HBO Film and Snow Day

This week we had Monday off due to snow storm so we had an assignment to do. The HBO film regarding the Isareli/Palestinian issue was really interesting and entertaining. I honestly have never really watched a documentry like this before. It was a little hard to watch at times because I was angry at the fact that these mothers are both missing something. Although the suicide bomber killed the other teenage girl beause of purpose she thought she should believe in, her mother felt differently and did not agree with her suicide bomber daughter. Although one a killer and one a victim, both girls can be looked at as victims. Victims of their own misconceptions. I think when looking at this Middle Eastern issue it is crucial to understand what this conflict is really about. Today in class we discussed how this conflict is a political issue, not a religious fight as alot of people assume it is. I also found it interesting that alot of students confuse this rather modern conflict with something that has been "going on for thousands of years." I think alot of students make this mistake and it is most likely because of the way the United States teaches and portrays Middle Eastern history. Whenever we learned about the region in middle school it would be like a blur of issues and some how it all rounded in "A fight over the Holy Land and Religion." Todays class cleared some of this confusion up for me and it was helpful to really state what the issue is. I am glad we are learning about more modern Ottoman Empire and other civilizations bcause it seems like it will all relate to something I may be more familiar with. I am excited to start reading "Bastard of Istanbul" over the break, maybe I will read about some of my Armenian heritage or something.