People lining up for hours to see their idols at #TIFF Toronto, oblivious about the situation in #Syria

In 2003, we went on protest after protest with our 12 yr old son trying to prevent the invasion on Iraq. Nothing could have stopped that invasion. So, I think we just have to carry on watching Hollywood and Bollywood. Go wild about the actors at TIFF. Continue smoking pot like the girl next to me walking on King Street!!

 
People lining up at TIFF

 

12 Yr old in Toronto in 2003, protesting against the invasion of Iraq

The World Should Join in Call to Stop US War in Syria | Common Dreams

The World Should Join in Call to Stop US War in Syria | Common Dreams

"Together, let us fast, pray and send a clear message to President Obama, the U.S. Senate and Congress—“No war, no military attack, no support for armed opposition, no support al-Qaeda, no bombings.”
Give peace a chance!"

Photos to Remember

Why are kids sent to fight wars?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Rashad_Sultan_Khan

Claude Stanley Choules, Last combat veteran of World War I dies in Australia at age 110

Claude Stanley Choules, Last combat veteran of World War I dies in Australia at age 110

Thu May 5 2011

Despite the fame he achieved because of his military service, Choules grew to become a pacifist who was uncomfortable with anything that glorified war. He disagreed with the celebration of Anzac Day, Australia's most important war memorial holiday, and refused to march in parades held each year to commemorate the holiday.


“He didn't believe in war,” Edinger said.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/986067--last-combat-veteran-of-world-war-i-dies-in-australia-at-age-110

---

Claude Stanley Choules  is against the glorification of war- Nov 11, 2009
Claude Stanley Choules (born 3 March 1901)- World War 1
Of the 8 million British soldiers who fought in World War I, only 108-year-old Royal Navy veteran Claude Choules, who lives in Perth, remains.
But Choules shunned Wednesday's Armistice Day commemorations there because he is against the glorification of war, his daughter said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/12/2740433.htm?section=world

Eight Years ago - The invasion of Iraq

Eight Years  ago my son Naasir was 12 yrs old and he started to memorize the Holy Quran two months after the invasion of Iraq started. He is now a Hafiz-ul-Quran and the invasion of Iraq is still happening. Iraq has been disentigrated and the civilian death toll is now 100,000. The world cares so much about the 4000 American soldiers but no one cares about the Iraqi civilian death toll . There is no end in sight for the end of this war. The trillions spent on the invasion of Iraq could have eliminated poverty for the entire world.

We protested at the Anti War Protest in Toronto in 2003 http://www.flickr.com/photos/bknb/185125498/ . I was very optimistic that with enough protests that this war would not have happened. I was so wrong with my optimism!!.

Naasir (2003)...Scarborough Bluffs

My son was born in 1990 one month after the first U S war with Iraq. His name means helper in Arabic. InshaAllah one day he will be able to help some of the suffering in this world.

Also read:

• To My Daughter, on the Fifth Anniversary of the US Invasion of Iraq by Stephen Dunes
• The Eighth Anniversary of the Iraq War , Published on Saturday, March 19, 2011 by CommonDreams.org The Eighth Anniversary of the Iraq War by David Krieger