"Neda"

Updated: Sunday, June 21
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I have been following the events in Iran today. I followed a few links from various blogs. The first link was from Episcopal Cafe. This a translation of from the blog of a young woman planning to attend the protests today.

"I will participate in the demonstrations tomorrow. Maybe they will turn violent. Maybe I will be one of the people who is going to get killed. I’m listening to all my favorite music. I even want to dance to a few songs. I always wanted to have very narrow eyebrows. Yes, maybe I will go to the salon before I go tomorrow! There are a few great movie scenes that I also have to see. I should drop by the library, too. It’s worth to read the poems of Forough and Shamloo again. All family pictures have to be reviewed, too. I have to call my friends as well to say goodbye. All I have are two bookshelves which I told my family who should receive them. I’m two units away from getting my bachelors degree but who cares about that. My mind is very chaotic. I wrote these random sentences for the next generation so they know we were not just emotional and under peer pressure. So they know that we did everything we could to create a better future for them. So they know that our ancestors surrendered to Arabs and Mongols but did not surrender to despotism. This note is dedicated to tomorrow’s children…”

This brought home just how human and vulnerable the protesters are. I had to go for a walk to pray and meditate after reading this.

I then followed a link to the Huffington Post from Grandmere Mimi at Wounded Bird. I have been keeping up with the live blogging all day. One of the commenters posted a link to You Tube for Peter Gabriel's song I Grieve from City of Angels. At one point in this song there is a bit of jarring as it speaks to continuing in life. At first I wasn't going to post it but then decided that the bit that jarred me spoke well to my situation today. I spent it grieving for those in Iran but I also spent it living my life in Biggar, in a space full of peace and life.

Then there was an update from the young woman from yesterday. She had heard of her "sister's" death - the death of the young woman on the video. She had this to write.


" I'm here to tell you my sister died while in her father's hands
I'm here to tell you my sister had big dreams...
I'm here to tell you my sister who died was a decent person... and like me yearned for a day when her hair would be swept by the wind... and like me read "Forough" [Forough Farrokhzad]... and longed to live free and equal... and she longed to hold her head up and announce, "I'm Iranian"... and she longed to one day fall in love to a man with a shaggy hair... and she longed for a daughter to braid her hair and sing lullaby by her crib...

my sister died from not having life... my sister died as injustice has no end... my sister died since she loved life too much... and my sister died since she lovingly cared for people...

my loving sister, I wish you had closed your eyes when your time had come... the very end of your last glance burns my soul....

sister have a short sleep. your last dream be sweet."

It has been a long day. I continue to pray for the young blogger, for "Neda," the young woman who died on the video, and her family; for the young man I saw who had died during the protest and his family. I pray for all the protesters. And most strongly, I pray for the leaders of Iran to listen to their people and to honestly and peacefully find a way forward out of this violence so that justice may be done and peace brought about.

Love and Prayers,
Ann Marie

Update:

Malcolm at Simple Massing Priest has this post.
He does stress that it is uncomfirmed as yet but he has read on a blog by Andrew Sullivan that the Canadian Embassy has been turning away injured protesters. I know that yesterday, on The Huffington Post, I read a list of embassies who were taking in injured protesters and the Canadian embassy was not on the list. I also read the injured protesters going to hospitals and medical centres were being arrested. If what Mr. Sullivan posted is true, this does not speak well of our sense of justice and compassion. I have done as Malcolm suggested and e-mailed the various people listed, but it is Sunday so I don't expect to hear from anyone until tomorrow. I asked that they either confirm or deny the allegation and, if it is true, that they reconsider such an action.

Love and Prayers,
Ann Marie