A Walk in Their (Punk) Shoes

It's hard to say what I would do if I were put in that situation but I know I would be very confused. Children are so impressionable, it must be so confusing to have your teacher and government leaders telling you one thing and your parents telling you another, as was shown in Persepolis. I think as I got older this confusion would turn to resentment toward the lies I was being fed. I would most likely follow my family and other youth and not just blindly follow the government. I would feel so left out from the world if I was cut off as they are in Children of Jihad. I think I would react similarly to them in craving connection to the outside world. I hate restrictions on my dress so I would definitely be sporting a fashionable hejab that makes a statement. Majority of the people we've met in Children of Jihad have loved America but I don't know if I would if I was in their shoes. Most Americans have a horribly skewed and stereotypical view of Middle Easterners yet the youth in Iran love us and are able to separate us from our government. If I was a youth, I'm not sure if I would be able to make that distinction if I was used to an oppressive government making all the rules. I'm also not sure if I would be able to look past all the stereotypes America would place on me and still love that country.

My Definiton of the Middle East

          My definition of the Middle East is not very defined. All I hear about the Middle East is about terrorists and Muslims and war. I have the common sense to know this doesn't define the whole region but I don't have any other concrete knowledge of the region to replace these sterotypes. I'm very excited for this class because I know it will change that!