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This is a man who believes sincerely that occupation was a situation contrived by men who were
more insensitive than clever, more criminal than political- and, for this reason, apartheid in
Palestine is an inhumane situation that can be reconcieved and dismantled from the most cruel
kind of unfairness; not by another set of criminal acts but by the justice that is basic to his Islamic
beliefs.
Whenever he has a chance to speak with interfaith groups about apartheid, he is quick to ward off a
lot of unimportant talk concerning this ideology or that one. He gets right to the point- no patriotic
imprint is stamped into his consciousness- “American dollars should not be funding occupation and
this act in itself shares even more of the self-serving values the British had in mind when they
collaborated with Zionist interest to have Palestinians disenfranchised.”
His name is Burhan Ghanayem. He is pharmacist by occupation. His education and profession
comes with many blessings , but still there is a painful curse that shadows his achievements-
eviction from a beloved homeland. There is hardly a meeting that he will not attend on the subject of
Palestine and human rights, regardless of who is sponsoring the event and how far the dialogue is
from his home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Educating those who wear political blinders and
especially those who simply have never learned the historical truth is what motivates his activism. His
presence says that he believes that political manipulation will no longer work once Americans have a
chance to see what happened more than 60 years ago and exactly what it is now. As an activist he is
adamant about being consistent in the areas so basic to the truth of his experience, which includes
relocation to Egypt, Kuwait and beyond.
His financial support to MAS Freedom and other humanitarian organizations in the Triangle are just
one way of showing others where he stands. However, the fact that he understands that he cannot
say “we” without first saying “I” is what truly defines him. It takes a special person to take center stage
regardless of the setting and speak in the first person. It is a characteristic that started back in a place
called West Bank and it was there he fought against the suppression of his human rights by refusing
to yield to the indignation that was being forced on the Palestinian people and that will continue to be
foisted upon successive generations if others do not open their eyes and stand against such obvious
inequalities. Burhan is one of several familiar faces that chat with congressmen and other state and
local leaders about standing up for the Constitutional values they’ve promised to uphold. He has
labored for decades to confront the myths that attempt to justify the dismantling of the lives of
Palestinian people.
Why does he persist, year to year-and day to day, no matter how bewildering the odds? Because
he knows, at the end of the day, truth is what will shape the values and the competence of the
next generation that will succeed to achieve the justice where others have failed.
more insensitive than clever, more criminal than political- and, for this reason, apartheid in
Palestine is an inhumane situation that can be reconcieved and dismantled from the most cruel
kind of unfairness; not by another set of criminal acts but by the justice that is basic to his Islamic
beliefs.
Whenever he has a chance to speak with interfaith groups about apartheid, he is quick to ward off a
lot of unimportant talk concerning this ideology or that one. He gets right to the point- no patriotic
imprint is stamped into his consciousness- “American dollars should not be funding occupation and
this act in itself shares even more of the self-serving values the British had in mind when they
collaborated with Zionist interest to have Palestinians disenfranchised.”
His name is Burhan Ghanayem. He is pharmacist by occupation. His education and profession
comes with many blessings , but still there is a painful curse that shadows his achievements-
eviction from a beloved homeland. There is hardly a meeting that he will not attend on the subject of
Palestine and human rights, regardless of who is sponsoring the event and how far the dialogue is
from his home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Educating those who wear political blinders and
especially those who simply have never learned the historical truth is what motivates his activism. His
presence says that he believes that political manipulation will no longer work once Americans have a
chance to see what happened more than 60 years ago and exactly what it is now. As an activist he is
adamant about being consistent in the areas so basic to the truth of his experience, which includes
relocation to Egypt, Kuwait and beyond.
His financial support to MAS Freedom and other humanitarian organizations in the Triangle are just
one way of showing others where he stands. However, the fact that he understands that he cannot
say “we” without first saying “I” is what truly defines him. It takes a special person to take center stage
regardless of the setting and speak in the first person. It is a characteristic that started back in a place
called West Bank and it was there he fought against the suppression of his human rights by refusing
to yield to the indignation that was being forced on the Palestinian people and that will continue to be
foisted upon successive generations if others do not open their eyes and stand against such obvious
inequalities. Burhan is one of several familiar faces that chat with congressmen and other state and
local leaders about standing up for the Constitutional values they’ve promised to uphold. He has
labored for decades to confront the myths that attempt to justify the dismantling of the lives of
Palestinian people.
Why does he persist, year to year-and day to day, no matter how bewildering the odds? Because
he knows, at the end of the day, truth is what will shape the values and the competence of the
next generation that will succeed to achieve the justice where others have failed.
Who is that Man in the Middle of the Sound of Reason?
| Meet Mr. Burhan Ghanayem |
