This whole thing of going to the old city has not really been a serious or let me say by any mean any big statement. But somewhere with the minimum that we can contribute with, it feels good. For the second day I am going and sitting in Damascus gate, and the good news I am not alone. Today my sister came with me, and there were some young people sitting on her own with an obvious same mission statement. Somehow making a joke out of a complete tragic situation is somehow a good way of surviving the situation. Amid the laughs and jokes we had we were kind of scared. Maybe being in a public place gives some protection. The soldiers were surrounding the place in all directions.
You just need to be a young male to be stopped and body checked. And if they really get provoked that the “mass” became more than three, you need to be a woman with a veil to get a turn with the check.
The more we spent time the more the occurrence of stopping each young man who came and sat increased.
Sarcastically, and as if in a reflex. The young man would eye us with shame probably pretend all is ok, while surrounded with five six whatever number of preying soldiers waiting for a new victim. And he would later light a cigarette proving that his dignity wasn’t affected and leaves shortly.
Rethinking the scene, I thinking that our presence is important. It makes the soldiers know that they are watched. It is not that they care, but it is definitely effecting that knowing that you are watched makes you behave yourself.
Coming out of a d ay of a real touch of what shooting is , I feel kind of fulfilled. If I just stayed home after the tear gas and the shooting of today, I was going to be occupied with condensed emotions of repression .
With the slightest meanings of this move. Somewhere it feels good.
I feel I am part of this resistance for a cause that is higher than a land . it is about feeling the worth and virtue of living . and this is something we can only understand when we understand the virtue of the survival of others.
It is a long way for a truly free life of occupation.
We have been occupied with so many restricted notions of occupation that exceeded that with a uniform.
PS.
It is true that we are kind of kardashian’s in taking selfies, but this really has a mission behind . it is a selfie with a soldier behind… many times we were deliberately taking the pic in order to catch what was happening behind us with the soldiers harassing the young boys and veiled women …
