Assyrian Genocide Memorial wall in California!!!

most of you know by now that I'm sadly too busy to blog, but I read about this today from AINA and I had to share it with everyone because it makes me very happy that our people are working so hard to reach others and make them aware of the genocide of our people so that it is not forgotten:

"Stockholm -- On February 17th, 2007, the GENOCIDE MEMORIAL WALL in Tarzana in southern California, USA, was unveiled. The monument was raised in remembrance of the victims of Seyfo, the Assyrian genocide during 1914-1918, and of the Simele massacre in Iraq in 1933, when more than 3000 Assyrians were murdered by the Iraqi military. Among the speakers during the ceremony was author Rosie Malek-Yonan, who has written The Crimson Field, a book about Seyfo.

To see video clips and pictures from the ceremony in Tarzana click here.

The first Seyfo monument was inaugurated on October 15th, 2005, in Sarcelles outside Paris, in remembrance of the Assyrians who fell victims to the genocide. To see pictures of the Seyfo monument in Sarcelles, click on the following links 1, 2, 3, 4.

A third monument is close to becoming a reality. According to the latest information from the authorities of Sِdertنlje (Sweden), only technical details remain, before the construction of the Seyfo monument can start in the city. Sِdertنlje is today the home of one of the largest Assyrian "colonies" in the world."

Iraqi's reaction to THE VERDICT

what strikes me as interesting is how quickly Iraqis change their opinions…this post is a little late but I glanced over some posts of bloggers regarding Saddam’s death sentence…it was only a little over three years ago when the war started and almost every Iraqi wanted Saddam dead. In fact, most Iraqis did not even want the monster to die an easy “drop a bomb into a building” death. Instead, most wanted him to suffer and be killed in the most horrible way possible. Of course, I understood their sentiments; it was the result of many years of oppression during which feelings of anger, frustration and desperation were suppressed for a long time only to be suddenly unleashed as the regime fell.

However, I would like to think that Iraqis still despise Saddam, and that they haven’t already forgotten what it was like living under his tyranny. I was shocked to read that many of the bloggers either disagreed with the death sentence or were apathetic about the ruling. APATHETIC?!!! How in the world can Iraqis be apathetic about giving Saddam the justice he long deserved??? If Iraqis are apathetic about this, then what reaction should we expect from the rest of the world? This is just so baffling to me!

Yes, I admit, when I first heard the news I was not as excited as I should be, because of the worsening situation in Iraq. But then I started thinking about what this means…SADDAM IS REALLY GOING TO DIE!!! I mean that is great news, and even though it will not fix the current situation in Iraq, it is a step forward to achieving the justice that the Iraqis have been longing to see in their country…shouldn’t the mother whose son was killed in the many wars waged by Saddam be ecstatic to see the man who caused it all brought to justice? What about the families who lost their fathers, sons, brothers because they dared to have some kind of political affiliation other than the Ba’ath party? What about the families whose girls where kidnapped and raped? Shouldn’t EVERY Iraqi who lived and suffered under the past regime be overcome with joy that the verdict against Saddam has been reached and it is nothing other than DEATH BY HANGING? I think the answer to such a question is obvious.

So to the Iraqi people I say you absolutely CANNOT be indifferent about this decision. We have all been waiting for this day for so long and now that it is here you say you’re indifferent? This is one of the first victories for the Iraqis against the haters and destroyers of Iraq, so how can you be apathetic about your victory? You should be celebrating and gaining confidence in winning more and bigger battles against the evils that have invaded our country!

SADDAM’S DAYS IN THIS WORLD ARE NUMBERED, AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS REASON ENOUGH TO CELEBRATE AND REJOICE

Rosie Malek-Yonan and the ChaldoAssyrian Problem

I wrote a post before about a newly published book by an Assyrian author by the name Rosie Malek-Yonan (see 9/29/2005 post)…I did not realize at the time however how much this great woman has achieved…the other day I received an email stating that Ms. Malek-Yonan has gone to Washington DC to testify in front of the Committee on International Relations in Congress…here is the script and here is the audio of the hearing (Rosie’s testimony starts at 2:12 and on…make sure you listen to the chairman’s comments at the very end of everyone’s testimony).

Ms. Malek-Yonan’s statement had some very powerful words, and I am hoping that, as the Chairman said, Congress will pay some serious attention to the issue of the Iraqi Assyrian Christians. At the moment no one seems to be doing anything to help this religious and ethnic minority in Iraq, and it is shocking how much is going unnoticed when it comes to our suffering…In fact, despite of the use of the word “unnoticed” by Ms. Malek-Yonan, I believe that is actually an issue of noticing and yet ignoring or disregarding the matter. Not only by Iraqis, but also the U.S. is doing nothing to help the ChaldoAssyrian Christians, which is where I am hoping Ms. Malek-Yonan’s testimony will help.

Ms. Malek-Yonan states:

My churches are being bombed. My elders are being killed. My young brothers are being assaulted and kidnapped. My fellow students are being harassed and beaten. My children and neighbors are being beheaded. If my sister refuses to wear a Muslim hijab, she is raped or tortured by having acid thrown in her face. And yes, the majority of these incidents have gone unreported in the western media. These atrocities are occurring right under the watchful eyes of my American government since the “liberation” of Iraq.

Yes, I could not agree more…the U.S. government is doing nothing to help the Iraqi Christians, neither is the current Iraqi government. But then again, the current Iraqi government is doing nothing to help any Iraqis, let alone the constantly ignored and victimized Iraqi ChaldoAssyrians.

After reading a small passage from her book “the Crimson Field” to the Congress Committee, Ms. Malek-Yonan asserts:

That was an excerpt from my book, The Crimson Field. I could have very well been writing about the plight of today’s Assyrians in Iraq. History is repeating itself and no one is taking notice; No one except my people.

This is what happens when a problem keeps getting ignored and pushed aside rather than revealing the truth and taking steps to fix the problem and move forward. No one, except the ChaldoAssyrians themselves, wants to deal with our problem and try to amend things. In fact, even some of the ChaldoAssyrians are sadly working against our cause only because it means securing their own interests (such as those ChaldoAssyrians who decided to join other political parties who have nothing to do with the ChaldoAssyrian Christian cause).

We do not want our problem to be solved in a way that will bring on more violence, Iraq has enough violence anyways. We need solutions that will work, solutions that will bring about a real change in the situation. Violence never establishes anything. Furthermore, the problem of the Iraqi ChaldoAssyrian Christians will not be solved by this minority’s efforts alone. We are working hard to ensure that we get our rights like the rest of the Iraqis, but if we do not have the support of the other Iraqi segments, we will not be able to get anywhere. In order for the ChaldoAssyrians to continue their presence in Iraq alongside other Iraqis, we need the support of our Iraqi brothers and sisters. Those in power need to include us in their plans for a new and better Iraq, not only in a symbolic manner (i.e. by giving one ChaldoAssyrian a chair in parliament) but in actions too.

However, I do not believe that will be an easy thing to achieve or sadly even if it is possible. Many Iraqis, especially those in power, talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. They make statements where they claim that the ChaldoAssyrian minority are Iraqis as much as any other Iraqi and have nothing to fear because they will be protected by the government. Yet, the threats and assaults against this Iraqi minority are increasing everyday causing them to live their lives in complete fear and looking for the nearest exit out of their homeland into exile!

Ms. Malek-Yonan mentions in her statement that:

Today in war-torn Iraq, being denied their most basic human rights, these ancient and indigenous people continue to be the target of systematic oppression, murder, intimidation, kidnapping, and violence. Assyrians in Northern Iraq are marginalized by Kurds who have gained momentum and are exercising the same brand of violence they once complained of during Saddam’s dictatorship.

You would think that the Iraqi Kurds would be more sympathetic towards us given that they themselves were an oppressed minority not too long ago. But no, they are in fact treating us the same way as they were being treated under the Saddam regime. There are many villages north and east of Mosul that are inhabited by ChaldoAssyrians, and during the Saddam regime of course there was a Ba’athist militia base in each one of these villages just as was the case in the rest of Iraqi villages, towns, and cities. I was shocked to find out that instead of emptying these posts and allowing the elected ChaldoAssyrian officials to now run these villages as officials of the new government, these stations are now being housed by the Kurdish secret police and the Kurdish militia groups that are doing their best to intimidate the people of these villages. Also, the Kurdish propaganda machine claims that they are helping the people of these villages when in fact they are trying to occupy and control these Christian villages. Many ChaldoAssyrians have reported being abused by the Kurdish militia for protesting the presence of these people in their villages, and no one, neither the Iraqi government nor the American authorities have done anything about it. When the high Kurdish officials hear of these incidents they claim that they will deal with their people as long as the incident does not get reported to other authorities!

In one part of her testimony Rosie states that:

There is no aid or funding going to the Assyrian regions under our American watch. Basic medical need is non-existent for these Christians. A woman cannot have a c-section in her neighborhood. She has to drive miles away and risk her life and the life of her unborn child to receive medical care.
We, Assyrians, are not asking for anything beyond the aid that is already going to Iraq for redevelopment. But we are asking that Assyrians proportionally receive aid sent to the Assyrian regions.

That is true, but I would have to say that the “aid” money is actually not going to the rest of everyday Iraqi people either, but as I had mentioned in my posts before these funds are being pocketed by government “officials” and everyone else who can get their hands on it. There needs to be a change in the strategy for handling the money that is supposed to be used for the reconstruction of Iraq. Iraqis have yet to see even a small tiny result of the “reconstruction” effort. The government must start working on the essentials (water and electricity) and making them the number one priority while continuing their work on the security situation as well. I know that when water and power are restored, the Iraqis would then start believing again that there is still hope for the country. Restoring water and power might not seem like such a big issue that would actually change people’s attitude, but believe me, when the lack of water and electricity become part of one’s everyday life for a long time then it becomes very hard to bear, especially in a country where people had taken these things for granted in the good old days.

Ms. Malek-Yonan also states that:

It is estimated that if things continue to proceed as they now are, within 10 years, the Assyrian population of Iraq will be eradicated because of the ethnic cleansing, the forced exodus, and migration.

This declaration disturbs me a great deal…I find it hard to accept that there might come a day when I will actually be considered a “foreigner” when I visit my homeland, the country that I have loved and where I had formed many cherished memories…I hope and pray to God that a day like that will never come, because it is the most devastating thing to find out that what you considered to be your motherland does not consider you one of its children, and even more devastating when you feel like you do not belong to any land and are bound to be a “foreigner” wherever you go in this world!

People need to stand by the ChaldoAssyrian population…the Iraqis need to hold our hands, support us, and let us know that we are a significant part need for the rebuilding of a democratic Iraq just as the Arabs, the Kurds, and other minorities are…the government needs to protect us by not turning a blind eye and allowing others to abuse us in our own villages…and the U.S. needs to make it clear that the ChaldoAssyrians have their support, just like they did, and continue to do, with the Kurdish population of Iraq.

Other interesting points that Ms. Malek-Yonan brings up are:

Article (2)b of the Iraqi Constitution states: “No law can be passed that contradicts the principles of democracy.” Article (2)a of the Iraqi Constitution states: “No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam.” These two articles are in contradiction with each other.

I had made this exact point in one of my old posts (which I’m having trouble locating)…but these are the two opening statements of the Iraqi constitution, and I remember telling my dad well what if something applies to one and contradicts the other? It was after reading these two lines that I thought to myself “oh great so this is our new constitution!”

Finally, I thought that Ms. Malek-Yonan’s closing sentence offered a strong comparison; one which I’m hoping will have an effect on Congress to actually take action to help the ChaldoAssyrians Christians of Iraq:

How shameful it would have been if the tragedy of 9/11 had gone unnoticed. How shameful it is that the tragedy of the Assyrian genocide of last century went unnoticed. How shameful it is that the current Assyrian massacres are going unnoticed

World Cup 2006

WAY TO GO ITALIA!!!

ITALIA 2006

Italia will be playing France for the big win today....woooohoooo

go Italia!!!

War or Soccer?

The whole world is busy these days watching the FIFA World Cup as it happens to be the most widely watched game ever…I am enjoying these games as well and cheering for my favorite teams…this is the first year that I am so into the World Cup that I am following the games very closely.

As I was watching these many games I got a creative idea that will of course never happen in real life. I was telling my brother that humans are idiots for having wars and fighting each other over issues that I consider to be insignificant, such as land. Throughout humanity’s history there have been many wars where people die and countries get damaged. The more advanced our technology becomes the deadlier these wars are becoming.

But why do we have wars to settle our disputes? Why is war the best idea that humans came up with?

I have a better idea….game matches! Yes, sports’ matches…there is a dispute between two countries over a piece of land? Fine, they can arrange a soccer game where the winning team’s country gets the land…or we can have it be best 2 out of 3 matches. Would that not be a beautiful solution? No lives lost, no homes destroyed, no gunshots and missiles heard. Instead of a military, countries can have teams…hell, they can even call their teams “military” if they like this word that much…and if we have multiple countries involved in a dispute, it’s still not a problem…instead of starting a World War, we can have the World Cup with specific rules and regulations to settle the disagreements fairly.

Now you seriously tell me this isn’t a better solution to resolve disputes between countries than war…why don’t humans choose good clean solutions to their problems, but always prefer the gory, violent, and messy answers to get out of a difficulty? Perhaps, it is as that famous ancient philosopher said (whose name I cannot recall right now) that man is evil in nature…I am starting to believe that more than what the other philosopher who countered his argument said that man is good in nature but it is the environment that makes him do evil things (as you can see I am really bad in recalling names, but anyone who has studied some ancient philosophy would know who I am talking about…I hope).

At any rate, I really think this amazing insight of mine is much better than war wouldn’t you say? Hmmm, maybe I should be made president of a country so that I can start working on this war alternative of mine…I personally would vote for soccer matches since that is the only sport I like, but I would be open to suggestions for other sports as well (basketball, baseball anyone?).

Oh, and if you are wondering how can dictators be removed this way…it’s simple…if the dictator’s team loses the match, the dictator gets removed. And any country can beat the dictator’s team…why? Because if he is a dictator, then that means his team would be poorly trained since everyone knows a dictator does not take care of the people of his country. In fact, his team, even if well trained, might purposefully lose the match so that he gets removed from power, and that way their country is freed without the people getting slaughtered daily!

wow...

Listen to this it is so great
I still cannot believe that Al-Jazeera actually showed this...this woman is AMAZING!!!
in my opinion, this is what courage and speaking one's mind looks like...the broadcast is in Arabic but there is English translation.

her words keep playing in my head....I really praise this woman for her strength and courage!

whose fault is it?

With the situation in Iraq worsening every day, and the civilians lives becoming more and more unbearable, people want to point the finger on someone. But who is to blame? Who is responsible for the stray bullets, the car bombs, and the daily explosions that are killing innocent civilians? Who is responsible for the stalled progress of all aspects of life in Iraq? There is still no steady electricity or water, why? The new government is still very unstable and the members of parliament cannot seem to reach an agreement on ANYTHING, whose fault is that?

Iraqis have many questions; their lives are miserable and they are fed up with the insanity that has become a daily routine of their lives. In their despair, they want to point the finger on someone; by pointing the blame on someone other than themselves they can just throw their arms in the air and say there is nothing they can do about it.

So who is to blame?

Some like to blame the U.S…I’m sorry but I do not see the U.S. killing civilians randomly, so how is the U.S. responsible for the many civilian deaths occurring daily? I am not saying the U.S. is doing everything right there because certainly they are NOT. They have made, and continue to make many mistakes, especially in terms of the reconstruction efforts; putting the money in the hands of people who should not be trusted and such. However, in terms of the security situation, which should be a priority to resolve, the U.S. is trying to keep things calm and fight the insurgents to restore security in the country.

Do we blame the terrorists and the insurgents performing these acts? For sure they are the ones doing the killings and they are responsible for these deaths. They try to justify their monstrous doings by pretending that they are doing it for some cause, what cause? Well it’s all part of their babble.

We, the Iraqis…Sunnies, Shiites, Kurds, ChaldoAssyrian Christians, and all other ethnic and religious groups are the ones to blame for the state that Iraq is in now…The finger should be pointed on the Iraqis and the responsibility is no one’s but ours…we are fighting each other instead of fighting the insurgents who are destroying our land…we are looking after our own individual interests and gains instead of working towards the betterment of our Iraq as a whole…we are working hard to ignore the “other side’s” point of view, disagree with everything that they say and stomp our foot on the floor saying that our side is right and not yours….what “other side” is there anyways? Are we not all Iraqis? Of course we are despite all of our ethnic and religious differences…in fact, it is these differences that make Iraq all the great things that it is.

we should be joining each other hand in hand to secure and rebuild Iraq; we should be putting our differences aside at least until we get Iraq on its feet and functioning again. But, nooooo each side things they are right and God forbid that they agree with or acknowledge the other side, what about their dignity? Agreeing with the other side will be seen as succumbing to the other and all of their dignity will be lost.

As long as the Iraqis, starting with the government and the leaders of the country, continue to think in such a way Iraq will continue to deteriorate, the “bad guys” will continue to destroy our country, and the reconstruction efforts will continue to be stalled….I wonder when the Iraqis will finally realize this and start working together instead of against each other!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

wishing a very Happy Easter to all those who celebrate it.

Enjoy your Easter eggs and eat lots of chocolate...the Easter bunny has returned yet again:)

Happy New Year

UPDATE: here are links to pictures from this year's new year's celebration in Alkosh, ankawa, and Baghdad scroll down to see all the pictures (you can ignore the writing if you don't read Arabic, it is just basically saying people were celebrating the Assyrian new year)...enjoy!

it is April 1st again...Happy Assyrian New Year 6756 to all the ChaldoAssyrians worldwide!
today also happens to be the Persian New Year...I don't know if I have any Persian readers but if I do, then I wish you a very Happy New Year as well:)

here are some pictures from last year's April 1st ChaldoAssyrian celebrations in northern Iraq:

The Year in Review

March 22nd marked the first anniversary of my blog…I CREATED my blog on August 2004 but I did not start blogging seriously until March, 2005 (hence I am considering March the one year anniversary). The year has passed by so quickly. I decided to look over all of my posts for the past year, and below I have listed the top 10 posts that I personally think were the best (you can certainly disagree) :

1. Flag Symbolism 3/29/2005
(I think this is the post that means the most to me)
2. We have a president... 4/7/2005
(yeah I was too optimistic a year ago, I am NOT anymore!)
3. Prejudice is in all of us… 4/23/2005
4. Seeking Democracy or… 5/21/2005
5. The Freedom tower age 6/29/2005
(I really love this post)
6. ChaldoAssyrians making us proud 7/28/2005
7. The Four Candles 8/13/2005
8. Saddam: your time has come… 10/19/2005
9. Caricature drama 2/3/2006
10. Memory Lane 2/22/2006

I never realized that my blog was created on the same month as the Iraq war anniversary until now…hmmm, so with the 3rd anniversary of the war just a few days ago I have had very mixed feelings. The country is still in shambles; the violence continues and at times escalates; people’s lives are still far from being normal. To me a positive end does not seem to be coming anytime soon, and that really saddens me.

However, people who are using the 3rd anniversary to keep protesting the troops’ presence in Iraq are really getting on my nerves...for example, one demonstration that is supposed to take place in Atlanta on April 1st have flyers that are using “peace in Iraq” and “bring our troops home now” in the same sentence. Who are they kidding? Do these people honestly believe that pulling out the American troops now would bring peace to Iraq? That is the craziest thing I have heard. The troops leaving Iraq now would mean complete destruction to Iraq and whatever minimal idea of Democracy that is already in the making there. It would mean the Islamic parties (who have already regrettably won the majority of seats in the new parliament) cutting loose and ruling the country under the Islamic Sharia. This is the thought that scares me the most, in my mind the American troops leaving now before stability is ensured and a good secular leader coming to power makes me wonder if Iraq would turn into another Iran. Thankfully, President Bush seems to be sticking by his plan to stay in Iraq as long as needed. Then again, President Bush is going to be in power for only 2 more years, who knows what the next president will do and where Iraq will be at that point.

Anyways, I have to say that I don’t know if my blog will get to celebrate its 2nd anniversary. I am starting medical school in August and as many of you can guess that will basically take over my life. Yeah for those interested, I got accepted and I am just really thrilled but at the same time scared of what is to come. So in about 7 or so years you can look me up when you need a doctor (probably for your children since I am planning on becoming a pediatrician:))-and yes it is 7+ years: 4 years medical school and 3+ years residency depending on what specialty one chooses.

another tag...

I got tagged by Tara this time...I think I'm going to start a "people-against-random-tag-creators" group...anyways, enjoy reading my attempt to answer these questions:


What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Happiness is what we make of our lives…perfect happiness for me is loving and appreciating what and who I have in my life.

What is your greatest fear?
losing the people I love.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
ummm, so these questions are really hard!

Which living person do you most admire?
my dad.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
always trying to predict what people are thinking about me/my actions/my words etc.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
snobbishness and lying.

What is your greatest extravagance?
excess of anything is bad...I really can’t think of anything right now.

On what occasion do you lie?
I don’t.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
my height.

Which living person do you most despise?
despise is a really strong word…I don’t think I despise anyone…there are people I dislike though.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"oh really?” “yeah” “I know”

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
physical: my height
personality wise: care less about what people think about me.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Overcoming many obstacles and getting into medical school.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
I do not desire to be anything other than human…I think I would want to be me minus the things I don’t like about myself…in other words, the ideal perfect me:)

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
how is this different from the previous question???

Who are your favorite writers?
I don’t go looking for books by one particular author, I just read whatever seems interesting to me at the time and usually end up forgetting the author’s name as soon as I finish reading the book.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
I don’t know, Nemo?

What is your most treasured possession?
a pink rabbit bag that I’ve had for as long as I remember…actually it was my sister’s first then I got it from her when I was like 5 years old. it was the one thing I made sure I brought with me to the U.S. now it sits in a place of honor on top of my bed.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
excessive self-pity that prevents one from getting anywhere in life.

Where would you like to live?
"home is where the heart is”
but I must say I love california or any place that is as gorgous as california!

What is your most marked characteristic?
smiling and appearing happy all of the time…I don’t like to show people that I’m having a bad day (with the exception of close friends and family).

What is the quality you most like in a man?
his personality…and nicely toned biceps never hurt either:)

What is your greatest regret?
I don’t really have anything major…give me a break I’m only 22.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Who: Haven’t found him yet.
What: my family.

How would you like to die?
Fast…painlessly…and without prior knoweledge of it.


Finally, as my attempt to stop this tagging insanity, I will not be tagging anyone.

Memory Lane...

Every morning I wake up and turn on the news in hopes of finding some report of any minuscule positive story from over there. However, morning after morning disappointment sets in as I hear more stories of violence and destruction that seem to be regressing to become worst and more deadly rather than becoming contained.

I think of my beautiful Baghdad, even though the rational part of my brain realizes that it has lost all of its aesthetic beauty, I still like to think of it, in my mind, as being beautiful. Yes, I like to preserve the image I had of my Baghdad despite the fact that it was on the road to destruction since I was living there (or more accurately since the day I was born during the Iraq-Iran war).

I do not care; I will always keep the image I have formed in my own mind even if it does not exist now. Maybe someday it will, and maybe it never will, but this picture holds the most important memories of my life, my childhood days, and that is something that will always remain with me. Despite the hardships my country was going through, yet these were the best days of my life and they constitute the most wonderful memories of mine.

These beautiful memories are much stronger than all the car bombings, civilian killings, and bloodshed that are currently taking place. No matter how powerful they may be, these acts of destruction will not succeed in stripping me from this one thing that I deeply treasure: Memories of my beautiful Baghdad!

Happy V-Day

we definitely need more love in this world these days...and that includes all categories of love...hope you all will find and feel some love today:)

Caricature Drama

UPDATE (2/5/2006 @ 10:08AM): and their barbarity has started again...violent acts against the Danish governmental agencies around the world (as if the government controls the newspaper)...didn't I tell you these people can not comprehend the meaning of freedom and democracy...in their small twisted minds they think that governments can do anything, even control what a newspaper publishes in a free democratic country...here is the story on CNN

Original Post:
ok, I know I said I won't be blogging for a while, but this is one of those topics that I absolutely had to blog about...

Freedom of speech means exactly that: FREEDOM OF SPEECH…this concept seems to be hard to understand by the Muslims protesting the cartoons that were first published by a newspaper in Denmark and now are being published by many European newspapers. What exactly are they protesting?

The cartoons apparently depicted the Muslim prophet Mohammed in a way that Muslims are claiming to be “blasphemous” and now they are raising hell all over the world demanding what exactly? I have no clue. The Danish newspaper apparently apologized to the Muslims, but that does not seem to satisfy the protestors. They have attacked the Danish embassy in Indonesia as well as going on various protests in other Muslim countries and burning the Danish flag.

What these people need, in my opinion, is a wake-up call…maybe they would rather live in a society where every word that comes out of their mouth is censored by the almighty and powerful government, which can ensure that no one would draw such caricatures or any other caricatures that have political, religious, social, or any other insinuations that the government does not like. That is completely fine if they prefer to live in such an environment. All they have to do is go back to the countries where they came from, and they will no doubt be welcomed by all the suffocating restrictions and prohibitions that they love and desire so much. But, DO NOT move to western countries and expect to impose your sick un-democratic ideals and beliefs in places where freedom and Democracy reigns, where you have been provided with a home, and where you are allowed to express your opinions and thoughts freely!

It is absurd and laughable that these people are making such a big fuss about this. This is not the first cartoon that mocks a religion or a point in a religion. Just look at the many television shows that constantly ridicule Christianity, Judaism, or other religions like “Family Guy” or “the Simpsons” etc. In fact, that is what caricatures do: they make fun of religious, political, and social institutions. It is completely acceptable if you find some of these works offensive due to your personal beliefs, I know I do sometimes, but you know what you do in such a case? You flip the channel; stop reading the newspaper or magazine; ignore what you are seeing/reading and recognize that the person behind this does not share your beliefs or viewpoints, or counter it with your own civilized non-violent response. However, you do not demand that the person’s freedom of speech/thought/expression be taken away, because his/her work was offensive TO YOU (but perhaps funny to someone else).

You want to live in the west, then you follow the rules of the west, and freedom of speech is one of its main tenets. Ever heard of the saying “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”? Apparently these people have not. Actually, you don’t even have to do as everyone else does. That is the beauty of the west; you can be and do whatever you like as long as you don’t threaten other people’s freedom. You don’t like that? Then please do us all a favor and stay put in whatever hellish tyrannical country you may be living in, and enjoy your life there (trust me it is more suitable for people like you anyways!).

On another topic…

I think our friend Iran is craving a little spanking, or as a saying in Aramaic goes “its skin is itching”. Why exactly is it defying the U.S. and the European nations who are demanding that it stops making nuclear weapons? Perhaps it is like our old friend Saddam who was under the illusion that he could defy and defeat the entire 35-country coalition (and look where he is now). Oh how I would love to use psychological and neurological methods to see what goes on in the brains of these nut cases!

A break!

I will be taking a long break from blogging due to the craziness of my last semester in college and the stress of the medical school application process with all the interviews etc. so don't expect anything new from me unless something major happens and I just have to write about it.

updates on baby Noor

to read the latest updates on Baby Noor's condition visit the children's Healthcare of Atlanta link. I have called and left a message before but no one called me back...I will try and call again but I do not know if they are allowing random people to see her or her family.

New Year's in Iraq...Baby Noor...Saddam's Trial

There are a lot of things I want to talk about before the year 2005 ends in less than 8 hours (at my side of the world at least). There have been many things I wanted to post about but I have just been so lazy lately and not wanting to do much except sleep and relax. But I’m finally writing something, so here it goes:

1. Saddam’s trial:
What a complete mockery of the court system! First of all, who in the world picked this judge to reside over the trial? He is the worst judge ever; during the whole part of the trial that I watched he was sitting there resting his hand over his cheek and listening to Saddam and the others talk as they pleased without telling them to shut-up even when they had clearly crossed the line. He seemed scared of them, or maybe he is just apathetic. In fact, there were times when Saddam told him and the prosecutors indirectly to shut-up by telling them not to interrupt him and let him finish, as if he was the one running the trial! By the end of the segment, my blood was boiling with rage from both watching the proceedings and listening to Saddam talk. It is like they had taken over the court and were running it their own way.
My favorite part from Saddam’s talk was when he said (roughly translated): “there is nothing closer to a person’s heart than his own sons right? By God, the feelings I had for my sons are only a drop compared to how much I care about Iraq”!!!!
at this point I told my dad I was ready to attack the TV screen and shatter it…no, it’s ok I was able to control myself and I didn’t break our TV.

This is what you get for trying Saddam and his goons in a democratic system…but, wait a second, if I am not mistaken even in the American court system the defendant does not get to speak except for the beginning when pleading guilty or not guilty (only the defense lawyer gets to talk), am I correct? And I thought Saddam was supposed to be tried according to the Iraqi justice system. I am not very familiar with that system, but I am almost certain the defendant is not allowed to talk and babble on and on about irrelevant topics to the trial, and I am damn sure the defendant would not be allowed to wave his finger in front of the judge’s face!

2. Baby Noor:
The Iraqi few months old infant dubbed “Baby Noor” is heading my way for treatment in Atlanta’s children’s hospital. I read about her story on CNN and I was very excited that she is being brought here to try to save her life. However, I was also thinking about so many other Iraqi children who are in need of urgent treatment to save their lives, and whose families may now be watching the story of baby Noor and wondering why they weren’t so lucky…why their little kid does not get a chance at survival like Noor…my heart hurts just thinking about these children and their families, and I wish there was some magical power to be able to treat all of them. May God be with all of these children and their families and give them strength, and may God bring Baby Noor safely to Atlanta to get the surgery she needs. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers. I will try to get in touch with the hospital to see if the family needs a translator or anything else that I can possibly help with (her father and grandmother are accompanying her).

picture of Baby Noor

3. New Year’s in Iraq:
We talked to some of my relatives in Baghdad today, and they said electricity has been so bad the past week that they have been having it for one hour or less for the whole day! I do not understand at all what they are doing over there…immediately after the war they used to have power, I think, around 6 hours daily, why is it getting worse? Why are they not making electricity and water the number one priority in their reconstruction and progress efforts? Electricity and water are clearly the number one priority to the Iraqi people, and their lives will be much better and they will be much happier if water and electricity are improved. When will that be?

I am not very happy this New Year’s Eve…I keep thinking about my relatives and other Iraqis who just welcomed the year of 2006 without power (and probably without any celebrations)…I keep hoping that maybe next year will be better for Iraq, and will bring more improvements, but did I not hope the same thing at the end of 2004? And 2003? Things seem to be getting worst not better, and I am sick of seeing the people in power not doing anything about it. When will Iraqis get a normal life like the rest of the world? It’s been 15 long years that Iraqis have been suffering from power shortages (or no power at all) and lack of proper water…when will the end to all of this come?

Despite all my pessimism, I still pray, hope, and dream that the year of 2006 will bring unseen progress to Baghdadis and all of Iraq.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO IRAQ AND THE IRAQI PEOPLE, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!
I HOPE THE YEAR OF 2006 WILL BE MUCH BETTER FOR PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND THAT JUSTICE WILL FIND ITS PLACE IN OUR HEARTS THIS YEAR.

CHRISTMAS IS HERE!!!

I did not want to ruin the blessedness and purity of this holiday season by discussing or writing about dirty politics…so I will leave you with this post about some interesting information I found on the web about the meanings and history of some Christmas traditions.

Note: this is how I want to decorate my house in the future for Christmas!

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May the year of 2006 bring with it promises of peace, progress, and a better life to Iraq and the world over. May 2006 be a better year for all of you, and bring you opportunities that you need and deserve.

Who is Santa Claus?
The original Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, was born in Turkey in the 4th century. He was very pious from an early age, devoting his life to Christianity. He became widely known for his generosity for the poor. But the Romans held him in contempt. He was imprisoned and tortured. But when Constantine became emperor of Rome, he allowed Nicholas to go free. Constantine became a Christian and convened the Council of Nicaea in 325. Nicholas was a delegate to the council. He is especially noted for his love of children and for his generosity. He is the patron saint of sailors, Sicily, Greece, and Russia. He is also, of course, the patron saint of children. The Dutch kept the legend of St. Nicholas alive. In 16th century Holland, Dutch children would place their wooden shoes by the hearth in hopes that they would be filled with a treat. The Dutch spelled St. Nicholas as Sint Nikolaas, which became corrupted to Sinterklaas, and finally, in Anglican, to Santa Claus. In 1822, Clement C. Moore composed his famous poem, "A Visit from St. Nick," which was later published as "The Night Before Christmas." Moore is credited with creating the modern image of Santa Claus as a jolly fat man in a red suit.

And more from another source:

Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century AD. He was very shy, and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children's stockings.

The history of the Christmas Tree:
The Christmas Tree originated in Germany in the 16th century. It was common for the Germanic people to decorate fir trees, both inside and out, with roses, apples, and colored paper. It is believed that Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, was the first to light a Christmas tree with candles. While coming home one dark winter's night near Christmas, he was struck with the beauty of the starlight shining through the branches of a small fir tree outside his home. He duplicated the starlight by using candles attached to the branches of his indoor Christmas tree. The Christmas tree was not widely used in Britain until the 19th century. It was brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans in the 1820's.

One last thing…did I mention how much I love Christmas? It is my all-time favorite holiday:)

Do You Like Beer?

I thought this was very interesting and funny...apparently, beer was invented by the Sumerians/Babylonians, you know the same people who invented writing, the first wheel etc.

obviously, my dad was right...you can trace mostly anything back to the great Mesopotamians...I personally hate beer, but now I think I might reconsider my hatred for it though, you know just as a support for my great ancestors:)

so next time you are enjoying a good time with a beer in hand, just don't forget to thank the great people of Mesopotamia for their invention...and remember, I am one of their descendants so I guess you can thank me instead!

here is the link to the story...enjoy!

short update...

oh man, there are so many things taking place in Iraq that I want to write about...unfortunately, I have final exams starting this thur. through next wed. Dec. 21st...so, as you can imagine I do not have any time to write a post for my blog...I think my first post after finals will be a very long one, but I will write something as soon as I'm FREE:)