Sunday, March 20, 2005

The Thing With Feathers

This is truly inspiring, from an Iraqi on the 2nd anniversay of the Iraq war. He answers the question, "Was it worth it?" I urge you to read the entire post from his blog, Democracy in Iraq (hat tip: TFS Magnum):

Now I answer you, I answer you on behalf of myself, and my countrymen. I dont care what your news tells you, what your television and newspapers say, this is how we feel. Despite all that has happened. Despite all the hurt, the pain, blood, sweat and tears. These two years have given us hope we never had.

Before March 20, 2003, we were in a dungeon. We did not see the light. Saddam Hussain was crushing Iraq's spirit slowly, we longed for his end, but knew we could not challenge him, or his diabolical seed who would no doubt follow him and continue his generation of hell on Earth.

Since then, we now have hope. Hope is not a tangible thing, but it is something, it is more than being blinded by darkness, by being stuck in a mental pit without any future.

Hope has been the greatest product of the last two years. No doubt, many have died, many have died by accident or due to crimes. But their sacrifices are not, and will not be for nothing. I refuse to let it be, and my countrymen stand with me.

Our cities are smoking, our graveyards full, and terrorists in our midst. But we are not defeated. We are not down, we are not regretful. We are not going to surrender. For all that the two years have brought, the greatest thign they have given us is a future, and a view of the finish line.


"Hope" is the thing with feathers-- That perches in the soul-- And sings the tune without the words-- And never stops--at all-- -Emily Dickenson

Everything that is done in the world is done by hope. -Martin Luther King

Hope is a waking dream. -Aristotle

We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes. -John F. Kennedy

He who does not hope to win has already lost. -Jose' Joaquin Olmedo

How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world. -Shakespeare

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