Laura - 2005-07-10 20:52:58
Well, this was my first visit to your blog (and I LOVE your opening quote by the way, we are dog-people), but I very much appreciated your deep, weighty post, which put into words thoughts I have had many a time and which greatly disturb me.

beth maher - 2005-07-11 11:16:35
One of my best friends in high school was a Muslim girl who wore a headscarf. She loved hip-hop, everything British, the colour yellow and her religion. A few weeks ago I bumped into her in the subway and I thanked her for making sure that my conception of Muslim people was not coloured by the events that were to take place immediately after I left high school. No one believes me when I say that Islam is a peaceful religion, like pretty much every religion is. Death and destruction is never condoned except by those that wield it. What's important to remember, at every turn is that these are people. Real people. Human beings. Reach out. Find a way to connect to these people. Your mind will be changed, and maybe those who would choose to destroy us will in turn be changed. Their jihad relies on our fear.

Courtney - 2005-07-11 13:28:54
I know exactly how you feel. My husband is Indian and when we go out with his family, I watch as others try and decipher what nationality they are and if they should be afriad. I feel particulary ashamed for the looks I give people who are brown when I am on any form of public transportation. I think posts such as yours (that let many people know others are trying to oversome these feelings )are an important step to try and prevent group racism based on the actions of such a few.

Lar - 2005-07-11 16:49:05
Thinking along in the same vein: We just rented Hotel Rwanda and once again I'm struck with the kind of hatred that says just because you were born across the border, or look different, or your nose is longer, or (fill in the blank)....you don't deserve to live. I don't understand that kind of hatred be it in Africa or Bosnia or even in the US.

katie d - 2005-07-11 18:04:55
I think you are very good at the weighty post. I understand preferring to write about Gilmore Girls and fluffy bunnies...I would actually rather, as well. I hate that I have gotten sucked down the path of weighty ruminations, especially when mine are so angry and much less thoughtful or thought-provoking. Yours are much, much better. You underestimate your communication skills. That being said, if you don't want to write them anymore, then fluffy bunnies of the world, UNITE! ;) kd

sarah - 2005-07-11 23:49:56
i consider myself unimaginably lucky not to have been born into a country or society who's whole history has been speckled with war, genocide, inequality, or invasions by alien cultures. I too am confused and sickened by the ability and compulsion to harm others. But as I'm sure we are all aware, it goes two ways. I am also a five-foot nothing, English speaking white woman, and I imagine there's a five-foot nothing, Arabic speaking woman, sitting somewhere in the world right now, writting a very similar post... from the flip side.

Detlef - 2005-07-12 05:06:12
A complex and confused world cannot be explained in simple terms (despite whatever spin politicians may wish to put on the subject). Increasing one's own knowledge about issues is one way of defeating ignorance and that must be good a thing for at the very least it means one person is better informed. Rest assured your efforts to understand the problem are a part of the solution and not part of the problem.

beth maher - 2005-07-12 11:12:44
Hmmm... Maybe I should have mentioned that I think you are totally doing the right thing, and that expressing these thoughts here, and being vocal about what you think is really great (to second what everyone else has said, as it was my original intent before I got carried away).

otter - 2005-07-15 22:33:29
O! Wee! I don't see how you can say you aren't good at this. I am sitting here with tears rolling down my face reading your post. I do adore you so.

karos - 2005-07-15 22:44:37
Oh but love, you are very good at writing like this. You may not want to do it all the time, but I'm glad you do. I'm also glad that, even if you have the thoughts that so many have, you are self-aware enough to analyze your thought processes like this. Unfortunately, I think it's a minority of people that come to the conclusions that you did regarding rejecting the seeds placed by fearmongers.

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