By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZThe Paz Files
AUSTIN, Texas - It is without a doubt my biggest weakness. Something within me says children should never cry, never feel pain, never hurt. They just shouldn't.
Friday's New York Times and Washington Post front a story about the current strife in Syria. The war is not news. It's been raging for weeks and coming for years. Bombs are dropping, homes are being destroyed and families are being devastated as the Middle East country strikes for something other than its current dictatorship. That's all well and good.
But that photograph, shown above, eats at me. That little boy, likely about 10 years old, is crying the real tears of sadness and pain. His father has been killed, shot dead by an army sniper. There's a whole story about the day's battle in the town of Idlib, where this little boy was born and barely grew up. His story is not the story in The Times or The Post..
But that boyish face says so much.
He is emotionally-broken in the picture, crouched at his father's gravesite, with relatives, his little face elongated by his desire to cry for his dad. Those eyes. Tears filling every little space, before streaming down his cheeks. A hand pats his head, comfort that comes perhaps from his grandfather, his own innocent, little hands holding a scarf that may have belonged to his father. It is the portrait of what is worst in Humanity, a child hurting.
Who knows about his father? Perhaps he was a criminal, or maybe he was fighting for freedom, for a new world in which his son, Ahmed Abu Ahmed Khrer, could have a better life than that he himself had been living under an oppressive regime. You simply want to reach out and tell that little boy that all will be better soon.
But who knows about that? The Middle East is in flames.
All I know is that the photo published by the country's two best newspapers ruined my morning, because, as those who know me know, I am a man who will respond to anyone abusing a child. It's just something that comes from somewhere deep within me, from a place in my heart that says children should never have to cry.
The look on this particular kid's face will haunt me for some time. It's just too powerful, too obvious in its manner of showing us that what we as men do for politics often harms our young. I truly hope this kid slept well, even through his ceaseless crying, through his futile desire to bring his father back to his side, through his sobbing wish for a better God-damned world...
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24 comments:
what a beautiful story. Thankz
War is never kind. Children die, too.
An amazing moment. I had a lump in my throat reading this. Hope the boy is okay.
Sad. that is the saddest pictuire I've seen in a long time. Poor child.
You, sir, have too much class for the readership you get in the Valley. This is a fine, fine observation. We are lucky to have you blogging. A heartfelt thanks from a loyal reader.
That is war, well civil war, whatever, that means. good post.
ALL:...The photo is haunting, as others have described it on a variety of national websites. Hopefully, there will be more info about this child's well-being... - Editor
Mr. Editor: First Brownsville wants to promote itself as the blues capital of South Texas, now poetry. PPPPuuullleeezzzz.
Brownsville is no more than Matamoros on this side of the bridge.
The victims of a war, are usually the children and the widows. Sad, but true.
Man what a large number of empty buildings do we have in Harlingen. I mean lots of them.
UTPA ought to do everyone a favor and do away with the Basketball program. They never win, these applies to the lady's team and the men's team.
Anonymous said...
Man what a large number of empty buildings do we have in Harlingen. I mean lots of them.
March 10, 2012 12:57 PM
*In the dowtown district; but so does Brownsville and Mcallen.
UTPA ought to do everyone a favor and do away with the Basketball program. They never win, these applies to the lady's team and the men's team.
March 10, 2012 12:59 PM
then the media will give them a headache over what a successful program being cut. That's what they did at UTB with the baseball program.
Anon, Harlingen has empty buildings all over the city. The downtown area is dead after 5:00pm. This f*&*&*ed up city has nothing going, other than greasy restaurants, Mexican and fast food services. It sucks, plain and simple.
Anon, the irony of the empty buildings, the owners want an arm and a leg for the old screwed up joints. (Harlingen)
Melissa Zamora's blog is dead on arrival. What a waste of time, Jimmy Barton's blog, is a whole lot better.
Interesting post on Montoya's blog, Eddie Lucio the 111, what a fake, that man is so annoying.
Barton's "blog" is boring. He copycats the other blogs and writes dumb stories. I only read it to get a good laugh.
Santorum is going nowhere. Just piddlin around, like Villalobos and others in Browntown.
Jerry McHale is saying that the race is between Villalobos and Vela, really, some Denise Blanchard is in a run-off.
I agree with Barton, Villalobos, nomas nicles.
Dudes, I am always going to associate Villalobos with Limas. Under his nose and didn't anything about it. It took the feds, to clean up the mess.
Denise "Solomon Ortiz" Blanchard is dead in the water. Too many years of corruption and vacation trips to Asia on taxpayer's backs. Agreeing with Jerry, the only two heavyweights in this race are File Vela and Villalobos. With Vela guaranteed a victory in a mano a mano against Mando "Indictment" Villalobos runoff
Denise is doing plenty of politicking, good for her, we want her tow win the election, Say no to Villalobos, and Vela, Vote, NO.
Deal has exposed Chapa for what he is a fake and a liar. He tell's people candidates pay for the advertising, and they don't. HE LIES, MOTHU FU&&*A PARA ESO ME GUSTABAS, COBARDE.
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