Editor, Daily Nexus,

As a citizen of the Middle East, I am reminded daily of the Arabic saying, “Nothing in life is more stable than change itself.” Unfortunately, the mentioned change is rarely a positive one. Today, I’ve taken it upon myself to carry to you a message I truly believe in. Each and every one of us has been granted an enormous opportunity by being placed in one of the world’s top educational institutions. It is our duty and privilege to become globally aware and responsible.

As one of the more politically aware universities in the United States, it is shameful that a person like Walid Shoebat was invited to speak on campus. The title of the event, “Inside Terror: Confessions of a PLO Terrorist,” should automatically strip Shoebat of all credibility. The Palestine Liberation Organization is not a terrorist organization. It has been recognized as a legitimate political party by the United Nations as well as the U.S. and Israel. The late Yasser Arafat was its chairman and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 along with Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East. It embarrasses me to admit that the numbers and images I see on a daily basis of the horrors happening in the Middle East have, over the course of time, turned into mere numbers and unidentifiable images like any other. As silly as this may seem, let me remind you that every destroyed building you see used to be the home of at least one family. Every child, dead or alive, is someone’s son or daughter. The citizens of the Middle East are, and will forever be, human just like you and me.

So, the message is simple. We owe it to the people of the Middle East to expose ourselves to different opinions. Read and be open-minded. As I live here, in a country that has been blessed with peace, I hope each and every one of you realizes the glory you are living – the security and stability. I hope that I have in some way affected you and encouraged you to do something.

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