Poem: What do You Wear to Get Arrested
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In Many Countries Political Dissenters Are Treated With Excessive Force
But what does civilization mean? It's not just about art and culture, it's about people's attitude to Human Rights and the Rule of Law.
Above is the picture of Neda as she lay dying in Teheran
She was killed in Iran in 2009 during the student protests about vote rigging, rounded up and shot, even though she was only a bystander and not actually participating. Her death was caught on video by a very brave photographer and this iconic image was shown around the world within hours, although quickly suppressed in her own country.
This Web Page is a Snapshot in Time, written on 1st February 2011
I wrote it before the Arab Spring
had really taken hold, and
the poem itself 3 years earlier.
I have thought about updating it,
but that would take away from some of the immediacy in the announcements.........and, after all, you know what happened next!
My Poem: What Do You Wear To Get Arrested?
This is the picture which set me writing the poem below -
What Do You Wear To Get Arrested?
What will you wear to get arrested?
Will you wear your best suit,
to command respect,
even though it will spoil?
Or second-best,
expendable if soiled?
What did you wear to get arrested?
Clean shirt and hardy jeans?
A loin cloth or a sarong?
Barefoot or shiny shoes?
Did you pack spare pants and toothbrush
for when you were taken away?
Were you wearing saffron robes,
all crimsoned now and tattered,
or stripped from you to hurt your pride
as they left you bruised and battered?
Did you think about the beatings,
blood stains, dirt and rats,
as you stood up for your principles,
stood up against your state,
stood up so brave for human rights
regardless of your fate?
What did you wear to get arrested?
© Diana Grant 18th May 2008
Remember
Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar
Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (Burma) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. Her struggle is one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades. She has become an important symbol in the struggle against oppression...The Egyptian Military have stated that they will not use force against Egyptian protesters
1st February 2011 - As I write this, today is the demonstration when Egyptians hope to have a million people marching.
Their communications have been shut down, and there is a curfew from 3.0 pm. Let us hope there will be no more deaths!
Egyptian Citizens Have Risen Up in Protest
They want Democracy, and they want it now!
No-one knows what the knock-on effect of this revolution will be round the world but, one thing is clear - things will never be the same again there, and the rest of the Middle East will feel the effects. We all hope for a peaceful transition.
Please stop for a moment and think of the brave young protesters who lost their lives. And in our hearts, thank them for standing up for justice and human rights.
BREAKING NEWS - UNOFFICIAL - PRESIDENT MUBURAK HAS RESIGNED
5.0 pm EGYPTIAN TIME 1st February
-Tens of Thousands turned out for the March in Cairo.
The military is positively supporting the protesters, and marshalling the peaceful protest.
Sadly, the death toll is approximately 300 over the past week.
In Jordan King Abdullah has just sacked his entire Government, due to protests this week.
In Russia 500 anti-government protesters have just been arrested.
Here are some more items about political repression
They are all Google News Blogs
- Emirates Step Up Efforts to Counter Dissent
- ABU DHABI ? The United Arab Emirates have intensified their effort to quell political dissent, with 15 men now being detained by the security forces, according to human rights groups and family members. All but two are members of Al Islah Reform and ...
- The ugly face behind 'open' Myanmar's charm offensive
- BY ANY OTHER NAME: Myanmar's remaining political prisoners have been branded 'criminals' by the government. Moon Nay Li is the coordinator of the Kachin Women's Association Thailand and explains that as a mother of a three year old she is shocked by ...
- Myanmar sees the dawn of the opinion poll
- But taking the political temperature is no straightforward matter in a country where many still fear repercussions for dissent. "Of course, at the beginning, people are very scared, they don't want to answer, they think politics is something like a ...
- Report On Potential Arrests at 2012 RNC Cites Arrest of Democracy Now!'s Amy ...
- Goodman and two producers were unlawfully arrested and subjected to excessive force while reporting on public protest and political dissent surrounding the convention. They were among more than 40 other journalists arrested that week.
Here's a Chilling Thought - How do we Value our Freedoms?
The UK has more surveillance cameras than anywhere else in the world
- Freedom of Speech
- Freedom of religion and religious tolerance
- The Rule of Law
- Acces to the European Convention on Human Rights
- Racial equality
- Women's equality
- Independence of the Judiciary
- A generous welfare system to eradicate extreme poverty
- Free schooling
- Abolition of the death penalty
- The universal right to vote
He's Watching You
Buy This at Allposters.com
So what went wrong?
Have Your Say in This Group Discussion About Cause and Cure
Let's talk about human rights and the ideas on this web page
Why is there so much unrest in the world? Why are people so intolerant of other people's beliefs? Why is there so much inequality in the world, with whole groups of people being despised or treated as second-class citizens? Greed? Power-seeking? Social Darwinism (survival of the fittest)? Selfishness?
Over to you, people - what do you think?
About the writer, Diana Grant
With Links to Some of Her Other Web Pages
I have a great concern for human rights, and this has been a theme in a number of my web pages.
Glorious Confusion - my Website - come and visit.
Diana's Blog at Glorious Confusion My Blog
I am a retired English solicitor. I no longer give professional advice, but I still help people to write letters, proof-read things they have written, and help to improve and pinpoint the essence of what they want to say.
I would be happy to help you if you contact me - You can either go to my Bio at the top right hand side of this page. Or, if you prefer, if you want more information, you can go to my website, Glorious Confusion, where there is a page About Me or you can Contact Me on my website Glorious Confusion
Here are a Few More of My Lenses
Quite a mixed bunch
See if there is anything you like here
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What did you think about the subject matter or poem?
I'd like to know your thoughts
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EMangl
Oct 11, 2011 @ 1:15 pm | delete
- Regimes can only exist as long as people shut up - too bad that way too many people keep quiet for too long, way too many allow a few to rule them
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Niki_Goddard
Jul 8, 2010 @ 5:07 am | delete
- The poem was very thought provoking and it's brave of you to put such personal work up here for everyone to see - it shows how much you care about this topic.
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callinsky
Jun 19, 2010 @ 9:02 pm | delete
- Very tough subject to write about. It's very sad. The poem is very touching but haunting too.
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ShirlW
Jun 16, 2010 @ 10:30 am | delete
- A unique point of view with a strong message. Great job!
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by Gloriousconfusion
Hello everybody.
I have been writing poetry since I was a child - not all the time, but as the mood takes me and I am moved by what I have seen or felt...
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