people will coo over photos of chiseled soldiers handing out toys to brown kids or reuniting, at long last, with family members. they’re a little less response provoking but coffins draped with american flags get more or less the equivalent expression of grief. but photos like the one above i find are typically ignored. i’ve never seen a non anti-war blogger post this kind of picture paired with a remorseful sentiment. the non anti-war blogger can’t relate to her, the blogger doesn’t care about her. she’s more likely to be an image of mockery than sympathy, really. we’re all on the internet, i’m sure you’ve seen some fascist fuck post this type of image and make fun of the “raghead” and rejoice at the death of another “terrorist.”
well, i personally can relate to this woman. politics aside, this woman looks like my family. this woman could easily be either of my my sweet, crocheting, turkish-pastry-baking, old school grandmothers. this woman could easily be any one of the various extended family and community members that attend my family’s mosque. not only can i relate to this woman, or any middle eastern or muslim woman i see in the media, but i relate to her a much greater deal than many others.
this woman’s grief means more to me than the young, white girl mourning over her army fiance’s casket. i mean— despite the fact that i can relate to and have empathy for those of my race that are systematically attacked, victimized —the number of innocent civilian casualties is astounding versus the number of US military deaths… this picture should mean more to all of us. if only america didn’t hate/fear people that looked like the woman above.
Americans are mostly spiritually dead. No amount of mega churches or feel-good propaganda can fill the voids in their souls.
(via gangsofcats-withthumbs)
