Ice Cream for Peace

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7223769.stm

Everyday we are bombarded with sad news and it forces us to become numb to the atrocities committed in the world around us. There is violence and turmoil everywhere, and these acts are started by just a small group of people. I have been blind to the situation in the Middle East. All I knew was this; that people were dying, Saddam Hussein was a horrible man who tortured people, and that women were oppressed. I had heard the name Taleban a few times, but all in all, that part of our world was a mystery to me. This upcoming trip to Jordan has already taught me so much. I have learned more about the situation in the Middle East in the past week than I ever had before. Before, I used to look at the NY times or the Washington Post and see "Middle East News" then just skip over the article because I knew it was sad. Now, when something says Middle East, I read it. Then yesterday, I read that horrible article about two women suicide bombers in two different Iraqi markets. I had read about the bombings but finding out that they were done by mentally disabled women by a remote detonator struck me to my core. I don't know if it is due to the solitude of being in France (not being bombarded with news), or my new found interest in the Middle East, but I was deeply effected. I was laying next to my mom on the bed and passed the computer over to her to give my eyes a break from my English lesson. We started to discuss the Taleban and how women were forced into their homes and were made to feel like dirt. They were forced from their jobs, given no health care, and had no freedoms. They could not even go out their front door without a male escort. The craziest thing was that they were not allowed to eat ice cream!!!! Now, these women abided by the Taleban laws because they had children. It's hard to be brave and put your life on the line when you have children who count on you at home. I had not been educated in the depth of this situation ever before. It just goes to show how bad our school system is when we focus on matricies instead of the world around us. (Actually being in France makes me wish that the school day went longer like they do here in France, t'ill 5 or 6. Change the way schools view after school sports and activities and incorporate them into the school day. Maybe then we would be more educated than this ---http://youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE ) Anyway, my Mom then started clicking around a website and turned to me and told me that the two women that bombed the Iraqi markets were mentally disabled and had been set off by a remote. I am going to write down the story that played through my head in those minutes that followed. I felt my heart sink in my chest and my cheeks start to tremble. It was like the story had triggered my heart and tear ducts to just automatically release. Tears started to stream down my face (I get emotional writing about it) as this story just kept playing in my head. I had just learned so much about the women in Afghanistan being oppressed, and my heart was so sad that these poor women unknowingly went on a suicide mission. That's not suicide, that is murder. So now I will tell the story that played through my head as this news sank into me. This is not what happened but this is what my imagination played out.


Tension was high in the room. This was something that had not been done before and the men were tingling with excitement for the day ahead. One of their friends had found two mentally disabled women and was bringing them in for their fitting today. The leader glanced down at his watch as his keffiyeh fell into his face. He brushed it away and jerked his head to the door as the door handle turned. They finally had arrived. The two women were escorted by 3 men who threw them inside the dark room. Their eyes stayed glued to the floor with embarrassment and fear. They had never seen any of these men and wanted to go home. What were they doing? The leader then smiled at them and led them to sit down on the two chairs in the middle of the room. He knew he would have to be forceful and get the job done. He ordered his men to open up the boxes carefully and prepare the vests. Now he snapped his fingers and the three men who escorted the women took of their burqas and undressed them The leader smirked to himself. It was all going according to plan. The vests were slipped on to them one arm at a time, then the explosives were placed. The leader went to the window and looked out of the curtain and sighed as he watched the people walking below. He was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder and he spun around to see his accomplishment. The women were ready. Their clothes draped around them perfectly so the guards would not suspect a thing. The room was cleared and they stepped out into the sunlight.

It was a beautiful day in Bahgdad and the hot desert sun filtered through the city. People walked up and down the streets with purpose. The Friday call to prayer would be soon and everyone was out doing some shopping and meeting friends beforehand. Two jeeps were waiting outside and one woman was placed in each car. The women were bewildered and they wondered why they had been taken into that room and why they felt so heavy? What was this black thing they were wearing. The two mentally disabled women were scared. Little did the know, their lives were going to end very soon and the confusion would be over. The leader motioned to one man who was climbing into the car after one woman. He handed him a black package and then turned and climbed into the other car.

They drove past the street vendors, tea shops, and occasionally some US soldiers. The leader whipped his head around with disgust at the soldiers and kept his eyes on the road. He was going to become very respected in a few minutes. He turned and looked at the woman with her head hung down. He felt a surge of sadness but quickly repressed it by remembering what his mentor had told him about regret of that sort. The jeep turned and they had reached their destination. The market was bustling with people shouting orders, the sound of camels, donkeys, and birds. The market was alive and it was a good time of the day for business. The leader was satisfied with himself. He turned to the woman and told her to go into the market and wait for them. She did not understand and looked at him with a puzzled look on her face. Her dark brown eyes soft and innocent searching his face for answers. He tried explaining to her, but her confusion made him impatient and he pushed her out of the car and pointed to the busy market. She turned around but the car was gone. She began walking to the market. She was camouflaged by the throng of people and when she got to the guards they let her pass. She looked around quickly for familiar faces, and got scared. She started to panic. People mistook her for a beggar, but she just wanted someone to help her find her home. Her mental disability prevented her from getting her thoughts straight. However, someone was watching her, the leader saw her through the stalls. His dark eyes watched her as she struggled to find help. He was ashamed at the sadness he felt for her and then remembering the greater good, whipped his head around and walked away. When safely out of sight from anyone, he took out the small black package and stared down at it. He turned around and saw that there were lots of people walking around her and without a thought he pressed the button. A blaze of hatred, fear, and innocence erupted from the marketplace. He quickly dialed his cellphone and told the person on the other line to "wait 20 min then go". The second act was done. Murder.

This story haunted my thoughts for the rest of the day and made me make a pact with myself to help prevent horrible acts such as these. I want to be a messenger of peace. Now, I want to leave one thing with you when you exit this blog. Everyone wants peace, more people want peace than people want violence. So what has stopped us?? And, why can't we have peace when so much of the world wants it?