Mas Reflection Time

I have some more reflection on what I've been blogging about, learning about in class, etc.  Get pumped!

Well, despite living in the US and having the internet, books, newspapers, basically all these ways to get information on the hunger strikers, it's been kinda surprising at how hard it is to get information on Hana Shalabi, Khader Adnan, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, Hamza Kashgari, etc.  Like, one of the main websites that I use to at least start finding information is Twitter. And even then, it's hard to find accurate sources and unbiased ones.

I guess this reflection is more about how I was surprised that even though I live in the US it was hard to find sources.  Maybe it was harder for me to find info on my hunger strikers BECAUSE I live in the US.  Now I'm just speculating here, but maybe since the hunger strikers are from Bahrain and Palestine, the US doesn't care (not care, but isn't paying enough attention to) the goings on in the Middle East.

I feel like the US only focuses on the Middle East if it really concerns them.  Like, if I was researching nuclear weapons in the Middle East, I'm sure that I'd be able to find more articles about the topic.  I can't tell if it's popularity of the subject, or just the fact that this is a situation that everyone seems to know about.  The hunger strikers seem to be more important to the people from the Middle East who either knew them or who understand their plight.

I don't feel as frustrated thinking about the lack of information on Hana Shalabi, Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, or Hamza Kashgari (although he's not a hunger striker, our little social media rebel!) as I should.  I understand that their stories aren't ones that the American reporters wouldn't want to write about all the time.  They're interesting (i can't stop reading about them), but what's happening to them isn't necessarily affecting my life over here, like a bomb threat could.  I get that what's happening in the Middle East effects the Middle East, and other countries won't care as much unless it directly affects them.

That sounds selfish.  But I understand the opinion.  Sort of.  Like, in my house, no one will lift a finger to help anyone clean unless it's that person's mess.  And that's what I'm seeing translated into this situation with the hunger strikers.  The only people who are really willing to help are other people from Bahrain, Palestinians, etc.  When we think like that, helping others is tough.

Now, I don't want to turn this into a "everyone must love one another and dance in rainbows with SMILES" post, but we should still make an effort (a really big effort) to get these people freed.  They're in jail for practicing their beliefs.  I know if I was arrested for being Catholic, or speaking out about the death penalty, I'd be pretty pissed. 

I guess I'm just trying to put myself in their shoes.  I really just want people to understand what's going on over there.  Well.  Sorta lost the Middle East bit in here.  Whoops.

Leslie, signing off!
@see_you_sLATER
Also, if anyone wants to get a dialogue or something going on about this, or wants to share some info they may have learned while looking up the hunger strikers, that'd be awesome.  Just saying.