We are part of the fate of all human beings

Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 06:47 Written by Administrator Wednesday, 18 November 2009 06:10

This evening I watched Frontline on PBS. One segment was about Neda, the young Iranian girl who was shot by an Iranian government Basiji, or government thug. When this was happening Thomas and I were with some friends having lunch and talking about what was happening in Teheran and the hope that the current government would actually go.

Marjan is Iranian and was telling us how she had not heard from relatives that day, how they had talked and how dangerous the situation was and how the police, security forces and Basiji were increasingly violent and were arresting people. All of us had seen the news and the video of Neda's death and felt we were at a moment in history.

Time has now gone by and at least on the surface the present regime is still in power and continuing its brutal reign trying to keep the people adhering to their fanatic religious dogma with a leader who seems intent on eventually bringing down the wrath of the entire world on his country. What struck me so this evening was Neda is dead because she believed differently, and took action to show this and risked her life, and lost. But if we will remember and talk about it, and not allow her death to be forgotten, then we can continue what she began, and one day Iran will become a country where its people may choose to believe and live how they want.