Prison Poetry By Sami Al-Arian شعر الدكتور سامي العريان
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Strip-Search
His body was built
His head was bald
His heart was dead
His face was cold
His eyes were fierce
Moustache was thick
He lifted his finger
I was his pick
Take off your jumper
And shirt and boxers
But I’ve only been to the library
Have not seen or met anybody
Strip, you’re going to strip
And don’t you dare move your lip
Take off your jumper
And shirt and boxers
Open your mouth
Show me your tongue
Give me a cough
Deep from your lung
Hold your buttocks
And bend over
Turn around
Lift it up
And stay sober
The routine is to humiliate
To scar and intimidate
His “search” took an eternity
In the name of security
They strip you of your dignity
Image source: http://www.nightslantern.ca/prison/aprisoners.htm
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A Sincere Prayer
O’ my Lord, to whom do I turn
To a hypocrite who wishes me to burn
Or an enemy who wants me to be slain
Or the wicked, who unjustly detain
Or the misguided, whose faith is in vain
Or the ignorant, who doesn’t learn
Or the poor, who cannot earn
Or a stranger who will refrain
Or the corrupt, whose support I won’t maintain
Or a liar who wants to entertain
Or a busy man, whose help I cannot obtain
Or the weak, whose own relief he cannot attain
Or the arrogant, whose compassion I’d never gain
It’s only to you my Lord
That I shall come again and again
Bestow on me the faith
That forever will sustain
Sami Al-Arian
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Sami Al-Arian (Former USA) Political Prisoner Since Feb. 20, 2003. Released After 5.5 Years in Prison.
The son of Palestinian refugees, Dr. Sami Al-Arian (born January 14, 1958 in Kuwait) came to the United States in 1975, where he has since lived with his wife of 25 years, Nahla, and his five American-born children.
Dr. Al-Arian has been professor at the University of South Florida, where he taught computer science since 1986 and received two awards for outstanding teaching.
Sami was a frequent speaker and lecturer on college campuses, churches, and conferences on interfaith dialogue, community development, and civil rights. He also organized voter registration drives, political candidates and lobbied policy makers.
In 1981 he helped establish the Islamic Society of North America. In 1990 he co-founded the World and Islam Studies Enterprise (WISE), an academic institution promoting dialogue between the Muslim and Western worlds. He also helped establish the Islamic Committee for Palestine to raise awareness of the plight of the Palestinians.
In 1997 he cofounded the Tampa Bay Coalition for Peace and Justice which focused on the use of secret evidence and other civil rights violations legislated in 1996 antiterrorism and immigration acts. He also co-founded the National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom to oppose the use of secret evidence and was elected its first president in 2000.
Dr. Sami Al-Arian was arrested by federal authorities in February 2003 on spurious charges of supporting terrorism. Time Al-Arian spent in jail was mostly in solitary confinement.
USA vs. Al-Arian is an award-winning 2007 documentary film by Norwegian director Line Halvorsen about Sami Al-Arian and his family during and after his trial and a commentary on the U.S. justice system under the Patriot Act.
Democracy now reports on September 03, 2008:
Part One:
Part Two:
Thanks to Abd Al-Kareem
http://forums.islamicawakening.com
Prison Poetry:
http://able2know.org/topic/75511-1
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