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I support this plan, and I wish that we would begin the process of exiting Iraq right away.

I have a lot of thoughts about these riots, and no I am not really surprised at all.

Everything written recently kind of skirts around the race issue that is at the center of this whole problem. Poverty, of course, is inevitably attached to race (or vice-versa) in most developed countries, and it is no different in France.

I've said for years that the French economy is so cannibalistic that it is heading for a big downfall, I had no idea that it would manifest itself into this level of riotous violence, but France has a very real history of "Revolution and Revolt."

Also, I jumped immediately to the organization idea. For the violence to have spread like that indicates a real organized effort.

My honest reaction is that France kind of deserves what it is getting here. I love the country but they treat immigrants very poorly, and the opportunities to succeed in France are limited when compared to our country. One thing that has always troubled me is the lack of a minority presence in the political arenas. To my knowledge, there are still no North African members of the assemble (Congress) and no North Africans in the president's cabinet. For that matter, I don't think that there are any blacks either, and the French gov't recently stipulated a minimum requirement on the number of female candidates that each of the major parties would have to put forward for the assemble. Implying that there weren't enough women in goverment either.

All minorities have been underrepresented in gov't over there, and I think you are seeing a real expression of frustration as a result.

I found this article and thought that it really summed up what I thought that I would be doing at 29 when I was 22.

(Skim the Nov 1st article about aid workers in Sudan and come back)

Unknown 'Soldiers'

I sort of have done that. I've lived in a foreign country. I speak a foreign language very well. I've dedicated years of my life to improving people's lives.

But it wasn't humanitarian aid - it was mission work, and instead of getting praise on Yahoo, I get dismissed as a fundamentalist or asked questions like "Does France Really Need Missionaries"?

I know how to address those issues, but this article made me think about some other things . . .

I went to Africa 2x while I lived in Europe. Once on vacation to Egypt and once with a friend to French speaking west Africa.

On my visits, I was confronted with my own wealth. The feeling that I had so little in common with the Egyptian men trying to sell me postcards was only diminished by the thought that they were only selling them as an excuse not to beg from me.

As poor as Egypt was, the poverty in west Africa seemed even more evident. Upon seeing a deformed child begging in the street, I was surprised to hear my hosts tell me that the child's parents had probably allowed the deformity to get worse in order to attract more attention while begging. Apparently there was enough medical care available to correct the problem, but the opportunity cost was too great. Now that's economics up close and personal!

The trips to these places strengtened my desire to reach out, but instead, I've closed the international helper chapter of my life for now.

I'm ok with it.

I hope that part of being 29 for everyone is looking back on the 20s and noticing where you've made deliberate choices for advancement or sacrifice. I know that I am where I am now because I've put myself here. I have no real regrets.

But I still want to help.