posts tagged "USA"

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An American has no sense of privacy. He does not know what it means.There is no such thing in the country.

George Bernard Shaw
simply-war: Declan Haun. From Black Star. A quiet, courageous, determined Civil Rights protest march around the court house in Monroe, North Carolina. 1961. 

simply-war:

Declan Haun. From Black Star. A quiet, courageous, determined Civil Rights protest march around the court house in Monroe, North Carolina. 1961. 

A short film by two Pakistani students on US drone attacks in Pakistan and their impact on society has won an international film award, however they were refused US visa twice to receive the award in Washington.

mehreenkasana:

The 20-minute short film revolves around the idea of assessing social, psychological and economical affects on people from the tribal areas of Pakistan. The film identified problems that families face after becoming victims of drone missiles.

Hypocrisy in American policy. Evident and thriving. More power to these young Pakistanis.

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I have been stunned by the way Iraq has almost disappeared from public discourse in the US. The way in which the withdrawal narrative was packaged and sold to the American public sealed that fictitious “closure.” The discursive curtain is down (not that it was ever fully up anyway) and there isn’t much to discuss or bother about. The simplistic narrative goes as follows: “We” went there and tried to help build a democracy, but it didn’t work out for x reason. The x, of course, is usually some variation on an Orientalist myth. There is no serious debate about the war and no realization of the extent of its tragic effects on Iraqis and their future. Most importantly, there is no reckoning or recognition of the crime. The collective amnesia is horrendous. The architects of the war publish books and appear on TV shows as if nothing had happened.

Sinan Antoon, The Barbarian Has to Keep It Real: Interview with Jadaliyya Co-Editor Sinan Antoon

(via abudaii)

This is an extremely important interview. It’s disturbing how Iraq is barely mentioned, and if it is, it’s in a depiction that states that the failure to bring “democracy” was a native error, not America’s. If you still don’t know about this or don’t care to read about this, you’re part of the apathetic crowd. You’re part of the problem.

(via mehreenkasana)

(via mehreenkasana)

Chordettes<3

Aut dosce, aut disce, aut discede: For all the people who:

dank-potion:

  • make discriminatory/bigoted comments about Islam and/or the Arab people
  • support the war in Afghanistan/Iraq, despite the lack of progress and the mass loss and displacement of civilians’ lives
  • encourage the unjustified imprisonment of the men/women/children currently held in…

mehreenkasana:

shortformblog:

thepoliticalnotebook:

Shaima Alawadi, a 32-year-old Iraqi woman living in Southern California, was taken off life support today, succumbing to injuries sustained in a brutal tire iron beating on Wednesday. Shaima was found in her living room, and according to her daughter Fatima and the police investigating, a note was found near her saying “Go back to your country, you terrorist.”

Shaima was a mother of five who has been in the US with her family since the mid-1990s. She was described by her friend Sura Alzaidy as “respectful modest muhajiba.” Her daughter tearfully addressed her mother’s attackers during a media interview, saying “You took my mother away from me. You took my best friend away from me. Why? Why did you do it?”

[Daily Mail; AFP]

[H/T: thatsassyarab]

A terrible incident that more people should know about. This happens in our country. This should not happen.

No words. All the support for Shaima’s family, all the prayers for her.

I might get shit for this but… I like The Fray’s cover of Heartless a lot better than Kanye’s (which is the original one)

Sh*t Beyonce Says

fuckyeahmarxismleninism:

Washington, DC: Hundreds rallied outside the notorious AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) conference on March 4, 2012, chanting as President Obama’s limousine drove by. Combining support for Palestinian statehood and demands for NO WAR ON IRAN, protesters marched right up to the front steps of the DC Convention Center, where they spoke and chanted against the war mongers inside.

Photos: Philadelphia International Action Center

(via danceswithfaeriesunderthemoon)

Claim ‘Freedom of Speech”

I don’t care. But understand that “Freedom of Speech” isn’t Freedom of Speech Without Consequences. So you said what you needed to say, good for you. But that also means its fair game for someone else to come in and either agree/support you or tear your opinion into shreds.

Think before you speak.

Personal note:

Mom, this is for you. I love you but you’re a fucking hypocrite who every time opens her mouth makes everything worse.

simply-war: Robert Quijano, 7, gets ready to march with the Occupy San Antonio group in the Martin Luther King, Jr., 25th annual Commemorative March, Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. Photo: San Antonio Express-News, JERRY LARA

simply-war:

Robert Quijano, 7, gets ready to march with the Occupy San Antonio group in the Martin Luther King, Jr., 25th annual Commemorative March, Monday, Jan. 16, 2012.

Photo: San Antonio Express-News, JERRY LARA

fotojournalismus:

Iraq’s Youngest Photographer 

(via Reuters)

Qamar Hashim is an 8-year-old Iraqi photographer. He tours famous streets to picture Baghdadis with his single camera and is the youngest Iraqi photographer to win several local awards, according to the Iraqi Society Photographic (ISP).

Below, Qamar responds to a series of questions.


  • When did you take your first photograph and what did it show?

I do not remember exactly the first picture but I had been mimicking my father since I was 4 or 5 years-old and started to take pictures of the Tigris river, the gulls, birds, old houses and heritage places.

  • Why do you think photography is important?

Photography is very important. It documents life and pauses time. We can show the city, life and the people.

  • What do you want to show people about Iraq?

I want to say through my pictures that Iraq is precious and Iraqis are very kind. Iraq is peaceful and has a great history.

  • How do you feel about the U.S. troops leaving Iraq?

I am afraid of the U.S. soldiers, they destroyed the house my family rented in 2003, when I was a fetus. Thank God my family survived and I am happy now for their departure. I am free and not afraid of their tanks.

  • What do you want to be when you finish school?

I like to act and I would like to be a child-activist.

  • Which is your favorite photo you have taken and why?

My favorite picture is of a man sleeping who sells books at al-Mutanabi street. Also a picture of a bee on a rose, I ran a lot to follow the bee until I got this picture.

  • Are there any photographers you look up to?

There a lot of good photographers and I learned from them (Adel Qassim, Fouad Shakir, Kareem al-Ba’aj, and Hameed Majeed).

  • Are there any photos you wish to take but haven’t been able to yet?

The dangerous pictures like fire, blasts, other incidents but I have been sent off the site. They say I am a child. Also I wish to get a picture of the triangle of migrant birds.

  • What does the future of Iraq look like?

I see a flourishing future for Iraq especially when my family owns a house. I love Iraq, my home, and it is more precious than anything else.

Whenever I think of republicans, I have a mental image of evangelicals running around with their heads cut off like chickens.

And I LOL every time. 

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