TRYING TO BE LIKE YOU!

December 31-2008:

Trying To Be Like You!

I watched a short film tonight about a young Iraqi man name Muthana, around 18 years of age, who was discovered by an American film director. Who invited this lad to come to the USA. But things got a bit complicated for him and his sponsors.

This young Iraqi film student probably came for the middle or some privileged class. Accustomed to having his needs taken care of by his mother, financially and otherwise. In fact his privileged position back in Iraq was the reason why he found it so difficult to do menial tasks, while working with the American film crew here in the USA. This bothered him very much, and he often told his sponsors that he was happy, when he wasn't.

This young man was always haunted by his experiences of bombs exploding all around him back home, the screams, the nightmares that most Iraqi's live with on a daily basis, and became very paranoid whenever they are unable to be with, or make personal contacts with relatives. He said he tried so hard to be like the Americans, but failed miserably at this effort. This man's struggles are indicative of every Iraqi who lives under constant fear, for their lives, their families lives, and their future.

This is a man with dreams like so many of his fellow countrymen, both at home and abroad, many of whom left Iraq involuntarily, not only for themselves, but for their families and for their country's future. Some have said that they will leave Iraq for Europe, the UK or France, study there, work there, send home money to their families left in Iraq. And when the political climate becomes stable and reasonably safe, they will return and help with the re-construction process.

That is the spirit of most Iraqi's today, and that spirit is what they want the Americans, and all other foreigners there to understand. That even though they are grateful for the freedom from Sadam's terror regime, given to them with his overthrow. They also want to be respected as a people, a people with a rich cultural history, an educated people, and a very proud people also.

Mr. Muthana was eventually sponsored by another film director, who was able to provide him a grant to study film making in the UK.

Derryck S. Griffith
NYC.