By PETER MOLENAAR
Peter Molenaar
Elliot Park (1000 E. 14th St.) was host on April 6 to Sudanese immigrants, friends, and families, who had come to observe a revolutionary moment. In Khartoum, a million people surrounded the armed forces. Soldiers were leaving the compound to celebrate among the people. The 30-year dictatorship of al-Bashir was about to fall”¦ and it did!
It is not too soon to begin casting the vision for a new Sudan, including the reconstruction of the historic irrigation system. Naturally, the prison gates have been breached, freeing the comrades to the democratic process.
What might we take home from the heart of Africa?
For all time, the Sudanese people have demonstrated the possibility of implementing fundamental change by nonviolent means. (Hey, why wait for some mythical Red Army to drop from the sky?)
Anything else?
We are witness to a Muslim people who have taken down an “Islamic” state. How does this square with the assertion by D. Trump and Company that our Congresswoman bears responsibility for the 9/11 event? Supposedly, all Muslims are the same. Right?
However, progressive Jewish voices are coming forward. I will cite former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich:
“The President of the United States has endangered the life of a member of Congress by creating and disseminating a propaganda video”¦ which ties her to the 9/11 tragedy because she is a Muslim”¦.
“He has not condemned the recent burnings of three black churches. He has not repudiated his relationship with the Saudi crown prince who murdered an American journalist. But he attacks a political opponent”¦ for exercising her First Amendment rights”¦.
“Congresswoman Omar has already received death threats”¦.
“This is how tyranny takes hold, friends.”
From a distance and in a small way, I have been privileged to take part in the Sudanese People”'s Revolution. From that far away land an image of a martyr was sent to my phone. His head was cradled by a comrade as he bled out upon the stretcher. In the last flickering of the light, he smiled.
