I concur with VSarkiss' post also. Here's a little personal experience of a friend of mine ...

I called my friend this morning from work to make sure he's okay. He lives in Dearborn MI - one of the largest concentration of Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans in the US. He and his are fine, but scarred. They've received phone threats and notes in their mailbox.

They had to turn their phone off and not let their kids play outside.

This is about the saddest and most distressing thing about the past six days. My friend is a native born US citizen as are his wife and kids. His parents emmigated here in the 60's. He votes, contributes to charity, gives blood (one thing I cannot do ), pays his taxes, WAS IN THE ARMY!, and was called up during the Gulf War. He prob will be called up again, yet his wife and kids are afraid to grocery shop or head off to school.

I am incredibly embarrased and ashammed of the COWARDS who would damn these wonderful people because of Tuesday. IM-not-so-HO, as I have posted on my home node, these cowards are executing the same spirit as was done in the hi-jackings. Firebombing a mosque in Texas ... Arab- and Muslim-Amrican organizations receiving threats faster than they call call the police ... I just have to shake my head in deep and profound sadness ... that this kind of ignorrance and intollerance is so rampant ... but I'm very proud of how I raise my kids, how they are reacting to all this and learning from it. I wish more people did likewise.

UPDATE: glad to get that off my chest ... and thank each and every God that the Monastary is here ... it's been a lovely refuge from the media reports. Let us all take a moment and reflect upon the many merrits and spirit of perl! Perhaps in this we can find peace!

HTH
--
idnopheq
Apply yourself to new problems without preparation, develop confidence in your ability to to meet situations as they arrise.

~ Shunryu Suzuki