A story to share and a bit more.

As I was leaving my office this afternoon to run errands before going home, a friend I’d not seen in a while pulled up to say hello. Who he is and the story he related to me were so pertinent to things I see here, I thought it might be of interest to some as to often we only hear one side and never the other.

My Friend of about ten years now, is originally from Turkey, born in Syria and he is a Kurd and a Sunni from birth.

He got word his Father had passed on about a year and a half ago if memory serves and was unable to return at that time, due to a medical issue that almost killed him. Thankfully the Doctors were able to return him to good health and save his life.

A mutual friend I see almost daily mentioned to me our friend was taking a trip home. He wanted to see his father’s land one last time and see family he had not seen in years. I heard a few months later he had gone and would return in a couple of months. I’d been wondering what happened to him and he shows up today having just returned. What he had been through reduced me almost to tears as he related why he was gone so long.

While visiting family in Turkey where he was welcome and had no problems, he managed to get the documentation he needed and permission so he could enter Syria to visit his place of birth and his father’s land and family.

He presented his legitimate documents at the border and was immediately arrested. He was beaten, tortured and driven blindfolded for hours to new location in Syria. He was placed in a windowless room along with about a hundred others being held. He described the room as the same size as the office I use for a handful of people, meaning to me they were packed in there like sardines in a can.

A few days later they discovered he had flown in from the United States and took him to another room where he was tortured again and questioned. He was accused of being CIA which of course they knew was a lie and beaten for days. Then he was returned to the windowless room with all the others to suffer for months.

He then described the daily routine to me. A single meal of rice and some kind of beans I’m not familiar with. No bathroom facility of any kind and the room was never cleaned. He drew a line across his abdomen just below his waist as he described the depth of the filth he was forced to sit in with all the others. He said they had one blanket for the whole room to tease them and the nights were long and cold. Every evening they would spray them down with cold water after it got cold to make it worse. As the prisoners slowly died they were taken away.

When he left I would guess he had gotten up to almost 300 pounds as his health issue had taken away his ability to walk more than a few feet at a time. As I looked at him in his car, I realized he was now thin as an anorexic and the only evidence of his former bulk was a roll of flesh that had not yet rebounded under his chin. I’d guess his current weight as maybe 110 pounds or so; he is not a very tall man and he is now skeletal.

After he was missing for a few weeks and his family in Turkey had not heard from him, they became worried for him. His brother who lives in Turkey grabbed all the cash he could for bribes and successfully tracked him to where he crossed the border by talking to people he had visited along the way. Using a bribe he got a border guard to give him his brothers’ location.

He negotiated his release for the equivalent of $48,000.00 U.S., grabbed his brother, got him some food and clean clothing and immediately took him to the airport to get the heck out of there. At the airport his brother had to leave him for a moment to get the tickets; my friend was immediately grabbed again and another ransom was demanded. Luckily his brother returned before they could get out the door and talked them into letting them leave.

As my friend related this horror story to me, I could not help but notice a broad smile on his face to counter the shock on mine. He was so happy to be among sane people once again; he said he had not been able to stop smiling since landing a couple of days ago.

He drove away still smiling and I jumped into my car still shocked, while looking around and thanking God that I live where I do and enjoy the freedoms I have. Suddenly the security at the airports here seems not so bad, while the thought we are heading the direction of the insanity in the Middle East troubled me.

It troubles me that differences between members of the same Religion could lead to such brutality and that the Muslim People have to live under those conditions, fearful of each other and ruled and controlled by evil men. It’s clear to me that just like many who proclaim Christianity are fakers and liars, many in the Muslim Faith are equally fakers and liars.

My Friend and I, a Christian and a Muslim, are very comfortable sitting down together and enjoying each other’s company. We are very much alike in fact in our attitudes and general beliefs.

I can also relate better to why people who have never been here or having never known Americans, can believe such transparent lies about us and come to believe such untrue things about us. I know that beneath it all, out beyond the sight of the evil leaders who have power over us, we are very much alike. We just want to live in peace and perhaps have some joy and prosperity in our lives.

Please everyone, anyone, learn that we ARE the same and all the evil of the world is caused by and in the hands of very few, very bad people. The hatred and bigotry we see towards groups of people every day, is orchestrated and washed into our brains by very bad people who have power over us. They keep us divided so they can control us.

The next time you feel compelled to hate somebody simply because they are a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a European, an American, an Atheist or Black, White, Red, Yellow, Purple, Green or simply different than you, stop yourself and think for a moment. Are they really any different than you or have you been conditioned to hate them? Be honest with yourself. So much of what is wrong with this world could be fixed so easily and simply by removing the hate.

These words are as much for my own benefit or shame as anyone else. It’s a constant battle to fight off the relentless bombardment of hate.

Peace all, it’s what we need. It starts inside our own minds and not the minds of others. If you’re told or taught to hate someone, the teacher whether it be the State, a Teacher, your own parents or a religious leader is the problem.

reply to post by Blaine91555


This is just another in a series of innocent people who are 'rendered' from one location to another, imprisoned and then tortured.

It is inbelievable that humans could do this to others for no actual gain, and yet, it happens again & again.

The stories are hard to take but are supported by uncontravertible evidence.

We should hold to task the governments who do nothing to stop this abuse (not just those complicit in these offences).

Please give some of your time, thoughts and money to Amnesty International to aid in their fight against such opression.

reply to post by Blaine91555


Dear Blaine91555

All quite correct, as I have been saying for years.

The only enemy the people of earth have is our own leaders.

I should have ended my post with something additional. Don't also fall into the hate trap of thinking all leaders, all those who are successful and all those who are in authority are bad, as that is just as untrue as the rest. There are many people in positions of authority who are good people and it's as wrong to label them as a group as it is to label any other.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
I should have ended my post with something additional. Don't also fall into the hate trap of thinking all leaders, all those who are successful and all those who are in authority are bad, as that is just as untrue as the rest. There are many people in positions of authority who are good people and it's as wrong to label them as a group as it is to label any other.

100% agreed.

Originally posted by MAC269
reply to post by Blaine91555

 

Dear Blaine91555

All quite correct, as I have been saying for years.

The only enemy the people of earth have is our own leaders.

Our own leaders? I think it's ourselves

reply to post by Blaine91555


Dear Blaine91555

Thanks for that you maid me think, and I still am, that is trying to think of some good ones.

Bad ones are all there at the top right now, Good ones???????????????

Help me out give me an example of just one that we can agree a pone that is leading this world in the right direction and not lining his own pockets.

reply to post by Blaine91555


OMG, what a terrible ordeal your friend went through to visit family.

What struck me was if he was taken under the presumption of being a spy, why would any amount of money been enough to free him from his hostages? Do you think it was more likely the border patrol randomly scams western travelers for the money?

Your story reminded me of something a friend said when he visits family in Viet Nam. His male cousins meet him at the airport and fully flank him from all sides and they quickly get out of the airport and into a waiting car. He told me they have to do this because gangs monitor the western inbound flights and know the americans(canadians, brits) have money and they follow them and strike.

Scary.

Originally posted by MAC269
reply to post by Blaine91555

 

Dear Blaine91555

Bad ones are all there at the top right now, Good ones???????????????

Sorry for not responding quicker. I managed to injure myself by being stupid enough to think I can still lift as much weight as in my youth.

It does seem like they are all bad. I have to remind myself often to not fall into the trap of lumping all leaders into the same category. It is true however that there are many wonderful people who hold power, are rich and successful or in leadership positions of some kind. The bad so overshadow them it's hard to make them out through the gloom.

reply to post by itsallmaya


There is no way of knowing, but I'd think the accusation of being CIA was just because he had an American Passport. Even sadder as he was visiting his place of birth where he still had family that did not even know he was there, let alone being held.

reply to post by Blaine91555


Wow, Blaine, that was an AMAZING story! I'm so glad you posted about it.

Yes, it's not perfect here, but it's head and shoulders above some other places. And you're right. We have to remember that we are being manipulated. The hatred is bombarding us every day. We must stay conscious... And love, of course.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


It sure made me think a lot. I got a message from him this morning he is going to stop by this week and give me all the details. He is so happy to be back in the USA, a mutual Friend tells me he is still celebrating. Probably eating a lot also

I'm just glad he made it back. He is a truly nice person who has had a rough life and certainly did not deserve what happened to him.

I know I won't be planning any Middle East trips soon. Sadly though, I was hoping to see some of the stuff in Egypt, but who knows what's going to happen there? Syria was never on my list though.