Why blog? Why now?

Let me introduce my blog: Farah’s Allocution

For those of you who would have to look up the word allocution, I will give you the basic definition.

According to Wikipedia (the site where I get most of my information) “generally, to allocute in law means "to speak out formally." In the field of apologetics, allocution is generally done in defense of a belief. In politics, one may allocute before a legislative body in an effort to influence their position on an issue.”

My goal is to tell stories and anecdotes from my own life to help challenge what you think about the world.

In a little less than three weeks I am going to Lebanon for two months. I will be living with my dad, working for my aunt and traveling throughout the country discovering new people and new places. I will be blogging daily throughout my trip in an effort to introduce people to the Middle East.

I have spent countless hours reading false stories about the Middle East and all the “terrorists” who live there. Because we all know that "every Middle Eastern person is a suicide bombing terrorist (this is sarcasm)."

My hope in the next few weeks is to give you a better introduction to who I am, where I come from, where I am going and why I am on a mission to dispel rumors about Middle Easterners.

My inspiration: Forgive me if I told you a different version of this story, I was scared to be honest but now I have nothing to lose.

Four weeks ago I, Farah Chanel, was offered a job with the Arthritis Foundation. My background check was clear (minus a speeding ticket) and my credit was okay (minus the bagillion dollars I owe in student loans) btw who doesn’t owe $$ on student loans. As we got along the process, all my references were checked and I was reassured and validated that this was going to be the perfect job for me.

Ten days into the process, I received a phone call from the recruiter at the Arthritis Foundation saying my job offer was rescinded because of my last name. For those of you who don’t know, my last name is Hage-Sleiman, not Chanel. Since I find I am discriminated against when I use my real last name, I gave them my real last name when I was told there would be a background check. You can reference a similar example at this link.

Briefly, the study focuses on the how much name discrimination actually exist. The study has been duplicated numerous times. With the knowledge that name discrimination does exist I opted to leave out my last name on my most recent job applications. Causing, what I believe, to be an influx of call backs for interviews.

Whether you believe leaving my name off an application was right or wrong is not the question. When I received the call that the job offer had been rescinded I was told, “If you’re not telling us your last name, what else can you be hiding.” She might as well have added “terrorist” to the end of that sentence. I honestly, for the first time in my life, felt discriminated against for being Lebanese. Listen, I grew up in Suburbia, CT just like Susie Homemaker’s kids except I also happened to be Middle Eastern.

Be that as it may, I have decided to take on the responsibility of helping to reduce discrimination against people from the Middle East. My stories, anecdotes, tales and travels will be documented here. Over the next few weeks, I will introduce you to the key players in the story and give you some history of Lebanon.

Stay with me, enjoy, and share.