The “Keffiyeh” and the “Terrorist”

I posted this on FB a while ago, thought I would add it here too

This short note is not skillfully written, but I wrote it to help me get a load off my mind.

It was a few days before Halloween when I was scanning my mind for an idea for a Halloween costume; I browsed through my small wardrobe which is a result of a year of cheap student budget shopping! Hoping that I could whip up something with I have and a little bit of craftsmanship. It was at this time that my black and white Keffiyeh* caught my eye and an a light went on in my head, one that I am not proud of, one that I am particularly ashamed of. “The terrorist” costume. I was filled with self humiliation the second that idea popped into my head. Feeling a great deal of shame, finding no excuse to justify what had just gone on in my mind, I distracted myself.

A few days later, while facebooking, I saw photos of a friend that had actually carried out that thought of mine; dressed up as a terrorist, with a kaffiyeh on his head, and a bomb-belt strapped around him. So, that made me think about the whole idea. What continues, are my thoughts concerning this, in an unorganized manner.

For Palestinians, the keffiyeh is the symbol of Palestinian nationalism. Its prominence increased in the 1960s with the beginning of the Palestinian resistance movement. It currently resembles resistance towards the occupation of Palestinian territories by Isreal. Resistance towards the Humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip.

I come from the middle east. I come from what used to be the Persian empire, what later became Iran, and is now the “Islamic republic of Iran”. I have never worn a kaffiyeh. That simple piece of cloth has so much history in my country alone. For some it’s the symbol of bravery, honor and courage; it brings back memories from the 8 year war that resulted from Saddam Hussein’s decision to invade Iran. That piece of cloth was what my father used 25 years ago to tie around the gunshot wounds of his comrades in the battlefield. Nowadays in Iran, Keffiyeh is the symbol of the “Basij” – paramilitary forces that are used by the regime to assert power. For reformists like me, it is a sign of military dictatorship.

The media; how damn powerful they are, what an extreme potential they have, to change the notion of the worldwide society towards individuals, cultures and even nations. Over the past decade, we have all seen movies, TV shows, which all display terrorists, mostly arabs, wearing a kaffiyeh to cover their face with an AK-47 in their hand or a bomb strapped around their waist. But where does this come from? I do not deny that there have been terrorist attacks carried out by muslims and arabs in a few occasions, just as they have been performed by many others, the most recent being the Norway attacks this year. The construction of that idea in my head reveals a bitter truth to me; the media has successfully managed to associate terrorism with a specific category of people- Those who wear kaffiyehs; which are mostly the arab world. They have done such a great job, that even I, Having a history with that piece of cloth, have given in to the stereotype that they want me to believe. One that is nothing but false.

So, if you do decide to put that Kaffiyeh on, do it for solidarity with Palestinians, don’t give in to what the media has propagated in the past decade and decorate yourself with a timebomb to go with it.

* The Keffiyeh (English term) is that usually black and white piece of cloth you see worn on the head or neck primarily by the Palestinians. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keffiyeh

A memorable Yalda

It’s not only the christian holidays that are different this year. The Iranian ones are also much more eventful. Our kind friend Ali invited us to his place for Y, the Iranian tradition where we celebrate the longest night of the year, the winter soloists. The night was more than fun with a variety of dry and fresh fruits being gobbled up! And of course, all you can eat watermelons! Finding decent watermelons at this time of year in Sweden is not easy at all, apart from the fact that they are highly overpriced. I digged into my special treats stack and took along some of my precious dried figs and apricots, which dad had sent me for my birthday from iran, a much appreciated surprise. It’s not fun eating them alone, no matter how good they taste.The more i get to know Ali, the more fond i grow of him. He’s a good 7-8 years older than us and has actively taken the role of the older member of our small iranian community here in trollhattan.

A Letter to UN, G8, NATO, Arab League and all those ***ers!

Dear Dr. International community.
I see that you have prescribed a dose of heavy sanctions for your patient “the Syrian regime”, after The cells of the regime started attacking themselves. which honestly does not seem to be resulting in any changes toward recovery. However another patient of yours seems to be suffering from the same case yet you chose to stand back and look while the organs fail one by one. Justify that for me.

Dinner is served.

Whipped up some mighty dinner for tonight! The chicken has been marinating for 2 days! Turned out pretty much the same as the picture I found online in my previous post, but that was done on a grill and mine in the oven so take it easy on me! Mouthwatering!

Promising Christmas as opposed to last year!

I’ve been invited to a swedish/porteguese couple’s home for christmas eve. I can’t say I’m not excited! I’m thinking of going there carrying a persian dish. Have some ideas for a dish (most probably chicken kebabs since I have to prepare them and take them there to Goteborg) or some kind of dessert,  but no idea for dessert. As much confidence that I have in my cooking I’ve never got the hang of desserts and pastry.

I talk to Gorbachev…

I have finally attacked the problem I have with my sleeping hours. Me and Yasha have come up with a deal, whoever comes to school later than 9 am must treat the other to lunch that day!! Today, and only on the second day, he enjoyed a free lunch buffet.

Yes, I lost. But it can all be blamed on the grey cells in my brain which came up with an interesting idea to implement in my simulation keywords on my way home last night. My simulations take almost 5 hours to run on the cluster these days. So it will take a good deal of time before I can actually be able to study the effects of my parameter changes. Carrying out my bright idea in the morning meant waiting until afternoon for results. So despite being exhausted; I slept no sooner than 3 am, with the thought that even if I lose the bet, it’ll be worth getting some work done. My wallet wasnt totally on the same page the next day today though!! It did not want to leave the coziness of my back pocket when the bill was on the table! But a deal’s a deal! And to have friends to do stuff like this with is priceless.

I had seen an old guy in school several times, a chubby white-haired man with a very classy look. Reminded me of Mikhail Gorbachev whenever I saw him!! I engaged in conversation with him on my way downstairs in school today and boy he turned out to have had one hell of a life!

In response to what do you teach, he replied with “I study!” which totally amazed me! so after studying natural sciences, marrying a Russian woman, being in the oil business for more than 40 years and travelling all around the world on business, he has come to Trollhattan, bought a house and is now “studying” political sciences!

We talked about politics mostly, the nuclear dilemma in Iran and the recent capturing of the american unmanned drone in Iran. Despite all the experience he had on his back I sensed some Islamophobia in his speech. Not that it surprises me.

But, it’s not everyday and old man of 70 tells parts of his life story for you; so despite the strong freezing wind outside, I listened to him “gärna!”. He insisted that there were secret security bureaus in Sweden and that they had recently been given more rights and authority than before. I chose not to comment on that! just to express my astonishment that things like that can exist in a socialist state like this.

Strangely enough, some way or the other our conversation got to communism and he himself pointed out his resemblance to  Gorbachev!

Physics lessons on the pool table

There’s something about this game of a table, six pockets and a bunch of balls being shot into those pockets with long sticks that feeds my soul! I first held a cue in my hand when I was in my first year of College, I was taken to a new billiards club opened by one of my fathers old friends. From that day on, the game has had a special place in my heart!

From a conventional point of view, it looks like a lame game. Yet I see it as pure physics! momentum, inertia, impact, sliding and rolling, friction, initial speed, force, blah blah blah! all in one beautiful game. The thing about playing pool is, if you get the hang of it, the more you play, the better you get, and you are encouraged to play more and more as long as you see improvement.

I have rarely played after graduating from college, but there are times when out of nowhere I feel the need to shoot balls into pockets!! A kind of thirst for the game. I have tried satisfying it with online pool games but it has proven unhelpful in quenching the thirst! So, tonight I grabbed a friend and took him to the local club after retiring from work in the library, and played for an hour. I got my fix!

Fresh cookies destroyed with m&m bits!

Started the day with a “Cafe och Cookie” from Subway. They were our of chocolate chunk so I hate to settle for the ones with bits of m&ms inside them.
Overby was fun. bought quite a number of Stuff for sis, one for mom since it was incredibly hard to find something suitable.

A day with a half foot Sub and suicide

My mobile ticket to Gothenburg said that I would get there at 16:42. it was a 5 minute tram from Central Station to handelshögskolan so I would get there on time for my 17:00 interview. The train stopped several times on the way and all I understood from the announcements was that there was a red signal and that we had to stop.
The train finally gets there at 17:05. already 5 minutes past and somehow I get to the meeting room at 17:20.
Gil and Sophie are also in GTG today, I call them up after the interview and we meet at the train station.
Being super hungry I cant stand the hunger and I head to subway for a “vegie patty”. Gil tells me to ask for a ruler when the lady asks what size. I don’t get it at first, but then I do. I’m cool, but I dare not make jokes like that with random people! I get a half foot vegie patty with Vitlök (galric) dressing which I really loved.
I discover that the delays were to to a suicide attempt on the train tracks. I know this country has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, but throwing yourself in front of a train need some nerve!
The train stops again several times but with the company from my friends and no hurry to get anywhere I barely even notice.

The suicide attempt has got me thinking, Did the guy live? I guess you cant survive a train travelling at 100 km/h hitting you. The chaos he/she has cause to the railway transport system today is probably the biggest effect hes ever had on the life of mankind. But did he/she do this to finally be noticed? Did the consequences of his/her action ever cross his/her mind?
Gil was joking around in a cold blooded ignorant matter like he sometimes does: “You wanna die? go shoot yourself, why do you mess up people’s schedules”. I feel terribly sorry, For whoever it was, and for whatever reason, I wish he/she was still breathing.

This suppression is not what I want

I lived my life, the way to keep others happy, to maintain a positive relationship with every single soul that steps into my life. Its not easy, you have to be the same inside and out to be able to pull that off.
Now I cant be, I have to pretend. That I don’t feel.
Stepping on the fundamentals of my lifestyle, my laws of being, to fearlessly express my true inner feelings.
I’m holding in. And its the hardest fight I’ve ever had with myself.