A Year Later

So much has happened in the past year, so much in my life has changed. I am always inspired by the posts at "Jerusalem Wanderings", in fact her blog inspired me to create this one. And reading her posts today inspired me to return to this blog. I can't begin to fill her shoes. But I can share my own thoughts and perspectives.

I read many blogs from around the world. I think it's the best way for us to really know each other. Just sharing our day to day lives. Our frustrations, thoughts, opinions. It all started with "Where's Raed?" back during the invasion of Iraq. I followed that, then "A Family in Baghdad". I even spoke to Faiza by phone at one point.

These perspectives have helped me explore alternative ways of thinking. I was once a knee-jerk supporter of Israel. 'Those feisty Israelis standing up to their oppressors' was the way I looked back then. With the freedom of the Internet, I have sadly learned that just as we are often 'ugly Americans', the Israelis are often just as oppressive and prejudiced as their enemies. The more I've learned of their treatment of Palestinians, and the stories behind so much of what happened to create the state of Israel--the less I like.

The blogger of Jersualem Wanderings is very open-minded, and is actively working toward finding understanding and some sort of harmony among people of all faiths. I really admire that. Bearing in mind that we took this land of the United States away from the Native Americans, and treated them horribly---we have no right to judge.
On the other hand, you would hope that the people of the world would be more enlightened today than in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. You would hope the the Jews, the people who were 'given' a homeland because of so much persecution would be more enlightened in their treatment of others. What a sad reflection on the human race that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In any case, I'm back. Still me in the middle of America.