Sunday, March 04, 2012

Teacher Jeremiah Small Murdered in Iraq

Here is the news.  Take a look at this tribute by one of Small's Iraqi students:
For me personally, Jeremiah Small was both a teacher and a friend. After my parents, he contributed the most to my personality and knowledge. He taught me how to turn my vision into reality and challenged me to be diligent, observing, meek, organized, and detailed. 
He was also a great friend outside of the classroom; we went on numerous hikes, trips, and other outings. God knows I would not be who I am today if it was not for him and what he presented to me. I am sure hundreds of his other students feel the same way.

... This, folks, is the irony of it all; our community has grown so vile that we kill the people who come to serve us, the people who dedicate their lives to us. Killing a teacher (especially over a slight disagreement) not only means that we despise education and are closed up, it also points out to the fact that we do not take disagreements well: we kill whoever has different opinions in the most brutal ways. But I guess this has been happening quite a lot lately. What a shame. 
I refuse to be part of it, however. I refuse to be silent, to clap for the unjust. This is why I join the thousands of others who condemn training children with special force units and giving them weapons to shoot their teachers with whenever they disagree on anything. This is why I condemn the rule of totalitarians that is looming over us, killing whoever disagrees. I join the thousands of affected students and families in demanding justice for the murder of Jeremiah Small and an end to the use of force in silencing differences.

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