On the eve of America’s celebration of Independence, @LindaAWI emailed a copy of a blog she wrote as a tribute to Neda and to Freedom.
Images captured from picfog - search term => #IranElections
TRIBUTE TO NEDA
Linda S. Fitzgerald Blog Post – Thursday, June 25, 2009 Affiliated Women Intl
… Last Saturday sometime, somewhere on a street in Tehran (Iran), Neda – a young graduate philosophy student – was with her professor and a group of fellow students. As the story goes, she stepped behind the group to talk on her cell phone.
Suddenly a shot rang out from a man riding by on a cycle. The bullet struck Neda in the heart.
The rest is now “history”.
History because a young person near by shot video of Neda falling to the ground; her dazed classmates gathering about her; a doctor standing near by rushing to her aid. As he gave CPR, blood rushed from her nose and mouth, covered her face and rolled to the ground. All clearly visible on someone’s sophisticated cell phone video recorder. The video distinctly showed her eyes move to the side and the glaze of death overcome them!
27 year old Neda was dead.
She has become a rallying cry for oppressed people who dearly want their freedom! It began as a spontaneous response to an obviously “fixed” national election; but has become about people enjoying the Papa-given right to a life of dignity and democracy that has, since at least 1979, been denied them.
…. Neda could be anyone of us. Any of our daughters or granddaughters. She could be the neighbor’s child next door or the fiancee of our young son. And just because it happened half a world away in a strange land that knows not the slightest hint of human decency, does not make it any less repugnant or acceptable.
At least I would hope not!
So what do we do except feel sorry for all the Neda’s in Iran – or anywhere in the Middle East for that much (just take a look at Saudi Arabia’s approach to women for a real ‘eye-opener’)? What can we do? Is there anything we can do except lament that such attitudes still darken the world. . . anywhere in the world?
…. The greatest tribute we can make to Neda is to never forget the sacrifice she made. We can honor her memory by taking up the cause for women’s right to respect and dignity at home and abroad. We can determine that we will add our voices to the multitude of voices supporting women who long to be free. We can find ways to offer the women of Iran our support, our prayers, our comfort and anything else we can realistically give them.
… Let us pay tribute to the memory of this brave and beautiful young woman and pray her sacrifice will not be in vain!
Much love in your day!
Linda, a fellow journeyer
Well said