Pray for Neda
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/WORLD/meast/06/25/iran.ambassador/art.neda.jpg caption="Neda Agha-Soltan, 26, was shot to death in Tehran on Saturday."]
Roya Hakakian
Special to CNN
Since last Saturday, the images of Neda Agha Soltan, the young woman who died on the streets of Tehran, keep playing before my eyes.
When I don't look at the clip on my computer, it runs on its own in my mind's eye.
What has me so riveted is not entirely empathy, the intuitive human response the images are bound to stir in everyone. There is also something less noble at work in me, an obsession with seeing my own face upon hers. Each time I see her die, I die along with her.
I, too, was born and raised in Iran. My coming-of-age years coincided with the Iranian revolution of 1979. I, too, was on the streets, watching and rooting for the demonstrators. Nothing seemed more natural, more compelling than being on the streets, calling for freedom, breathing the intoxicating, the dangerously euphoric Tehran air.
I was 12 in 1978, yet I was as undaunted as any adult. Nothing, least of all my pleading parents, could keep me away from the rooftops at 9 p.m. Amid the night's dark, where the crowds were as indiscernible as ghosts, the shouts of "Allah-o-akbar" rose from every rooftop like smoke rising from an invisible bonfire. We were all victims of the flames and the very arsonists at once. We were burning in the fire of our own making.
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Filed under: Iran |
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if the west can convince the Iranian people to uprise against their gov-then it's obvious that there's something severly wrong with that gov.
o'dell
Those animals killed an innocent young woman and then have the nerve to blame it on the U.S. but I don't believe the Iranians will accept their lie.
"Do not fear him that is only able to kill the body , but fear him who has the power to cast both body & soul into eternal Hell fire" The Most High sees every injustice,knows every thought, hears every word. Woe unto the Shepherds that fleece,kill, & scatter the flock and do not obey the Head Shepherd the Master of the Sheep.He will judge in Rightousness & truth.
I watched with horror as this beautiful young woman was murdered before my eyes for the crime of demanding what we in America take for granted. It is amazing to me that this blog has such few post but the Michael Jackson blogs have thousands...Again, this is proof of the level of priorities we Americans have. The world is a much smaller place than it was 50 years ago, and if history is not learned we ladies in America will soon be forced to wear viels. I wonder if then we would be outraged by the killing of a martyr?
Neda, your Beauty and Dignity and Morality, shine out in this world and are an example to us all with or without the Burkha or Chador.
What is so sad about all this is man's inhumanity to man or woman.
In the words of a song "when will they ever learn?, when will they e-v-e-r Learn?
The basic equality of any individual male or female to freedom of speech, education and religion should be inaliebale by any form of government.
So Mr Sarkozy, be quiet, if the lady wants to wear, or not wear a burkha, shut up that is not democracy that's dictatorship and nothing egalitarian about it at all
Regards,
Hodgson.
By denying his citizens their basic human rights, as stipulated in the Universal Human Rights Declaration of the United Nations, adopted since 1945, of which organization Iran is an integral member, through the unilateral use of lethal force against his defenseless flock, proves clearly that after all Ayatollah Ali Khomeini is not the Good Shepherd he pretends to be but the DEVIL INCARNATE.
By denying his citizens their basic human rights, as stipulated in the Universal Human Rights Declaration of the United Nations, adopted since 1945, of which organization Iran is an integral member, through the unilateral use of lethal force against his defenseless flock, proves clearly that after all Ayatollah Ali Khomeini is not Good Shepherd he pretends to be but the DEVIL INCARNATE.
@ Cindy........ Well said, my conservative friend.
I pray that the Iranians will have the courage it takes to fight for Freedom!
Freedom isn't free and Democracy can not be "imported" it must be born in the hearts and minds of the Iranian people.
Salaam! Peace! Shalom! Paz!
In Shia tradition, the martyr is one who prefers to die fighting the injustices of the oppressed.
Neda country wanted a fairer, more egalitarian. She fought against tyranny.
Probably you are right but is it me or I have never seen any demonstration as bloody as iran's from Pakistan.......it takes a man to fight for freedom next to a woman which is what you can never see in pakistan again by the way you can keep my share of god's blessing too. salam-on- alke........peace for the world
American media crucified Mr. Jackson when he was alive.They ripped him apart.Now they kiss ass.He needed you ..the media ..when he was alive ,not when he is dead.It would be nice if the nice words were heard when he was alive.Everybody believed those lies about molestation.You must be very dumb to believe that molestation start at the age of 45.A childpredator starts committing crimes early on.And if it was true why did nobody else come out of the woodwork???Where are all those molested kids????I allways believed him because I know everybody wanted some of his money.He was an easy prey.The international media stood behind him.not...americas media.!!!The only real man was Geraldo Rivera,who saw trough the garbage,thank god for him.We thank you Geraldo.The rest is being nice now ,after his death.He does not need you anymore.
I think the ones needing prayer are her family and the ones in Iran that are fighting for their rights. Neda is gone now and we can't do anything to help her. She's already in a better place.
Cindy..Ga.
May Allah rest Neda in peace.
You know what will be even better. If you even think about all the Pakistanis being killed by US drones every day. What we see here is US media jumping on an issue not relating to their country but keeping silent on their own deeds which are far worse than Neda's case. May Allah bless us all.