Iran, and it’s People June 28, 2009

I have been so upset lately over what is going on in Iran. There is no excuse whatsoever for any government to disallow it’s constituents to speak their voices. We ALL have the right to assemble, protest, and speak our opinions about our leaders. The leaders should work for the people, not the other way around. I believe government positions are positions of service. Yes, the government should have authority, but Universal principles should always be honored.

I realize governments make the rules for their own countries, and they have their own standards in which we outside of the culture have no right to judge – to a point. When people are attacked when trying to gather peacefully, it is everybody’s business. And in this case, the world is watching. Thank God for the internet and phones with cameras.

I also have a special sense of honor for the Iranians in Iran that are standing up, defying authority and demanding justice. They are facing horrible violence and when arrested, possible torture and execution, and I stand behind them. Not for political reasons (I don’t know the Ins and Outs of Iranian politics), but because their freedom of speech has been violated. And as I mentioned earlier, the freedom of speech (protest) is a Universal Right. ALL deserve it. And ALL deserve the right to fight for it. Not to mention the right to not be beaten by anybody, especially those that are supposed to be trusted as your leaders.

Here is an inspirational video worth watching.

World Unites for Democracy in Iran

Happy Surfing,

Rebkeh

For those that are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, the music in the background of the video is the song Imagine by John Lennon. The lyrics can be found here.

It’s good to be home June 9, 2009

Ahhh….. DC!

As a recovering hermit, I have to say I am shocked that I found my roots stretching out in such a busy city. I always hated crowds, they made me feel like I was suffocating, but now…. interesting. I don’t care for them still, but people in close proximity don’t make me cringe like they used to.

It is an odd sort of peace I feel in this town that I left ten years ago. Sometimes you go a long way out of the way to find your way back correctly.

Gallaudet University is here, which is  home in itself. Nowhere do I feel as safe as I do on campus. But it is not just the institution that makes DC the place for me, even the Metro (DC subway system) gives me a feeling of connectedness. I enter a sort of meditative quiet and reflective state of mind when riding the lines.

I have lived on both American coasts (east and west) and spent some time in the south. To their credit, California and Arizona have their charm, but it is here that I belong.

The bustling of the city used to drain me, now it charges me. The flurry of hands on campus at Gallaudet brings me joy. Old playgrounds such as Union Station and Dupont Circle make me sigh in relief. I feel younger and more vibrant than I did when I WAS younger and more vibrant.

I have found my place.

Now, if only I can find a job!