Egypt, Iran, Bahrain, Yemen (?), Palestine & Everywhere Else....

[Guest]

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[Jill]

AND EVERYWHERE ELSE THAT PEOPLE ARE YEARNING FOR FREEDOM, FOR SELF-DETERMINATION, AND FOR THE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS THAT WE, TOO OFTEN, TAKE FOR GRANTED.

Just happened to come across this headline,
Iranian Government Calls for Friday Rally to Show 'Hatred' for Opposition,
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Clashes-Breakout-at-Memorial-for-Protest-Victim-in-Iran-116298439.html, so I couldn’t keep myself from clicking on the link.

I don’t know if any of you caught this video clip on TV news last night of the Parliament in Tehran chanting for the execution of the pro-democracy (current government-) opposition leaders, Mousavi and Karrobi, but it really was kind of terrifying and surreal.  Watching it, a person couldn’t help but feel grateful for their own countries’ legislatures, no matter how dysfunctional and fractious they clearly are.  
(Once at the link, below, watch, especially from about the 53 second point in the video.  It’s really scary.).


or at http://wn.com/Iran_demonstration_15_feb_2011__The_parliament_in_Tehran_is_chanting_death_to_Mousavi_and_Karrobi

I don’t know if these are among the better Twitter sites or not to follow what's going on in Iran, but they’re the ones I’ve found so far::

http://www.google.com/search?q=wael+ghonim&hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs=,qdr:d#q=%2325Bahman+site%3Atwitter.com&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=1&hl=en&lr=&sa=X&output=search&prmd=ivnsuo&ei=3BFbTZ3hEoy8sQPKg_ipCg&ved=0CAwQsQcwAQ&fp=3adb8a9aea4e3556

http://www.google.com/search?q=wael+ghonim&hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs=,qdr:d#q=%23IranElection+site%3Atwitter.com&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=1&hl=en&lr=&sa=X&output=search&prmd=ivnsuo&psj=1&ei=LmdYTejvO4H0tgPOwOCcDA&ved=0CB4QsQcwAw&fp=3671ef6aa59386b2

I so very much wish the people there peace, safety and real hope for the future.


I'd told you that I was going to make an effort to "bring back" KF.  I have and I will.  For the next I don'tknowhowmany days, though, I'm thinking I might go quiet and leave some of the space here for any others who are willing to try, themselves.  I'll be back.

EDIT: KF Moderators, I'm close to certain that there must be a more appropriate place to post this thread.  I couldn't for the life of me figure out where that would be.  You're welcome to move it if you know.

[Patricia SF]

I saw the video of the Parliament in Tehran and yeah it's creepy!

Also, what's stomach churning is learning what happened to 60 Mintues reporter, Laura Logan:

http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/16/female-news-correspondent-sexually-assaulted-beaten-in-cairo/

[Mona]

The birth of a new EGYPT - really moving.

[JohnR]

Patricia, yes it's terrible what happened to Lara Logan.  I first noticed her when she was reporting from Iraq during the invasion.  She showed more guts than any other three reporters put together.  The others would be broadcasting from the roof of the hotel safe in the green zone and she'd be crouched over running along with the troops as they were taking fire.  She's very courageous and an excellent reporter; no fluff from her, always the hard facts.  She's the only reporter I've respected since Walter Cronkite retired.

I wish her a speedy recovery.

[charity]

I like that video Mona. 
---
I was pretty shocked when I heard what happened to Lara Logan.  I wish her stength and healing.  Just the night before hearing about the attack on her, I heard a report that sounded so positive for women in Egypt, on PRIs 'The World' podcast from 2/10. They interviewed an Egyptian woman who had participated in the protests.  She was talking about how free it had been for women during the protests, as compared to normal.  She said women of all ages, all walks of life were involved in the protests, and were liberated during the protests: doing things like smoking or kissing friends in the streets, staying out at all hours of the day and night - while feeling safe and relaxed, and were not subject to harassment or stares for such behavior that they usually would get. 

I hope that it continues to improve for all Egyptians, and especially for the women. 

[carien]

I hope that the promiss for a new Egypt is for all Egyptians no matter what religion they have. The path they walk will be an example for the rest of the middle east where true democracy is rare to find where people can walk hand in hand with respect towards eachother.

Sometimes I take things for granted I live in a country without fear and where I can say whatever I want to say. Those two things are the most important things to feel really free.

I also know that in some countries in the middle east I have to watch what I am saying because you don't know to who you are speaking. I really hope one day people in the middle east can say whatever they want to say with respect to eachother and no blood will be spilled over words.

[charity]

I thought I would share a couple videos from all of this that really touched me. 

One was shared on Facebook by Kivafriend Mona - this is a version with English subtitles, and it appears to be a video in memory and appreciation of the estimated 300 people who died during the protests in Egypt.   I appreciate the video because it seems that the news and other sources I have seen don't seem to mention the deaths that occurred very much, or give any stories about who they were. http://universalsubtitles.org/en/videos/y8QYrKOwQAE0/en/

This other video is a Tunisian rap video that I heard about on PRIs 'The World' podcast.  It is by a Tunisian rapper called 'El General' (Hamada Ben-Amor) and it speaks to the frustration, suffering, and injustices that people there were feeling; its name apparently translates as "Mr. President, your people are dying".  The translation leaves a little to be desired, but you can definitely get the idea: 
The rapper was actually arrested by the government (and let go 24 hours later) after he released this and another song against the government: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2049456,00.html

[charity]

This is from an article I saw today about women in Egypt

Women think as differently as they dress here, but they have emerged from the barricades agreeing on one thing: This is their moment in history, and they cannot afford to lose it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/18/AR2011021807448.html
  

[charity]

This is a picture I saw yesterday from the protests in Bahrain. The caption is "Anti-government protesters face off against the Bahraini army near the Pearl roundabout at dusk on February 18, 2011 in Manama, Bahrain. Protesters said that the army fired on them with live rounds, followed by teargas which drove the demonstrators back. There are unconfirmed reports that there are four dead in the clashes."

This picture just struck me for how courageous the protestors seem to be, how scared they must be, how desperate and yet optimistic thier actions are. When I showed my boyfriend this the first thing he said was how non-violent it was.  

[charity]

I checked the news this morning and this is the first thing I saw:  
http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/fighter-pilots-told-bomb-protestors-reports-4037346

Two Libyan Air Force fighter pilots have flown their jets to Malta where they told authorities they had been ordered to bomb protesters, Maltese government officials said.

They said the two pilots, both colonels, took off from a base near Tripoli. One of them has requested political asylum.

There are reports of dozens of fatalities as military aircraft reportedly attacked areas of Tripoli.

If only the rest of the pilots had followed the examples of those two pilots...