Meg...

"..."Them are the people who think it's a good thing to bomb innocent human beings."LOL - then them is us! What chemo drugs are you on?..."

That's another good point and although I could say that we differ in that we aren't killing in the name of Allah...I'm not going to do that. I think war is stupid. Over the millennium, we've gone from throwing rocks to heat guided missiles. We have learned how to perfect war and make it more deadly, but we haven't done a thing toward coming up with another way to settle our problems. A nice game of hopscotch would make more sense.

Anyway, I'm taking BCNU and CPT 11. I don't really like to discuss my health problems on this thing, I know that I mention this or that...there's so much that I could tell you guys but I'd feel like I was whining and no one wants to come here to get depressed. If I feel badly or have an appointment, I might mention that, but in general, I hate talking about it. You didn't know that so I answered your question...it's not a bad question and I can answer it easily without sounding whiny.

"...Oriental refers to things such as rugs, furniture, etc. Asian is the correct term for the people of that culture..."

Thanks for clearing that up...it makes sense. I didn't know whether or not we could still say oriental when referring to rugs. Anyway, for years and years we've referred to Asian people as Oriental without being accused of racism. Obviously we'll have to adapt...but cut us some slack while we learn. I had NO idea when I wrote the article using the term "Oriental"...and apparently, neither did my editor.

I'm about to annoy a lot of people and once again, I don't care. I'm going to use the African-Americans to make this point. That's because I've had more interaction with them in my life that I have any other minority (Can I say THAT?). When I was a VERY little girl, the proper term was "colored". Because of the time I was born, that was the word that I learned first. But my grandfather was born during a time when the proper term was "nigger". He used that word as a descriptive word like, "You know him, the nigger with the grey hat." He meant no offense and he was NOT a racist. I have black friends who understood him and the fact that some older people were just responding to their own upbringing.

Anyway, in the late 60's (I think) people started saying, "We aren't colored...WE'RE BLACK!" They carried signs that said "Black Power" and "Black is Beautiful" so we started using the word black. Now, although they haven't COMPLETELY shaken the word "black", they have changed it to African-American.

Then I find out that "Oriental" is offensive. Whatever. I think the evil is in the intent and I, like my grandfather, never meant to offend anyone. (I should admit that even when my grandfather used the word "nigger", it was used by many people as an offensive term. But HE and many others meant no offense at all. And personally, I was raised to consider a "nigger" to be a person of ANY color who behaved like trash. It could just as easily be applied to white people. Of course I just don't use it at all. The sound of it makes me cringe. And I DO hear it occasionally. It makes me extremely uncomfortable.)

"...The British embassy should be doing more too!!! Shame shame shame, that poor woman is in jail and not even charged! If disagreeing with the Islamic view makes me racist I wear it proudly I am afraid..."

I totally agree with you. If I were in charge, I'd called the Israeli's or the Americans and have them bring over some military SWAT teams or whatever they have to go in and take the teacher out.

I also agree with your other point but I hesitate to generalize with ALL Islam. We have had our share of religious nuts like David Koresh, Jim Jones and Marshall Applewhite. (Applewhite and his partner, Bonnie Nettles, convinced thirty-eight followers to commit suicide so that their souls could take a ride on a spaceship (Comet Hale Bopp) that they believed was hiding behind the comet carrying Jesus in 1997.)

So, I wouldn't want anyone else to say that all Christians are evil based on those nuts...but I must say, if thinking that the Muslims who want me, my children, my country and my President dead must be killed first...call me whatever you'd like. Racist, Marxist, or popsicle eater...it's what I honestly feel and I don't apologize for it one bit.

Tell me something...why can we say this joke:

"What do you call 100 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?"

"A good start."

But we can't say this:

"What do you call 100 Al Quaeda members at the bottom of the ocean?"

"A very SLOW start."

Now I have to lie down for a bit but I'll be back when I get up.

Meg