Thanks, Josh

I appreciate the opposite viewpoint - the American media doesn't give it to us quite enough. When I was an undergrad and working at the college newspaper, the AP wire was very pro-Israel and we had a Middle East affairs section which came out every other week, with its own slant on the affairs - often the same story, different facts. These sections often came under attack by the large Jewish community at my school and I admit, many times I found these pages rather aggressive and militant myself. What I did learn though is that the pro-Israel slant, anti-Arab slant is very pre-dominant in the world.

Funny, I was having lunch with a classmate yesterday, who unlike me, was born in India. Very interesting to see how our viewpoints were different. I said that it was my believe that those who carried out this crime were a small group and the majority of Islam's followers do not believe in these kinds of things. He disagreed with me and said all Muslims and/or Arabs were like this. I asked about the ones who were citizens of this country or permenant residents - think of the Iranians who fled their country when the Shah was deposed. He insisted they were the same. I don't believe that.

Basically, a very interesting conversation with him and he was very candid, btw, about why native-born Indians do not care for Americans of Indian descent like me. It hurt, but at least he was honest with me. Like Josh's post points out, all points of view are valid and we just pick them ones we want to hear.