"Nothing is normal in Tripoli."

WARNING! CONTAINS GRAPHIC & 
DISTURBING IMAGES!!! 

"Nothing is normal in Tripoli." This was a statement that Anderson Cooper introduced a phone conversation with a woman who has been stuck in her home for five days, terrified to leave the safety of her home. Even then, reports are of Gaddafi's mercenary thugs going from home-to-home kidnapping anyone whom they feel is trying to get word out to the world about the events that are taking place. Kidnapping, and executing innocent people who just want the world to see what is happening and hoping, against all hope, that someone, anyone will see and know, and do something.

The other night, I viewed some horrific photos from a morgue in Libya, and my heart completely broke.

I have been Tweeting and updating like crazy in support of Libya as well as providing updates the moment I hear them. People have asked me "what good can this do for these people?" when I ask to please follow suit.

I will tell you what the "good" is, some of these people do not know if the world is watching, if the world knows, or if the world supports them. Some of them wonder if they are fighting alone.

But the truth is, so many around the world are not only watching, they are protesting in support of, and the entire world is watching closely and caring deeply.

Protesters in South Korea

Nothing happening in the Middle East and Northern Africa, has been about religion, it has been about the most basic of human needs, freedom and democracy. To live without fear, to walk down a street without concern about who is watching, who is hearing, and who is following.

Muammar Gaddafi has been ruling Libya for over 42 years, keeping the people completely oppressed and living in terror.

If anyone has watched his most latest, and bizarre, speeches, one will see that this man is not only deranged, but he presents as one who has severe mental illness. He is unable to keep his eyes focused and he speaks as if he in complete belief of the lies which spew out of his mouth.

Benghazi is under control of the people

The terrifying thing is that someone as deranged as this, is dangerous. He is a mass murderer who has amassed tens of thousands of murders under his belt over the years.

Benghazi has fallen to the people. ALHAMDULILLAH!

Most of Libya is falling inch-by-inch, and the people are raising up.

I can not express the amount of respect and honour I have for the people. To overcome their terror and put aside that fear, facing death with complete abandon in their plight for this most basic of human needs, it shows how this wave of people rising up and taking charge is most powerful and impacting.

Libyan protesters in Japan

I mentioned in a previous blog that a sleeping beast has awoken and it will not rest until it's end goal is reached, and we are seeing this more and more in countries like Libya and Bahrain. Iran and Yemen are also bubbling under the surface, they are activating, and they are watching closely. Once Libya completely topples and is freed from the grips of a complete lunatic and his family and cronies, it will only forge this tsunami wave of change stronger and more forceful.

Gandhi said very poignantly "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win." We have seen this in country after country, to be true. Peaceful demonstrators have toppled tyrannical regimes, and it goes to the old adage that good will always out-win and outlast evil.

Funeral of a Libyan Protester

In Tahrir Square it was said "fear has been defeated, there's no turning back" which Anderson Cooper quoted over and over during the days in Egypt, and now we are seeing this in Libya.

The people no longer have that same fear. They simply don't care anymore for anything other than the end goal of ridding themselves of Gaddafi and enjoying a life of freedom and democracy.

If you are reading this post, please take a moment to reflect on your own feelings. If you are not quite aware of what is going on, turn on the news, Google, turn on to Al Jazeera (English) and watch a live stream online. And then, tweet, update on Facebook, change your Facebook, Twitter, My Space, etc profile photo to something reflecting your support of Libya and Libyans, speak about it among your peers, involve yourself, because it DOES make a difference. It IS impacting. Don't do this for Gaddafi to hear and hope that it will make a difference with him, because it won't do a thing if that is the reason. Do it for the people. Do it to educate because the more we ALL get involved and we EACH keep it alive, it WILL filter back over there. And it will empower the countries that a bubbling under the surface.

Now is the time in our lives where it is our moral duty as human beings to stand up and stand out to help create a difference, and yes, even in your small corner of the Universe, YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

We MUST stand together with our brothers and sisters who are out in the streets dying. I have posted a couple of the photos I viewed from the Libyan morgue here, not to glamorize them, but to impact you and reach you deep inside to turn to action. This is real and it is horrific that these dictators have no qualms about killing their own people. So now, we, citizens of the world and members of the entire human family, must act, stand up and do our part to help.

democracy, and regime change.

As'salaam alaikum / Peace be upon you.

* * *  * * * 

What YOU Can Do to Help Bahrain!

First, there was Tunisia, and the world listened but did not realise the impact; and then... The entire world stayed glued to their television sets as Egypt took the baton and created an amazing, and peaceful, revolution that lasted 18-days, and finally won.

Now; Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, Algeria, and other Arab-nations have taken up the cause and are demonstrating peacefully and loudly to gain their own freedoms.

But...

Governments who supported and praised the Egyptians, are now singing a different tune since the wave of revolution and change has hit their shores.

Instead of allowing the people to raise up and act in a God-given freedom, they have instead opened fire and spilled blood, and killed.

Shot in the head while raising arms up in surrender
calling out "Peaceful! Peaceful!" 

Last night, I turned on to watch Anderson Cooper (CNN) and saw my brothers in Bahrain being shot at and laying in the streets with bullet holes, one was shot in the head with blood pouring from his head, covering the street.

These men were not throwing rocks. They did not have any kind of weapons. They were simply marching in peace yelling "Peaceful! Peaceful!", arms up to show their "surrender", exercising a right that every man, woman, and child upon this earth was created to have, "freedom".

But instead of allowing these peaceful demonstrators to march in the ways of Gandhi and exercise a freedom in the act of peaceful uprising, they were viciously mowed down.

When I think of my brothers and sisters living in Bahrain going through what they are going through in the name of freedom, and doing so in a peaceful manner,

My heart aches and shatters.

While I can not do what I desire most... Swoop down and remove the perpetrators to these murders, the leaders who ordered them and have oppressed the people for so many years, the ONLY ACTION I can take, is this:

Tweet the Bahrain Ministry of Interior @moi_bahrain [Bahrain Ministry of Interior] and tell them that they MUST STOP THIS VIOLENCE ON PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS!!!

I tweeted them yesterday and I told them that the WHOLE WORLD WAS watching what was going on and what they were doing to the people and that they must stop.

I live in a country where I have the freedom to express myself, and because I am blessed to live in such a country, I exercise that right... my God-given right, to do so. I do not fear "secret police" coming and grabbing me in the night, or fear torture or even death, for exercising my right.

Do I take that liberty as it is given? Absolutely.

THIS is why it is important that you write... FLOOD the Ministry of Interior with Tweets and let them know that they can NOT shut down progress and human beings natural right to live free! That the world IS watching, and they are being seen for what they truly are. That any semblance of "explanation" or LIES that they are "acting in accordance with the situation at hand" is just that, LIES because we are all seeing them murdering innocent people. These people do not even hold a single rock in their hands, and they are being killed for raising their voices.

Some have asked me "What can I do? I am not there and can not take to the streets." So here is my answer, this is what you can do! Tweet and Facebook and pass the word out, let the blessings of social media work for us and work for our brothers and sisters who are trying so hard to gain the freedoms so many of us take for granted.

While I have been focused mainly on Bahrain in this post, please remember that our brothers and sisters in Libya, Yemin, Algeria, and other areas are also rising up and creating a stir. Libya is creating a media "blitz" in their favour, showing Moamer Kadhafi flanked by supporters as he parades himself down a street. But, look closely and you will see how many children the crowd makes up, and how many of the adults are paid by his government because they work for him. It is a farce, a joke, and his 40 + year rule must end.


Kadhafi's government are trying to stop any real stories and truth from getting out. But, like Egypt, its not working. The marvels of the modern world can't stop it from leaking out. It may trickle, but the trickle has the impact of a tsunami wave.

Our world is changing, social media has created something where we can all take part in this change. So, in this post, I encourage all of you reading, to make a difference, help our brothers and sisters in the Middle East create the change that they need to make and live in the freedom that they all so desire, and that we take for granted.

NOTE: I would suggest any sisters and brothers IN Bahrain DO NOT TWEET the Ministry, for your own safety, but those of us outside, we can write and tell them without fear for our own safety! Let US help our brothers and sisters in Bahrain have the SAME freedoms that we have in simply being able to write to our government and express ourselves without fear of consequence or retribution!

EGYPT IS FREE!

Families celebrating victory in Tahrir Square

Today marked a moment in history which many, around the world, have been holding their breath for. Hosni Mubarak stepped down, and in so doing, the Egyptian people were liberated from 30 years of tyrannical and dictatorial rule.

The Egyptian Revolution was such an amazing moment in our history. Through it all, the people remained peaceful in their determination, only defending themselves when hit upon. The past 18-days showed the world exactly how a revolution should be played out, with peace, persevering, and determination.

As I watched TV and internet reports for the past 18-days, I felt that this was almost reminiscent of Gandhi's plight for independence from Britain for India. It was done with peace and long-standing. While this did not take as long, the message was an equally strong one.

Sharing determination

The entire Egyptian Revolution showed that people can make a difference without raising a sword or a gun, and without mindless violence. This revolution was intelligent and it was diligent, it was organized and it showed the entire world just how ready the Egyptian people are for change.

We are entering a new era, and what we have witnessed has shown this and will pave a way. This is not only a new era in life for Egypt, but a powerful and strong message to the rest of the world that resolve can truly be met with by peace.

While we will all be watching over the next few weeks and months with what will happen in Egypt, from what I have already read in comments and updates on Facebook and Twitter, the entire world is in complete awe of this momentous occasion and accomplishment.

The Egyptian Revolution started 18-days ago. It took a mere 18-days to oust a dictator who has ruled for 30-years. We saw Tunisia accomplish their goal in 30-days, and now we will watch and see who will be the next country to rise up and create positive change, using the greatest weapons ever created; determination, perseverance, and above all, peace.

Tahrir Square on Day 18, numbers swelled in response to Hosni Mubarak's
speech saying he was stepping aside  but not down. Millions flocked to the
square in continued defiance and in peaceful demonstration calling for Mubarak
to step down and leave. And then, finally, the message sank in and VP Suleiman read a statement that Mubarak had stepped down. The Egyptian Revolution was won.