So for the past two weeks I've been devouring this book Baghdad Burning by Riverbend. The author is a semi-anonymous Iraqi woman blogging her perspective during the Occupation of Iraq. I say Occupation because I've always thought about it like this, I never agreed with the "War on Terrorism" or finding "Weapons of Mass Destruction" or the "War on Iraq". It's an Occupation and the more I read about it from an Iraqi citizen's point of view rather than the propaganda and fluffy news we hear about in America, the more I become aggravated about the situation.
First, I am not American I am Canadian however I am a legal "alien" in the United States. I have grown up half of my life in various parts of Canada and the other half up until now, in various parts of the US. I have travelled and have lived in many places and feel that I am well cultured. I have much more to learn and much much more to experience and I am open to new ideas, cultures and expressions. I am very interested in politics, more than many Americans I believe, and have an even bigger interest in global issues.
The Occupation in Iraq has always seemed interesting to me especially since the Bush administration and the Obama administration are really the only ones I remember well enough in my brief history in America. (I don't remember much about Clinton but I agree with him and my father's a supporter)
It's terrifying and quite.... awakening?....to truly see how Iraqis must deal with daily bombings, raids, assassinations, a puppet government among countless other things that are beyond imaginable to us.
I could go on and on but I'll leave that for other posts to come. Right now, I'm craving some spaghetti.
Hi Anita, ...I can appreciate your frustration with politics and the American government in particular. The truth is what matters and sadly our country delivers very little of it to the American people. The general poplulous just eats up the lies on the news because either one they dont really care and are too selfish and consumed with our own lives to give a damn or two they are just flat our lazy and will not attept to scratch the surface to find out what is really underneath all the BS. BUT, there are those who are slowly waking up and not taking what is in the news and media for face value. When it comes to politics, war and money all I see, is one person who is suffering while the other is benefiting and the cycle goes round and round.
ReplyDeleteLike you I have been blessed to have many opportunities to live and appreciate other peoples way of life. Not everyone has it so good. As much as our government dissappoints me I am pround to be an American and have the many opportunities that others can only dream of. But more than anything, like Riverbend, I am pround to have a voice and to be able to use it for positive change.
I have a keen interest in the American government, although I was born in Canada, I have spent more time in the US and especially all of my teenage and adult life. I do get frustrated with politics but what frustrates me more is the ignorance (chosen or just blissfully ignorant) of other students and adults around our age toward politics and what is going on in the world. As a society we are too consumed by the media as well as our own lives however what goes on in the government does affect our lives too!
ReplyDeleteEven myself, as much as I'd like to think I read the news a lot and try to keep up to date with what's going on around me I know that I could do so much more to keep myself well informed and educated.
I am happy and so grateful for all the opportunities and good fortunes in my life and reading Baghdad Burning, it only accentuates the difference in how different our lives are from that of the Iraqi people. We truly are so lucky and fortunate to live the way we do. I couldn't imagine being afraid to send my children (if I had children) to school because I don't know if the school would be bombed or raided that day. I couldn't imagine not having electricity and running water whenever I wanted like we have now or having to have my male family members and neighbors escort me out to go grocery shopping because I wasn't allowed out alone.
Riverbend is truly inspiring and has such a strong voice in such a weak and fragile part of the world