I began the “Druze Profile: Perceptions and Prospects, Druze Value System” shortly after I had written the “History of the Druze in the United States.”  My mind was fresh with the faces of many of those dear people, the first immigrants to come to the United States, and their wonderful values and manners.  They were a different breed, as if they came from another planet.  I had to recapture that glorious moment in our Druze Community in the United States.  Thus, A Druze Profile was born !
To tell the story of the Druze in the United States is not enough for one to understand the culture of the Druze.  In the Druze Profile, I tell the culture of the Druze as they are practiced in their countries from where they hailed, and how these acts and traditions are instilled in the Druze in North America.
I do not concentrate on any single aspect of the Druze legacy in the Druze Profile, but I do attempt to cover the widest possible range of themes, the better to bring out the Druze ethos as understood by the Druze themselves and as perceived by others. Some of my contribution to this endeavor is a compilation of stories that I felt would best put forth the real culture and philosophy of the Druzes, and how they have been carried over to the lives of the American Druze.  Thus, the persons whose lives I most wanted to recognize are that American Druze who are role models for Druzes everywhere – as a Druze and as an American. The well known Casey Kasem, as well as Salwa Roosevelt are among the role models in the Druze Profile.
 
CASEY KASEM
Casey Kasem (born Kemal Amin Kasem on April 27, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American  radio personality and  voice actor. Casey Kasem has been counting down musical hits for millions of fans for the last 25 years. Currently he can be heard on “Casey’s Top 40 with Casey Kasem,” “Casey’s Countdown,” “Casey’s Hot 20” and his five minute program, “Casey’s Biggest Hits.” His trademark trivia teasers—which he developed in 1954 -- are now a familiar part of “American Top 40” and are a standard in the radio industry. Young Kemal Amen Kasem, the son of Lebanese Druze parents, dreamed of becoming a baseball player but instead wound up a high school sports announcer. His easy going style and crackling voice has since taken him to the very top of his profession. Over the years, he’s done countless voiceovers for commercials and cartoons, has made guest appearances on dozens of television shows, has hosted many specials including the Annual American Video Awards and his own televised musical countdowns, and has co hosted Jerry Lewis’ Labor Day Telethon since 1981. Well-known for supporting a great number of philanthropic causes which have taken him around the world, award-winning Casey is the consummate humanitarian. He maintains a high profile on the charity circuit, and he is a spokesperson for anti-smoking, anti-discrimination, anti-alcohol abuse and drunk driving, vegetarianism, and much more. Together with his present wife, they have a sixteen year old daughter, Liberty, and Casey has three older children, Kerri, Michael and Julie from an earlier marriage.  

SALWA ROOSEVELT
Salwa Roosevelt, served  American diplomacy in the Reagan years, from the arbiter of official Washington society throughout the eighties. As America’s Chief of Protocol, she presided over state visits, oversaw the diplomatic corps, and traveled to summits.  Salwa “Lucky” Roosevelt came to be one of Washington’s power-brokers.

* As you read the Perceptions and Prospects, Druze Value System, you will see "End Notes' throughout which you can easily refer to by going to the "Reference List" page.