I was watching a special on PBS tonight when I could not sleep. It was called America at the Crossroads. This episode was according to the description "Dissonance and Harmony" Arabic Music Goes West" A documentation of the challenges presented in life after 9/11. This group of people from America, one that grew up in Cairo Egypt because his father worked for the American embassy, they went to different countries in the middle east, Egypt, Baghdad, Lebanon, Jordan etc. to find musicians that were willing to come to America and collaborate with American musicians and develop a song about what life is like in their country. Then it was said! "In the middle east you cannot dream about the future because no one knows what it will be." That saddened me. These people have not killed anyone nor have they done any harm to the Americans or coalition forces. These musicians want to make a change in the world and the perspective that Americans have of that part of the world. They are rebels. We in this country think that all middle easterners are out to get us and we must kill them or be killed by them. When that is so far from the truth. Sure there are extremists in every country. Look in the mirror! We had Timothy Mcvay who blow up the Federal building in OK City, or the kids at Columbine high school that killed all those innocent kids and adult! They were home grown terrorist! After watching this documentary I realized what I always believed to be true. These musicians that came here from the middle east are mostly young adults. They want to change the world and let Americans know that not everyone there are bad. They are the ones that are going to change the climate of the world. Help us understand that they are not all bad, and let us know that there are people there that want to change our perspective of that part of the world.
One man said that during Saddam's reign he was banned from television and threatened with death. After Saddam he was then able to share his music again. It's beautiful. All of the artists music conveyed a message to the American people that they too are human and want peace and harmony too.
Our country has a trend of automatically judging people from the middle east as evil and out to get us, but these young people are not. We need not to be so quick to formulate judgments against them, and be willing to be open to new thoughts about them. They want to live a life of peace, harmony, and freedom just like us but in their own country.
When I hear them speak of not being able to dream about the future it touches my heart. Do they not deserve the chance to have a future? To dream? To be free? To love God the way we do? Yes! they absolutely do!!
I am sure I will get back lash from this but it is US that have no right to storm into their country and tell then how to run their government. To occupy their land.
Let me be clear I do think we have justification to be in Afghanistan but NOT Iraq. ( ducking all the things being thrown at me for that statement.) That is MY opinion and I live in a country that allows that and will not torture or kill me for speaking it. I love my country and am grateful to live here it is just the fist we hail at others for not doing it OUR way is wrong.
EVERYONE deserves the chance to dream of their future and the possibilities it holds for them. Tolerance is what we need to teach our children. Not to tolerate hate but to tolerate differences in other humans. The young adults in the middle east will be the ones to bring about the change that is needed there. Just like the young adults here in our own country will be the power house of change we need. I am not talking about just the elections I am talking about the years to come as they come into their own. Not all middle Eastern people are bad. Actually many are great people that want a different life. However, the news only reports on the "bad guys". What about the good things there?
I commend these musicians for going against the grain in their countries to help promote change. The rebellion it takes to do it even if their own live is in danger because of it. They believe it can happen.
DO YOU! I for one do!
