we are not much different

Submitted by Taj (United States), Jul 28, 2009 at 08:00

I was contemplating Pipes' last question about maintaining distance from ghastliness as he attempts to generalize Middle Eastern life - although I know plenty of Middle Easterners who don't live as such.

Then I remembered video of people beating and torturing a homeless man to death in Florida, the countless kidnap, torture, and murder of children throughout our country, the recent killing of Vernon Forest over the contents of his wallet (mind you, shot in the back as he walked away). I remember Jeffery Dahmer who ate his victims, and the recent conviction of televangelist for interstate transport of minors for sex.

Want the relative of prominent leaders? How about the son of an ex mayor (Cleveland) for killing his mother?

On second thought, I'd say too often ghastliness can be found in our own backyard - makes one silly for generalizing a whole other culture as if we are somehow different...

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