Studying for Finals...

I was attempting to study for a Mid-East final exam in...six hours. However I find that it is simply too nice outside to bother with something so trivial. What's to study? I didn't buy the book, so it's not like I can read it. Instead, I took meticulous notes, checked the news every day to see if anything interesting is happening, and went to almost all the lectures.

Recently, I found myself in a lecture watching footage on the riots and fighting in Palestine, and something happened to me that never had before in such a context; I had a sickening feeling in my gut and a lump in my throat. As the footage continued, it showed a Palestinian child, certainly no older than ten, hanging on to his father, or brother, or it could have been someone completely random. I don't know. What I do know is that it was during a riot, and this kid was just out in the middle of it. They were behind some kind of obstacle that should have provided a reasonable amount of cover. As smoke descended upon them, there was a series of gunshots. The smoke lifted, and the boy was shot through the head, laying in his "protector"s lap, who in turn was in a state of shock.

I had just about had enough, put my head on my desk, whispered a prayer for those people. Violence in a daily ritual for them. I realized how much I cared. They're people, just like us.

I was recently told that my belief that I am a citizen of the earth, rather than the United States, was a load of crap. Rather than push the point, I let it go. I wish I hadn't. Yes, I live in the United States. But Jesus died for both Jews and gentiles. Not just Americans. Yes, Palestinians. Radical muslim clerics. Men in India who burn their daughters alive when they don't have sons. Homosexuals. Murderers, thieves. No one is exempt from his love. And as a Christ follower, I am called to love others. Other Christians, yes. But not just Christian, Jew, or American. Everyone. Even people trying to kill me. That's hard to swallow, much less post on the internet for all to see. Which brings up the issue of self defense, which I will have to bring up another time, because that's a worm from one can jumping into another.

So the next time I can't sleep, I'll ponder self defense and the 2nd Amendment. Maybe even how self defense is used as an excuse. For something like an invasion of a certain country, that might be making nukes. Or they might not. It's important that we invade so that we can find out. Yeah, that was sarcasm.