, were the late King Faisal II, Saeed Qazzaz, the last Minister of the Interior during the pre-1958 monarchy era, and Talib Shabib, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq during the era of the first Baath in 1963.

President Bush Sr. visited the Chaldean community in Michigan 40 years ago, and former President Donald Trump told a group of community members when he visited them that he loved them. It is noteworthy to note that their votes were the decisive factor in his victory in the 2016 elections.

The businessman, Mr. Adil Bacall, says “Iraqi Christians have not forgotten their Iraq, but Iraq has forgotten them.” The Iraqi Chaldeans blame the Americans for the troubles in their motherland. Iraqis, in Michigan and regardless of the nature of the regimes in Baghdad feel disappointed by the lack of representation and reversals in Iraq since 2003. This is strange when you consider how the participation of citizens in other Arab countries, where specialized ministries were established to communicate with the expatriate citizens, maintain a strong relationship with them and benefit from their experiences, capabilities, strength, and influence on American policy that can help to advocate for Issues in their home country.

In addition to articles by my colleague Dr. Adhid Miri, the community historian and businessman Ayoub (Jacob) Bacall has published important books in English documenting the history of the Iraqi American Chaldean Christian community, supported by valuable facts, and pictures. They are an important source for anyone who wants to learn more about this distinguished Iraqi community in the United States of America.

It gives me great pleasure to affirm without hesitation and confess my admiration of this kind and generous community that has given me the most beautiful, pure, sincere, and precious memories.