You did a beautiful job on this, BT. I can tell it was a labor of love.
Such a terrible thing was done to a place that should be a sanctuary of knowledge. I'm so sorry for the people who were killed and hurt and for the sanctuary that was desecrated.
Hopefully someday Mutannabi Street will come back better than ever. Lovers of books and knowledge will assure that happens.
the first time i met an iraqi, we spoke of her favorite places and how i would some dy visit her there. she loves architecture and told me of the beautiful markets in baghdad, her favorite places.
some people identify themselves first as members of families, or countries. i see myself first as a part of the global community. recognizing i come from a 'new country'. when i think of our communal history, our civilization..our cradle.. it pains me so much incredible beauty that has been preserved for so long.. so much heart.. so much history.. if we cannot nor these special places what will we have. disneyland/mcdonalds/fabricated facsimalies of the way it used to be for tourists to oo and awe. new orleans, baghdad, just bomd the f out of any and everything and slap up some corporate replacement a if there is no honor.
i cannot stand this. how, why, who is gutting the heart of civilization and why. what is it worth? what does it prove? what will calm the fury and rage that something like tis promotes?
it spins and circulates inside my mind and will not go away. it cuts into my faith of mankind.slashes thru my heart as a knife thru butter.
i have never been there yet i feel the loss. when i think of all the people who have died from the beginning of time, a generation or 2, no one remembers them. will that be the fate of Mutannabi Street? is nothing sacred? how can we fend off hatred when it attacks us? whi did this? were they so racked w/revenge it meant nothing, or were they so full of greed, it served their purpose.
how does a normal person process this kind of loss? i feel it all in the abstract and it pains me. god, for those whom it is not an abstraction... i am just so sorry.
tonight, i am using my inner power to not let any form of hatred overtake me. sometimes it is a challenge.
perhaps, somehow, this horrid event will lead us to a clearer understanding or resolution, a very hard road. too much sacrifice. when will this stop. warding off hate w/every breath i take.
i should have proof read. massive typos but i will leave it as it reflects my imbalance. it is honest anyway. tears just stream, sometimes i can't handle the reality. people are more important than streets but still the symbol / it cuts
It was so sad for me watching this ! I know what is going on in Baghdad and I hear horror stories but its never visual. so I was keeping and treasuring the images of my favorite part of Baghdad, the Mutanabi street, and now seeing this it just hurts so bad.
My fondest memories of my days in Baghdad are the times I spent there hunting for books, collectors items, I bout some books form there that are more than 100 years old. I can go on and on about that beautiful street. I hope one day it will return its glory.
I am not able to view the video, but I will concur with the wishes of your other guests that Mutannabi Street will once again be a safe haven for everyone interested in reading and learning in the future!
On a different subject, would you like to sign a petition to free a group of Iranian women's rights demonstrators who were arrested this past Sunday in Tehran? Details at my Constructive blog if you are interested. Thanks!
For a long time, I used to be able to express my feelings in words. I used to be a poet. But now, my only expression is tears. Tears are all that can tell of what I feel. Soemtimes I just srtongly believe that all of this is just bad dream. And one day I will wake up in the very same Thursday, March 20th, 2003, and non of this has happened.
Woudn't it be a small tribute to open an account on Librarything (free), name it Mutannabi and fill a digital bookshelf of all the books you read thanks to the Mutannabi Street booksellers. I know it might sound ludicruous, and I don't want to offend you in any way. Just a thought... librarything dot org or dot com.
You did a beautiful job on this, BT. I can tell it was a labor of love.
ReplyDeleteSuch a terrible thing was done to a place that should be a sanctuary of knowledge. I'm so sorry for the people who were killed and hurt and for the sanctuary that was desecrated.
Hopefully someday Mutannabi Street will come back better than ever. Lovers of books and knowledge will assure that happens.
the first time i met an iraqi, we spoke of her favorite places and how i would some dy visit her there. she loves architecture and told me of the beautiful markets in baghdad, her favorite places.
ReplyDeletesome people identify themselves first as members of families, or countries. i see myself first as a part of the global community. recognizing i come from a 'new country'. when i think of our communal history, our civilization..our cradle.. it pains me so much incredible beauty that has been preserved for so long.. so much heart.. so much history.. if we cannot nor these special places what will we have. disneyland/mcdonalds/fabricated facsimalies of the way it used to be for tourists to oo and awe. new orleans, baghdad, just bomd the f out of any and everything and slap up some corporate replacement a if there is no honor.
i cannot stand this. how, why, who is gutting the heart of civilization and why. what is it worth? what does it prove? what will calm the fury and rage that something like tis promotes?
it spins and circulates inside my mind and will not go away. it cuts into my faith of mankind.slashes thru my heart as a knife thru butter.
i have never been there yet i feel the loss. when i think of all the people who have died from the beginning of time, a generation or 2, no one remembers them. will that be the fate of Mutannabi Street?
is nothing sacred? how can we fend off hatred when it attacks us? whi did this? were they so racked w/revenge it meant nothing, or were they so full of greed, it served their purpose.
how does a normal person process this kind of loss? i feel it all in the abstract and it pains me. god, for those whom it is not an abstraction... i am just so sorry.
tonight, i am using my inner power to not let any form of hatred overtake me. sometimes it is a challenge.
perhaps, somehow, this horrid event will lead us to a clearer understanding or resolution, a very hard road. too much sacrifice. when will this stop. warding off hate w/every breath i take.
i should have proof read. massive typos but i will leave it as it reflects my imbalance. it is honest anyway. tears just stream, sometimes i can't handle the reality. people are more important than streets but still the symbol / it cuts
ReplyDeletejust tears
so sorry
It was so sad for me watching this ! I know what is going on in Baghdad and I hear horror stories but its never visual. so I was keeping and treasuring the images of my favorite part of Baghdad, the Mutanabi street, and now seeing this it just hurts so bad.
ReplyDeleteMy fondest memories of my days in Baghdad are the times I spent there hunting for books, collectors items, I bout some books form there that are more than 100 years old. I can go on and on about that beautiful street. I hope one day it will return its glory.
Hi BT,
ReplyDeleteI am not able to view the video, but I will concur with the wishes of your other guests that Mutannabi Street will once again be a safe haven for everyone interested in reading and learning in the future!
On a different subject, would you like to sign a petition to free a group of Iranian women's rights demonstrators who were arrested this past Sunday in Tehran? Details at my Constructive blog if you are interested. Thanks!
Dearest BT, thank you for this, beautiful done indeed!
ReplyDeleteI am so sad and sorry for all those killed, hurt and for us who knew how important this place is/was, a place of peacfull knowledge!
Thank you, BT
ReplyDeleteFor a long time, I used to be able to express my feelings in words. I used to be a poet.
ReplyDeleteBut now, my only expression is tears. Tears are all that can tell of what I feel.
Soemtimes I just srtongly believe that all of this is just bad dream. And one day I will wake up in the very same Thursday, March 20th, 2003, and non of this has happened.
me too blogiraqi
ReplyDelete3ashet eedek. Mutannabi Street will return.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much guys for sharing this sadness and greif, not only for Mutannabi Street, but for entire Iraq.
ReplyDeleteWoudn't it be a small tribute to open an account on Librarything (free), name it Mutannabi and fill a digital bookshelf of all the books you read thanks to the Mutannabi Street booksellers. I know it might sound ludicruous, and I don't want to offend you in any way. Just a thought...
ReplyDeletelibrarything dot org or dot com.
يا الهي كم هو مؤلم..... الم...وحسرة....البكاء
ReplyDeleteوردة على ارواحهم جميعا
حسن