Martin Luther King, Jr.

"When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" (from the speech delivered on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963.)

Today is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Few individuals have touched contemporary world history as he has. He was a man in the business of hope. While cognizant of and outraged by injustice, he chose the way of peace and hope and promoting that hope to a people disadvanted, discriminated against, and disheartened. To listen to his speeches and to read his quotes, I am always saddened to know that such a truly special man lived a very short life, unable to give more to humanity.

My African American friends celebrate this day. I celebrate this day, too, as it marks the memory of an extraordinary man, whose words and thoughts continue to eccho through modern history, reminding us all that good leaders can help people overcome their despair and find a way to be seen, heard, and acknowledged for their rights without the need to resort to violence. How can I not be filled with respect for a man who said: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." I so wished there were more people and more world leaders like him.

The Snowman

Farshad's snowman in Tehran, January 2, 2007. The note says: "For World Peace In 2008.

Also, look at these gorgeous pictures of snow in Tehran on Fars News Agency.

My morning started opening an email from Farshad in Tehran, holding pictures of this snowman in his backyard. Thanks to Farshad, it was a good start to a day which took me back to work after several days. My sons and I spent a bit of time together this evening. My older son read his new poem to me, which was delightful, but as you may know, as a mother I am not supposed to make a big deal of how good his poetry has become, because it makes him shy and uncomfortable and next time he writes something, he won't share it with me so easily. So, I made only some small supportive noises, though I was filled with pride. That also was a perfect end to this day. I leave you with a Wallace Stevens poem, entitled appropriately, The Snowman. Wallace Stevens was a Pulitzer winner American poet who died over 50 years ago. Listen to this short piece on NPR by Commentator Jay Keyser who says Stevens wrote the best short poem in the English language, and his reasons for this.

The Snowman

One must have a mind of winter

To regard the frost and the boughs

Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time

To behold the junipers shagged with ice,

The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of the January sun; and not to think

Of any misery in the sound of the wind,

In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land

Full of the same wind

That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,

And, nothing himself, beholds

Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

Worried

Water polo team members of a neighborhood high school and their parents wash cars to earn money for their team. My car, Shabdiz, got a good washing today.

In the middle of the goings on of this weekend, I talked to my journalist friend for a few minutes. At his urging, I watched an hour-long program about Iran on History Channel, entitled Beyond Top Secret-Iran. It was really horrifying. For the first time, American media presented not a speculative view into Iran's nuclear ambitions, but a so-called documentary about Iran's search for nuclear weapons. History Channel is not Fox News or CNN. I don't remember their having been front runners in the American public opinion formation; at least I haven't been aware of such tendencies on that channel. It was, therefore, pretty shocking to watch just that in action.

I think programs such as this are directly aiming to justify and legitimize an attack on Iran, built on the fear factor now in full operation in American minds after September 11th. It is devastating to listen to so-called "analysis," speculating the shape the attack on Iran would take. Let's not be mistaken. In order for public acceptance of a war on Iran, Iran must first become ugly, uncompromising, and a menace to the world. In just a few months, Mr. Ahmadinejad has become the ugly face of Iran, portraying Iran as deserving to be bombed and destroyed. Everyone else in Iran is suddenly faceless and voiceless. They show him denying the Holocaust, gesturing, and threatening the world, forgetting to mention that he is not all of Iran. They talk about potential attacks on Lavizan and Natanz, forgetting to mention that these facilities are located in densely populated areas of Tehran and Iran, posing serious human casualties in case of an attack. For the first time, I hope I am over-reacting about an issue. I can't bear to think about the unthinkable.

History Channel will air the program again several times this week. Take a look if you can, and please tell me that I am over-reacting. It will air on Monday, November 5th at 11:00 PM, and again on Tuesday, November 6th at 3:00 AM. I am heartsick.

Updating A Wish List

Washington DC foliage, looking on Washington Monument from Potomac River. Photo by Rachel Cooper.

New England foliage on the banks of the Squam River in Ashland, New Hampshire. Photo by Judy Blomquist.

Since I arrived US, I had heard of leaf color changes (foliage) up and down the US East coast. I kept telling myself that one day I will go to New England during the autumn to see it for myself. My unrealized dream waited in my heart, number one on the list of things I really wanted to do in my lifetime. For a number of years I traveled to Washington DC on numerous occasions. When I still lived in Tehran, I was invited to a wedding in DC in late October of 2005. My plane got in at around 3:30 p.m. As we approached the DC area, I looked down below and saw the most breathtaking view I had ever seen. Not just interspersed instances, but entire trees had turned into unbelievable flaming reds, gleaming yellows, shocking oranges, mauves, purples, and golds, creating the most spectacular visual feast I had ever seen. Before my eyes was the most beautiful foliage scene of the East Coast! Just like that, during that week one of my long-standing wishes was realized and is off the list now. In my many visits to DC, I had never been there during this particular time of the year, which is why I had missed it before. Since that day I reflect that things we wish for in our hearts might be a lot closer to where we are than we think. We should just be lucky enough to see them.