Professor Mirzeler

Today in class i was truly moved, I haven no idea why the honor killing topic is hitting me so hard. The more I'm learning about it the more I'm trying to understand it rather than dissect it- breaking it down, instead of trying to find a way to have it make sense with my own personal norms; I'm telling it to others' getting different views and takes, learning more about organizations in hopes of making a change.
Today in class I found myself crying, because I was sad. I was sad for the people and the thought of never wanting to go back to a loved place because it would "spoil the memory" of what it once was. I was sad that Professor Mirzeler doesn't even know how old he is, i'm sad he was asked to kill his own sister.
I've been thinking about this all day. The questions, the heart-break i feel- the sadness, is because i found myself having compassion not just lookin at this as research. Reading real stories meeting real people dealing with the face of the issue rather than the issue itself.
I'm trying to look at it from all sides. (while also tryin to image myself in the role)
Professor Mirzeler told us about his Father, and the fact that he understood and could clearly see the turmoil and social pressure his father was under. When describing him sitting under the tree weeping and after seeing all the beautiful landscape I could just picture him there crying about the choice in front of him. Not only that Professor Mirzeler was letting the class know the flip side what his mother and sisters were doing: everything in their power to help save their loved one, who soon could turn into a victim of an honor killing.
They spent time looking for someone for her to marry in order to save her life and that thought it self.."they spent time looking for someone for her to marry in order to save her life" it brings to mind the importance of marriage and if it is looked at as, "marry ANYONE just to have honor" "If your not a virgin, your not fit to marry" "If your divorced your a broken women, lucky if any MAN wants you" than i think i myself would love out of wedlock in order to truly love the person i was in love with. I would rebell for true love.
I think in a country that is built on pride and honor i myself would risk everything for what i beleieved in, what the hell have i been taught? What has history been showing us? Not to be scared but to fillful something with deep meaning 100 percent heart and soul.
Its to bad the extreme lenght everything has been taken too. With everything being so westernized, trying to keep the honor in line, and under control is harder and must been seen in greater force therefore harsher killings; over such minor issues as viewed in the eyes of myself.
Before, there was no "other" way only the way that was lived and shared amongst the people in the villages, there was order and respect within a place that had no real founding. Made up of mostly nomads, located in the valleys of mountains, travelers were not know because the people couldn't travel all they had we their families and their villages.
If i did grow up in this social role, and these learned behaviors and this was all i knew and lived by regradless how wrong they are, there is the choice to "dishonor" and know what punishments will most likely happen to you or rebell, and take the fate given.
Professor Mirzeler spoke about the changes of the people and the land itself. i thought it was so- moving, and here in America we have never had to deal with something on such a wide range scale,If you dis-honor your family your family will kill you, if you dont die they will kill and rape other members of your family, because you and your family are now an open field with nothing left because all your had in the first place was honor and pride.
The people of Turkey continute to hold on to their traditions, culture, life lessons, etc to at least have a grasp on something in the fast paced world of today.