Loading ...Rizk’s Enduring Message: Lessons from 1943 for the 2024 Election
By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer
As the 2024 presidential election draws near, it’s more important than ever for the Arab American community to make their voices heard. The message of Salom Rizk, a mid-20th-century Arab American author, remains strikingly relevant today—particularly in discussions around immigration and civic duty. In his 1943 autobiography, Syrian Yankee, Rizk shares his extraordinary journey and calls on citizens to take an active role in safeguarding democracy and building a more just society. Arab America contributing writer, Arwa Almasaari, invites readers to reflect on Rizk’s timeless message—and most importantly, to vote.
About Salom Rizk
Salom Rizk was born in 1908 in Ottoman Syria (modern-day Lebanon). Orphaned at birth and raised by his grandmother, Rizk discovered at twelve that his late mother had American citizenship. With help from a teacher and his brothers in the U.S., he secured his U.S. passport after five years and immigrated in 1927. Upon arriving, Rizk learned English and developed a passion for public speaking, becoming a prominent lecturer from 1938 to 1958. He shared his life story with nearly a million students across the country. He passed away in 1973 in Silver Spring, Maryland, at age 63.
Rizk’s Trip to Europe
In 1933, Rizk embarks on a trip to Syria, visiting Europe along the way. In Paris, Rizk defends the U.S. during a conversation with a Frenchman who critiques America based on dire reports of the Great Depression. Although Rizk has witnessed the Depression firsthand, he downplays its severity, emphasizing American advantages. This patriotic defense leads the Frenchman to envy Rizk’s American citizenship, astonished that an immigrant from a French colony could fare better than a native Frenchman. More Europeans join the conversation, voicing concerns about their countries, including France, Italy, and Britain.
Rizk, feeling superior, comments to an Englishman, “Poor Europe. I wish the peoples here could be as peaceful and friendly as those same people are when they get to America.” The Englishman responds by calling Americans “very smug.” He warns that America might eventually face the same problems as Europe, quoting Macaulay and predicting that the U.S. is “sixty years behind” Europe in both positive and negative developments. This forewarning troubles Rizk, especially as his European companions listen in awe as he paints an idealistic image of America. That night, Rizk feels triumphant, but the next morning, news of President Roosevelt’s devaluation of the dollar jolts him, reminding him of the Englishman’s grim prophecy.
A Call to Action for America
Rizk’s trip to Europe serves as a cautionary tale for his American contemporaries. Upon his return, he emphasizes the virtues of the U.S., drawing from his experiences abroad. He expresses a fervent desire to inform Americans about the “peace, plenty, tolerance, freedom, friendliness, [and] opportunity” that America offers. However, he balances this optimism with a call to action, urging Americans to confront social issues like poverty, prejudice, ignorance, and corruption. This juxtaposition of hope and critique aims to inspire change during the Depression while countering the rise of fascist sympathies by emphasizing the failures of undemocratic regimes in Europe.
Despite the hardships of the Great Depression, Rizk assures his audience that life in the U.S. remains far better than in Europe or anywhere else. Rizk asserts that his belief in America’s superiority goes beyond mere patriotism. He hopes that the world can share in its abundance and freedom, envisioning a future where immigrants and exiles find opportunities and a warm welcome. Rizk advocates for tolerance and empathy, encouraging Americans to embrace people from all backgrounds.
“Seeds of Destruction”
Rizk’s overseas trip gives him a newfound critical perspective on the U.S., which he approaches carefully given his immigrant background. He emphasizes that his critiques arise from love and concern for his country’s safety and future. Drawing on the Englishman’s prediction that the U.S. might follow Europe’s decline, Rizk warns that America harbors the same seeds of destruction: “racial prejudice, poverty, unemployment, discontent, despair of democracy.”
While generally embracing assimilation, he unequivocally condemns racism, making his work one of the earliest Arab American writings to do so. He recounts disturbing conversations with Americans who admired Mussolini’s promises, Hitler’s antisemitism, and Stalin’s brutal regime, warning that America risks following their dangerous paths. His concern over the future of the U.S. drives him to educate others about the perils of Europe, “where democracy is dead.”
A Warning for America’s Future
Things like that could happen here in America. All you need is a little more hunger, unemployment, and hate. When you think of all the hate for Jews and Negroes and foreigners we have in our own country, it makes you wonder sometimes: what could a clever demagogue and a ruthless party organization do to stir up strife and chaos here?
Rizk’s Syrian Yankee
A prominent priest, Harold Schmidt, is deeply impressed by Rizk’s story. He views Rizk’s narrative as a powerful example of enlightened Americanism and believes it conveys a vital message for Americans today. Schmidt notes that many people take their opportunities and freedoms for granted, while Rizk, who earned his citizenship, truly understands its value.
Salom Rizk recognizes that public life often invites skepticism, especially concerning his identity and motives as an immigrant. To address this suspicion, he incorporates the perspectives of native-born Americans into his critique of racial prejudice in the U.S. He recalls a conversation with Harold Schmidt about fascism, which was triggered by a tragic incident where someone with Schmidt’s last name was mistakenly killed by the Nazis. Schmidt warns that similar events could occur in America due to existing discrimination against minorities and foreigners. Rizk skillfully blends his support for assimilation and patriotism with a critique of social issues that threaten the nation.
The Message
Drawing on his visit to Europe and his observations of American society, Rizk advocates for a critical examination of social issues. Ultimately, his book encourages readers to reflect on their responsibilities as citizens in preserving democracy and promoting a more just society.
Make Your Voice Heard
The Arab American Institute’s Yalla Vote, a nonpartisan voter engagement project, provides citizens with information about the candidates’ positions on issues important to the Arab American community.
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