From : afwilcott@charter.net
Sent : Saturday, May 8, 2004 3:13 AM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : So ashamed, I am.



My name is Fred Wilcott. I ma an American, who was raised in Kuwait from the age of 13 to 23. I grew up in Kuwait . I still consider Kuwait, and the Middle East at large as my home. I have never felt so at home anywhere on our planet as within the Balad al-Arabi. I live here in America now, but As-Sharq Al-Alawsat will always be my home.
Having said that, I feel the need to apologize for my "countrymen." I have seen with unbelieving eyes what is happening in Iraq. Our "leader" Mr. Bush has not made all the right moves there, as we all know. And I am sure, quite sure he will misjudge and misstep again. But he is a career politician, so he is out for his own party's gain. I am apologizing for the general public, the children I teach at school every day who do not know about torture, hegemony and xenophobism. I am apologizing for every thinking soul here. Those barbarians who tortured those men and women in Iraq have the gates of Hell awaiting them. They truly deserve that and more. Please accept my most profound sorriness for the actions of the lesser of my nation. It is never enough to say maybe they're not educated or human enough to be decent human beings. But please understand that we're not all that way. A picture tells a thousand words. But they also belie those who love your culture and long to belong within it for the first time, or in my case once again. We're not al hiwanat as these "soldiers" are. God help us for our patience and perserverance. All of us, you and us.
Salam, salam, salam. If you wish to print this, be my guest.

Frederick Wilcott