Neda
I have a friend at the YMCA where I swim several times a week. She’s a 79-year old Persian lady who swims laps bedside me most days. It was a landmark for me about a year ago when I could match her lap-for-lap.
Conversation is usually sparse as her English is limited and my Farsi is non-existent. Mostly she practices the niceties like, “Have a good weekend.”
Yesterday, though, she had a lot to say and struggled to tell me. “Very, very bad in Iran”, she kept saying. She told me about her family there, the protests... but most of all she wanted me to know about Neda.
She wanted me to say the name–– she helped me pronounce it. “Just a girl. They killed her. Nothing. For nothing.” She wanted me to remember.
She made me say it again. Neda. Neda.
I promise. I won’t forget.
Comments
Funny how the "divine leader" who has a direct phone line to the almighty can't control something as mundane as vote-rigging. Isn't it odd that those who seem to claim the most power over populations really seem to be the most powerless, when people start thinking and acting on their OWN brainpower?
For a female populace in a middle eastern country to act independantly in a public event, is nothing short of revolutionary. Women in those regions are considered disposable, and minimally, if ever, in regards to any relationship to daily life. Many refer to themselves as Persians, to cast themselves as seperate from the rest of the region. Persia pre-dates the muslim faith as well.
Annalisa
I've more to say on the specific amazing character of the Persian female - what amazing women they are, even before all of this! After speaking for a while with Marjane Satrapi (of Persepolis fame)and coming to know Manza so intimately, in addition to hearing the stories my Iranian friend Kevin tells of his own family and one of my student's father stories of his wife giving birth to their while the bombs fell during the Iran/Iraq war, I've a special place in my heart for them. Do tell your friend we are all with her and her country; however you manage to do it, she will understand.
We stand with them. The young, like Neda, and those who have seen conflict upon conflict and have not let their voice be stilled. would that we could all have such courage.
-Jen of MLM
I'm in Denmark, so everyone watching decided it was time for some more cartoons.