"As-Sallaam" means peace. However, I dwell in the ambiguity of wanting to "fight", to "battle", to make a Jihad for peace: in the world, in between human race, and within our own selves. In complex situations, one needs to listen, in order to understand. In conflict situations, it is urgent to understand the weaker, those who have lost hope. It is necessary to make their voices heard. If and when my writing suggest some sort of harshness or bitterness, it is because assertiveness is necessary, and it is also necessary to remember that some things hurt, especially when we invert the subject position. Thence, it is always peace what I try to say, do and wish, through stories I tell, the poems I transcribe, and through facts of the daily lives.
I need to justify to my regular readers of Publico the reasons for having stopped making "my Jihad" in the newspaper PUBLICO.
I left the newspaper mainly out of censorship. The opinion Editor at the time had the bad finger of touching and changing wording and cutting parts of my text which were products of my own opinion. That which made the real difference and which discouraged my continuation of the writings, was when he cut the expression: "what happened in Gaza was genocide". Can anyone in the modern democratic world understand this?! The context of the time was not favorable to my dear friend, and director of the newspaper, José Manuel Fernandes. I did not find the support I may have needed. However, I am all grateful and recognizant of the fact that he was the first media responsible who led pluralism of voices come into the Portuguese high-caliber newspaper. To him goes my warmest best wishes for his trust and friendship.
I now salute Expresso newspaper, namely Mr. Henrique Monteiro, Mr João Garcia, and my friend Luisa Meireles, for the generosity and sense of opportunity in making EXPRESSO even more richer and plural; for making bigger what was already grand. Thanks to the wonderful and creative team of the blog editorial, for their immense generosity and support. I am already enjoying the experience.
To my readers:
I have been looking at all your comments and would like to say thank you to all who read my blog and who think and reflect upon it. Although the spectrum of questions and comments are wide and deep, varied and diverse, it is my wish to be able to respond to most of them in the writings I will be producing.
Click to see the english version (versão inglesa)
*A Salaam significa paz
