I was looking at an arab family in the market yesterday and I felt myself looking at them in a different light. They were laughing and smiling and seemed very upbeat and positive. Were they arabs who believe in democracy and not supporters of Islamic law or monarchs/dictators? It then occured to me I had been holding an internal prejudice against ALL arabs inside of me because there were no arab democracies. No arab nation had ever successfully overthrown its tyrant and established a legitimate civilized democracy. I didn't even notice I had the prejudice until I notice I was now seeing them differently. Sure we overthrew Saddam for them, but the Iraqi people have wholeheartedly embraced democracy. Is there any doubt what kind of effect a thriving democratic Iraq will have on the rest of the arab world?

What a pleasure to feel my prejudices dissolving away.