Kiana Firouz Needs Our Help

May 13th, 2010 by 801red

I have very romantic images of myself. I am very heroic in these images. I always stop and help the woman getting mugged. I never look the other way when someone is in need. I am Robin Hood and King Arthur and Frodo all wrapped up in one. I keep that image in my head because I want it to be true. I need it to be true. I don’t want to wonder what I will do in a time of crisis, I just want to know I will do it. I worry like many things in my imagination it will disappear in a puff of smoke when the time comes. Of all the things I fear, I fear this the most. Paralyzed in the face of genuine need.

I know everyone has their struggle and to them it is the largest mountain in the world. I have never tried to judge anyone’s life. I don’t know what it is like to be anybody but me. I am proud of myself. I think I have overcome many obstacles to sit here typing at this computer with tears streaming down my face.

I don’t cry easy. I get mad easy. I get happy easy. I shout my love at the heart of the world easy. Crying was always drilled into me as a sign of weakness. I don’t believe it but it still haunts the back corridors of my brain. When I cry it means something has punched a hole right through me. Has rubbed me raw in a way that even many years of hearing “don’t be a sissy” could not overcome. Today I am crying because we live in a world where the choice of who you love can still get you murdered.

I woke up this morning and it was like any other morning until I read Kim Boekbinder’s blog. She posted a letter from a friend who was overcome by a feelings of despair because she could not help a young woman by the name of Kiana Firouz. Kiana is a lesbian. She is also Iranian. These are two items that do not fit. Kiana fled Iran to the U.K. because she feared for her life. In Iran you can be whipped and murdered for being homosexual. While in the U.K. Kiana took part in a film (Cul de sac) about her life and civil rights battles in Iran. This movie is likely a death sentence for her in Iran. This wouldn’t be a problem except her application for asylum in the U.K. was rejected. It seems the threat of imminent death because of your sexual orientation is not enough for asylum.

Kiana’s time is running out. She could be sent back to Iran at any moment. This is unacceptable. I refuse to stand by and watch while some barbaric custom murders someone. So now I sit here feeling like Kim’s friend, crying and wondering what I can do. I am just a man with a blog. The only weapon I have ever wielded is my words. So I will do my best to use them right. Today I am asking all my readers to go sign the petition to grant her asylum. To write letters to the British Home Office (public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk).

I don’t want you to stop there though. I want you right now to picture a person you love so much your heat skips a beat. Now imagine you were told you couldn’t love them anymore, to do so would mean death. Now take that feeling and pour it into a letter to someone in your government. Ask them to help. Beg them to do the right thing. If the U.K. won’t grant her asylum we need to make whatever country we live in do so.

Take that feeling and write a blog, even if it is just a short one. Let as many people as you can know what is going on. Post it on Facebook and Twitter. Make as much noise as you possibly can because it is going to take some noise to make this happen. We all think we can’t stop things like this from occurring but we can’t sit by and wonder. I am just a man with words but I have some wonderful friends and you all have words too. I think we need to use them. One letter, one blog, one link, a post on Twitter it will all help. If we are loud enough we will force them to hear us.

I know I am not King Arthur but I would gladly give up my office in my home to let Kiana stay there. I go to bed every night sleeping next to the one I love. I do this without fear, shouldn’t everyone. Shouldn’t Kiana.

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Sign Petition Here

Kiana’s Story

Kim Boekbinder’s Blog (She posted the letter from her friend here. It is very moving, go should go read it).

Contacting U.S. Elected Officials

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