the line

where is the fine line between patriotism and bigotry? when did america cease to be a land of "freedom and justice for all" and begin to be a land of "freedom and justice for people we deem cool", "freedom and justice for white christians", or "freedom and justice for people we agree with"?? the backlash that has been going on equality and begin to symbolize hatred and white supremacy much like the confederate flag symbolizes. i fear that we will allow anger and terror to take over our nation and that we will strike back a thousandfold against millions of innocent people. i fear the death and destruction of a population in afghanistan that has been toward arab-americans is totally out of line. shots were fired at a mosque in the city where i work. i fear that the american flag will cease to be a symbol of freedom and completely oppressed and ignored: the women and children. under taliban rule, women may not get an education or see a male doctor. this seems minor until you realize that without an education women cannot become doctors. afghan women are totally denied medical protection, as well as fundamental basic needs. it is these people i fear for in any retaliation. we must not stoop to the level of killing thousands of innocents as the terrorists, whomever they may be, have done.

win the war in the hearts of arab children

the war we must fight should not be fought with guns and bombs and death. yes, a few people need to die in order to ease the minds of many americans. however, it should be an assassination or an execution, not an atomic bomb or full-out war. innocent children should not be among the lives lost. the children seen celebrating in the streets of jerusalem must not be blamed for anything. they are just that, children. children believe whatever their parents tell them, and their parents are anti-u.s. for reasons which the kids cannot comprehend, but accept nonetheless. what needs to be done is for the united states to take a more neutral position in the middle east conflict and to provide monetary and supply-based aid, not guns and bombs, to both sides. a solution must be possible. and, if the united states is able to find peace for these people, perhaps we can change the minds and hearts of a generation of children. this is where any retribution must be directed - at educating and informing young ones, not at murdering them.