Dear Editor:
The recent article by Nicole Goetz (Wednesday, Jan. 23 edition) about Oxford College freshman Kahaan Patel, who is Indian, and his best friend at Oxford, who is Pakistani, was very well done and inspirational. As Patel said, “I didn’t really understand the situation. You’re told to hate the Pakistanis, but you don’t really hate them. You just say it. Even if you ask a local Indian why he doesn’t like Pakistanis, he doesn’t know. He absolutely doesn’t.”

How many groups of people are embracing a legacy of hatred that has nothing to do with them? My admiration goes out to these young men for realizing that their similarities far outweigh their differences; may we use them as an example of how simple and natural it is to turn toward peace and friendship instead of hatred and prejudice. And thanks to Ms. Goetz for finding this story and sharing it with readers.

Mary Loftus
Lilburn
Associate Editor
Emory Magazine