My students- Layla is on the Right End.
My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones, knew those who perished, or was involved with 911. But I guess we were ALL involved with 911, it not only affected those directly involved but it involved us as a nation. It involved our trust issues and brought back prejudice on such a high scale that some of us aren’t even sure to this day if we should trust ANYONE from the Middle East.
My view is that you can go on trusting just do so with discretion. And it’s too bad that it has to be like that. My story is a little different.
I was in Iran on 9/11. On 9/12 I was taken as a prisoner and held captive in a POW type camp in the hills of Iran. As far as I can guess we were held as leverage in case the USA decided to retaliate against the Middle East. People who knew or were related to Americans were put into these camp. I was raped, beaten and tortured for six weeks. When I arrived home in November 2001 I weighed 70 pounds, had traumatic brain injury and most of my teeth had been knocked out.
What I’m about to say is crazy, but I don’t hate Muslims or Middle Easterners. God knows I’ve tried and people can’t understand why, I don’t understand why. I guess there were a couple years in Iran when I first moved there that were GREAT YEARS. Not with my Iranian husband but with girls that I taught English to. They weren’t just students they were my friends too. Aged 10-19, these girls trusted me, so they would ask me questions about the USA, boys and religion. Each day after class we’d sit down and just talk and they knew what they told me or asked I wouldn’t tell their parents. We became so close and they were the ones who helped get me through Iran while I was kept there since my husband wouldn’t give his written permission to let me leave the country. So I really enjoyed these girls and respect what they have to endure on a daily basis. So I guess in my mind how can I hate a country or faith that these girls and others like them are a part of. There are FANATICS in all religions, and those are the ones we have to fear. Layla one of my students was killed in her fathers swimming pool for not being a virgin on her wedding night. I quit teaching soon after that.
I only wish the best for the survivors of this tragedy, but in reality we are all survivors and we are here today due to our choices in life.
Thank you for listening. God Bless all!
Lori's Song 
Thank you all for your kind words. As I said we are all survivors in the sense of trying to figure this world out and our place in it. That is why these blogs are important, they not only allow us to share, but to get to know others that might have familiar experiences that make us think maybe we aren’t crazy:) But moreso it’s about friendship and support. And I’m honored to have you all as my fellow bloggers, and FRIENDS:)
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Lori, thank you for sharing your feelings, especially since you have such a personal connection. I cannot imagine how you endured and are probably still enduring the torture and torment. Bless you and may your days ahead be filled with sunshine!
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Hey Lori~
I really want to read your book…I am going to check out the Kindle version. I am very, very interested in the story that you have to tell. I think it is great that you have shared it! My first year in the Air Force was spent at the language institute in Monterey, CA where I was taught Farsi by native Iranians (and I know the proper pronunciation of that word!). They were all gorgeous people. They were mostly from very rich families because it cost so much for them to escape the years previous. They talked of suicide pacts if any of the wives or daughters would be shamed along the way. I could not imagine.
I wish that year could have been better spent for me there…but I was a young, undiagnosed bipolar and I ended up with 1 suicide attempt and a stint in alcohol rehab at age 21. It interrupted my studies and I never ended up doing the job as a translator… =( Damn mental disorders.
Your student, Layla, was beautiful. That is so sad about her death. Those women are so repressed…I guess you felt that yourself over there.
Thanks for sharing your 9/11 tribute.
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LOri,
Well said. I knew some that were killed and many that had near misses–including my grandson. We could see the towers burning from the road down from my home. You’re book about your life and imprisonment in Iran is fascinating and enlightening in many ways–the torture you enduted unbearable to even read about. Well done.
Micki
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