Draft:Toufic El Rassi

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Toufic El Rassi is an author, commentator and cartoonist. His writings explore his experience and struggles with his identity being an Arab American/American of Middle Eastern origin.

He is known for his 2007 graphic novel Arab In America which portrays and gives a deep insight into racism and Islamophobia directed at Arabs and Muslims which resurged in the United States in the aftermath of 9/11 . The book also dissects negative imagery and stereotypes of Arabs in film, and television, as well as prejudice and experience that El Rassi himself had to deal with in the growing up. The book is also critical of the US's immigration policy and the War On Terror.

Early Life

Toufic El Rassi was born in Beirut to Egyptian and Lebanese parents. His family fled to America and settled in Chicago to escape from the Lebanese Civil war.

Killing An Arab

One notable part of El Rassi's book mentions how racist classmates in school would listen to the song Killing An Arab by the Cure, and would play the song as a way to bully him. El Rassi notes that his peers were ironically unaware of the song's anti war and anti violence message. The song is also inspired by philosopher Albert Camus, who if you know where his political sympathies lie, probably would not align with this kind of behavior.