A Sea of Mourners

The account of Imam Khomeini’s funeral was both startling and scary. I immediately googled Khomeini’s funeral and was even more surprised to see that Horwitz had not been exaggerating. Around the funeral pyre there appears to be a giant ocean of black. The millions of Iranians appear to be a sea of black trees swaying to what I can imagine was a giant roar of weeping for their beloved ruler. It is impossible to imagine a ruler like Khomeini being exalted as he was after all of the freedoms he stripped from his people. His funeral is the ultimate testament to the power he had over his people. Khomeini’s death puts a spell on his people as Horwitz describes the mourners as, “wild-eyed and oblivious. They didn’t seem human at all.” (242) I can not help but wonder to what state of depravation the people of Iran were in to become as manic as they were at their beloved Imam’s funeral. Iranians are just as capable of logic as any other people are but yet millions of them wept for a man who is considered evil. The scariest overall theme to this book is how all of these people, Iranians, Libyans, etc are brainwashed by some of the most immoral men in history. I can only imagine what it would be like to live in a country where you only could hear one voice shouting one message everywhere you go. The fear and paranoia that must take hold is immeasurable and I can only pity the millions of people who are unable to hear, speak or act. The lack of basic human rights is appalling but it almost seems as if these people are happy with their lives. They consider it more important to keep their culture and traditions than to move forward into the modern world. It is honorable but regrettable and it is ultimately a price that is paid with millions of innocent lives by a few horrific rulers. One day, hopefully there will be a calm that sweeps over the sea of black trees and brings with it respect for their culture and also an incorruptible freedom.

H.C.F.