educatedfilm, zepplin, this debate is going nowhere. I don't want to sound like any kind of authority here, but the problem is that Americans will never fully understand what it's like to live in Israel or Afghanistan or Iran or whatever, and the people there will never fully understand Americans. You know what keeps this mess going? Stereotypes and fear, a deadly combo. I went to a discussion last night at my university here about the events and implications of Tuesday, and while there was a genuine saddness and disbelief, some people just kept debating over the past and U.S. policy in the middle-east and who to point fingers at. It was useless. The U.S. will always have an interest in that region as long as they have oil that we need. The only useful tool we can use now is understanding. Hatred and anger and misunderstanding are destructive feelings, and they can and will be self-destructive. I think there is a lot going on that no one knows about, and to think we can completely understand the situation on both sides and give solutions just like that is arrogant and deceiving. I would like to ask you guys to stop this endless circle of debate. We are here because we love music. Let's remember that.
"When you're a young, long-haired guitarist, no one takes you seriously." - John Petrucci
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