Much like my post on the Virginia Tech Shooting two years ago, the Iran conflict was too raw and emotional to say what needed to be said until now.

Now that things have subsided a bit, I feel more comfortable saying what I have thought all along: Barack Obama handled the Iran Election Conflict amazingly well. Historians will look back at that and say one of the most genius things America ever did in handling Iran was to not do a single thing during the election conflict.

But first a Scrubs episode to highlight why:


I am going to be obnoxious and pull the "I've been the Middle East card, and I am guessing none of the rest of you have" to say that what most Americans fail to understand about our "presence" in the Middle East is how those who we are "fighting against" wield our disdain for them against us.

Like Scrubs - it doesn't matter what we say, it gets turned around and presented as propaganda against our case. This isn't just true in Iran and Scrubs episodes but in my own life as well.

At my previous job I had two older gentlemen who, well, let's just say didn't appreciate anything I had to say or thought. They made life incredibly difficult for me. But what was worse was that they made progress for the church impossible.

What I learned - but unfortunately didn't practice as well as Obama - is that even if I had the greatest idea, even if I was right, the best thing I could do was not get involved. Would I encourage other more "neutral" parties to discuss and attempt to influence these two gentleman's perspective: absolutely. Should I have actively continued to jump into a fight I knew I couldn't win and ultimately made things worse: no way.

Most of our problems in the Middle East are in large part due to our involvement in things we feel obliged to jump into, when in fact it only makes the situation worse. Then when we actually have an opportunity to do something good about it, we back out. Thus leaving the average Middle Easterner frustrated and angry with us.

The movie Charlie Wilson's War (although about Afghanistan and not Iran) is a phenomenal example of this.

As usual, I was extremely proud of Senator Richard Lugar. It is because of his bi-partisianship, non-grand standing, non-crowd pleasing, straightforward and educated approach to politics is the reason he is the only member of Congress that shouldn't be voted out.

Unlike everyone else - especially Republicans - clamoring at Obama's perceived weakness regarding Iran, Lugar came out and said what needed to be said: America needed to stay the hell out of the Iranian conflict.


Iran and the Middle East is about a generation away from true reform. I have seen it with my own eyes. And the last thing America needs to do is intervene and jack that up. Patience is a virtue, and American needs to practice it.

I had a wonderful weekend. Went to the Alliance Theatre, a Thrasher's game, and a Braves season ticket holder event. But then Saturday night's show came along...

If you listened and followed my Twitter you'll know that I got pretty frustrated with Allen during the Bobby Knight and Obama & Iran hours.

I will write later this week on why Allen is fundamentally wrong on those two issues in a blog where I won't be constantly interrupted. But first I must clear the air about one of my largest frustrations since starting this show almost 4 years ago: assumptions.

Allen let me talk during the Iran hour (not the Bobby Knight hour) and the following "conversation" took place. If you don't have time to listen, it can be summarized in that Andy thinks Obama would be right to go over and talk with Iran and Allen is wrong.



But after this conversation we got an email from a listener who agreed with Allen. No biggie. I know I am not in the majority on this one. But he made two assumptions that just ate at me over the next couple of days.

He (Andy) sounds very much like so many people, who went through school in the past twenty years and were influenced by liberal professors that are undermining support for Israel.

Your producer also sounds the naïve person, who would have to go to Gaza and be beheaded before he would get it.

Let's examine these two statements.

First, the liberal professors I was obviously educated under. I'd like for you to meet Mr. Oded Yinon. Oded was my Introduction to the Modern Middle East Professor while studying in Israel/Palestine. Oded's father was one of the founders of the Mossad (the Israeli CIA). Oded is easily one of the most intimidating people I have ever met as I am pretty sure he could kill me before I even knew it (this still didn't prevent me from arguing with him).

Oded once made a comment in class that, "these vermin [Palestinians] will never compromise." A statement I vehemently disagree with, but not exactly your typical "liberal professor" viewpoint now is it.

Second, I am obviously a naïve person who needs to go to Gaza and get blown up. This of course will change my mind.

The date was September 9, 2003. I was lying in my bed at 11:20 pm and I will never forget the dull thud and the ensuing police sirens. I didn't need to, but I walked out of my room onto the roof of my building and watched as police cars raced to the Café Hillel suicide bombing.

This bombing took place less than a mile from my bed. It was a cafe I had eaten at earlier in the week. And I lived in Israel/Palestine at the height of the suicide bombings of the Intifada II (the height being 2002-2003 where 362 people died).

So don't you dare call me naïve and excuse my insight to be out of ignorance or blindly following liberal professors.

Your assumptions aren't just wrong about me, but like most people, your assumptions are what make you wrong about most of the beliefs that you hold regarding issues you know only what FoxNews or MSNBC tells you.

We try and label people based on our perception of them and in doing so we ignore the value their perspective might bring to the discussion. It's a problem we have in our relationships, in our politics, and in our companies. Assumptions do far more than make an ass out of you and me, they destroy cultures.

We all I know I love to travel. What you might not know is that I recently moved into a a new apartment, got premium digital cable with a DVR, and have started watching the The Travel Channel religiously. To say I love it is an understatement. 1000 Places to See Before You Die, Samatha Brown's Passport to... series; I could go on and on. So what did I do? Of course, with remote in hand, I went to town on recording any and everything I thought looked interesting. And then I came to it: Florida's Top Ten Beaches.

Now I am not a big fan of Florida. Frankly, it is too blasé for my taste. There are so many better places to see in this world than the retirement state of America. But I saw that this show was coming up in the lineup and I just had to tape it. Why? Because I remember watching this a while back (on the Discovery Channel) and I could swear an old friend of mine was interviewed on it.

Sure enough, I woke up this morning, saw that it was recorded, fast-forwarded to the Siesta Key section (which was the official Homestead High Spring Break destination if there were such a thing), and bam! Megan. Megan and I weren't real tight in high school per se, but she went to my youth group and when I think of Megan, I think of Honduras. A trip were, amidst all odds: Ashely, Dave, Megan and myself seem to buddy up for 10 days, instead of the more probable Pat, Matt and Erika.

But this post really isn't about Megan. It is about how small the world is. The more I travel and the more I move, the more I realize how true this is. Whether it is spotting people you know on the Travel Channel, seeing a good friend play on SNL or TRL or Letterman or the AMAs, having my Uncle in Georgia send me a resume he received from someone who actually worked for me at APU but he didn't know that, being contacted by an author's publicist whose book change your perspective 10 years earlier, or going on a date with someone who goes to Samford University in Alabama whose roommate graduated with my brother at Homestead High School, it is weird to think how closely we are connected to people.

This closeness always makes me think of how interrelated the human population is, and how that interrelation comes from our common Creator. And it is this reason why I love traveling. It clearly shows how large this world is - both geographically and historically - and in comparison how small and insignificant we are. But at the same time it speaks to the Divine interconnectedness we all share in such a small world.

P.S. If anyone is reading this that went to Homestead High School, watch the clip and tell me if the person playing volleyball after the clockwipe is Kathryn Sullivan. She also looks like someone I know but I can't tell if that is her or not.