Saturday, June 20, 2009

Her Name Was Neda

Unless you live under a rock you already know about the protests raging in Iran, even my Utah friends who do not follow international news knows about the rigged election and subsequent rioting. Although the protests have been quelled by non-lethal means such as tear gas and pressurized water cannons the violence has escalated to the point that protesters are now being murdered.One woman's story in particular has captured the agony and despair felt by the Iranian people and has spread like wildfire across the internet. Early this morning a young girl and her father were demonstrating in the streets of Tehran. The Basij are militias who have been brutally attacking students, women and even children. When they arrived to break up the protest this young women fell victim to the ultimate form of their cruelty. As an innocent bystandard she was standing next to her father when a Basij sniper shot her through the heart - some reports claim it was just to watch her die.
A doctor happened to be standing near by and attempted to stem the flow of arterial blood pumping from her chest while her father comforted her saying "Neda don't be afraid, don't be afraid, don't be afraid." As the blood pouring out of her began to cover her face her father began to scream "Neda stay! Neda stay!" Despite the doctors best efforts young Neda died less than two minutes after taking the bullet to her heart.
Beloved Neda, your life was extinguished too soon, your sacrifice will last forever as a call for freedom and justice. As America discovered in the blistering sands of Iraq a people cannot have freedom thrust upon them prematurely. Like a butterfly escaping it's cacoon a people must struggle for their own freedom and be tempered by the fires of persecution and oppression. Iran is such a country, whose people fight for revolution from tyranny even as I type these words. Now is the time when they need the world to stand with them, in solidarity. The responsability to take action belongs to each and every one of us.

On the streets of Tehran
On a warm summers day
A beautiful life
Was taken away

She stood with her father
Looking out on the crowd
A scene of destruction
And outrage surrounds

The victory stolen
From under their feet
A courageous people
Take to the street

A burning desire
For freedom and justice
Breaking the bonds
Of oppressions cruel clutches

She feels the excitement
As her people march on
Feeling the hope
Of a countries new dawn

She turns to her father
A smile brightens her face
She kisses his cheek
Their hands each embrace

A sharp pain in her chest
She falls to the ground
She lays there unblinking
As people surround

Her father is crying
He looks into her eyes
He sees his sweet daughter
His life's dearest prize

"Neda, please stay!"
He calls to her now
As tears of great sadness
Fall to the ground

She looks back on life's journey
She feel's so at peace
Content she lets go
And her soul is released

Her name was Neda
Which means voice or call
Her life not forgotten
She'll be remembered by all

A brave young girl
Now returned to the earth
A symbol of freedom
In a countries rebirth

Neda's tragic death was caught on video and has made it's way all across the internet. Her suffering is immense and the scene horrific but it is better that we face the blinding light of truth than turn away into shadows. To see Neda's final moments on earth click here.


ATW said...

Hmmm. You probably aren't old enough to remember the incubator baby stories from the war to retake Kuwait under Bush Sr. I'm not saying the death isn't real enough---but this telling has the feel of propaganda to me. I didn't believe the incubator stories either, by the way, when they came out, because the quoted numbers were many times greater than you would find at UVRMC, and that seemed unlikely.

Even the girl's name Neda seems a bit odd. In the color revolutions the so-called National Endowment for Democracy---NED---figures prominently...

LaMancha said...

A killer poem

I nearly died reading it

Dawson said...

This may well be the greatest poem you have written to date! I posted in so many places on facebook that I received a warning telling me that I was using facebook for spamming and that any continued abuse of the terms and policies would result in my account being eliminated... an unexpected warning, but well worth the risk to spread this amazing work of art into the hands of as many supporters of the Iranian protesters as possible.