Neda, a Shahida (Martyr) for Freedom

Dear Neda,

I can hear you now. In a low, but determined voice, you tell me how much you love your country and the Persian people. With the enthusiasm typical of your youth, you share what your friends are doing back home to desperately hold on to living their lives expansively with righteousness and free will. You have a beautiful smile. Your expressive eyes are dark and exotically framed by your long black lashes. They boldly state your hopes and dreams.

The more you speak about the freedom of your people, the fuller you sound. You engage every ounce of my attention span. I am caught up inside your vortex of veracity. Your words flow as easy as the oxygen we both breathe. You continue on about the plans you have with your friends to organize for Iran's transformation.

Filled with emotion, I wish I could go back with you. But I am too much of a coward. It is easier to watch you and your friends on CNN. In complete deference, admiration and a tinge of jealously over your brave heart, all I can I do is reach out to grab and hold you like a sister telling you how proud I am of you. But I can't. You were never there.

Neda, I actually met you on video like the millions of people around the world this past weekend. You were lying face up on a dirty street in Tehran. Soaked in a pool of your own blood your eyes are wide open and mine for a moment are shut. In your silence, you have spoken to me louder than any voice ever has screaming for liberty and justice.

Neda you are a martyr -- A Shahida for Freedom. Your end bears witness to the world waging war against oppression, repression and tyranny. Although you will never give birth to a son or daughter, your last breath gave delivery to a new image -- the Madar/Umuma (the mother) of a free Iranian Ummah. There is nothing any Mullahs or political leaders of Iran can do to eclipse the might of your sacrifice. The order of your murder gave you the power. Cut down in your prime, your death is more powerful than their lives. No matter what happens, here-to-fore, the Islamic Republic of Iran will never be the same again.

Thank you for being a woman of ultimate courage. Thank you for showing the world faith through sacrifice. And, Inshallah, your martydom will not be in vain.

Follow Yvonne R. Davis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Teleos1

Comments

[ianb]

So sad that people's lives are so needlessly thrown away. Thanks for your sensitivity to this tragic situation.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Ianb,

Thank you for reading the piece. It is so heartbreaking what has happened. I dreamed of her the day before I wrote this. Now we shall see what the followers do now.

[rlittwin]

Any person who continues the path to what is right by protesting this oppression is a hero.
Just as Neda did.
Every single one speaks truth though their voice may tremble.
And walks for conscience sake to spite the fear.
Neda is but one example of what so many others are.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Rlittwin,

What you wrote is so very beautiful. Thank you.

Yvonne

[amazingsusan]

Living in Dubai and in solidarity with Iranians everywhere.

I've also posted a blog entry to honour Neda and the thousands who are victims of violence every day around the world:

http://www.amazingwomenrock.com/myblog/one-young-woman-dies-in-the-street-in-tehran.html

Let's hope her death has not been in vain and that the struggles in Iran and elsewhere in the world will eventually lead to peace.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Amazingsusan,

I read the blog entry. Quite moving. Yes, let us hope and continue to pray.

[Yvonne R. Davis - Huffpost Blogger]

Kirk59,

Thank you so much for your acknowledgement and kind words. You know I agree with you. This can happen and perhaps it will happen. I really pray for the people of Iran and their fight for liberty. Be well and thank you again for your comments.

[Kirk59]

Beautiful eulogy for a very brave young woman. If any culture knows how to overthrow their government it is the Persians. They did it 1979 with no outside help. They protested the Shah for a year before the regime finally fell. With each young protester butchered in their streets, the resolve of these people is only stiffened. Khameni and his thugs may find themselves hung from the streetlights with piano wire in the not too distant future. If there is any justice in this world, the coward who assasinated Neda will be among the first to die.

[oceanlady]

I just became aware of this video today. I spoke to one of my good friends, who is recovering from a surgery, and she asked if I had seen it. She's Iranian, and all her family lives in Tehran. She (and I) are praying for the safety of those brave souls on the streets.

For all the problems that we have here in the U.S., we sometimes forget that freedom here means that we can go out into the streets and shout at the top of our lungs in protest, without the fear that our own government forces will gun us down. I realize there have also been times in our own history where this has not been true, but by in large it is true for us today.

In this age of Youtube, we now have the ability to upload an image from anywhere in the world, and with that comes the ability to to transform perceptions, tell the truth or influence millions. I am glad that I met Neda too, albeit only on video. She has forever moved me and I hope she moves a nation. Rest in peace. You will not be forgotten.

[bbbear]

Sure, we can go out into the streets and protest but, other than the few rather clownish tea baggers, since the shootings at Kent State US citizens have either been tamed or merely just too damned lazy to protest en mass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings