You are right that it isn't an excuse, but I believe it is one of the sad truths that basic human nature doesn't change. That is why ancient sacred writing (not just the Bible) has such lasting applicability. What was true 5,000 years ago hasn't changed substantially. Oh, we shuffle it around, this week's bad guys may be a little different from last week's but the tendency to generalize, to hold ourselves above another group of people because of those generalizations is universal across time.

Keep in mind, the Muslim extremists who believe blowing people up have fallen into the same ageless trap as we have. Who is right? Is there a solution that doesn't involve massive bloodshed? These are the questions that keep people way smarter than me up at night because I don't think there are answers, not easy ones anyway.

All that said, getting people to think outside their comfortable boxes is always a good thing, not to mention the only way things will ever substantially change.