"Baghdad is Red, Clerics Are Blue: Valentine's Back, Roses For You"

To the Editor:

Your Valentine's Day article about the celebrations in Baghdad was initially to be honest kind of eerie. The way the media portrays Arabic nations in contrast to the way the day's celebrations are described brings to mind an echo of a holiday we celebrate in the U.S.A. What the article neglected to mention was the fact that St. Valentine's Day is a very western holiday. Its origins were from Saint Valentine of Rome, and his namesake holiday is a very Christian holiday in origin. This represents a adopted Western influence on the people and culture of Baghdad, however not one that seems to be resented by the native people. They have very much taken this Christian holiday and run with it, wearing red and buying flowers for their loved ones. This represents an adaptation to Westernization that is not met with a violent clash so often portrayed by the media. This is a Baghdad that Americans can relate to and one that should be given some more thought, and perhaps analysis so that commonalities are found, and compromises are brought to light to give American and Baghdad citizens a more realistic view from the media of all of the accepted lasting influences present in the clash of these two cultures.