EXPERT: Why Chaldean's from any Middle Eastern Country Are Arab

[itsChris]

I just read this thread, very very very informative.

[Snowflake]

I just read Hadeer's original post, but didn't read the responses. I can tell you how the general non-middle eastern community views it, whether it's right or wrong: you're arab. I've never associated the word with a religion or a specific ethnic background. It's a geographical term. I have always viewed it as another way to say, "middle eastern". This can just be ignorance of the general public, but I have always heard middle easterners referred to as arabs throughout my life. With that being said, don't be offended if someone who is not of your background refers to you as arab. There isn't a general negative connotation associated with it as I'm sensing many of you view the term as. Chaldeans don't want to be called arab? Maybe I should read the responses, huh........

[nibras]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

I just read Hadeer's original post, but didn't read the responses. I can tell you how the general non-middle eastern community views it, whether it's right or wrong: you're arab. I've never associated the word with a religion or a specific ethnic background. It's a geographical term. I have always viewed it as another way to say, "middle eastern". This can just be ignorance of the general public, but I have always heard middle easterners referred to as arabs throughout my life. With that being said, don't be offended if someone who is not of your background refers to you as arab. There isn't a general negative connotation associated with it as I'm sensing many of you view the term as. Chaldeans don't want to be called arab? Maybe I should read the responses, huh........

IMO, After 911, most middle eastern people wanted to distance themseleves from that term...
Thats my 2 Cents...Thanks...CARRY ON!

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by nibras

IMO, After 911, most middle eastern people wanted to distance themseleves from that term...
Thats my 2 Cents...Thanks...CARRY ON!

Well hello . . . where did you come from?!

But why? What does 911 have to do with the term? If anything, the term, "Muslim" is taking the brunt of it.

[nibras]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Well hello . . . where did you come from?!

But why? What does 911 have to do with the term? If anything, the term, "Muslim" is taking the brunt of it.

At the time Right after 911, most Americans associated that word with Terrorist.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by nibras

At the time Right after 911, most Americans associated that word with Terrorist.

You always seem to come out of the woodwork :-) lol

I guess I didn't know that.

[itsChris]

Well I should have elaborated: it's a very informative thread because being considered an Arab isn't even an argument because we aren't, unless you want to relate yourself geographically.

[Zowaa740]

Ok, we are not Arabs, Hadeer and I can debate all day long over whether Assyrians and Chaldeans are one nation, which I think they are and he obviously with all due respect disagrees, but I think we are NOT Arabs, that is a distortion of history and truth. I recall discussing this with Cathy when I first joined this site back in 2007 and we all agreed we are not Arabs, not sure if anybody recalls that convo, but most member who are here now and were back in '07 were probably in that discussion and I don't recall anyone stating they think we are Arabs.

[Hadeer]

This thread is nearly 4 years old. Opinions change. I no longer consider myself Arab, BUT I do believe that dissociating the two should not imply hatred between the groups. And I do not believe that someone should be ostracized for calling themselves Arab either. There is actually no scientific evidence of ethnic continuity in the Middle East, including the OMTA ATORETA lol...When we call ourselves Chaldeans or Assyrians over Arabs, there is NO BASIS for that except for what we were brought up to believe (not saying our culture can't define who we are).. The Middle East underwent many transformations from many different influences. And I hate to break it to Assyrianists, but those DNA studies are not factual but instead biased. Virtually no respectable and reputable anthropologist, biologist, or historian would be a proponent of that study. ANYTHING can be published, but PEER REVIEW trumps all these biased reports.

[Zowaa740]

Ok, so if there is no basis for any ethnic continuity there is neither basis for Qomia Kaldaniya nor Omta Atoureta, we just so who we based on what we were raised in, which thus makes us who we are even if history is not there (and I always wonder where Lamassu came from if there were no Assyrians). See, there was a debate here when Matran Jammo said Assyrians form Syria?Lebanon are Arab and from Iran are Persian. I discussed this with a lot of pople and came to the conclusion that even if these ppl were Persians (which I do not believe is the case), th fatc that they are Orthodox, spea Sureth, and do not marry non-Assyirans maes them Assyrian regardless of what Matran says or even DNA (if it were to prove Matran correct) says. So we can all be who we are without worrying about history and this other nonsense.

[dok101]

[A] nationality is not made of religion. It is made up through the usage of geographical points, and the doual arabia are considered one, so alongside the respective country's identity (i.e. Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi, Lebanese), they also all share the identity as Arab.

Correct. It is not. However, why would we proceed to identify as Arab, notwithstanding our current geographical placement, exclusive of those, such as ourselves, that live in diaspora, if the evidence, as it has thus far accumulated, demonstrates a genetic composition clearly distinguishable from, say, Arab Bedouins, and the like?

Based on Dr. Yonan's Assyrian DNA project, in addition to other informal examinations of our genetic identity, Assyrians are more closely akin to folks from Turkey, Armenia, certain Southern Europeans, and Ashkenazim, more than they are related to those that currently occupy much of what today is associated with Arabian geographical territory.

However, if you wish to identify as Arab, even in light of your likely true genetic makeup, by all means, feel free to do so. No one should be limited by any such constraint, if in their heart, that is how they see themselves.

[matt72582]

Ok, obviously not Arab, but Chaldean seems to have a religious connotation. Who are "Chaldeans' without religious affiliation considered then?

[Assyrian_Dancer]

Originally Posted by Hadeer

As mentioned before, we are living in the current and not in the past. And since there is no physical possible way to be living today and the time of ancient Assyria or Chaldea, then you are living in today's current Arab World, whether you like it or not. That's like saying you are a Michigander but not an American (i.e. Iraqi but not Arab).

Your surmise would make sense but for the fact that there is currently no country called 'Arabia', which Assyrians are living in. This is what would have to be the case for your logic to stand.

[LiveFreelyKJ]

To make things short. Arabs came from Saudi Arabia, and they invaded all over the middle east, including Mesopotamia where which we came from. So no we are not Arab.

[mariahybu]

it is to be of common background and to be twins...
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I am a Chaldean, half, living in Lebanan? My mother, is German and English/Irish background... Am I by living in Lebanon with Chaldean roots considered a Lebanese Arab to fit in the people? I like to fit...

[iLLeSt]

We Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs are the indigenous people of the fertile crescent. We are ethnically and culturally distinct from Arabs however we are also Semitic just like them. But thats just like comparing a Jew to an Arab, they're different people however they are related genetically. Hope this makes sense to you guys.