Free Esha

I heard her story while driving up from San Diego. KNX News Radio blaring, as I wove through traffic along the 5 freeway. A young Iranian-American imprisoned...worlds away from my trip through Orange County. Her name...Esha Momeni.

I am an Irish Catholic girl with a Persian last name - Maleki. My marriage has tied me to many beautiful Iranians who have spoken about love, poetry, tragedy, culture and hope. Perhaps that is why I couldn't turn the dial; I couldn't stop thinking about what happened to Esha and why she has been prevented from teaching the world more about the women of Iran and her family's incredible home. The home of my husband's family...people who long to share what is true and beautiful about Iran.

I write about this carefully. I choose my words wisely, as I know that a courageous woman prays for her release in a faraway prison.

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October 15th. Esha Momeni drove down a highway in Tehran. The 28-year-old Cal-State Northridge student began her journey in Iran two months earlier, feverishly working to complete her Masters thesis project - a documentary focusing on the Iranian Women's Movement.

Written by Esha Momeni (2007):
Iran and all that makes it unique - steep streets, narrow alleys and unmarked homes - is still the land of promise that we hold dear to our hearts. The women of this land are peacefully writing a glorious end to the bitter long story of inequality and injustice. Iran is still the covenant to those hands that would like to wash the mud of distress from the yarns of this land in the stream of peace and unity. Only then we can resurrect equality and knit white wings for the dove that represents unity.

Sirens came on. Men identifying themselves as undercover police pulled Esha over for a supposed traffic violation. They took Esha into custody. Her journey to uncover the female experience in Iran had taken a frightening turn.

Now in solitary confinement in the notorious Evin Prison, Esha faces the possibility of torture and mistreatment.

But - in the eyes of the Iranian Government - what has Esha done wrong? She has not officially been charged with any crime. Why would police arrest an Iranian-American for a traffic violation?

Iranian police searched Esha's home in the city and confiscated her laptop and video she had taken. As part of her documentary, Esha conducted interviews with Iranian women about their experiences living in the Middle East. Women who want change and equality - members of the One Million Signature Movement: a campaign to end discriminatory laws against women in Iran.

Another possible reason? Esha is a member of the Campaign for Equality, a two-year-old group that also works to end Iranian laws that discriminate against women. Apparently, many supporters of the campaign have been arrested and Iranian authorities have worked to shut down the website.

According to Amnesty International, Officials of Iran's Revolutionary Court told the family no information about the case will be released until the investigation is complete.

Esha holds dual citizenship with the United States and Iran (which does not recognize dual citzenship). And the United States, having no diplomatic representation in Iran, must work through the Swiss Embassy to gain information about the case. Previously, the Iranian government has said the arrest of a U.S.-Iranian citizen is an internal matter.

In a statement on the Cal-State Northridge website, President Jolene Koester said:
She is a student invested in learning and understanding current conditions in the country of her family's origin. Anyone who values knowledge and the role of academic inquiry in shedding light on the human condition should be concerned.

Amnesty International is monitoring Esha's situation, as friends and family work for her release.

PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK AND SIGN THE PETITION TO HELP FREE ESHA!

Gay is the new black

In a statement released today regarding the passage of California's Proposition 8, which seeks to amend the state constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and woman, No On 8 said the following:

"We achieve nothing if we isolate the people who did not stand with us in this fight. We only further divide our state if we attempt to blame people of faith, African American voters, rural communities and others for this loss. We know people of all faiths, races and backgrounds stand with us in our fight to end discrimination, and will continue to do so. Now more than ever it is critical that we work together and respect our differences that make us a diverse and unique society. Only with that understanding will we achieve justice and equality for all."

In case you're wondering, the part about African American voters is in response to the fact that 70 percent of African Americans voted Yes on Proposition 8.

The theory goes, African Americans turned out in higher numbers to support their man, Barack. They got to the polls, and the socially conservative lot thought "gay people shouldn't be calling their unions 'MARRIAGE!'

Whether African Americans did in Prop 8 is being debated as I type. (Also check out Meg's post on Prop 8).

Either way, the theory was discussed well in advance of November 4th because a) African Americans were expected to come out in record numbers and b) our President-elect stopped short of calling gay unions marriage.

But I am left with this: California voted to elect an African American president while simultaneously voting to amend the state constitution to exclude gays from calling their unions marriage. Does that mean that gay is the new black?

Wait, wait, eye contact... hello!

I exercise outside in my neighborhood many mornings during the week. Sometimes I wake up feeling perky and eager to say good morning to people I pass by. I feel really connected with the universe on those mornings, and proud to be a human. Sometimes I wake up with social anxiety and adamant about not making any eye contact with anyone, not even puppies and babies. On those days, I feel annoyed that I am even expected to acknowledge living beings. Respect my boundaries, god.

But even when I do decide to make eye contact and say hello to people, I always feel awkward about the timing of the whole encounter. I don't want to make eye contact too early because the stare may have to sustain for an uncomfortable amount of time. I usually pretend I am so engrossed in the NPR story I am listening to on my walkman, that I am oblivious to the outside world. I mean, really engrossed. I don't even see what's in front of m... Oh! (smile) Good morning! And pass.

Most mornings, I pass by the same 20 men who live in a halfway house down the street. I am pretty sure they have all recently been released from jail. They walk to a coffee shop for breakfast every morning. I try to make it a point to smile and say hello. It's important to help them integrate back into society. But I try to use my I-am-a -kind-person-but-have-boundaries-show-no-teeth smile with a nod. After all, they are a bunch of men who live in a halfway house down the street and have just been released from jail.

The workplace poses the same problem only worse because these are people you see all day. Now I take my iPhone with me whenever I walk around so I can stare at that until the moment to make eye contact occurs. Oh yeah, I gotta download that Labyrinth App now! Touch, touch, zoom, tou... Oh, hi! (smile) And pass.

There is one woman in my office who NEVER says hello to anyone and NEVER makes eye contact with anyone. For a while, I thought she was so cold. But I have grown to appreciate her consistent policy. I love passing her in the halls now because I follow her lead. It's liberating. I just look straight ahead. I don't worry about timing, fake smiles, things in my teeth, bugars in my nose, nothing. Just walking, which is hard enough for me sometimes.

Little kids have it so easy. They can get away with incessantly staring at strangers for uncomfortable amounts of time, or hiding behind mom's leg if they don't feel like being social, or actually being so engrossed with mom's keys, they truly don't see anything in front of them. I wish I could be a little kid again. But that would mean I would have to sit in my own feces for uncomfortable amounts of time. Never mind. I'll deal with the social awkwardness.