There is a difference between understand why people do and believe things and justifying them. It's often very hard to see the difference though. I myself once or twice accused a friend or two of justifying my own future stabbing. Even though I know very well that my friends are against violence as a means of resistance. Explaining cultural experiences and beliefs often sounds like justifying in the context of war. I find myself quite distraught right now because a friend whom I respect, care about and value as a friend just told me that I don't give a shit about anyone but my people and would surely justify bombs dropped on Gaza if there was a future war (G-d forbid). I'm sharing this just in case there are other friends out there who have begun to feel this way too. I want you to know that it's just not true. For the record, I have also been accused of not giving a shit about my own people, more than once. This is because my loyalties for people do not end at my tribe. It does include it though. I have no loyalties to governments but I do to people. My desire to try to help people understand each other creates confusion and gets me in to trouble sometimes but I just can't help sharing all the different perspectives I see. It would be an injustice to the life and the heart I have been given not to. Lucy Light