Strange how the Arab world seems to be reacting to the backlash of American fundamentalism and racism. I am now a college student at the age of 19, in the years since the Twin Tower attack I've know many people of middle eastern decent who have faced racism but have refused to deal with the issue. The racism they faced varies quite a bit but in all cases the people have always in the end bought the view of the people who harm them more than those who do the harm.

When I was 17, just months after the twim tower attack , I worked as a peer counseler. From this I met with many muslims who fealt that there was something going on that they could not pinpoint. In one extreme case a young lady was raped by several white students at her highschool. This ws a horrible event and yet she concluded that she had not done enough to blend into American life. That she somehow should have left behind her Suadi Arabian traditions. In other cases the same conclusion of increased assimilation was always concluded.

Since then, I have met many and even at one point dated a girl from Palestine for a (short) time. Most, not all, have come to view themselves as a lower caste than white christians and jews but higher than blacks, hispanics and other native peoples. This self distructive trend saddens me . It is always terrible to see a people lead itself into an enevitable self destruction. Racism is a part of American life and to attempt to ignore it is the ultimate form of insanity.