I decided to write this blog entry because of being tired.

I became tired with the confusion and unnecessary prejudice that has often accompanied discussions about Arabs, and in particular Arab Americans in recent years.

Earlier today I was listening to a talk radio show. This show is one I normally am in agreement with, in terms of its goals, message, and viewpoint of the host.

This particular airing threw me though.

A discussion was going on about the very dishonest, disingenuous, and American-loathing New York Times.

A show caller came on the air sharing that the "bad guys", i.e. in her words "Muslims, Iraqis, 'terrorists' and Arabs" were some how en league with said bad newspaper.

I am really not sure how she made the leap; apparently this lady was a Jewish American, not sure if she was a Messianic Jew, to claiming "Arabs" are, broad-spectrum "bad guys".

But that kind of dumb and unclear talk can make me pretty upset.

I suppose it's kind of understandable her making the connection between "Muslims" because some very zealous Muslims have taken their cause out on our great land. And, even then, it's probably not particularly fair to the good and decent Muslim people who love our land. And I can understand here mentioning "those people" and throwing in Iraqis.

But what I do not understand is how this gal, probably walking in a mindset not too far from a lot of people out there who just don't know much better, could make the leap and connection between "Arabs" and "bad guys".

Add to this the fact that our never-really-fully-honest news media often portrays Arabs as crazy hysterical moaning weepy cases (the poor, understandably grief-struck wailing women we often see in the news), or wacky death-loving people bent on making ruining this land their mission with the goal of however many girls they acquire in the Muslim's idea of Heaven.

One hardly ever sees fair, sane, cultured or honest portrayals of Arabs or Arab Americans.

All we might see are politicians or political types schmoozing with Germans or Europeans, towards what some call a very Muslim zed E.U., which is often dubbed "Londonistan".

Talking about terrorism and these topics has got to be on my least happy discussion of writings or talks, not just because a lot of good and decent people get misjudged or misunderstood, but because almost everything it has to do with is either tragic, controversial, lethal or depressing.

And I will not lie and pretend I have any deep intimate understanding of what it's like to be Black.

Obviously, Arabs today may not have had the pain, both regionally and as a nation in history that Black American's have.

My dear Husband is part Latin American and has seen and lived prejudice up close with a tan skinned Mother. So, of course, through them, and having grown up in the suburbs of an inner city, I get some of the idea and feeling of the pain and disadvantage misjudgments bring.

But, and I have not taken any survey or Arab Americans to know, I just get the strong impression that Arabs, along with, recently probably lots of folks of Latin extraction, just with our borders and all, are being woefully misrepresented, and misunderstood as a whole.

I hear stories about young Arabic college girls being frisked like common criminals, and I understand the national concern for safety no matter, or almost, no-matter-what. And I do not think myself particularly left-leaning or not patriotic or one picking at gnats here in making, what some might call, a fine point. It is still a real point.

My Father, the same man who introduced me to hummus and pita bread, and the culture that's half of me, waxed prosaic about his deep love for his land even as a little boy.

"DON'T DO THAT TO MY FLAG!!!" he kept saying

"STOP DOING THAT TO MY FLAG!!!"

And then last year a casual visit to a chat room had an anonymous visitor ask me "How I like my people cooked" when I shared I was half Arab American.

These are the vicious stereotypes that one must fight against.

These are the pockets of anger and indignation, mixed with ignorance that give birth to true hate in a nation.

Of course, that very nice Italian American radio show producer, who I normally strongly agree with, felt I should kick back and not take such a comment so hard.

I suppose he was not Arab enough to see my point. But, do you? Though I still think well of the guy.

Can anyone see that a "Conservative" voice can still see dangerous discrepancies in discussions like this?

I recall the ever clear voice of my dark-haired late Aunt’s singing glowing renditions of "God Bless America" at our large family parties, when I was a child.

In my mind and to the memories in my heart, I can only refrain "God Bless America, indeed"

P.Lynn©2006