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I had only been awake today a few minutes before I read on the news that Andrew Pochter, a 21 year old American Jewish student had been killed in Alexandria, Egypt. The initial details still seem a bit spotty, but what is known so far is that he was stabbed and murdered during an anti government protest. Whether it was known that he was a Jew is just pure speculation at this point. I can only express my profound sympathies and condolences to his family at this time. Based on what I've gathered from from this article in The Times of Israel, the type of qualities embodied in this young man are the exact kind that make me proud to be an American. The type of altruistic behavior that leads someone to willingly step outside of their comfort zone and travel half way around the world to volunteer and help strangers in a far off country is something we should all commend. It's part of what makes the American spirit so special. I've met so many young people like him, especially college aged students, who have now grown up with visions of hope and change ingrained in them, and with good thanks to President Obama. 

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There is a certain problem with this type of idealism though. Having myself gown up with a liberal education as well, I remember the type of romanticism felt when it came to my intrigue in regards to the Middle East. And yet at the same time how far and distant everything there felt. Now that I have lived and experienced the way life is in this region for some time, I can say supremely with confidence that this is not a place for idealistic naivete. As much as it pains me to say this, it's true. Maybe this is part of the reason why I ended up joining the army. Western sensibilities simply don't mesh with Eastern passions. Trying to apply them here is only going to be a recipe for disaster. And unfortunately can lead to a very rude awakening. Like it or not, this is still a region living by the sword. 

More than anything though, hearing about stories like this only fuels my anger. The loss of someone so humane and willing to help his fellow man, can't be taken lightly. The pronounced detachment of the established liberal elites in America about how life truly is in the Middle East, and that of the mentality of its people is where it all starts. If you are going to be the leading voices in academia on the Near East, at least try and get it right. Trying to embed a warped form of cultural relativism into the minds of young, impressionable students is not just irresponsible, it's thoroughly dangerous. The cases of Lara Logan and the thousands of women and Westerners who've been there and back, should have been sounding the alarm a long time ago.