Leave the festival on Warren where it belongs and is able to support the local business area.

Well, Jim, if it opens up the city for lawsuits, then it's pretty selfish to hold it on Warren. One more point. Let's hope that signs for this event are put in APPROVED placed around the city and in Dearborn Heights. I'm pretty tired of people posting their signs on public property, which in DH, is against the law.

I personally think it would be a great idea to move it. That way we can keep the protesters out. For many years my family has enjoyed walkig up to the festival however it has gotten bad. My children don't even want to attend any more. Last year there was a man with a pigs head on a stick that told my son he would go to hell for following the Muslim religion. First of all he doesn't know what religion my son follows and secondly how horrific is that for a child just seeking some summer fun at a festival. Regarding supporting the businesses. If the festival organization offered a more reasonable price to rent space the businesses would be able to travel to the park and set up shop there. Just my opinion.

I have no problem with the festival being held on Warren Ave. But if the city is against this why do they issue permits?

I know my organizations have it at their place of worship..I think it would be very suitable for all the needs if their festival would be on their Mosque property...This way the city is not liable for anything occurring issues.. And they can allow who they want to participate In their festival....They have a huge property lot and parking..Easy to get into and out of..And more visable for more people to stop and enjoy their. festival

Ford Woods Park could work, except the parking would be a problem. I really don't believe there is enough of that to contain the large turn outs. And, what would prevent any protesters from going there as well? It is public property as is Warren Ave. I don't see how any of the city's public parks could be contrsued as a "closed site" . I am not sure what the mayor defines as a closed site...and the statement..."If the festival was held at a closed site with set entrances, organizers could preclude anyone but festival attendees from entering."...certainly doesn't sound like anything that would be public property.

The article states, "If the festival was held at a closed site with set entrances, organizers could preclude anyone but festival attendees from entering."

Can someone please explain to me how moving it keeps protesters out? They could still protest at that site even if they weren't allowed inside the festival area and I would assume the City would still be responsible if anything happened since it would still be on City property.

What am I missing? How is moving it going to stop the protesters?

What is it about the Muslim (meaning one who practices Islam) that prohibits the mingling between Sunni and Shiites...or with Christians and the aforementioned denominations either? Airdog, you seem to be saying that diversity is fine unless it come to Muslims of different sects. How does that figure with how they react with one another or with anyone else that is not of their particular sect. Is there really such intolerance among Muslims? The Christian faith has outreach programs and interacts between the various denominations (ecumentalism)...Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics, etc, etc. Do you really think that only Sunni or Shite Muslims attend the festival now...along with a myriad of other people of other faiths? Maybe I just don't understand your point here, but I have no idea of your connection of the separate but equal concept you are referring to. It seems that just the opposite is true in encouraging people of all faiths to come together. Maybe the Mosque isn't the right idea, but I hate to go away with the idea that the various sects of Islam can’t mingle. Oh, by the way, I don't believe it should be referred to as an "Arabic" festival either. Arabic refers to a language, not a country of origin, race, religion, type of food, Sunnism, etc. If anything, I would love them to call it an Arab-American festival...that sure sounds a lot more inclusive!

I support the move too. I just live one block off of Warren and I didn't go to the festival last year because I was disillusioned with the festival from 2011, with all the protesters and yelling back and forth (profanities). I want to go and have fun...not listen to a loud bullhorn denouncing another religion. If it stays on Warren this year, I decided I'm not going, and might even leave town to do something else that weekend.

The festival has been sort of a tradition, after all these years. Leave it on Warren Ave. The Big Guy (O'Reilley) just can't leave well enough alone.

Ever since I came to the states the Arabic festival was on warren avenue. It won't sound original and true if you take a historic festival spot that have been celebrated on Warren road for many years elsewhere. It will take out the magic of the Arabic festival. It's a legendary spot!

What happened to all the other posts that were here yesterday???

Airdog...you say above " I did NOT say various sects can't mingle, that is YOUR impression that you are projecting." It seems quite the opposite when you previously said "it IS an "Arabic Festival" which includes both main types of Islam, as well as Christianity. B.) The large Mosque you refer to is a Shiite Mosque, and not all local Arabs are Shiite...many are Sunni" certainly sounds as if you feel they are exclusive and in no way inclusive. Maybe I still don't quite understand your point, but, whatever. In any case, I don't see why a substantial part of a public thoroughfare, not even a Dearborn owned street, should be shut down for a particular festival for several days...taking away the right of way to the taxpayers of Wayne County. If it were for a few hours I could understand and agree, but several days? It could be held at Hemlock Park, just a few blocks south of Warren Ave....or Ford Woods...or even Ford Field. Truly the latter would be the best site because it is our largest public park with the most parking and the most separated from heavily congested residential areas as any other site.

Airdog, yes, you are correct. I just discovered that myself.

Airdog...I definitely have a problem with those that come to this country and do not assimilate and instead simply make demands that we, individuals, institutions, and government agencies adapt to them. Religious freedom is certainly a right to all that are here. But if their ethnic or religious differences begin expect that we are required to assimilate or change to their way, I definitely draw the line. I do not "insist on the equity of separation because of this perceived failure to assimilate. ", but I do resist and totally disagree with bending to change our laws and court system to allow thing like Sharia Law. Our politicians foster these demands by yielding to them as a way of fostering more votes and falsely charading as their champion. I totally disagree with your opinion that our police department (meaning us as taxpayers) bend to allow the closing of a main thoroughfare. Just because many of the business on Warren Ave. happen to Arab or Middle Eastern owned does not give the right to demand we do so. I have lived in the east end for decades and I don't know anyone that I associate with that would equal Muslims to terrorists. However, we do have to admit that almost all the terrorist acts that have been committed in the last 10 years have been done by those who have openly decried that they have done so in the name of Islam. So, some of the more narrow mined folks among us do get that impression without knowing a single person that claims to be a Muslim. .

And, liability is an issure here. There have been law suits initieated that the City of Dearborn has to a nswer to, regardless of how little merit anyhone might think the have. Anyone can sue anyone else for any reason. You still have to spend resources to defend against them. So, Airdog, I see a very apparent conflict when you say "disturbance issues should be remedied by our law enforcement. Being sued is part of law enforcement and when it happens", and then at the same time claim we have no liability issues. Two plus two ain't making four on this one.

@airdog I get your point and it makes perfect sense. You make a lot of good valid points :)

Airdog...please point out to me where I said, or even intimated, that the Arab Festival is harmful to the public wellbeing. I can't see anywhere that I did so, but only argue that blocking off several blocks of public thoroughfare is wrong. We certainly don't hold homecoming festivities by blocking off Michigan Avenue from Brady to Haigh Streets. The Memorial Day Parade only blocks Michigan Ave for a few hours. Why should the festival have special treatment? And, please tell me where I said, or intimated that Arabs do not deserve the same privilege and protections in their home or places of business? Are you reading a post from someone else here, or what? Please---are you grasping at straws here?

Yes, Airdog, I do believe we will never totally agree on this issue. Sure, lots of things are legal by permit, but the city has stated reasons ( whether you feel they are valid or not) for not wanting that festival on Warren Ave. Yes, liability issues can arise in any of the other suggested sites, but for one I believe the reactions from mostly young teens regarding the others that are there promoting other views on religion or whatever, and exercising their 1st amendments rights, might be reason to relocate it off Warren Ave. Blocking that street for days, in my mind, is just wrong. Can you think of any other group that has ever asked for a main street to be blocked off for days for their particular function before? I haven't....not in 40+ years here. I do take offense that you set yourself up as the enlightened one here and that others are just ignorant. Maybe I am misreading you, but your finishing statements sure sounded like that. Let’s end this as debate friends. I enjoy the “back and forth” with you.

Why do we have to close down a public street for an Arab festival? Would you advocate closing down Warren the next weekend for the Italian Festival? And the weekend after that for the Polish Festival? And the weekend after that for the African Festival? Why can't the Arab-American community in Dearborn just put up a tent at Homecoming like everybody else does, OR have it in a park? And who says the business owners on Warren Avenue LIKE having the festival there? I've never heard any prominent Warren Avenue business owner speak publicly about wanting to keep it on Warren Ave. In fact, the only organization that seems to want to keep it is the American Arab Chamber of Commerce. Hmmmm...Wonder why they'd want it so bad if the businesses they allegedly represent are mum on the subject??? Leave the street for cars and have the festival in the park. The park was made for things like this. The street was made for cars.

Okay Airdlog, let's just agree that I am misreading you. In regard to the new city hall, I could not agree with you more about being a boondoggle. O'Reilly claims we have to get rid of the old city hall because there are just too many structural problems. That may be, but if that could be minutely true, it on y goes to show that he has not taken care f the place over the years. Do you remember when O'Reilly said that we were in dire straits in regard to our cash situation? We had to amend our charter to aloow him to raise the millage rates? That was in November, 2011. Now, less than a year after that, he says we need to buy a vacant building for our new city hall. The obvious question here is, what was the need to raise our millage rates to bail out of financial woes, but in less that a years, we can afford a new building? And, is the city going not going to do what they require any time a residence is sold...i.e., fix all the building and code violations before the place can be sold and the new owner (Art Space) moves in with a certificate of occupancy. place can be sold and the new owner moves with a certificate of occupancy. My guess is no. O'Reilly is a fraud and a liar. He has to go. Tom Tafelski...where are you?

AC....maybe you should take the time to read what I wrote..which was "I don't know anyone that I associate with that would equal Muslims to terrorists. However, we do have to admit that almost all the terrorist acts that have been committed in the last 10 years have been done by those who have openly decried that they have done so in the name of Islam. So, some of the more narrow mined folks among us do get that impression without knowing a single person that claims to be a Muslim. ." Now AC, please read slowly so you can comprehend the words. Perhaps you can point your finger on the words as you read so you don 't miss anything. Do you see ANYthing there that I said about ALL Muslims being terrorists? The second sentence only says that most all terrorist acts in the last 10 years have been committed by those that espouse Islam. That cannot be denied. I follow that by saying only the narrow minded among us would think that all Muslims are terrorists. You give yourself away with “Zionist” comment, you pathetic Jew hater. Do you get it this time AC? Well, probably not, but only because your mind is clouded by your hatred and narrow minded discrimination and you read and disseminates things with that cloud overhead regardless of what the words say and mean.

"Why can't this same tolerance be afforded to the Arabic Festival?"

Your reasoning might be sound if Michigan Avenue or Telegraph were closed down for 3 days for Homecoming, OR if Homecoming were only meant to celebrate one ethnicity....but neither are true. Why can't there be an "Arab" tent at Homecoming instead of a 3-day carnival in the middle of the street? Are you about "coming together" or "staying separate"? You're also wrong about streets being closed down for Homecoming. I live off of Cherry Hill and while parking is restricted, as it is for Arab Fest, I don't know of any streets that are closed to traffic, much less a major street like Warren Avenue.

Dear Wondering.....My Lord…do you people NOT read what I said? Do you pick and choose just some of the words? Or, is your reading comprehension just that bad? I said that no other event in the city of Dearborn shuts down Michigan Ave, Warren, or any other street for 3 days. Homecoming is not meant to celebrate ANY ethnicity! It is what the name implies…a homecoming of al current residents and past residents. But, anyone can have a tent there, whether it be Arab, Polish, Italian, or any other. Many of the ethnic clubs do have a tent their for fundraising purposes mainly. It is open to all. You seem to be arguing the same point as I am…you say “Why can't there be an "Arab" tent at Homecoming instead of a 3-day carnival in the middle of the street? My point exactly…how could you miss that? I don‘t believe the festival should be blocking any street for 3 days. And where d you get that I said anything about streets being blocked off for Homecoming? I said, very clearly, that streets ARE NOT blocked off for any other multiple days event. So please, in the future, reads what people say. I am not presenting some sort of technical thesis here with very technical jargon. Read, comprehend, and then reply!

My Lord…do you people NOT read what I said? Do you pick and choose just some of the words? Or, is your reading comprehension just that bad? I said that no other event in the city of Dearborn shuts down Michigan Ave, Warren, or any other street for 3 days. Homecoming is not meant to celebrate ANY ethnicity! It is what the name implies…a homecoming of al current residents and past residents. But, anyone can have a tent there, whether it be Arab, Polish, Italian, or any other. Many of the ethnic clubs do have a tent their for fundraising purposes mainly. It is open to all. You seem to be arguing the same point as I am…you say “Why can't there be an "Arab" tent at Homecoming instead of a 3-day carnival in the middle of the street? My point exactly…how could you miss that? I don‘t believe the festival should be blocking any street for 3 days. And where d you get that I said anything about streets being blocked off for Homecoming? I said, very clearly, that streets ARE NOT blocked off for any other multiple days event. So please, in the future, reads what people say. I am not presenting some sort of technical thesis here with very technical jargon. Read, comprehend, and then reply!

"Dear Wondering.....My Lord…do you people NOT read what I said?"

Actually "this people" typically doesn't read more than the first line or so of your posts before moving on. If you weren't so full of yourself, you would have seen the little quoty thingies and realized I was quoting AC. I didn't even read your posts on this subject.

Reading comprehension, indeed.

AC....Zionism...definition: "The national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel. Has come to include the development of the State of Israel and the protection of the Jewish nation in Israel." Your Zionist comment can mean nothing but your disdain for the Jewish people. And, define terrorism? Ok...how about what happened on 9/11? How about what happened at Fort Hood? What about what happened in Bengahzi? What about the beheading of Daniel Pearl? What about 26 February 1993 – World Trade Center bombing, in New York City. 6 killed. India 13 March 1993 – 1993 Bombay bombings. Mumbai, India. 257 dead, 713 injured.
Israel 6 April 1994 – Afula Bus suicide bombing, Afula. 8 deadIsrael 13 April 1994 – Hadera bus station suicide bombing, Hadera. 5 dead. Israel 19 October 1994 – Dizengoff Street bus bombing, Tel Aviv. 22 dead. Algeria 24 December 1994 – Air France Flight 8969 hijacking in Algiers by 3 members of Armed Islamic Group of Algeria and another terrorist. 7 killed including 4 hijackers. Israel 24 July 1995 – Ramat Gan bus 20 bombing, Ramat Gan. 6 dead. Add to this the ad infinitum list of those teens and preteens that have blown up countless innocents with bombs strapped to the chest? Need more..I can go on and on.Do you really need more of a lesson on what terrorism is...or Zionism? Please, educate yourself!

AC...Yes, spoken like what appears to be the true extreme Islamist and anti-everything American person you must be. You can't dispute the facts and figures in your weak and pathetic response, so yes, as it was so predictable that you would do, you spew some undue and untrue hatred and against the very government that has given you freedom and protection each and every day. You should be ashamed, but the REAL SHAME IS THAT YOU ARE NOT.