Palestinian trustee honored amid Trump policy concerns
By Tony Gicas
North Jersey.com
As Donald Trump celebrated his swearing-in as the nation’s 45th president, scores of beleaguered Islamic supporters and elected officials gathered to recognize the first Muslim elected in Clifton’s 99-year history.
Braving a cold, rainy night, the crowd of about 140 packed into the Palestinian American Community Center on Lakeview Avenue to recognize Fahim Abedrabbo, the first Muslim resident elected to the city’s school board or municipal council.
Abedrabbo, a lifelong resident of Clifton, clinched a seat on the local Board of Education in November and was sworn in earlier this month. The 31-year-old Palestinian American, who works as a government relations associate for Seton Hall University, said the night was not about him.
“We want to show people that there are leaders in the Muslim community who are standing up for them. And not just for Muslims or Arabs but for Americans,” Abedrabbo said. “Whether on the local, county, state or federal level with Congressmen Keith Ellison [D-Minn.] and Andre Carson [D-Ind.], there are people you can confide in.”
Adnan Khalil, a Clifton resident and editor of an Arab American newspaper, said most people at the event were concentrating on the school commissioner’s victory.
For many dignitaries and Clifton taxpayers in attendance, however, the night’s elation was tempered by uncertainty surrounding the new commander in chief’s potential policies and relations with Muslim Americans.
The threat of a Muslim registry, or a border policy that restricts Muslims from entering the United States, remained on the minds of many at the event.
An opening prayer was offered by Imam Mohammad Qatanani, a Paterson cleric fighting deportation as federal authorities investigate allegations that he lied on his green card application about a conviction by Israeli authorities.
“We are a part of this country and we will never give up,” Qatanani said to loud applause. “All of us are immigrants, even Mr. Trump. People came before and more will come after us. I wish that Arabs will be fair to people after them and that we are the last people to be treated this way.”
One attendee said Trump’s inauguration address placated the populist movement that ushered him into office, but to Muslim Americans, the speech did little to bring together a divided nation.
“Today we mourn, tomorrow we roll our sleeves up,” said Wayne resident Nadia Kahf, a private attorney and chairwoman of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in New Jersey.
Passaic County Freeholder Bruce James called it an excellent ending after “a rough start” to the day.
“[Trump] spoke to his base and attacked everyone in Washington,” said Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, a native of Syria. “Fahim is a man of great character and a good representation of the Muslim community, which, by all indications, appears to be under attack by the Trump administration.”
Salaheddin Mustafa, a Clifton resident and representative of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, was the event’s master of ceremonies. Mustafa called Trump’s remarks “as dark a speech” as he had seen in recent history.
“Whatever hope those of us had of him grabbing on to this country as a beacon or shining light is now extinguished,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough four years, but I’m confident that the nation is up to the challenge.”
Local Muslim leaders contended that the celebration provided a stark contrast to the proceedings in the nation’s capital.
“Tonight is about – at the local level – working together for the betterment of all,” said Mustafa, adding that he scheduled the gathering for Inauguration Day “to remind people that we have a lot of work to do. But we have to move forward in a positive way because this is a time to be optimistic, not fearful.”
The first Muslim Passaic County freeholder, Assad Akhter, said the Muslim community is “melancholy” about the national political landscape but said Abedrabbo’s celebration offered an opportunity to focus its energies on “a good local story.”
“Fahim is someone who the community is very proud of and is worth honoring,” said Akhter, adding that he declined to watch the inauguration. “As a people, we are very resilient. We’re ready to fight back if he builds a registry or keeps Muslims, or Mexicans, or anyone out of America.”
The county official called Trump’s victory “very upsetting” and said the policies he advocates would be “disastrous” if brought to fruition.
Also in attendance at the PACC were Clifton Council members Mayor James Anzaldi, Lauren Murphy and Peter Eagler, Haledon Council members Mounir Almaita and Tahsina Ahmed, as well as Charles Williams, the Muslim chief of staff from Assemblyman Sheila Oliver’s office; Passaic school board President Salim Patel, ICPC President Omar Awad and Clifton school board trustees Judy Bassford, Lucy Danny and Rosemary Pino.
Abedrabbo recognized longtime friend Jeffrey Camp, a former Clifton Police Department detective and school board candidate, and his wife, Elena Failla-Camp, as well as Melinda and Mario DeChellis, as backbones for Clifton.
“Clifton is a welcoming place and, with 81 languages spoken, is more diverse than anywhere in New Jersey,” said Anzaldi, who lived next-door to Abedrabbo when the newly elected school board member was growing up. “I hope there are people that continue to embrace diversity because it’s so important.”
Almaita, a vice principal in Paterson, also decided not to view the inauguration but said it is still important to “accept democracy” and respect the country’s highest office.
“The way I see it is that Fahim’s historic event is sending a clear message that we’re part of this country. We’re not going to sit to the side, marginalized,” Almaita said. “We are part of one community and that is America. We don’t want to be looked at as an isolated group.”