Kerry Kennedy Blasts Brother RFK Jr. Over Insult to Arabs

A salute to American human rights activist Kerry Kennedy, who has publicly rebuked her brother, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., following his claim that more than 500 million Arabs worldwide have failed to produce meaningful scientific or literary achievements.

Kerry described her brother's remarks as false, cruel, and insulting.

In a post on X, she wrote: "There was a time when I completely agreed with my brother; today, however, I feel deeply ashamed of him."

She recalled a 2016 statement by her brother warning against politicians exploiting bigotry, hatred, and xenophobia.

Kerry challenged his sweeping generalizations by highlighting the extraordinary contributions Arabs and Muslims have made to science, medicine, mathematics, and literature.

Among those she cited were scientist Omar Yaghi, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Egyptian scientist Ahmed Zewail, who won the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; and Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz, awarded the 1988 Nobel Prize in Literature.

She emphasized that race, religion, ethnic origin, and socioeconomic background do not determine intelligence, creativity, or a person's capacity to contribute to humanity.

Kerry concluded by expressing sympathy for everyone hurt by her brother's "false, cruel, and insulting remarks."

Her criticism comes amid widespread Arab and international condemnation of the American official's statements.

Michigan politician Abdul El-Sayed also delivered a sharp response to Kennedy, writing:

"To be fair, he's an expert on people who've never contributed anything to science."

https://x.com/AhmadRehanKhan/status/2116685166072471745?a=CRcukC_jjiTCmOBxZA8&s=20

I had the privilege of meeting the late Sen. James Abourezk (D-SD) in 1985. During our conversation, he told me about his December 1979 secret mission to Tehran, undertaken at the request of Sen. Edward Kennedy to help secure the release of American hostages. Kennedy was then challenging Jimmy Carter for the Democratic presidential nomination. Kennedy did ask Abourezk for a favor because he was running way behind Jimmy carter in poll.

There was another revealing episode. In late 1979, Abourezk sent a $100 contribution to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s congressional campaign in Massachusetts. However, Joseph Kennedy's campaign office returned the check. According to a campaign spokesman, an aide believed the contribution might be politically controversial because Abourezk, a Lebanese American, chaired the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which took a sympathetic position toward the Palestine Liberation Organization. In other words, an Arab American's contribution was apparently considered a political liability.

My friend Omar expressed the anger many Arabs feel in a Facebook post, arguing that Kennedy's remarks reflected profound ignorance of Arab history, culture, and civilization.

There is also a political price for such rhetoric. Just as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel have become liabilities for the Republican Party, Kennedy's remarks risk doing more damage to his party's prospects in 2028 than they would if he were outside the administration.

The irony is difficult to miss: 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. comes from a family whose legacy includes standing up against injustice and discrimination. Yet today, he is using a powerful public office to demean an entire people.

Arabs do not need Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s approval to establish their place in human history. Their contributions speak for themselves. What deserves an explanation is how someone holding such a powerful position can display so little respect for the people he is supposed to serve.

Mahmoud El-Yousseph is a Palestinian freelance writer and retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He writes about U.S. foreign policy, Middle Eastern affairs, and justice.