[mary]

This is "somewhat" OT.

One time in college I knew a guy named "Mohammed Hussein". He was from Iraq.

Now, I don't mind telling you that I was raised in a area that was NOT particularly diversified. And there was a time and a place that I might've avoided any and all "Mohammed Hussein's".

Mohammed and I were in the same graduate program. One semester he offered to help me with my finance class (he had the class the previous semester). And so, on his own free time, without asking for anything in return, he helped me get through that class.

Once I got shed myself of my prejudices, I never cared once what his name was, where he was from, or what his religion was. Over time, its become clear to me that people can be "good" even if they are wholly different from myself. Mohammed Hussein was one of the many people that helped me learn that lesson.

That's all I got.