Freedom's Fidelity

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Founding Fathers and Sons of April 9

Iraq needs some founding fathers, people that understand the value as well as the messiness of freedom. People that understand the maintenance it requires. Mohammed at Iraq the Model is one of those. I rarely link to items that I don't have something of substance to add to it. This is one of those exceptions. You simply MUST read these two posts. The first is Mohammed's posting of what he wrote on April 9, 2003, that famous day that they tore down Saddam's statue and decades of nightmares. (Excerpt)

The rest of my friends and neighbors were waiting to hear from us, I screamed "Saddam has fallen" Everybody was shocked. Some of them couldn't say a word, one of them asked me to repeat what I said and I replied "F*** Saddam". None of us dared before to swear at the 'leader' in public. My father put the radio aside and I saw tears in my father friend's eyes, who hugged my father and congratulated him. We started to hug each other with tears of joy but I was somewhat depressed. I want to go out to the streets and scream as loud as I can to celebrate my freedom, but I couldn't.

The second was written on April 9, 2004 and got me teary eyed, excerpt:

It's the day that brought me back to life. It's the 9th of April and I'm free, and they will not steel my joy again and they will not silence me. A year ago at the same date, the thieves and criminals prevented me from celebrating my freedom in the open air, and today thieves, criminals and fanatics are doing the same, but they will not steal my happiness that is making my soul fly and dance with joy and they can't stop this.

A year ago, words failed me as I met the 1st American soldier, and I still remember his name, "corporal, Adam" and all I could utter was "thank you!" how could I ever put my whole life in few words? How could I have thanked that soldier enough? How could I have told him what it meant to me to see him and his comrades-who brought me back to life- at last? Thank you Adam, Lieutenant Antonio, Captain Brian Curtis and all the coalition soldiers who I can't remember their names, and those I never met.

It's the 9th of April and I feel safe! And I don't care what those 'political experts' on the newspapers and TV channels, say about the 'occupation', deteriorated security and 'unemployment'. You can't understand this, because you never experienced real fear this long. Let me tell you about it, as I'm one of those who passed Saddam's filthy test of life.
The statue fell and with it, horror fell. You don't know what it means to be scared to death most of your life, brothers and sisters. I knew that and I faced it during the reign of evil and darkness. I was afraid to talk, I wasn't allowed to think and I wasn't allowed to feel... I wasn't allowed to love.

How dare anyone imply to me how should I feel? And who they think they are, those who try to put words in my mouth? I'm alive and I'm free, and I have the right to say whatever I feel and chose the words I like. No one will tell me again what to say and what to feel.

For thirty years Iraqis have been held face down in the mud. Can you imagine the psychological damage of living under these conditions? Men and woman were told not to think, not to act, and not to feel, doing so would imperil their lives. Personality was outlawed, punishable by death. I don't know how people like Mohammed made it through those dark ages with thoughts and dreams of freedom still in tact, but somehow they did. As the rest of the world shrugged with indifference, men like Omar, Ali and Mohammed, Zeyad, Sam, and Salaam spotted hope under the dark menacing shadow of Saddam and Sons. I don't know how, but how could I? I've never lived under anything resembling the horror that they have experienced. I can only take inspiration and hope that we do our best to help this country and the rest of the Middle East trudge toward freedom and a better, safer world.

Go Read Both Posts. Now.

posted by Paul  permalink | |