A little off topic, but....

I am currently taking a Modern Middle East history class, and it hit me recently, how much this history class relates to the issues we study in news and media. The War in Iraq (which I have yet to choose a side yet, because I feel like one shouldn’t take sides until being as knowledgeable as possible about a subject) brings Middle Eastern citizens into the media spot light all the time, and through stereotypes and misperceptions, our media shows the public a very biased side of the story. One of the required readings in my Middle Eastern class is "Baghdad Burning" a book compiled of blog entries from a twenty-something, middle class, college-educated, English speaking Iraqi woman, who gives the reader an inside look at her daily life and the destruction of her country since U.S. occupation.
I am ashamed to say, before I read this book, I was just like most Americans, who assume Middle Easterners are backwards, turbine-wearing, camel-riding, terrorists right? How can we think differently though, if these are the images that are always portrayed in the media? Luckily, I was exposed to this book and am now slightly less-ignorant than I once was. The blogger, who goes by "Riverbend" explains that most Iraqi's enjoy many of the things we do...the internet, Ipods, cell phones. They graduate from highly accredited Iraqi universities, and take jobs as computer engineers, doctors, lawyers, etc. In her book, the author works very hard to dispel the myths and misconceptions of her people. Most of them drive nice cars (not camels) go shopping, and live in neighborhoods with real houses and apartment complexes (not tents.) Iraq is also known for some of the most astounding architecture and bridges known to the modern world. Iraqis are not all extremist Muslims either. They are Muslim, Jewish, Christians, etc- a melting pot of cultures and religions just like the Unites States. And above all, after hundreds of years of imperial occupation, the Iraqi people are still anxiously hoping for a stable government that can be run Iraqi's themselves. Iraqi citizens are now dealing with their crumbled economy and deteriorated social structure, in a time where no one feels safe. They are people struggling to survive. Security is a thing of the past. BUT, Most people do not know these things because they are not shown in images or reports in the media!
Like I said, I know this is slightly off topic, but I saw the parallel and just felt the need to blog about it! I recommend this book to anyone who is in the least bit interested in the War and current situation in the middle East. It just goes to show, once again, the media is the master of creating stereotypes when it comes to race.