As with all things in life, over time, we as humans have to get maintenance done on us. In marine nature one of these functions is conducted by fish such as the Labroides dimidiatus; they work tirelessly to keep their customers happy. I have something similar; he's called a barber and his name is Nick. Well, that's his Canadianised name anyway. I suspect there are very few fellows from Shia Iraq called Nick. Anyway, I had the opportunity to get my hair cut yesterday at Nick's place.
He has a whole legion of customers who are loyal to him and he knows them well. About the only thing that annoys him is if you shave your head. I did so because the Italians won the Football World Cup over France. He picked up on that right away. He reminds me a bit of Enzo Manganaro from the Seinfeld episode when Jerry gets his hair cut by someone else. Enzo was not too happy.
As it so happens, Nick is leaving for his home in Southern Iraq with his entire family for 2 months. I won't see him when he gets back because I'll be in DC by the time he gets back. Anyway, a stream of folks were coming by to say goodbye to Nick. There can a fellow who turned out to be from the Islamic Republic of Iran and with him a fellow from the Republic of Cuba. The Iranian fellow seemed to be old chums of Nick. He was rolling up his sleeves as if he was about to pray or something and Nick joked about that.
This started an interesting conversation. The Iranian fellow started by saying that he prays every day for Fidel and Chavez. He was going on when Nick stopped him short and laid down his views on prayer and government. He said he does not like Dictators nor does he have time for prayer because he has customers to work on. He called Fidel Castro a dictator. Recently when Castro was ill, he handed over power to his brother rather than to the people for whom he rules according to Nick. He's right. The Iranian fellow asked if Nick liked the fact that American troops were in Iraq and killing women and children (this is the default complaint for everyone... they're raping and killing the women and children). Nick took him to task on that. He said that when Saddam was in power, on average, daily, 300 or so people are killed by his forces. He said that has happened for many, many years now.
He said that thanks to the American action in Iraq, his family is free, he can go back and his kids can finally see their grandparents. He thanks the Americans and George Bush in particular every day at prayers for freeing his people from the horrible dictator Saddam Hussein. He said he hoped America invaded North Korea and Iran and Syria and so on to liberate those people. He wasn't so much a fervent believer in Bush as he was in the freedom of his people. He berated the Iranian for questioning the deaths in Iraq. His argument was that people are coming into the country from Syria and causing trouble, destabilising Iraq. Iraq won't change into a progressive, forward looking country in a year or 5. It takes time. He said that with correct guidance from the government, Iraq will become a great country once more. He even had examples; Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the rest of the United Arab Emirates... all these governments were set up (according to the Iranian and Nick) by the Americans. Nick sees that as beacons for the betterment of those peoples. The Iranian looked at it as global corporations making money off these people.
I was a silent witness to this dialogue as was the Cuban chap. The only time he made a peep was when Nick mentioned Cuba. At any rate, the interesting thing to me was that while most of the world is decrying the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq by foreign troops (most notably American troops), here was a fellow who, for right or wrong, appreciated it. But if you put yourself in his shoes and ignore what the media says for a moment (we'll get to the fourth estate in a bit), you may come to the realisation I did. This man cares not for much more than freedom. When you break it right down, all he cares about is the ability, the freedom, to go home, to see sights and sounds that are dear to him and are part of his psyche. He grew up there. He ran away from there. And this regime change as it were has made it possible for him to go back to his old world, a world where he can once again enjoy the sights and sounds of Iraq. Not that he doesn't worry about the risks, there have always been risks. But his people are free, he is free once more to go home and live life as happily as he once did.
George Bush may not have gone to Iraq with this man in mind, but he sure did make Nick's day. So, be careful when you criticise the wars of today. For the reality is, you and I are most likely not affected by it; we are just spectators to the unfolding game. This man on the other hand is an actor, he plays a role; that of the happy son of Iraq who can finally go home without fear of Saddam and his men. My people won freedom nearly 60 years ago now... and we have not forgotten it. It is perhaps one of the few things that my country as a whole agrees on.
I am not saying that we have no say in this exercise. We are spectators, and we are entitled to our opinion. In fact, we should use our minds and express our thoughts on these sorts of events. We need to make a more informed decision on these though. We as a group of people are far too often swayed by what the media says. I have never been to Iraq, nor do I have any desire to be in Iraq any time soon. I know no one from Iraq personally. Nick does. He's been there last year, his family lives there and he's taking his wife and small kids there now. The fourth estate has, of late, been in the habit of making everything sound worse than it is... Canada loses close to 40 soldiers in Afghanistan and there is an outcry. Someone or the other is always asking to bring the troops back. We keep questioning the decisions we made to go to Afghanistan. That is the price we pay for taking part in this theatre. Wars are never pretty. God knows, we sent enough people to various wars to figure that one out. Many of them did not make it back. Hell, we sent a million people to the Second World War. When our entire population was 10 million.
Well, this is getting into a bit of a rant, so I should finish up. Before you spout an opinion on anything, think of all that is not said. Sometimes, the things that are not mentioned say it all. And if you're going to say anything about the war in Iraq, think of my barber Nick and his story. I wish Nick a safe and fantastic visit to Iraq and I fully intend to get my hair cut at his shop at some point in the future when hopefully, his Iraq will be back on the road to greatness. And as Nick says... Canada is home and he is lucky to have it. Show a little love to Canada too.
He has a whole legion of customers who are loyal to him and he knows them well. About the only thing that annoys him is if you shave your head. I did so because the Italians won the Football World Cup over France. He picked up on that right away. He reminds me a bit of Enzo Manganaro from the Seinfeld episode when Jerry gets his hair cut by someone else. Enzo was not too happy.
As it so happens, Nick is leaving for his home in Southern Iraq with his entire family for 2 months. I won't see him when he gets back because I'll be in DC by the time he gets back. Anyway, a stream of folks were coming by to say goodbye to Nick. There can a fellow who turned out to be from the Islamic Republic of Iran and with him a fellow from the Republic of Cuba. The Iranian fellow seemed to be old chums of Nick. He was rolling up his sleeves as if he was about to pray or something and Nick joked about that.
This started an interesting conversation. The Iranian fellow started by saying that he prays every day for Fidel and Chavez. He was going on when Nick stopped him short and laid down his views on prayer and government. He said he does not like Dictators nor does he have time for prayer because he has customers to work on. He called Fidel Castro a dictator. Recently when Castro was ill, he handed over power to his brother rather than to the people for whom he rules according to Nick. He's right. The Iranian fellow asked if Nick liked the fact that American troops were in Iraq and killing women and children (this is the default complaint for everyone... they're raping and killing the women and children). Nick took him to task on that. He said that when Saddam was in power, on average, daily, 300 or so people are killed by his forces. He said that has happened for many, many years now.
He said that thanks to the American action in Iraq, his family is free, he can go back and his kids can finally see their grandparents. He thanks the Americans and George Bush in particular every day at prayers for freeing his people from the horrible dictator Saddam Hussein. He said he hoped America invaded North Korea and Iran and Syria and so on to liberate those people. He wasn't so much a fervent believer in Bush as he was in the freedom of his people. He berated the Iranian for questioning the deaths in Iraq. His argument was that people are coming into the country from Syria and causing trouble, destabilising Iraq. Iraq won't change into a progressive, forward looking country in a year or 5. It takes time. He said that with correct guidance from the government, Iraq will become a great country once more. He even had examples; Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the rest of the United Arab Emirates... all these governments were set up (according to the Iranian and Nick) by the Americans. Nick sees that as beacons for the betterment of those peoples. The Iranian looked at it as global corporations making money off these people.
I was a silent witness to this dialogue as was the Cuban chap. The only time he made a peep was when Nick mentioned Cuba. At any rate, the interesting thing to me was that while most of the world is decrying the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq by foreign troops (most notably American troops), here was a fellow who, for right or wrong, appreciated it. But if you put yourself in his shoes and ignore what the media says for a moment (we'll get to the fourth estate in a bit), you may come to the realisation I did. This man cares not for much more than freedom. When you break it right down, all he cares about is the ability, the freedom, to go home, to see sights and sounds that are dear to him and are part of his psyche. He grew up there. He ran away from there. And this regime change as it were has made it possible for him to go back to his old world, a world where he can once again enjoy the sights and sounds of Iraq. Not that he doesn't worry about the risks, there have always been risks. But his people are free, he is free once more to go home and live life as happily as he once did.
George Bush may not have gone to Iraq with this man in mind, but he sure did make Nick's day. So, be careful when you criticise the wars of today. For the reality is, you and I are most likely not affected by it; we are just spectators to the unfolding game. This man on the other hand is an actor, he plays a role; that of the happy son of Iraq who can finally go home without fear of Saddam and his men. My people won freedom nearly 60 years ago now... and we have not forgotten it. It is perhaps one of the few things that my country as a whole agrees on.
I am not saying that we have no say in this exercise. We are spectators, and we are entitled to our opinion. In fact, we should use our minds and express our thoughts on these sorts of events. We need to make a more informed decision on these though. We as a group of people are far too often swayed by what the media says. I have never been to Iraq, nor do I have any desire to be in Iraq any time soon. I know no one from Iraq personally. Nick does. He's been there last year, his family lives there and he's taking his wife and small kids there now. The fourth estate has, of late, been in the habit of making everything sound worse than it is... Canada loses close to 40 soldiers in Afghanistan and there is an outcry. Someone or the other is always asking to bring the troops back. We keep questioning the decisions we made to go to Afghanistan. That is the price we pay for taking part in this theatre. Wars are never pretty. God knows, we sent enough people to various wars to figure that one out. Many of them did not make it back. Hell, we sent a million people to the Second World War. When our entire population was 10 million.
Well, this is getting into a bit of a rant, so I should finish up. Before you spout an opinion on anything, think of all that is not said. Sometimes, the things that are not mentioned say it all. And if you're going to say anything about the war in Iraq, think of my barber Nick and his story. I wish Nick a safe and fantastic visit to Iraq and I fully intend to get my hair cut at his shop at some point in the future when hopefully, his Iraq will be back on the road to greatness. And as Nick says... Canada is home and he is lucky to have it. Show a little love to Canada too.
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