In the midst of politicians (living high on the hog off our money) and criminals trying to steal even more of it or otherwise kill us; while the terrorists plot our demise; as we all struggle just to keep the roof over our head and feed ourselves and our children; and as hillary and bilious continue to try to convince us that only they are worthy of being our king and queen (or, as they believe, it is we worthy of them, and, yes, I have the correct order for h&b, king & queen), something happens every once in awhile to pause us in our tracks to realize that, despite these sorts of "people," we are all one (a very Buddhist concept). Sometimes, certain events with which we have no direct connection causes us to realize that, in fact, we all are interconnected to one another through humanity, however much of that still exists.
Such an event for me, and maybe you, too, is the death yesterday, July 8, 2003, of Ladan and Laleh Bijani. I know this sounds stupid, but I can barely write about this, and I would have done so sooner if, for some strange reason, I hadn't found myself, for a good portion of the last 24 hours, unable to see straight through the tears - REALLY! I've bottled it up and tried not to think about it as I have gone about my business, but my heart truly and physically aches for them, and I must write this, in honor and memory of them, yes, but hoping, too, that doing so will be at least somewhat cathartic.
Ladan and Laleh, named after two flowers, were 29 year-old Iranian twins conjoined at the head who underwent a gruelling 50 hour operation in Singapore to separate them. In life, they were unable to even look directly at each other, being forced to use a mirror just to see who was there "on the other side." More than anything in the entire world, and despite the severe odds against the surgery being successful, these two beautiful young women had the courage to proceed, even knowing that they would probably die. Through their horrible life together, through such trials as simply trying to have one of them ride a bicycle while the other attempted to keep up, jogging alongside (riding a bicycle being something that we take entirely and unthinkingly for granted), even through the grim potential outlook for them, these two angels amongst us carried on, always with a collectively joyous smile.
When I found out that they had died, I was literally too stunned to stand, the reasons for which I don't think I entirely understand or can adequately explain. I have only known of Ladan and Laleh for the last five days, but they have had a lifetime of impact upon me. Today is the 10 year anniversary of the mullahs' violent quash of Iranian demonstrators protesting for democracy and freedom; the protestors who lived, and others, are once again demonstrating for democracy right now in Iran, in real time, as I write this, and the Iranian religious police are probably murdering hundreds of them for seeking liberty. That story will, undoubtedly, overshadow Ladan's and Laleh's passing, and the pair will be forgotten much too quickly. I, too, will probably forget their names and not be able to recite them a year from now. Yes, I will, of course, feel compassion and sorrow for the murdered Iranian freedom fighters, but my heart has been touched - inspired, yet pained, really - by Ladan's and Laleh's life and death, and I will never forget their smiling faces and their courage, an image forever seared upon me. Truth is that they have forever touched me and will always inspire me, as well as many others. Perhaps this is why God has allowed these two to pass and return to his side in heaven.
While I do not really believe in, what for me, is the overly-simplistic Christian concept of "heaven," I do believe in God - some sort of higher power or being. I cannot help but believe that even irrational atheists such as Michael Newdow, the liberal whacko moron who hypocritically (typical unthinking and uncaring idiot lib) used money with the word "god" on it to present a case and lie to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in order to get America's Pledge of Allegiance ruled unconstitutional (Please don't tell him what the Nation's motto is!), would not be touched by the sheer pure humanity exhibited by these two angels of God. Yet, literally as Newdow was asking the U.S. Supreme Court to back him, Ladan and Laleh were dying. To me, even beyond Newdow's neo-communist idiocy and hypocrisy, the world event that takes precedence is more than obvious.
Newdow will probably have his case heard before the upcoming fall session of the Court, something about which, I suspect, I'll get pissed and write some other day. In the meantime, the power and strength of Ladan and Laleh touches me, and POINT -- The Way honors them and their contribution to the continuation of the humanity of us all.
Thank you, Ladan and Laleh, for your valiant bravery and courage. You have shown me more than any liberal could ever do. May you always and forever happily rest in peace at the right hand of God!
 Ladan and Laleh 
12:00:01 AM  Google It!
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