I rarely bring personal matters out into the open here but I caught this headline tonight and felt it was my duty, as a friend, to respond:
Cleric Threatens Suicide Attacks
Dear His Holiness Muqtada al-Sadr,
Dude, what is up? You disappear from my buddy list for weeks, and now I read you're threatening suicide??!! That is some f'ed up shit, man. And don't tell me you don't know how to reach me. I gave you my cell. What is with people not wanting to talk when they're in trouble? First Uday and Quesay, and now you. Does no one in the whole unoccupied territory of Iraq know how to use a mobile?
Look, I know you're young, like most of us when we first surge against the oppressor. I used to see a lot of appeal myself in going out in a blaze of glory - it's martyrdom, the whole Ian Curtis/Cobain thing. But it's just not worth it. Worldwide infamy, 75 virgins, striking a dagger into the black heart of the infidel - I know how good it sounds but there are other ways to achieve all this that don't involve doing violence to yourself.
Sure, you're going to say I'm overreacting. I know you've made threats like this before, but still, I worry - your country wasn't on the brink of a civil war then. You simply mean too much to too many. You have a whole group of mujahadeen that love you, and really care for you. You have people that would, quite literally, follow you through the gates of hell if that would make you happy. Do you realize how special that is? Muqtada, I know how much you hate being told what to do, especially by an American. But I have a little bit of advice: Don't do it. Don't destroy yourself, and several others. Don't join that "stupid club" of Marilyn and Freddie Prinze Sr. and Mohammed Atta. If you need to go someplace, Muqi, take a Hemingway, not a Hemingway-out. Don't end up another "dead" card in the CIA's Most-Wanted deck; stick around and be a player.
My best to you and all the other Sh'ias,
LF
