Kowalski James Intro to Islam
The speaker was a woman who grew up in Iran. Her basic message was that the people of Iran are just like the people of America. She wanted to show a different side of Iran than what is typically portrayed in the media. In her presentation she showed pictures of modern cities that appeared to be on par with a typical American city. She also showed pictures of the citizens of those cities. She wanted to show that the people of Iran are just like me and you; by taking this humanistic approach it really showed me a different perspective on Iran. Seeing two boys wearing jeans and t-shirts sitting on a park bench eating ice cream really helps one understand that we are not that different. She also made it a point to address how the American media portrays the Iranian leader as anti-Semitic, oppressive a and danger to world peace. She pointed out that there is a thriving Jewish community in Iran and there are various beautiful temples in Iran, and that the Jewish people are a respected group in that country. She also explained how in Iran, women make up a high percentage of the college student population, and that the literacy rate is among the highest of any country in the world. She also made the point that when one looks at the American presence in the Middle East, how could Iran possibly be a real threat. I think she made many good points and I thought her humanistic approach was really affective in showing a different perspective of Iran. Her message that we are all the same, and that the people of Iran wish no harm on Americans, and in fact they invite us to visit their country, was definitely enlightening for me.