I protest.

On humanity, war and Americans.

Brad Delong has published an article, "Jill Gabrielle Klein Talks to a Ph.D Student from North Africa," which I found via The Poor Man: Collateral Damage. In it, a North African Ph.D. student corresponds with an American professor about the hatred of the United States in countries such as hers.

If you follow those links, I recommend you read the articles themselves but avoid the commentary, as there is an unfortunately large number of posts by those who would have it that our invasion of Iraq and our general treatment of those in the Arab world was and is justified. When, of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

The Poor Man and DeLong, and a number of commenters, seem to find the woman's attitude toward the United States both shocking and depressing. As I read the article, though, I was only surprised by how well I understood her confusion and despair at our actions. Her only mistake, and it's an understandable one, is in drawing a distinction between those in her country and those in this. Her words reminded me emphatically that, first and foremost, I am a human being, not an "American." I, too, am appalled at the atrocity that is the American invasion and occupation of Iraq; I am sickened and enraged at the pictures of the tortured, and further enraged that the truly culpable will walk free while a handful of scapegoats are forced to take all the blame.

From the first day of the invasion I was left speechless at the bloody, vicious horror that we as a country were perpetrating upon those who had not harmed us and who could not have harmed us. Merely upon the say-so of a spoiled little rich kid with a chip on his shoulder and far, far too much power.

I find it intriguing but unsurprising that the woman's countrymen were careful to distinguish between the American government and the American people. Certainly I, myself, distinguish between, say, the Taliban in Afghanistan and other Afghans, or between those in the Republican party who actually use their brains and are troubled by our current situation and those who created it. Like anyone else, the people with whom she spoke knew that a government will often do things that many, even most, of the citizens dislike.

What shocks me, though, are the commenters who would have it that her feelings cannot be justified, who justify their own intolerance, prejudice and hatred by vilifying her anger and despair. She obviously is both mature and intelligent enough to see past her own preconceptions and to establish a dialog with a citizen of the country whose actions she despises. In doing so, she has affirmed her reaction to those actions and she has proven again that despite our obvious superficial differences, human beings are alike everywhere, in every culture and country.

In, unfortunately, both our best and our worst characteristics.