P O R T L A N D S T A N D S W I T H I R A N
We are a non-partisan group of ordinary people from the Portland Metropolitan area and Vancouver, WA. We came together because we are heartbroken by the violence inflicted upon the Iranian people. We are also tremendously proud of our fellow Iranians for their perseverance and non-violent presence in streets demanding change and justice. We invite you to join us for a weekly Friday vigil in solidarity with our courageous sisters and brothers who have been protesting ever since the election results were announced and their will was disregarded.
We unite with people in Iran demanding:
- An end to the violence,
- Democracy and human rights for Iran,
- Release of all those detained,
We also share President Obama’s message of concern while refraining from direct US intervention.
And why do people in Iran need our support? We asked some people to tell us what the support of people outside Iran means to them, and this is some of what we've heard:
“We have lost our voices: you have to be our voice.”
52-year old school teacher
“Isolate the regime without isolating us.”
29-year old teacher
“What the EU is doing is so important for us. It is giving us strength.”
37-year old engineer
“Knowing that the world is behind us helps to keep us sane.”
42-year old translator
* Quoted from http://www.united4iran-nl.org/why/
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are
tied so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the
sighing trees and the fat worms
waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and
he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the
grave of dreams his shadow shouts
on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are
tied so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.
Maya Angelou
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are
tied so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the
sighing trees and the fat worms
waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and
he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the
grave of dreams his shadow shouts
on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are
tied so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.
Maya Angelou