With how often the U.S. insists on being involved with international affairs, it is no surprise that the image the world has of us is hard to pin down. Are we among the best educated in the world, or the worst? Are we the most open-minded thinkers, or the least?
Unfortunately, the answer is probably both. America is an enormous country and, especially in modern times, everyone has a voice.
We as Americans may be free to say almost anything we want thanks to our First Amendment rights, but that does not guarantee that what is said will be rational or even coherent.
Just remember that opinions are unavoidable. Even if you don’t feel strongly about anything involving the Arabic population in the U.S. or the Middle East, that in itself is an opinion.
As Americans, the best thing we can do to form a fair opinion of our Middle Eastern friends is to learn more.
For example, when asking a Saudi Arabian student what he or she thinks of America’s involvement in Syria, keep in mind that two other countries separate Syria and Saudi Arabia. Sure, the Saudi Arabian could give you an opinion, but it would be like asking a Tennessee resident what he thinks of Arkansas: he may not have even been there before.
The point is there is no harm at all in allowing ourselves to become aware of Middle Eastern culture. Especially since we can’t turn on the TV without seeing something related to that part of the world these days.
Think of how beneficial it would be to know what countries surround Syria and how they will be affected by America’s decision to attack. Think of how Americans commonly misunderstand the difference between a Muslim and a terrorist based entirely on the fact that Americans generally don’t know Islamic law.
We at The Pacer believe that no race is inherently evil. Does America have enemies in the Middle East? Of course it does. Is the entire Middle East our enemy? No, don’t be ridiculous.
Over a decade has passed since 9/11. At this point prejudice against Middle Eastern people can no longer be considered paranoia, but racism. We know, it’s a strong, overused word, but an entire continent of people being blamed for what a small extremist group did is beyond justifying.
