Here’s What The World Does Not Want To Talk About
A couple weeks ago, a friend lent me a book that was personally handed to him by the author herself.
She is Shahrzad Mirgholikhan, an Iranian national who was FALSELY accused of attempted terrorism and got incarcerated in a US prison for 5 years.
I know right, it’s crazy.
That is why I encourage you to read a little further to find out a little bit more about this book.
Here’s a summary…
Shahrzad is a mother of two; Melika and Melina. She grew up having a care-free and strong-willed personality and loves a good challenge.
At 24, she was recognized as one of the most successful business women in the UAE under the banner of her company: TWINS Group.
However, despite her success, she was then setup by her ex-husband out of the blue. She was supposed to act as a translator between two parties in Vienna back in 2004.
She only found out later the meeting was about a plan to smuggle 3,000 helmet-mounted, Generation III military night vision systems from the United States through Austria to Iran.
After being imprisoned for 28 days in Austria, she went back to Iran and tried to make a fresh start. Little did she know, it was just the beginning of more injustice for her.
To make it shorter, the US government held her on the stop list for travel. Believing that she’s innocent and confident to clear her name, she flew to the US with the determination of settling the issue permanently.
Upon arrival at the US airport, she was immediately handcuffed and delivered to jail.
In prison, in spite of discomfort and corrupt treatment, she fought for herself and never gave up when people refused to extend a helping hand.
She became her own lawyer for five incredible years as she fought to clear her name.
Meet Shahrzad below during her interview with the PressTV…
What I personally learned after reading the book…
First, I was drawn to her book right from the start because we have common birthdays.
More to that, she has a unique character that is unusual for Iranians or Arabs as some would say.
For me, Shahrzad’s story is like a kitkat bar (Her favorite). Like the kitkat, her story is forgotten about — ignored in the market. But when you consume it/read about it, you realize it stands out from the rest.
Going back, let me tell you 3 lessons of enlightenment that I gained from reading Shahrzad’s life in a book…
1. Not all Iranians are terrorists.
Just because some are known to be terrorists doesn’t make everyone a terrorist. If we just try to look deeper, they are the ones who suffer more because they experience being in a war.
It’s a great privilege to know about this especially now that I’m living in an Arab country which made me become more aware of people.
2. There are people out there who suffer more than you do.
“You have no right to complain!”
This is what I tell myself.
When I was having a hard time in my previous job, I have always thought of Shahrzad and what she went through.
When it gets tough, remind yourself of the people who suffer the same like you. If it gets tougher, move out and run to the people who have gone through the same struggle.
Just bear in mind that you’re not alone. There are people who are crying alone fighting for justice and survival.
Yes, it’s worse than what you could think of.
3. There are times to be discreet and a time to fight.
Many of us, even I, have allowed ourselves to be dominated by a corrupt organization because it’s “right” to do what they demand, right?
There are times when we need to be silent and times we need to stand up against corruption.
But it is wiser to speak up at certain times — especially when your legal rights are being withheld from you.
REAL TALK:
This is what the world doesn’t want to talk about. When I watched her interviews, it didn’t even get a lot of attention or views.
Like, who cares?
She is just from another side of the world where terrorism is a part of the culture.
But the fact is, we really have no idea what they’re going through. They are the ones who need a voice.
I sent Shahrzad an email right after finishing the book. A few minutes later, I received a reply from her. Words cannot describe how I felt in that moment.
She has been and will always be an inspiration to me.
I hope to meet her someday.
