I have no words. Yesterday I watched as this lovely young woman, looking for a better life in her own country was killed on the street. I know I was not alone, and I also know I was not the only one who cried.
The video is not for the faint of heart. Her sister posted it on her Facebook:
Women are playing a large role in this upheaval, and this young female casualty has become the rallying point. On Twitter, there is a suggestion to change #iranelection to #neda. Further protests are expected on the 3rd, 7th, and 40th days after her death as these are days of remembrance in Shiite tradition. Such remembrances brought down the Shah in 1979.
I would like to leave my response as a poem.
THE VOICE OF NEDA SOLTANI
(For The Iranian People)
Her beautiful face and voice speaks to us
in the streets, on the rooftops of Tehran,
O Neda, O Neda!
Voice of the stars, voice of the earth, voice of the people…
Your death is not forsaken,
Neither among the swelling protesters who have taken up
the banner, where you have fallen…
Who among us will ever forget seeing you die bravely
among those who raged against the dictator,
against the tyrannies of this world!
Your name, which means voice, is now our voice
for all time.
Luis Lazaro Tijerina
Burlington, Vermont
It is readily apparent, as if it hasn’t been so for thirty years to anyone with the eyes to see, that Iran is ruled by folks who don’t hesitate to use state terror, state torture and state brutality. The Iranian leadership’s contentions concerning “terrorists” are patently ludicrous. Let us hope that this unrest and the brutal backlash demonstrates to the the world what an un-democratic “Islamic republic” is really all about.
[...] On Neda Soltani Via The Department of Homegirl Security: [...]
It’s after viewing insane acts like killing this poor teen that make me so thankful that I live in America. I hope the protestors can change the corrupt and vile leaders in their country. I hope it doesn’t come to that here in the U.S.
God Bless you Neda.