A Higher Glyphic

Yazeed Zureikat sipped a mocha latté at Café Euro, a new coffee shop on the strip, host to a broad international student population. Seated in a lounge chair smoking a hookah, Zureikat was eager to share his Arabic background.

Zureikat said he feels a familiar connection to the Middle East within the compounds of Café Euro. Decorated with Middle Eastern apparel throughout and many different languages being spoken at any given time.

Zureikat, 21, a student from Jordan, working on his masters in Computer Engineering and fluent in three languages, expresses a curiosity about American culture, specifically media coverage.

Zureikat, having only been in the U.S. for two years, has had to change his perception of what he thought he knew of America. Zureikat's perception about American culture was far from what he had anticipated back home in Jordan.

"Everyone in Jordan thinks that Americans live in Hollywood, I was shocked when I moved to Carbondale. People in Jordan are trying to emulate the Hollywood image that does not exist in the real America. We are loosing our culture," said Zureikat.

Zureikat said this is mainly because of one-sided U.S. media coverage, that does not allow room for second opinions.

While in the U.S., Zureikat said he could feel the negative impact of one-sided media coverage. The current war in Iraq was hitting close to home.

"People are judging me for being from the Middle East, and not for being me," said Zureikat.

Zureikat said if more than one side of the story were to be told much of the stereotyping would probably not be as prevalent.

"If only Americans could watch Aljazeera (a Middle Eastern news program), they would then have both sides of the story. I'm not interested in the war other then its negative affects," said Zureikat.

Eventually Zureikat started to notice a pattern in American movies, news, and newspaper coverage.

"American movies are fairytales where the good guys always win. The news only gives a bias perception, and young people are not reading the newspapers," said Zureikat.

Zureikat encourages everyone to explore other types of media before coming to any conclusion.

For more information on the Middle East that is easily accessible, Zureikat recommended logging onto the Internet to find multiple opinions and facts that are not covered in the mainstream media that are just as if not more important.

"I know Aljazeera has an English link on its web site, this would be a good starting point," he said.

Zureikat said on a positive note, in recent days, the alleged finding of Jesus's tomb has brought some positive light on the much-darkened Middle East. Then again, depending on how one asks this would differ.

"Religion is something that I know not to talk about," said Zureikat.

The Jordan native enjoys talking with students about his native land and hopes that all Americans take "a second look at alternative media coverage before making any conclusions," said Zureikat.

Fellow student Jawad Zurerejad said he respects Zureikat and has known him for many years.

"U.S. media coverage still has room for improvement but believes in time coverage will become more verse," said Zurerejad.

Yazeed Zureikat is very aware of current events. He speaks his mind well and puts thought into everything he does and says, said Zurerejad.

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