'Infidel Apparel': U.S. Troops' Badge of Pride or Scarlet Letter?

It's an alarming and grotesquely interesting phenomenon. It seems that several American troops have decided to wear their scarlet letter as outsiders and so-called 'infidels' on their chests with a mock pride. It seems that there are several outlets that sell 'infidel' badges and T-shirts to U.S. troops.

"Exhausted from how they feel they're being perceived, troops have taken to wearing patches and carrying items that label themselves infidels, and offer translation in local dialect. In the Muslim world an infidel means literally "one without faith" who rejects the central teachings of Islam."

Say what you will, but being Lebanese is a complicated thing. So, this Lebanese blogger is does you a favor and gives you the ten commandments of being Lebanese! It's tricky, but someone has to do it.

"You shall not breath because according to a study by AUB’s Dr. Najat Saliba, the air in Lebanon is saturated with toxic particulate matter produced by the millions of cars that roam the streets, while factories and power plants emit their fumes raw and unfiltered right into our lungs."

'If you’re in Cairo, do stop in at this event: Translating the revolutionary spirit into images, translating those images into words (in Arabic and from there into English). When I was at the AUC’s downtown campus the other night, I couldn’t help taking photos of these walls. The stories told by the murals are mind-arresting..."

This Jordanian blogger discusses her experience with the Arab Spring and how it has affected her personal experience of Jordan's 'Reform'.

"Aside from political narratives, I believe we as individuals have our own narratives on what happened post March 24th. They are social of nature and reflective of how far the country has/hasn’t come to effectuate change on a citizen level. I am sharing here what my personal narrative has been and continues to blossom into."