I won't delve into lengthy details about my personal life in this forum, but i grew in Lebanon, not in the US, during the worst years of the civil war (including the '82 Israeli invasion). I'll say this. I am not alone in being "progressive". There are countless Lebanese out there (both inside Lebanon and in our diaspora) who think like me. It is unfortunate that the voices of moderation are often drowned by the much louder (and usually deadlier) voices of extremism. After all, flying a plane into a building has a way of getting people's attention a lot quicker than reading Bad Vilbel's obscure comments on some blog. But in the end, there is no substitute for the long and painful process of dialogue, education and understanding between peoples, when it comes to breaking the cycle of prejudice. Reading comments like Ruth's or Lisa's gives me hope that I am making a difference, even if it may seem insignificant. Amidst the hopelessness and despair we all feel sometimes, I can go to bed thinking to myself that there are at least 2 Israelis who's prejudices I may have changed (in whatever minor way). Thank you.