It's about a group of women who struggle to survive in Troy after the town has been sacked. When one of the women cries out, "Our country, our conquered country, perishes ... O land that reared my children!" it's hard not to hear those words echo today, through Syria, in Iraq and in Ukraine.
4 comments:
I see what this article is coming from. Especially when it says "This is the greatest tragedy". And yes there are rules and regulations that should be followed, but entertainment and the arts are growing so rapidly in our country. We're moving on to bigger, better and more innovative ways to create art. With that being said, these women should be able to get their visas. And yes, maybe they'll want to stay, but to just immediately deny them from having a visa is just wrong.
I do not feel like raging against “the man” as I am sure many people will be when they hear this story, but my heart does drop for these women who have gone through so much. Your story is the most powerful story telling tool you have, I believe. Yes Star Trek can inspire us for a future and travel through the stars, Forrest Gump can make us cry for the passion and love one simple man had for his world, and A League of Their Own can inspire us to pursue our dreams no matter what. But what about the people who actually did go the stars, did stand for what they believed in and did care for people with endless compassion. These women have stories that need to be heard, and yes we are not hearing their particular story but we need to listen to the words they say through this production. We need to open our ears to their suffering and pay attention.
The last two paragraphs make a very strong point about what is being lost in this conflict between the State Department and these Syrian women. Our sources of perspective on global issues are more limited than we realize in this country and here is an opportunity for new outside perspective. From a very personal stance, I find it hard to believe that these women would abandon their families and children once they see all that the United States has to offer. Having lived in the US my entire life, I know that I cannot even begin to understand how fortunate I am to live here, especially in contrast to the horrors that these Syrian refugees have faced. But I feel that most mothers would be disinterested in a life in the United States if their children were still suffering in Jordan.
""This is the greatest tragedy," says Ambassador Schneider, "because in the United States we really don't have access to the voices of the Syrian people. Who are we hearing from? ISIS.""
Wow. The voices of artists and refugees are being stifled while the manipulatively worded social media posts from ISIS have already gained American followers. Our priorities are ridiculously out of line; we are a country that shouts "HUMAN RIGHTS" but rarely enforces that mantra.
I'm assistant directing Trojan Women here in CMU's fall season. I wonder how this production could inspire our creative team. As a general question: How is it possible to speak for those who have no voice, but whose experience we simply do not have? Are our observations just as true as reality?
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