A Note from Baghdad.....

An aspiring filmmaker is forced to trade his camera for a gun.

It’s three o’clock in the morning and the sound of mortars and Katyusha rockets are my soundtrack. Gunfire is intermittent. Some is very close and some is far away. It does not matter anyway. I locked my building’s gate with an American-made lock and a large, stifling chain of steel. It cost me more money than usual because it is strong and works well. The door of the small apartment, where I am right now, is also locked.....

These words are from Nezar Hussein, a filmmaker living in Baghdad who was responsible for filming most of the videos for Hometown Baghdad. To read the rest of the article, go to Good.

If you have teenagers, encourage them to watch the vids and get involved with the discussions on the forums at Chat The Planet. Maybe they'll develop a broader world view and realize the that kids everywhere aren't so different, it's just the circumstances they live in which are.