While I was waiting for my bus to go home after a long day at the library, I heard loud chanting coming toward me along with people waving the Syrian flag and protesters using bull horns to cry out with slogans in call and response:
"Free Free Syria!"
"There is only one solution, Revolution –Revolution!"
"The
people want a no fly zone!"...etc
Although I sensed that the event might end at a late hour, I didn’t think twice to leave the bus stop and run
enthusiastically to join the march and chant with the protesters in Michigan
Avenue, a major south-north street in the city of Chicago.
Syrians were protesting in a deep sense of
sadness and anger; raising the Syrian flag and slogans against Bashar’s extreme
autocracy. At the beginning it was a walk, but it soon
turned into a march as more people from Syria and few non-Syrians were joining
the protest. People in their cars were honking and
making the peace sign, showing passionately their support. I asked one of the
organizers, who was holding a number of posters to give me one. He told me: “Here
are all the posters, take yours and hand out the rest to
people in the street.” As I was trying to warm welcome more people to join the
march, some people received the posters
from me with passionate and excitement, other faces did not know what the
protest was about, or why a certain case about Syria is considered and brought
up as an issue.
The rally was particularly focused on the children of
Syria. In the southeast of Michigan and Congress, activists and Unicef speakers got on top of the stone bench
and gave speeches and prayed on the souls of the courageous martyrs; children and young protesters were raising
the Syrian and American flags, exchanging pictures and giving battles of water to the protesters . While I was listening to the speeches, I was
amazed how some speakers in the event highlighted the noteworthy help that Unicef
provided to Syrian children. An American activist and poet named Dr.Todd Kelsey gave a
speech and drew attention to an ironic fact.
As we were walking in the protest, he saw an Apple Ad and he mentioned
how everyone who has ever used an Apple product owes a debt to Syria, because
Syria gave the United States Steve Jobs. “I like seeing the iPad in the
foreground and the Syrian flag in the background.” Todd said.
Later, after the event ended Todd asked me something about the Syrian community in Chicago and that’s how he realized I am a Libyan.
Todd was amazed how non-Syrians actively attended a Syrian protest and showed
strong solidarity. But I was much more amazed to know that he wrote a poem
about Misurata during the Libyan uprising. The following is Todd’s poem about
Misurata:
We hold your hope in our hearts
We hold your children in our arms
We pray with love, as loud as thunder
to cover the sound
of the bullets, rockets and bombs
may your courage last
as long as it can
the blood has not been wasted
like a flower crushed by stone
the scent of freedom remains
our hearts are with you
as you wait in the darkness
for the rockets to fall
may aid come swiftly
for the benefit ot all
sons have died
daughters are born
someday we dance
tonight we mourn
daughters have died
sons are born
someday we dance
tonight we mourn
As a proud free Libyan, I am happy to participate
in such a protest and to be with such people who were trying their best to make
a difference and get their voices heard.
-Nafissa-
