Here in the United States most people hate middle eastern people now. People from Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afganistan. The idea that they are the worst and most evil race on the planet. Do you think this is an american point of view or is it the same around the world.

Personally, I fear Muslims & Islam. They scare the heck outta me and I'd hate to be lost and trapped in a Muslim country. Still, don't you think that many of these people are just misundestood? I was watching Rebel without a cause the other day, with Dean. He's the outcast, outlaw and overall guy around the block, but he's actually a pretty good guy, just misunderstood due to his beliefs and religions.

So the questions to Americans, do you fear fellow middle eastern looking people and try to avoid them? or do you treat them the same as everyone else. Note that this is not a racist thread, just an eye opener for american society. I know that after 911 everyone has hating on muslims and such, so I wonder if it still holds true today.

As a people, do middle easterns want to be good people or prefer to be warriors and fight over land and power? And if so, why haven't we, as Americans accepted their differences and do we still believe that they can be turned into democratic people. discuss.

'Here in the US most people hate middle easterners'.
Jed. Stop that. Stop making sweeping generalizations without specific data backup.
America is a melting pot. Bet your parents didn't come over on the Mayflower or were American Indians.

Sometimes Jed......sigh.

Well I'm Australian, not American, but I'm going to respond anyway...

Middle-easterners are no different to any other race in the world in that most people just want to get on with life, feed their family, enjoy life for what it is, and not get sucked into "big issues". I've spent some time in the Middle-East, and the majority of people I met were fantastic. In fact, the hospitality offered was significantly better than a middle-easterner can expect if they visited the west. In fact I'd go so far as to say better than what a westerner would get if they visited another western country.

There are issues. I don't agree with radical interpretations of the Koran, but then again I don't agree with radical interpretations of the Bible either. Also, while 9/11 was a terrible thing, let's not forget that Timothy McVeigh was responsible for the Oklahoma bombing. So you really can't generalise and hate an entire race of people based on the action of a few, otherwise you'll have to do the same for your own people.

One final thought. Just because a person is middle-eastern doen't mean they are muslim. Heck, even Iran has a (albeit small) percentage of the population that is jewish, and more who are christian. Same in Iraq. Even some of Saddam's ministry were Christian. You really do seem to be generalising. It is tough to see past the exterior, and you aren't alone. I probably wouldn't go back to Iraq anytime soon, but would have no problems going to other parts of the middle-east. We're all less different than we think.

when 911 happened , I bought it Hook Line and Sinker...
I hated Muslims after that.... I admit it...

It was not until the summer 2004 that I took the red pill and WOKE UP.
the very first thing that started my new journey into the truth
was a 6 hour David Icke interview on the Newfoundland news station on tv .
I do not agree with EVERYTHING he said but....WOW.....what a wake-up call .

after that ,a bit of alex jones, george galloway, ron paul, sprinkle on some loose change
and a number of other sources and like magic...you start
to WAKE UP.. congratulations.. YOU TOOK THE RED PILL

No hate from me here...not any more
the red pill cures the hate...it really does
its a good pill but its not F.D.A APPROVED...he he

well, my brother in law drives a cab. he's an iranian. he told me that he's afraid of crossing to mexico and going to the airport because he's been treated like a terrorist. he has told me personally, that people don't like him anymore because of the way he looks. I'm in california, and maybe it's different here in the US than other places. but the overrall feel I get from talking to middle easterns is that they are not liked anymore. that everyone is against them.

but the question is, are they natural born fighters or really good people. because i've seen kids from iran holding guns when they are 7. cutting heads off, sleeping with 9 year old and the whole islam laws are scary to americans. I just want to know if any of you feel the same or am I just seeing red?

I really don't even know where to begin here so I will just say this.

Please do not include "most Americans" or "all Americans" in your words, I can only speak for myself hear when I say that you do not speak for me.

Americans have a hard enough time fending off stereotypes as it is....this type of rhetoric does none of us a bit of good



[edit on 6/25/08 by BlackOps719]

Okay, I am not an American (see signature) but i will give my view anyway.

Like a poster above, I have travelled extensively across the world including some parts of North Africa, true not on business but as a tourist. Included in my 'world tour' are some Islamic nations - Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey. In my experience the majority of peoples from whatever country, race, religion, ethnic background etc etc just want to get on with their daily mundane lives just like we do in the west. They just want the same things we do. Everyday life is hard enough without 'conjuring up' other problems.

I have several friends who are Muslims, mostly Turkish, Pakistanis or Philipinos. They are hard working, honest and dammed friendly, probably more friendly than a lot of my white/british/christian neighbours I know. Only once did I ever feel threatened by a 'native', whilst I was on holiday in Tunisia, but it was my fault, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time ...... and that can happen even in your own town or country.

I have spoken to my Muslim friends on many occasion about world politics and of religious zealotism and they are of a pretty much same frame of mind as we are. The few spoil things for the many. Christ, there have been times when I feel embarrassed to be British whilst abroad - Football (soccer) hooligans and the loudmouthed boozed up Europests who always seem to wear football shirts whilst abroad. I tend to avoid them - thank goodness i hate football - (Tip here - Always stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel, it tends to cut out the Europests).

Haha, I can remember once, when I was on holiday in Florida staying with an ex-pat (now ex-brother-in-law) who had been in Florida for years. I sort of wandered off the beaten track a bit, to which I later found out was not a nice place to be in and there were some characters lurking around of very dubious character nearby. I sort of had that feeling that I should'nt really be there. Anyway, I just went up to the nearest group and said that I was British and on holiday and that i was kind of lost, could you please point me in the right direction (my missus was nearly peeing herself at this point in fear). To my relief the group started up a conversation about the US and UK and the differences in language, customs, lifestyle etc and walked me to a 'safe area'. Not only that, they told me that I had been in a bad area and politely warned not to go there especially after dark. When i told my ex-brother-in-law this, he went crazy and for the rest of the holiday he drove us everwhere.

At the end of the day, there is good and bad in all parts of the world, but mostly i would say they are good.

If you take experiences into consideration of people going on holiday in one of these countries and being mugged of harassed, then it would be prudent to also listen to some of the absolute horror stories adventurous tourists experience in cities like NYC or LA.

Natives of these cities know full well that there are places you should never go, they know very well there are area's where the chance of you being mugged, rapped or killed are 99.9999%.

If you go and look at it like that, the US is actually among the more dangerous places for an adventurous tourist to go.

If you don't look at those bad sides, and look at hospitality and kindness of the general people, middle eastern nations simply OWN the western worlds behind in that respect.

When I went to Lebanon recently, the region I was in was still in semi ruins after the systematic devastation the Israeli army wrought there during the invasion. Life is hard there, food is hard to come by, people owning an actual roof to sleep under is considered a luxury still.

We ran out of gas smack in the middle of probably the worst part of town and before we got out of the car people were already asking if they could help.

While they sent someone to get a can of gas for us, they invited us into their shelters and offered us tea and food.

Even under the #ty circumstances they had to live under, these people were friendly, kind, hospitable and could still laugh and enjoy themselves.

An hour later they got back with a can of gas, which they didn't want a penny more then market price for and sent us on our way.

And in the west, we are bitching and moaning about 4$ a gallon (8 and more over here in Europe) and just about everything else, while we eat, drink, sleep and live in utter luxury.

Screw anyone who sais these people are evil.
Just by saying that in your utter ignorancy, you represent the purest of evil.

Originally posted by jedimiller

but the question is, are they natural born fighters or really good people. because i've seen kids from iran holding guns when they are 7.

So?

Here in America I've seen plenty of kids with guns at the age of 7. Everything from toy guns to double barrel shotguns. Some of them are very good shots too. Does that mean you're afraid of Americans now?

The people of the middle east are like the people of Russia, of China, of America, of Australia, of Canada, of Mexico, and so on. Most of them just want to live their life, be happy, and enjoy it.

Yea, there's a few radicals out there. There's also radical christians who bomb abortion clinics. There's radical environmentalists who blow up SUVs.

You should judge a group of people based on how the majority of that people act, not on how the radical minority do.

Nice replies so far, I'm happy.

Peace to you all.