Naima Faud, formerly from Iraq, writes about herself.
My name is Naima Faud, and I am in my 40's. I am a woman who has lived in America the past five years; I am now a citizen of the United States of America. I am originally from the country of Iraq. I left Iraq to escape the tyranny and dictatorship of former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein.
I am also a Muslim.
I have been doing quite well for myself; but life for me is NOT easy. I am an amputee; in fact, I lost my leg in 1991, during the first Gulf War; and I have had problems with infection in my stump. Oh, I know I could have gotten treatment for my infections, but I have been afraid to get treatment because I fear that if people find out that I am originally from Iraq, I will be deported; and I DON'T want to have to face the hardship and oppression I faced in my former home.
As I said, I am in my forties. I have long, black hair streaked with grey, and I have dark-brown eyes; and my skin is dark-complexioned. I am fairly short for my age, and I walk on arm crutches or use a wheelchair to get around. I have one leg; I lost it when part of a building fell on me after a bomb had hit it; and they had to cut my leg off in order to free me. I will never forget the horror, or the pain I endured as a result of that incident; and because of it I am still plagued with nightmares to this day. I also saw my family killed by members of the Bastard's regime; and I am emotionally traumatized because of it.
I have been recovering from my latest infection; and I am about to be released from the hospital; I have been having treatments and therapy; and it has helped. But I am scared to go back home, for fear that people will throw stones or stuff at me. They tell me that I have no business living in America, and they call me "Terrorist" or worse. I don't like living by myself; and I don't live in a really good part of town. I live close to downtown Nashville, and there are a lot of problems with drugs, drunks, and gangs there. There is also a lot of crime, and there are often gun or knife fights there, and I fear for my very life.
I really don't do much when I AM home. I mainly just sit there in my room, pondering about life, and how it would have been had I NOT lost my leg or seen my family killed by Saddam's men. (They were killed because they did not believe in Saddam.) I also think of how life was so much better before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and how bad life has become for Muslims like myself who are only living in America to try to better their lot in life. To think of how these terrorists killed so many innocent people, men, women, and children, makes me ill inside, and it is all I can do to keep from crying. Before I came to Nashville, Tennessee, to live, I spent a few months in New York City, and I remember seeing those beautiful Twin Towers gracing the city skyline; and I feel ill to think how some callous and perverted bastards destroyed such an incredible part of America. How anyone can show so much hatred for a country that is free is something I can't even bring myself to understand.
This is one reason why I don't really tell people I am Muslim, because they automatically think I am related somehow to the terrorists; and inside, I feel ashamed, and I wonder if being Muslim is worth all the hassles and heartache I must endure day after day.
I really don't have a lot of interests except maybe read or write in my journal. That is about all I do anymore, and since being in the hospital, another thing I do a lot of is SLEEP. I can't wait to get out; maybe then I can get myself something DECENT to eat! This food here RANKLES!
this came across as being so real. so immediate, i immediately empathized with this character? where do these people come from? in your head, or do you actually know them?! whatever the case may be, you bring them alive with your writing. wonderful work!
Spoken Word
This CD will touch the deepest inner part of your humanness and spirit, you will never be the same after listening to the depths of struggle, the reality of life, the touching voice of truth. It will shock you, move you to tears. It w
