furkan’s flotilla

a year ago this past tuesday,
may 31st,
young furkan dogan,
a native to the united states---
born in troy, new york & living in
turkey after a move at the
age of
2,
was shot four times in the
head &
once in the
chest
(point blank) ,
because he was
on a boat which was part of a
group of six---dubbed the
GAZA FREEDOM FLOTILLA.

desperately
trying
to bring aid
supplies to
the suffering people of
gaza,
these
civilians
traveling in
international
waters were attacked
by the israeli
military &
as a result of their
blatant & brutal
force,
9 other turkish citizens died alongside
this young man
(at age 18, the youngest of the group).

this month,
another flotilla bearing 15 ships
will try to bring aid to the
suffering, again,
& this time, with 1,500 activists
from 100 different countries
traveling to do so,
hopefully this
FREEDOM FLOTILLA II
will be able to make it to
the palestinian people who are
so very much in
need of
help.

these courageous individuals
will pay homage to the
memory of this compassionate
young man,
whose life was stolen from him---
as so many have been during the
period of israel’s policy of
apartheid or
drawn out genocide---
whichever you prefer, in this
game of semantics which always seems to
trump
humanitarian concerns.

this nonviolent group of
individuals will once again do their best
to bring the attention of the
world to this issue---

please listen when they speak
& walk with them in solidarity
for the freedom of an oppressed
people
& the hope for the palestinians
to someday have a secure home of
their own,
unoccupied by the military of another,
whose big brother
still manages to rule the world.