Then there is this week

I write about the danger of generalising. 

I experience the urban refugees I work with as being made up of a range of characters and personalities.  Some are most admirable and gifted individuals and would be a great addition to any country.  They all deserve a go and, like everyone, have the right to live in safety.  There can't just be the automatic negative reaction as if they are evil criminals when ones hear asylum seeker and illegally present in the country. 

Then this week has seen the outbursts of violence in Cairo, Libya and Yemen in response to a film on the Prophet.  One can't assume that all Americans or westerners are anti-Muslim like the one who produced such an ill-conceived and distasteful film.  Neither can one assume that all those in the Middle East and who are Muslim are into perpetrating violence and are anti-American or anti-west.  Such generalisations seem to overlook the reality that you have extremism and fundamentalism on both sides acting against each other.  It is all very dangerous.