ESL Blogs

I didn't write this.  A friend of mine sent from Iran.  I am blogging it here with her permission.

“What goes through your mind as you sit there looking at me? Well, I can tell from your look that you think I’m so oppressed, but I don’t need  you to liberate me.  My head is not bare, and you can’t see my covered hair, so you sit there and you stare, and you judge me with your glare. You’re sure I’m in despair, but are you not aware, under this scarf that I wear I have feelings, and I do care how I feel. So don’t you see that I’m truly free?  This piece of scarf on my head, I wear so proudly, to preserve my dignity, my modesty, my integrity, so don’t judge me in your way. Open your eyes and see. Why can’t you just accept me? Why can’t I just be me?  Time and again you speak of democracy, yet you rob me of my liberty. All I want is equality.  Why can’t you just let me be free?”