Rob Daoud
Robin Jamal Daoud
26 Jun 1955 - 05 Jan 1993
Clubs & Associations
Quick Facts
- co-founder of Midnight Squares
- founder of the Castro Folk Dancers
In Their Own Words
Racist Review
I was outraged to read the review of Not Without My Daughter in the February SF Bay Times. The movie, based on a true story, concerns an American woman's struggle to escape Iran with her daughter, after her Iranian-born husband tricks her into going there.
Your reviewer callously tossed in terms like "primitive and sadistic Arab milieus,” "to portray these Arab women in their chadors, translation of "Persian Arabic” and Arabic uniformity.” She does so with such a rudimentary disregard to the culture of the region as to dismiss all her future writings as irrelevant.
ARABS are not IRANIANS!!! IRANIANS are not ARABS! ! They are two completely different people, and are not related. They do share the Islamic religion, but that’s like confusing Italians and Filipinos because they are both Catholic.
Granted, the Arab culture shares many traits with Iran, with both having strong Islamic beliefs. There are also many Japanese who follow Islam, yet there was no contusion by your author in that regard. Maybe it's because all dark swarthy types must be of the same race.
If her intent was to express the stereotypes presented in the movie, why did she pick Arabs? Why didn’t she just call them all Lesbians? (...sadistic Lesbians. ..translating Persian Lesbian into English.) It’s about as accurate.
Your reviewer cannot be taken as a serious writer. Checking your information (or even staying awake in the movie) is the basic rule for responsible reporting. Accuracy is the most important part of a story, even at the expense of a deadline. Your reviewer has failed to provide your readers with that responsibility, and can't be believed in her future pieces.
By the way. there is no such thing as “Persian Arabic.” The Iranian language is called Farsi.
- Rob Daoud
- San Francisco
Editor’s note: Of course. Mr. Daoud is correct. Not Without My Daughter dealt with Iranians, not Arabs. Phrases in the review such as "sadistic Arab milieus" were not meant as descriptive of Arabs, but as commentary on how (actually Iranian culture) was portrayed in the film, intending to point out how easily Americans slip into racist stereotypes. The nature of our mistake reinforces that all the more. It also points out how little familiarity we really have with Mideast culture in this country—our reviewer and editors were all aware of the distinction prior to publication, but still failed to correct the review appropriately. We apologize for the error.[1]
Media Features
- All Around Sports Nut Wants to Beat the Deputies in Football Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco, CA) v.15 no.38 (19 Sep 1985), p.31
Obituary
Rob Daoud, Of Monterey, California, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family at The Hospice of the Central Coast in Monterey.
Rob was a graduate of California State University at San Francisco. He was a computer programmer and systems analyst with Pacific Bell. During the late '70's and early '80s, Rob was fondly remembered as a waiter at Without Reservations. Rob led a very active life and made many friends easily, with his charm, sense of humor, and striking looks. He was an avid sports fan and played on both the Gay Football League and Softball League. He loved dancing, especially Country and Western, and folk dancing. The Castro Folk Dancers were founded by Rob several years ago, and this group is still flourishing.
He is survived by his parents, Albert and Lila Daoud; three brothers, Alan, Mark, and Samir, all of Monterey.
We'll miss you, Rob.[2]
Remembrances
I don't know exactly when Rob died, but I think it was the late '80's (or very early '90's). Unfortunately, the people who knew him best (including his boyfriend at the time, Ken Weisinger) are also gone, but it's possible Steve Browning or Mick Sheppard might remember, and I know a couple of old-timers from Rob's folk group; I'll check with them.
Rob was a fun, creative guy, and an excellent source of insider gossip about the Foggy City Squares Performance Team during the Skip Barrett Reign of Terror. He didn't have much interest in Challenge level dancing, so by 1984 he was already moving away from square dancing and putting his energy into his new baby, the gay folk dance group. I'm attaching a photo of Rob, from the Midnight Squares group photo taken at the 1983 Golden State Roundup.
— Russ King [3]
Rob Daoud, along with "East Bay" Richard Tuck, was one of the two co-founders of Midnight Squares; he was also a member of the Foggy City Squares Performance Team, and choreographed the Midnight Squares six-couple performance piece at the 1983 Reno Rodeo Country Dance Festival, an event that preceded the first IAGSDC Convention in 1984. (Steve Browning has it on videotape; I have a copy.) Rob did most of the teaching in the early days, while Richard was the primary "moneybags." Rob also founded a gay folk dance group which met for a long time at EVCR, and which eventually became his primary focus of interest before his early death from AIDS.
— Russ King [4]
Memorial Panel
- 1LL | Midnight Squares
Photos
At Golden State Roundup, 1983
Obituary (Bay Area Reporter)
AIDS Memorial Quilt Block 2994
