Thursday, July 20, 2006

Americans and the War Coverage...!

I spent a year and a half in the United State in Washington DC. The last place I want to be in during this war. I was avoiding the idea of going to the States but because of the same reasons that make me avoide it and because I got a good opportunity for education, I decided to go. I have taken so many sessions by the American agency that was responsible for taking us to the United States on Culture Shock, and American Cultural orientation. They gave us almost all kinds of information about this dramatic change that wel would be facing when leaving the Palestinian Trritories going to the U.S.. There was no problem in dealing with all that....I was alienated..Because I was in a place where people talk a lot (A LOT) about my problems and my area's political situation....Without relating to any of those....
I wished they knew nothing, I wished they didn't recognize where I am form...
When asked where I am form...I would say " I am Palestinian" so that I wont go so fast into the debate of whether Palestine as a state exists or not..
That wasn't the problem, however, there was a great need for people recently coming to the US to update the Americans and even the Arab community about the current situation. This is alienation. You are part of the discussion, many wants you (me) to talk, but they are so irrelevant with their percpective and their basic knowledge of events their comments or questions can be sometimes harsh and disrespectful. This, of course, doesn't apply to all experiences. There were many people who were very aware of the injustice going on in the territories.

News in America ...Doesn't tell you what happened to Palestinians..It only does when there are internal problems and when they are "terrorists" which is the "expected role" by most of the American audience.
My home in Gaza. (my parents' house) was under attack one night...By F-16, while I was in Washington DC. Thankfully it was the backyard...No losses in lives. There were several people killed that day...And I woke up 7 hours ahead of Gaza local time, turned on the TV and tried to see any newscast in the three or four channels i get through my basic digital service, nothing was there...Nothing.
I couldn't be Ok..And say, well, it has been like that, why am I surprised..? I talked to many people that

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