Interesting comparison

So does everyone remember how the Iraqis were portrayed by the media immediately after the war two years ago? When the media was showing "all" the Iraqis looting, the only image people worldwide could make of us was that of a barbaric people who could not restrain themselves unless there was a ruling fist over their heads. That image disturbed me at the time a lot...

But, today I saw an interesting thing happening...gave me flashbacks to media pictures of Iraq two years ago and I could not help but compare:

after the disastrous and tragic hurricane that hit three states in the U.S. the media was reporting looting in parts of New Orleans....hmmmm, now what are people in a first world country that happens to be the greatest power in the world doing looting their country men and women instead of lending them a helping hand?

By no means do I intend to insult anyone by this. I also know that some of you reading this post will be upset by it, but I have a point with all of this...different kinds of people exist everywhere...a looter is a looter whether he is American or Iraqi or whatever, and the same applies to an honest person. Decent people can be found worldwide even in the least expected places.

So, maybe this looting should teach us a small lesson that we should not judge a whole nation’s citizens based on the acts of a few…oh and also learn to pick and choose what to believe from what the media shows.

Just a thought that came to mind…

quick update

MCATs are over, done with, finito...that's all I have to say!!!

I feel a little bit more confident this time about my performance, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best...what's important at the moment is that I am finally a FREE person (for just a week at least and then I start the school year again )...it's a wonderful feeling and I sure am enjoying it:)

THE FOUR CANDLES

**The following piece is from the “Christian Thought” Iraqi magazine, which has been translated from Arabic by me.

Four candles were quietly burning. The wind was calm so that it was possible to hear their conversation. The first candle said: “I am Peace, but no one seems to be able to keep me lit forever, so I think I am going to be put out.” Then, its glow started getting dimmer until it completely extinguished.
The second candle said: “I am Faith, and I don’t find myself necessary anymore; there is not point of my staying lit any longer.” Just as it finished saying this, a strong wind blew and put the candle out.
The third candle sighed sadly and said: “I am Love and I don’t have the strength to stay lit, because people have placed me aside and don’t understand my importance anymore; they even forget to love the closest people to them.” So the third candle went out too.
Suddenly a little kid walked in and saw that the three candles were not lit. He asked them “why did you go out, weren’t you supposed to stay lit until the end?” and he broke into tears.
Just then, the fourth candle spoke and said: “don’t be sad my friend, because as long as I am lit I can light the other candles as well. I am Hope.” The kid’s eyes sparkled; he took the fourth candle, and with it he lit the other three candles- Peace, Faith, and Love!
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Hope is the most important thing in people’s lives; without it we would all wither away. Just as the story above shows, Hope has the power to restore the lacking aspects in our lives. This is why I am always praying that the Iraqis will keep their “Hope” candle lit and prevent any winds or other external factors from putting it out, because as long as we have our hope we will achieve our dreams no matter how impossible they seem.

**p.s. I am trying to keep my “hope” candle lit to maybe help me light my “intellect” candle next Saturday as I will be taking the MCATs again…I don’t know if it will work; there is a possibility that my “intellect” candle has been completely burnt out :)