Friday, February 19, 2010

No One Sees My Tears As They Fall

I am on the verge of breaking,
My heart once cheerful is now breaking,
The Tears roll down as soft as a whisper,
No sound is heard not even a whimper,
They flow continuously without end,
No one sheltered me or tried to defend,
A daughter is like the Rose of her family,
Yet I feel like I am being trampled upon repeatedly,
By those who were sent to nurture with Love and Care,
Instead the brunt of harshness I am made to bear,
This hurt proves to be unbearable,
The scars in my heart are irreversible,
My only wish is of patience,
To comfort my wounds, my only sustenance,
No one sees my Tears as they fall,
Ya Rab, please answer my humble call.

~2007~
***

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Originality


“Originality is the art of concealing your sources” ~ Benjamin Franklin

In plain sight yet so many have looked over it without even giving a second thought to what we accept as quality products. It is almost absurd to me and blatantly shocking to see how many native and indigenous products being marketed and sold on a global wide commercial scale by Israeli owned companies. One question that keeps popping up in my head is if they have any copyrights to do such or any permission of consent to use the name and product as their own ingenious ideas. Isn't it enough that they have already suffocated the very life out of Palestinians who remain resilient amongst the many faces of terror?

They will export anything for a profit without any world authority interfering in the validity of their commercial rights to use these products. It was last month at the hair salon, they were introducing new techniques among such was the Moroccan Hair Oil that is quickly become a sensational success in the west. I immediately opted for the treatment as I readily confessed my addiction to anything Moroccan (North African). It was only later on when my hair was drying that I popped up a bottle into my hands and started to read the labels, out of natural curiosity of course, that I realised that this product was "Made in Israel".

You can imagine the whole raised eyebrow, "what?!?!?" expression I had on my face after realising this fact. Suddenly I felt guilty using the MoroccanOil because now obviously I was not supporting Maghreb but I was supporting and funding Israel. I have personally gone on a campaign to boycott all such products but this time I was genuinely fooled.

I feel insensed about every single product that Israel sells that represents an infringement on the intellectual and indigenous rights of a people. It seems they will stop at nothing to make an extra dollar. This goes beyond ethical buying where you choose not to buy from companies who employ children. This is broad daylight robbery of a people's right to their nativity whilst they profit not from any organisation.

Therefore the rich will become richer and the poor will remain forever impoverished. It is our society that we conform to and fund that allows this to go on.

Here are some of these products that are being illegally used for Israel's benefit:

For more info:
http://www.moroccanoil.com/
http://www.sabra.com/
http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/about.html

All of the products that have been listed here are either originally Arabic or Moroccan (North-African).

I end with this simple advise, pay careful attention to what we buy because every dollar we spend may become the cause for another child murdered while playing in their family's backyard.
End the Siege, Boycott, Divest and Sanction!

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue