Anyone who hasn’t been living in total isolation for the last decade knows that the United States’ relations with many Islamic nations are strained and often tumultuous. The United States is filled with horrendous stereotypes and biases of Muslims, especially post 9/11. I think that these stereotypes, as well as any stereotypes, are incredibly harmful. While I give columnist Sufia Khalid credit for attempting to debunk them, the manner in which she goes about doing so will prove fruitless. If Sufia desires to educate Boson University about the Middle East and its culture, I would suggest first off that she explain the rich culture and tradition without simultaneously criticizing and stereotyping the United States. It is hard for me to respect the opinion of someone who attempts to teach me about a culture by criticizing another. I am from California and while I might prefer some of the West Coast amenities to their East Coast counterparts, I would never try to explain this to someone from Massachusetts by degrading his or her culture. Most people have some sort of attachment to their “home” whether that be a city, state, or country, and will instinctively and not without reason become frustrated and offended if somebody criticizes or stereotypes it. There is no chance of education if you’re starting place is insult. Its not like my Spanish professors come to the first class and say “Your language is bad, now let me teach you about the benefits of mine” – that professor would have no students in his class the next day. Sufia claims that in Saudi Arabia she didn’t have to deal with the “social plagues” that she has encountered in the United States. This is clearly a matter of opinion, but I personally consider women in Saudi Arabia’s inability to vote or drive (Which is, according to Sufia, “being fixed” – but how easily could I say that about any social issue in the US?) a “social plague.” The claim that Westernization “destroys society” is extreme – cultures are different in different places (I personally believe I experienced culture shock when I moved from Northern California to Boston, and that’s within the same country) and social practices follow accordingly. For example, the divorce rate in the US may be higher than that of Muslim countries – and this could be due to many factors – including that possibility that people in the US are not staying in unhappy marriages. Sufia states that “almost 40 percent of children live in households with divorced parents,” suggesting that this is necessarily a tragedy for the children. While divorce can obviously be unsettling for children, an unhappy marriage can be equally unhealthy. My parents are separated and get along great as friends – I know that I am much happier than if they were fighting as a couple. Sufia adds that there are “Starbucks, pretty buildings, flashy cars and designer handbags” in Saudi Arabia just as there are in the US – while this may be true, suggesting that these are the perks of American culture is insulting. Few people in the US actually have the opportunity to own flashy cars and designer handbags, and to others, they are simply irrelevant. I believe that that there are much more significant aspects of our culture than handbags and expensive cars, including music and the arts as well as freedom of speech and the indiscriminate right to vote. I understand and respect that Islam is a way of life, as well as a religion, but I don’t believe that it is necessary to insult Western culture in order to prove this point. In our current society it is crucial to break the stereotypes of Islamic culture, and Sufia, I ask you to help this education begin. However, please don’t expect respect or results if you insult American culture, or any other culture, in the process.

Amelia McGowan CAS 2008 [email protected] (510) 541-3676