As I read Riverbend’s blog entries, I gain a broader perspective of the war in the Middle East. There is a stereotype that comes from where she lives. In one of her entries, she addresses the ignorance that outsiders can have towards her people. She says that people assume that they attend school on the backs of donkeys and live in huts. The idea that those who are different are automatically wild savages is a thought that has occurred since the beginning of exploration, such as the first settlers assuming the Native Americans were savages because they knew nothing about them.
Riverbend lives a life that I could not fathom living. Something that I noticed as I was reading her entries is the huge difference between her life and American life. There is a constant threat that looms over her every day from living in an area of the world devastated by war and terror. She quotes the BBC, explaining that according to the organization, 70 cars a day are being hijacked in her country. Another time she discusses how a major death occurs, and people just shrug their shoulders and move on. Like it doesn’t effect them much. One of her cousins just expresses his dislike of the deceased victim. The author also explains that she could not sleep at night because of her fear of raids or looting. Often I forget how grateful I should be that I am safe from harm and have the luxuries that I do. I personally could not imagine living in a world where the threat of harm were a day-to-day guarantee, but for Riverbend and those who live in her country, it is a painful reality.
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