All that is sacred is profaned by gender, ethnic, religious, caste, & class oppression:

“We searched for Asifa everywhere but did not search inside the temple. We knew that it is a very sacred place.”

–Asifa’s father

This beautiful anthemic piece by Mir Laieeq seems suitable to share again to keep our bearings under the weight of the murder of Asifa; the wars in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen; the genocide of the Rohingya; the occupations in Palestine & Kashmir; & even the debate over the death penalty. When the world feels too much with me, it reminds me of the highest ideals for which the best of humanity has always strived:

“indian state despite its grave, unspeakable crimes against us, has not been able to kill our humanity, it has failed to make hatred the defining virtue of our struggle, despite its beastly behaviour we have not turned into beasts, instead we have retained our dignity and ethical fabric, despite being victims of an atrocious war imposed upon us we have maintained our moral compass, the humanitarian gestures like rescuing occupying soldiers even when most of them have been acting like savages is a reflection of who we are and what we aspire to be! In all this lies the biggest defeat of this oppressive state and our greatest victory, it also gives us hope that a free kashmir will not be built upon pathological hatred of the other, but upon the ideals of human fraternity, dignity and brotherhood. Kashmir today even in one of her most painful times has a lot of lessons to offer to Indians and world at large: we are willing to sacrifice our lives to achieve freedom but we won’t lose our morality in the process, we refuse to slip into savagery and hatred despite the cruelest provocations like killing and blinding of our children. As for us, Azaadi is not a mere destination but a means towards a more humane, just and ethical society.”

Food for thought on the death penalty from South African Rehana Khan Parker:

“I can never approve the death penalty, we came out of apartheid where people were put to death wholly unfounded and for defending human rights. South Africa had a repressive government and that was part of the apartheid machinery, to eradicate people, detain without trial, detain for indefinite periods, torture, pushing people off the ledge to their death and torture whilst in custody till they killed you and masked it as suicide! Death sentencing of innocent lives. We will NEVER ever allow governments to use death sentences as a mean to shut those who have a voice.”

Justice for Asifa rally in Srinagar this coming Monday goes global: the savagery of the crime against this little girl leaves all of us feeling broken & distraught & can weaken our trust in other human beings. Coming together in a vigil protest focuses our psychic energies on the causes of such horror–gender, ethnic, religious, caste, & class oppression–& bonds us with others fighting to create a humane society free of such cruelty & inhumanity. The purpose of such rallies is to fight against oppression but in unity our bereavement becomes bearable & does not turn to cynicism. There is no other way. So we can all light a candle next Monday in sync with this rally & to honor the life of this small child.

You’d be forgiven if you didn’t know whether this stone pelter was Palestinian or Kashmiri. In fact, this young woman, with her olympian stance, is at the Great Return March in Gaza teaching the young how to “throw like a girl.”

End the occupation. Self-determination for Palestinians. Honor & build the economic boycott of Israel (BDS).