{"id":1805,"date":"2018-09-10T23:41:04","date_gmt":"2018-09-10T20:41:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/?p=1805"},"modified":"2018-10-14T02:21:40","modified_gmt":"2018-10-13T23:21:40","slug":"judge-sam-salamey-tough-on-crime-fair-with-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/judge-sam-salamey-tough-on-crime-fair-with-people\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"
Judge Sam Salamey is an immigrant, an Arab, a Muslim. But when he is on the bench, he says he only interprets the law to deliver blind justice. <\/strong>
\nHe says he is tough on crime, but he does take into consideration the details of each case and consider the humanity and circumstances of those standing before him.<\/strong><\/h6>\n
\n

By Rasheed Alnozili<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe Yemeni American News<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Chief judge<\/strong>
\nSalamey made history in 2012 when he became the first Arab American to be elected to the bench in Dearborn\u2019s 19th District Court, where he currently serves as the chief judge.<\/p>\n

Salamey immigrated to the US from Lebanon in 1974 at age 15. Despite the challenges, he earned a law degree and began working at Michael Berry\u2019s law firm and then went on to found his own practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have the passion, if you have the drive, if you have the willpower and you stay with it, eventually you get to achieve and become accomplished with whatever objective that you have,\u201d Salamey told the Yemeni American News.<\/p>\n

The journey<\/strong>
\nSalamey spoke of a \u201ctough journey\u201d to success and assimilation for immigrants in the US.
\n\u201cYou have to put in a lot of time, a lot of hard work, a lot of sweat and a lot of tears,\u201d he told YAN.
\nHe stressed the need for engagement in the wider community as necessary to becoming a part of the main fabric of the nation.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to become engaged in the community\u2019s activities, in the city\u2019s activities; you have to become an active participant in the decision-making process,\u201d Salamey said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to register to vote. You have to vote. You have to be always aware of your surroundings, of ways to improve and enhance the quality of life for your community and for your city and for the nation. You have to educate yourself about what\u2019s going on around you and how you can leave a print.\u201d<\/p>\n

Assimilation, however, can be done without losing one\u2019s identity, heritage and connection to the homeland, the judge continued.<\/p>\n

Salamey himself is an example of successful assimilating while maintaining the ties to his Arabic culture and Muslim faith. The judge is a board member for Leaders for Advancing and Helping Communities (LAHC), and he often frequents Muslim and Arab American community events.<\/p>\n

\u2018Soft and fair with people\u2019<\/strong>
\nAsked about some people\u2019s perception of him as a tough judge, Salamey said it is a natural human instinct for people who appear in front of the court to feel like the court was tough on them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome cases are tougher than others to decide; some cases are tougher than others to sentence. But I assure you that everyone who comes through this courtroom, who comes before me, is treated fairly without any prejudice or bias.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, he warned community members not to expect special treatment from an Arab American judge. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t work that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a system of justice, which may not be perfect at times, but I think it\u2019s the best system that is authored by man,\u201d Salamey said.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\n\u201cWe do not legislate from the bench; we only interpret the law. If someone breaks the law, they have to deal with the consequences of their actions. As far as being tough, yes, I am tough on crime, but soft and fair with people.\u201d
\nSalamey praised Dearborn police, saying that crime in the city is down 14 percent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have an active police department and a very active detective apartment. They are out there and they are catching criminals, who then go through the court system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The chief judge warned people against easily avoidable crimes, like driving on a suspended license or without insurance.<\/p>\n

Salamey stressed the importance of participating in jury duty, especially in the Arab community.
\n\u201cPerhaps one of the most noble things we can do is ask our citizens to serve on the jury.\u201d<\/p>\n

A message to young people<\/strong>
\nSalamey\u2019s message to the youth is to work hard and pursue their passions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways know there are no shortcuts to hard work. Invest time, hours, resources into your dream,\u201d he said. \u201cDo something that you have the drive and the passion to do and that will make you a happy person and a happy person makes everyone around them happy. \u201c<\/p>\n

He recalled his own difficulties in trying to get to college before owning a car.
\n\u201cI had to take classes starting at 11am because I couldn\u2019t get there any earlier. I had to catch a bus from Southend to Michigan and Schaefer, wait 30 minutes to take a second bus to what is now Fairlanes town center. I had to then walk to the college, in winter arriving as stiff as a stick.\u201d<\/p>\n

The judge said the Yemeni community has a special place in his heart for its passion and honesty.<\/p>\n

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