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• Desme commented on Zahra’s Paradise
  As usual, you two have me googling...I found watermelon juice, one recipe with added salt and pepper, sounds delicious. I have never experienced it...but now perhaps I will.
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• Desme commented on Zahra’s Paradise
  Dear Amir & Khalil, the college instructor wrote, "found Zahra's Paradise quite interesting and is considering incorporating it into his 1st year English 1111 class." That is pretty decent, eh? If that happens, it could reach so many more people. I will keep recommending :0)
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• Khalil commented on Zahra’s Paradise
  To Dara's question: yes, Dear Dara, Zahra's Paradise has print publication commitments for all the languages featured on the web site (German coming up soon, and a few more hopefully as well,) except for Arabic and Farsi for now, but we're confident that those two will come along as well at some point. And Dear Desme, do let us know what the Professor thinks of Zahra's Paradise. Thank you very much to all you, lively commentors. Amir and I are very much enjoying reading each and every one of your interesting thoughts and reactions!
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• Daphne commented on Zahra’s Paradise
  "Wow" agreed! I zooming in 300% to enjoy this panel writ large on my screen. Hints of so many other stories here, too.
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• Desme commented on Zahra’s Paradise
  In answer to your question, if in Iran what would I do? There is no way to answer this. I come from a society and a country where I have never had to face a situation that could even remotely be similiar. I could only speculate from total inexperience. I may have mob mentality and be the first to strike or I may have a whiff of compassion for the Basij. It would depend on many factors. For example, have they hurt my children or loved ones? As any normal human, I experience strong feelings of vengeance and anger when I feel the side of righteousness has been gravely wronged . I know I would act on the side of my beliefs and those would be outrage at the injustice and brutality. But, I also may have the desire to not act in the same manner as that which I opposed. I do have a fierce pride in independence and the right to be who I am. This I believe to have inherited from my Kainai great grandfather, who practiced the Medicine Dance (aka Sun Dance) when outlawed by the Canadian government. The repercussion was not death or imprisonment, but they had their own special ways of making him pay for his defiance. Adherence to his beliefs and culture and identity as a free man were worth the persecution. I embrace this right to question and disagree and go against a governing force that does not have my best interests in mind. Is there a way to live under tyranny while retaining dignity and as much freedom as possible without violence? My great grandfather accomplished this. Perhaps I could too. That would be my wish.
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