In the heart of Michigan’s Dearborn, a city council meeting turned into a firestorm last week when Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud lashed out at a local Christian man who dared to question new street signs honoring a controversial figure. Edward “Ted” Barham, a longtime resident, stood up to voice his worries, only to be branded unwelcome in his own hometown by the mayor himself.
The drama unfolded as Barham addressed the council about signs put up on Warren Avenue to celebrate Osama Siblani, the publisher of Arab American News. These weren’t city decisions—Wayne County handled the placement, as FOX 2 Detroit pointed out. Still, that didn’t stop the heated exchange from boiling over.
Barham kicked off his comments by introducing himself plainly: “Ted Barham, Dearborn resident.” He zeroed in on the renaming of two intersections after Siblani, calling it a step too far. His main gripe? Siblani’s alleged ties to extremist groups.
“He’s a promoter of Hezbollah and Hamas,” Barham declared, before diving into direct quotes from Siblani’s past statements. He recited: “He talks about how the blood of the martyrs irrigates the land of Palestine … whether we are in Michigan and whether we are in Yemen. Believe me, everyone should fight within his means. They will fight with stones, others will fight with guns, others fight with planes, drones, and rockets.”
To drive his point home, Barham likened the signs to slapping names like “Hezbollah Street or Hamas Street” on public roads. He called the whole thing “provocative” and emphasized his Christian faith as a call for harmony. Wrapping up, he invoked the words of Jesus: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Council members jumped in quick, trying to shut down what they saw as “personal attacks.” They hammered home that the city had zero say in the county’s choice. One member spelled it out: “The sign that was placed on Warren Avenue which is a County road and that was done by the Wayne County Executive.”
Barham wasn’t buying the dodge. He insisted that since the signs loomed over Dearborn streets, they affected everyone living there, city control or not. His stance kept the tension high in the room.
Then came Mayor Hammoud’s explosive response, leaving jaws on the floor. He suggested Barham avoid the road altogether: “The best suggestion I have for you is to not drive on Warren Avenue or to close your eyes while you’re doing it. His name is up there and I spoke at a ceremony celebrating it because he’s done a lot for this community.”
The mayor didn’t stop there. He hurled accusations, labeling Barham “a bigot, and you are racist, and you’re an Islamophobe.” The climax? Hammoud’s chilling words: “Although you live here, I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here. And the day you move out of the city will be the day that I launch a parade celebrating the fact that you moved out of this city.”
This blowup traces back to August, when Wayne County decided to honor Siblani with those street signs. The county commission gave the green light, bypassing the city council entirely. Hammoud and other officials even showed up for the big unveiling ceremony.
Efforts to get straight answers fell flat. Fox News Digital tried contacting Mayor Hammoud’s office and Siblani, but got crickets. Attempts to reach Barham by phone also hit a dead end.
Dearborn stands out as the U.S. city with the largest share of Muslim residents, a fact that often sparks clashes over culture and politics. This incident throws fuel on those fires, highlighting deep divides.
For everyday folks in Dearborn, the scene at City Hall raises red flags about leadership. Are officials tuning in to every citizen’s concerns, or just cherry-picking the ones that fit their agenda?
Barham’s push for peace as a Christian clashed head-on with the mayor’s defense of Siblani, exposing raw nerves in a community wrestling with its identity.
Stay tuned to the Fairview Gazette.
