Iraqi students deeply saddened by Virginia Tech massacre

[jmc247]

Students in Baghdad, where universities have been hard hit by violence, said Monday they were saddened by last week's massacre at Virginia Tech and hung up a banner to express their solidarity with "our brothers in humanity and in pursuing knowledge."

"We want to let the whole world know that we do not support terrorism anywhere," said Yassir Nazar, head of the student union at Baghdad Technology University, who organized the hanging of the banner near the campus gate. It reads, "We, the students of Technology University, denounce the attack at Virginia Tech. We extend our condolences to the families of the victims who faced a situation as bad as Iraq's universities do. The sanctity of campuses must be protected around the world."

"We have lost many friends and professors," said Nazar. "But in spite of our wounds, we want to show our solidarity with the students of Virginia Tech who are our brothers in humanity and in pursuing knowledge." In Baghdad and other Iraqi cities, scores of students have been killed and their campuses targeted by Iraqi insurgents who often regard universities as bastions of Western thought and political activities they oppose.

"We denounce the shooting in Virginia Tech because it targeted students of knowledge," said Hassan Abdul-Karim, a junior engineering major who said he has lost two friends to deadly insurgent attacks in his neighborhood of Baghdad. "Al-Qaida in Iraq does the same thing here in an effort to make ignorance prevail so its ideology can win."

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Virginia_Tech_Iraq.html

[uppityperson]

1. k& r for there being hope of humanity in the world.

[jmc247]

9. It does bring hope

[Hardrada]

2. Thanks to the Iraqi students and a recommend for this post!

[BeyondGeography]

3. "brothers in humanity and in pursuing knowledge"

Beautifully said.

[Gregorian]

4. Juxtapose ths empathy against our Limbaugh.

It's a feeling of disgust for the monsters who live among us. And a feeling of solidarity with those who are under the thumb of those same monsters. God I wish we could rid ourselves of these horrid creatures.

But mostly the sense of hope that these Iraqi students give me.

[joneschick]

5. omg. Does this mean there really is hope? eom

[HCE SuiGeneris]

6. Amazing -- the media is letting some truth through and humanizing

Iraqis. Wow!

[Rue]

7. What strength of character.

Why can't we have as much compassion for people outside the country who suffer these tragedies? We are far, far too insulated from the rest of the world!

[jmc247]

8. I totally agree with that

[johnaries]

10. That's simply beautiful. nt